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Two atolls designated
refuges; myriad species
gain protection

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Star-Bulletin staff

Two undeveloped atolls about 1,000 miles south of Hawaii have been established as National Wildlife Refuges.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service yesterday took over management of coral reefs and submerged lands and waters surrounding Palmyra, a 680-acre island formerly owned by the Fullard-Leo family of Hawaii. The federal government is in the process of negotiating purchase of the island now owned by the Nature Conservancy.

Also yesterday, administration of Kingman Reef, three acres of coral islets about 45 miles from Palmyra, was transferred from the Office of Insular Affairs to the Fish and Wildlife Service.

The wildlife refuge designation and federal protection extends to the coral reef and submerged lands surrounding the atolls within the 12-mile boundary of U.S. territorial waters.

"I am pleased that these magnificent underwater coral gardens will now get the protection they richly deserve," said Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt, in a release. "Safeguarding our nation's coral reefs has been one of the priorities of this administration, and today we have ensured that some of the most pristine coral reefs in U.S. waters will be forever protected within the National Wildlife Refuge system."

Anne Badgley, Pacific regional director of the Fish and Wildlife Service, said the refuge "will protect a spectacular diversity of coral reef fishes, corals and other marine organisms, as well as provide a habitat for migratory seabirds and shorebirds and threatened green sea turtles."

She said Palmyra has the second largest nesting colony of red-footed boobies in the world and large colonies of other seabirds, including 750,000 sooty terns.

"The heavy rainfall in this equatorial region provides for lush vegetation on these islets, including rare stands of Pisonia rainforest," Badgley said.

Babbitt praised the Nature Conservancy which last year negotiated the purchase of Palmyra from the Fullard-Leo family. The Fish and Wildlife Service is negotiating with the private conservation organization to purchase most of Palmyra, with the goal of shared effort to conserve the biological environment.

Kingman Reef has been controlled by the Navy since World War II.