Obama to create world’s largest protected marine reserve in Pacific Ocean

[kpete]

Source: Washington Post

President Obama will use his legal authority Thursday to create the world’s largest fully protected marine reserve in the central Pacific Ocean, demonstrating his increased willingness to advance a conservation agenda without the need for congressional approval.

By broadening the existing Pacific Remote Islands National Marine Monument from almost 87,000 square miles to more than 490,00 square miles. Obama has now protected more acres of federal land and sea by executive power than any other president in at least 50 years; this action makes the area in question off-limits to commercial fishing.

The proclamation will mean added protections for deep-sea coral reefs and other marine ecosystems that administration officials believe are among “the most vulnerable” to the negative impacts of climate change.

While the new designation is scaled-back version of an even more ambitious plan the administration had first floated in June, it marks the 12th time Obama will have exercised his power under the 1906 Antiquities Act to protect environmental assets. The decision to continue to allow fishing around roughly half the area's islands and atolls aims to limit any economic impact on the U.S. fishing interests.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obama-to-create-worlds-largest-protected-marine-reserve-in-pacific-ocean/2014/09/24/e2ecaab4-433e-11e4-b47c-f5889e061e5f_story.html?wprss=rss_politics

[Uncle Joe]

1. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, kpete.

[Aristus]

2. Yeah, but when is he going to name a Rainbows And Unicorns Preserve? Huh?

The "President Obama Isn't Doing Enough To Make Me Happy" crowd will no doubt be here shortly...

Good for the President.

[MFM008]

3. We know

He will do what he can.

[NCarolinawoman]

4. I'm still wondering when he's going to extend that love to the

Last edited Wed Sep 24, 2014, 08:56 PM - Edit history (1)

Atlantic Ocean.

http://www.seaturtlehospital.org/

[busterbrown]

24. And the Air We Breath..

Global Mandates Now!!! God Damn it!!!!

[sheshe2]

5. Beautiful kpete.

Pink corals is seen on the Palmyra Atoll, which had an existing 50-mile safeguard. President Obama is expected to create the world’s largest fully protected marine reserve in the central Pacific Ocean. (Jim Maragos/AP)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obama-to-create-worlds-largest-protected-marine-reserve-in-pacific-ocean/2014/09/24/e2ecaab4-433e-11e4-b47c-f5889e061e5f_story.html?wprss=rss_politics

Thanks kpete. And Bravo Mr President.

[BumRushDaShow]

6. Beautiful!

[rpannier]

7. Just wait...

The Republicans will introduce legislation to return that part of the ocean to Poseidon or his Roman Twin Neptune or BP.

[hatrack]

8. Just hope we've got the Coast Guard presence we need to block illegal fishing

.

[babylonsister]

12. Aw, come on, hatrack. Sunshine is good. nt

[Cha]

9. Mahalo, President Obama!

"By broadening the existing Pacific Remote Islands National Marine Monument from almost 87,000 square miles to more than 490,00 square miles. Obama has now protected more acres of federal land and sea by executive power than any other president in at least 50 years; this action makes the area in question off-limits to commercial fishing."



From your link..

"Even as it uses its authority to expand a monument first established by George W. Bush in 2009, the White House is preparing to act under the same law to designate national monuments in Chicago’s historic Pullman district and the San Gabriel mountain range northeast of Los Angeles"

: http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obama-to-create-worlds-largest-protected-marine-reserve-in-pacific-ocean/2014/09/24/e2ecaab4-433e-11e4-b47c-f5889e061e5f_story.html?wprss=rss_politics

Thank you, kpete~

[dipsydoodle]

10. Good man.

'nuff said.

[hue]

11. This is the mark of a person truly committed to the good of all! Thanks President Obama!

[babylonsister]

13. Fantastic! Recommend! nt

[flamingdem]

14. Stoked!

Yay for nature

[Joey Liberal]

15. This is great!

The republicans will be outraged, which makes it all the better!

[ancianita]

16. THAT is leadership. That's my president. nt

[valerief]

17. Will this disturb the Great Pacific Garbage Patch? Cuz that's only gonna get bigger. nt

[NickB79]

18. Frankly, this means almost nothing with regard to protecting the oceans over the next century

It costs Obama virtually nothing in terms of political capital to say "make this marine sanctuary bigger". It was good, but it was also a baby step, a softball guaranteed to be an easy hit.

It also does pretty much jack shit to actually protect the oceans from the largest threat they face today: climate change. Warming, acidifying oceans trump EVERY OTHER THREAT that the oceans face today, because they don't stop at the boundaries of ocean sanctuaries. They are global.

Just as our national forests in the West today are being devoured by bark beetles and incinerated by climate-change-spawned wildfires despite their protected status, so too will these ocean sanctuaries be assaulted as the planet warms unless far more decisive action is taken immediately.

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

20. They're all baby steps, that's how we start.

These are just little bank deposits, hopefully to keep some species from being totally wiped out.

The big question is how do convince the nations of the world to act as one to save our collective asses.

Before decisive action we need real agreements, what kinds of actions to take?

What is unbelievable is that a lot of people either don't know anything about the changes taking place, or deny it completely.

Getting all the nations of the world to act as one, hmm.

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

19. For my number 3000 post I want to show you the first marine reserve in Oregon.

This is the Port Orford Ocean Resource Team home page. the group that made it possible.

Look at all the awards on the left side of the page.

Be sure to watch the video and check out the links.

This is what it looks like when a dedicated group of persons set out to make a difference in our shared environment.

http://www.oceanresourceteam.org/

Thank you President Obama.

[neverforget]

21. Awesome! Thank you President Obama!

[Enthusiast]

22. Kicked and recommended!

I am glad to hear this.

[grahamhgreen]

23. Kick! Does this make it off limits for oil & gas exploitation?

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

26. Yes, there is no exploration or extraction in a marine reserve.

[grahamhgreen]

28. Very cool! Thanks!

[catbyte]

25. WOW! That is awesome news. I wonder who the first bagger will be to scream,

"IMPEACH THAT UPPITY SO-AND-SO!"

[RKP5637]

27. K&R !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! n/t

[silvershadow]

29. Oh? Did he find a way to reverse acidification?

[blkmusclmachine]

30. ... and then frack the sh!t out of it.

Ha ha just kidding

[hughee99]

31. And unprotected marine reserves on their

Way to Iraq shortly.

[DirkGently]

32. Just watched the Mission Blue film last night

These protected marine reserves are part of their goal -- they're aiming for protecting 20% of the world's oceans by 2020. It's a great documentary. The project was initiated by Sylvia Earle, and the film follows her career from her childhood examining seaweeds and marine life on Florida's Gulf Coast to becoming the first female head of the NOAA and beyond. Just hearing her speak is remarkable. The images are alternately beautiful and heart-shredding. We've destroyed upwards of 90% of sharks, menhaden and too many other species.

This IS a small step, but it is one of many we need to take quickly. She puts it pretty starkly: "No ocean; no oxygen; no US." (Paraphrase).

Well worth a watch and free to stream on Netflix.

http://mission-blue.org

[penndragon69]

33. It's too bad

that we cannot prevent the radiation, poison and industrial waste
trash from being swept through the area by natural ocean currents.
It only looks good on the surface.

[candelista]

34. Here's a map.

Shown here, center, is a map of the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument, which the Obama administration is looking to significantly expand. (NOAA)

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/06/17/obama-will-reportedly-expand-protected-areas-pacific-ocean/