NOAA’S Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Seeks Applicants for Advisory Council Seats
March 5, 2008
Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, managed by NOAA and the state of Florida, is seeking applicants for four seats on its sanctuary advisory council. The council ensures public participation in sanctuary management and provides advice to the sanctuary superintendent.
The sanctuary is accepting applications for primary member seats representing conservation and environment and south Florida ecosystem restoration. The sanctuary is also accepting applications for the Upper Keys citizen-at-large alternate and charter sports fishing alternate seats. Alternates attend meetings when members are not available, are encouraged to attend other meetings, and may apply for the primary seat if a member resigns.
Representatives of NOAA and the state of Florida select council members based on their expertise and experience in relation to the seats for which they are applying. Consideration includes knowledge of the resources, community and professional affiliations, residency in the sanctuary area (Monroe or Miami-Dade counties), and philosophy regarding the protection and management of marine resources.
Council terms typically run for three years and members serve without pay. The council usually meets during the business day on the third Tuesday of alternate months, and members may also join working groups focused on specific issues. Current seat holders may re-apply.
Council member application packages may be obtained by calling Lilli Ferguson or by writing to Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, 33 East Quay Road, Key West, FL 33040. Application packages also areavailable for download on the sanctuary Web site. Applications should be mailed to the address above and must be received by Mar. 14, 2008.
Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary protects 2,896 square nautical miles of critical marine habitat, including coral reef, hard bottom, seagrass meadows, mangrove communities and sand flats. NOAA and the state of Florida manage the sanctuary.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, an agency of the U.S. Commerce Department, is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and information service delivery for transportation, and by providing environmental stewardship of our nation’s coastal and marine resources. Through the emerging Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS), NOAA is working with its federal partners, more than 70 countries and the European Commission to develop a global monitoring network that is as integrated as the planet it observes, predicts and protects.