Chapter I Intro & Objectives - SPREP

PHOENIX ISLANDS PROTECTED AREA MANAGEMENT PLAN
Chapter III. Background, 4. Marine Resources
Draft 1 March 2007
In 2002, fish dive surveys were conducted in the Phoenix Islands (Obura and Stone 2003). In
addition, and ROV and Dropcam were used to record species of fish. Abariringa, Birnie,
Enderbury, Manra, Nikumaroro, Orona, and Rawaki were surveyed.
Reef shark density was similar between 2000 and 2003 in Enderbury, Nikumaroro, and
Birnie (Obura and Stone 2003).
In 2004, the Planetary Coral Reef Foundation (2004) noted several encounters with manta
rays while conducting dive surveys on Nikumaroro.
In 2006, Kerr and Wragg (2006) conducted large indicator fish abundance; abundance of key
fish families, and coral health rapid assessment surveys on Manra, Rawaki, Enderbury,
Birnie, McKean, Orona, and Nikumaroro.
ORONA (HULL)
In 1887, Ellis observed and consumed large fat ava in the lagoon of Orona (Hull) (Ellis
1937). The shore was about 91.4 m (100 yards) from the lagoon. Ellis (1937) speculated that
fish must have gotten into the lagoon through an overflow of the lagoon.
Fowler (1940) reported on the fishes obtained by the Wilkes Expedition, 1838 to 1842 that
visited the Phoenix Islands. Fishes collected included: Oxyporhamphus argenteus,
Exocoetidae, from the stomach of a gannet, Sula sp. in the Phoenix Islands; Chaetodon
auriga, Chaetodontidae, from Orona (Hull); Teuthis achilles, Teuthididae, from Orona (Hull),
Teuthis triostegus, Teuthididae, from Orona (Hull); Anampses caeruleo-punctatus, Labridae,
from Orona (Hull).
Schultz (1943) documented fish species collected during the 1939 survey expedition of the
Phoenix Islands by the U.S.S. Bushnell. Fish collections were done at Abariringa (Canton),
McKean, Enderbury, and Orona (Hull).
Hubbs (1944) reviewed the blennioid fishes of the genus Brotula including specimens of B.
mulleri that were collection on Orona (Hull) by Leonard P. Schultz in 1939. Counts and
measurements of the Orona (Hull) specimen were presented in Hubbs (1944).
Halstead and Bunker (1954) collected fish species from Abariringa (Canton), Enderbury,
Orona (Hull) and Manra (Sydney) by hook and line, beach seind, spear, throw net, dip net,
and rotenone poisoning. Grovhoug and Henderson (1978) noted that although informative,
information collected by Halstead and Bunker (1954) on fish species was not quantitative.
Randall (1956) reported that Acanthurus rackliffei was known from three specimens from
Orona (Hull). Specimens of A. glaucopareius and A. achilles from Orona (Hull) and
Enderbury appeared to have similar stomach contents. In addition, no distinct breeding
season could be ascertained based on gonad samples from these two Acanthurus species.
Randall (1956) suggested that A. rackliffei may be a hybrid between A. glaucopareius and A.
achilles.
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