Double the size of Texas and triple the size of Germany, New Caledonia’s recently established Le Parc Naturel de la Mer De Corail (The Natural Park of the Coral Sea), has been named the world’s largest marine park.Established just two weeks ago, it is the largest existing protected area –both on land and sea – at a staggering 1,300,000 sqkm.
Besides its massive size, the oceanic sanctuary in the South Pacific is home to a vast array of marine life, hosting 48 different shark species, 25 mammal species, 19 nesting bird species and fivesea turtle species, including the endangered green turtle. Its ocean floors are illuminated with more than 1.1 million acres of the vibrant coral reefs that give the sea its name, and its waters provide 3,000 tons of fish to New Caledonia’s inhabitants.
New Caledonia is no stranger to record-breakingsites. Located about 3,000km east of Australia, the remote French territory is home to the Grand Lagon Sud, the world’s biggest lagoon and a Unesco World Heritage Site, as well as to the world’s second largest double-barrier reef, after the one in Australia.
But besides these awe-inspiring locations, New Caledonia also has some of the richest biodiversity on Earth,which is why its government and conservation experts are taking measures to protect the natural treasure before there is a serious threat.
Currently, illegal fishing is the only concern, but potential increases in ship traffic from Queensland, Australia, and the continuance of deep-sea oil mining could harm the aquatic park in the future. Over the next three years, the park will be separated into zones, some of which will be open to economic activities like fishing and tourist activities like snorkeling and swimming.
The park’s preservation marks a historic moment in marine conservation and adds another wondrous site to New Caledonia,making this the perfect time to plan your next South Pacific adventure.
Source：http://www.bbc.com/travel/feature/20140514-the-worlds-largest-ocean-treasure
中文翻译：
两倍于德克萨斯州的面积，三倍于德国的面积，新喀里多尼亚最近建成了珊瑚海自然公园，已经被称为“世界上最大的海洋公园”。公园在两周前刚刚建成，它是现存的最大的保护区——无论是陆地上的还是海中的——面积达到了惊人的130万平方公里。
不仅面积巨大，这个南太平洋的海洋避难所是大量海洋生物的家园，48种不同的鲨鱼，25种哺乳动物，19种筑巢鸟类和5种海龟，包括濒临灭绝的绿海龟。这片海域的底部还装饰着110万英亩充满活力的珊瑚礁，并因此而得名；它更为新喀里多尼亚的居民提供三千吨海鱼。
新喀里多尼亚已经不是第一次成为世界记录的获得者了。位于澳大利亚东部三千公里，这片法国的远陆领土拥有大南礁泻湖——世界上最大的泻湖，也是联合国世界遗产，同时也是世界上第二大的双堡礁，仅次于澳大利亚所拥有的。
但是除去这些令人惊叹的地方，新喀里多尼亚还是世界上生物多样性最丰富的地方之一，这也是为什么政府和保护专家在它受到严峻的威胁之前，纷纷采取措施保护这块自然的宝藏。
目前，非法捕鱼是唯一的顾虑，然而澳洲昆士兰潜在的船舶交通的增长,和深海石油开采的持续也可能在将来危害海洋公园。在未来的三年，公园将会被分成几个区域，其中的一些会开放来做经济活动 ，比如钓鱼和旅游项目，例如浮浅和游泳。
这个保护公园的成立标志着海洋保护的一个历史性时刻，并且给新喀里多尼亚增添了一个令人惊叹的景点，让这成为你计划下个南太平洋探险旅程的完美时机。
