The tireless efforts of environmental lobby groups such as the Pew Environmental Group and the Environmental Defense Fund and, in particular, the Marine Conservation Biology Institute in Washington have born fruit.

President Bush, in the dying days of his administration, has declared  three new areas in the Pacific Ocean, around the Mariana Islands, Palmyra Atoll and Rose Atoll, totalling more than 500,000 square kilometers, national marine monuments.  This will protect some stunning areas of pristine reefs containing many large animals such as reef sharks and giant clams that are badly depleted elsewhere.

According to Enric Sala, a marine ecologist, National Geographic fellow and emerging explorer who has helped to conduct some of the few scientific surveys in the remote central Pacific islands, this is the largest marine area ever to be protected.  He added:   "We don't need more research to know that more of these remote intact places need to be protected.  This is the only chance we have left to protect parts of the ocean that are still natural."