[Coral-List] post regarding hearing on the Pacific Remote Islands refuge

[Robert Richmond]

Please post if acceptable.

Thanks and best wishes,

Bob

-- 
Robert H. Richmond, Ph.D.
Research Professor and Director
Kewalo Marine Laboratory
University of Hawaii at Manoa
41 Ahui Street
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813 USA
Phone: 808-539-7331
Fax: 808-599-4817
E-mail: Richmond at hawaii.edu
  
______________________________________________________________________________________________

On behalf of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), we would like to invite you to participate in a Town Hall meeting on the possible expansion of the protections of the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument in the south-central Pacific Ocean.

The Town Hall discussion will be held on August 11 and hosted by:
Michael Tosatto, NOAA Fisheries Pacific Islands Regional Administrator
Robyn Thorson U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Regional Director, Pacific Region One

The Town Hall meeting will take place at the Ala Moana Hotel, Carnation Room, 410 Atkinson Drive Honolulu, on August 11, 2014 from 5:00 – 7:00 pm.  If you are unable to attend the Town Hall meeting and would like to comment, please send your comments to PRI at noaa.gov no later than August 15.

Background:  The Pacific Remote Islands Monument was established in 2009 by President George W. Bush and encompasses 86,888 square miles of the ocean within its boundaries, which extend 50 nautical miles from the shores of small, uninhabited U.S. territories: Howland, Baker, and Jarvis Islands; Johnston, Wake, and Palmyra Atolls; and Kingman Reef.


On June 17, 2014, President Obama announced his intention to consider expanding the protections of the Pacific Remote Islands Monument. The White House fact sheet stated:
·       New protections for world-class marine areas. The President today announced a commitment to use his authority to protect some of our most precious marine landscape just like he has for our mountains and rivers and forests.   To meet the President’s commitment, the Administration will immediately consider how we might expand protections near the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument in the south-central Pacific Ocean, an area which contains some of the most pristine tropical marine environments in the world.  These tropical coral reefs and associated marine ecosystems are also among the most vulnerable areas to the impacts of climate change and ocean acidification. Before making decisions about the geographic scope and details of future marine protections, we will consider the input of fishermen, scientists, conservation experts, elected officials, and other stakeholders.  The President is also calling on other world leaders to join him in this effort to ensure that the world’s most valuable ocean ecosystems remain productive and pristine for our children and grandchildren.

We look forward to hearing from you at the Town Hall meeting to discuss this proposal.

Sincerely,
Michael Tosatto, NOAA Fisheries Pacific Islands Regional Administrator
Robyn Thorson, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Regional Director, Pacific Region One