“…Together with consistent engagement of funders and participation in the development and execution of major research programmes, ongoing dialogue can help consistently direct science efforts towards critical management issues. Sister-site agreements: tangible benefits from the relationship between PMNM and PIPA At a meeting of marine managers and World Heritage experts from Oceania in 2007, a simple comment regarding the potential for setting up protected area sister sites became the start for what is now a very fruitful partnership, and one that has been a catalyst for the emerging field of large-scale marine conservation (Toonen, et al, 2013, Wilhelm, et al, 2014, Friedlander, et al, 2016 As the U.S. and Kiribati have shared a Treaty of Friendship since 1979, a sister-site relationship between PMNM and PIPA furthers the treaty's goal of encouraging and facilitating cooperative agreements to protect the natural and cultural resources of Kiribati. Despite being uncertain of the process or the benefits, three staff from Hawai'i met in Maui in 2009 to script a draft concept.…”