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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - FEBRUARY 16, 2000 Contact: SANCTUARY ANNOUNCES ADDITIONAL PUBLIC MEETINGS ON DRAFT KELP MANAGEMENT PLAN The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS) announces additional public meetings on the MBNMS Kelp Management Plan, incorporating additional meetings in Aptos and Pacific Grove as requested by the public. Additionally, the venue for the Tuesday, February 22 meeting has been changed, and will now be at the Pacific Grove Community Center. The document, which was released on January 14, is the first of two drafts which will result in a position and an overall set of recommendations from the MBNMS to the State of California with regard to kelp use in the Sanctuary. The public is invited to review the draft MBNMS Kelp Management Plan and help shape any final recommendations. This first draft of the kelp plan discusses the natural environment and issues that are of concern. A second draft, to be released later this Spring, will contain recommended regulatory changes, if any, that the Sanctuary would like the State agencies to consider. Recently, the area from the Monterey Breakwater to LoverØs Point, as well as areas off Santa Cruz, have received some attention due to conflicts between recreational and commercial users. In addition, concerns about kelp harvesting in the Sanctuary have been heightened due to plans for increased harvests related to new aquaculture facilities. The remaining meeting schedule for the first draft is as follows: February 17, 2000, 7:00 to 9:00 PM - El Granada Elementary School, 400 Santiago, El Granada, California February 22, 2000, 7:00 to 9:00 PM - Pacific Grove Community Center, 515 Junipero Ave., Pacific Grove, California NOTE CHANGE OF VENUE! February 23, 2000, 7:00 to 9:00 PM - Cabrillo College, Room 1091 (back of Library), 6500 Soquel Drive, Aptos, California (be sure and bring 4 quarters for parking) The public can obtain a copy of the draft plan by contacting Aaron King of the Sanctuary staff at 831-647-4257 or ?aaron.king@noaa.govØ. The draft kelp plan is also available from the Sanctuary website at: http://montereybay.nos.noaa.gov/research/techreports/kelpreportfinal/welcome.html -end-
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