NOAA Seeks Applicants for 18 Florida Keys Sanctuary Advisory Council Seats

NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries is seeking applicants to fill 18 openings on the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council, a community body that advises sanctuary leadership and helps shape local stewardship. Applications must be received electronically or postmarked by February 15, 2026; applicants can download the application kit from the sanctuary recruitment webpage and contact council coordinator Elizabeth Trueblood at elizabeth.trueblood@noaa.gov or 305-797-7226 for guidance. “Applications are due no later than February 15, 2026. Applications not received electronically or postmarked by February 15 will not be considered.”

Advisory councils provide a direct line between local residents and sanctuary managers. “National marine sanctuary advisory councils are community-based advisory groups established to provide recommendations to the superintendents of the national marine sanctuaries and marine national monuments,” the recruitment materials state. The council “ensures public participation in the management of the sanctuary by acting as a liaison between the Florida Keys community and the sanctuary superintendent and staff,” and council members also advise on operations, projects, and outreach that build stewardship for sanctuary resources.

The SAC’s role becomes especially important during management plan review processes, where community input can influence rules and projects that affect fishing, boating, diving, and tourism. NOAA’s recruitment text emphasizes community involvement and seeks “highly motivated people willing and able to volunteer their time to help us connect and work constructively with the diverse interests, users, and communities that have a stake in the resources of Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.”

The 18 openings include both primary and alternate seats: Boating Industry - Primary; Boating Industry - Alternate; Citizen at Large - Upper Keys - Primary; Citizen at Large - Upper Keys - Alternate; Conservation & Environment - Seat 1 - Alternate; Conservation & Environment - Seat 2 - Alternate; Diving - Upper Keys - Primary; Fishing Charter - Flats - Alternate; Fishing Charter - Sport - Primary; Fishing Charter - Sport - Alternate; Fishing Commercial - Shell/Scale - Alternate; Research & Monitoring - Primary; Research & Monitoring - Alternate; South Florida Ecosystem Restoration - Primary; Submerged Cultural Resources - Alternate; Tourism - Upper Keys - Primary; Tourism - Upper Keys - Alternate; Tourism - Lower Keys - Primary.

Members serve three-year terms and are expected to act as liaisons to their constituencies, gather and communicate community perspectives, conduct outreach, and build partnerships. Conservation seats require familiarity with marine conservation and experience with conservation organizations, while diving seats ask for active affiliation with divers, dive clubs, or dive operators and the ability to reach that community.

Local stakeholders saw the council in action at a recent meeting in Marathon, illustrating how the SAC functions as a forum for local voices. For Monroe County residents, the openings are an opportunity to weigh in on decisions that affect livelihoods, recreational access, seafood security, and neighborhood resilience to coastal change. Interested applicants should obtain the recruitment cover letter, open council seats descriptions, and application form from the sanctuary recruitment webpage and contact Elizabeth Trueblood for questions; selected members will help shape sanctuary policy and community stewardship over the next three years.