Northwestern Hawaiian Islands proclaimed national monument

Under the authority of the Antiquities Act of 1906, today President Bush proclaimed the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands a national monument. The White House published a press release of the proceedings:

As a marine national monument, the waters of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands will receive our nation's highest form of marine environmental protection. We will protect a precious natural resource. We will show our respect for the cultural and historical importance of this area. And we will create an important place for research and learning about how we can be good stewards of our oceans and our environment.

Senator Akaka, Congressman Case, Congressman Abercrombie, and Governor Lingle were present to witness President Bush sign the proclamation.

As reported in a previous FR post, the Islands and their protection have been a source of confrontation between select fishing and many conservation parties in Hawaii. As a national monument, the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands will now receive added federal protection.

Within the boundaries of the monument, we will prohibit unauthorized passage of ships; we will prohibit unauthorized recreational or commercial activity; we will prohibit any resource extraction or dumping of waste, and over a five-year period, we will phase out commercial fishing, as well. For seabirds and sea life, this unique region will be a sanctuary for them to grow and to thrive. And for the American people, it will be a place that honors our responsibility to protect our natural resources.

The Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Marine National Monument: A Commitment To Good Stewardship Of Our Natural Resources (NOAA, pdf, 4 pages/70 kB)

photo, Nihoa caves © James Watt, NOAA