Chapter I Intro & Objectives - SPREP

PHOENIX ISLANDS PROTECTED AREA MANAGEMENT PLAN
Chapter III. Background, 2. Human Activities
Draft 1 March 2007
In 1969, Abariringa (Canton) was reinhabited by 200 U.S. Air Force personnel as part of the
U.S. missile testing system (Bryan 1974; see also King 1973) for tracking anti-ballistic
missiles (Balazs 1975).
Since 1970, the U.S. Department of Defense had authority on Abariringa (Canton), Birnie,
Enderbury, and Orona (Hull) to conduct missile launch tracking research (Balazs 1975).
In the 1970’s, temporary facilities for USAF SAMTEC were set up on Abariringa (Kanton),
Orona, and Enderbury (King et al 2001; see also Oates 2003). Stack (1982) noted that these
were very expensive operations. It only took 30 or 40 people to operate the facility, but it
took hundreds more to service the facility. There was a reason why no one lived on
Abariringa (Canton). Water had to be distilled from seawater, and all food and materials had
to be either flown or shipped in.
In October 1970, Abariringa (Kanton) was officially uninhabited (Douglas and Douglas
1994).
During the 1970’s, the population of Abariringa (Canton) varied between 200 and 350 people
(Stack 1982). Most of these were contractors to the U.S. Air Force.
In 1971, operational readiness tests were conducted on the various facilities in the Phoenix
Islands, including Abariringa (Canton) (Oates 2003). The facilities used heliocopters to
transport staff and equipment between the islands.
In 1972, NOAA shut down the upper-air and sea-level stations at Abariringa (Canton)
(TOGA Panel 1996). This closed down occurred right at the beginning of the 1972-1973 El
Niño event and ended the 20 years time series data set. TOGA Panel (1996) reported that the
U.S. entered into a bilateral agreement with New Zealand for the maintenance of the upperair
station at Abariringa (Canton) which was subsequently closed.
From 1972 to 1979, a radio station, WXLE, operated on Abariringa (Canton) 24 hours a day,
7 days a week (Ricquish 1982). This was part of the American Forces Radio and Television
Service (AFRTS). Programs were solely for the entertainment of the 300 or so personnel on
Abariringa (Canton), but reception was periodically as far as New Zealand.
In 1973, a major scientific survey was conducted on Abariringa (Canton) atoll lagoon (Smith
and Henderson 1976 and 1978) by University of Hawaii staff (Paulay 2000). The specific
objective of the survey was to determine the impacts of human influences had on the atoll
through World War II and post-war occupation.
An ecological survey was conducted on Abariringa (Canton), Birnie, Enderbury, Manra
(Sydney), Orona (Hull), and Rawaki (Phoenix) (Fosberg et al 1973). The purpose of this
survey was to report on the ecological impacts of SAMTEC operations, assess the status of
terrestrial ecology of islands visited, and to make recommendations to minimise adverse
ecological effects of SAMTEC operations. The conclusion was that the USAF had
substantial success in minimizing the impact of the SAMTEC operations in the Phoenix
Islands.
The history of postal cancellation stamps used in the Phoenix Islands was reviewed (Kyle
1974). Only Abariringa (Canton) really ever had postal service (mail stamp cancellation).
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