History buffs will be familiar with Palau, an island country in the Pacific ocean with a population of about 20,000 people  spread across 250 islands, because of the battle of Peleliu, one of the major engagements on the Pacific front between the imperial troops of Japan and the U.S. Marines. But that’s the past. These days, Palau is making headlines for much more peaceful reasons: President Tommy Remengesau Jr. has declared the Pacific nation will ban commercial fishing. At a UN oceans conference, he declared that Palau’s 200 nautical mile Exclusive Economic Zone will be a “100 per cent marine sanctuary” (see the map above). This is very impressive and would create a protected zone about the size of France!

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Why is he doing this?

“We have no choice – the ocean is our way of life,” president Remengesau said. “It’s our livelihood…