Robert Ruhle

North Carolina - Appointed Obligatory Member (1st term, Exp. 2026)

Robert is a 4th generation fisherman from Wanchese North Carolina and has fished commercially since 1994, achieving Captain in 2001. His fishing career began in 1983 when he first went to sea with his father aboard the family’s 90’ trawler DARANA R where he remains employed to this day.  His father James Ruhle served 3 terms as a NC representative to MAFMC, and his uncle Phil Ruhle served 1 term as RI representative for NEFMC. In proximity giving Robert invaluable insight into the council process.

Over the course of his career, he has been active in numerous Mid-Atlantic and New England fisheries and has fished from Hatteras to Canada. Primarily focusing on Illex squid, Longfin squid, Atlantic Mackerel, Sea herring, Atlantic Croaker, Butterfish, Fluke, Black Sea Bass, and Scup.

Robert has served multiple terms as an Advisor for the Mid-Atlantic Council for numerous Advisory Panel’s. He is also an ASMFC advisor for NTAP and a member of the NTAP working group as well as a member of ROSA, and MREP steering committee.

Guided by his father, James Ruhle, who instilled in Robert the need for continual engagement in all aspects of fisheries, Robert has had over 25 years experience in co-operative research and has worked on projects ranging from Gear selectivity to bycatch reduction and fisheries acoustics with academic partners from, URI, Cornell, Manomet, Scimfish Rutgers, NOAA and VIMS. He has been a participant in the NOAA Study Fleet program since 2008 and has co-authored several scientific publications.

Most notable of these is the NEAMAP inshore trawl survey. NEAMAP is conducted onboard the F/V DARANA R with scientists from VIMS biannually during the spring and fall of each year. Robert has been a key participant since 2006 and has been onboard every cruise to date. He is responsible for ensuring the proper functionality and utilization of the 400x12 survey trawl and maintaining the onboard monitoring electronics and fisheries acoustics. During his association with the survey, Robert has gained in-depth knowledge of Fisheries/Scientific data collection methods as well as its use in Fisheries Science and management practices. Robert, alongside his father James, was the recipient of ASMFC’S Award of Excellence in 2021.

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