Publisher :
Place of publication :
Publication year : 2012
Thematic : Marine Protected Areas
Language : English
Note
The George W. Bush administration created a great marine protected reserve in Hawaii. It is almost as large as the State of California and, at that time, was the world largest.
Pew Environment Group, one of the main world conservationist groups was amongst those involved in that enterprise thus fulfilling an ancient ambition: the creation of a complex net of protected marine areas around the world. The goal is to enact 15 of these by 2022, a project named Global Oceanic Legacy.
One of these areas is around Easter Island. The government and Rapa Nui Community alongside Pew, are already discussing how to execute the project envisaging the protection of more than one million square kilometers of oceanic territory by end 2013 turning it into the largest world protected area.
“The huge biodiversity of these zones transforms them into reproduction spaces. Ernesto Escobar, Pew´s representative for Chile explains, “they are sea generating life centers, feeding the other sectors in collaboration with sea currents, thereby turning their protection into a very important matter. The area pretends including within its protection zone the Marine Park Motu
Motiro Hiva at the Salas y Gómez Island plus the Hanga Roa Reserve as well. The project was not only submitted to the islanders. President Sebastián Piñera also learned about it. “He attended a presentation and asked us to study it. We are doing so†the chief of Natural resources and Biodiversity Division of the Environment Ministry, Mr. Leonel Sierralta reckoned. Sierralta adds that Pew’s proposal is not the only one looking towards the zone´s protection.
“We have many Proposals to create marine parks in the place. Motu Motiro Hiva was created recently; there is a proposal from the Fishing Undersecretary and another from ONGOcenaâ€. The latter advocates enlarging the Motu Motiro Hiva park by 400 thousand hectares (presently 150) in order to include part of the Easter Island exclusive economic area. Sierralta further explains, “We have made Pew see these initiatives and told them that coordinating them properly is a necessity. They must be submitted to the community so it may pronounce itselfâ€.
Escobar knows that, and for that reason he travelled to the island along with a group of experts, to present the project to the islanders. He explains the idea is that “the Rapa Nui Community is to define the reserve features according to the islanders’ habits and links with the seaâ€.
The Pascua Island Development Commission (Codeipa) has already given its consent to develop during the forthcoming 12 months, the pertinent studies for the design of the protection territory. Escobar explains that “combining the island’s biodiversity and species richness together with its architectural and archaeological patrimony is a great opportunity for Chile and the islandâ€. In order to see the effects of large threats after the excessive exploitation and non-authorized fishing and to take care of and regulate the zone, Pew proposes to devise a satellite surveillance group. Escobar says “a sort of Sea Interpol is being designed.†The Global Oceanic Legacy has already inaugurated three of the 22 parks proposed. In 2009 the Marianas Island protected area with the deepest abyssal pit of the world was added to the Hawaiian zone and the conservation plan of the Chagos archipelago in the Indian Ocean was realized in 2010.
The Australian Coral Reef will be the fourth. Should the negotiations between the government, Easter islanders and ONGs progress, Easter Island may well become the fifth zone of the net.
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Keywords : Marine protected area
Encoded by : Pauline Carmel Joy Eje
