ALCOAST 205/24 - MAY 2024 2023 CAPTAIN QUENTIN R. WALSH EXCELLENCE IN LIVING MARINE RESOURCES (LMR) ENFORCEMENT AWARD WINNER

R 031238Z MAY 24 MID120001075474U
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC
TO ALCOAST
BT
UNCLAS
ALCOAST 205/24
SSIC 1650
SUBJ: 2023 CAPTAIN QUENTIN R. WALSH EXCELLENCE IN LIVING MARINE
RESOURCES (LMR) ENFORCEMENT AWARD WINNER
A. COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC 161131Z APR 24/ALCOAST 084/24
1. I am pleased to announce and congratulate LCDR Megan Willmann of
Pacific Area as the recipient of the 2023 Captain Quentin R. Walsh
Excellence in Living Marine Resources Enforcement Award.
2. As Pacific Area's Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing
(IUUF) Planner and LMR program co-manager, LCDR Willmann oversaw the
planning and execution of all IUUF and LMR Pacific operations. She
represented the Coast Guard on the U.S. delegation to three Regional
Fisheries Management Organizations, co-chaired the North Pacific
Fishery Management Council Operations Working Group, and played an
integral role in establishing the Indo-Pacific IUUF Center of
Expertise (COE) and the re-homeporting of CGC Harriet Lane, the
Coast Guard's Indo-Pacific Support Cutter, strengthening counter-
IUUF collaboration with Pacific partner nations. LCDR Willmann's
influence and expertise were critical to the adoption of a High Seas
Boardings and Inspection (HSBI) protocol within the South Pacific
Regional Fisheries Management Organization convention area. In
addition, leveraging our strong partnership with Canada's Department
of Fisheries and Oceans during Operation Northern Pacific Guard, her
efforts enabled over 475 visual vessel inspections leading to 30
potential violations and discovery of more than 3,000 illegally
possessed shark fins. LCDR Willmann is commended for her outstanding
contributions enhancing strategic and operational joint,
interagency, and international partnerships in support of Coast
Guard fisheries enforcement missions.
3. The runner-up for this award goes to BM1 Steven Swendsen of the
Gulf Regional Fisheries Training Center for his outstanding devotion
to duty through his support of LMR operations throughout District
Eight. BM1's actions unquestionably demonstrated a true passion for
law enforcement and greatly enhanced the overall success of both
domestic and international fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico.
4. Honorable mention goes to the following nominees (ordered
alphabetically by rank):
    a. LT Devon Zych, U.S. Coast Guard Eleventh District
    b. LTJG Alaric Stone, U.S. Coast Guard Fifth District
    c. LTJG Marissa Marsh LoVullo, CGC Oliver Henry
    d. LTJG Taylor Noble, SEC Puget Sound
    e. BM1 Daniel Velez, CGC Rollin Fritch
    f. BM1 Keaton Douglas, CGC Bailey Barco
    g. BM1 Mark Phillips, Northeast Regional Fisheries Training
Center
    h. BM1 Ryan Hoffman, CGC Tern
    i. BM2 Daniel Shumans, SEC Northern New England
5. The volume of outstanding nominations made selection difficult.
Not all nominees may be aware of their nomination and I strongly
encourage Commands to publicly recognize their accomplishments and
leadership examples in addition to documenting the accomplishments
in their performance evaluations.
6. Bravo Zulu to all the nominees and the many Coast Guard members
who perform this important mission every day. The Coast Guard is
increasingly reliant on the stellar efforts of its members in the
face of growing mission demands and limited resourcing. Your hard
work and dedication level the playing field in the $321 billion
commercial and recreational fishing industry, and helps advance
efforts to combat IUUF globally.
7. Additional information about the award, including the winner's
award nomination, is available on the COMDT (CG-MLE-4) SharePoint
page:
(Copy and Paste URL Below into Browser)

https://uscg.sharepoint-mil.us/sites/cgmle/cgmle4/SitePages/
Fisheries-Enforcement-Division-%28MLE-4%29.aspx

8. Direct any questions to COMDT (CG-MLE-4) POC, LT Randall Ford at
(202) 372-2168 or e-mail at Randall.L.Ford@uscg.mil.
9. RDML Jo-Ann F. Burdian, Assistant Commandant for Response Policy
(CG-5R), sends.
10. Internet release is authorized.