After six years of planning, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has withdrawn its proposal to expand the size and focus of the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary .

In addition to enlarging the sanctuary from 1,366 square miles to 1,601 square miles, the proposal would have allowed it to protect more marine species -- not only the humpback whale -- by shifting to an ecosystem-based management approach.

NOAA said it decided to abandon the project in the face of opposition from the state of Hawaii, which co-manages the sanctuary and must sign off on any changes.

Allen Tom, regional director of NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, told The Huffington Post that the inability of state and federal agencies to agree was disappointing, but not surprising.

"Certainly going out to the public, we got an earful," he said.