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What's
New?
»
Midway Visitor Program to Reopen through Oceanic Society (January
15, 2008) «
Oceanic Society,
a nonprofit marine conservation organization, has been granted a
permit by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, and State of Hawai‘i to conduct
educational tours to Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge and the
Battle of Midway National Memorial beginning in March 2008. The
refuge and national memorial also serve as the “window”
to Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, the only site within
the Monument open to the public. Numerous provisions of the permit
ensure the protection of Midway’s wildlife and historic resources
while allowing visitors to learn about and experience this unique
ecosystem.
Oceanic Society
will coordinate seven week-long trips to Midway Atoll in 2008 to
foster public awareness of the importance and sensitivity of remote
atoll ecosystems. The guided tours will interpret both the biological
and historic importance of Midway and Papahanaumokuakea Marine National
Monument, and visitors will also learn of the cultural significance
of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands for Native Hawaiians. For detailed
information, photos or a brochure, contact Oceanic Society, (800)
326-7491, or email office@oceanic-society.org,
or visit www.oceanic-society.org.
For the full
news release, please click here.
Midway Atoll Interim Visitor Services Plan (June
20, 2007)
Draft
Interim Visitor Services Plan for Midway Atoll Released for Public
Review and Comment News Release (December
8, 2006)
Visitor Program Market Analysis and Feasibility
Study (April 2005)
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Remembering
the Battle of Midway
June 12, 2007
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Battle
of Midway Veterans - From left to right - Rear Admiral
John Besson, Ensign William Tunstall and Chief Petty
Officer George Chockley. |
More
than 1,600 people joined us on the Battle of Midway National
Memorial on June 4, 2007, to commemorate the 65th anniversary
of the Battle of Midway. Three Battle of Midway veterans –
RADM John Besson, Ensign Willliam Tunstall, and Chief Petty
Officer George Chockley – honored us with their presence,
as well as numerous family members of Battle of Midway veterans.
Their stories, courage, and humility inspired us all.
“These
men were, and are, true men of valor, American heroes,”
said Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne, the keynote
speaker. “I am honored to be in your presence. All Americans
owe you a debt of gratitude for your service and your sacrifice
for our nation and on behalf of freedom and democracy.”
Other
honored speakers at the ceremony were Hawaii Governor Linda
Lingle; Assistant Secretary of the Navy BJ Penn; Admiral Robert
Willard, Commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet; and Dr. James
D’Angelo, President of the International Midway Memorial
Foundation.
The U.S.
Navy provided significant support for the event, including
the U.S. Pacific Fleet band, a Pacific Command color guard,
and Navy Region Hawaii rifle detail. The U.S. Coast Guard
also provided valuable assistance for the ceremony.
Participants
arrived on Midway for their one-day visit via the cruise ship
Regal Princess, a Continental Airlines aircraft chartered
by Military Historical Tours, and a U.S. Navy aircraft. In
addition to the ceremony, they took walking tours of historical
sites, enjoyed Midway’s vast wildlife treasury, shopped
at the Friends of Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge gift
shops, and dipped in the aquamarine waters of the lagoon.
Late in the afternoon, while waiting for their aircraft to
depart, visitors enjoyed a reception at Captain Brooks’
sponsored by the Friends of Midway Atoll.
It was
a day of history, a day of remembrance, and a day of honoring
the valor of a group of servicemen who changed the tide of
World War II.
More Photos
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Commemorating
the 65th Anniversary of the Battle of Midway
May 7, 2007
Plans are progressing
for the ceremony on Midway Atoll marking the 65th anniversary
of the turning point of World War II in the Pacific, the Battle
of Midway. We anticipate as many as 1,600 visitors –
including Battle of Midway veterans – will join us for
the one-day event.
The U.S. Navy will
be bringing a ceremonial band, color guard, and rifle squad
to honor one of the two most important events in its history.
The International Midway Memorial Foundation, dedicated to
honoring and preserving the memory and values of the Battle
of Midway, will be participating in the ceremony.
Two entities
will be bringing most of our guests. Princess Cruise Lines’
Regal Princess will be departing from Los Angeles and Military
Historical Tours will be bringing a chartered flight from
Honolulu. Both entities have submitted special ocean use permit
applications to conduct these activities in the Papahanaumokuakea
Marine National Monument. Visitors will partake in walking
tours along existing roads and on the public beach on Sand
Island as well as in the ceremony itself.
In addition
to the Midway trip, the International Midway Memorial Foundation
is sponsoring a series of events in Honolulu, including a
two-day symposium about World War II in the Pacific, a ceremony
aboard the Battleship Missouri Memorial, and an annual Midway
Night Dinner. For more information about their events, please
visit their website at http://www.immf-midway.com.
We look
forward to a memorable day!
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Monk
seal twins and friends return to the wild!
April
9, 2007
NOAA-Fisheries
personnel released the twin female Hawaiian monk seals and
four other females last month from their captive care facilities
on Midway Atoll. All of the monk seals gained considerable
weight during their time in captivity, giving them a better
chance for survival in the wild.
Read
about the captive care program and track their movements in
the wild by going to the NOAA website
http://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/psd/captivecareproject.php#monkseal.
Midway
Visitor Program Update
April
9, 2007
Thank
you to all who submitted comments on the Draft Visitor Services
Plan for Midway Atoll – all 6,282 of you! We are now
in the process of reviewing those comments and will be finalizing
the plan over the coming weeks.
With
our attention focused on the 65th anniversary of the Battle
of Midway, it is likely a regularly scheduled visitor program
will begin toward the end of 2007. Those of you who reviewed
the draft plan may remember that we plan to close Midway for
visitors during our “construction season” from
August through October while the albatrosses are at sea.
Please
keep watching this website for updates as our visitor program
progresses.
Another
Means to Participate in the 65th Anniversary of the Battle
of Midway Offered
April
9, 2007
In addition to
visiting the Battle of Midway National Memorial on June 4
via the Regal Princess (see update below), you may also come
to the commemorative event on Midway via aircraft. Military
Historical Tours (www.miltours.com) has chartered an aircraft
from Continental Micronesia to bring passengers from Honolulu
to Midway for the day.
We’ll
be posting more information about the actual event in the
coming weeks, but we hope you’re making your plans now
to join us. Our sincere "thank yous" to Princess
Cruises, Military Historical Tours, the International Midway
Memorial Foundation, and U.S. Navy for helping us plan a memorable
day to honor those who made such a difference in America’s
history. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us
at midway@fws.gov.
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Monk
Seal Twins Return to Midway
November
1, 2006
Accompanied by
veterinarian Dr. Robert Braun and several NOAA-Fisheries caretakers,
the twin monk seals born on Midway Atoll this year returned
to their home on October 17 after 5 months of nurturing in
Honolulu. The U.S. Coast Guard provided transportation for
“the girls,” known as numbers 22 and 26.
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| The
twins seemed to take their journey in stride, though one was
a little reluctant to come out of her cage to explore her
new pen on Sand Island. They appeared to be surprised when
caught by a wave, but in no time they were rolling in the
surf and catching the fish their caretaker offered.
The seals
were underweight when removed from Midway last May, and NOAA-Fisheries
established a |
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captive-care
program to increase their odds of survival. The twins will
remain in a pen on Midway for several weeks to readjust to
a more natural environment and to continue to gain weight.
Twin
monk seal births are very rare, with only four pairs ever
documented. No other twins have ever survived to maturity. |
Laysan
Duck Update
October
10, 2006
The total
Laysan duck population is 104. Sand Island has 34 (16 adult
female, 18 adult male) and Eastern has 14 (7 adult female,
7 adult male).
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Many
fledglings have made flights from Sand to Eastern Island.
At least 4 Eastern fledglings and 4 Eastern adults (all
males) have flown to Sand Island. Many have made multiple
round trip flights. No translocated adult females have
been detected leaving their home island.
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First Albatross
Landed
September 29, 2006
The first albatross of the season arrived
at Midway Atoll on September 21 . . . weeks earlier than normal.
He/she only stayed 2 days before apparently realizing his/her
calendar was off and returning to sea. We look forward to
welcoming all of the birds back beginning next month!
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Visitor
Services Plan Update
August 30, 2006
Since posting notice on this website about
the development of a new interim visitor services plan for
Midway Atoll, we have been pleased to hear from about 150
people asking to receive copies of the draft plan. Many have
expressed an interest in visiting – or revisiting –
Midway, and we look forward to the opportunity to meet you.
As you may know, on June 15 President Bush
designated the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, including Midway
Atoll, as a Marine National Monument. We are working closely
with our monument co-trustees (NOAA and the State of Hawaii)
to develop regulations and a management plan for this vast
area. Of course we also need to incorporate the monument’s
provisions in the draft interim visitor services plan for
Midway, which has put us a little behind schedule. We now
hope to release the draft interim plan for public review and
comment in early autumn.
We thank you for your patience!
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Laysan
Duck Update
August
2, 2006
The Laysan
duck population (excluding ducklings with hens) at Midway
Atoll NWR totals 65 with 51 on Sand Island and 14 on Eastern
Island. Of the 51 ducks on Sand Island, 16 are adult female,
18 are adult male and 17 fledglings. On Eastern there are
7 adult females and 7 adult males.
Seventeen
ducklings fledged at Midway thus far and all have survived.
In addition, 6 of the 17 independent ducklings have made flights
from Sand Island to Eastern.
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| Representative
Neil Abercrombie, RADM Sally Brice-O'Hara
Visit Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge
July 13,
2006 |
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The
U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service was pleased to host Hawaii Congressman
Neil Abercrombie and RADM Sally Brice-O'Hara of the U.S. Coast
Guard's 14th District for a short visit to Midway Atoll National
Wildlife Refuge and the Battle of Midway National Memorial on
July 5-6. The Coast Guard provided transportation in a C-130
from Air Station Barbers Point, joined by their new commanding
officer, CAPT Brad Bean. |
Photo
by Allen Tom/NOAA |
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This was the
first opportunity for any of Hawaii's congressional delegation to
visit Midway, and the first VIP visit since designation of the Northwestern
Hawaiian Islands National Marine Monument. Accompanied by staff,
Allen Tom of NOAA's National Marine Sanctuary Program, and the media,
the group toured Midway's historic buildings and monuments, learned
about the island's infrastructure, saw restoration efforts underway
on Eastern Island, and snorkeled at the "Reef Hotel."
Despite a busy
schedule, Representative Abercrombie found the time to be enchanted
by one of Midway's most photographed subjects, a cute little white
tern chick. And the chick looks quite attentive too!
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President
Bush Recognizes Midway Atoll in Establishing Northwestern
Hawaiian Islands Marine National Monument
June
20, 2006
| On
June 15, President George W. Bush designated the lands
and waters of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands as a
Marine National Monument. Included within the National
Monument are two National Wildlife Refuges (the Hawaiian
Islands and Midway Atoll Refuges) and the Battle of
Midway National Memorial. |
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Photo
by James Watt |
In
his remarks, President Bush said:
"In
the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, we're also preserving
a historic landmark of great importance. Near the northern
edge of these islands lies Midway Island, the site of one
of the most decisive battles of World War II. On this atoll,
there's a memorial to the sacrifice and valor of those who
fought in the Pacific theater during World War II. This
national monument will have special access area around Midway
Island. That's what we want. We want people to go and pay
homage to those who sacrifice for our freedom."
The National
Monument was established through a Proclamation by the President,
which includes directions regarding how the region will be
administered. Midway's new status as part of a National Monument
will be incorporated into the Visitor's Services Plan being
developed by the Fish and Wildlife Service. New regulations
implementing the President's Proclamation will also be developed,
as well as a management plan for the National Monument. These
documents will be available for public review and comment.
For more
information, please click on the link below:
Establishment
of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Marine National Monument |
Laysan
Duck Update
June
12, 2006
The Laysan
duck population (excluding ducklings) at Midway Atoll NWR
totals 48 with 34 on Sand Island and 14 on Eastern Island.
Of the 34 ducks on Sand Island, 16 are female and 18 are male
and on Eastern there are 7 females and 7 males. Eighteen of
the twenty ducks translocated to Midway in October 2004 survived.
In
October 2005, 22 ducks were translocated to Midway and 20
are alive. Twelve ducklings fledged in 2005 and 10 survived.
Biologists
have counted 25 nests so far this season. Five of the nests
are located on Eastern; however, three failed because of
albatross disturbance and lack of cover. Currently, 10 hens
are incubating - two on Eastern and eight on Sand Island.
In addition to one hen with seven 11-day old ducklings;
there are 12 ducklings independent.
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Cruise
Ship to Visit Battle of Midway National Memorial for 65th Anniversary
May
23, 2006 |
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Photo
USFWS |
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Princess
Cruises is once again sailing to Midway Atoll, this time specifically
so its passengers can participate in the 65th anniversary of
the Battle of Midway. The cruise ship Regal Princess will depart
Los Angeles on May 28, 2007, and sail directly to Midway Atoll,
arriving June 4. After spending most of the day on Sand Island,
the ship will sail to the main Hawaiian Islands, stopping at
Kauai, Honolulu, Maui, and the Big Island, then on to Ensenada,
Mexico, and back to Los Angeles on June 17. |
Princess Cruises
has brought numerous visitors to Midway Atoll in the past as part
of their World War II in the Pacific theme cruises. The Fish and
Wildlife Service is pleased to be working with Princess Cruises
to make it possible for more people to commemorate the 65th anniversary.
For more information, visit the Princess Cruises website at: http://www.princess.com
and go to the “Find and Compare Cruises” tab. Search
by “May 2007” and “Regal Princess.”
Midway
Atoll National Wildlife Refuge Welcomes
Second Generation of Nation's Rarest Ducks (May
2006)
| Laysan
Duck Update
April
11, 2006 |
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| The
Laysan duck population at Midway Atoll NWR totals 51 with 35
on Sand Island and 16 on Eastern Island. Of the 35 Laysan ducks
on Sand Island, 16 are female and 19 are male and on Eastern
there are 7 females and 9 males. Eighteen of the twenty ducks
translocated to Midway in October 2004 survived. In October
2005, 22 ducks were translocated to Midway and all 22 are alive.
Twelve ducklings fledged in 2005 and 11 survived. |
Photo
by Jimmy Breeden |
The first nests
for 2006 were discovered on March 30. The two females were both
translocated to Sand Island in October 2005. The first nest is expected
to hatch on or about April 29.
Several other
pairs have formed on Sand Island bringing the total nesting females
to six with minimum clutch sizes of five. Four potential pairs have
formed on Eastern Island.
| Visitor
Services Planning Underway
February
6, 2006
Refuge
staff, with assistance from two Honolulu-based FWS staff,
set aside a week in early January to embark on Midway Atoll
NWR’s long-awaited Visitor Services Plan, the next step
toward enhancing the visitor program on the atoll. The Refuge’s
current visitor program operates under a Public Use Plan developed
in the 1990s. This new “VSP” will update and replace
the older plan. |
| Want
to be part of the process? We
are in the process of compiling a mailing list of those
interested in receiving more information about the Visitor
Services Plan. If you would like to add your name to
our list, please contact Barbara Maxfield at barbara_maxfield@fws.gov,
808 792 9531, or Box 50187, Honolulu, HI 96850.
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In
2004, the Fish and Wildlife Service contracted with Pandion
Systems, Inc., to complete a Visitor Program Market Analysis
and Feasibility Study for Midway Atoll NWR. It was completed
in 2005 and will serve as a basis for the VSP. The report
is available by clicking on the above link, "Visitor
Program Market Analysis and Feasibility
Study."
Midway
Atoll NWR is not scheduled to begin its Comprehensive Conservation
Plan (required by the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration
Act of 1966, as amended) until 2009. Normally, visitor services
plans are considered “step-down plans” to CCPs,
but waiting until 2010 or later to start the Midway Atoll
VSP wasn’t exactly a desirable or viable option! So
this Visitor Services Plan will be an interim plan designed
to facilitate the visitor program until the CCP is completed.
Since
any visitor services program needs to reflect the Refuge’s
vision and goals, our meeting in January was to develop draft
vision and goal statements that would guide the VSP. We also
looked at the opportunities we could offer and, of course,
the ever present logistical and infrastructure issues we will
need to address.
We are
just in the initial phases of developing the VSP now, but
we are open to your thoughts and input at any time during
the process. If you have issues you would like us to consider,
visitor activities you want to recommend, or thoughts about
how the program should be structured, please feel free to
send them to Barry Christenson (barry_christenson@fws.gov)
and Barbara Maxfield (barbara_maxfield@fws.gov) or mail them
to us at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Box 50187, Honolulu,
HI 96850.
When
a draft VSP and its associated environmental assessment are
completed later this year, we will make them available for
public review and comment. Anyone on our mailing list will
receive these documents, and they will be available on the
Midway website for downloading.
We’re
excited that the visitor services planning effort is underway! |
Record
Albatross Numbers Tallied at Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge
January 25,
2006
The annual
count of Laysan and black-footed albatross nests by volunteers at
Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge has been completed, and the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reports numbers for both species
have increased to the highest level since the count began in 1991.
A total of 511,612 nests were painstakingly counted during a three-week
period in December and January.
“We
had a great group of counters who were incredibly hard-working,”
said Dr. Annie Marshall of the Fish and Wildlife Service’s
Pacific Islands office in Honolulu. “More nests meant more
work, but it was extremely rewarding to see the numbers just keep
rising.”
Albatross
counters John Gregor, Ben Nencini, team leader Breck Tyler, and
Ky Putnam (left to right) survey birds on Eastern Island. This large
plot contains more albatross nests (>60,000) than any other plot
on the atoll.
Photo byUSFWS/Roy Lowe
Though
Midway Atoll consists of only 1,540 acres, it hosts the world’s
largest populations of Laysan and black-footed albatrosses. The
total number of nests counted this year by island are:
| |
Acres |
Laysan
albatross nests |
Black-footed
albatross nests |
Totals
|
| Sand
Island |
1,200 |
277,732 |
12,606
|
290,338 |
| Eastern
Island |
334 |
207,369 |
11,461 |
218,830 |
| Spit
Islet |
6
|
2,426 |
18 |
2,444 |
Totals
|
1,540 |
487,527 |
24,085
|
511,612 |
“We
are particularly pleased to see an increase in the number of black-footed
albatrosses,” said John Klavitter, the refuge’s wildlife
biologist. “This marks the fifth year of increased numbers
of black-footed albatross nests on Midway after fairly steep declines
in the 1990s.”
Since
it is impossible to count individual birds, the volunteers are assigned
sectors on all three islands in which they count active nests. They
move in a line through each section with a mechanical counter and
an inverted paint can, using it to make a tiny dot of orange paint
beside each active nest. The total number of nests multiplied by
two represents the total breeding population, in this case, more
than 1 million adults. A 50 percent multiplier is used to approximate
the number of albatross on the atoll, since many unmated birds return
to Midway to practice their courting ritual and eventually find
a mate for life.
This
year’s 21 volunteers came from as far away as Minnesota and
included representatives from Oregon, California, and Hawaii. Each
year, seasoned albatross count veterans are paired with newcomers
to ensure consistent results. “Though the volunteers miss
the holidays at home, they tell us their Midway experience more
than makes up for it,” Klavitter explained. “Some of
the folks here this year were on a waiting list for 3 years to come
to Midway.”
In
addition to the albatross count, the volunteers were responsible
for a vegetation sampling project and helped remove invasive ironwood
trees. The purpose of the vegetation sampling is to help determine
the impact of invasive plants such as verbesina on albatross nesting.
That work is continuing through the end of January. Volunteers helped
pull ironwood seedlings and cut down small trees from the northern
and western shores of Sand Island to restore albatross nesting habitat.
Originally introduced in the early 1900s as a windbreak, ironwood
trees spread over large areas of the island. Trees adjacent to the
airfield runways were removed for safety reasons, and current efforts
are to control their spread into new areas.
As
the volunteers return to their homes, the albatross chicks are hatching
at Midway. The first black-footed albatross chick was spotted on
January 16 near the west beach and the first Laysan albatross chick
4 days later in the town area. Most of the chicks will have hatched
within the next week or so.
“I’ll
miss seeing the chicks, but we had an incredible experience,”
said Marshall. “You’re living in the birds’ natural
environment, surrounded by their music and dancing. They aren’t
afraid of people, and accept us as part of their community. It’s
always hard to leave.”
The
2005-6 count is the sixth complete assessment of Midway’s
nesting albatrosses in the last 14 years. Though numbers have fluctuated
somewhat from year to year, the previous record nest counts were
441,178 Laysan albatross nests in 2003 and 21,645 black-footed albatross
nests in 1996. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature
identifies 17 of 21 species of albatross as being at risk, including
black-footed and Laysan albatrosses.
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|
On
Sand Island, counters Nara Takakawa, Annie Marshall, and Breck
Tyler (left to right) get some
curious looks from Laysan albatross.
Photo byUSFWS/Roy Lowe |
Two counting teams worked together in the former
parade field
on Sand Island. From left to right, counters are Naomi Swenson,
Tonya Haff, Chris Swenson, Kay Gilliland, Nara Takekawa, and
Annie Marshall.
Photo byUSFWS/Roy Lowe |
Midway
Atoll National Wildlife Refuge Update: Fall
2005
Laysan
Duck Update (June 2005)
Pacific
Princess Visit (June 2005)
Memorial
Day 2005 (May 2005)
Laysan Ducks Nesting on Midway (April
2005)
Fuel
No Longer Available (April 2005)
Volunteers
Complete Albatross Count (January 2005)
Welcome New Manager (January
2005)
Laysan Duck Translocation Project (November
2004)
Hokule'a
Stops at Midway (June 2004)
Midway
Honors Veterans (May 2004)
Continental
Flight Lands at Midway (January
2004)
Joint
Venture Stops at Midway (April 2004)
Battle
of Midway 61st Anniversary Photos (June
2003)
New
Contractor - Chugach McKinley, Inc. (pdf
file)
Update on the
Contract to Operate Midway's Infrastructure
A contract to provide operations and maintenance services at Midway
Atoll National Wildlife Refuge was awarded on May 7 by the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service to Chugach McKinley, Inc., a wholly owned
subsidiary of Chugach Alaska Corporation. For more information,
click on "new contractor" above.
Marine Debris:
Cigarette
Lighters and Plastic Problem on Midway
Underground
Fuel Release Update - May 15, 2003 (pdf
file)
Underground Fuel Release
Update - March 28, 2003 (pdf file)
Underground Fuel Release
Update - March 21, 2003 (pdf file)
Underground Fuel Release
Update - March 14, 2003 (pdf file)
Underground Fuel Release
Update - February 18, 2003 (pdf file)
U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service Issues Temporary Contract to Operate Facilities
at Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge
(pdf file)
Veterans
Commemorate 60th Anniversary of Historic Battle at Midway Atoll
National Wildlife Refuge (pdf file)
Battle
of Midway 60th Anniversary Photos
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