Each President of the Marine Fisheries Section serves as President-Elect for 2 years prior to taking on the office of President, and also serves 2 years as a Past-President.
| Years of Service | President | Agency/University |
| 2016-2018 | Cynthia Jones | Old Dominion University, Department of Ocean, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
 Dr. Rick Methot (MFS President 2018 to 2020) presenting letter of appreciation to past president Dr. Cynthia Jones (MFS President 2016 to 2018) |
| 2014-2016 | Benjamin Walther | |
| 2012-2014 | Doug Vaughan | NOAA/NMFS, Beaufort, NC (Retired) |
| 2010-2012 | Ken Beal | NOAA/NMFS, Gloucester, MA (Retired) |
| 2008-2010 | Roger Rulifson | East Carolina University |
| 2006-2008 | Debra Murie | University of Florida |
| 2004-2006 | John Hoenig | Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences |
| 2002-2004 | Mary Fabrizio | NMFS-NEFSC, Woods Hole, MA |
| 2000-2002 | R. Anne Richards | Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, University of Maryland, Solomons, MD |
| 1998-2000 | Steven Berkeley | University of California at Santa Cruz |
| 1996-1998 | Max Stocker | Fisheries & Oceans Canada, Nanaimo, BC |
| 1994-1996 | John Boreman | NMFS-NEFSC, Woods Hole, MA |
| 1992-1994 | Churchill Grimes | NMFS, Panama City, FL |
| 1990-1992 | ||
| 1988-1990 | ||
| 1986-1988 | ||
| 1984-1986 | ||
| 1982-1984 | ||
| 1980-1982 | ||
| 1979-1980 |