Description

East Island is a low-lying, uninhabited island located within the French Frigate Shoals, a crescent-shaped atoll in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Situated approximately 550 miles (890 km) northwest of Honolulu, the island is composed primarily of sand and gravel and is part of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. Prior to 2018, it measured about one-half mile (800 m) in length and 400 feet (120 m) in width, covering an area of roughly 11 acres (45,000 m2). East Island played a critical ecological role as one of the most important nesting sites in Hawaii for the green sea turtle, supporting over half of all nests within the French Frigate Shoals, and as a pupping and haul-out site for the endangered Hawaiian monk seal. It also hosted numerous ground-nesting seabird species, including albatrosses, shearwaters, and terns.