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GRAY'S REEF NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY SANCTUARY ADVISORY COUNCIL MEETING
October 21, 1999
Gray's Reef NMS Office, Savannah, GA
ATTENDANCE
SAC members present: Anne Lindsay Frick, Jim Henry, Matt Gilligan, Patty McIntosh, Bing Phillips, Doug Radar, George Sedberry, Judy Wright.
Others Present: NOAA Gray's Reef Staff - Reed Bohne, Marcy Lee, Cathy Sakas, Alex Score, Becky Shortland; Gail Krueger (Savannah Morning News).
DISTRIBUTED MATERIALS:
Agenda
September 1999 meeting minutes
Draft language for scoping meeting document
Draft of current topics and issues to review and consider in scoping
Gray's Reef NMS bibliography of research and resources
REEF (Reef Environmental Education Foundation) description
Species abundance statistics
Ocean GIS project description
APPROVAL OF LAST MEETING MINUTES
Approved
APPROVAL OF CORRECTIONS TO MEMBER LIST
Approved
MANAGEMENT PLAN SCOPING MEETINGS
Becky Shortland described the management plan review process, using Channel Islands NMS as a good example. The discussion focused primarily on scoping meetings, the first step in the process. Becky presented a draft scoping meeting document, and after minor changes suggested by SAC members, the SAC agreed that Becky and Alex Score would finalize the document and submit it for final approval.
Becky led a discussion about scoping meeting format, and notification procedures. There was general agreement on roundtable, facilitated meetings followed by a series of workshops to further explore issues and gather information. SAC members agreed to suggest participants to invite to the scoping meetings.
There was a lengthy discussion about topics and issues on which scoping meeting participants would be asked to provide input. Suggested topics included fishing and diving, education, research and enforcement. There was agreement that the issues list should be provided before the scoping meetings to allow interested parties to respond if attending a meeting were not possible. Public comment opportunity will also be available via the Website.
The question was asked whether the management plan update would be a re-write of the 1983 plan or a completely new plan. Reed Bohne responded that it would be a complete re-analysis and that it would measure progress toward the goals. The goals would remain the same, but the outcome may or may not resemble the old plan.
Becky Shortland asked SAC members for input on dates and locations for the scoping meetings. The SAC agreed on the week of December 6th for meetings in Atlanta, Brunswick and Richmond Hill, GA, Jacksonville, FL and Charleston, SC. The Charleston meeting was scheduled for December 10 to coincide with a talk by Dr. Sylvia Earle sponsored by the SC Aquarium.
INFORMATION SYSTEMS
Alex Score gave a brief discussion about Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and demonstrated its capabilities and limitless applications. She also described the Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF), and discussed the point count method for determining fish species abundance.
OTHER
Reed Bohne announced that Gray's Reef will seek a full-time Research Coordinator.
Staff will be planning for another Savannah Ocean Festival on April 22, 2000, to coincide with the NOAA ship R/V Ferrel's visit and Earth Day.
NEXT MEETING
A suggestion was made by Matt Gilligan to host the next meeting of the SAC at Savannah State University with a possible boat ride on board the Sea Otter. Possible dates might coincide with a fisheries meeting in Savannah in early February.