Marshall Islands create shark sanctuary

MAJURO, Marshall Islands, Oct. 3 (UPI) -- The government of the Marshall Islands says it has created a 750,000-square-mile shark sanctuary, the largest in the world.

The Pacific Ocean republic said it would ban trade in shark products and commercial shark fishing throughout its waters in an effort to protect sharks under threat from habitat loss and fishing, the BBC reported Sunday.

"In passing this [shark protection] bill, there is no greater statement we can make about the importance of sharks to our culture, environment and economy," said Sen. Tony deBrum, who co-sponsored the bill in the archipelago's Parliament.

Tourism, including diving, is a large contributor to the economy of the Marshall Islands, home to just 68,000 people.

"Ours may be a small island nation but our waters are now the biggest place sharks are protected," deBrum said.

About a third of ocean-going sharks are on an international list of threatened species.