(a) Representatives

(1) In general

The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of State, shall appoint 4 individuals to represent the United States as the United States Section on the joint management committee. In making the appointments, the Secretary shall select representatives from among individuals who are knowledgeable or experienced concerning the offshore whiting resource. Of these—

(A) 1 shall be an official of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration;

(B) 1 shall be a member of the Pacific Fishery Management Council, appointed with consideration given to any recommendation provided by that Council;

(C) 1 shall be appointed from a list submitted by the treaty Indian tribes with treaty fishing rights to the offshore whiting resource; and

(D) 1 shall be appointed from the commercial sector of the whiting fishing industry concerned with the offshore whiting resource.

(2) Term of office

Each representative appointed under paragraph (1) shall be appointed for a term not to exceed 4 years, except that, of the initial appointments, 2 representatives shall be appointed for terms of 2 years. Any individual appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the term of office of that individual’s predecessor shall be appointed for the remainder of that term. A representative may be appointed for a term of less than 4 years if such term is necessary to ensure that the term of office of not more than 2 representatives will expire in any single year. An individual appointed to serve as a representative is eligible for reappointment.

(3) Chair

Unless otherwise agreed by all of the 4 representatives, the chair shall rotate annually among the 4 members, with the order of rotation determined by lot at the first meeting.

(b) Alternate representatives

The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of State, may designate alternate representatives of the United States to serve on the joint management committee. An alternative representative may exercise, at any meeting of the committee, all the powers and duties of a representative in the absence of a duly designated representative for whatever reason.