REPORT OF THE NORTHERN MARSHALL ISLANDS NATURAL DIVERSITY AND PROTECTED AREAS SURVEY 7-24 SEPTEMBER 1988 Lead Author and Compiler P.E.J. Thomas Contributors : F.R. Fosberg L.S. Hamilton D.R. Herbst J.O. Juvik J.E. Maragos J.J. Naughton C.F. Streck SPC 32384 Bibliotheque CPS South Pacific Regional Environment Programme, Noumea, New Caledonia East West Center, Honolulu, Hawaii March 1989. © Copyright South Pacific Commission, 1989 The South Pacific Commission authorises the reproduction of this material, whole or in part, in any form, provided appropriate acknowledgement is given. Original text: English South Pacific Commission Cataloguing-in-publication data Thomas, P.E.J. Report of the Northern Marshall Islands natural diversity and protected areas survey 7-24 September 1988 / lead author and compiler P.E.J. Thomas ... [et al.] 1. Conservation of natural resources - Marshall Islands 2. Natural areas - Marshall Islands 3. Endangered species - Marshall Islands I. Thomas, P.E.J. 639.9509683 AACR2 ISBN 982-203-036-3 Prepared for publication at South Pacific Commission Headquarters, Noumea, New Caledonia and Printed by Quality Print, Suva, Fiji (i) CONTENTS Page Executive Summary (v) Introduction 1 Acknowledgements 4 Part I Survey Results and Protected Area Recommendations 5 1. Survey Objectives, Personnel and Methodology 5 2. The Physical Geography and Natural History of the 8 Marshall Islands 2.1 Geography 8 2.2 Climate 10 2.3 Soils 11 2.4 Hydrology 12 2.5 Vegetation 12 2.6 Fauna 17 3. A Protected Area System for the Marshall Islands 18 3.1 General 18 3.2 Categories of Protected Areas 20 3.2.1 National Preservation Areas (Strict Reserves) 20 3.2.2 National Parks 20 3.2.3 Nature Reserves, Marine Reserves and Wildlife 21 Sanctuaries 3.2.4 Resource Conservation Area 21 3.2.5 Historic / Archaeological Reserves 21 3.3 Management Plans 21 3.4 Land Tenure and Protected Areas 22 4. Survey Results by Atoll and Conservation Recommendations 26 4.1 Taongi Atoll 26 4.1.1 General Description 26 4.1.2 Vegetation 29 4.1.3 Avian and Terrestrial Fauna 31 4.1.4 Cultural/Archaeological Resources 32 4.1.5 Reefs and Corals 33 4.1.6 Marine Fauna 34 4.1.7 * Discussion 34 4.1.8 Recommendations 37 (ii) Pag Bikar Atoll 38 4.2.1 General Description 38 4.2.2 Vegetation 40 4.2.3 Avian and Terrestrial Fauna 41 4.2.4 Cultural/Archaeological Resources 42 4.2.5 Reefs and Corals 42 4.2.6 Marine Fauna 42 4.2.7 Discussions 43 4.2.8 Recommendations 44 Taka Atoll 45 4.3.1 General Description 45 4.3.2 Vegetation 47 4.3.3 Avian and Terrestrial Fauna 48 4.3.4 Cultural/Archaeological Resources 49 4.3.5 Reefs and Corals 49 4.3.6 Marine Fauna 49 4.3.7 Discussion 50 4.3.8 Recommendations 51 Jemo Island 52 4.4.1 General Description 52 4.4.2 Vegetation 52 4.4.3 Avian and Terrestrial Fauna 54 4.4.4 Cultural/Archaeological Resources 54 4.4.5 Reefs and Corals 54 4.4.6 Marine Fauna 55 4.4.7 Discussion 55 4.4.8 Recommendations 56 Wotho Atoll 57 4.5.1 General Description 57 4.5.2 Vegetation 59 4.5.3 Avian and Terrestrial Fauna 60 4.5.4 Cultural/Archaeological Resources 61 4.5.5 Reefs and Corals 62 4.5.6 Marine Fauna 62 4.5.7 Discussion 63 4.5.8 Recommendations 65 Rongerik Atoll 67 4.6.1 General Description 67 4.6.2 Vegetation 67 4.6.3 Avian and Terrestrial Fauna 69 4.6.4 Cultural/Archaeological Resources 71 4.6.5 Reefs and Corals 71 4.6.6 Marine Fauna 71 4.6.7 Discussion 72 4.6.8 Recommendations (iii) Page 4.7 Erikub Atoll 74 4.7.1 General Description 74 4.7.2 Vegetation 76 4.7.3 Avian and Terrestrial Fauna 77 4.7.4 Cultural/Archaeological Resources 78 4.7.5 Reefs and Corals 78 4.7.6 Marine Fauna 78 4.7.7 Discussion 79 4.7.8 Recommendations 80 Part II Endangered and Threatened Species Conservation 81 1. Introduction 81 1.1 Definitions 82 2. List of Endangered or Threatened Species - 83 Marshall Islands 2.1 Endangered Species 84 2.2 Threatened Species 86 2.3 Indeterminate 88 2.4 General 89 Part III Institutional Arrangements for Protected Area 91 Management and Nature Conservation 1. Introduction 91 2. A National Conservation Policy 91 3. Protected Areas and Species Conservation Legislation 92 4. Proposals of Organisational Changes 93 5. Training 99 6. Education 99 7. Research 100 8. Resources and Equipment 101 9. Concluding Remarks 102 Literature Cited 103 (iv) Page Appendices 1. Project Personnel 105 2. Avifauna Checklist 107 3. List of Exceptional Coral Reef Sites Noted during 109 the Survey 4. Principal Marine Resource Rankings 111 5. Assessment for Historic Preservation Importance 113 6. Relative Index of Avifauna Diversity and Abundance 115 7. Checklist of Vascular Plants of Six Atolls and One 117 Island of the Northern Marshall Islands 7(a) New Atoll Records 121 8. Proposed Protected Areas and Species Conservation 123 Legislation for the Republic of the Marshall Islands 9. Impact of Channel Modification on Semi Enclosed Atoll Lagoons 125 10. Checklist of Corals Observed in the North Marshall 127 Islands, September 1988 11. Relative Diversity and Distribution of Major Stony 133 Coral Genera (and Subgenera) and species observed in shallow water at seven Northern Marshall atolls September 1988. After Maragos (1989) Tables Table 1 Atoll and Island Areas of the Marshall Archipelago in square miles Figures Figure 1 Organisation Chart for Proposal Protected 96 Areas and Nature Conservation Management Marshall Islands Maps 1 Marshall Islands showing cruise path of 7 the Patrol Vessel Ionmeto 1 during the September 1988 Protected Area Survey 2 Taongi Atoll 27 3 Bikar Atoll 39 4 Taka Atoll 46 5 Jemo Island 53 6 Wotho Atoll 58 7 Rongerik Atoll 68 8 Erikub Atoll 75 (v) EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This report has been prepared as a joint project of the South Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) the East-West Center (EWC) and the government of the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) at the re­ quest of the latter. Substantial financial support for the project came from a grant to the East West Center from the John D. and Catherine T. Mac Arthur Foundation. The project is also part of and contributes to the Republic of the Marshall Islands Coastal Resource Inventory and Atlas programme funded by the United States government. The report is based on a field survey of the biological diversity and ecosystems of six atolls and one island in the northern Marshall Islands which was carried out by a multidisciplinary team of scientists and planners, 7-23 September 1988. The atolls and island surveyed were Taongi, (Bok-ak) Bikar, (Pikaar) Taka (Toka), Jemo (island) and Erikub (Adkup) in the Radak (eastern) chain and Rongerik (Rondik) and Wotho (Wotto) in the Ralik (western) chain. The primary objective of the project was the assessment of the ecological condition of the atolls and island with a view determining their suitability as candidates for a system of protected areas in the Marshall Islands. The goal of the protected area system is the protection of representative examples of important natural ecosystems and their biological diversity. The long term protection of these ecosystems and the conservation of their living resources is considered by the survey team to be essential at this stage of the development of the Marshall Islands, if the natural features which play such an important role in Marshallese lifestyle and culture are to be retained for present and future generations. In the long term, the successful conservation of the natural and cultural resources of the Marshall Islands depends on the level of environmental consciousness and public support for conservation initiatives such as those recommended in this report. For this reason the important support role local communities and traditional landowners have to play in the successful establishment of protected areas is emphasised throughout the report, as are the benefits such areas have to offer in terms of the development of new opportunities for recreation, tourism, educational and scientific research. Other objectives of the project are the development of appropriate legislation and a management structure for nature conservation and the protected area programme; the provision of opportunities for local people and traditional leaders to be involved in ecological field assessment and protected area planning and the stimulation of public awareness of the need for nature conservation. The report consists of three parts: Part I Survey Results and Protected Area Recommendations; records and analyses of the results of the field survey for each atoll or island and the team's recommendations for protected areas and species conservation. Part II Endangered and Threatened Species Conservation; consists of an inventory of endangered and threatened species in part of the Marshall Islands and recommendations for their conservation. (vi) Part III Institutional Arrangements for Protected Area Management and Nature Conservation; advances proposals for protected area and nature conservation legislation together with organisa­ tional changes for the administration of the legislation. Under Part I Survey Results and Protected Area Recommendations, back­ ground information on the natural history of the Marshall Islands is provided and followed by atoll specific accounts of the results of the field survey. These are summarised below: TAONGI ATOLL (Bok-ak) Without doubt Taongi atoll has the most outstanding ecological values of the atolls (and island) visited. Although its natural diversity is relatively low it has unique and important natural features which jus­ tify its full protection.