Eugenio Piñeiro Soler was appointed as assistant administrator for NOAA Fisheries Monday by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. For 30 years a commercial fisherman, captain and entrepreneur, Piñeiro Soler was deputy assistant secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere in the first Trump administration.
Piñeiro Soler served as chairmen of the Caribbean Fishery Management Council from 2001 to 2010, and was a U.S. representative to the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas, the International Whaling Commission, and the Marine Protected Area Federal Advisory Committee.
Piñeiro Soler earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy in 1979 from Radford University, and a juris doctor law degree from the Catholic University Law School of Puerto Rico. He conducted research on deepwater snappers with scientists from Texas A&M University and discovered Odontanthias hensleyi, a new species of jewelfish, while conducting research with the NOAA Fisheries Competitive Research Program.
“Eugenio Piñeiro Soler brings extensive managerial and leadership experience to NOAA Fisheries, having worked at the intersection of policy and science throughout his career,’’ according to the Department of Commerce’s announcement of his appointment. “Mr. Piñeiro Soler’s passion for these issues is evident and he will work with NOAA Fisheries’ various partners, industries, and constituencies to promote the economic benefits of U.S. fisheries and ensure smart management of our nation’s fisheries and trust resources.”
With Piñeiro Soler’s new position, Emily Menashes, who had been acting administrator for NMFS, returns to her old job as NOAA’s deputy assistant operations administrator according to the agency.
