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.



The Sanctuary Advisory Council hosts Senator Levin.

SAC Membership (includes alternates):

OFFICERS:   
Chair:  Stephen Kroll, Diving Representative
Vice Chair:  Carol Shafto, Alpena City Council, Representative

ALPENA COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS (no term limit)
Member - Bill Estlack
Alternate - Gerald Fournier

ALPENA CITY COUNCIL (no term limit)
Member - Carol Shafto
Alternate - Mayor John Gilmet    

ALPENA TOWNSHIP BOARD OF TRUSTEES (no term limit)
Member - Marie Twite
Alternate - Brenda Fournier

SANBORN TOWNSHIP BOARD OF TRUSTEES (no term limit)
Member - Lynda Van Dusen
Alternate - Kenneth Gauthier

THUNDER BAY UNDERWATER PRESERVE COMMITTEE (no term limit)
Member - Joe Sobzcak
Alternate - Mike Lakin

RECREATION (3-year term)
Member - Don Beem                                               
Alternate - David Dekett

TOURISM (3-year term)
Member - Deb Pardike                                            
Alternate - Dennis Bodem

BUSINESS/ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (3-year term)
Member - Carl Bourdelais                          
Alternate - Ronald Chatfield            

FISHING (3-year term)
Member - Ed Retherford     
Alternate - Art Gillespie            

DIVING (3-year term)
Member - Stephen Kroll
Alternate - John McConnell

EDUCATION (3-year term)
Member - Karen Tetzlaff
Alternate - Shari Davis            

HIGHER EDUCATION (3-year term)
Member - Olin Joynton                                           
Alternate - Charles Wiesen                                   

MARITIME HISTORY/INTERPRETATION (3-year term)
Member - Kathleen Hubbard                                   
Alternate - R. Eric Cline

CITIZEN-AT-LARGE (3-year term)           
Member - Jerome Meek
Alternate - John McVeety

CITIZEN-AT-LARGE (3-year term)
Member - Kim Wallis-Burke                                  
Alternate - Vera Kavanaugh           

EX-OFFICIO SEAT:
Chippewa Ottawa Resource Authority (CORA) (no term limit)
Director
                       



Senator Carl Levin and Carol Shafto

Click here for a list of meeting dates for 2008 [pdf]

Click here for an application for the SAC. [pdf]

Click here for a copy of the charter for the SAC. [pdf]

Click here for an fact sheet about the SAC. [pdf]