June 15, 2006 At a White House ceremony Thursday afternoon, President George W. Bush announced that nearly 140,000 square miles of islands, atolls, coral reefs, and underwater mountains in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands would be designated as a national monument and marine sanctuary.

Groups pushing for the region’s protection, including the Pew Charitable Trust's environment program, had expected that Bush would declare the islands a marine sanctuary, and were told only Wednesday night that the area would instead receive monument status. By invoking the 1906 Antiquities Act, Bush will avoid congressional debate, allowing protection of the area to begin immediately.

In his speech, the president attributed his interest in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands to the private White House screening of Jean-Michel Cousteau’s documentary film, Voyage to Kure.

Cousteau, the son of famed underwater explorer Jacques Cousteau, decided to make the film after being impressed by an initial visit to the islands.

“We were overwhelmed by the marine life and bird life, and by how little attention had been paid to the area,” Cousteau told Outside Online, adding that Bush watched the entire film, then turned to him and said, “We need to get it done.”

The islands are home to 7,000 species of marine and terrestrial life, including the Hawaiian monk seal, the only surviving marine mammal that completely depends on coral reefs. The designated area is 40 times larger than Yellowstone National Park, and encompasses 4,500 square miles of coral reef.

Bush’s announcement marks the culmination of eight years of efforts by conservation groups and Hawaiian native rights organizations. The area’s designation as a marine sanctuary became a primary goal in the last five years, attracting thousands of letters of support. The movement gained momentum once Republican Governor Linda Lingle became involved, enacting measures last year that protect state lands from fishing. The new monument, which awaits a native Hawaiian name, will be managed jointly by the state and federal government, according to the Associated Press.

The monument is an archipelago that stretches 1,400 miles long and 100 miles wide, and is located far away from the more accessible of the Hawaiian islands. Except for Midway Atoll, the site of a major World War II battle, none of the islands are currently open to visitors, said Stephanie Fried, senior scientist in Hawaii with Environmental Defense, a nonprofit environmental group.

Bush did not immediately make available the precise details of what the new monument status will mean for commercial fishermen and potential visitors, and whether the islands will be open to diving and snorkeling is still unclear. Environmental groups have “a tremendous amount of concern” about these activities occurring on islands besides Midway Atoll, said Fried, and state laws currently forbid any commercial activity on these islands. Prior to this announcement, said Fried, only researchers had access to the uninhabited islands, and all visitors were required to wear either brand-new clothing or clothing that had been frozen, in order to prevent alien plant species from taking root.

The Northwestern Hawaiian Islands became a primary focus for environmental groups in 1998, after the collapse of the lobster population due to overfishing. Joshua Reichert, director of the Environmental Program at the Pew Charitable Trusts, called the islands “spectacular” geologically and geographically. He attributed the President’s announcement to a growing awareness of the ocean’s importance.

“As a society,” said Reichert, “we’re realizing that just as we’ve protected our lands, we have to protect the waters.”

The monument traces its history to protective measures enacted by Presidents Bill Clinton and Theodore Roosevelt, who established the Hawaiian Island Reservation there in 1909.

“This is a great day for conservation in the United States,” said Reichert.

Cousteau wouldn’t brand the sanctuary’s creation a political triumph, preferring to call it an instance of “good science prevail[ing] in the minds of human beings.”

The key to environmental action, he said, is understanding.

“A picture is worth a thousand words. You show it to the President, and there you have it.”

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