Well known for its conservation efforts, the tiny Pacific Island nation of Palau created the world’s first shark sanctuary in 2009 under the Shark Haven Act of 2009. It effectively protects over 135 Western Pacific shark and ray species, including great hammerheads, leopard sharks, and oceanic whitetip sharks. Although Palau is one of the world’s smallest and youngest nations, the entirety of its territorial waters and exclusive economic zone – the size of France – are now a safe harbor for sharks. Palau is aiming to close the area to all commercial fishing vessels not only to safeguard sharks, but economically and ecologically important tuna species.

 

For more information:

http://www.sharksanctuary.com/

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8272508.stm

http://blog.nature.org/conservancy/2012/08/20/shark-sanctuary-protecting-the-oceans-protector-in-palau/

 

from wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shark_sanctuary