Hello DiverWire,
I am opposed to this initiative by Obama. President Bush made a huge mistake with the creation of the
Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument.
This National Monument is restricted to scientists who are members of elite liberal universities. Us common folk will never be granted a permit to visit these islands under current protocol. I have been in communication with the National Park Service and USFW regarding access issues. I put forth a ProForma permit request and was told, in writing, no way, never, and you are joking! (responses paraphrased).
I was in the entitlement permitting business. I know how the system works. I am not a neophyte.
My issue: The creation of National Monuments the size of California that are off limits to the "peasant classes" is un-American. Stalin would approve of this.
"But the rules that require scientists to freeze their brand new clothes before traveling to the next island will protect the diversity of life on the islands."
Yeah, do the frigate birds change their clothes and freeze themselves when they island hop? No.
Yeah, do sea turtles, sharks, and tunas purge themselves of parasites and hitchhikers before island hopping? No.
People have been fishing, hunting, and exploring these islands for hundreds of years. Surely, a live aboard dive boat operation can create a management plan, that includes contingency plans, to prevent damaging this pristine ecosystem.
Visiting this park (the size of California) would only increase the awareness by the general public of the treasure we have here.
And now Obama wants to add territory the size of 3 Californias to this monument system?
No way!
markmud
Citations:
Papah
Papah
On June 15, 2006, President George W. Bush issued a public proclamation creating Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument under the Antiquities Act of 1906. The Monument encompasses the islands and surrounding waters, forming the largest marine wildlife reserve in the world. President Theodore Roosevelt had declared the Northwestern Hawaiian chain a bird sanctuary in 1909 and the islands had been protected since 2000 with a designation as an 'ecosystem reserve' by President Bill Clinton, but increasing it to national monument status provides unprecedented control. 139,000 square miles (360,000 km2) of ocean has been set aside for protection, about the size of the U.S. state of California.Entry to the Monument is limited through a permit system, jointly administered by the state of Hawaii, NOAA, and FWS. Anyone who comes to the islands must follow stringent procedures designed to prevent any stray species from entering and disrupting the ecosystem. All clothes must be bought new, and kept wrapped until before arrival. In fact, all "soft" items (camera strap, blanket) must be bought new, and all "hard" items (camera, binoculars) must be cleaned thoroughly. Then, every item must be frozen for 48 hours. A new set of equipment must be prepared for each island one is going to, to prevent inter-island species introduction. However, French Frigate Shoals and Midway Atoll are exempted from these rules, as they are deemed too altered by humans already to worry about introducing new species.
