[SEMCO] Sanctuary Seeks Applicants for Advisory Council

[Anne Smrcina]

Contact: Anne Smrcina  *FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*
781-545-8026, ext. 204 Jan. 3, 2008
781-738-2242 (cell)

*NOAA’s Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary Seeks
Applicants for Advisory Council*

NOAA’s Stellwagen Bank/ /National Marine Sanctuary is seeking applicants 
to fill two primary seats and two alternate positions on its advisory 
council, which ensures public participation in sanctuary management and 
provides advice to the sanctuary superintendent.

The sanctuary will select new members and alternates for the following 
seats: diving member and alternate, and maritime heritage member and 
alternate. Members and alternates serve on a volunteer basis for two- to 
three-year terms. The Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary advisory 
council meets four to five times a year in daytime public sessions 
located throughout the Massachusetts region.

“Since its establishment, the advisory council has played a vital role 
in advising the sanctuary and NOAA on critical issues,” said Craig 
MacDonald, sanctuary superintendent. “Each of the members brings a 
unique perspective to the council based on his or her experience in the 
New England area, and we are grateful for the time and energy they 
contribute to help guide the management of Stellwagen Bank National 
Marine Sanctuary.”

The Stellwagen Bank Sanctuary Advisory Council, which is composed of 17 
voting members and six ex-officio members, was established in March 2001 
to provide the sanctuary superintendent with advice on the sanctuary’s 
resource protection, research, education and outreach programs. Members 
serve in a volunteer capacity, representing a variety of local 
stakeholder groups, state and federal government agencies, and the 
general public.

Council members will be selected based on their expertise and experience 
in relation to the seat for which they are applying. Considerations 
include availability and commitment to active participation, knowledge 
of sanctuary resources, community and professional affiliations, views 
regarding the conservation and management of marine resources, and 
length of residence in the sanctuary area. Current seat holders may 
re-apply.

Council member application packages are available at the sanctuary’s Web 
site, http://stellwagen.noaa.gov, or by calling 781-545-8026 ext. 201. 
Completed applications must be submitted to Stellwagen Bank National 
Marine Sanctuary, 175 Edward Foster Road or by fax at 781-545-8036. 
Applications must be received by close of business Jan. 10, 2008.

Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary encompasses 842 square 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 22 marine mammal species, more than 
30 species of seabirds, over 60 species of fishes, and hundreds of 
marine invertebrates and plants.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, an agency of the 
U.S. Commerce Department, is celebrating 200 years of science and 
service to the nation. From the establishment of the Survey of the Coast 
in 1807 by Thomas Jefferson to the formation of the Weather Bureau and 
the Commission of Fish and Fisheries in the 1870s, much of America's 
scientific heritage is rooted in NOAA.

NOAA is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety 
through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related 
events and information service delivery for transportation, and by 
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 its federal partners, more than 70 
countries and the European Commission to develop a global monitoring 
network that is as integrated as the planet it observes, predicts and 
protects.

On the Web:
NOAA: http://www.noaa.gov
National Marine Sanctuary Program: http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov
Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary: http://stellwagen.noaa.gov

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