Gov. Janet Mills has nominated Carl Wilson, a fisheries scientist with local connections, to serve as the next commissioner of the Department of Marine Resources.
Wilson is nominated to replace outgoing Commissioner Patrick Keliher, who recently announced that he will retire on March 14. Mills will appoint Wilson to serve as acting commissioner until a permanent commissioner is confirmed by the Maine Senate.
First joining DMR in 1999 as the agency’s lead lobster biologist, Wilson has served since 2015 as director of DMR’s Bureau of Marine Science. The bureau oversees DMR’s overall fisheries research and monitoring efforts and has a staff of 90.
“I'm proud to nominate Carl to this vital leadership role for our state,” Mills said. “His vast knowledge and experience in the science, policy, and economics of Maine's marine resource industries, combined with the strong relationships and mutual respect he has developed with Mainers who make a living on the water over his 26 years at DMR, will serve him well as the department’s next leader.”
“I'm honored to be nominated to serve as Commissioner at DMR,” Wilson said. “It’s a privilege to work on behalf of Maine’s critically important marine resource industries. There are many challenges ahead and I will remain committed to the collaboration necessary to confront them.”
Wilson is well-known to the fishing industry, including in Stonington and nearby towns, both for his professional work and as someone who spent time at his family’s summer home on Isle au Haut.
Stonington resident Robin Alden, herself a former DMR commissioner, called Wilson a “wonderful choice” for the position.
“I think the state and the fishing industry are lucky that he’s willing to step forward at this time of great challenge for the industry,” Alden said. “He’s got great relationships in the industry, they go way back, and they stretch the length of the coast. As the Director of Science for the DMR, Carl’s been exposed to the wind issues, the whale issues, the lobster issues, the scallop management.”
Lobster industry representatives agreed.
“The Maine Lobstermen’s Association has tremendous respect for Carl Wilson,” said Patrice McCarron, Executive Director of the Maine Lobstermen’s Association. “Carl is a rare leader in government who truly respects fishermen as professionals and values their deep expertise. His open-minded approach and willingness to listen...
Wilson is nominated to replace outgoing Commissioner Patrick Keliher, who recently announced that he will retire on March 14. Mills will appoint Wilson to serve as acting commissioner until a permanent commissioner is confirmed by the Maine Senate.
First joining DMR in 1999 as the agency’s lead lobster biologist, Wilson has served since 2015 as director of DMR’s Bureau of Marine Science. The bureau oversees DMR’s overall fisheries research and monitoring efforts and has a staff of 90.
“I'm proud to nominate Carl to this vital leadership role for our state,” Mills said. “His vast knowledge and experience in the science, policy, and economics of Maine's marine resource industries, combined with the strong relationships and mutual respect he has developed with Mainers who make a living on the water over his 26 years at DMR, will serve him well as the department’s next leader.”
“I'm honored to be nominated to serve as Commissioner at DMR,” Wilson said. “It’s a privilege to work on behalf of Maine’s critically important marine resource industries. There are many challenges ahead and I will remain committed to the collaboration necessary to confront them.”
Wilson is well-known to the fishing industry, including in Stonington and nearby towns, both for his professional work and as someone who spent time at his family’s summer home on Isle au Haut.
Stonington resident Robin Alden, herself a former DMR commissioner, called Wilson a “wonderful choice” for the position.
“I think the state and the fishing industry are lucky that he’s willing to step forward at this time of great challenge for the industry,” Alden said. “He’s got great relationships in the industry, they go way back, and they stretch the length of the coast. As the Director of Science for the DMR, Carl’s been exposed to the wind issues, the whale issues, the lobster issues, the scallop management.”
Lobster industry representatives agreed.
“The Maine Lobstermen’s Association has tremendous respect for Carl Wilson,” said Patrice McCarron, Executive Director of the Maine Lobstermen’s Association. “Carl is a rare leader in government who truly respects fishermen as professionals and values their deep expertise. His open-minded approach and willingness to listen...
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The Weekly Packet (Digital) - 1 Issue, March 13, 2025