The health of the world’s ocean has been a hot topic in recent years as we’ve become more aware of how damage to those waters can have an effect on the rest of the planet as well. With that in mind, Chile made the bold move this week to create a massive new marine reserve, just months after discovering the region had a surprising abundance of sea life.
The new Sala y Gomez Marine Park covers more than 58,000 square miles that surround an uninhabited island of the same name. That island sits in the South Pacific, not far from the famed Easter Island, which is lightly inhabited and hasn’t had the benefit of the same protection. As a result, the waters around Easter Island are almost completely depleted of marine life.
Back in March, scientists made an expedition to the island of Sala y Gomez and were astounded to find a vast amount of plants and sea animals in the waters there. Upon their return to Chile, they immediately began lobbying for the marine reserve, which President Sebastian Pinera made a reality on Wednesday, banning all fishing in the region, which is roughly the size of Greece.
National Geographic ocean fellow Enric Sala, who was part of the initial expedition to the island, described the place as “one of the last undisturbed and relatively pristine places left in the ocean.” That statement alone helps to define why it was so important to protect the place and why the Chilean government reacted so swiftly to do so.
[Photo credit: Oceania]