At its regular meeting held April 17, 2001 the Sanctuary Advisory Council (SAC) heard a report from Superintendent Billy Causey which included the introduction of Lt. David Score, who replaced LCDR Dave Savage as FKNMS Upper Region Manager. Outgoing SAC member Virginia Cronk was presented with a framed underwater photo in recognition of her service to the Sanctuary Advisory Council; and Patti Hartsing was presented with the FKNMS Outstanding Team Member of the Year award. Mr. Causey also introduced Julie Barrow, in attendance to observe the SAC meeting. Ms. Barrow works for the National Marine Sanctuary System, and is working on the revision of the Management Plan for central California. The SAC passed a motion for the SAC Channel Marking Working Group to immediately set meetings to address questions and concerns raised by an Upper Keys resident relating to FKNMS regulations regarding marking idle speed only, no wake areas along mangrove fringed islands. The SAC also heard a report on the process for the 5 Year Review of the FKNMS Management Plan; passed a motion to send a letter to Sanctuary Managers to be forwarded to the appropriate agencies that manage fisheries stating that the SAC thinks there is not adequate data at this time to justify the taking of jewfish (a protected species); and revised a flyer regarding their concern with the use of cracked corn as fish chum to be distributed by Team Ocean to bait and tackle stores.
Billy Causey traveled to Tallahassee to meet with Cabinet Aides on April 18, to brief the aides for the upcoming meeting of the Governor and Cabinet on April 24, where the State will vote on whether to include state waters in the proposed Tortugas Ecological Reserve. Their meeting was very positive, and the aides posed some excellent clarifying questions on the Ecological Reserve design process and proposal.
Dave Score and John Halas met with representatives from DERM (Dade Environmental Resources Management) for preliminary discussions on the possibility of another artificial reef in "area 5" within FKNMS.
Lower Region Operations supporting kickoff of the 2001 Sustainable Seas Expedition. Logistical assistance provided to NOAA Ship MacArthur and Nuytco.
Dave Score attended a public meeting at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park on April 19 on a land use plan amendment for their management plan to incorporate part of the Overseas Heritage Trail. The target completion date for the proposed 106-mile trail is 2010.
Bill Valley and Amy Massey are completing an American Red Cross CPR & First Aid Instructor training this week and will be working with Mary Tagliareni in the next couple of months to recertify the FKNMS staff.
Bill Valley is finalizing transfer of a 53 ft Hatteras from US Customs to FKNMS. The vessel is currently located at St. Augustine, Florida. He is exploring options for disposition of the M/V Cool Hand.
Lower Region Operations staff have transported the Point Glass 82’ Cutter to Key West in preparation for delivery to Flower Gardens Bank National Marine Sanctuary. Point Glass scheduled for April 27th departure from Key West to Texas.
Lower Region assisted NOAA ship Ferrel researchers with the storage of equipment at the Foster Center.
Ivy Kelley will serve as a judge at the Key Largo School Science Fair on April 26, 2001
Dave Savage will continue to compile and sort public comments on the status and future of personal watercraft regulations in the Florida Keys. Dave reports 1183 comments have been counted thus far. The comment period will end on April 30, 2001.
This week, Ivy Kelley and Kady Elkins will begin classroom sessions for the annual Coral Reef Classroom program. Sixteen programs have been scheduled for this spring.
Ivy Kelley will facilitate a coral reef activity at Windley Key Fossil Reef State Geological Site on April 27 when 120 eighth grade students from Sugarloaf Middle School travel to the upper Keys to explore the Windley Key quarry and Indian Key State Historic Site. The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary through its annual Teacher Grants program provided funding for the field trip.
Mary Tagliareni met on April 20 with Alan Ambrose of the Boy Scout Seabase for an initial review of their education plan that will be submitted as a part of their Education Permit Application for placement of Reef Balls.
Mary Tagliareni will meet with Francesca Cava, National geographic Society, on April 25 to plan activities for this year's Sustainable Seas Expeditions in the Florida Keys.
Nancy Diersing will assist with audio-video production at the Florida Bay and Adjacent Marine Systems Science Conference that will be held at the Westin Hotel in Key Largo April 24 - 26.
Brian Keller is attending the Florida Bay Science Conference April 24 - 26, in Key Largo. The Florida Bay Science Conference is the bi-annual gathering of scientists and topical experts where research results and management implications of Florida Bay research are presented and discussed. The Florida Bay Science Program was expanded several years ago to consider adjacent coastal and marine ecosystems when managing Florida Bay, and Brian Keller participates in this program to represent sanctuary interests as the downstream recipient of Florida Bay waters.
Dr. Brian Keller participated in a conference call with Deputy Secretary of DEP Bob Ballard, John Ogden from FIO, Jim Culter from Mote Marine, and Phil Coram from FL-DEP on the issue of laying fiber optic cables off of the SE coast of Florida. They discussed mechanisms to permit the laying of cable with a minimum of environmental damage.
Cost documentation for the "Monica Lee," "San Rafael," "Lucky Johnny," and "Erica" vessel groundings were provided to Lisa Symons.
April 10: "2nd Heaven" - A 42' cabin cruiser ran aground on the bank west of marker #13 north of Red Bay Banks (Moser Channel). Kevin Kirsch believes it is on the same bank as the "Captain Joe" site; injury includes a ~6' deep blowhole, and several adjacent berms. DAC RACE team conducted initial injury assessment work and found the total injury to be in excess of 140 sq. meters; a mini-312 grounding.
April 10: "CONNECTED" Vessel grounding site inspection with responsible party's environmental consultants, Bob Mulcahy and Bruce Graham of Marine Resources, Inc.; "CONNECTED" stabilization/restoration activities to commence next week; requiring daily, field oversight by lower region FKNMS DARP staff. A draft, preliminary injury assessment report was submitted to NOAA/General Counsel NR along with talking points for support in initiating negotiations with the responsible party's lawyers for emergency stabilization/restoration activities.
April 10: "CES Barge" utility pole demolition injury; operations to remove poles in the south end of Boca Chica Channel resulted in additional injury to seagrasses when the top of a pole being cut free fell in the adjacent seagrass bed and was dragged off. FWC officers observed the incident and reported it to Sanctuary biologists April 10, 2001. Pending assessment and US/ACOE permit compliance enforcement.
April 24: Billy Causey reports from Tallahassee that the Governor and
Cabinet voted unanimously to approve the Tortugas Ecological Reserve. The
reserve will go in effective on July 1. The Florida Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Commission voted unanimously a month ago to support
inclusion of state waters in the reserve.
April 16: "PREMIUM" Vessel Grounding: FWC enforcement received a report of a 65' Hatteras sport fishing boat with damage to running gear and the hull in Robbie's Boat Yard in Key West. The captain stated he hit something on 4/15/01 on his return from Mexico with possible injury to coral east of Sand Key but west of the NW Ship Channel. FKNMS DARP staff recorded video documentation of the vessel hull and propellers with calcium carbonate residue. Injury has been documented with aerial photography by FWC and is being sent to FKNMS DARP biologists to assist with efforts to relocate the injury. Pending enforcement action and assessment.
April 22: "Miss Lori", a 60' sportfishing boat grounded near Broad Creek, near the Sanctuary's boundary with Biscayne National Park, in North Key Largo. A Biscayne National Park Ranger responded to the incident, marked the site, and worked with FWC Officer Scott LaRosa on the case. Pending assessment by Bill Goodwin and John Dotten and enforcement action.
April 23: "Glas Sea", a 50' cabin cruiser, went aground at the Whale Harbor Channel by marker #3 and was responded to by Officer David McDaniels. A summary settlement was issued for the damage to the sparse seagrass bottom.
