NOAA’s Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council to meet in Islamorada

April 2, 2014

NOAA’s Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS) will hold a public meeting of the Sanctuary Advisory Council in Islamorada, Fla., on Tuesday, April 15, 2014.

Presentations and discussion beginning at 9:10 a.m. will focus on the sanctuary’s marine zoning and regulatory review process, and scientific data available to help guide potential revisions to the sanctuary management plan.   At 1:00 p.m., the Advisory Council will hold elections for the Chair and Vice-Chair positions for the next two years, followed by discussion on next steps resulting from the February 18 meeting which focused on enforcement roles and responsibilities in the sanctuary.

General public comment periods are 11:45 a.m. and 2:15 p.m.  

WHAT:   Sanctuary Advisory Council meeting
WHEN:   April 15, 2014, 9:00 a.m. – 2:35 p.m.
WHERE: Islander Resort & Conference Center - 82100 Overseas Highway, Islamorada        
WHO:    NOAA’s Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

To receive more information, or to request a meeting agenda, please contact Beth Dieveney at 305-809-4700 x228 or Beth.Dieveney@noaa.gov. 

Designated by Congress in 1990 and established in 1992, the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council provides advice and recommendations on managing and protecting the sanctuary. The council has 20 representatives and alternates from community constituent groups, and 10 government agencies have non-voting representatives on the council. Serving in a voluntary capacity, the council members represent a variety of local user groups, as well as the general public.

Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary protects 2,900 square nautical miles of critical marine habitat, including coral reef, hard bottom, sea grass meadows, mangrove communities and sand flats, as well as shipwrecks and maritime heritage resources. NOAA and the state of Florida manage the sanctuary. Visit us at http://floridakeys.noaa.gov, find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

NOAA’s mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth's environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and to conserve and manage our coastal and marine resources. Join NOAA on Facebook, Twitter and our other social media channels.