In the supplemental budget submitted to the Olbiil Era Kelulau (OEK) last week, a section was included stating that the reef area is subject to the jurisdiction of the state where it will be unlawful for any person to fish for “catch, capture, kill, trap, wound, possess, transport, retain, or otherwise have under his or her control any clam, coral, crab, dugong, fish , lobster, oyster , sea cucumber, turtle, trochus or any other form of marine life.
According to the provision in the proposed supplemental budget, “the president may not disburse block grants to any state that has failed to establish at least one such conservation area.”
At least 10 states are automatically covered by the marine conservation area these are Kayangel State, Ngarchelong State, Ngardmau State, Ngaremlengui State, Ngatpang State, Koror State, Hatohobei State, Sonsorol State, Aimelik State and Melekeok State.
Palau has at least 21 conservation areas.
Palau is one of the proponents of the regional Micronesia Challenge.
In November 2005, President of Palau Tommy E. Remengesau, Jr. called on his regional peers to join him in the Micronesia Challenge, which would conserve 30 percent of near shore coastal waters and 20 percent of forest land by 2020. Joining the initiative were Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia and Marshall Islands, and the U.S. territories of Guam and Northern Mariana Islands.
These nations and territories represent nearly 5 percent of the marine area of the Pacific Ocean and 7 percent of its coastlines.
The Micro challenges is a commitment by the Chief Executives of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Republic of Palau, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands to effectively conserve at least 30 percent of the near-shore marine resources and 20 percent of the terrestrial resources across Micronesia by 2020. Covering 6.7 million square kilometers of ocean, the Micronesia Challenge represents more than 20 percent of the Pacific island region and 5 percent of the largest ocean in the world.
