Researchers are monitoring Midway's Black-footed albatross population.

Biologists band individual birds to determine survival (adults and young) and reproductive success. The data allows researchers to understand how actions on the refuge, climate change, pollution, and fishing are effecting bird populations. Researchers are also studying monk seal behavior and monitoring survival and reproductive success. Visitors notice that some seals have bleach number marks and flipper tags to allow identification of individual seals from a distance. Other studies are underway to explore the incidence of heavy metals in seabirds, the diversity and abundance of insect populations, migratory shorebirds numbers and to find appropriate habitat management methods. Cooperating researchers are monitoring weather patterns, seismographic events and airborne pollutants.

More detailed descriptions of current research prjects are listed below:

Green Sea Turtle (Chelona mydas) Population Monitoring: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) have had an existing long-running marine turtle research effort throughout the Hawaiian and other Pacific Islands. The research effort at Midway began over two decades ago by sea turtle expert George Balazs, PhD., with the NMFS. In 1999, research efforts were renewed with carapace marking and PIT tagging to individually recognize turtles. These identification methods help to monitor population size and inter- and intra- island movement.

In 2000, 31 turtles were captured and marked as part of the ongoing monitoring effort at the Refuge. An interesting note: Turtle #18 was tagged in 1997 here at Midway Atoll NWR. Turtle #18 was seen nesting at French Frigate Shoals in June 1999. In October 2000, George Balazs re-sighted #18 at Midway Atoll.

Green Sea Turtle Sonic Tag and Time Depth Recording: Dr. George Balazs and his research team equipped four green sea turtles at Midway with sonic tags and time depth recorders (TDRs). Refuge staff and volunteers monitor turtles from shore by using a hydrometer, which detects unique beep-sequences that are associated with each individual turtle. The sonic tags and TDRs will be removed and data analyzed this year.

Midway Scarab Beetle (Protaetia pryeri) Eradication Project: Researchers Adam Asquist, PhD., Michael Klein, PhD., and Catharine Mannion, PhD. began research on the ecology of the scarab beetle in 1999 at the refuge. Baseline information on this alien species has developed into the current design and implementation of an eradication program for the beetle on Midway Atoll. The development and demonstration of an eradication program should be applicable for similar alien species on other islands within the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. . In 2000, the eradication concentrated on Eastern Island of Midway Atoll. In 2001, beetle work continued on Eastern Island, Midway Atoll.

Giant Trevally (Caranx ignobilis) Tagging Project: The goal of this project is to answer questions about distance traveled and population dynamics of this key predator in the Hawaiian marine ecosystem. Fish are tagged with a colored, dart tag. The data collected from recovered tags will provide new and necessary information on growth rates and life history according to fish size that is necessary for stock assessment research. Tagging efforts in 2001 included near reef waters off of Kure Atoll, approximately 40 miles northwest of Midway Atoll and Pearl and Hermes Reef, approximately 90 miles southeast of Midway Atoll.

Marine Lagoon Survey: Conservation of coral reef communities is essential to provide habitat for marine related wildlife. Knowledge of reef communities is important for ecological interpretation and determining the functional state of the communities. The purpose of this study is to inventory the abundance and distribution of coral, invertebrate, and fish communities. This baseline information will be of value in making management decisions pertaining to recreational use and making general decisions and comparisons pertaining to wildlife refuge management in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

Marine Entanglement Debris Cleanup: Discarded fishing nets, ropes, fish traps, and other floating debris entangle and kill marine species. Over 15 years of research on the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands has shown increasing trends in accumulation of debris and in the number of seals, turtles, and seabirds found entangled. The marine debris project's main objective is to document the quantity, type, distribution, and annual recruitment rate of entanglement debris on the emergent reef and within the lagoon of Midway Atoll. In 1999, the refuge implemented a pilot project in cooperation with Hawaii Wildlife Fund, MPC, NMFS, and Oceanic Society using volunteers and interested visitors to recover marine debris from the marine ecosystem. This project is on-going and part of a larger Northwest Hawaiian Islands debris clean-up effort. In 2000, marine debris efforts recovered approximately 27,200 lbs. of marine debris from our lagoon, reefs, and beaches. In 2000, the Refuge was awarded a challenge grant to support our Marine Entanglement Debris Clean-up project from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. A staff member from Midway Atoll was the USFWS representative and participated in the Interagency Marine Debris Recovery Cruise in 2000. The 28-day cruise was very successful with the recovery of 25 tons of net, rope, and line from Kure, Midway, and Pearl and Hermes Atolls. The 2001 marine debris recovery efforts netted 18,795 lbs. of debris. Efforts are ongoing.

Spinner Dolphin Research: The Midway Spinner Dolphin Research Project commenced on Midway NWR in 1997 as a cooperative effort between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the San Francisco-based Oceanic Society. Midway Atoll provides a critical habitat for approximately 300 resident dolphins to rest and socialize during the daylight hours. Currently led by Scientist-in-Charge, Susan Rickards, the project strives to describe the socio-ecology of the lagoon's resident spinner dolphins, Stenella longirostris. Research collected by Oceanic Society volunteers from shore-based locations and a research boat include distribution, area/habitat use, diurnal behavior, social affiliations, and entrance/exit patterns. In conjunction with the ongoing Midway spinner dolphin research, a study of dolphin-boat interactions commenced in fall 1999. Conducted by Gately Ross, a San Francisco State University graduate student, the directional movement and speed of dolphins in boat absence and presence is tracked utilizing a theodolite (a surveying instrument) from a shore-based station. Behavioral data is also collected from shore-based stations. This project will provide quantifiable results on the effects of boat presence on dolphin behavior, habitat-use and movements within the atoll and will provide important information for Fish and Wildlife to apply towards management and conservation efforts. Ms Ross completed her study in 2000 and is currently analyzing data which will result in a master's study for her and valuable management direction for the Refuge.

Atoll wide Laysan and Black-footed Albatross Count: Volunteers from the "Friends of Midway" paid their way to participate in the once every fifth year Laysan Albatross count and the annual Black-footed Albatross count on Sand, Eastern, and Spit Islands. Volunteers and staff counted 284,604 nesting pairs of Laysan Albatross and 18,485 nesting pairs of Black-footed Albatross at Midway Atoll NWR.

Barge Removal: In 2001, Contractor for the Navy, IT, finished the removal of the old barges in the water east of Bulky Dump, Sand Island. The barges and sediment contained PCBs.

Contaminant Studies: University of Hawaii, graduate student, Kater Bourdon is towards the end of her fieldwork and sample collections for an array of contaminant studies. Ms. Bourdon has been collecting a variety of samples since November 2000, including blood and soil from study plots on Sand Island. Ms. Bourdon is working with Lee Ann Woodward, a researcher with USFWS in Honolulu on a variety of contamination and endocrine imbalance projects associated with PCBs, DDT, and other organic compounds found in albatross blood and/or the soil surrounding their nest cups. Ms. Bourdon collected samples and monitored her study plots until late June 2001. This study will help determine what the contribution of local and global contaminants are to Black-footed Albatrosses that nest at Midway Atoll. The results of this study may serve as an indicator for potential problems in other seabird species that utilize the habitat on the islands of Midway Atoll. University of California, graduate student, Myra Finkelstein began the evaluation of lead contaminant sources relating to Laysan Albatross chicks in 2000. Myra presented her 2000 findings at the Pacific Seabird Group meeting in Kauai in February 2001. Ms. Finkelstein will continue collecting data with the objective to evaluate and apply measures of immune function as markers of contaminant body burden in seabirds.

Bird Aircraft Interaction: A pilot study to gather more information on flight pattern used by seabirds crossing our active runway began in January 2000. We monitored seabird flight in relation to wind speed and direction, time of day, landscape feature, and species. This study continued through 2001 with the goal of developing a communication tool that will describe bird traffic levels to incoming and outgoing aircraft pilots.

Short-tailed Albatross (Phoebastria albatrus) Attraction Project: A project to attract visiting Short-tailed Albatross (STAL) to a safe colony site on Eastern Island began in October 2000. The objective of this project is to encourage the establishment of a third breeding colony in the world. Currently the world population, approximately 1200 individuals, breed exclusively at two sites in Japan. Both sites in Japan pose potential threats to the population due to an active volcano. Midway Atoll is visited by a few STAL each year. The project enables the Refuge to attract those birds and other potential fly-bys to a central location on Eastern Island. The likelihood of different birds seeing each other at a central location on Eastern Island would be higher and they would be safe from aircraft and vehicle traffic that occurs on Sand Island. Decoys of breeding STAL and playbacks of taped recordings of their calls will serve as the attractive stimuli at the project site. The decoy project will be removed in May when the STAL normally leave Midway Atoll. This project will be set-up again in October for the next STAL breeding season.

Long-term Seabird Monitoring: Staff from Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge in conjunction with volunteers and staff of Oceanic Society monitor annual reproductive success (i.e., hatching, fledging, total reproductive success) and measure temporal and spatial population parameters (i.e., survivorship, nest and pair fidelity, recruitment) for Black-footed and Laysan albatross, Red-tailed Tropicbirds, White Terns, and Brown Noddies. Refuge staff monitors annual reproductive success for Bonin Petrels, White-tailed Tropicbirds, and Christmas Shearwaters on Eastern and Sand Islands. Great Frigatebird, Red-footed Booby, and Gray-backed Tern incubation counts are conducted throughout their breeding season to determine their breeding population on Eastern Island.

DNA study of Red-footed Boobies (Sula sula) and Great Frigatebirds (Gregata minor): Refuge field staff will collect samples from these two species to assist researchers Dave Anderson, Wake Forest University and Tamy Steeves, Queen's University to conduct a global genetic analysis to identify cases of restricted gene flow among populations, associations between genetic diversity and color diversity, and mechanisms of speciation.

Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge welcomes proposals from researchers or investigators interested in conducting scientific research related to this unique ecosystem. For more information on conducting research at the Refuge please contact the refuge biologist.