President Obama has unveiled new measures aimed at protecting marine life from pollution and over-fishing. The United States will create the world’s largest ocean preserves by expanding federally protected waters in the Pacific Ocean. In a video message to the State Department’s “Our Oceans” summit, Obama also unveiled new curbs on illegal fishing.

President Obama: “Today, I’m building on that progress by directing the federal government to create a national strategy to combat black market fishing that threatens our oceans, undermines our economy, and often supports dangerous criminals. And like Presidents Clinton and Bush before me, I’m going to use my authority as president to protect some of our most precious marine landscapes, just like we do for mountains and rivers and forests. These are just a few of the steps the United States is taking to keep our oceans strong and healthy.”

Under Obama’s plan, the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument would expand from 87,000 square miles to more than 782,000 square miles.