Summary/History
The Marshall Islands (officially Republic of the Marshall Islands), comprise of 29 low lying atolls and five low lying islands in the Northern Pacific Ocean (Republic of the Marshall Islands, 2011). The Marshall Islands were conquered by the USA during the Second World War; self-governance was achieved in 1979 and full sovereignty in 1986. The most comprehensive survey of the seabirds in the Marshall Islands was conducted by the Pacific Ocean Biological Program Explorations (POBPS) - an expedition which operated from October 1964 through to May 1967 (Amerson, 1969). More recent surveys have targeted specific atolls (for examples see Thomas et al, 1989 and VanderWerf, 2006): however, data from the POBPS expedition still represent the most recent for many seabird colonies in the Marshall Islands. There have been six terrestrial Important Bird Areas (IBAs) identified in the Marshall Islands of which four trigger IBA criteria for congregations of nesting seabirds such as Wedge-tailed Shearwater and Sooty Tern (World Bird Database, 2012, last accessed 03/10/2012). There is continuing work by the Marshall Islands Conservation Society to secure an effective network of Marine Protected Areas.
Threats to seabirds in the Marshall Islands include:
o Invasive species

National priorities
o Invasive species control

Government's support/relevant policy
The Government of the Marshall Islands is a party to the Convention on Biological Diversity and is a contracting party to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. Please see policy tab for list of agreements that this country is party to.

References
o Amerson, A.B. (1969) Ornithology of the Marshall and Gilbert Islands. Atoll Research Bulletin 127. National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., U.S.A.
o Feare, C. (1999) Ants take over from rats on Bird Island, Seychelles. Bird Conservation International 9(1): 95-96.
o Republic of the Marshall Islands (2011). The RMI 2011 Census of Population and Housing Summary and Highlights Only. Economic Policy, Planning and Statistics Office, Office of the President, Majuro, Marshall Islands.
o Thomas, P., Fosberg, F., Hamilton, L., Herbst, D., Juvik, J., Maragos, J., Naughton, J. and Streck, C. (1989) The northern marshall islands natural diversity and protected areas survey. South Pacific Regional Envbironment Programme. Nouma, New Calidonia.
o VanderWerf, E.A. 2006. Observations on the birds of Kwajalein Atoll, including six new species records for the Marshall Islands. Micronesica 38(2): 221-237.