The Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument (PRIMNM) was first established in 2009 by presidential proclamation. In 2014, President Obama proposed to expand the Monument to cover approximately 370,000 nautical miles, making it one of the largest Marine Protected Areas (MPA) in the world; this expansion was officially passed in 2015. PRIMNM contains the most widespread collection of marine species under a single country’s jurisdiction, and the establishment of the MPA ensures the continued protection of critical marine biodiversity.
The PRIMNM encompasses seven equatorial and central Pacific coral reef ecosystems, including Palmyra, Kingman, Johnston and Wake Atolls, and Howland, Baker and Jarvis Islands (see map below). The lack of extensive human development on these islands has allowed the coastal ecosystems to remain relatively pristine. The PRIMNM is home to a wide range of unique species that are depleted in other parts of the world, including deep-sea corals, five different sea turtle species, pearl oysters, giant clams, coconut crabs, large grouper, silky sharks, manta rays, humphead wrasse, and bumphead parrotfish.
The PRIMNM encompasses seven equatorial and central Pacific coral reef ecosystems, including Palmyra, Kingman, Johnston and Wake Atolls, and Howland, Baker and Jarvis Islands (see map below). The lack of extensive human development on these islands has allowed the coastal ecosystems to remain relatively pristine. The PRIMNM is home to a wide range of unique species that are depleted in other parts of the world, including deep-sea corals, five different sea turtle species, pearl oysters, giant clams, coconut crabs, large grouper, silky sharks, manta rays, humphead wrasse, and bumphead parrotfish.
Map Source: NOAA
Headline Photo Source: Palmyra Atoll, Jan Witting
