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When it comes to enforcing marine protected areas, doing so in the waters of the world’s most isolated island isn’t exactly easy.

But with Easter Island’s fish populations at a record low, brought on by illegal fishing, the Chilean government hopes a proposed marine reserve will help improve economic and environmental conditions for the island’s 7,000 residents. Although declared a national park more than 50 years ago, the waters surround Easter Island have been dominated by foreign, illegal fishing vessels. The new park would encompass nearly 300,000 square miles of ocean.

There has been a noticeable decline in species sought after by local, sustainable fisherman, including tuna, swordfish, and barracuda. Under the new marine reserve, locals would only be allowed to fish within 50 miles from the mainland, while foreign vessels kept 200 miles out. The rest would be a no-take zone.

“We are pushing hard because we want it to happen,” Sara Roe, president of a local fisherman’s association told The Guardian. “People doing illegal fishing are taking our resources, our money.”

As always, the question of enforcement remains paramount. It takes enforcement vessels six days to reach Easter Island from the mainland. Even with the assistance of satellite imagery, the trail often runs cold before authorities reach the island.

But some of the island’s 150 fishermen remain staunchly opposed to the proposal, which would take effect sometime next year. They say the 50 mile restriction on their fishing options is to strict, and fear it will be closed in even tighter if authorities cannot reign in the larger, illegal operations.