World’s Largest Protected Marine Area Proposed in Australia’s Coral Sea

Collectively a group of scientists, environmental groups, and former members of Australia’s navy have urged for the creation of a gigantic reserve that would ban fishing in a pristine 400,000 square mile area known as the Coral Sea– if approved, it will be the world’s largest protected marine area.

Located off of Australia’s northeast coast, the Coral Sea is rich with biodiversity and historical significance. In addition to being home to more than 25 coral reefs, endangered species of sea turtles, and 25 species of whales and dolphins, the Coral Sea was the location of a well-known World War II battle involving aircraft carriers– hence the Navy’s involvement.

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A proposal has been formerly submitted to Australia’s government by the Coral Sea Campaign and a decision is expected early next year. The Pew Environment Group is leading the effort, and has a track record of success. In 2006, they lead a campaign to protect a 140,000 square mile area off of Hawaii’s northwest coast. President Bush approved the reserve. (Gasp!) Joshua Reichert, the Pew Environment Group’s director, said the following about the creation of a Coral Sea sanctuary:

Our oceans are in trouble. What we once thought of as an inexhaustible resource is rapidly deteriorating due to human activities like overfishing, pollution and global warming… It will take bold initiatives like this one – protecting large, contiguous regions of the sea and involving a broad and diverse group of stakeholders – to begin allowing many of the world’s fisheries and ocean ecosystems to recover.

Australia, according to some scientists, is experiencing hyper-accelerated effects of global warming such as severe droughts. Recently the government bought a very large irrigation farm used for growing cotton to help improve the flow of the country’s important Darling River. With all of the experiences Australia is having ahead of many other countries, let’s hope their government has the wisdom to approve the proposed Coral Sea sanctuary.

Read More About Oceans and the Environment on the Green Options Network:

• New Discovery in Southern Ocean Could Have Profound Influence on World Climate
• President Bush to Designate Massive Ocean Protection
• The Nature Conservancy: Top 10 Ways to Help Save Our Oceans
• Oceans on the Precipice, ie, Totally Screwed
• Is Storing Carbon Dioxide Under the Ocean a Viable Strategy for Global Warming?

Photo Credit: moonjazz on Flickr under a Creative Commons license

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