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Hawaii News

Bigger marine sanctuary spells a ‘bold’ idea

  • CHRISTOPHER KELLEY / HAWAII UNDERSEA RESEARCH LABORATORY

    A remotely operated vehicle called Deep Discoverer took photos of some of the species that can be found outside the current boundaries of Papahanaumokuakea, including black coral. It is one of the longest-living marine organisms, estimated at more than 4,500 years.

  • NOAA OFFICE OF OCEAN EXPLORATION AND RESEARCH, HOHONU MOANA

    A corallium that is nearly completely overgrown by zooanthid (another type of cnidarian), and a brittlestar live in association. This particular species or coral is not commercially harvested, but is in the precious coral group that is often commercially harvested for jewelry at shallower depths.

  • NOAA OFFICE OF OCEAN EXPLORATION AND RESEARCH, HOHONU MOANA

    This brisingid sea star was photographed by Deep Discoverer while exploring an unnamed seamount just outside the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument.

  • NOAA OFFICE OF OCEAN EXPLORATION AND RESEARCH, HOHONU MOANA

    A squid, Walvisteuthis youngorum, is seen off Northeast Gardner Pinnacles in the Northwest Hawaiian Islands.

  • NOAA OFFICE OF OCEAN EXPLORATION AND RESEARCH, HOHONU MOANA

    The tube feet of a sea star as it moves along the seafloor.

  • COURTESY NOAA

    Deep Discoverer, operated by the NOAA ship Okeanos Explorer, documents a bamboo coral on an unnamed seamount west of Salmon Bank, just south of Papahanaumokuakea MarineNational Monument.

  • COURTESY NOAA

    A close-up of the polyps of the bamboo coral.

  • NOAA OFFICE OF OCEAN EXPLORATION AND RESEARCH, HOHONU MOANA

    This glass sponge was seen on an unnamed seamount just outside the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument.

Local environmentalists, scientists and lawmakers banded together Thursday to announce that the Obama administration has responded to their proposal to expand Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument and make it, once again, the largest marine sanctuary in the world. Read more

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