On August 25, President Bush took a critical step towards establishing an unprecedented ocean conservation legacy. In a memo sent to cabinet secretaries, the president proposed designating two new marine national monuments in U.S. waters. One of the proposed monuments, the Central Pacific Islands, could be the world's largest protected area covering an area more than four-and-a-half times all the National Parks and nearly the size of Alaska. The other proposed monument covers areas around the Northern Mariana Islands, including the deepest part of the ocean.
The White House memo issued today includes consideration of energy development, mining, and fishing that, if allowed, could harm the seabirds, turtles, and other wildlife that lives in these areas. EDF nonetheless hopes and expects that this process will result in full protection for these vulnerable and unique places, excluding the harmful activities.
"The president is on the cusp of conserving more ocean territory than any leader has ever done. That's an amazing legacy to leave the nation," said Fred Krupp president of Environmental Defense Fund. "The President's focus on ocean protection, first with Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument in Hawaii and now with these proposed monuments, is the kind of leadership we need now and from future presidents to ensure our world beneath the waves is protected, explored, studied and cherished."
Environmental Defense Fund in partnership with Marine Conservation Biology Institute has been actively engaged with the proposed monuments. The Central Pacific Islands has substantial scientific and political support. Governor TogiolaTulafono (D-AS) of American Samoa has written the president in support of a monument. Hundreds of prominent scientists have also written the president calling for protection of these fragile places.
A monument in the Central Pacific Islands and their surrounding waters could be the largest protected area on Earth and cover the most pristine shallow-water coral reef ecosystems in the world, as well as habitat for millions of seabirds. The area contains eight remote island possessions and territories
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