The Northwestern Hawaiian Islands
French Frigate Shoals
Lying northwest of the Main Hawaiian Islands is an archipelago of uninhabited and seldom visited islands, reefs, atolls, banks and shoals extending more than 1200 miles into the Pacific. Part of the State of Hawai'i, the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI) are a cultural, historical and bio- logical treasure.
- This archipelago includes some of the most isolated and biologically unique coral reefs on the planet.
- The NWHI provide foraging and breeding areas for endangered Hawaiian monk seals, most of Hawai'i's nesting green sea turtles and more than 14 million seabirds, including 90% of the breeding birds for two species of albatross.
- This area supports more than 7,000 known marine species, of which more than a quarter are found only in Hawai'i. These globally unique species dominate the NWHI, comprising more than half of the individual plants and animals found there.
- The cool waters of the NWHI harbor some of the most ancient and slowest-grow- ing corals and Kure Atoll is the northernmost coral atoll in the world.
- Some of the islands supported Native Hawaiian populations for hundreds of years and today harbor many important cultural and religious sites.
- Midway Atoll, where key World War II battles took place, is the site of a war memorial and supports historical tourism.
Federal Jurisdiction And Management
The atolls and reefs of the NWHI have been managed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service as the Hawaiian Islands National Wildlife Refuge since President Roosevelt protected them by Executive Order in 1909. The fisheries in federal waters surrounding the area are managed by the National Marine Fisheries Service and the Western Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Council.
Hawaiian Archipelago
In 1999, an area 100 miles wide by 1200 miles long from Nihoa Island in the east to Kure Atoll in the west was set aside as the NWHI Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve by President Clinton. Congress endorsed his action and directed the US Department of Commerce to consider designating the NWHI as a National Marine Sanctuary.
Although the Bush Administration considered revoking the Executive Order, thousands of public comments convinced the President to move forward with planning for the creation of a NWHI Sanctuary. After years of work and public input, the draft Environmental Impact Statement, which outlines proposed sanctuary management, is scheduled for release and public comment in mid-2006.
State Jurisdiction And Management
The State of Hawaii owns and manages the waters around each of the NWHI out to three miles. Originally open for commercial exploitation, the administration of Governor Linda Lingle responded to an outpouring of concern from thousands of Hawaiians by signing regulations that closed State waters of the NWHI to all commercial and extractive activities.
Commercial Fishing
Fishing in the NWHI has a very troubled history. In the late 1920's an intensive fishery virtually wiped out the black-lipped pearl oyster which has still not recovered more than 80 years later. Similarly, a lobster fishery decimated two species of lobsters during fifteen years of fishing. In the six years since that fishery was closed by federal court order, lobster populations have notrecovered appreciably.
The only active NWHI commercial fishery is a dwindling bottomfish fishery of 17 permits, only nine of which are fished. Arecent assessment of bottomfish populations indicated that overfishing has been regularly occurring and that populations are declining. Apparently even this rem- nant commercial fishery is removing excessive amounts of bottomfish from this cold water, low
Partly for these reasons and because the value to Hawai'i of an intact NWHI far exceeds the value of this fishery, Hawaii's Governor Lingle endorsed a buyout and cessation of NWHI bottom fishing in federal waters. She recognizes Hawaii's future lies in protection, conservation, education and research in this important archipelago.
Federal Legislation
In May of 2005 Congressman Ed Case (D-HI) introduced HR 2376 (full text, pdf), legislation to protect the NWHI as a refuge under the National Marine Sanctuaries Program. The bill would legislate a buyout and closure of the remnant bottomfish fishery and close the archipelago to commercial activities, creating a true pu'uhonua - a place of refuge - the largest such marine refuge in the world.
Native Hawaiians
It is important to note that all proposed management options for the NWHI support continued use by Native Hawaiians for religious, cultural and subsistence purposes.
What You Can Do
Although many Hawaiian political leaders are supporting protection of the NWHI, as have both major Hawaiian newspapers, it is important that the Hawaii congressional delegation hear from their constituents. To help you can:
- Send a letter to Senator Inouye and Senator Akaka asking them to support protection of the NWHI, including a buyout and closure of the bottomfish fishery.
- Send a letter to your local paper or the Honolulu Advertiser or Honolulu Star-Bulletin in support of protection of the NWHI.
The NWHI are one of the last truly wild places on earth and an international treasure. Conservation and protection of this isolated and special place help protect the health of Hawaii's marine environment and preserve one of the only remaining intact coral reefs for present and future generations.
Download pdf (160 KB) fact sheet.