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| The coral reef above is located at French Frigate Shoals. The striped yellow fish that dominate the image are a marine alien species called Lutjanus kasmira, commonly called taape. Alien species are just one threat to the ecosystems within the Monument. |
Limiting Acces and
Managing Risks
Many threats to the ecosystems of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI) are posed by human activities. In the past, a number of scientific, military, and commercial activities have threatened the NWHI. Current uses are limited primarily to management activities by jurisdictional agencies, research, education, Native Hawaiian practices, a small scale commercial bottomfishing and pelagic trolling operation, as well as a small number of recreational trips and visits to historical sites at Midway Atoll. The threats associated with these activities originate both inside and outside the monument, making them more difficult to address.
The Monument is working to reduce threats through an ecosystem approach to management. This includes the development of an effective regulatory framework and permitting process, education and outreach, preventative measures to minimize risk, and response and restoration to damaged or degraded natural resources.
The Monument is also developing means to better manage risks to the area such as vessel groundings, and increase enforcement capability to address threats from illegitimate or illegal activities.
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