Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutBack-Up DocumentsCongregg of tie 41niteb ikatt.5 OLLOO of Papresentettibet Itin 'Inn, BC 20515 June 30. 2017 Benjamin Fnedrnan Ad ling 6R tnr National. Oceanic a.itf r :arr osph exit Administration 1401 Constitution Avenue. NW Room rig 'Washington, DC 20231 Dcar Acting Administrator Friedman; We: write try eXpress our 00114 rl IregAlftling Lent reptiftS that the National l Oct IC and Atmospheric Adrnir_istrati }AA) is ceasidering mlocatinit SoutNeast Fisheries SC3ence Ccnrr tSEFSC) from Virginia Key to St. Petersburg. SEFSC current home on Virginia Key offers an invaluable SCr4tegie wsitinn krr eitinducting h urric e:5e rescafth and =fia ing frshwr'ies in the South Atlantic said Caribbean. Its prime location given SEFSC resear .liars and employees easy octe&S tell -Many of its impOriont„ OngOi ha rrOseCts Making it u rr practical to conduct irreplaceable field work, including in support. of Everglades ritstoratiun activities and basic and a'plicd research on coral reds_ In fact, Virginia Key SiLA just it:SbOte of tDtre2CLeriSiVC moral reef system in the United States where NCAA resources are currently I rrti'ested Ina two year projeCi ti festor' au,d rebuild functional cud reef habitat. Th i k miler wound not only hinder SEFSC `s MiS.SiOu In a Critical region. but it will also threaten SEFSC's many proven partnerships in Soul h Florida, including with the University of IA i ni's t Unitie I Sawa Of Mari n,r and . tmu iphetht SciesbCie ( SMAS u i la is located scrim the stied. Thr long standing vThd close dip bawrac+n RSMAS and SEFSC has contributed to aii'unparalleled history of scientific advnnccmetit5 And ccl lather rat or , i amain. m accordance rdance wjti all applicable nL es seed r ulatrrvtts, we write in arrone orpi:6111 bn to NOAA's consideration of relocating itsSoutheast Fi itcricsi $crcnco Center a urge you r.o, re0'5gn iz{ the strategic imporancc Of the Virginia key Dion and the his -tom and kalue of rb.e;ulerd nJ +r p&tr1ef hip our South Solids crnmtmtty, nod liOAA now and into the 1uru: e. Nlernber tin tuns A rcee , FTu3t Member Or CorrgicSs 1 Sir er h. CarE. i Curbeteo Mernber,ar Congress Debbie lillamrrnan Schultz Mcm he r 4)[Con g_Jio.. Frederica "iPena Art ember of Congrcqi NOAA Southeast Fisheries Science Center — Miami Lab The Southeast Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC) is headquartered in Miami, FL (Virginia Key). The SEFSC is responsible for scientific research on living marine resources that occupy marine and estuarine habits of the continental southeastern United States, as well as Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The SEFSC is one of the six national marine fishery science centers responsible for federal marine fishery research programs. SEFSC uses sound science and an ecosystem -based approach to management to promote productive and sustainable fisheries; safe sources of seafood; the recovery and conservation of protected resources; and healthy ecosystems. The Science and Its Impacts: SEFSC Miami lab provides the science and support to the management of Atlantic highly migratory fish such as tuna, billfish and oceanic sharks. The SEFSC Miami lab is also the primary provider of research on fisheries and habitats for Biscayne National Park and Florida Keys Marine Sanctuary. Scientists at SEFSC Miami lab also focus on the ecology and conservation of protected species such as marine mammals, sea turtles and corals. The SEFSC Miami lab also collaborates with the University of Miami to educate the next generation of scientific leaders. Students from the University of Miami in collaboration with scientists from SEFSC are able to work on pragmatic problems of societal importance. By the Numbers: The annual total budget for SEFSC Miami lab ranges between $15M-$17M the bulk of which supports salaries for about 170 masters and Ph.D. level scientists of which 25-30 are University of Miami employees. The coral reefs in south Florida that SEFSC Miami lab works to protect have an estimated asset value of over $4.4 billion and are directly associated with over 70K part-time and full-time jobs in the area. In 2014, the total number of jobs associated with east Florida commercial fisheries (harvesters, processors and dealers, distributors and retail), the primary responsibility of SEFSC Miami lab, was estimated at 186K. In the same year, the commercial fisheries generated a total income of over $5.5 billion. The highly migratory fish along that the SEFSC Miami lap supports has been estimated to generate $9.5 billion in economic activity from both commercial fisherman and recreational anglers, and supported 254K jobs through tourism, recreation, harvesting and processing, sales, marketing, transportation and consumption.