Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council to Meet in Key Largo

October 11, 2011

NOAA’s Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary will hold a public meeting of the Sanctuary Advisory Council in Key Largo, FL, on Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2011. 

Items on the agenda include an update on the proposed Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area by Refuge Manager Anne Morkill at 10:30 a.m. and at 10:45 a.m., Rich Jones, director of Monroe County Marine Resources, will speak to the county’s participation in the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s anchoring and mooring pilot program.

Office of National Marine Sanctuaries Director Dan Basta will speak at 1:00 p.m. about the state of the national marine sanctuaries system. At 1:45 p.m., NOAA’s Dr. Steve Thur will present upon the process and planning for Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary’s comprehensive regulatory review, followed by a 2:45 p.m. advisory council discussion on next steps in the process. At 3:15 p.m., Dr. Laurence McCook of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority will speak to the use of adaptive management at the Great Barrier Reef.

There will be opportunities for public comment at 10:00 a.m. and at 2:15 p.m. 

WHAT:            Sanctuary Advisory Council meeting

WHEN:            Oct. 25, 2011, 9:00 a.m.
                       
WHERE:          Ocean Reef Cultural Center, 200 Anchor Dr., Key Largo, FL 33037

WHO:              NOAA’s Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

To receive more information, or to request a meeting agenda, please contact Lilli Ferguson at 305-809-4700 x245 or Lilli.Ferguson@noaa.gov.

Authorized in 1990 and established in 1992, the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council provides advice and recommendations on managing and protecting the sanctuary. The council has 20 representatives and alternates from community constituent groups, and 10 government agencies have non-voting representatives on the council. Serving in a voluntary capacity, the council members represent a variety of local user groups, as well as the general public.

Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary protects 2,900 square nautical miles of critical marine habitat, including coral reef, hard bottom, sea grass meadows, mangrove communities and sand flats. NOAA and the state of Florida manage the sanctuary. Visit us 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 NOAA on Facebook, Twitter and our other social media channels.