Limitations To Protection?

Transcript from today's White House press briefing with Press Secretary Dana Perino. A reporter asks the Press Secretary if she is aware of any limitations to protection for the much anticipated announcement tomorrow by the President of the proposed Mariana Trench Marine National Monument Marianas Marine National Monument:

Q: Dana, the last time the President protected undersea property, he put off-limits some valuable gas, like in the Destin Dome off Florida. That was temporary. This new protected area, do we know that there is oil and gas underneath the property that's now being protected?

MS. PERINO: I don't know if there are. I don't think it will matter because now it will be a protected monument, but that's a great question you could ask Connaughton on the 4:00 p.m. conference call.

You can bet I'll be looking forward to hearing what activities--commercial fishing, resource extraction, exploration, etc.--will (and won't) be permitted in the new protected areas. Of course, protection is only as effective as management and enforcement. But these are truly exciting times for fans of ocean protection!