The next Marine Sanctuary Committee meeting will be Monday, February 25 at 6 pm in the Visitor Information Center/Chamber Conference Room.

Below is a list of some of the items we will be discussing:

Marine Sanctuary Committee leadership for 2013
Reef Sponsorship update
Run for the Reef update
Volunteers needed for Fun Fest booth April 26 and 27
Promoting and marketing reefs
Grant opportunities

Register  on Active.com for the Navarre Chamber Foundation Jingle Bell Run.

The Navarre Chamber Foundation  will have an informational booth at Fun Fest (Fri & Sat – Apr 27 & 28) to inform the community about the Marine Sanctuary progress,  sell nature walk bricks and promote the Run for the Reef.    We’ll also  staff the beer booth Saturday night.  The Foundation will get to keep tips received during the beer booth shift.

Additional volunteers are needed, particularly Saturday evening at the beer booth  from 4 pm to 7 pm.  Please contact Nancy Sandler (nasandler@bellsouth.net)  if you wish to help.

Thanks to those who have already volunteered and a big thank you to the Navarre Chamber for donating part of the Fun Fest 5K Proceeds to the Marine Sanctuary program.

Fun Fest will be in the Navarre Beach County Parking Lot next to the Pier.

Please mark the following dates on your calendar, and note the locations.

• Feb. 13, 2012 at 6:30PM at the Hampton Inn, Navarre – sponsorship meeting.  Come help us finalize our sponsorship program and plan for it’s début to the public.
• Feb. 27, 2012 at 6:30 at the Navarre Visitor Information Center – general committee meeting.  Discuss the status of permits, the project, and discuss Run for the Reef responsibilities.
• April 27, 2012 from 4-7PM on Navarre Beach – We need volunteers to staff our booth at FunFest.  Contact Nancy, nasandler@bellsouth.net, if you can help.
• April 28, 2012 from 10AM-7PM on Navarre Beach – We need volunteers in 2-3 hour shift to staff our booth at FunFest.  Contact Nancy, nasandler@bellsouth.net, if you can help.  Please include the times you are available.

Note that  a portion of the FunFest 5K proceeds go the NBMS committee.  Please spread the word and sign-up if you can.  More FunFest 5K information here.

Thanks  for your support,

There will be a meeting of those interested in helping and/or providing input into the reef sponsorship program on  January 3, 2012 at 6:30PM.  The meeting will be at the Best Western, Navarre.   All are invited to attend.

Escambia County received word today from NOAA,  of a favorable ruling for the  snorekeling reef permits in the sound near the Fort Pickens gate and nearshore in the Gulf, just west of  Casino Beach.   This means  after the Army Corps of Engineers is officially notified of the ruling, that Federal Permits should be forthcoming.

This is GREAT NEWS for both Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.  Because of the favorable ruling, the way is paved for application of the same criteria and precedent  inthe permits being sought by the Marine Sanctuary.  We are one very large step closer to Making Navarre Snorkelicious!!

Another bit of good news is that the re survey of the Navarre Gulf Reef Site came back with no changes to the original survey.  This means no  information gathered for the Navarre Gulf side snorkeling reef permits will need to be altered, which should further help the speed of the permitting process.