Despite the understandable unhappiness of some fishing interests, Gov. Linda Lingle made the right call with her decision to sign off on a ban on all commercial and recreational fishing in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

This chain of small islands, reefs and submerged banks will become one of the larger protected natural reserves in the world.

The ban will create immediate economic hardship for those who fish the area today. And the government — state and federal — is rightly examining compensating those interests for loss of income and livelihood.

The long-term benefits of the ban are clear. Compared to most of the island chain, and indeed most fisheries around the world, this area remains relatively pristine and healthy. It is critical that it be maintained.

In time, the healthy stocks of fish that breed in the preserve will drift down the Hawaiian chain, improving the vitality and viability of fishing grounds throughout the Islands.

An exception to the ban will be permitted access for Hawaiians who are observing traditional cultural practices. That's a good thing. But officials must be wary of those who inappropriately use that exception as a cloak for what are, in effect, purely commercial operations.

Enforced vigorously and with sensitivity, this new restriction on fishing in the Northwestern Islands will protect a valuable resource for generations to come.