Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary Management

Advisory Council
Management Plan
Legislation

Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary
Advisory Council

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the State of Michigan regard the involvement of communities and the development of a stewardship ethic as vitally important to successfully protect sanctuary resources. One key way to achieve this involvement is the formation of sanctuary advisory councils.

Sanctuary advisory councils bring members of a diverse community together to provide advice to the sanctuary superintendent (authority delegated from the Secretary of Commerce and the Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere) on the management and protection of the sanctuary, or to assist the National Marine Sanctuary Program (NMSP) in guiding a proposed site through the designation process.

The NMSP is committed to the full support, utilization, and enhancement of councils at all sanctuaries. In order for councils to achieve their full potential, the NMSP within the limits of available resources will:

At each site, provide sufficient support to allow councils to operate efficiently and effectively;
Provide support and guidance from the national office to help councils operate efficiently and at a basic level of consistency across the system;
Promote coordination and communication among councils and among sanctuary staff that work closely with councils; and
Develop training programs appropriate to council officers and members, and sanctuary superintendents and staff.

Sanctuary Advisory Council Profile

The Thunder Bay Sanctuary Advisory Council (council) was established in 1997. The council has fifteen members and fifteen alternates, five seats represent local community governments, and the other ten represent facets of the sanctuary community, including education, research, fishing, diving, tourism, cultural resources, economic development, and the community at large. The council meets bi-monthly, with informal coffees and lunches scheduled for non-meeting months. Working groups meet as needed. The fifteen alternates also take an active role in council meetings as well as assist in carrying out many volunteer assignments throughout the year.

SAC meeting with Senator Levin