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eDNA: Bringing biodiversity to the surface

The Stanford Center for Ocean Solutions is teaming up with partners in Palau to advance our scientific understanding of the ocean and its biodiversity.
image credit: E. Ikelau Otto

On January 1, 2020 the Republic of Palau implemented one of the world's largest marine protected areas. Covering 80% of Palau’s exclusive economic zone, the Palau National Marine Sanctuary (PNMS) begins 24 nautical miles offshore and prohibits all extractive activities, like fishing and mining, within 183,000 square miles (475,077 square kilometers) of the ocean surrounding Palau. The PNMS demonstrates how the ambitious protection of marine resources can enable an island nation to ensure its food security and grow its economy in an era of tumultuous change in the climate and the ocean.

However, with large ambitions comes large obstacles. How can Palau evaluate the success of the PNMS? How will we know if it's working?

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