$4.1M in Federal Funds to Help Manage Papahānaumokuakea

The federal government is providing $4.1 million for research and management efforts on the Papahānaumokuakea Marine National Monument.

Papahānaumokuakea is one of the worldʻs largest protected marine sites.

As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Sen. Brian Schatz worked with committee leadership to secure the funding.

“By leveraging federal funds, we have the opportunity to better understand and conserve one of our most important natural resources,” Schatz said in a press release.

$3.1 million will help National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ship operations monitor the area. The other $1 million will support NOAA research and management activities.

According to the release, the grant will “bring new resources to keep the Hawaiian archipelago healthy and productive.”

In the past, federal funds have helped remove over 82 tons of debris from the monument and aided research projects to determine how climate change will impact its food web.