Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument

A vast protected marine and cultural landscape in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, encompassing islands, atolls, reefs, and surrounding ocean. It is among the world’s largest marine protected areas and a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Northwestern Hawaiian Islands: A remote chain of islands, atolls, and reefs extending northwest of the main Hawaiian Islands. They make up the monument’s geographic core.
Marine conservation: The protection and sustainable management of marine species, habitats, and ecosystems. The monument applies conservation measures across island, reef, and pelagic habitats.
George W. Bush: The 43rd president of the United States, serving from 2001 to 2009. His 2006 proclamation established the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Marine National Monument.
Hawaiian monk seal: An endangered seal species native to the Hawaiian Islands and dependent on beaches and surrounding waters. The monument protects much of the species’ remote habitat.
Papahānaumoku: A female figure in Hawaiian tradition associated with the creation of the Hawaiian Islands. She is one of the two ancestral figures honored in the monument’s name.
Hawaiian Islands: An archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean formed by volcanic activity over a moving hotspot. The monument protects the archipelago’s northwestern extension.
Marine protected area zoning: The division of a marine protected area into zones with different permitted activities and restrictions. Zoning helps distinguish highly protected waters from areas with limited authorized uses.
Proclamation 8031: The 2006 presidential proclamation establishing the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Marine National Monument. It created the federal protected area that was later renamed Papahānaumokuākea.
Laysan albatross: A large seabird of the North Pacific that nests on islands and ranges widely at sea. Major breeding colonies occur on the monument’s islands.
Wākea: A male figure in Hawaiian tradition associated with the sky and the creation of the Hawaiian Islands. His pairing with Papahānaumoku gives the place-name its ancestral significance.

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