Palmyra Atoll Reef

Palmyra Atoll is located in the Northern Pacific Ocean, roughly halfway between Hawaii and American Samoa. It is part of the Line Islands chain and consists of a ring of about 50 small islets surrounding three central lagoons. Because it is so incredibly isolated, the atoll has remained largely undisturbed by human development.

The atoll is jointly managed and protected by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and The Nature Conservancy. In 2009, it was officially incorporated into the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument by President George W. Bush. This designation created a massive, strictly protected marine reserve covering thousands of square miles of surrounding ocean.

Palmyra Atoll is famous for its incredibly high predator biomass, meaning it has one of the highest concentrations of large fish in the global ocean. The reef supports massive populations of blacktip reef sharks, manta rays, and dense schools of jacks. It serves as a vital biological benchmark for what an undisturbed, pristine coral ecosystem looks like.

Scientists extensively use Palmyra Atoll as a living laboratory to study the effects of climate change, particularly ocean acidification and coral bleaching. Because the ecosystem is so pristine and lacks local human pollution, researchers can isolate the impacts of global warming without confounding variables. The Palmyra Atoll Research Consortium actively monitors these changes to help guide global reef conservation.