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US to Expand Largest Marine Reserve in Pacific Ocean: White House

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The president of the United States has announced the expansion of the world's largest marine reserve in the Pacific Ocean, the White House press office announced in a statement published on its website Thursday.

WASHINGTON, September 25 (RIA Novosti) - The president of the United States has announced the expansion of the world's largest marine reserve in the Pacific Ocean, the White House press office announced in a statement published on its website Thursday.

"The Administration identified expanding the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument as an area of particular interest because science has shown that large marine protected areas can help rebuild biodiversity, support fish populations, and improve overall ecosystem resilience," the statement reads.

All commercial resource extraction activities, including commercial fishing and deep sea mining, is banned in the area.

The existing Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument, located in the south-central Pacific Ocean will serve as the basis for a new marine reserve. The new reserve will be six times bigger, "resulting in 370,000 nautical square miles (490,000 square miles) of protected area," the statement reads.

The initiative is aimed at protecting US islands and oceans.

In 2013, US President Barack Obama released the National Ocean Policy Implementation Plan to ensure that the ocean, coasts and the Great Lakes are healthy and resilient.

According to the White House, in June, Obama initiated series of actions "to increase protections for the ocean, including combating black market fishing, establishing a pathway to new marine sanctuaries, and understanding the impacts of ocean acidification."

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