Lugares de interés (POIs) del Mapa
0: Baker Island
Site Description
Baker Island encompasses approximately 426 acres of emergent reef and land and nearly32,000 acres of submerged lands. Baker Island and surrounding waters out to 3 nauticalmiles are currently managed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service as part of the Pacific RemoteIsland Area Refuge Complex. The refuge is currently closed to all uses.Baker Island is home to a wide variety of terrestrial and marine species, many of which arethreatened or endangered. Baker Island is also known for the high diversity and density offish species in the waters surrounding the island.
Importance
- Located on the Equator, Baker Island is an important global climate change research and monitoring site
- Localized upwelling by the Equatorial Undercurrent on the western flanks of the island enrich nearshore waters and provide nesting seabirds food
- Eradication of rats by the FWS led to the revival of nesting seabirds, which now include 11 seabird species and almost one million pairs of sooty terns
- Baker Island (along with Howland Island and Jarvis Island) is one of the few known areas where lesser frigatebirds nest on the ground, rather than in trees
- Strong cultural value for the early history of Polynesians and Micronesians
- Exploited for guano and phosphate rock deposits in the mid to late 19th century
- During WWII, Baker Island was occupied by American troops and a US military airstripwas built in 1943 in an effort to combat Japanese forces
- Localized upwelling around the island attracts illegal foreign commercial fishermen and shark finners
- Potential shipwrecks, groundings, and oil spills from commercial fishing vessels in refuge waters
- Potential for transiting vessels to ground due to poor charts
- Invasive marine species destroying natural ecology
Explore More:
Wikipedia article
Baker Island Fact Sheet
President Bush's Proposal to Protect Vast Pacific Coral Reefs
MCBI on Google Earth
Marine Conservation Biology Institute
Más sobre Baker Island
1: Howland Island
Site Description
Howland includes approximately 453 acres of emergent reef and land and nearly 32,096 acres of submerged lands. Howland Island and surrounding waters from the shore to 3 nautical miles are managed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service as part of the PacificRemote Islands Area Refuge Complex and the refuge is closed to all uses. Howland Island is home to a wide variety of terrestrial and marine species, many of which are threatened or endangered including the globally depleted Tridacna maxima, commonly known as the small giant clam.
Importance
- Localized upwelling off the western side of the island from the Equatorial Undercurrent supports higher levels of marine productivity
- Nesting seabird species have increased from 4 to 12 since the FWS eradicated cats from Howland Island in the early 1990s, and approximately 162,822 birds are present
- Restoration potential exists for seven more species, including the blue noddy (the world’s smallest tern, exclusively found in the central Pacific), the phoenix petrel, and the white-throated storm-petrel. These last two have been extirpated from most of their range in the Pacific due to vulnerability to rats and other mammalian predators
- Exploited for guano and phosphate rock deposits in the mid to late 19th century
- Strong cultural value for the early history of Polynesians and Micronesians; the last reported destination for Amelia Earhart’s ill-fated attempt to fly around the world
- During WWII, Howland Island was occupied by American troops and a US military airfield was built in 1937
- Localized upwelling around the island attracts illegal foreign commercial fishermen andshark finners
- Potential shipwrecks, groundings, and oil spills from commercial fishing vessels in refuge waters
- Potential for transiting vessels to ground due to poor charts
- Invasive marine species destroying natural ecology
- Lost fish aggregating devices (FADs) wash up on reefs and beaches as marine debris killing wildlife from entanglement; and potential groundings by trespassing vessels retrieving FADs
Explore More:
Wikipedia article
Howland Island Fact Sheet
President Bush's Proposal to Protect Vast Pacific Coral Reefs
MCBI on Google Earth
Marine Conservation Biology Institute
Más sobre Howland Island
2: Jarvis Island
Site Description
Jarvis Island encompasses approximately 1,100 acres of emergent reef and land and 36,342 acres of submerged lands. Jarvis Island and surrounding waters out to 3 nautical miles are currently managed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service as part of the Pacific Remote Island Area Refuge Complex, and is currently closed to all uses. Jarvis Island is home to a wide variety of seabirds including a large population of breeding seabirds. Jarvis Island is also known for high diversity and density of fish species in surrounding waters including a large variety of shark species such as gray reef sharks, blacktip reef sharks, whitetip reef sharks, silvertip sharks, scalloped hammerhead sharks, and great hammerhead sharks.
Importance
- Elimination of rats, goats, and mice and cats by the FWS in 1990, led to the dramatic rise in the numbers of seabirds; 15 species of breeding seabirds is second only to Kiritimati Atoll in the Central Pacific Islands
- Supports communities of deep water corals at depths greater than 1000 meters
- Refuge for resident and migratory fish and wildlife including one of the largest sooty tern colonies, estimated at over one million individuals
- Strong cultural value for the early history of Polynesians and Micronesians
- Exploited for guano and phosphate rock deposits in the mid to late 19th century
- Localized upwelling around the island attracts illegal foreign commercial fishermen
- Potential shipwrecks, groundings, and oil spills from commercial fishing vessels in refuge waters
- Potential for transiting vessels to ground due to poor charts
- Lost fish aggregating devices (FADs) wash up on reefs and beaches as marine debris killing wildlife from entanglement; and potential groundings by trespassing vessels retrieving FADs
Explore More:
Wikipedia article
Jarvis Island Fact Sheet
President Bush's Proposal to Protect Vast Pacific Coral Reefs
MCBI on Google Earth
Marine Conservation Biology Institute
Más sobre Jarvis Island
3: Johnston Island
Site Description
Johnston Atoll comprises two natural islands (Johnston and Sand Islands) and two humanmadeislands of dredged coral (North and East Islands). The marine environment consistsof a shallow coral reef platform encompassing roughly 50 square miles. The surroundingwaters are home to a variety of marine mammals, marine reptiles, coral species, cartilaginousfish, marine invertebrates and algae. Approximately 200 threatened green sea turtlesare known to utilize the shores of Johnston Island for feeding and the threatened Hawaiianmonk seals have been seen foraging in nearby waters and hauling out on the shore.Johnston Island is currently under the control of the US Air Force, which has ceased alloperations on the island. Measures to transfer ownership to the US Fish and Wildlife Serviceare currently underway. Prior to Air Force use, Johnston Island was designated as afederal bird refuge in 1926. Waters surrounding Johnston Island up to 3 nautical miles aredesignated as a Naval Defensive Sea under the Department of Defense.
Importance
- Important source of coral, fish, and gastropod larvae that flow between the Papah?naumoku?keaMarine National Monument and neighboring reefs and islands in theLine Islands
- Only stepping stone between Hawaii and the Line Islands for the dispersal of marinemammals, shorebirds, sea turtles and other fish and wildlife
- Refuge for resident and migratory fish and seabirds, especially after military abandonmentof the island in 2005
- Strategic air station in WWII and during Korean War
- Exploited for guano deposits in late 19th century
- Former US nuclear weapons test site and a missile launch site for some of the first spysatellites
- Potential trespass by a handful of US fishing vessels, which cannot be monitored
- Potential shipwrecks, groundings, and oil spills from commercial fishing vessels inrefuge waters
- Potential for transiting vessels to ground due to poor charts
- Lost fish aggregating devices (FADs) wash up on reefs and beaches as marine debriskilling wildlife from entanglement; and potential groundings by trespassing vesselsretrieving FADs
Explore More:
Wikipedia article
Johnston Island Fact Sheet
President Bush's Proposal to Protect Vast Pacific Coral Reefs
MCBI on Google Earth
Marine Conservation Biology Institute
Más sobre Johnston Island
4: Kingman Reef
Site Description
Kingman Reef encompasses approximately 2.6 acres of emergent reef and nearly483,713 acres of submerged lands. Kingman Reef and surrounding waters out to 12 nauticalmiles are currently managed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service as National WildlifeRefuge as a fully protected biological reserve.Kingman Reef is home to a variety of marine species, including the largest populations oflarge clam species, Tridacna squamosa and Tridacna maxima, in the Central Pacific Ocean.Kingman Reef has the only known occurrence of any finger coral species within a 2,500kilometer radius.
Importance
- Kingman Reef lies within the inter-tropical convergence zone and path of the eastwardmoving Equatorial Countercurrent, bringing more rainfall and the larvae of additionalreef species from the more diverse West Pacific
- Most pristine US reef with top predator biomass of 85%
- Highest coral recruitment, live cover, mean diameter, and second highest diversity ofcoral in Central Pacific Islands
- Serves as a baseline from which to evaluate the condition of other coral reefs and seabirdpopulations elsewhere that have been degraded
- Refuge for resident and migratory fish, marine mammals, sea turtles and a resting spotfor seabirds and migratory shorebirds
- Localized upwelling around the island attracts illegal foreign commercial fishermen
- Potential trespass by a handful of US fishing vessel, which cannot be monitored
- Potential shipwrecks, groundings, and oil spills from commercial fishing vessels in refugewaters
- Potential for transiting vessels to ground due to poor charts
- Invasive marine species destroying natural ecology
- Lost fish aggregating devices (FADs) wash up on reefs and beaches as marine debriskilling wildlife from entanglement; and potential groundings by trespassing vesselsretrieving FADs
Explore More:
Wikipedia article
Kingman Reef Fact Sheet
President Bush's Proposal to Protect Vast Pacific Coral Reefs
MCBI on Google Earth
Marine Conservation Biology Institute
Más sobre Kingman Reef
5: Palmyra Atoll
Site Description
Palmyra Atoll includes approximately 680 acres of emergent reef and land and nearly515,000 acres of submerged lands. Palmyra Atoll and surrounding waters out to 12 nauticalmiles are currently managed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service and closed to public entryexcept for limited catch and release and sustenance fishing.Palmyra Atoll is home to a diverse array of terrestrial and marine species, many of whichare threatened or endangered. Palmyra Atoll is known to have the third largest colony ofred-footed boobies in the world.
Importance
- Atoll lies within the inter-tropical convergence zone and path of the eastward movingEquatorial Countercurrent, which bring more rainfall and the larvae of additional reefspecies from the more diverse West Pacific
- The only uninhabited “wet” atoll in the Pacific when rediscovered by American explorerstwo centuries ago
- Serves as a baseline from which to evaluate the condition of other coral reefs and seabirdpopulations elsewhere that have been degraded
- Protects many depleted species, including coconut crabs, giant clams, resident whales,and sea turtles
- Strong cultural value for the early history of Polynesians, Micronesians, guano minersand recent colonists
- During WWII, Palmyra Atoll Naval Air Station was occupied by American troops
- Location of the biological research station managed by The Nature Conservancys
- Localized upwelling around the island attracts illegal foreign commercial fishermen
- Potential trespass by a handful of US fishing vessels, which cannot be monitored
- Potential shipwrecks, groundings, and oil spills from commercial fishing vessels inrefuge waters
- Potential for transiting vessels to ground due to poor charts
- Invasive insects, coconut trees, and invasive marine species destroying natural ecology
- Lost fish aggregating devices (FADs) wash up on reefs and beaches as marine debriskilling wildlife from entanglement; and potential groundings by trespassing vesselsretrieving FADs
Explore More:
Wikipedia article
Palmyra Atoll Fact Sheet
President Bush's Proposal to Protect Vast Pacific Coral Reefs
MCBI on Google Earth
Marine Conservation Biology Institute
Más sobre Palmyra Atoll
6: Rose Atoll, American Samoa
Site Description
Rose Atoll is an uninhabited island that is part of the Territory of American Samoa. Theatoll and surrounding waters out to 3 nautical miles are currently managed cooperatively bythe American Samoan Government and the US Fish and Wildlife Service as part of thePacific Remote Islands Area Refuge Complex, and the refuge is closed to public use.Rose Atoll is the easternmost Samoan island and the southernmost point of the UnitedStates. It is among the few islands in the Western Pacific that was never permanently inhabitedand one of the very few that is now protected. Rose Atoll is home to a very diverseassemblage of terrestrial and marine species, many of which are threatened or endangered.Threatened Pisonia atoll forest trees are found here. Rose Atoll supports 97% of the seabirdpopulation of American Samoa, including 12 federally protected migratory seabirdsand 5 species of federally protected shorebirds. Rose Atoll is the largest nesting ground inthe Samoan Islands for threatened green sea turtles and is also an important nesting groundfor the endangered hawksbill turtle. It also provides sanctuary for the giant clam, which isseverely depleted throughout the Pacific.
Importance
- Smallest atoll in the world
- Largest concentration of nesting sea turtles, nesting sea birds, Pisonia trees, and giantclams in American Samoa
- Strong cultural value for the early history of Samoa and Nu‘u O Manu
- Illegal poaching of clams, sharks and fish by local and foreign fishermen
- Potential shipwrecks, groundings, and oil spills from illegal fishing vessels in refugewaters
- Invasive algae, cyanobacteria, and coconut trees
- Potential for transiting vessels to ground due to poor charts
Explore More:
Wikipedia article
Rose Atoll Fact Sheet
President Bush's Proposal to Protect Vast Pacific Coral Reefs
MCBI on Google Earth
Marine Conservation Biology Institute
Más sobre Rose Atoll, American Samoa
7: Wake Island
Site Description
Wake Island is a small island in the Central Pacific with a rich array of natural and culturalresources. It has been designated as a National Historical Landmark in 1985.Wake Island is an unincorporated possession under the Department of Interior’s (DOI)authority, but currently used and managed by the DOD. DOD currently restricts accesswithin a 3 nautical mile Naval Defensive Sea. Since DOD restricts access, there hasbeen little fishing pressure, and marine biomass and biodiversity is likely to be extremelyhigh.
Importance
- Historically important to the Northern Marshall islanders who periodically visitedWake Island to harvest fish and other foods
- Site of significant battle with the Japanese during WWII and the first US land to fallduring WWII
- Relatively pristine coral reefs that have not been fished extensively since WWII
- Numerous surrounding seamounts very near to Wake Atoll
- An endemic rail, Rallus wakensis, inhabited the atoll and went extinct during theWWII Japanese occupation. The atoll could provide suitable habitat for the intoductionof the Guam rail, a similar species endemic to Guam but now limited to captivepropagation
- Declared Island of Significant Importance for its capacity to hold more albatross
- Presence of the rare plant species, Lepturus gasparricensis
- Surrounding reefs and seas may be exposed to unauthorized fishing unless an enforcementstaff is established at the atoll should the Air Force abandon Wake, orshould it become part of a National Monument
- Some officials and residents of the Republic of the Marshall Islands claim that theUnited States does not have legal claim to Wake Island, and that the atoll belongs tothe Republic of the Marshall Islands
- Unregulated fishing by residents of Wake Island for bumphead parrotfish(threatened) and Napoleon wrasse , two extremely vulnerable species
- Possible deleterious threat from old World War II steal dump. Continued presenceof algae mat points to increase levels of iron in the water
- Suspected illegal presence of shark-finners. Unusual absence of the black tip reefshark
Explore More:
Wikipedia article
Wake Island Fact Sheet
President Bush's Proposal to Protect Vast Pacific Coral Reefs
MCBI on Google Earth
Marine Conservation Biology Institute
Más sobre Wake Island