Despite swirling skepticism, President Bush announced today that he would create the wold's largest marine sanctuary in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Already designated a reserve, the new designation will extend federal protections to the 140,000 square miles of islands, endangered monk seals, nesting green sea turtles, and 7000 other species that call the area home. Conrad C. Lautenbacher, head of NOAA, which will manage most of the sanctuary, proclaimed Bush's announcement as "the single-largest act of ocean conservation in history." In fact, the new Sanctuary will be the largest no-take area on earth.

Along with the new designation, the federal government will immediately begin a five-year phaseout of the 8 commercial fishing permits in the area and impose strict prohibitions on any other "extractive uses" (think: coral harvesting, or oil extraction). However, officials say they will preserve access for native Hawaiian activities, educational and scientific expeditions, and for recreational and tourist visits, like scuba diving or photography. (Suddenly, investing in dive operations on Midway Atoll seems like a really good idea.)

Soon, the sanctuary will be re-named with a native Hawaiian name based on suggestions from state residents. Hopefully, it will be easier to pronounce than the name of their state fish: Humuhumunukunuku apua'a.