U.S. Coral Reef Task Force to host biannual meeting in Fort Lauderdale, Florida

The U.S. Coral Reef Task Force will hold its biannual meeting August 7-12 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The meeting theme is Healthy Reefs for a Healthy Economy. Key discussion areas include: the economic value of Florida’s coral reefs, lessons learned from the recent coral disease outbreak in southeast Florida, and community engagement in coral reef management.  

The task force is co-chaired by the Department of Commerce through NOAA and the Department of the Interior. This meeting brings together personnel from 12 federal agencies, officials from seven state/territory governments, and representatives from Palau, Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Federated States of Micronesia. The 38th meeting is hosted by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.       
 

WHAT:         38th Meeting of the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force

WHEN:        Public sessions Friday, August 11, 2017
                    8:45 a.m. - 12:35 p.m. EDT
                    1:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. EDT
                    Journalists are welcome. Meeting agenda is available online.

WHERE:       Harbor Beach Marriott Hotel
                    3030 Holiday Drive
                    Caribbean Salon (V-VIII)
                    Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316     

WHO:          Nicole LeBoeuf, deputy assistant administrator,
                    NOAA’s National Ocean Service
                    Shawn Buckner, acting director,
                    Department of the Interior’s Office of Policy Analysis
                    Jennifer Koss, director,
                    NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program