August 28, 2008
Smithsonian’s Ocean Issue
BY: Emily Fisher
Smithsonian Magazine’s September cover story spotlights the still-pristine pockets of the sea. The author lauds the success of the ocean’s protected areas, beginning with the world’s largest — a marine reserve the size of California established by the remote nation of Kiribati this past January.Then there’s the United States’ version, the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, established in 2006 around the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. It’s about 140,000 square miles — larger (and harder to pronounce) than all the other U.S. national parks put together. The question posed here seems to be, “Hey, look how well these protected areas of the ocean are doing. Could this be part of the answer to our problems?” (Hint: Our president seems to think so.) Read the piece and decide for yourself.