SAVANNAH —The Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary will hold a meeting of the Sanctuary Advisory Council’s working groups Dec. 18 (8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.) and Dec. 19 (8:30 a.m.-2 p.m.) at the Courtyard Marriott Historic District, Savannah, Georgia (415 W. Liberty Street).
The Research Area Monitoring Workshop will focus on development of a science and monitoring plan for a possible research (control) area in the Sanctuary. The meeting is open to the public. To receive more information, or to request a complete meeting agenda, please contact GRNMS Advisory Council Coordinator Becky Shortland at (912) 598-2381.
The sanctuary advisory council was established in August 1999 to provide advice and recommendations on management and protection of the sanctuary. The advisory council, through its members, also serves as liaison to the community regarding sanctuary issues and represents community interests, concerns, and management needs to the sanctuary and NOAA.
Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary, managed by NOAA, is one of the largest near-shore,, live-bottom reefs off the Southeastern United States, encompassing approximately 23 square miles. The live bottom and ledge habitat support an abundant reef fish and invertebrate community. Loggerhead sea turtles, a threatened species, also use Gray’s Reef for foraging and resting. The reef also is near the only known winter calving ground for the highly endangered North Atlantic Right Whale.
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, 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.
The Research Area Monitoring Workshop will focus on development of a science and monitoring plan for a possible research (control) area in the Sanctuary. The meeting is open to the public. To receive more information, or to request a complete meeting agenda, please contact GRNMS Advisory Council Coordinator Becky Shortland at (912) 598-2381.
The sanctuary advisory council was established in August 1999 to provide advice and recommendations on management and protection of the sanctuary. The advisory council, through its members, also serves as liaison to the community regarding sanctuary issues and represents community interests, concerns, and management needs to the sanctuary and NOAA.
Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary, managed by NOAA, is one of the largest near-shore,, live-bottom reefs off the Southeastern United States, encompassing approximately 23 square miles. The live bottom and ledge habitat support an abundant reef fish and invertebrate community. Loggerhead sea turtles, a threatened species, also use Gray’s Reef for foraging and resting. The reef also is near the only known winter calving ground for the highly endangered North Atlantic Right Whale.
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, 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.