In order to protect vast areas of coral, Australia has decided to establish the world's largest marine park. The park is to range from the Coral Sea off the country's northeast coast and the site where many naval battles occurred during WWII. Environment Minister Tony Burke said the park would cover approximately 1 million square km, about the size of France and Germany combined. The marine protection site is supposed to help protect fish, coral reefs, nesting sites, and other marine life. “The environmental significance of the Coral Sea lies in its diverse array of coral reefs, sandy cays, deep sea plains and canyons,” Burke said. “It contains more than 20 outstanding examples of isolated tropical reefs, sandy cays and islands.” The area is also home to where three US ships were known to have sunk: the USS Lexington, USS Sims and the USS Neosho. The ships sunk in battle in 1942 between naval engagements between Australia, America, and Japan. The government will finalize the limits of the Coral Sea Marine Park, to ensure economic zoning and jurisdiction. The world's previous largest reserve was established by Britain last year around the Chagos Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, which includes the coral atoll The Great Chagos Bank. BM
