Posted on May, 23 2002

Suva, Fiji � The momentum of Pacific Island nations designating their Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) as Whale Sanctuaries continued today with Samoa�s designation of its 120,000 sq. km. EEZ a whale, turtle, and shark sanctuary. Samoa joins Niue, French Polynesia, Papua New Guinea and the Cook Islands, who in the past 7 months have all declared their EEZs as Whale Sanctuaries.

WWF congratulates the Samoan government for this positive step towards marine conservation. �Samoa�s significant contribution brings the total of EEZ declared sanctuaries in the Pacific close to 12 million sq. km.� said WWF South Pacific representative Dermot O�Gorman.

WWF South Pacific is currently running a campaign to encourage all Pacific Island governments to declare their EEZs as a whale sanctuary. A network of sanctuaries in the Pacific will support the conservation of these great mammals as well as sustain marine biodiversity for the ocean. The total area of EEZs of all 21 Pacific Island countries and territories is 30,372,000 sq.km.

WWF South Pacific thanks Pacific Island leaders for taking action on the decisions made at the Forum Leaders meeting in Nauru, 2001, at which the leaders noted that some Forum members have taken steps to effect protection of whales within their national EEZ. WWF is encouraged by the Pacific leaders' commitment to the protection of whales and is optimistic that the example of the the Cook Islands, Papua New Guinea, French Polynesia, Niue, and Samoa will be followed by other Pacific Island nations.

For further information:
Bernadette Masianini
Communciations Manager
WWF South Pacific
Tel.:+679 3315 533
E-mail: bmasianini@wwfpacific.org.fj