STATE SEEKING WORLD HERITAGE DESIGNATION OF NORTHWESTERN HAWAIIAN ISLANDS NATIONAL MARINE MONUMENT

January 29 - "We believe that the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI) National Marine Monument is a place of global significance," said Lt. Governor Aiona at the "Our Sea of Islands" regional forum hosted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Center.

"We know that our job is not complete now that the NWHI are protected," said the Lt. Governor. "It is our duty to find ways to protect and conserve our marine resources throughout the Hawaiian archipelago."

The state is working to ensure that the Monument is nominated by the federal government to be considered for UNESCO's World Heritage designation. In September 2005, Governor Lingle signed rules to set aside all State waters in the NWHI as a limited-access, no-take marine protected area, creating the largest marine conservation area in the history of the state. The Lingle-Aiona Administration also worked closely with the federal government to establish similar protections in federal waters. This resulted in President George W. Bush establishing the NWHI as a National Monument in June 2006, making the remote chain of reefs and atolls the largest marine protected area in the world.

The Bush Administration recently asked congress to set aside $8 million in the next fiscal year for management of the monument.