Wes Townsend

Council Chair

Delaware - Appointed Obligatory Member (3rd Term, Exp. 2025)

Wes Townsend grew up fishing on the Indian River Bay in Sussex County Delaware.  He first starting gillnetting with his grandfather at the age of 5, then worked on several charter and head boats at the age of 10.  All his free time growing up when not in school was spent fishing with his brother Chet.  Currently captain Wes is the owner/operator of the F/V PAKA out of Indian River Inlet in DE and also fishes with his brother Chet on his boat F/V Andrew G out of Ocean City, MD.  Potting for lobster and black sea bass is his primary fishery but he also fishes for rockfish, bunker, bluefish, spiny dogfish, tautog, oysters and several other smaller fisheries.  

When the F/V PAKA arrives at the dock to unload you often see Wes answering questions to the many observers and handing out dried out starfish, sand dollars and seahorses to the children.  Since 2009 Wes has worked with the University of Maryland Eastern Shore on several black sea bass projects and has worked with many graduate students in obtaining their degrees.

Wes is vice chair on the advisory council on tidal fin fisheries for the state of Delaware and has served since 2010.  He also sits on the advisory panel for summer flounder, scup and black sea bass.

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