Captain Dewey Hemilright Honored with Mid-Atlantic Council’s Ricks E Savage Award
Dewey Hemilright (left) with Council Chair Wes Townsend
The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council has named Captain Dewey Hemilright, commercial fisherman and former Council member, as the recipient of the Ricks E Savage award. The award, which was presented during the Council’s December meeting in Annapolis, Maryland, is given annually to an individual who has made exceptional contributions to the management and conservation of fishery resources in the mid-Atlantic region.
Based out of Wanchese, North Carolina, Captain Hemilright is the owner/operator of the F/V Tarbaby. He was first appointed to the Council in 2012 to fill a mid-term vacancy and was reappointed for three additional full terms, serving for a total of 11 years. During this time, his on-the-water expertise and deep knowledge of the East coast fisheries enriched Council discussions and provided crucial perspective on how management decisions impact fishing communities.
“Dewey asked insightful questions and consistently shared his wealth of knowledge and experience with the Council and stakeholders,” said Council Chair Wes Townsend. “While he often served as a voice for the U.S. fishing industry, he did an outstanding job of balancing the interests of commercial fisheries and the sustainable management of the resources as required under the Magnuson-Stevens Act.”
Captain Hemilright chaired the Council’s Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Committee for seven years and served on most of the Council’s other committees at different times. He also represented the Council in other key roles, most notably as liaison to the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council and representative on NOAA Fisheries’ HMS Advisory Panel.
The Council extends its gratitude to Captain Hemilright for his years of service and congratulates him on this well-deserved honor.
Source: Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council
