27 Feb 2020

Marine reserve expansion had little effect on fishing industry - research

From , 5:05 am on 27 February 2020

A new study has found that the enormous expansion of a marine reserve near Hawaii in 2016 did no harm to the state's fishing industry. 

President Barack Obama expanded the Papa-hānau-moku-ākea marine national monument to create one of the world's largest sanctuaries - about the size of Mongolia.

At the time, the fishing industry said it was concerned the reserve would imperil the longline industry by creating losses as high as $US10 million. 

But the study, by scientists at the University of Hawaii, found the state's fishing revenue from 2014 to 2017 actually grew by 13 percent. 

Matthew Rand, from the Pew Charitable Trusts, was one of the leading proponents of the sanctuary's expansion. 

He told Jamie Tahana the study shows the sanctuary is working. 

Teeming reef scape in Hawaii's  Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument.

Teeming reef scape in Hawaii's Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. Photo: NOAA, Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument