Chapter I Intro & Objectives - SPREP

PHOENIX ISLANDS PROTECTED AREA MANAGEMENT PLAN
Chapter III. Background, 4. Marine Resources
Draft 1 March 2007
South et al (2001) reported on marine algae collected from Abariringa (Kanton), Enderbury,
Manra (Sydney), McKean, Nikumaroro (Gardner), Orona (Hull), and Rawaki (Phoenix) in
2000 by the New England Aquarium Expedition (see also Stone et al 2001). A total of 69
taxa were identified (see Table III-4.1 above).
B. CORALS & OTHER COELENTERATA
In 1842, Charles Darwin published his work on the structure and distribution of coral reefs
(Darwin 1962). Various reefs were examined, including Manra (Sydney), Rawaki (Phoenix),
and Nikumaroro (Gardner). Abariringa (Mary) could not be identified based on the
information available at that time.
During the 1973 environmental survey of Abariringa (Canton) atoll lagoon, 82 species of
coral were identified (Oates 2003).
Karlson and Cornell (1998) examined coral species richness of various regions in the world.
For the Phoenix Islands, a regional richness rating of 78 was determined. This was relatively
low in comparison with high diversity areas of the Indo-Pacific and the Indian Ocean
(Southeast Asia), but higher than Hawaii, the Caribbean, and Central American.
Lovell et al (2000) reported on the status of coral reefs in Kiribati including the Phoenix
Islands. A summary of reef types in Abriringa (Kanton), Birnie, Enderbury, Manra, McKean,
Nikumaroro, Orona, Rawaki, Carondelet Reef, and Winslow Reef were provided (see Table
III-4.2 below).
Table III-4.2. Descriptive information on the coral reefs of the Phoenix Islands
(source: Lovell et al 2000).
7