U.S. Department of Commerce recently requested the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration start a process to consider designating U.S. waters around the Pacific Remote Islands as a national marine sanctuary.
This designation would provide additional protection for the marine ecosystems in the area, as well as adding maritime heritage resources and supporting Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander cultural heritage and values, according to a March 24 news release.
"Fulfilling our bold conservation goals are a priority for the Biden-Harris administration and the Commerce Department," Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said in the news release. “Our National Marine Sanctuary System is critical to achieving these goals, as well as honoring the cultural heritage of coastal communities around the country. As President Biden noted, expanding protections for the Pacific Remote Islands would create the largest protected ocean area on the planet.”
Commerce's announcement followed President Joe Biden's call to action during the White House Conservation in Action Summit and a Presidential Memorandum, both issued March 24, according to the release.
The Pacific Remote Islands in the central Pacific are seven islands, atolls and a reef — Baker, Howland, Jarvis, Johnston, Wake, Palmyra and Kingman. All are vulnerable to climate change impacts and home to diverse and remarkable tropical marine life, the release reported.
The area also is a haven for a host of species, from corals and fish to marine mammals and seabirds, according to the release.
"Ecosystems and cultural resources of the Pacific Remote Islands are increasingly under pressure from threats such as marine debris, invasive species and climate change," NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad said in the news release. "The proposed sanctuary would also recognize the importance of Indigenous knowledge, stories and cultural connections between lands and peoples and celebrate distinct cultures."
Pacific Remote Islands Coalition nominated about 770,000 square miles for the sanctuary designation, the release reported. The area includes submerged lands and waters surrounding the existing monument to the limit of the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone.
