Resolution 084-2017Mayor George Neugent
RESOLUTION NO. , 084 -2017
A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
REQUESTING SUPPORT FOR THE FLORIDA SEA GRANT
COLLEGE THROUGH THE FEDERAL CONGRESSIONAL
PROGRAMMATIC BUDGET REQUEST FY18 FUNDING
FOR THE NATIONAL SEA GRANT COLLEGE PROGRAM
IN THE AMOUNT OF $80 MILLION.
WHEREAS, the National Sea Grant program has 50 years of strong bipartisan support
and well- documented tremendous economic benefits to the State of Florida, it leverages a large
amount of local, state and private funds and it is a unique program in NOAA in that 95% of the
funds appropriated come directly to the states. The work that is done by the Florida Sea Grant is
about solving priority problems identified by coastal constituents; and
WHEREAS, the Florida Sea Grant, and the three other Sea Grant programs in the Gulf of
Mexico, are leading a multi -year study to conduct an independent assessment of the status of red
snapper stocks in the Gulf of Mexico, at the express request of members of the United States
Senate and House of Representatives; and
WHEREAS, in the 1980's, the Florida Sea Grant pioneered the best management
practices for deploying and monitoring artificial reefs and today provides training for artificial
reef coordinators in counties and holds the biennial meeting of reef coordinators where new
methods, rules and issues are discussed. The economy surrounding artificial reefs, in five
counties in Florida alone, exceeds $250 Million a year and provides several thousand jobs; and
WHEREAS, the Florida sponge fishery was in serious trouble because environmental
groups were lobbying to have it curtailed due to non - sustainable harvesting. OF /IFAS, the
Florida Sea Grant researchers and Extension agents worked with the sponge industry to discover
a new method to sustainably harvest sponges and taught harvesters how to do it. The work was
done in partnership with the industry. As a result, one of the most sustainable fisheries in the
nation continues and thrives; and
WHEREAS, $75,000 has been awarded to Monroe County from NOAA through the Sea
Grant for the sea level rise modeling; and
WHEREAS, $200,000 from the Florida Sea Grant for sponge restoration research in
Monroe County was awarded for FY 2017 -18; and
Page 1 of 3
Mayor George Neugent
WHEREAS, Local Sea Grant funds average $90,000 - $110,000 and include funding for
one local agent, research projects and specialists. Monroe County and the University of Florida
match more than $500,000 to support Extension services including the Sea Grant; and
WHEREAS, the OF -IFAS Monroe County Sea Grant Program partnership was
established with the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, Old Dominion
University and project partners to restore shallow -water sponges in Florida Bay. This large -scale
community sponge restoration uses volunteers and scientists to restore more than 15,000 sponges
in Florida Bay using a grant of $379,945; and
WHEREAS, the OF -IFAS Monroe County Sea Grant provides the Florida Keys Water
Watch Program which includes 355 citizens, students and teachers who have been trained to
perform monthly water quality testing for dissolved oxygen, pH, salinity and temperature and
enter this data into the Water Quality Database. To date, volunteers are collecting water quality
data at 71 sites from Key West to Key Largo, with more than 525 database entries. Grant
funding for the program exceeds $182,000; and
WHEREAS, Monroe County benefits from the Sea Grant monitoring, research and
education funding and many Sea Grant experts have consulted on County issues; and
WHEREAS, the local Sea Grant Agent provides expertise on steering and advisory
committees to support water quality such as the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council and
the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council; and
WHEREAS, support from the Florida State and Federal Legislatures to include a
programmatic budget request for FYI funding for the National Sea Grant College Program in
the amount of $80 million dollars would keep the many programs that benefit Monroe County in
place;
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA:
Section 1 . The Board requests Federal Legislative support for the Florida Sea Grant
College through federal congressional programmatic budget requests in
FYI funding for the National Sea Grant College Program in the amount
of $80 million dollars.
Section 2 . The Board directs the County Administrator to publicize the Board's
position on the Florida Sea Grant Program to the general public.
Page 2 of 3
Mayor George Neugent
Section 3 . A copy of this Resolution shall be transmitted to Florida Legislators to
prompt action with transmittal to be coordinated by Monroe County
Extension Services.
Section 4 . SEVERABILITY If any portion of this Resolution is determined by any
Court to be invalid, the invalid portion shall be stricken, and such striking
shall not affect the validity of the remainder of this Resolution. If any
Court determines that this Resolution, or any portion hereof, cannot be
legally applied to any individual(s), group(s), entity(ies), property(ies), or
circumstance(s), such determination shall not affect the applicability
hereof to any other individual, group, entity, property, or circumstance.
Section 5 . EFFECTIVE DATE This Resolution shall become effective upon
adoption.
Mayor George Neugent
Mayor Pro Tem David Rice
7anny Kolhage
leather Carruthers
>ylvia Murphy
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
By: A WV— de.
Mayor
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County,
Florida at a regular meeting of said Board held on the 15` day of March, 2017 in Key Largo,
Florida.
C .l
cV
�--
Page 3 of 3