GotGot this message from National Audubon. Verbatim as follows:

New York, New York, November 13, 2000 (Ens) - The National Audubon
Society is calling on President Bill Clinton to designate the coral
reefs of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands as a National Monument
through an immediate executive order. "These coral islands and reefs
serve as a nesting ground for 99% of the world's remaining Laysan
albatrosses and 98% of the remaining Black-footed albatrosses on the
planet," said Jack Wells, director of bird conservation for the National
Audubon Society (NAS). "These majestic open ocean fliers are in trouble,
and the President must act to protect their only breeding grounds this
week. Damage from overfishing, oil spills and vessel groundings are some
of the threats to these reefs. In an effort to save the reef system, the
Clinton administration is deciding whether to designate the area as a
National Marine Sanctuary managed by the Department of Commerce or a
National Monument managed by the Department of the Interior.

"Establishing a Marine Sanctuary, rather than a National Monument would
give jurisdiction of the reef to an agency whose stewardship has
resulted in overfishing 42% of the U.S. marine fish populations.", said
Eric Gilman, Pacific representative of NAS Living Oceans Programs. "The
President can insure the future of Albatrosses with the stroke of a pen
if he acts now.".
The Northwestern Hawaiian Islands reef system is home to more than 7,000
species of plants and animals, half of which are found nowhere else in
the world. It is home to threatened and endangered species, including
several species of sea turtles, the endangered Hawaiian Monk Seal,
hundreds of kinds of fish and corals and over 14 million Pacific
seabirds."

Just received a message from the Defenders of Wildlife. I quote:

Hawaii. Help protect the Unspoiled Northwest Hawaiian Islands. The
Northwest Hawaiian Islands are in trouble. This unique, but fragile reef
ecosystem in under threat from destructive practises such as
over-fishing, harmful recreational activities and marine debris. The
islands contain nearly 70% of all coral reefs within U.S. waters and are
home to more than 7,000 marine species, including the critically
endangered Hawaiian Monk Seal. Unfortunately, commercial interests are
trying to erode the current levels of protection further. The only way
to insure this underwater receives the strong, long-lasting protection
it deserves is for President Clinton to designate it a National
Monument. With your help, the Northwest Hawaiian Islands have the
opportunity to be a crown jewel of a new system of marine protected
areas, a system that is visionary as our national parks were a hundred
years ago. Send a fax to President Clinton's chief of staff urging that
the President support increased protection of the Northwest Hawaiian
Islands by designating it a National Monument.

End of Quote. The Presidents Email address is
<president at whitehouse.gov> Phone number is 202-456-111.

My personal comments being I was the first refuge manager of the area,
coming there in 1964 until 1973. The Bishop Museum of Honolulu
conducted a month long marine survey of the reefs this year with a
number of scientists, divers and others from two ships. Results of the
expedition can be found at http://explorersbishopmuseum.org.nwhi

In essence, some of the things they found were large, single coral
colonies of a very great age. These were equivalent to large trees found
in old growth forests. They found 5 species of coral new to science. 55
species of coral, including 47 stony coral. Those scientists discovered
unique forms which are uncommon in the main Hawaiian Islands. Some of
which are rare in the main islands achieve abundance in the Northwest
Islands.

As for BIRDS. When I totaled the number of birds nesting on the refuge,
I came up with 12 million back in 1964-73. Refuge workers today now
estimate 14 million. 3 species of albatross(including the Short-billed).
3 species of Boobies, 1 of Tropicbirds, 1 of Frigatebird, 6 of Terns, 2
of Petrels, 2 of Shearwaters. Of considerable importance was four
species of landbirds found on two islands and nowhere else in the world.
They just stay there. Two on Laysan Island, the Laysan Finch and the
Laysan Duck. Two on Nihoa Island, the the tiny Nihoa Millerbird and the
Nihoa Finch. Back in the early 1920's three species of endemic birds
were exterminated by rabiits introduced by man, the Laysan Honeycreeper,
the Laysan Millerbird and the flightless Laysan Rail. The Laysan Duck
was down to a maximum 5. The Finch to less than a hundred in 1923 when
the Tanager Expedition landed there with the noted ornithologist
Alexander Wetmore. They eliminated the rhe few rabbits left - the
rabbits destroyed all the vegetation.

It is a difficult area to police because of its remoteness. Several
fishing vessels that wrecked on Laysan Island and Pearl and Hermes Reef
gave us gray hairs because they carried rats and cats which would have
raised havoc with nesting seabirds and the endangered species. Lucky for
the birds (and us) none made it ashore. Whew!

We tagged 800 Monk Seals to begin life history studies and over 500
Green Sea Turtles. In 1973 as a result of the Endangered Species Act,
jurisdiction of the Seal and Turtle was given to the National Marine
Fishery Service a.k.a. the No More Fish Service. In 27 years that agency
has not yet declared critical habitat for the Seal or Turtle. Talk about
sitting on your tail feathers. Also, in my opinion they are beholden to
the commercial fishing industry. Hence, I would like to see the
President declare the reefs and islands a National Monument rather than
a National Marine Sanctuary (?) where fishing would be allowed. More
ships out there, more chances of shipwrecks and polluted water,
accidental introductions of harmful animals, trespass, etc.. End of the
Old Man's boring epistle.

Gene Kridler