New Leadership at ODFW’s Marine Resources Program

Lynn Mattes with a 35-pound Pacific halibut she caught out of Newport. Mattes now leads the Marine Fisheries Team for ODFW’s Marine Resources Program.

With ODFW since 2008, Mattes now leads MRPs Marine Fisheries Section team on sport and commercial marine fisheries management. The team is responsible for commercial and recreational Pacific halibut and groundfish fisheries, nearshore policy, commercial Dungeness crab, albacore, and coastal pelagic species such as herring and market squid. A Nebraska native, Mattes has worked extensively for more than 25 years with sport and commercial fisheries in Alaska and across the West Coast in state and federal management processes.

She has represented ODFW as a member, co-chair, chair, and emeritus chair of the Groundfish Management Team. This team informs and guides the Pacific Fishery Management Council process that helps recommend quotas, season structures, and regulations for bottomfish and Pacific halibut fisheries. Mattes is noted for her commitment to getting sport anglers access to groundfish and making that fishery sustainable through her work on the “No Floaters” campaign. That campaign urges anglers to use descending devices to release rockfish at depth. This increases rockfish survival rates and in turn, provides anglers more fishing opportunities.

Scott Groth

Scott Groth with a sunflower sea star on a recreational dive in 2010. Groth is the new Resources Assessment and Management Section Leader for ODFW’s Marine Resources Program.

A familiar face at the Coos Bay and Charleston ports, Groth is heading to Newport for his new role as the Resources Assessment and Management (RAM) Section Leader beginning Feb. 20. A 20-year MRP career began with seasonal work up to his most recent position as the Pink Shrimp Project Leader. In that role, one of Groth’s most notable achievements is his work with fishermen and researchers to maintain a sustainability certification for Oregon’s pink shrimp fishery through the Marine Stewardship Council. In prior roles, he streamlined data management, fostered collaborations, and published research on sea urchins, abalones, sea cucumbers, clams, crabs, spot prawns, and pink shrimp.

As the RAM Section Leader, Groth will lead diverse projects and programs including the coastwide shellfish program, marine reserves, marine mammals, offshore energy, finfish research and habitat research. Groth will also be a key subject matter expert on marine resource issues representing MRP and ODFW in our work with sister agencies, researchers, and external partners. Groth is an avid scuba diver and mountain biker and may be found exploring new trails on the central Oregon coast.