Earlier this week, President Obama announced the creation of the world’s largest Marine Protected Area by expanding the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument to cover close to 490,000 square miles!  This move marks an important moment in marine conservation, by recognizing the need for increased protection of vulnerable marine species and increasing protection from commercial fishing, mining, and dumping of trash.  The official Presidential Proclamation expanding the monument was posted in the Federal Register on September 29, 2014. National Geographic posted a good summary of the action here.