Guardians of Clipperton
Clipperton Island, aka Île de la Passion, a French territory in the most remote part of the Pacific Ocean. The only coral atoll in the eastern Pacific Ocean with a completely enclosed lagoon. Closest land, the Revillagigedo Archipelago, about 1000 km north, yet even this distant, uninhabited outpost shows clear evidence of overfishing and a staggering plastic debris problem.
Clipperton underwater boasts a high degree of coral cover, an abundance of moray eels and endemic fishes, but a disproportionate population of juvenile sharks as a direct result of illegal fishing practices.
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The island has been identified as an important bird nesting ground with a the large breeding colony of Masked and Brown Boobies. It's also home to the Clipperton Crab, a bright orange species of land crab, and the Clipperton Angelfish endemic to this atoll.
