Today, NOAA announced it is starting the process to potentially designate a new national marine sanctuary in the Pacific Remote Islands area, as directed by President Biden and affirmed by the Department of Commerce on March 24, 2023.
The proposed area in the central Pacific Ocean includes marine areas within the existing Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument, as well as currently unprotected submerged lands and waters, to the full extent of the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone, an area totaling about 770,000 square miles. Terrestrial areas are not included in the proposed sanctuary.
