US President Barack Obama creates world’s largest marine reserve

Q.  US President Barack Obama expanded which marine reserve, thereby creating the largest one in the world?
- Published on 30 Aug 16

a. Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument
b. Papajanaumokuakea Marine National Monument
c. Capahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument
d. Cherokee Marine National Monument

ANSWER: Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument
 
US President Barack Obama on 27th August 2016 expanded the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument off Hawaii.
  • He thereby created the largest marine reserve in the world
  • Announcement quadruples in size of the existing monument originally created by President George W Bush in 2006
  • Existing Marine National Monument will expand by 442781 square miles, bringing the total protected area of the expanded monument to 582578 square miles
  • White House said that the expansion is helping to protect more than 7000 species including whales, sea turtles, coral reefs, deep sea marine habitats and more
  • It will improve the ecological resources in the waters off the northwest Hawaiian islands by dealing with ocean acidification and warming.
  • Expansion will improve ocean resilience, help the region’s distinct physical and biological resources adapt and create a natural lab to permit scientists to monitor and explore the impact of climate change on fragile ecosystems
  • Expansion will prohibit commercial resource extraction activities including commercial fishing and future mineral extraction
  • Non-commercial fishing such as recreational fishing and removing of fish and other resources for Native Hawaiian cultural practices is allowed in the expansion area by permit
  • Scientific research is also permitted in the reserve
  • Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument was originally created in 2006 by President George W. Bush and designated as the UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2010
  • Since then, new scientific exploration and research has revealed new species and deep sea habitats as well as important ecological connecting between existing monuments and adjacent waters

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