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EO 13178Executive OrderClinton · D Quiet signal

Executive Order 13178

Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve

This executive order establishes the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve, a 3.5 million-acre marine protected area extending approximately 1,200 nautical miles. It caps commercial and recreational fishing at existing levels, prohibits oil and gas exploration, and creates preservation areas with additional restrictions while allowing Native Hawaiian cultural and subsistence uses. The order directs the Secretary of Commerce to develop an operations plan, establish an advisory council, and initiate the process to designate the Reserve as a national marine sanctuary.

Federal Register Open PDF 65 FR 76903

Impact dates

  1. Progress report on implementation due to Chair of Council on Environmental Quality

Key directives

  • Establish Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve with specified boundaries
  • Cap commercial fishing permits and aggregate take at pre-order levels with one-time exception for two Native Hawaiian bottomfishing permits
  • Cap recreational fishing effort at pre-order levels
  • Prohibit oil/gas/mineral exploration, seabed alteration, and discharge of materials
  • Establish Reserve Preservation Areas with additional restrictions including fishing bans
  • Develop Reserve Operations Plan in consultation with Secretary of Interior and Hawaii Governor
  • Initiate National Marine Sanctuary designation process under NMSA sections 303-304
  • Establish Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve Council with specified membership
  • Provide progress report to CEQ Chair within 1 year
  • Coordinate management with National Wildlife Refuges and State of Hawaii through memoranda of agreement

Who is ordered

Timeline

Immediate

  • Reserve established with boundaries defined
  • commercial and recreational fishing levels capped at existing permits/effort
  • prohibitions on oil/gas exploration, seabed alteration, and resource removal take effect
  • Reserve Preservation Areas established with activity restrictions

Near term (90d)

  • Secretary to establish Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve Council
  • development of Reserve Operations Plan begins
  • progress report due to Chair of Council on Environmental Quality within 1 year

Long term

  • potential designation as National Marine Sanctuary
  • development of straight-line boundaries for Reserve Preservation Areas
  • ongoing coordinated management with state and federal agencies
  • long-term conservation and monitoring of coral reef ecosystem

Risks & tensions

  • Potential conflict between Native Hawaiian subsistence/cultural rights and conservation restrictions, though order explicitly accommodates these uses
  • Overlap between Reserve and existing National Wildlife Refuge jurisdictions requires careful coordination per section 10(b)
  • Commercial fishing industry may resist permit caps and preservation area closures
  • Vessel monitoring system implementation depends on international (IMO) cooperation with uncertain timeline
  • Sanctuary designation process under NMSA involves public review and comment with unpredictable duration
  • 'Subject to availability of appropriated funds' in section 11(e) creates implementation uncertainty
Executive Order 13178: Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve · Executive Orders