Ascension Island To Become New Marine Reserve
The British government is planning to make the ocean around Ascension Island a marine reserve. The island, located in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, is a British overseas territory.
The new reserve will be created with the help of the Blue Marine Foundation and the Bacon Foundation, which has promised to donate £300, 000 to set up the natural habitat.
The ocean reserve is planned to be the size of the UK itself. Satellites and patrol ships will monitor activities around Ascension Island. They will also watch out for illegal fishing of endangered species. Tuna fishing will be regulated but not banned , because island inhabitants depend on tuna fishing for a living and because the popular fish is in high demand all over the world.
The sea around Ascension Island is home of the world's largest population of green turtles, as well as large marlin and sea birds.
When the new marine reserve goes into operation in 2017, a total of 2% of the world's ocean's will be under observation. Scientists claim that for all species to survive and to enlargen the global fish population about 30% of the world's waters must be monitored.
Other marine reserves include Palau in the northern Pacific, the Easter Islands and Pitcairn in the southern Pacific.
Related Topics
- The Atlantic Ocean
- Endangered Species
- Fish and Fishing
- Marine Biology - Life Forms and Habitats in the World's Oceans
- Japan Continues Whaling in the Antarctic
- Exploring the Deepest Parts of the World's Oceans
- The Falkland Islands
Words
- claim = to say that something is true
- create = make
- depend on = need very much
- donate = give money to help an organization
- endangered species = animal or plant that might stop existing because there are not many of them left
- enlargen = make bigger
- foundation =organization that collects money for a special event or special purpose
- global = worldwide
- goes into operation = starts working
- government = the people who rule a country
- habitat = place where plants and animals live naturally
- high demand = when many people want to buy a product
- illegal = against the law
- include = also have in it
- inhabitants = the people who live there
- located = can be found
- marine reserve = part of the ocean in which fish and other animals are protected and can live safely
- marlin =large sea fish with a long sharp nose
- monitor = watch carefully
- patrol ship = ship that moves around to see if there is any danger or if anything unusual is happening
- population = here: group of animals
- overseas territory = here: land in another part of the world that belongs to the United Kingdom
- popular = liked by many people
- regulate = control, limit
- settlement = small town
- size = how big something is
- species = group of animals or plants that are like each other and can reproduce
- survive = live on after a dangerous situation
- under observation = when something is closely watched