in 1909, theodore roosevelt created the hawaiian islands national wildlife refuge (hinwr), which is under the jurisdiction of the u.s. fish and wildlife service. throughout the 1980s, the national marine fisheries service completed various versions of an environmental impact statement that designated the northwest hawaiian islands as a critical habitat for the hawaiian monk seal. the designation prohibited lobster fishing in the northwest hawaiian islands and laysan island. in 2006, a presidential proclamation established the papahanaumokuakea marine national monument, which incorporated the northwestern hawaiian islands coral reef ecosystem reserve, the midway atoll national wildlife refuge, the hinwr, and the battle of midway national memorial, thus creating the largest marine protected area in the world and affording the hawaiian monk seal further protection.