Return to Kingman Reef National Wildlife Refuge

A grey reef shark swims past brown, jagged coral. Behind it is another grey reef shark that cuts through the coral reef.

About Us

Updated November 6, 2026

The first recorded western contact at Kingman Reef was by an American seaman, Captain Fanning, in 1798, but was named after Captain Kingman, who visited in 1853. The United States annexed the reef in 1922, and in 1934 delegated jurisdiction to the Department of the Navy. Its sheltered lagoon served as a way station and anchorage for Pan American Flying Clippers on Hawai‘i to American Samoa flights and for U.S. warships during the 1930s before a channel and dock were constructed at Palmyra.

On September 1, 2000, the Department of the Interior accepted restoration of its administrative jurisdiction over Kingman Reef from the Department of the Navy.

On January 6, 2009, the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument (formerly called the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument) was established, which includes Kingman Reef National Wildlife Refuge within its boundaries.

Kingman Reef National Wildlife Refuge is only three feet in elevation and lies 934 nautical miles southwest of Honolulu. Kingman Reef National Wildlife Refuge includes the emergent and submerged lands and waters out to 12 nautical miles, for a total of 487,016 acres (approximately 1 terrestrial acre). The Palmyra Atoll and Kingman Reef National Wildlife Refuge System Unit of the Monument includes the emergent and submerged lands and waters out to 50 nautical miles, for a total of 13,220,897 acres. This includes more than 25,000 acres of thriving coral reef habitat. Kingman is known to be the most undisturbed coral reef within the U.S., complete with a greater proportion of apex predators than at any other studied coral reef ecosystem in the world.

Entry onto Kingman Reef is by permit only.

Our Mission

The mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System is to administer a national network of lands and waters for the conservation, management and, where appropriate, restoration of the fish, wildlife and plant resources and their habitats within the United States for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans.

Our History

September 1, 2000 - Administrative jurisdiction of Kingman Reef transferred from the Department of the Navy to the Department of the Interior.
January 18, 2001 - Secretary's Order 3223 establishes Kingman Reef as a national wildlife refuge.
January 6, 2009 - The Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument (formerly called the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument) was established, which includes Kingman Reef National Wildlife Refuge within its boundaries.

Our Work

The National Wildlife Refuge System is a series of lands and waters owned and managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Wildlife conservation is at the heart of the refuge system. It drives everything we do from the purpose a refuge is established, to the recreational activities offered there, to the resource management tools we use. Selecting the right tools helps us ensure the survival of local plants and animals and helps fulfill the purpose of the refuge.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service with our partners at NOAA monitor the overall health of the reef and its inhabitants.

Refuges use a wide range of land management tools based on the best science available. Some refuges use prescribed fires to mimic natural fires that would have cleared old vegetation from the land helping native plants regenerate and local wildlife to thrive. Other refuges contain Wilderness areas where land is largely managed passively. The management tools used are aimed at ensuring a balanced conservation approach where both wildlife and people will benefit.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service law enforcement officers have a wide variety of duties and responsibilities. Officers help visitors understand and obey wildlife protection laws. They work closely with state and local government offices to enforce federal, state and refuge regulations that protect migratory birds and other species from illegal take. Some other duties include patrolling closed areas or wilderness areas, maintaining relationships with neighboring landowners, maintaining refuge boundaries and participating in public events related to refuge issues. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service works closely with the U.S. Coast Guard and NOAA in regards to illegal trespassing or fishing violations within the monument.

Law enforcement issues should be referred to the deputy refuge manager or refuge manager.

You may also report violations to our "TIPS" line 1-844-FWS-TIPS (379-8477).

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