Chile creates Easter Island marine reserve at Our Ocean Summit, Obama ups U.S. sanctuaries

Chile just recently declared their huge new marine reserves in the Pacific off Easter Island as it hosted a major conference on preserving the world's oceans and fisheries. On the other hand, President Barack Obama announced the two new U.S. National Marine Sanctuaries in a video.

On Monday, the Chilean government acknowledged a 243,630-square-mile marine reserve off the eastern coast of Easter Island, as reported by Yahoo News. The declaration was made at the Our Ocean international marine protection conference in Valparaiso, Chile. As claimed by Joshua Reichert, of Pew Charitable Trusts, "the Easter Island park protects one of the last near-pristine ocean wildernesses on Earth."

The park will go against the plan created by the British government, surrounding an 834,000 square km or 322,000 square miles area around the Pitcairn Islands to the west. The fishermen on Easter Island have constantly protested about the illegal industrial fishing trawlers that are stealing away tuna from the local people. Moreover, the satellite analysis by NGOs proved that over two-dozen potential illegal fishing vessels claim the area annually.

Richard Branson, the founder of Virgin group, previously opened up about the ocean preservation. He took to his blog Virgin, "This wonderful action will protect treasures off the shores of this remote island, as well as the brilliant biodiversity that feeds the local Rapa Nui people, and helps them continue their centuries-old cultural traditions."

At the same conference, U.S. President, Barack Obama also proclaimed a 14-square-mile reservation area off the coast of Maryland and a 875-square-mile protected site in Lake Michigan, as claimed by the US News. The two new American marine sanctuaries are recognized as areas to protect historic shipwrecks, which serve as habitats for endangered marine lives.

"Our economies, our livelihoods, and our food all depend on our oceans," President Obama announced in a video message shown at the conference. He continued his declaration by stating, "Yet we know that our actions are changing them. Greenhouse gas emissions are making our seas warmer and more acidic. Marine pollution harms fish and wildlife, affecting the entire food chain. Illegal fishing depletes the world's fisheries."

Meanwhile, a lot of other countries and foundations are also expected to guarantee funds and propose initiatives to fight the issues causing pollution in the sea. Aside from the declaration of marine sanctuaries and preservation of marine wildlifes, the conference also took on the problem of pollution from the land. The conference will talk about the effects of agricultural pesticide and fertilizer runoff and waste plastics in harming the sea.