NOAA 2004-R486
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Ben Sherman
9/28/04

 NOAA News Releases 2004
NOAA Home Page
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NEW MEMBERS JOIN STELLWAGEN BANK NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY
ADVISORY COUNCIL

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced today the appointment of new members and alternates to the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council. NOAA is an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

The 21-member council is made up of 15 voting members and six ex-officio non-voting members. Newly appointed members are listed first by category, followed by the alternates and the length of their term:

  • Research: Mason Weinrich, Dr. Porter Hoagland - two-year term
  • Research: Dr. Peter Auster, Dr. Judith Pederson - three-year term
  • Education: Richard Wheeler, Sharon Meeker - two-year term
  • Education: Peter Borelli, vacant - three-year term
  • Conservation: Susan Farady, Regina Asmutis-Silvia - two-year term
  • Conservation: Dr. Priscilla Brooks, Erin Heskett - three-year term
  • Transportation: William Eldridge, Capt. Martin McCabe - three-year term
  • Recreation: Barry Gibson, Michael Sosik - three-year term
  • Whale Watching: Alan Hill, William Reilly - two-year term
  • Fixed Gear-Commercial Fishing: William Adler, David Casoni - two-year term
  • Mobile Gear-Commercial Fishing: Edward Barrett, Vito Giacolone - three-year term
  • Business/Industry: Jackson Kent III, vacant - two-year term
  • At-Large: John Williamson, Donald Hourihan - two-year term
  • At-Large: Deborah Cramer, Steven Tucker - three-year term
  • At-Large: Sally Yozell, Dale Brown - three-year term

“Each of these members brings a unique perspective to the Sanctuary Advisory Council based on their long experience in the New England area,” said Sanctuary Superintendent Craig MacDonald. “We are pleased that they have chosen to offer their considerable talents to help us manage the resources of Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary.”

Members are chosen based on their expertise and experience in relation to the seat for which they are applying. Considerations include community and professional affiliations, philosophy regarding the conservation and management of marine resources, geographic representation and the length of residence in the area affected by the sanctuary.

Since its creation, the council has played a vital role in advising the sanctuary and NOAA on critical issues and is currently focused on the sanctuary’s development of a new five-year management plan. Additionally, the council serves as liaison to the community regarding sanctuary issues. Council members relay the community’s interests, concerns and management needs to the sanctuary. The council meets four times a year in daytime public sessions generally located between the south shore and north shore in the Boston region.

The Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council was established in March 2001 to assure continued public participation in the management of the sanctuary. Serving in a volunteer capacity, the council’s voting members and alternates represent a variety of local user groups, as well as the general public. Additionally, six state and federal government jurisdictional partners are represented including: the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management, Massachusetts Division of Fisheries, Massachusetts Environmental Police, New England Fisheries Management Council, NOAA Fisheries and U.S. Coast Guard.

Designated in 1992, Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary manages and protects 842 square nautical miles of ocean stretching between Cape Ann and Cape Cod. Renowned for its scenic beauty and remarkable productivity, the sanctuary supports a rich diversity of marine life including marine mammals, more than 30 species of seabirds, over 100 species of fishes and hundreds of marine invertebrates and plants. Additionally, the sanctuary is the location of numerous historic shipwrecks including the steamship, Portland.

NOAA’s National Marine Sanctuary Program seeks to increase the public awareness of America’s maritime heritage by conducting scientific research, monitoring, exploration and educational programs. Today, the sanctuary program manages 13 national marine sanctuaries and one coral reef ecosystem reserve that encompass more than 150,000 square miles of America’s ocean and Great Lakes natural and cultural resources.

NOAA’s National Ocean Service manages the Sanctuary Program and is dedicated to exploring, understanding, conserving and restoring the nation’s coasts and oceans. The National Ocean Service balances environmental protection with economic prosperity in fulfilling its mission of promoting safe navigation, supporting coastal communities, sustaining coastal habitats and mitigating coastal hazards.

NOAA is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research on weather and climate-related events and providing environmental stewardship of our nation’s coastal and marine resources.

On the Web:

NOAA: http://www.noaa.gov

National Ocean Service: http://oceanservice.noaa.gov

National Marine Sanctuary Program: http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov

Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary: http://stellwagen.noaa.gov