26 July 2011: The Secretariat of the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Convention) has reported that the Government of the United States has named the Palmyra Atoll National Wildlife Refuge as its 30th Ramsar Site.

The site comprises coral reefs, permanent shallow marine waters, and intertidal forested wetlands of the atoll and submerged lands. It is located in the equatorial Pacific Ocean, 960 miles south of Honolulu, Hawaii. The site supports a variety of species with conservation status under the National Endangered Species Act and International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, such as the Hawaiian monk seal, Hawksbill turtle and Green Sea Turtle. The site also is an important feeding and nesting ground for seabirds. Threats to the site include the presence of invasive species. A conservation plan is expected to be completed in 2012.

The designation contributes to one of the goals contained in the Ramsar Convention’s Strategic Plan for 2009-2015, which is to reach a protected area of 250 million hectares by 2015. [Ramsar Press Release]