Boundary of the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument (PMNM), located in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI). Created in 2006, Papahanaumokuakea is the largest conservation area in the U.S. and one of the largest marine conservation areas in the world. It is home to extensive coral reefs harboring over 7,000 marine species, one quarter of which are found only in Hawaii. Many of the islands and shallow water environments are important habitats for rare species such as the threatened green sea turtle and the endangered Hawaiian monk seal. Significant cultural Native Hawaiian sites can also be found on the islands of Nihoa and Mokumanamana (Necker Island). Co-managed with the State of Hawaii and the U.S. Department of the Interior, the monument preserves one of the most untouched areas of coral reef in the world. This layer shows the PMNM boundary after its expansion in 2016. On August 26, 2016, President Obama signed a proclamation expanding the monument from 139,797 square miles (362,073 square kilometers) to 582,578 square miles (1,508,870 square kilometers). This extended the monument boundary westward of -163 degrees longitude out to Hawaii's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) at 200 nautical miles offshore. The present layer shows the monument boundary as it existed *after* this expansion. To view the previous, smaller boundary, access the data layer for "hi_noaa_nwhi_papahanaumokuakea_2006" instead. NOTE: This layer is provided as polyline features. For polygon features which can be color filled, please see the layer named "hi_noaa_nwhi_papahanaumokuakea" instead. Both polygon and polyline formats are provided for this dataset because the monument boundary spans the antimeridian (+/-180 degrees longitude) making it difficult to display in many GIS software applications without showing a division at the antimeridian.

Boundary of the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument (PMNM), located in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI). Created in 2006, Papahanaumokuakea is the largest conservation area in the U.S. and one of the largest marine conservation areas in the world. It is home to extensive coral reefs harboring over 7,000 marine species, one quarter of which are found only in Hawaii. Many of the islands and shallow water environments are important habitats for rare species such as the threatened green sea turtle and the endangered Hawaiian monk seal. Significant cultural Native Hawaiian sites can also be found on the islands of Nihoa and Mokumanamana (Necker Island). Co-managed with the State of Hawaii and the U.S. Department of the Interior, the monument preserves one of the most untouched areas of coral reef in the world. This layer shows the PMNM boundary after its expansion in 2016. On August 26, 2016, President Obama signed a proclamation expanding the monument from 139,797 square miles (362,073 square kilometers) to 582,578 square miles (1,508,870 square kilometers). This extended the monument boundary westward of -163 degrees longitude out to Hawaii's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) at 200 nautical miles offshore. The present layer shows the monument boundary as it existed *after* this expansion. To view the previous, smaller boundary, access the data layer for "hi_noaa_nwhi_papahanaumokuakea_2006" instead. NOTE: This layer is provided as polygon features. For polyline features, please see the layer named "hi_noaa_nwhi_papahanaumokuakea_line" instead. Both polygon and polyline formats are provided for this dataset because the monument boundary spans the antimeridian (+/-180 degrees longitude) making it difficult to display in many GIS software applications without showing a division at the antimeridian.

Boundary of the marine portion of the Ahihi-Kinau Natural Area Reserve. The statewide Natural Area Reserves System (NARS) was established to preserve areas that support communities of the natural flora and fauna of Hawaii and is administered by Hawaii's Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW). Located off the southwest coast of Maui, Ahihi-Kinau was the first designated reserve in 1973. Unlike other NARs, it includes a marine component. The surrounding coral reef systems shelter a complex assemblage of organisms, most of them endemic to the Hawaiian archipelago. For further information, please see: http://dlnr.hawaii.gov/ecosystems/nars/maui/ahihi-kinau/

Boundary of the marine portions of the Kahoolawe Island Reserve for the island of Kahoolawe in Hawaii. Beginning in World War II, Kahoolawe was used as a training ground and bombing range by the U.S. military. After decades of protests, the Navy ended live-fire training in 1990 and the island was transferred to the State of Hawaii in 1994. The state legislature established the Kahoolawe Island Reserve to restore and oversee the island and its surrounding waters. Today, Kahoolawe can be used only for native Hawaiian cultural, spiritual, and subsistence purposes. All entry to the reserve must be authorized by the Kahoolawe Island Reserve Commission. For more information, please see: http://www.kahoolawe.hawaii.gov

Proposed marine reserve area at Kaupulehu in the northern part of the Kona district on the west coast of Hawaii Island. The community proposal includes no-take for 10 years to allow for the reef to rest and replenish.

Marine Protected Areas (2006) - Guam, Mariana Islands

The Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument (PMNM) was designated by Presidential Proclamation 8031, June 15th 2006. The legal boundaries for the PMNM are defined within the Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 122 / Monday, June 26, 2006 / Presidential Documents pages 36454 - 36475. The GIS compatible digital boundary files for the PMNM are representations of those legal boundaries and are based on the best available data.

Boundary of the Paiko Lagoon Wildlife Sanctuary. Located in the Kuliouou section of Honolulu, Oahu this sanctuary was established in 1981 by the State of Hawaii to protect the endangered Hawaiian Stilt as well as other migratory water birds. It is herein prohibited to remove, disturb, injure, kill, or possess any form of plant or wildlife (no fishing) or to introduce any form of plant or wildlife.

One of the few regions within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS) with a marine component, Midway Atoll is one of the most remote coral atolls on Earth, located near the edge of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI). Nearly two million birds call it home for much of each year, including the world's largest population of Laysan Albatrosses, or "gooney birds". Hawaiian monk seals, green sea turtles, and spinner dolphins all frequent the lagoon.

The Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument (PMNM) was designated by Presidential Proclamation 8031, June 15th 2006. The legal boundaries for the PMNM are defined within the Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 122 / Monday, June 26, 2006 / Presidential Documents pages 36454 - 36475. The GIS compatible digital boundary files for the PMNM are representations of those legal boundaries and are based on the best available data.