ASIA
Protecting Palau
ASIA
PACIFIC
OCEAN
The Pacific island nation of 22,000
people prioritizes environmental
preservation. The Palau National
Marine Sanctuary, fully enforceable
since 2020, bans all fishing in
80 percent of the country’s waters.
PALAU
Exclusive economic zone
200 nautical miles from shore; the limit of a country’s commercial jurisdiction
Fishing hours, 2020–2023
Palau marine sanctuary limit
No-take reserve, fully protected
fewer
more
Local waters
Set aside for Palauan use
Coral reef
75
mi
75
km
INTERNATIONAL WATERS
FEDERATED
STATES OF
MICRONESIA
Yap
Islands
Philippine Sea
Ngulu
Atoll
PhiliPpines
Local
waters
PALAUAN
COMMERCIAL
FISHING ZONE
CAROLINE ISLANDS
MINDANAO
Babeldaob
(Babelthuap)
Ngerulmud
Koror
Chelbacheb
Beliliou
(Peleliu)
PALAU
PALAU NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY
184,228
square miles
Fully protected waters
Sonsorol Is.
Pulo Anna
Talaud
Islands
Merir
INTERNATIONAL
WATERS
PACIFIC OCEAN
Helen Island
Hotsarihie
(Helen
Reef)
Remote reef
Hatohobei
(Tobi)
Morotai
Hotsarihie (Helen Reef) is
protected by a single ranger
station tasked with identifying
illegal fishing boats, often
from the Philippines
and Indonesia.
Halmahera
Ayu Islands
Waigeo
Halmahera
Sea
Bacan
Biak
NEW GUINEA
Obi
INDONESIA
Matthew W. Chwastyk, NGM Staff
Sources: Global Fishing Watch; Allen Coral Atlas; Marine Protection Atlas,
Marine Conservation Institute
Protecting Palau
The Pacific island nation of 22,000
people prioritizes environmental
preservation. The Palau National
Marine Sanctuary, fully enforceable
since 2020, bans all fishing in
80 percent of the country’s waters.
ASIA
ASIA
PACIFIC
OCEAN
PALAU
Exclusive economic zone
200 nautical miles from shore; the limit of a country’s commercial jurisdiction
Palau marine sanctuary limit
No-take reserve, fully protected
Local waters
Set aside for Palauan use
75
mi
Coral reef
75
km
Fishing hours, 2020–2023
fewer
more
INTERNATIONAL WATERS
FEDERATED
STATES OF
MICRONESIA
Philippine Sea
CAROLINE IS.
Babeldaob
(Babelthuap)
Ngulu
Atoll
PALAUAN
COMMERCIAL
FISHING ZONE
Ngerulmud
Koror
Beliliou
(Peleliu)
PALAU
PALAU NATIONAL
MARINE SANCTUARY
Sonsorol Is.
Pulo Anna
Merir
Hatohobei
(Tobi)
Helen Island
PACIFIC
OCEAN
Hotsarihie
(Helen
Reef)
Remote reef
Hotsarihie (Helen Reef) is
protected by a single
ranger station tasked with
identifyingillegal fishing
boats, often from the
Philippines and Indonesia.
NEW GUINEA
INDONESIA
Matthew W. Chwastyk, NGM Staff
Sources: Global Fishing Watch;
Allen Coral Atlas; Marine Protection Atlas,
Marine Conservation Institute