NOAA’s Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council to Meet in Marathon
NOAA’s Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary will hold a public meeting of the Sanctuary Advisory Council in Marathon, Fla., on Tuesday, June 16, 2014.
The focus of the meeting will be a discussion on marine events and concentrated uses such as party areas, raft-ups, and boat races to determine whether there are any management issues in need of potential action. Representatives from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, and U.S. Coast Guard will bring their experiences before the council, including any existing permitting requirements and conditions, management issues, and enforcement challenges.
Before any Advisory Council decisions are made or actions taken, public comment will be taken. Public comment for items not on the agenda will be taken at 11:30 a.m. and 3:15 p.m.
The afternoon session includes reports on monitoring data within the sanctuary, including reef fishes, the Coral Reef Ecosystem Monitoring program, the Florida Reef Resilience Program’s Coral Bleaching Monitoring, and coral reef genetics and stress response. The meeting will wrap up with general reports from state and federal agencies on recent activities.
WHAT: Sanctuary Advisory Council meeting
WHEN: June16, 2015, 9:00 a.m. – 4:10 p.m.
WHERE: Hyatt Place, 1996 Overseas Highway, Marathon, FL 33050
WHO: NOAA’s Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
To receive more information, or to request a meeting agenda, please contact Beth Dieveney at 305-809-4700 x228 or [email protected].
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, as well as shipwrecks and maritime heritage resources. NOAA and the state of Florida manage the sanctuary. Visit us at http://floridakeys.noaa.gov, find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
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 other social media channels.