NOAA's Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Seeks Applicants for Advisory Council

July 06, 2011

NOAA’s Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary is seeking applicants for six primary seats and seven alternate seats on its advisory council, which ensures public participation in sanctuary management and provides advice to the sanctuary superintendent.

 “Advisory council members play an important role in the sanctuary,” said sanctuary superintendent Sean Morton. “Council members act as conduits to the community and stakeholder groups, helping inform sanctuary management decisions.”

 The sanctuary is currently accepting applications for the primary member positions representing the following seats: Citizen at Large/Lower Keys, Conservation and Environment, Diving /Lower Keys, Fishing/Charter Fishing Flats Guide, Commercial Marine/Tropical Fishing, and South Florida Ecosystem Restoration.

The sanctuary headquarters office is accepting applications for the alternates for the following seats: Boating Industry, Citizen at Large/Lower Keys, Conservation and Environment, Diving/Lower Keys, Charter Fishing Flats Guide, Commercial Marine/Tropical Fishing, and South Florida Ecosystem Restoration.
 
Candidates are selected based on their expertise and experience in relation to the seat for which they are applying, community and professional affiliations, and views regarding the protection and management of marine resources. Applicants who are chosen as members should expect to serve three-year terms, pursuant to the council’s Charter.

The advisory council consists of 40 primary and alternate members representing a variety of public interest groups. It also includes primary and alternate representatives from 10 government agencies.

Applications are due August 5, 2011. To receive an application kit, or for further information, please contact council coordinator Lilli Ferguson at Lilli.Ferguson@noaa.gov, 305-292-0311 ext. 245, or by mail at Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, 33 East Quay Rd., Key West, FL 33040. Application kits may also be downloaded from the sanctuary’s website, floridakeys.noaa.gov.

Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary protects 2,900 square nautical miles of critical marine habitat, including coral reef, hard bottom, sea grass meadow, mangrove communities and sand flats. NOAA and the State of Florida manage the sanctuary. Visit us at floridakeys.noaa.gov or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/floridakeysnoaagov.

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 us on Facebook, Twitter and our other social media channels.