ABOUT US
DRIVING BLUEFIN TUNA SCIENCE FORWARD WITH REAL DATA.
The Bluefin Collaborative is a collective of US and Canadian fishermen that came together formally in 2022 to improve the management and sustainability of Atlantic bluefin tuna by sourcing data and promoting objective research. The official scientific narrative has changed little over numerous decades despite the hard work by under-funded, independent researchers throughout the Atlantic in their effort to answer unresolved questions needed for accurate assessments. We are here to change that by bringing the expertise, dedication, grit, and energy of those on the water, in the air, and on the waterfront into the process.
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
The Bluefin Collaborative is run on a day-to-day basis by its Board of Directors and Executive Director. Currently the Board is made up entirely of fishery stakeholders. This was a conscious choice. Those working on—and above—the water are well situated to gather the biological data needed to allow for the type of research that will improve policy. There is simply no replacement for the ability of fishery stakeholders to find, catch, and sample Atlantic bluefin tuna at scale.
Guiding our data gathering and research efforts is a team of independent fishery scientists that makeup our Science Advisory Panel.
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
The Bluefin Collaborative is run on a day-to-day basis by its Board of Directors and Executive Director. Currently the Board is made up entirely of fishery stakeholders. This was a conscious choice. Those working on—and above—the water are well situated to gather the biological data needed to allow for the type of research that will improve policy. There is simply no replacement for the ability of fishery stakeholders to find, catch, and sample Atlantic bluefin tuna at scale.
Guiding our data gathering and research efforts is a team of independent fishery scientists that makeup our Science Advisory Panel.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Steve Weiner
President
Chris Comb
Vice President
Michael Blanchard
Treasurer
Tyler Macallister
Secretary
Nathaniel Moody
Assistant Vice President
Richard Burgess
George French
Eric Hesse
Eric Jacquard
Putnam Maclean
Anthony Mendillo, Jr
Norman St. Pierre
CHRIS WEINER
Executive Director
Chris Weiner is a 3rd generation bluefin harpooner out of Perkins Cove, ME. He helps operate the family harpoon vessel, the Elizabeth Ames, during the summer/fall Harpoon Category season. Chris has a B.A. in Government and Legal Studies from Bowdoin College and a Master’s in Policy, Planning, and Management from the Muskie School of Public Service.
Chris has spent many years involved in both the science and management pertaining to numerous Gulf of Maine, East Coast, and Atlantic-wide fisheries. He is currently on the Advisory Committee to the U.S. Section to the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), the Maine Offshore Wind Fisheries Working Group, and the Maine Offshore Wind Research Consortium. In recent years, he has served lengthy terms on the Maine Department of Marine Resources Advisory Council, the NOAA Highly Migratory Species Advisory Council, and the New England Fishery Management Council’s Herring Advisory Panel.
Prior to helping found The Bluefin Collaborative, Chris spent many years formally involved in the management of Atlantic herring and mackerel, which are key forage stocks for Atlantic bluefin tuna. This included helping found and run a diverse industry stakeholder coalition and the New England Purse Seine Alliance, a group of traditional purse herring seine vessels from Maine.
Despite this extensive time spent on forage stock management, Atlantic bluefin tuna management has been, and always will be, Chris’ obsession. Since 2020, he has become directly involved in the science arena and has been a part of numerous US delegations to meetings for both ICCAT and the SCRS.
SCIENCE ADVISORY PANEL
While still in a foundational, informal stage of development, the team of independent scientists helping guide data collection and research planning is already extensive. We have experts with a wide range of expertise, including stocks assessment and population dynamics, larval ecology and movements, genetics, life history, and field research. Equally important to bringing in a team with a wide range of expertise is the need to bring in new blood and fresh perspectives. So far we have made good progress in this regard.
As we grow, we will continue to put great emphasis on engaging the best scientists in the fields relevant to Atlantic bluefin tuna and formalizing this Panel.
SCIENCE ADVISORY PANEL
While still in a foundational, informal stage of development, the team of independent scientists helping guide data collection and research planning is already extensive. We have experts with a wide range of expertise, including stocks assessment and population dynamics, larval ecology and movements, genetics, life history and field research, among others. Equally important to bringing in a team with a wide range of expertise is the need to bring in new blood and fresh perspectives. So far we have made good progress in this regard.
As we grow, we will continue to put great emphasis on engaging the best scientists in the fields relevant to Atlantic bluefin tuna and formalizing this Panel.
The Bluefin Collaborative is a nonprofit, tax-exempt charitable organization (tax identification number 87-3332779) under section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code. Donations are tax-deductible to the full extent allowable under law.