The area is also home to threatened green turtles and endangered Hawaiian monk seals.
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Obama’s proclamation quadrupled in size a monument originally created by President George W. Bush in 2006.
Having already visited the southern shore of Lake Tahoe in California, the president – who will leave the White House after the U.S. presidential elections in November – arrived in Hawaii, the pacific island state which is now awaiting the arrival of two tropical storms.
The designation bans commercial fishing and any new mining, as is the case within the existing monument.
The expansion will improve ocean resilience, help the region’s distinct physical and biological resources adapt, and create a natural laboratory that will allow scientists to monitor and explore the impacts of climate change on these fragile ecosystems. “And from now on, it will be preserved for future generations”, he said.
But some expressed disappointment over the move to expand the zone to 200 miles from shore, saying that it imperils fishermen’s ability to make a living. Brian Schatz of Hawaii.
“Today is a sad day in the history of Hawaii’s fisheries and a negative blow to our local food security”. One example is that Hawaiian tradition considers corals to be source of all life, and damage to reefs could result in loss of sense of place for Native Hawaiians.
“All resources in nature – from corals to sharks – have cultural significance for Native Hawaiians and are an embodiment of our ancestors”, commented the coalition. He sealed an historic climate accord with Beijing in 2014, and officials said they hope to further cooperation during his bilateral meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday.
The Hawaiian reverse is among the UNESCO heritage sites for six years now, from 2010, but thanks to the improvements planned by President Obama, it could also become a record holder for the largest such sanctuary in the world. This year it runs from September 1-10.
Obama is set to spend about six hours on Midway, according to his public schedule.
For a balanced view of the new national monument, check out this article on CBS News.
“N$3 o nation, not even one as powerful as the United States, is immune from a changing climate”, the president said.
“We are disappointed that the president has made a decision to close an area almost the size of the entire state of Alaska without public process”, Sean Martin, the president of the Hawaii Longline Association told the Associated Press news agency.
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During his address at the East West Center, President Obama also talked about combating climate change, the expansion of the Papahanaumokuakea marine monument, and his old childhood stomping grounds nearby from where he stood.
