Papahanaumokuakea Marine

About Papahanaumokuakea Marine

Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument protects the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands and surrounding waters, encompassing one of the largest marine conservation areas in the world. The monument preserves pristine coral reefs, endemic Hawaiian monk seals, green sea turtles, and millions of seabirds. Managed jointly by NOAA, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the State of Hawaii, it is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The area holds deep cultural significance for Native Hawaiians as an ancestral spiritual landscape and represents the birthplace of all life in Hawaiian tradition.