Coral restoration, maritime heritage are among topics for advisory council meeting
October 8, 2008
The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council (SAC) will meet October 21, 2008, at the Ocean Reef Club Cultural Center in Key Largo, beginning at 9:00 a.m. There will be opportunities for public comment at 10:20 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
Researchers Margaret Miller, NOAA Fisheries; Ken Nedimyer, Coral Restoration Foundation; and Lauri MacLaughlin, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary will present upon a coral restoration experiment begun at the Aquarius underwater habitat to determine the resiliency of transplanted coral fragments and ultimately improve restoration techniques.
Corey Malcom of the Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Society will speak to ongoing archaeological surveys done near the northern entrance to Turtle Harbor to locate the submerged cultural resources of 17th century shipwrecks.
The SAC will also discuss the decisions made by the South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Councils, their implications for the Keys, and proactive ways to inform the decision making process.
Sanctuary Advisory Council Chair Bruce Popham will also present upon the public proposal of Sanctuary Preservation Area status for Snapper Ledge.
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.
