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Press
Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JANUARY 2, 2002
CONTACT:
Cheva Heck, Public Officer
Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
305. 292.0311, 305.304.0179 (cell)
SPECIAL SANCTUARY ADVISORY COUNCIL
WILL MEET TO
EXAMINE CONCERNS OVER DOLPHIN & WHALE STRANDING
RESPONSE
The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council will meet in a special workshop Thursday, January 17th, 2001 to address concerns about dolphin and whale strandings in the Keys. The public is encouraged to attend the workshop, scheduled for 1 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the Marathon Garden Club, 5270 Overseas Highway, Gulfside.
"Our Sanctuary Advisory Council has proven that it can provide a neutral forum for forging solutions on tough issues such as sponging and lobster mini-season," said Sanctuary Superintendent Billy Causey. "We are asking them to look at the facts and assure the community that our local stranding network is doing everything possible to give stranded dolphins and whales the best possible chance of survival."
NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has primary responsibility for protecting dolphins and whales under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). The Sanctuary also has a responsibility to protect dolphins and has stepped forward to assist its sister agency in responding to concerns that have been raised about stranding response in the Keys.
The MMPA outlines procedures for stranding response and gives NMFS responsibility for overseeing regional response networks. The Florida Keys are part of the Southeast Regional Marine Mammal Stranding Network. Four organizations hold letters of agreement with NMFS to respond to strandings in the Florida Keys. Three are based in the Florida Keys and one is based in Miami with local Keys volunteers.
At the meeting, a series of panels will present information on the legal, scientific, and field response aspects of marine mammal strandings. Sanctuary Advisory Council members will have an opportunity to ask questions of presenters after each panel.
From 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., the Sanctuary Advisory Council will hear public comment related to dolphin and whale stranding response. After a working dinner, the SAC will reconvene at 7:30 p.m. to discuss the public comments, discuss any valid concerns regarding stranding response in the Keys, and if necessary, make recommendations for improvement.
A professional facilitator will lead the meeting, and all participants will be required to abide by a code of conduct announced at the start of the meeting. The meeting will not address strandings of other marine mammals, such as manatees or dolphin and whale topics other than strandings.
The National Marine Sanctuary Program, established in 1972 by the National Marine Sanctuaries Act, is administered by NOAA's National Ocean Service (NOS) and protects a network of 13 special marine and freshwater areas.
For a complete agenda and fact sheets on dolphin and whale strandings, visit the Sanctuary's web site at http://www.fknms.nos.noaa.gov or call (305) 743-2437.
