US to create world's largest protected marine area off Hawaii

United States is going to create world’s largest protected marine reserve area named as Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument off the Hawaiian coast.
It will be created by expansion of present national monument off Hawaii. US President Barck Obama will use his power to expand this national monument.
Key Facts

• With this expansion, the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument will now span to 582,578 square miles. Thus, it quadruples in the size from present size.
• The expansion will further help to protect more than 7,000 species and improves an ecosystem dealing with ocean acidification and warming.
• It will permanently protect coral reefs and underwater marine habitats which are home to marine species, including rare whales and sea turtles.
• The monument was first designated by the US President George W. Bush in 2006 as the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Marine National Monument.
• It was renamed later in honour of Papahanaumoku and Wakea, the husband-and-wife Hawaiian gods of earth and sky.
• In 2010, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) had designated the area a world heritage site.

Month: Current Affairs - August, 2016