NOAA Names Papahānaumokuākea Superintendent

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has named Athline Clark as superintendent of Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument.

Working the past five years for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Clark has also previously served as the state of Hawai’i co-manager for Papahānaumokuākea.

“Athline has more than 20 years of experience working with the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, first in the Florida Keys, then as a sanctuary advisory council member for Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary,” said Allen Tom, Pacific Islands regional director for NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries. “She has always been a part of the sanctuary universe in the Pacific Islands region, and we are excited to welcome her to NOAA’s marine protected area family.”

A graduate of Kailua High School on Oahu, Clark went on to receive a Bachelor of Arts and a Masters of Arts in urban and regional planning from the University of Hawai’i at Manoa.

In her new position, Clark will be located in NOAA’s Honolulu office at NOAA’s Inouye Regional Center on Ford Island.

“The advisory council is happy to have Athline on board, as she brings a wealth of knowledge about the history and management of this special place,” said Tim Johns, NOAA’s Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve Advisory Council chair.

The council is a community-based advisory group that provides advice and recommendations to the Office of National Marine sanctuaries about the management of Papahānaumokuākea.

Papahānaumokuākea is cooperatively managed to ensure ecological integrity and achieve strong, long-term protection and perpetuation of Northwestern Hawaiian Island ecosystems, Native Hawaiian culture, and heritage resources for current and future generations.

The area is protected by three co-trustees: the Department of Commerce, Department of the Interior, and State of Hawai’i, joined by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

In July 2010, Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument was inscribed as the first natural and cultural mix UNESCO World heritage site in the United States.