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Skriven 2006-06-15 23:34:06 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (0606159) for Thu, 2006 Jun 15
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Fact Sheet: The Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Marine National Monument: A
Commitment to Good Stewardship of Our Natural Resources
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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
June 15, 2006

Fact Sheet: The Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Marine National Monument: A
Commitment to Good Stewardship of Our Natural Resources


ÿÿÿÿÿ President Bush Establishes Northwestern Hawaiian Islands National
Monument ÿÿÿÿÿ In Focus: Environment

Today, President Bush Signed A Proclamation That Will Create The
Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Marine National Monument. This national
monument will enable nearly 140,000 square miles of the Northwestern
Hawaiian Islands to receive our Nation's highest form of marine
environmental protection. It honors our commitment to be good stewards of
America's natural resources, shows what cooperative conservation can
accomplish, and creates a new opportunity for ocean education and research
for decades to come. The national monument will:
  þ Preserve access for Native Hawaiian cultural activities;
  þ Provide for carefully regulated educational and scientific activities;
  þ Enhance visitation in a special area around Midway Island;
  þ Prohibit unauthorized access to the monument;
  þ Phase out commercial fishing over a five-year period; and
  þ Ban other types of resource extraction and dumping of waste.

This Marine National Monument Is The Largest Single Area Dedicated To
Conservation In The History Of Our Country And The Largest Protected Marine
Area In The World. It is more than 100 times larger than Yosemite National
Park, larger than 46 of our 50 states, and more than seven times larger
than all our National Marine Sanctuaries combined.

The New Monument Fulfills A Legacy Of Conservation First Begun By President
Theodore Roosevelt. In 2004, the Administration released an Ocean Action
Plan to promote an ethic of responsible use and stewardship of our oceans
and coastal resources. By establishing this new national monument, we are
implementing an important part of our plan.

1. The New National Monument Will Honor Our Commitment To Be Good Stewards
Of America's Natural Resources

Our Duty Is To Use The Land And Seas Wisely. Americans are united in the
belief that we must preserve our natural heritage and safeguard the
environment around us for future generations. This belief is affirmed in
our laws, and today this commitment was reaffirmed once again.

The Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Are A Beautiful And Special Place. The
ten islands and atolls stretch over nearly 1,400 miles - the distance from
Chicago to Miami.
  þ The Undersea Forests And Mountain Ranges Of The Northwestern Hawaiian
    Islands Comprise The Largest Remote Reef System In The World. In the
    tropical waters surrounding this archipelago, there are more than 4,500
    square miles of coral-reef habitat thriving under the surface. The
    region holds the largest, healthiest, and most untouched coral-reef
    system in the United States.
  þ The Archipelago Is Home To More Than 7,000 Marine Species - A Quarter
    Of Which Are Found Nowhere Else On Earth. The Northwestern Hawaiian
    Islands are also the primary home for the nearly 1,400 surviving
    Hawaiian Monk Seals - virtually the entire population of this
    critically endangered species. They are also the breeding grounds for
    approximately 90 percent of the threatened Hawaiian Islands Green Sea
    Turtle population.

This National Monument Will Have Strong Regulations And New Tools To Aid
Enforcement In The Marine Area. The monument will preserve access for
native Hawaiian cultural activities. Within the boundaries of the monument,
we will prohibit unauthorized passage of ships, unauthorized recreational
or commercial activity, and any extraction of coral, wildlife, minerals,
and other resources, or dumping of waste.
  þ Over A Five-Year Period, We Will Phase Out Commercial Fishing Within
    The Monument. We are encouraged that private organizations are prepared
    to work on a financial arrangement with the remaining commercial
    fishermen to provide for a smooth transition away from fishing in the
    national monument.

2. The New National Monument Shows What Cooperative Conservation Can
Accomplish
  þ The Administration Believes Cooperative Conservation Is The Best Way To
    Protect The Environment We All Share. This means we must focus on the
    needs of States, respect the unique knowledge of local authorities, and
    welcome the help of private groups and volunteers. Through cooperative
    conservation, we are moving away from the old environmental debates
    that pit one group against another and toward a system that brings
    citizens and every level of government together to get results.
  þ In The Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, The State Of Hawaii Has Been A
    Valued Partner Throughout A Five-Year Process That Focused On The Needs
    Of Hawaii And Honored Its Heritage. Since 2002, there have been over
    100 meetings and working group sessions open to the public - including
    22 formal public hearings - generating over 52,000 comments. President
    Bush established the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Marine National
    Monument with overwhelming consensus from the public and strong
    agreement from Governor Lingle and State officials.
  þ The Administration Has Worked With Governor Lingle, State Officials,
    And Native Hawaiian Leaders To Ensure The Monument Will Protect The
    Cultural And Historical Heritage Of These Islands. The islands are
    dotted with archaeological treasures and traditional sites of worship.
    This monument will protect the cultural ties that Native Hawaiians have
    to these lands and waters, and officials will consult with native
    Hawaiian leaders to give this monument a native Hawaiian name.
  þ As Part Of This Proclamation, The Department Of The Interior And The
    Department Of Commerce Will Work With The State Of Hawaii And The
    Public To Develop A Plan To Manage The Monument. This proclamation will
    also charge NOAA to use its expertise to oversee the new marine areas,
    and the Fish and Wildlife Service to apply their skills to the wildlife
    refuge areas.
  þ In The Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, Volunteers Play An Important
    Role. Through a major Federal-State partnership, volunteer divers work
    together to remove nets and gear that have been abandoned by fishermen.
    In one year alone, divers removed more than 120 tons of this derelict
    fishing gear.

By Working Together, Government And Volunteers Are Making Our Oceans Safer
For Marine Life - And Preserving Our Seas And Coastlines For Future
Generations. To fight the destructive effects of abandoned nets and other
debris, the President's Ocean Action Plan directed the Coast Guard, EPA,
NOAA, the State Department, and the Interior Department to coordinate their
efforts to improve how the Federal government tracks, prevents, and cleans
up marine waste.

The Administration Is Working To End Over-Fishing.
  þ The President's Ocean Action Plan Calls On Congress To Reauthorize The
    Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation And Management Act. Under the
    President's plan, this act would provide enhanced authority to work
    with regional fish councils to build an improved, market-based system
    to restore our fisheries.
  þ Congress Should Also Move Forward With The Administration's Proposal To
    Build A Well-Managed System Of Offshore Aquaculture. Aquaculture, or
    "fish farming," uses pens in the open ocean to feed and grow shrimp,
    shellfish, and many other types of fish. These farmed fish can provide
    a healthy source of food and reduce pressure on our ocean ecosystem.
  þ The Administration Is Committed To Working More Closely With Our
    Nation's Recreational And Sport-Fishing Communities. These communities
    are important allies in our conservation efforts. We want to ensure
    these citizen-conservationists can continue to access, protect, and
    enjoy our waters.

The National Monument Will Have A Special-Access Area Around Midway Island,
So More Americans Can Visit And Honor The Memory Of Those Who Gave Their
Lives So Our Nation Might Live In Freedom. Near the northern edge of the
Northwestern Hawaiian islands lies Midway Island, the site of one of the
most decisive battles of World War II. On this atoll, there is a memorial
to the sacrifice and valor of those who fought in the Pacific theatre
during World War II.

3. The New National Monument Creates A New Opportunity For Ocean Education
And Research For Decades To Come

One Of The Key Priorities Of The President's Ocean Action Plan Is Promoting
Ocean Research And Education. Ninety-five percent of our planet's oceans
have yet to be explored. We are just beginning to appreciate what the seas
have to offer humanity. The waters of this new national monument will be a
living laboratory that offers new opportunities to discover new life, helps
us better manage our ocean ecosystems, and allows us to pursue advances in
science.
  þ The Ocean Is A Source Of Technological Discovery. Researchers are
    discovering thousands of new, potentially useful compounds in the
    ocean. Marine life has given researchers new bio-chemicals that help
    battle viruses and fight several different kinds of cancer. Since 1983,
    U.S. marine biotechnology research has produced more than 170 U.S.
    patents.

The Designation Of The Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Marine National
Monument Will Protect Our Natural Wealth For The Generations That Follow
And Lay The Foundation For Even Greater Discoveries And Conservation To
Come.

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