LTC 133-2005 World Oceans Day CITY OF MIAMI BEACH
Office of the City Manager
Letter to Commission No. 33-2oo5
To:
From:
Subject:
Mayor David Dermer and
Members of the City Commission
Jorge M. Gonzalez
City Manager
WORLD OCEANS
Date: May 23, 2005
This Letter to the City Commission is to provide information about a World Oceans Day event that will be held
in the outside foyer of City Hall, 1700 Convention Center Drive, on Wednesday, June 8, 2005, from 11-2pm.
The United Nations declared June 8 World Oceans Day during the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. The
purpose of World Oceans Day is to raise awareness about the importance of oceans and to inspire people to
protect and preserve our seas through activities and events that promote ocean health.
In observance of World Oceans Day, representatives from the Miami-Dade Parks Sea Turtle Nesting and
Relocation Program will present information on sea turtles to City of Miami Beach employees, residents, and
to children from the Miami Beach Parks and Recreation Department summer camps. There are five species
of sea turtles found in Florida, and all are protected under the U.S. Endangered Species Act of 1973 and
Florida Law Chapter 370. Florida sea turtles make about 40,000 and 84,000 nests annually. Each nest
contains between 80-120 eggs, and only about one in 1,000 baby turtles survive to adulthood. Illegal
harvesting, habitat encroachment, artificial lighting on the beaches, and pollution are a few of the ways our
society threatens the survival of sea turtles. The goal of this event is to raise awareness about the importance
of the endangered sea turtles, and the importance of their home- the ocean.
If you have any additional questions, you may contact the Environmental Resources Management Division at
305-673-7080.
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