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New Marine Reserve Designated in Indian Ocean
 The British government has announced the creation of the world's
largest marine reserve, designating a group of 55 islands in the middle
of the Indian Ocean off-limits to industrial fishing and other
extractive activities. The Chagos Islands are home
to about half of the Indian Ocean's healthy coral reefs, along with
several imperilled sea turtle species and 175,000 pairs of breeding
seabirds. The new preserve covers about 544,000
square kilometres - more than twice the size of Britain - and will
shelter at least 76 species classified as endangered by the
International Union for Conservation of Nature. NEW - World's Largest Marine Reserve
Photo Gallery of New Marine Reserve
Marine Reserve Designation being argued in European Court of Human Rights
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World Database of Marine Protected Areas
WDPA Website
This website has been set up to keep record of all of the Marine Protected Areas around the world. Only 0.7% of the world's oceans are protected. This website is a great resource.
Another resource for the US comes through the NOAA National Marine Protected Areas Center.
website: http://mpa.gov/
Advocacy for expansion of Marine Protected Areas:
World Wildlife Fund's Global Marine Programme is working towards a network of
effectively managed, ecologically representative Marine Protected Areas
(MPAs) covering at least 10% of the world's seas.
WWF Marine Protected Areas
WWF About Oceans |
