A series of public scoping meetings are being held to give members of the public an opportunity to comment on and learn more about the Tortugas 2000 process. These meetings will be held in conjunction with the National Park Service, which has initiated a planning process for the Dry Tortugas National Park. The meeting dates, times, and locations are as follows:

During each meeting there will be a brief presentation by the Sanctuary and Park Superintendents at 3:30 p.m. and again at 6:30 p.m. (the Washington D.C. presentations will be at 2:30 p.m.). Each meeting will offer several ways for attendees to comment, such as typing them into a computer database, through small group discussions on specific issues, and orally through a tape recorder. All meetings will follow an open house format.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 22, 1998

PROTECTING THE TORTUGAS REGION:
SANCTUARY AND PARK COORDINATE THEIR RESPECTIVE PLANS
THROUGH JOINT PUBLIC MEETINGS

(Key West, FL) The Tortugas region, 70 miles west of Key West, has been called the crown jewel of the Florida Keys, where Civil War era Ft. Jefferson looks out over hundreds of miles of pristine ocean. Now, the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and Dry Tortugas National Park are inviting the public to join them in developing their respective plans on how best to protect portions of this spectacular area.

The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary plans to create an ecological reserve in the western portion of the Sanctuary. Dry Tortugas National Park, host to a steadily increasing number of visitors, is drafting a Visitor Use and Commercial Services Plan.

To make it easier for the public to participate in both efforts, and to help minimize public misunderstanding about the scope and objectives of each process, the Sanctuary and Park are holding joint public meetings to discuss the issues of each plan and request comments. The meeting schedule is:

• October 27 - Washington, D.C.; Commerce Department Main Auditorium;14th St. and Constitution Ave., NW; 2PM to 5:00 PM (Superintendents' presentations at 2:30 PM)
• October 29 - Ft. Myers at the Exhibition Hall, 1320 Hendry St.
• November 9 - Key West, Holiday Inn Beachside, 3841 North Roosevelt Blvd.
• November 10- Marathon High School, 350 Sombrero Beach Rd.
• November 17- Miami at Florida International University, Graham Center, SW 8th St. at SW 107th Ave.

Except as noted, meetings will run from 3PM to 8PM and follow an open house format. Dry Tortugas National Park Superintendent Dick Ring/Deputy Superintendent Larry Belli and Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Superintendent Billy Causey will give brief presentations at 3:30 PM and 6:30 PM. They, and others, will be available for questions and discussion. Attendees also will be able to comment in writing and by recordings.

While the marine environment offshore of the populated Florida Keys faces an onslaught of stresses, both natural and manmade, the coral reefs, seagrass beds and hardbottom communities of the Tortugas region remain relatively pristine. Nineteenth Century Ft. Jefferson, within the Park, is an additional resource of cultural interest. Together, the Park and surrounding Sanctuary provide outstanding opportunities for a unique visitor experience and for protection of a unique array of marine, terrestrial and avian resources.

In addressing the Sanctuary's goal, FKNMS Superintendent Billy Causey said, "By creating an ecological reserve in the Sanctuary's portion of the Tortugas, we hope to preserve the extraordinary range of species found there. The reserve also will serve as a control site away from the populated Keys, helping scientists determine which changes in the coral reef ecosystem stem from human activities and which are natural."

The Sanctuary originally had proposed a 110 square nautical mile reserve but eliminated it in response to public input stating that it did not protect the right habitat and would unduly harm commercial fishermen. Instead, FKNMS established a smaller reserve off the lower Keys and committed to designing a Tortugas reserve from scratch, with extensive opportunities for public involvement. The target date for implementation is the year 2000.

In this scoping phase of the Sanctuary's Tortugas 2000, FKNMS is working to determine the range of issues it should consider in designing and locating a reserve. Scoping comments are due December 17, 1998. After considering the comments, a working group of agency officials, representatives of user groups (such as commercial fishermen and the dive industry), environmental and conservation organizations, and other concerned citizens will recommend alternative boundaries for comment. To learn more, visit the Sanctuary's Tortugas 2000 website at http://fpac.fsu.edu/tortugas.

Dry Tortugas National Park consists of seven small islands, including Ft. Jefferson, and 115 square nautical miles of pristine marine environment. It was established by act of Congress in 1992, with a strict mandate to provide opportunities for visitor use and enjoyment in balance with the conservation of natural and cultural resources so that they are unimpaired for the benefit of future generations. Significant increases in numbers of visitors to the Park in recent years have raised issues for Park management, including visitor activities and quality of visitors' experiences, commercial services, natural and cultural resources, and facilities.

The Park's plan will proceed with an emphasis on public participation in defining the scope of these and perhaps other issues, developing alternative approaches to address problems identified, and seeking further public input on preferred alternatives. The resulting plan will help determine what visitor experiences and activities and commercial services are appropriate for the Park and where these activities should occur. Further information on the Park and its planning effort may be found at http:www.nps.gov/drto/planning.

MEDIA ADVISORY Sanctuary and Park representatives will be available for media interviews and briefings at each location one hour prior to the beginning of each meeting.