The Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary will hold a public meeting of the Sanctuary Advisory Council on Feb. 11, 2004, in Honolulu. The sanctuary is managed by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The meeting will be held at the Honolulu International Airport Inter-Island Conference Center, 7th Floor, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

All meetings are open to the public, and any persons wishing to testify on agenda items are requested to submit a written copy of their testimony to the council coordinator 24 hours prior to the meeting. Testimonies may be mailed to 6700 Kalanianaole Highway, Suite 104, Honolulu, Hawaii 96825, faxed to (808) 397-2650, or e-mailed to: keeley.belva@noaa.gov.

The public will be invited to present these statements during its public forum period. To receive more information, or to request a meeting agenda, please contact the Oahu sanctuary office at (808) 397-2651.

The Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary is administered by a partnership between NOAA and the State of Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources. The shallow, warm waters surrounding the main Hawaiian Islands constitute one of the world’s most important humpback whale habitats. Approximately two-thirds of the entire North Pacific humpback whale population migrates to Hawaiian waters each winter to engage in calving, nursing and breeding activities.

NOAA National Marine Sanctuary Program (NMSP) 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 NMSP 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.

The Commerce Department’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of 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 - https://oceanservice.noaa.gov
National Marine Sanctuary Program - http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov
Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary - http://hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov/