We are delighted to report that this weekend, at a packed meeting in the town hall, the Pitcairn community gave a unanimous vote of support in favour of establishing a large highly protected marine reserve within Pitcairn's waters. The Mayor of Pitcairn, Mike Warren, today forwarded a letter to Governor Vicki Treadell conveying to her this news and subsequent agreement to endorse a marine reserve by the Island Council. He wrote:
"As you are aware, since 2011 Council has been in discussion concerning the establishment of a Marine Reserve in Pitcairn waters. After lengthy ongoing consultation with the Pew Environment Group and following receipt of their proposal, Council met with the community at a Public Meeting held on Sunday, September 23rd, where the vote was unanimous to proceed with the process of setting up a Marine Reserve. The Community and Council agree to the fundamental principles of the Pew proposal to establish a Reserve that would encompass the entirety of Pitcairn's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)"
We are now working with the Pitcairn Island Council and community on clarifying some provisions and rules for the proposed reserve. Once completed we will together, and in collaboration with our partners at National Geographic, send a detailed proposal for the establishment of a large-scale highly protected marine reserve to the British government for their consideration.
If enacted, our joint proposal would create the world's largest strictly protected marine reserve, safeguarding some of the world's most unspoiled undersea ecosystems for the benefit of the people of Pitcairn, the wider Pacific, and indeed the whole of humanity for generations to come.