Key Biodiversity Areas

Okinawa coastal islets - Marine (30677)
Japan, Asia

Site overview


KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2012
National site name: Okinawa coastal islets - Marine
Central coordinates: Latitude: 26.6500, Longitude: 128.0333
System: marine
Area of KBA (km2): 125.69337
Protected area coverage (%): 88.05
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes

Site details


Site description: This Marine IBA is identified using seaward extensions around breeding colonies. It originates from the Japan Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and falls within the Pacific, Northwest FAO ocean region. The site covers an area of 127 km2 and borders the coastline. The depth ranges from 0 to 71 m, mean annual sea surface temperature falls between 24.54 and 24.64 °C and mean annual chlorophyll-a concentrations found to range between 0.15 and 0.22 mg/m3.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that was identified using previously established criteria and thresholds for the identification of Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) and for which available data indicate that it does not meet global KBA criteria and thresholds set out in the Global Standard.
Additional biodiversity: 2 species trigger IBA criteria at this Marine IBA. Seaward extensions around breeding colony; Okinawa coastal islets include key near-colony areas for breeding populations of Roseate Tern (LC) and Black-naped Tern (LC).
Delineation rationale: Site identified by applying a colony extension to SitRecId - 15291, 15291

Habitats


IUCN HabitatCoverage %Habitat detail
Marine Neritic100