Palau, a Pacific island nation, passed legislation on Thursday that would make 193,000 square miles of its coastal waters a marine sanctuary, completely free from fishing or drilling of any kind, according to the Guardian.
The small nation created the first shark sanctuary in the past and is now continuing its conservation efforts with a brand new law that will legally protect about 80 percent of its nearby waters.
"We want to lead the way in restoring the health of the ocean for future generations," said the nation's president, Tommy Remengesau Jr.
The remaining percentage will be open to fishing from both commercial and residential operations, but foreign fishing operations might be pushed away in the coming years, according to the Huffington Post.
This initiative to protect more ocean waters from overfishing is taking hold in nations all over the globe, with New Zealand and the U.K. being just a few of a slew of nations dedicated to the cause.
Britain plans to create the "Pitcairn Islands Marine Reserve" and New Zealand has plans to make a marine sanctuary in a location known as the Kermadecs, according to the Seattle Times.
It is estimated that with all of the recent commitments to conservation, nearly one million square miles will be protected.
