Advisory council to discuss marine zoning

March 20, 2008

The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council (SAC) will sponsor an educational workshop on marine zoning March 25, at the Key Colony Beach City Hall Auditorium, 600 W. Ocean Dr. in Key Colony Beach.

The full-day session begins at 9:00 a.m. and runs until 5:00 p.m. The public is welcome to attend, and opportunities to provide comment or ask questions are planned for 11:15 a.m., and at breakout group sessions from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.

The morning will consist of expert presentations reviewing the upcoming regulatory process for the sanctuary, terrestrial zoning and marine zoning, and a case study on Australia's Great Barrier Reef.  In the afternoon, the history and current status of marine zoning in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary will be reviewed, and presenters will provide overviews of the science of Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary zoning and its relationships with benthic communities, reef fish, spiny lobsters, and socioeconomic issues.

The SAC was established to provide the sanctuary, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the State of Florida advice on implementation of the sanctuary’s final management plan. SAC members also serve as liaisons to the community regarding sanctuary issues. SAC members relay the community’s interests, concerns, and management needs to the sanctuary.

The sanctuary was established in 1990 in recognition of the special resources found in and around the waters of the Florida Keys. NOAA and the State of Florida jointly developed a comprehensive plan to protect and manage sanctuary resources. For more information, visit the Sanctuary’s web site at http://floridakeys.noaa.gov.  A current list of SAC members may be found at http://floridakeys.noaa.gov/sac/members.html.