Valparaiso, Dhu-AlHijjah 21, 1436, Oct 5, 2015, SPA -- U.S. President Barack Obama Monday declared new marine sanctuaries in Lake Michigan and the tidal waters of Maryland, while Chile blocked off more than 517,997 square kilometers of the Pacific Ocean near Easter Island from commercial fishing and oil and gas exploration. The announcements came as top officials attended an international conference on marine protection in Valparaiso, Chile. Several countries also outlined plans for tracing seafood imports to combat overfishing and stemming increased pollution in the ocean. The White House said in a statement that the new protected waters in the United States are the first to be designated as such in 15 years. The 2,266-square kilometer area of Wisconsin's Lake Michigan extends from Port Washington to Two Rivers, containing 39 known shipwrecks. The Mallows Bay-Potomac River in Maryland encompasses a 36-square kilometer area of the tidal Potomac River next to Charles County. Nearly 200 vessels are found in the largely underdeveloped area that features endangered species of wildlife and fish. --SPA 17:38 LOCAL TIME 14:38 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/w