Advisory council meeting to address lionfish, marine debris and coral restoration

June 6, 2008

Media Contact:

Karrie Carnes
305-809-4700 x236

 

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Sanctuary Advisory Council

The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council (SAC) will meet June 17, 2008, at the Marathon Garden Club, 5270 Overseas Highway, Marathon, beginning at 9:00 a.m. There will be opportunities for public comment at 10 a.m. and 2:10 p.m.

Presenters include Lad Akins of REEF who will speak on education and outreach efforts including fish monitoring within the Sanctuary, the Great Annual Fish Count and year-round surveying activities. Akins will also present on the current status of the invasive lionfish in Atlantic waters, REEF’s research efforts in the Bahamas and the invasive marine fish workshop co-hosted by NOAA, USGS and REEF later this month.

Speaker John Ricisak of the Miami-Dade County Department of Environmental Resources Management will provide an update on its marine debris removal and prevention efforts in the area of Card Sound Road.

Other highlights include a presentation on coral reef restoration techniques, a report out on April’s Florida Reef Resilience Conference, and updates from the sanctuary superintendent and SAC working groups.

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.