Phoenix Islands Protected Area Conservation Trust

What it reported doing in 2022

The phoenix islands protected area (pipa) is a marine protected area (mpa) in kiribati, just five degrees south of the equator. Pipa is the world's first large, truly deep water mpa. As a vast expanse of largest pristine mid-ocean environments, pipa is truly an oceanic wilderness. Encompassing 408,250 square kilometers (157,626 square miles) and 11% of kiribati's exclusive economic zone (eez), pipa represents one of earth's last intact scenic coral archipelago ecosystems. The remoteness of the area and the absence of permanent human settlement provide a unique opportunity for a high standard of habitat protection for species and ecosystems of global importance to science and conservation, from islands to deep ocean.within its boundaries, it includes all eight atoll and low reef islands of the kiribati section of the phoenix island group: rawaki, enderbury, nikumaroro, mckean, manra, birnie, kanton and orona. It also includes two submerged reefs, carondelet reef and winslow reef, with carondelet reef being as little as 3 to 4 meters underwater at low tide. The coral reefs of the phoenix islands are what a reef might have looked like a thousand years ago before the presence of humankind's impacts, such as coastal development, pollution, and over fishing. The phoenix islands exhibit classic remote island and atoll characteristics, including steep reef drop-offs, relatively low species diversity and low endemicity, high fish abundance, harsh island habitats and vegetation, and large seabird nesting colonies. Recent research in the mpa has revealed the presence of "super corals," which may be genetically adapted to extreme sea temperature fluctuations and spawning grounds for several commercial important tuna species n the pacific.the majority of habitat in pipa is comprised of ocean floor with a water column averaging more than 4,000 meters (2.5 miles) deep with a maximum at 6,147 meters. It is estimated that there could be more than 30 seamounts within pipa though to date only nine have been named.because the deep sea is mostly unexplored, protecting it safeguards many species that have yet to be studied or even discovered. Pipa has only one settlement of about 25 people on kanton, made up of government employees and their families. Three of those residents are employees of pio in charge of implementing the management plan for kanton and the other atolls and resources in the phoenix island protected area. The other seven islands of the mpa are uninhabited. Pipa provides protection for terrestrial habitats on each of its islands safeguarding important nesting grounds for seabirds, several of which are threatened or endangered, and rare traditional plants that have cultural and medicinal values in kiribati, but are now threatened on more populated islands.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
• Program expense ratio: 90.2%; rating input score 90
• Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: Limited
• Foreign activity oversight: 1 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 12
  • Claims monitoring procedures: Pass
  • Requires narrative reports: Fail
  • Conducts field audits: Fail
  • May suspend future funding: Fail
  • Requires financial reports: Fail
  • Conducts site visits: Fail
  • Requires grant agreements: Fail
  • May require repayment: Fail
• Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 81st percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Limited
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 90%; rating input score 90; 24th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 6 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 75
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Fail
  • Document-retention policy: Fail
  • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -49.3%; rating input score 6; 6th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 0; rating input score 1; 1st percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: Limited
• Officer compensation ratio: 18.3%; rating input score 21; 21st percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: -25.6% per year; rating input score 0; 4th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: -21.9% per year; rating input score 0; 3rd percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: -11.5% per year; rating input score 0; 5th percentile among comparable filings