The Natural Park of the Coral Sea covers 1.3 million square kilometers

May 3, 2014 23:51 GMT  ·  By

High officials in New Caledonia have recently given the thumbs up to plans to set up the world's largest protected area. Thus, they have granted approval to the establishment of the Natural Park of the Coral Sea in the Pacific Ocean.

The Natural Park of the Coral Sea is located at a distance of about 2,000 miles (about 3,218 kilometers) east of Australia, and it covers an area of about 1.3 million square kilometers (0.5 million square miles).

According to environmental group Conservation International, this means that it is about three times the size of Germany and much larger than any other protected area thus far established anywhere in the world.

“This legislation sends a powerful message that investing in the value nature can provide the basis for a healthy and sustainable society,” said Jean-Christophe Lefeuvre with the organization.

“Such a measure exemplifies what other countries in the Pacific can do to fully invest in the long term health and productivity of their ocean resources,” added environmentalist David Emmett.

Information available to the public says that the Natural Park of the Coral Sea encompasses all of New Caledonia’s Exclusive Economic Zone, i.e. the marine waters extending 12 to 200 nautical miles (about 22 to 320 kilometers / 14 to 230 miles) from its coastline.

Due to the fact that New Caledonia is governed by France, it’s establishing this 1.3-square kilometer protected area has helped the latter boost the proportion of national jurisdiction marine waters under protection from 4% to 16%.

The newly established protected area is estimated to be home to about 4,500 square kilometers (approximately 1,737 square miles) of coral reefs, and a surprisingly wide variety of aquatic wildlife.

Thus, it is said that the Natural Park of the Coral Sea is inhabited by about 25 species of marine mammals, as many as 48 different shark species, 19 types of nesting birds, and 5 species of marine turtles.

Although fishing activities will still be allowed in the region, the New Caledonia government reassures that such activities and other similar ones are to be carried out in a sustainable fashion and will not upset local natural ecosystems.

“Over the next three years, Conservation International experts in New Caledonia and the region will help the government shape the park’s spatial planning and management plan,” the environmental group explains.

“The management plan will use best practices for integrated management and the protection of ecosystems, habitats and species. It will also strengthen monitoring strategies, preserving cultural values and work to increase international visibility,” it adds.