Palau declares its oceans a sanctuary

NAGOYA, Japan, Oct. 26 (UPI) -- One of Japan's closest allies, the Republic of Palau, says it is declaring all its oceans, more than 230,000 square miles, a marine sanctuary.

The announcement was made by Palau's minister of environment at the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in Nagoya, Japan, Inter Press Service reported Sunday.

"There will be no hunting or harassment of marine mammals and other species in our waters," Harry Fritz, minister of the environment, natural resources and tourism, said.

"We urge other nations to join our efforts to protect whales, dolphins and other marine animals," Fritz said.

"Palau now supports conserving marine mammals, along with sharks and other species," Susan Lieberman, director of international policy for the Pew Environment Group, said. "This is a very significant announcement."

The island of Palau, one of the world's smallest nations, is about 500 miles east of the Philippines and 1,900 miles south of Tokyo.

Palau is home to at least 11 whale species, and as many as 30 other whale and dolphin species live in the rich waters around Palau, Fritz said.

"This sanctuary will promote sustainable whale-watching tourism, already a growing multi-million-dollar global industry, as an economic opportunity for the people of Palau," he said.