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Clinton Moves To Defend Hawaii Coral

2K views 12 replies 8 participants last post by  Peter_ 
#1 ·
Clinton Moves To Defend Hawaii Coral

.c The Associated Press


WASHINGTON (AP) - President Clinton on Monday established the largest protected area in the United States, an 84-million-acre ecosystem reserve around the northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

Clinton issued an executive order creating the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve. The area contains nearly 70 percent of the United States' coral reefs, as well as pristine remote islands, atolls and submerged lagoons.

The president said his actions were designed to preserve the islands' natural beauty ``for a long time. I hope, forever.''

He said President Theodore Roosevelt ``recognized the same imperative'' almost a century ago when he established the Hawaiian Islands National Wildlife Refuge.

``He knew then that our natural wonders on land and sea form an integral part of who we are as a people, and that every generation of Americans must do its part to sustain and strengthen this legacy,'' Clinton said. ``Today we do just that, incorporating the refuge he created into a new, vast and wonderful Yellowstone of the sea.''

Clinton said it is imperative to move swiftly to protect the reefs. He noted that 90 percent of the coral reefs in the central Indian Ocean have died and that reefs elsewhere in the world are threatened due to pollution, fishing and other activities by man.

``These remarkable living structures, built cell by cell over millions of years, are at once irreplaceable and valuable,'' Clinton said. ``Coral reefs are beautiful, but more than that, they are home to thousands of species of fish and wildlife found nowhere else on earth.''

Not everyone is happy about the new preserve. ``The president's order should be renamed the 'new Hawaiian Territorial Act' as it gives the great white father in Washington control of Hawaiian resources,'' said Jim Cook, a longline fisherman and former chairman of the Western Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Council in Hawaii.

Clinton announced his action during a speech at the National Geographic Society. He urged his audience to continue the steps he has taken to preserve the environment, ``no matter who becomes president, no matter the partisan divide of the Congress.''

AP-NY-12-04-00 1326EST
 
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#2 ·
OK I am real big on saving reefs, however I am not a fan of the current president so I tend to look at his actions with some suspicion. Right off the bat I admit that the time I have spent studying the problems endemic to the Hawaiian Islands don't amount to much, but I honestly dont think Bill Clinton has near the idea of what a coral reef is that I do. Its all a pretty speech written by someone else supporting someones agenda and contributing heavily to his coffers. I guess what really upsets me is that rather than going through the normal legislative process this was made law by "Executive Order". This is a way of circumventing the duly elected representatives of the legislatature of this country. This means a sitting president can put into effect laws that effect all of us without our approval. Mr Clinton isn't the first one to exercise this power but some of the executive orders he has signed into law and policy are really disturbing. If you are so inclined you can do a web search and read alot of these but there are many that are buried and take a lot of digging to uncover. You will not find the one thats states we will not launch on detection and will absorb a first strike while pursuing diplomatic solution to an "Accident"
Sorry to get off on a rant here, normally I try to keep neutral on here but this set me off in a big way. I dont want to turn this into an ugly political thing but I will allow input and rebuttal if there are others who agree or disagree. All I ask is that the normal rules of politeness and consideration for others apply, no personal attacks pleasThank you for pointing this out and Thank Yooou for letting me vent

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I thought I was me, but we were wrong
email: geeflipr@internetcds.com
 
G
#4 ·
Troy it certainly is but hes takin credit for something hes prolly clueless about. In my 49 years on the planet I have seen little reason to be overjoyed that the governmewnt is stepping in to protect something


------------------
I thought I was me, but we were wrong
email: geeflipr@internetcds.com
 
#6 ·
I just think this is great! How wonderfull for him to step up and help preserve coral reefs.... of course the ones that are in real danger are in other places, but hey, it worked great for an all expense paid trip to hawaii, right?



like Doug, this Irks me, with a capital IRK!
I worked for several years for a compay that had concesson rights at a national monument. besides the food and gifts and crap, we did tours... this was of a cave. all my guides were trained to EXEED National Park Service standards. We took pride in our jobs, and the natural beauty that we shared with people as they learned about it. being on the "free enterprise" side of the fence, lets just say I was none too delighted when NPS would get a hair up thier b... and decide to close the cave... bats near the trail, dont want to disturb them, you know, and other half baked schemes. all this because their mandate is to "preserve for the enjoyment of future generations". so , I ask, who are we preserving for? who are future generations?
whith this action, Clinton has just given the US gov. the ability to say, "so sorry, you cannot collect fish, corals, sand, rock, reefboogers, or whatever, due to the need for us to protect this area. sure, I agree that there has to be some administrating of nautal resorces, but they are still renewable, and should be treated as a reasorce- the beauty of the greatest gemstone in the world is worthless when locked in a dark vault.... I only hope that this "protection" ends here, but, if my expirence serves correctly, we can first expect "declaration", then "protection", and then, just as real as coral bleaching, or seastar plagues, this area will be, in essence, lost to us forever.

Gene
 
#7 ·
I believe in trying to protect the world's coral reefs. This particular action seems like a good thing but I know nothing about the "Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve". Why do I know nothing about this major project? Very simple: This was done unilaterally by a President with just over a month left in office without benefit of the legislative process or public review. The President is apparently given authority under the Marine Sanctuaries Amendments to the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act of 1972. NOAA is given authority over this program. http://sanctuaries.nos.noaa.gov/natprogram/nplegislation/nplegislation.html
This is a laudable program, authorized by Congress, and I hope this particular decision is a good one. Perhaps those who work more closely within the reef conservation field knew that this particular action was pending but it certainly wasn't a matter of general public knowledge.
What is interesting is that none of the reef conservation sites I found contained any type of advance notice that this was under consideration; not even on the ReefNet site. The only reference I found was the announcement that it had already been done on NOAA's site: http://www.nos.noaa.gov/
Here's some other related links of interest: http://www.sanctuaries.nos.noaa.gov/ http://www.nos.noaa.gov/aa/ia/cri.html http://home.hawaii.rr.com/cpie/CoralReefBib.html http://www.reefnet.org/ http://www.reefrelief.org/ReefLine/Newsletter/vol12no2/ReefLineFrame.html

I agree that this seems like a good thing but like Doug and Gene, I have to reserve some skepticism over how and why this was done by this President at this time.
Dick


[This message has been edited by FishDaddy (edited 12-05-2000).]
 
#9 ·
Some people just can't be pleased!!!!

I think we should stop the imporatation of all wild caught corals and fish!!! We are the biggest consumer of these products and just like when they outlawed the importation of wild birds, another cottage industry, captive propagated corals, will grow to take it's place.
 
#11 ·
Heil Clinton! Heil the president!

Like a king/despot/tyrant, when the president does something by eddict he is breaking his oath of ofice to the constitution. If it is a good thing to do or not is not the point. Otherwise, what's to stop him, or any other president, from doing something that "is for your own good."

I believe that protecting reefs is a good idea and the STATE should be doing it, not the Federal Government-many thousands of miles away. Furthermore it should not be done by eddict/command/presidential act since this is not open to legeslative rule. Most people though are not well informed and do not take time to keep tabs on the crooks they are suckered into electing so it's a moot point. Our current government is going down the same political road as the Romans did 20 centuries ago. If we don't wake up soon it will share the same fate.

Protecting reefs should be in our hands and everyone's responsibilty-not just s semi-dictator in Washington.

Opinion's are like farts-you only like your own.
 
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