As anticipated, President Obama has decided to use his pen and phone to create “the world’s largest marine protected area in the south-central Pacific Ocean,” announced during Secretary of State John Kerry’s #OurOcean2014 summit, according to Coral Davenport of the New York Times.
As previously reported at Liberty Unyielding, the designation of vast areas of the world’s oceans – referred to as “Marine Protected Area Governance [MPAG]” – is an effort which solidified during the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, known at the time as Agenda 21.
In addition to banning parts of the ocean to certain activities – such as fishing and drilling – Obama also “used his executive authority under the Antiquities Act of 1906 to designate 11 new national monuments on land, ensuring that millions of acres of wilderness will remain untouched.”
Davenport writes,
“White House officials said they had not yet determined the size of the new protected area, or the specific statute under which it will be created. The officials said the White House would spend the next few months seeking input on the plan from outside groups, including environmentalists, the fishing industry and elected officials, before the plan is final.”
While the Antiquities Act of 1906 was to be used to preserve national treasures, various presidents – including George W. Bush – have used the legislation to designate vast wilderness areas, ensuring that land is not used for ranching, farming, or road-building. The designation of areas as “wilderness” is a coveted prize for the environmentalists, but oftentimes is detrimental to the economy, particularly for the areas surrounding the “wilderness.”
The United Nations, Non-Governmental Organizations and environmental groups have long pushed for the designation of “marine protected areas.” The initiative is not cheap. America alone has pledged “more than $180 million in specific commitments.”
Considering that billions of people around the world depend on seafood as their primary source of protein, what implications does banning fishing in certain locations have for fishermen or the energy industry?
John Kerry and President Obama both cited their love of the ocean as why they are pushing restrictions on it. Neither of them mentioned the ongoing pressure from groups like the High Seas Alliance, which “comprises 30 non-governmental organizations, and the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition, which comprises over 70 NGOs worldwide.”
Perhaps the “food security” crisis is resolved?
@NatGeoPR @NatGeo So #FoodSecurity crisis solved? #OceanChat #OurOceans2014
— Renee Nal (@ReneeNal) June 17, 2014
Should Americans worry about restrictions on seafood?
Thru my foundation today I’m pledging $7 million to ocean conservation projects over the next 2 years. #OurOcean2014
— Leonardo DiCaprio (@LeoDiCaprio) June 17, 2014
.@TheScienceGuy: A tax is not the solution. Solution is to have fishing restraints, enforceable regs, better science to support decisions. — John Kerry (@JohnKerry) June 17, 2014
The US’ obsession with #seafood is KILLING the #ChesapeakeBay! How are we going to reverse this? #OurOcean2014 — Bree (@envirothrift) June 16, 2014
