Press Releases

CONTACT:
Krista Trono
Monitor National Marine Sanctuary
(757) 591-7328

Monitor National Marine Sanctuary (MNMS), managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, is seeking to fill all seats on a new advisory council being formed to represent the public's interests in sanctuary matters and provide advice to its manager.

The MNMS Advisory Council will consist of 11 members, including four government agency representatives and seven members from the general public. Specifically, the council's role will be to provide advice on: (1) protecting cultural resources, and identifying and evaluating emergent or critical issues involving sanctuary use or resources; (2) identifying and realizing the sanctuary's research objectives; (3) identifying and realizing educational opportunities to increase the public knowledge and stewardship of the sanctuary environment; and (4) assisting to develop an informed constituency to increase awareness and understanding of the purpose and value of the sanctuary and NOAA's National Marine Sanctuary Program (NMSP).

MNMS is accepting applications for the following advisory council seats: Recreational Diving; Maritime Archaeological Research; Conservation; Education; Heritage Tourism; and Citizen-At-Large. The Mariners' Museum will also be represented on the council.

Applicants will be chosen based upon their particular expertise and experience in relation to the seat for which they are applying; community and professional affiliations; and philosophy regarding the protection and management of marine resources. Applicants who are chosen as members should expect to serve 2-year terms, pursuant to the council's charter.

"Sanctuary advisory councils have proven to be an invaluable source of advice and input by members of the community regarding the management of our national marine sanctuaries, America's ocean treasures," said John D. Broadwater, Ph.D., manager of Monitor National Marine Sanctuary. "We are thrilled that Monitor National Marine Sanctuary will soon have its own advisory council, and we look forward to working with its members."

Applications are due by September 30, 2005. To receive an application kit, or for further information please contact: Krista Trono, Communications Coordinator, Monitor National Marine Sanctuary, 100 Museum Drive Newport News, VA 23602, Krista.Trono@noaa.gov, (757) 591-7328.

Monitor National Marine Sanctuary was designated in 1975 to protect the wreck of the famed Civil War ironclad, USS Monitor, which sank during a storm 16 miles off Hatteras, N.C. in 1862.

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

The NOAA National Ocean Service manages the NMSP, and 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 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, an agency of the U.S. Commerce Department, 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. Through the emerging Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS), NOAA is working with our federal partners and nearly 60 countries to develop a global Earth observation network that is as integrated as the planet it observes, predicts and protects.


On the Web:
NOAA - http://www.noaa.gov
NOAA's National Ocean Service: https://oceanservice.noaa.gov
NOAA's National Marine Sanctuary Program: http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov
Monitor National Marine Sanctuary: http://monitor.noaa.gov