Stephen Werndli

Enforcement Coordinator

Stephen Werndli is the enforcement coordinator for the sanctuary. He began managing and protecting natural and cultural resources as a park ranger with the Florida Park Service in 1997 and has worked for the sanctuary since 2002. He manages the sanctuary's authorizations program and evaluates nearshore construction and other projects to ensure they comply with applicable regulatory and environmental compliance requirements and are compatible with the sanctuary's resource protection goals. He is responsible for assisting with the development, implementation, and tracking of Joint Enforcement Agreement Operations Plans. He supports enforcement activities by partnering with agencies and organizations to develop and implement increased enforcement capabilities, testing of technologies, and refinement of needs to ensure efficient and effective enforcement within the sanctuary. He also provides support and guidance during the development of regulations, reports, policies, and plans to address site, regional, and National Marine Sanctuary System priorities.