Expanded Protections for a U.S. Pacific Ocean Treasure

Abstract

On Sept. 25, 2014, U.S. President Barack Obama announced a significant expansion of the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument, a group of five highly protected marine reserves located thousands of miles southwest of the Hawaiian Islands. President George W. Bush had designated the monument in 2009. These U.S. waters are home to some of the nation's most important ocean habitat and provide sanctuary for whales, sea turtles, fish, and millions of seabirds