Survey finds unusually intact ecosystems around two remote Pacific atolls

Scientists have surveyed Bikar and Bokak, two remote Pacific atolls near the Marshall Islands, and found ecosystems that appear unusually intact. The findings helped support the creation of a 48,000-square-kilometre marine sanctuary, the country’s first national marine protected area.

A 2023 survey examined the atolls from land to deep sea using field observations, cameras and a submarine. Researchers recorded 15 seabird colonies, at least 266 groups of reef fish and 132 green sea turtle nest pits, mostly at Bikar; they also identified 15 groups of open-water predators, with two species that may be new to science. The atolls differ too: Bokak had greater reef-fish biomass, while Bikar supported more algal diversity.