Palau is increasing efforts to protect its environment by declaring a ban on foreign commercial fishing to create the world's largest marine sanctuary.

President Tommy Remengesau Jr of Palau issued the statement in a briefing to the press on Tuesday 4th of February 2014, at UN headquarters in New York.

Palau has decided to close its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), an area of more than 600,000 square kilometres, to enforce its newly-proposed ban.