Tab F, No. 2
DRAFT MINUTES
GULF OF MEXICO FISHERY MANAGEMENT COUNCIL
AD HOC MARINE RESERVES COMMITTEE
GULF SHORES, ALABAMA
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1999
ATTENDANCE:
Members
Others
Robert Shipp, Vice-Chair
David Fiedler
Myron Fischer
Doug Frugé
Alex Jernigan
Kay Williams
Wilma Anderson
Billy Archer
Irby Basco
Ens. Mara Booth-Miller
Maumus Claverie
John Cole
Georgia Cranmore
Chris Dorsett
James Fensom
Karen Foote
Benny Gallaway
Stevens Heath
Ron Likens
David McGivney
Vernon Minton
Scott Nichols
Mike Nugent
Hal Osburn
Stephen Thomas
Bill Tucker
Tim Twigg
Bobbi Walker
James Weaver
Staff
Anne Alford
Steven Atran
Peter Hood
Trish Kennedy
Richard Leard
Michael McLemore
Cathy Readinger
Wayne Swingle
The meeting was called to order by Vice Chairman Robert Shipp at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday,
September 14, at the Gulf States Park Resort in Gulf Shores, Alabama.
$ Adoption of Agenda
The agenda was adopted as written.
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$ Approval of Minutes
The minutes of the Ad Hoc Marine Reserves Committee (committee) meeting held on
Monday, July 12, 1999 at the Pier House Hotel, in Key West, Florida were approved as
written. Staff was asked to verify the other attendees at that meeting.
Mr. Swingle related that the Council office had received a letter from the Gulf Restoration
Network supporting marine reserves on the previous Friday as well as a letter from the Texas
Shrimp Association that contained 10 to 12 petitions opposing marine reserves. Both letters
had been distributed to the Council via fax.
$ Marine Reserves Scoping Workshops
Dr. Stephen Thomas (University of South Alabama) presented a summary of the presentation
made at the 10 marine reserve scooping workshops and the public comments received at
those workshops (Tab G, No. 3). He noted that, for appropriate uses, the public provided
199 comments collapsed into 16 categories; for criteria there were 140 comments collapsed
into 16 categories; and for problems there were 153 comments collapsed into 17 categories.
Summary tables of the comment categories were in tables 1, 2, and 3 (pages 13, 20, and 28 in
the summary document), listed in order from the categories mentioned in the greatest number
of workshop locations to the fewest. Dr. Thomas cautioned that just because categories were
frequently mentioned did not mean that those were the categories that should be ranked as the
highest priorities. He recommended that, if the Council decides to hold a second series of
workshops, participants at the workshops could be asked to rank the categories in terms of
priority.
Mr. Minton asked if a registration list was obtained at each workshop. Dr. Thomas
responded that a sign-in sheet was used at each separate workshop. Mr. Minton asked if
anyone participated in more than one meeting. Dr. Thomas responded that some people did
attend more than one meeting, especially between cities that were in close proximity to
another.
Mr. Minton stated that certain individuals or groups did attend duplicate meetings and felt
that should be taken into consideration when considering the attendance at each meeting.
Dr. Thomas pointed out that was an excellent reason for ranking categories by priority.
Mr. Frugé noted that Dr. Thomas had stated that the workshops did not attempt to identify
benefits of marine reserves; however, he felt that benefits could be the same as uses. He
commended Dr. Thomas on an excellent summary.
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Dr. Shipp felt that the summary indicated that some areas may have had a predisposed bias
against marine reserves, particularly in the Brownsville, Texas area where there were no
appropriate uses given. He asked if Dr. Thomas did anything differently following the
Brownsville meeting, or if he could suggest anything that could reduce the pre-meeting bias. Dr.
Thomas responded by reading an action alert published by the Brownsville Chamber of
Commerce that warned readers that the Brownsville meeting was being held by U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service to propose a sanctuary to restrict fishing within 20 miles of the shoreline from
the Rio Grande River to Corpus Christi. He added that he started with appropriate uses in the
remaining workshops which allowed him to cover all three areas.
Wilma Anderson, Texas Shrimp Association commented that for the previous six months
fishermen in the Brownsville area had been bombarded in the press about shutting down that area
for protection of the sea turtles. She stated that the fishermen were so concerned with this threat
that there was nothing that Dr. Thomas could have done to change the direction of the meeting.
Mr. Osburn asked if anyone at the workshops had suggested specific spots for marine reserves.
Dr. Thomas responded negatively, except for the Tortugas 2000 proposal off the Florida Keys.
He noted that the presentations at this stage were conceptual in nature, and any specific proposals
would be premature.
Dr. Claverie asked whether there were any suggestions to improve credibility. Dr. Thomas
responded that keeping the public informed and including them in the process would help with
credibility. He noted that with the Tortugas 2000 process, the fishermen had been incorporated
in the process from the beginning and it had helped the credibility process.
Ms. Williams noted that fishermen she spoke with in the Keys supported Tortugas 2000 because
it was the lesser of all evils. She pointed out that the original marine reserve proposed area had
been much larger and had been negotiated to a smaller area.
$ Committee Recommendations
Dr. Shipp asked what if the Committee wished to pursue further workshops.
Ms. Williams opposed further workshops because a marine reserve had been proposed to be
established in the Florida Middle Grounds with the gag spawning area and she felt that the
benefits of that marine reserve should be determined before proceeding with any others. She
added that the Tortugas 2000 working group was also pursuing marine reserves.
Dr. Claverie felt that there should be additional workshops; however, he felt that they should not
occur immediately.
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Dr. Shipp concurred with Dr. Claverie.
Mr. Frugé felt that the Council should wait to hold further workshops until a more specific area
was proposed. He further stated that the next step would be for the Council to identify the what
goals and objectives might be accomplished by marine reserves.
Dr. Shipp recommended that the Ad Hoc Marine Reserves Committee be continued for another
year.
There being no further business, THE MEETING ADJOURNED AT 4:30 P.M.
Ad hoc marine reserves\commin-999.wpd
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