This report summarizes the results of the second United States Army Kwajalein Atoll (USAKA) Activities in the Republic of the Marshall Islands (UES) inventory of endangered species and wildlife resources at USAKA, which was conducted in 1998. The first was taken in 1996. These reports are used as the official record of species and habitats of concern at USAKA. For the National Oceanographic Data Center, interest in the report focuses on the marine element. Data tables from marine surveys of sponges, corals, and mollusks species are given.
The primary objective of the inventory was to document the presence and general distribution of terrestrial and marine Species of Concern (SOCs) and to record observations on the overall condition of their habitats. Terrestrial SOCs include certain migratory seabirds, shorebirds, and waterfowl. Important terrestrial habitats include Pisonia, Pemphis, and mixed broadleaf forests; salt ponds; and seabird and shorebird breeding and loafing sites. Marine SOCs include certain marine mammals, sea turtles, corals, sponges, and mollusks. Important marine habitats include lagoon, interislet, and seaward reef flats and slopes; reef passes; lagoon floors; seagrass beds; reef quarry pits; and intertidal zones.
NOAASupplemental:Entry_ID: UnknownSensor_Name: SCUBA, visual censusSource_Name: manualProject_Campaign: US ArmyOriginating_Center: US Fish and Wildlife ServiceStorage_Medium: ASCII and WordPerfect 8Reference: Similar NODC Dataset: 1998 Wake Island, NODC ACCN 0000247Reference: Similar NODC Dataset: 1996 Kwajalein Atoll, NODC ACCN 0000251Reference: Similar NODC Dataset: 1997 Namur, NODC ACCN (not yet assigned)Online_size: 3.5 megabytes Resource Description: NODC Accession Number 0000631
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Mr. Randy Galien, U.S. Department of the Army Space and Missile Defense Command, U.S. Army Kwajalein Atoll, Republic of the Marshall Islands
see Lineage - Process Step
the survey was 100% completed
Bird Notes
Field Guide to Marine Invertebrates
Identification of the Coral Reef Fishes
Tropical Pacific Island Environments
identification of coral reef fishes
bird observations
coral identification
The Compact of Free Association Between the United States of America and the Republic of the Marshall Islands, 48 U.S.C.1681 (Compact), which became effective on October 21, 1986, established the framework for administering governmental, economic, security, and defense relations between the United States Government and the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI). For Title One, Article VI, of the Compact obligated the U.S. Government to develop environmental standards and procedures and to apply them to its activities in the RMI. In 1989, the U.S. Army completed a Final Environmental Impact Statement for Proposed Actions at U.S. Army Kwajalein Atoll in the RMI. This document and the subsequent Record of Decision emphasized the need for the U.S. Government to develop the environmental standards and procedures required by the Compact. On December 4, 1995, the first edition of the Environmental Standards and Procedures for United States Army Kwajalein Atoll (USAKA) Activities in the Republic of the Marshall Islands (UES) was approved for implementation. The UES established a level of environmental protection that is substantively equivalent to that provided for by the U.S.environmental statutes that were in place in the Marshall Islandsthe day before the effective date of the Compact. With regard to biological resources, these statutes include the Endangered Species Act (ESA), Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (FWCA), Migratory Bird Conservation Act (MBCA), Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and others as agreed upon by the U.S. Government and the RMI. The UES also incorporate parts of the RMI wildlife protection statutes for certain native species potentially susceptible to USAKA actions. Applicable RMI laws include the RMI Endangered Species Act of 1975, Marine Resources (Trochus) Act of 1983, Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1990, and Marine Resources Act. Among other things, the UES protects species of concern (SOC) and significant habitats at USAKA. Lists of these species and habitats are included in the UES in Appendices 3-4 A-G, and the Appendix of this inventory report. The UES require that inventories of USAKA species and habitats of special concern be conducted on a biennial basis to ascertain the status of these resources at each of the USAKA islets leased from the RMI at the time of the investigation. All marine surveys were conducted between the hours of 0700 and 1700, using a Rapid Ecological Assessment (REA) technique. The reef surrounding each islet was divided into sections for data collection and reporting purposes, and each section was designated a station number. Station REAs were made by traversing or swimming over the reef in a meandering fashion with a minimum amount of backtracking. Marine SOCs and habitats were surveyed on interislet, lagoon-facing, and ocean-facing reef flats by either walking or snorkeling, depending on the water depth at the time. Deeper locations, such as lagoon-facing reef slopes, lagoon pinnacles, and ocean-facing reef slopes weresurveyed by diving with scuba from a boat. The presence of SOCs and various other important species (e.g. non SOCcorals, other invertebrates, algae, and reef fishes) were recorded.Emphasis was given to identifying conspicuous, diurnally active species. As a result, small, cryptic, and nocturnally active species are under-represented in the data. Brief descriptions of benthic habitat are provided for each survey station. Observations of the presence of SOCs within each station are indicated on the islet maps with symbols identified in each map legend. For corals, both the number of coral SOCs and the total number of coral species identified during the inventory are given for each station. Observations on the presence of marine SOCs are providedin the following tables: Table 8 - Corals, Table 9 - Sponges, and Table 10 -Mollusks. During the 1998 inventory, all reef stations could not be surveyed due to large surf, strong winds, and high tides on the exposed, windward sides of several islets. These unsurveyed stations include Roi-Namur (RN-1,7,8), Meck (MK-2,5), Gagan (GA-1), Gellinam (GL-2), andEnnugarret (ET-3,4). No 1998 observations could be made at any of these marine stations due to rough sea conditions. In addition, scheduling conflicts prevented the NMFS biologist from participating fully in the 1998 inventory. This resulted in no 1998 reef fish observations at several stations in addition to those listed above. These additional stations include Kwajalein (KI-2,3,6,7,8,9),Roi-Namur (RN- 2,3,4,5,6), Omelek (OM-1,2,3,4), Ennylabegan (EL-1,2,3,4),Legan (1,2,3,4,5), Illeginni (IL-1,2,3), Gagan (GA-2,3,4),Eniwetak (2,3,4), and Ennugarret (1,2,5,6).In cases where stations were not surveyed at all in 1998, it is so noted at the beginning of the appropriate station sections in this report. The information that appears in this report for the unsurveyed stations is from the 1996 inventory report, since that information is the most current, and this is also noted. In cases, where reef fishes were not surveyed in 1998, it is so noted within the "Other Species" portion of the appropriate station sections. In those cases, the most current observations on reef fishes from the 1996 inventory report are included in this report.
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