Roy E. Crabtree

Present Address:

8789 15th St. N. St. Petersburg, FL 33702 (727) 510-9740 home email: [email protected]

Born:

October 8, l954, Chapel Hill, N.C. Married with three children.

Education:

Ph. D. College of William and Mary. Williamsburg, VA. Marine Science, 1984.

M.S. University of South Carolina. Columbia, SC. Marine Science, 1978.

B.S. Furman University. Greenville, SC. 1976, Biology.

Work Experience:

2021 - Retired

2003-2020 Regional Administrator National Marine Fisheries Service Southeast Regional Office

Serve as the Regional Administrator of the National Marine Fisheries Service’s (NMFS) Southeast Regional Office. I have served in that capacity since January 2003. As Regional Administrator I am responsible for conserving and managing living marine resources in federal waters of the South Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico and U.S. Caribbean to maintain healthy marine ecosystems, afford economic opportunities, and enhance the quality of life of the American public.

The broad geo-political area of the Southeast Region encompasses ten coastal states (including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands) and three of eight Fishery Management Councils (Councils) created by Congress in 1976 through the Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) to advise NMFS on federal fishery conservation and management. The Councils, composed of representatives from the commercial and recreational fishing sectors, environmental organizations, state fishery management agencies, and other interest groups are charged with preparing management plans for fisheries within their jurisdictions. These plans

1 describe the unique biological, social and economic objectives of managed fisheries, as well as management strategies designed to ensure their long-term health and viability.

The Southeast Region has a staff of approximately 130 people and is responsible for 40 percent of all fishery management plans nationwide. I work as a member of the South Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Fishery Management Councils to ensure the management strategies proposed in these plans and amendments are capable of achieving conservation goals and comply with numerous other federal mandates. These include laws and policies that protect public involvement and participation in rulemaking, call for rigorous analyses and healthy debate on the impacts of management alternatives, require the conservation of threatened and endangered species, protect small businesses, and more.

As Regional Administrator I have worked with the Councils to establish limited access to all major fisheries, established or improved the fishery management reference points needed to monitor the biological status of fish populations, and taken action to reduce fishing rates to a sustainable level. These accomplishments are a direct result of persistent work to repair and build new relationships with fishery interest groups and partner agencies/organizations, recruit and motivate committed and highly-skilled professional staff, communicate the relationship between regional management needs and national policy objectives to senior leadership in NMFS, its parent agencies and Congress, and hold the Councils and the agency accountable as stewards of public resources. In addition, I represented NMFS regularly in meetings with members of Congress and their staff.

I believe I have successfully aligned NMFS’ mission and the priority outcomes and solutions sought by NOAA’s partners and constituents by actively listening, seeking out needed data and analytical approaches, recruiting and training key staff, judiciously applying limited resources to successfully fulfill agency mandates, and providing vision and leadership. During my tenure I worked within university, local and federal political arenas to move the Southeast Regional Office from an industrial park setting in St. Petersburg, FL to a vibrant Center of Excellence for Marine Science in the same town. The resulting collaborations with the local university, a world-renowned graduate program of Marine Science, other federal science agencies, and marine science-based private enterprises have immeasurably strengthened NMFS’ ability to understand and respond to marine resource issues in the region. These partnerships allow the Regional Office to routinely draw on partnerships with government scientists and academics to find elusive options for achieving conservation goals in a way that best minimizes unavoidable short- term economic impacts on commercial and recreational fisheries.

2001-2003 Director, Division of Marine Fisheries Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

The Division of Marine Fisheries develops regulatory and management recommendations for consideration by FWC Commissioners designed to ensure the long-term conservation of Florida's valuable marine fisheries resources. The Director of the Division serves as a liaison to

2 a number of federal agencies on marine issues and is the state's representative on the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council and South Atlantic Fishery Management Council. Division activities include recreational and commercial marine fisheries outreach and education programs, facilitating artificial reef development and deployment, preparation of fishery strategic plans, issuance of special activities licenses and commercial fishing licenses, conducting wholesale fish dealer audits and assisting trap-retrieval efforts. The Division had a staff of approximately 50 people. I led marine conservation efforts for the State of Florida by developing sound marine resource management strategies which still serve as the foundation for Florida’s reputation as a leader in marine conservation. In addition, I represented the Florida fish and Wildlife Commission at meetings with members of the Florida Legislature and appeared at numerous Legislative hearings on fishery issues. I also was responsible for preparing Legislative Budget Requests for consideration by the Legislature.

2000-2001 Fishery Administrator, GS-14 National Marine Fishery Service

Serve as team leader for the permits team for the southeast region.

1998-2000 Fishery Management Specialist, GS-13 National Marine Fisheries Service

As a Fisheries Management Specialist in the Sustainable Fisheries Division, I coordinate the activities of regional offices, research centers, appropriate state agencies, user-groups, and regional fishery management councils to develop and implement fishery management plans under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. I coordinate the review of regional and inter-regional fisheries management plans for adoption by the Secretary of Commerce. My duties include managing natural resources of regional and national significance, some of which are controversial and subject to considerable Congressional attention. I review and analyze plans for completeness, content, and compliance with established guidelines and national standards, including provision of adequate environmental impact and regulatory analyses. These duties require me to have knowledge of the goals, objectives, legal and regulatory requirements and processes concerning the U.S. government. I provide advice to Regional management staff on matters related to fisheries management and environmental policy. I have experience providing leadership and implementing policies in the field. I have established and maintained positive working partnerships with other Federal and state agencies, special interest groups, the press, and the general public.

1988-1998 Senior Research Scientist Florida Marine Research Institute St. Petersburg, FL

I supervised a multi-disciplinary staff and worked with other state agencies and groups to achieve the goals of the state of Florida. I managed a state-wide research program on the life 3 history, abundance, and fishery characteristics of Florida fishes and provided relevant information to management agencies. Research topics included: 1) general fish life history - age and growth, reproduction, feeding habits, estimation of mortality rates, and systematics; 2) early life history - larval abundance, growth rates, proximate composition, recruitment, and habitat requirements; and 3) estimates of abundance using acoustic surveys as well as traditional mark- recapture techniques. I supervised a staff of 20 employees. I advised employees under my supervision regarding data collection and data analysis. I also prepared and edited final reports, manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed journals, and assessments for regulatory agencies. In addition, I administered grants, wrote and edited proposals, and prepared and monitored budgets. I attended meetings of the Florida Marine Fishery Commission, wrote and edited stock assessments, and reviewed and commented on proposed rules and regulations. I attended workshops and other forums held by the Commission to obtain input from the public on regulations. On a regular basis, I interacted with outdoor writers, anglers, and representatives of sportfishing and commercial groups concerning fish biology and fishery management in Florida waters. In addition to these duties, I served as a reviewer for several journals including Fishery Bulletin, Estuaries, Bulletin of Marine Science, Copeia, and Transactions of the American Fisheries Society, and I participated as a reviewer in the Florida Marine Research Institute’s in- house review process. I was a member of the Institute’s senior scientific advisory board, and I served as a member of the Institute’s senior staff. I prepared and managed budgets for state and Federal grants as well as general state revenues. I prepared legislative budget requests for the Florida legislature. I managed contracts and reviewed and approved contractor budgets and performance reports.

Other Employment

1984-1988 - Self employed as a fishing guide in the Florida Keys and Everglades National Park. Secretary of the Florida Keys Fishing Guides Association.

l978-1984 - Graduate assistant at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, Gloucester Point, VA. Duties included - assistant curator of the VIMS fish museum, survey of the fish and invertebrate fauna of Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries, and teaching assistant in VIMS graduate level ichthyology courses.

l977-l978 - Research biologist for the Environmental Protection Agency at Bears Bluff Field Station, Johns Island, S.C. Involved in projects studying the life history of the silverside, Menidia menidia, and the ecology of tide pool fishes.

l975 - Research biologist at the South Carolina Marine Resources Center, Charleston, S.C. Biologist involved in a study examining the penaeid shrimp fishery in South Carolina.

Previous Adjunct Appointments:

Courtesy appointment, Dept. of Marine Science, University of South Florida, St. Petersburg, FL.

4

Adjunct professor, Dept. of Biology. Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, FL.

Adjunct Assistant Professor of Marine Science, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC.

Teaching Experience:

1988 – 2009 - I have served on graduate student committees at the University of South Carolina, the University of South Florida, the Florida Institute of Technology, and the University of Florida.

Fall, 1984 - Temporary Instructor, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA. Upper-level four-hour course in ichthyology.

l979-1982 - Teaching assistant in VIMS graduate-level ichthyology course.

1976-l978 - Laboratory instructor in freshman oceanography and in upper-level marine biology courses at the University of South Carolina.

Grants and Awards:

MARFIN project entitled "Age structure of offshore red drum populations in nearshore waters off west-central Florida." R.E. Crabtree and M.P. Murphy principal investigators. Total award $286,096. 1995-1998

MARFIN project entitled "Life history of black grouper, Mycteroperca bonaci, in Florida waters." L.H. Bullock and R.E. Crabtree principal investigators. Total award $156,436. Start date 1994-1996.

Investigations into Nearshore and Estuarine Gamefish Abundance, Ecology and Life History in Florida. U.S. Dept. of Interior 1989-1998. Average award $240,000 per year.

Contract with the Florida Marine Fisheries Commission to study tarpon life history. 1990_1993. Approximate awards $40,000 per year.

Grant from the Pate Foundation to the University of South Carolina to support research in Costa Rica. 1988-1989 - $8,700; 1990-1991 - $10,000.

Grant from the New York Zoological Society and the Don Hawley Foundation to the University of South Carolina to support research in Costa Rica. 1990-1991. $30,000.

Grants from the Don Hawley Foundation to the University of South Carolina to support graduate student research, $36,000, 1988-1991.

5 Grant from the National Science Foundation for improving doctoral research to the College of William and Mary, $3,285, l981-1984.

Graduate fellowships from the Slocum-Lunz Foundation, South Carolina l976, l977, l978, and l979.

Thesis:

Fish community structure of two South Carolina estuarine tide pool fish assemblages in relation to temperature and vertical elevation. MS Thesis. University of South Carolina. Columbia, S.C. l978.

Dissertation:

Food habits and body composition of some dominant deep-sea fishes from temperate and tropical regions of the western North Atlantic. Ph.D. Dissertation. College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA. 1984.

Publications:

Barbieri, L.R., J.S. Ault, and R.E. Crabtree. 2008. Science in support of management decision making for bonefish and tarpon conservation in Florida. Pp. 399-404. In: Biology and Management of the World Tarpon and Bonefish Fisheries. J.S. Ault ed.

Snodgrass, D., R.E. Crabtree, and J. Serafy. 2008. Abundance, growth, and diet of young-of- the-year bonefish (Albula spp.) off the Florida Keys, U.S.A. Bull. Mar. Sci. 82: 185- 193.

Crabtree, R.E., P.B. Hood, and D. Snodgrass. 2002. Age, growth, and reproduction of permit (Trachinotus falcatus) in Florida waters. Fish. Bull. 100:26-34.

Shenker, J.M., E. Cowie-Mojica, R.E. Crabtree, H.M. Patterson, C. Stevens, and K Yakublik. 2002. Recruitment of tarpon (Megalops atlanticus) leptocephali into the Indian River Lagoon, Florida. Contr. Mar. Sci. 35:55-69

Smith, D.G. and R.E. Crabtree. 2002. Order Elopifomes. pp 679-684. In: The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Atlantic. Vol. 2 Bony fishes.

Crabtree, R.E. 2002. Elopidae and Megalopidae. In: B.B. Collette (ed.), Fishes of the Gulf of Maine. Smithsonian Press.

Colburn, J., R.E. Crabtree, J.B. Shaklee, E. Pfeiler, and B.W. Bowen. 2001. The evolutionary enigma of bonefishes (Albula spp.): cryptic species and ancient separations in a globally distributed shorefish. Evol. 55:807-820.

6 Andrews, A. H., E.J .Burton, K.H. Coale, G.M. Cailliet, and R.E. Crabtree. 2001. Radiometric age validation of Atlantic tarpon, Megalops atlanticus. Fish. Bull. 99:389-398.

Patterson, H.M., R.S. McBride, R.E. Crabtree, N. Julien. 2001. Elemental signatures of red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) otoliths from the Gulf of Mexico and Western Atlantic. Proc. 52nd Gulf Carib. Fish. Int. 52:87-97.

Geiger, S.P., J.J. Torres, and R.E. Crabtree. 2000. Air breathing and gill ventilation frequencies in juvenile tarpon, Megalops atlanticus: responces to changes in dissolved oxygen, temperature, hydrogen sulfide, and pH. Envir. Biol. Fish. 59:181-190.

Bishop, R.E., J.J. Torres, and R.E. Crabtree. 2000. Chemical composition and growth indices in leptocephalus larvae. Mar. Biol. 137:205-214.

Bishop, R.E., Torres J.J., Crabtree R.E. 2000. Leptocephalus energetics: Chemical composition and growth indices. Marine Biology 137: 205-214.

Taylor, R.G., J.A. Whittington, H. Grier, and R.E. Crabtree. 2000. Age, growth, maturation, and protandric sex reversal in the common snook, Centropomus undecimalis, from South Florida waters. Fish. Bull.

Pfeiler, E., D. Padron, and R.E. Crabtree. 2000. Growth rate, age, and size of bonefish (Albula sp.) from the Gulf of California. J. Fish. Biol. 56:448-453.

Harnden, C.W., R.E. Crabtree, and J.M. Shenker. 1999. On-shore transport of Elopomorph leptocephali and glass eels (Pisces: Osteichthyes) in the Florida Keys. Gulf of Mexico Science. 1999:17-26.

Murphy, M.D. and R.E. Crabtree. 1999. Changes in the age structure of nearshore adult red drum off west-central Florida related to recruitment and fishing mortality. N. Amer. J. Fish. Manag. 2001; 21:671-678

Crabtree. R.E., C. Stevens, D. Snodgrass, and F.J. Stengard. 1998. Feeding habits of bonefish, Albula vulpes, from the waters of the Florida Keys. Fish. Bull. 96:754-766.

Crabtree, R.E. and L.H. Bullock, L.H. 1998. Age, growth, and reproduction of black grouper, Mycteroperca bonaci, in Florida waters. Fish. Bull. 96:735-753.

Crabtree, R.E. E.C. Cyr, D. Chacon, W.O. McLarney, and J.M. Dean. 1997. Reproduction of tarpon, Megalops atlanticus, from Florida and Costa Rican waters and notes on their age and growth. Bull. Mar. Sci. 61(2):271-285.

Gartner, J.V., R.E. Crabtree, and K.J. Sulak. 1997. Chapter 4: Feeding at depth. pp. 115-193. In: D.J. Randall and A.P. Farrell (eds.), Deep- Sea Fish, a volume of Fish Physiology. 388 p.

7

Crabtree, R.E., D. Snodgrass, C. Harnden. 1997. Maturation and reproductive seasonality in bonefish, Albula vulpes, from the waters of the Florida Keys. Fish. Bull. 95:456-465. Crabtree, R.E., C. Harnden, D. Snodgrass, and C. Stevens. 1996. Age, growth, and mortality of bonefish, Albula vulpes, from the Florida Keys. Fish. Bull. 94:442-451.

Bullock, L.H., M.F. Godcharles, and R.E. Crabtree. 1996. Reproduction of yellowedge grouper, Epinephelus flavolimbatus, from the eastern Gulf of Mexico. Bull. Mar. Sci. 59:216-224.

Crabtree, R.E. 1995. Chemical composition and energy content of deep_sea demersal fishes from tropical and temperate regions of the western North Atlantic. Bull. Mar. Sci. 56:434-449.

Crabtree, R.E. 1995. Relationship between lunar phase and spawning activity of tarpon Megalops atlanticus, with notes on the distribution of larvae. Bull. Mar. Sci. 56:895-899.

Crabtree, R.E., E.C. Cyr, and J.M. Dean. 1995. Age and growth of tarpon, Megalops atlanticus, from South Florida waters. Fish. Bull. 93(4): 619-628.

Donnelly, J., J.J. Torres, and R.E. Crabtree. 1995. Proximate composition and nucleic acid content of premetamorphic leptocephalus larvae of the congrid eel Ariosoma balearicum. Mar. Biol. 123:851-858.

Shenker, J.M., R. Crabtree, G. Zarillo. 1995. Recruitment of larval tarpon and other fishes into the Indian River Lagoon (abstract). Bull. Mar. Sci. 57:284.

Crabtree, R.E., E.C. Cyr, R.E. Bishop, L.M. Falkenstein, and J.M. Dean. 1992. Age and growth of larval tarpon, Megalops atlanticus, in the eastern Gulf of Mexico with notes on relative abundance and probable spawning areas. Env. Biol. Fish. 35: 361-370.

Pfeiler, E., J. Donnelly, J.J. Torres, and R.E. Crabtree. 1991. Glycosaminoglycan composition of tarpon (Megalops atlanticus) and ladyfish (Elops saurus) leptocephali. J. Fish Biol. 39:613-615.

Crabtree, R.E., H.J. Carter, and J.A. Musick. 1991. The comparative feeding ecology of temperate and tropical deep-sea fishes from the western North Atlantic. Deep-Sea Res. 38:1277-1298.

Crabtree, R.E. and K.J. Sulak. 1986. A contribution to the life history and distribution of Atlantic species of the deep-sea fish genus Conocara (Alepocephalidae). Deep-Sea Res. 33(9):1183-1201.

Crabtree, R.E., K.J. Sulak, and J.A. Musick. 1985. Biology and distribution of species of Polyacanthonotus (Pisces: Notacanthiformes) in the western North Atlantic. Bull. Mar. Sci. 36(2):235-248.

8

Anderson, M.E., R.E. Crabtree, H.J. Carter, K.J. Sulak, and M. Richardson. 1985. Distribution of demersal fishes of the Caribbean Sea found below 2000 meters. Bull. Mar. Sci. 37(3):794-807.

Sulak, K.J., R.E. Crabtree, and J.C. Hureau. 1984. Provisional review of the genus Polyacanthonotus (Pisces, Notacanthidae) with description of a new Atlantic species, Polyacanthonotus merretti. Cybium 8(4):57-68.

Crabtree, R.E. 1983. Confirmation of the validity of Coryphaenoides alateralis as distinct from Coryphaenoides thelestomus based on new captures of C. thelestomus from the North Atlantic. Copeia. 1983(4):1083-1086.

Crabtree, R.E. and D.P. Middaugh. 1982. Oyster shell size and the selection of spawning sites by Chasmodes bosquianus, Hypleurochilus geminatus, Hypsoblennius ionthas, (Pisces, Blenniidae) and Gobiosoma bosci (Pisces, Gobiidae) in South Carolina estuaries. Estuaries. 5:150-155.

Crabtree, R.E. and J.M. Dean. 1982. The structure of two South Carolina estuarine tide pool fish assemblages. Estuaries. 5:2-9.

Crabtree, R.E., J.M. Bishop, and M. Shealy. 1976. Abundance of the white shrimp, Penaeus setiferus (L.), in relation to bottom salinity and temperature in South Carolina estuaries. Bull. S.C. Acad. Sci. Vol 38.

Awards: 2020 – NOAA Distinguished Career Award 2009 - Presidential Rank Award. Each year, the President recognizes small group of Senior Executives with the Presidential Rank Award. Recipients of this prestigious award are strong leaders, professionals, and scientists who achieve results and consistently demonstrate strength, integrity, industry and a relentless commitment to excellence in public service. 2007 - Department of Commerce Silver Medal 2003 - NOAA General Counsel’s award

9