Fisheries Economist – Economic Analysis Support

FISH/FLOAT Remote (U.S.-based; support to NOAA NMFS Office of Sustainable Fisheries)
remote Full-Time $75,000 – $115,000 Annually

Job Summary

FISH is seeking to hire a Fisheries Economist to support a contract with NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Office of Sustainable Fisheries (OSF). This is a full-time, primarily remote position based in Silver Spring, MD, anticipated to begin July 1, 2026. Hiring for these positions will be contingent on contract award. FISH will be operating under its FLOAT joint venture, a NOAA ProTech Fisheries 2.0 prime contract holder.* NOAA OSF requires economic analysis support to evaluate fisheries management actions under Executive Order 14276, Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness. This role will support regulatory decision-making by conducting economic, socio-economic, and trade-related analyses that inform NOAA leadership and ensure compliance with statutory requirements.

Responsibilities

  • *Support the fishery management actions necessary to enable rapid fulfillment of the requirements of the Seafood Executive Order
  • *Support the economic analysis for fisheries management actions resulting from the Seafood EO, and respond to the requests of NOAA and NMFS leadership including but not limited to conducting Regulatory Impact Review analyses, developing fishery descriptions, conducting Regulatory Flexibility Analysis reviews (to include Section 610 reviews), and Small Business entity analyses.
  • *Assessments including, but not limited to, cost-benefits of proposed management options, including addressing fisheries bycatch and discard issues, capacity, protected species issues, habitat protection restrictions, and social impact assessments in support of the management actions necessary to implement the Seafood EO and respond to the requests of NOAA and NMFS leadership.
  • *Provide fisheries management input to the Office of Science & Technology’s Trade Dashboard in support of the Seafood EO.
  • *Evaluate the effects of allocation options between commercial – recreational sectors; within sectors
  • *Evaluate surveys and research of socioeconomic impacts of management actions and disasters on fishing communities, including general public, fishing businesses, crew, aquaculture operations, marine-related businesses and seafood-business employees.
  • *Evaluate comparative analyses of fishing labor trends
  • *Technical editing of economic input to fishery management actions in support of the Seafood EO and in response to NOAA and NMFS leadership requests.
  • *Evaluation of decision support tools, bio economic models, integrated ecosystem models, angler behavioral models, seafood markets and trade, aquaculture, and fisheries economic impact models.
  • *Provide support for socio-economic analyses for fisheries management actions for which NOAA is responsible.

Deliverables

  • *Economic analyses for fishery management actions
  • *Progress report to include, but not necessarily be limited to, the following: accomplishments, issues encountered, travel (including purpose, significant outcomes, action items), and recommendations, if applicable, submitted at least on a monthly basis. 
  • *Trade Dashboard Data & Technical Inputs: Validated economic data sets and analytical summaries provided to the Office of Science & Technology to populate the Seafood EO Trade Dashboard.
  • *Regulatory Impact Review (RIR) & Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (RFA) Reports: Comprehensive analysis of the economic costs, benefits, and impacts of proposed fishery management actions on small business entities (vessels, processors, and aquaculture).
  • *Socio-Economic Impact Assessments (SIA): Detailed reports quantifying the effects of management options  on fishing communities, such as  data on labor trends, crew participation, and impacts on marine-related businesses and the general public.
  • *Fishery Management Action Technical Edits: Polished, economic sections within larger fishery management documents, ensuring all inputs meet NOAA/NMFS leadership standards for clarity and statutory compliance.

Qualifications

  • *Bachelor’s degree in economics, resource economics, or related field (Master’s strongly preferred)
  • *At least three (3) years of experience in applied economic analysis in the field of fisheries science or management 
  • *Experience conducting cost-benefit and regulatory impact analyses
  • *Strong quantitative and analytical skills
  • *Applied expertise with relevant statutes, including the MSA, ESA, MMPA, and NEPA.
  • *Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Place of Performance

Work will be performed primarily offsite. Occasional travel or on-site support may be required depending on mission needs.

Travel

Limited travel may be required to support Council meetings, NMFS coordination, or workshops.

* This position is advertised through our joint venture, FISH and Lynker Ocean Alliance Team (FLOAT), a partnership between Lynker and Fisheries Immersed Sciences Hawaii (FISH) serving the NOAA ProTech Fisheries 2.0 IDIQ contracting vehicle.

Compensation

$75,000 – $115,000 Annually

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      Salary Range $75,000 – $115,000 Annually