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Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI)

• Introduction
  
  
• Hawaiian Archipelago
  
  
• Northwestern Hawaiian Archipelago
  
  
• Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve
  
  
• Cultural History
  
  
• Marine Field Surveys and
  Data Collections
  
  
• Data Collections
  Scope and Methods
  
  
• Rapid Ecological Assessment
  
  
• The Islands, Atolls, Shoals, and Banks
  
  
• Status and Health of the Coral Reef Ecosystems of the NWHI
  
  
• Information Resources
  
  

The Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve

On December 4, 2000, the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve (Reserve) was created by Executive Order 13178. The Reserve encompasses an area of the marine waters and submerged lands of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands extending approximately 1200 nautical miles long (2,222.4 km) and 100 nautical miles (185.2 km) in width. As part of the establishment of the Reserve, Executive Order 13178 contains conservation measures that restrict some activities throughout the Reserve, and establishes Reserve Preservation Areas around certain islands, atolls, and banks where all consumptive or extractive uses are prohibited. On January 18, 2001, after the close of a 30 day comment period, the process and establishment of the Reserve was finalized by issuance of Executive Order 13196. This Executive Order modified Executive Order 13178 by revising certain conservation measures and making permanent the Reserve Preservation Areas, with modifications. With this action, the establishment of the Reserve, including the conservation measures and permanent Reserve Preservation Areas, was completed.

The National Marine Sanctuary Program (NMSP) has begun the process to designate the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve (Reserve) as a National Marine Sanctuary under the National Marine Sanctuaries Act (NMSA).

Executive Order 13178

Executive Order 13196: Amendment to Executive Order 13178

Reserve Preservation Areas (RPA)

This page provides a set of maps on individual Reserve Preservation Areas (RPA). Selected RPA maps are supplemented with images taken by the Landsat 7 Satellite. The satellite images are provided to depict how these areas appear from space, not to delineate their boundaries. http://www.hawaiireef.noaa.gov/imagery/rpa.html

Reserve Preservation Areas of the NWHI Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve

http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/02hawaii/
background/ecosystem_reserve/ecosystem_reserve.html

NWHI Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve List Serve

The purpose of this list is to announce Reserve activities and events pertaining to education, research and monitoring, enforcement, sanctuary designation, and the Reserve Advisory Council and other items of interest.

http://www.hawaiireef.noaa.gov/listserve.html

Sanctuary Designation

The National Marine Sanctuary Program (NMSP) has begun the process to designate the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve as a National Marine Sanctuary under the National Marine Sanctuaries Act. Answers are given to commonly raised questions about the proposed designation for the NWHI.              

http://www.hawaiireef.noaa.gov/designation/welcome.html