每年在6月8日國際海洋日發表觀測報告的環境學家今年表示，位於太平洋中央的美國第一座海洋保護區，維護狀況不甚理想。夏威夷土地及自然資源管理局(BLNR)近日決定開放西北群島保護區的生物探勘活動，環保人士對此均大喊不妥。
8日，許多保育學者和夏威夷原住民出席BLNR在檀香山舉辦的會議，反對當局將保護區開放給以研究之名從事的活動。這片遼闊的保護區島嶼群涵蓋主島區往西和北延伸1400平方英哩的範圍。與法律抵觸的情況下，保育學家認為BLNR並無立場額外開放生物探勘活動。
去年夏天，夏威夷海洋生物研究院接受州政府230萬美元挹注，支援這項研究計畫，卻直到上週才公開這份申請許可。這艘負有研究使命、隸屬國家海洋大氣局所有的Hi'ialakai船艦，要求將人為廢棄物傾倒在保護區海域。根據申請許可，Hi'ialakai污水處理系統故障，無法將盥洗污水和便溺污水分離， 「不得不」將這些日常污水排放海中。
然而，傾倒廢棄物在西北夏威夷群島國家保護區的州水域或聯邦水域，都是違法的。夏威夷環境保護聯盟的Townsend和'Ilio'ulaokalani聯盟的Holt-Takamine將在BLNR公佈決議前提出質疑，在保護區經營辦法施行前就開放研究活動是相當可議的。
海洋生物研究院在2005年和國家海洋保護區計畫簽訂合約，為經營夏威夷西北環礁生態系，允許專家執行「有助推動科學化經營生態系」的科學活動。這個珊瑚礁保留區已被納入新的國家保護區。
Out in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, environmentalists say all is not well in America's first national marine monument on World Ocean Day, observed each year on June 8.
They are outraged at the recent decision of the Hawaii Board of Land and Natural Resources, BLNR, to allow bio-prospecting in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Marine National Monument.
Conservationists and native Hawaiians are attending the BLNR meeting today in Honolulu to demand a moratorium on all research permits in this far-flung island chain that stretches for 1,400 square miles north and west of the main Hawaiian islands.
The conservationists argue that the BLNR should not grant rights to bio-prospectors when a law on the issue is being drafted.
The Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology received $2.3 million in federal funding for this research project last summer, but the permit applications were made public only last week.
The ship for this research mission, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Hi'ialakai, is requesting permission to dump human waste in the monument waters. According to the permit application, the ship's waste system is broken and unable to separate grey water from black water, so the institute says it must dump both types of waste into the ocean on a daily basis.
But dumping waste is prohibited in both the state and federal waters of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.
Townsend and Holt-Takamine will go before the BLNR today to point out that research is being allowed before any monument management plan is in place.
The Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology says a 2005 agreement with the National Marine Sanctuary Program allows its scientists to conduct the scientific research required for the development of a science-based ecosystem management plan for the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve. This reserve is included in the new monument.
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