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

October 6, 2015

NOAA’s Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary will hold a public meeting of the Sanctuary Advisory Council in Marathon, Florida, on Tuesday, October 20, 2015.

The meeting, which starts at 9:00 a.m., will focus on scientific talks and management updates.

Sanctuary staff will present on a recent restoration project near Cheeca Rocks and share plans for the sanctuary’s upcoming 25th Anniversary Celebration.

Everglades National Park Superintendent Pedro Ramos will present the park's newly finalized management plan, which was released on August 31 this year. The plan is the culmination of a multi-year planning process into which the advisory council provided inputs, most recently by passing a resolution in April 2013.

In the afternoon, a marine conservation planner with NOAA's Biogeography Branch will present a marine zoning decision support tool. The meeting will wrap up with general reports from state and federal agencies on recent activities.

There will be two public comment periods for items not on the agenda at 11:15 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Public comment is also taken before any advisory council decisions or actions.

WHAT:       Sanctuary Advisory Council meeting
WHEN:       October 20, 2015, 9:00 a.m. – 2:45 p.m.
WHERE:      Hyatt Place, 1996 Overseas Highway, Marathon, FL 33050
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.

Authorized 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 other social media channels.