Majuro, Marshall Islands – January 28, 2025 – President Hilda C. Heine together with Iroojlaplap Boklon Zackious, Minister of Natural Resources & Commerce Tony Muller, Utrok Senator Hiroshi Yamamura, and Utrok Mayor Tobin Kaiko, signed the Republic of the Marshall Islands’ first national marine sanctuary at the International Conference Center. The sanctuary, covering 18,500 square miles, protects the remote Bikar and Bokak Atolls, which are home to vital marine life, including the nation’s largest green turtle nesting colony and deep-sea sharks.
The sanctuary will fully protect these areas from fishing and other destructive activities, ensuring the preservation of crucial ecosystems. This is part of the Republic’s ongoing commitment to meet national, regional, and global targets on ocean conservation through its Reimaanlok Framework, which integrates traditional knowledge with modern science to sustainably manage natural resources and establish protected areas.
While the Government of the Marshall Islands has the authority to manage, sustainably develop and conserve its natural resources, decision making on the use of these resources are always made within the local communities under the permission and guidance of both the local government and traditional leaders, a practice that is fully supported under the Reimaanlok process.
A 2023 expedition by National Geographic Pristine Seas and MIMRA gathered extensive data on the area’s exceptional biodiversity, including healthy coral reefs, abundant fish populations, and rare species. This sanctuary has officially become a part of the RMI Protected Areas Network and marks a significant milestone in the country’s efforts to protect its marine environment and secure a sustainable future for its people.
