Micronesia – Resolution on Marine Sanctuary for Sharks and Rays

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA – THIRD REGULAR SESSION, 2012

January 16 ~ February 4th, 2012

C.R. NO. 17-110

A RESOLUTION
To declare the entirety of the Federated States of Micronesia’s 200 mile exclusive economic zone a marine sanctuary for sharks, rays, dolphins and whales and respectfully request the President of the Federated States of Micronesia to take the necessary action to create a marine sanctuary and the State governments to declare their 12 mile zone as a sanctuary for these species.

WHEREAS, sharks, rays, dolphins and whales play an important role in our ocean’s ecosystem, as well as, being a significant part of our cultural heritage and tourism throughout the Federated States of Micronesia; and

WHEREAS, international agencies show a rapid decline in the population of sharks, rays, dolphin and whales worldwide; and

WHEREAS, the Federated States of Micronesia is gravely concerned at the decline in the shark, ray, dolphin and whale populations and recognizes the need to rebuild their populations; and

WHEREAS, despite efforts to educate the public as to the disruption to the ocean’s equilibrium, sharks, rays, dolphins and whales are still in decline; and

WHEREAS, the Federated States of Micronesia joins the international community in its commitment to ensure that sharks, rays, dolphins and whales do not become extinct; and

WHEREAS, the Congress of the Federated States of Micronesia requests that its National government to take the necessary action to make the entirety of the Federated States of Micronesia’s 200 mile exclusive economic zone and for the State governments to declare their 12 mile zones a marine sanctuary for sharks, rays, dolphins and whales; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Seventeenth Congress of the Federated States of Micronesia, Third Regular Session, 2012, that Congress hereby declares the entirety of the Federated States of Micronesia’s 200 mile exclusive economic zone a marine sanctuary for sharks, rays, dolphins and whales, and respectfully requests the President take the necessary action to create this sanctuary and that the State governments declare their 12 mile zones a sanctuary for these species; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Governor of each State of the Nation and the Presiding Officer of each of the State Legislatures of the Nation.

Date: 1/23/12   Introduced by:  Joseph J. Urusemal

Source: Congress of the Federated States of Micronesia.