By Jan TenBruggencate
Advertiser Kaua'i Bureau
The U.S. Commerce Department has named members to the new Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve Council and is looking for applicants for alternate slots.
Former President Bill Clinton created the reserve in his final month in office and instructed the administration to work toward creating a national marine sanctuary there. The Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve Council fulfills a requirement for creating a sanctuary. The council will advise the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration on the creation and operations of the sanctuary.
While the Commerce Department has named its council members, it is also seeking people willing to serve as alternates for several of the positions, which include three Native Hawaiians (one of them a kupuna), three research positions, three conservation positions and slots for recreational fishing, ocean tourism, education and a citizen-at-large. Anyone who has previously applied remains in the competitive pool.
Applications are available on the Web and must be received by March 2. For more information e-mail elizabeth.moore@noaa.gov or call Elizabeth Moore at (301) 713-3125 ext. 170 or write to 1305 East-West Highway/11th floor, Silver Spring, MD 20910.
The newly appointed voting members are:
 Native Hawaiian: Edward Ayau, kupuna Louis Agard and Guy Kaululukui
Research: Alan Friedlander, Bill Gilmartin, Don Schug
Conservation: Dave Raney, Paul Achitoff, Laura Thompson
Commercial Fishing: Bob Gomes
Recreational Fishing: Rick Gaffney
Ocean-Related Tourism: Linda Bail
Education: Cynthia Hunter
Citizen-at-large: Isaac Harp
State of Hawai‘i: Timothy E. Johns
Nonvoting members include representatives of the Department of Defense, Department of the Interior, Department of State, Marine Mammal Commission, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Science Foundation, U.S. Coast Guard, Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council, Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve and the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary.
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