Papahānaumokuākea Celebrates 10 Years!

On June 15, 2016, Governor Ige issued a special proclamation to honor the ten-year anniversary of the establishment of Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. In recognition and celebration of the Monument's 10th Anniversary, the proclamation declares June 15, 2016 as “Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument Day” in Hawaiʻi.

Staff from the Monument Management Agencies gather in Governor Ige's office for the Proclamation ceremony. Credit: DLNR

On June 15, 2006, the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Marine National Monument was established by Presidential Proclamation 8031, creating the largest marine protected area in the world at the time. A year later, it was given its Hawaiian name, Papahānaumokuākea.

The Monument was expressly created to protect an exceptional array of both natural and cultural resources, and also ushered in a new genre of marine conservation: large-scale marine protected areas (LSMPAs). When Papahānaumokuākea was first created, it was the largest marine protected area on the planet. Then, less than one percent of the ocean was protected. Today there are 19 LSMPAs (formally established or government declared), totaling more than 10.5 million km² or nearly 3% of the global oceans. In all, if the 19 sites were put together, they would be the second largest country in the world, bigger than the United States.

Governor Ige's proclamation declaring June 15, 2016 as “Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument Day” in Hawaiʻi

This year, Papahānaumokuākea celebrates a decade of accomplishments made in cooperative conservation management, restoration and discovery. July 30, 2016 will mark Papahānaumokuākea's six year anniversary as the nation’s first (and still only) “mixed” (natural and cultural) UNESCO World Heritage site. Read more about Papahānaumokuākea's 10 Year Anniversary at: www.papahanaumokuakea.gov/10year https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/news/first-marine-monument/ Watch the Video of the Proclamation Presentation (courtesy Hawaii DLNR)