Mr. Ruhle is the Captain of F/V Darana R and the President of the Commercial Fishermen of America. He lives in Wanchese, North Carolina and is a third generation fisherman. His family has been involved in fishery management issues for years. Mr. Ruhle has testified on fishery management issues to several groups including Congress, the Coast Guard, and all levels of NOAA. He has also served on the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council for nine years, was a liaison to the New England Fishery Management Council, and was an advisory panel member for twelve years. In an effort to increase cooperative science and improve upon stock assessment data, since 2006, Mr. Ruhle has used his boat, in an Atlantic coast inshore fish survey conducted by scientists from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science. He was featured in the documentary Truth: Fishing Crisis or Government Mismanagement. Mr. Ruhle has also worked with scientists on trawl net designs to reduce by-catches, called “The Ruhle Trawl.” Mr. Ruhle has been the recipient of the Highliner Achievement Award for lifetime service to the fishing industry.
