The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality has announced Jonathan Howell as the new director of the Division of Marine Fisheries.
Howell, who is currently Division of Coastal Management deputy director, will take the helm at DMF on Oct. 26 to replace former Director Kathy Rawls.
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DMF Deputy Director Mike Loeffler stepped in as interim director following Rawls’ Aug. 1 retirement.
“Our state’s fisheries are more than a resource — they are part of our livelihoods and the traditions that connect generations of families to the coast,” Howell stated in a release. “I’m excited to get to know the people served by DMF, listen to their perspectives and work alongside our staff and partners. I look forward to listening, building relationships and working together to support the fisheries and coastal communities.”
DEQ Secretary Reid Wilson in a release thanked Loeffler “for doing an outstanding job in that role, keeping things running well and making progress on key projects and initiatives.”
He also thanked Rawls.
“Jonathan has a lifelong passion for protecting our state’s beautiful coastal area and its wildlife,” Wilson said in the release. “He is a proven leader and I am confident he will do an excellent job leading our talented DMF team.”
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Howell has served in various roles on DCM’s staff since he first began his career in North Carolina state government in 2004 as a division planner. He has also served as assistant major permits coordinator, field representative, Washington office district manager, major permit coordinator, and regulatory section chief before becoming deputy director in January 2025.
He earned a Bachelor of Science in business administration from Mount Olive College and a Master of Science in environmental planning from East Carolina University.
