Beveridge Reef

Beveridge Reef
	Looking north across the lagoon
	Interactive map of Beveridge Reef
Geography
Location	Exclusion Zone 5
Total islands	1
Administration
	Niue

Beveridge Reef (Niuean: Nukutulueatama) is an unpopulated coral atoll located in the Exclusive Economic Zone of Niue. It has been the cause of several fishing boats running aground or sinking. The reef is about 147 miles (237 km) from Niue and 520 miles (840 km) from the Cook Islands.

The reef is designated as a Special Management Area within the Niue Nukutuluea Multiple-Use Marine Park, and is listed as an Important Shark and Ray Area by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Geography

The reef is a seamount whose summit reaches within 10 metres of the ocean surface. The reef is normally submerged, with a small part visible at low tide. It has an area of 56 square kilometres.

History

According to Rarotongan oral tradition, the reef was once an island with many coconut palms, which was swept away by a hurricane. The reef was first observed by Europeans in 1847, when Captain Lower-Tinger, commander of the brig Beveridge, named it after his ship. In 2020 the reef was protected as part of the Niue Nukutuluea Multiple-Use Marine Park.

Ecology

The reef is home to the endangered Grey reef shark, as well as the Whitetip reef shark, Scalloped hammerhead, and Galapagos shark. Rays include the Spotted eagle ray, Pink whipray, and Round ribbontail ray. Other common species observed include Acanthurus nigroris, Ctenochaetus striatus, and Chlorurus sordidus.^: 25 Blainville's beaked whales and Humpback whales were also present.^: 34

A genetic study of representative reef species found that Beveridge Reef was a regional centre of genetic diversity.

Wrecks

The reef has been called "the nightmare of navigators", and is the site of at least six shipwrecks:

Legerdemain (UK), a barque wrecked on the north east side of the reef in 1852

James H. Bruce (USA), a schooner wrecked on the north east side of the reef in 1918

Nicky Lou (USA), a large fishing trawler wrecked on the east side of the reef in 1992

Liberty (NZ), a small fishing vessel wrecked inside the lagoon on the east side in 2007

Avanti (BVI), a catamaran wrecked beside the Liberty on the east side of the lagoon in 2017

Chuan I Shin (TWN), a large longline fishing trawler wrecked on the south end of the reef in 2022

References

1 2 South Pacific Commission (1992). The South Pacific Commission Fisheries Newsletter.
↑ John Robert Victor Prescott; Grant Boyes (2000). Undelimited Maritime Boundaries in the Pacific Ocean Excluding the Asian Rim. IBRU. pp. 14–. ISBN 978-1-897643-39-6.
↑ "National Geographic Society Newsroom". Archived from the original on October 7, 2016.
↑ "Niue formalises one of largest marine reserves in world". RNZ. 30 April 2020. Retrieved 2 November 2026.
1 2 3 4 "BEVERIDGE REEF ISRA" (PDF). ISRA. Retrieved 2 November 2026.
↑ A. G. Findlay (28 March 2013). A Directory for the Navigation of the Pacific Ocean, with Descriptions of Its Coasts, Islands, Etc.: From the Strait of Magalhaens to the Arctic Sea, and Those of Asia and Australia. Cambridge University Press. p. 805. ISBN 978-1-108-05973-2.
↑ P. J. Dalzell; G. L. Preston; SPC Fisheries Programme (1992). Deep Reef Slope Fishery Resources of the South Pacific : a summary and analysis of the dropline fishing survey data generated by the activities of the SPC Fisheries Programme between 1974 and 1988. South Pacific Commission.
1 2 3 "EXPLORING THE MARINE ECOSYSTEMS OF NIUE ISLAND AND BEVERIDGE REEF: SCIENTIFIC REPORT TO THE GOVERNMENT OF NIUE - September–October 2016" (PDF). National Geographic Society. 2016. Retrieved 2 November 2026.
↑ Elsdon Best (1923). Polynesian Voyagers: The Maori as Deep-sea Navigator, Explorer, and Colonizer. Wellington: Dominion Museum. p. 10.
↑ Wofgang Schippke. "The Beveridge Reef, an new candidate for IOTA ?". Archived from the original on 1 July 2007.
↑ "Niue achieves historic conservation milestone". Cook islands News. 1 May 2020. Retrieved 2 November 2026.
↑ Liggins, Libby; Arranz-Martinez, Vanessa (2018). Genetic diversity and connectivity of Beveridge Reef's marine biodiversity in an Indo-Pacific wide context (Report). Massey University. doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.12287069.v1.
↑ "ISLAND-HUNTERS". Auckland Star. 22 February 1930. p. 1 (Supp). Retrieved 2 November 2026 – via Papers Past.
↑ Grimshaw, Beatrice Ethel (1907). In the Strange South Seas. Hutchinson & Company. p. 183. Beveridge Reef wreck.
↑ "Papers Past". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 2026-08-12.
↑ "Newspaper".
↑ The Seamen's Journal. Sailors' Union of the Pacific. 1919.
↑ Borgese, Elisabeth Mann; Ginsburg, Norton Sydney (September 1990). Ocean Yearbook. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 978-0-226-06611-0.
↑ Sv-footprint (2017-09-05). "SV Footprint (Begonia): Beveridge Reef (Niue)". SV Footprint (Begonia). Retrieved 2026-08-12.
↑ Haro, Alexander (2017-08-28). "Family Crashes Vessel on Beveridge Reef". The Inertia. Retrieved 2026-08-12.
↑ Aotearoa, RNZ | Te Reo Irirangi o (2024-10-10). "Manawanui surveyed wreck of 'suspicious' Taiwanese fishing vessel in Niue". RNZ. Retrieved 2026-08-12.

External links

20°00′S 167°48′W / 20.000°S 167.800°W / -20.000; -167.800

[Commission1992-1] 1 2 South Pacific Commission (1992). The South Pacific Commission Fisheries Newsletter.

[PrescottBoyes2000-2] John Robert Victor Prescott; Grant Boyes (2000). Undelimited Maritime Boundaries in the Pacific Ocean Excluding the Asian Rim. IBRU. pp. 14–. ISBN 978-1-897643-39-6.

[3] "National Geographic Society Newsroom". Archived from the original on October 7, 2016.

[4] "Niue formalises one of largest marine reserves in world". RNZ. 30 April 2020. Retrieved 2 November 2026.

[ISRA-5] 1 2 3 4 "BEVERIDGE REEF ISRA" (PDF). ISRA. Retrieved 2 November 2026.

[Findlay2013-6] A. G. Findlay (28 March 2013). A Directory for the Navigation of the Pacific Ocean, with Descriptions of Its Coasts, Islands, Etc.: From the Strait of Magalhaens to the Arctic Sea, and Those of Asia and Australia. Cambridge University Press. p. 805. ISBN 978-1-108-05973-2.

[DalzellPreston1992-7] P. J. Dalzell; G. L. Preston; SPC Fisheries Programme (1992). Deep Reef Slope Fishery Resources of the South Pacific : a summary and analysis of the dropline fishing survey data generated by the activities of the SPC Fisheries Programme between 1974 and 1988. South Pacific Commission.

[NG2016-8] 1 2 3 "EXPLORING THE MARINE ECOSYSTEMS OF NIUE ISLAND AND BEVERIDGE REEF: SCIENTIFIC REPORT TO THE GOVERNMENT OF NIUE - September–October 2016" (PDF). National Geographic Society. 2016. Retrieved 2 November 2026.

[9] Elsdon Best (1923). Polynesian Voyagers: The Maori as Deep-sea Navigator, Explorer, and Colonizer. Wellington: Dominion Museum. p. 10.

[10] Wofgang Schippke. "The Beveridge Reef, an new candidate for IOTA ?". Archived from the original on 1 July 2007.

[CIN2020a-11] "Niue achieves historic conservation milestone". Cook islands News. 1 May 2020. Retrieved 2 November 2026.

[12] Liggins, Libby; Arranz-Martinez, Vanessa (2018). Genetic diversity and connectivity of Beveridge Reef's marine biodiversity in an Indo-Pacific wide context (Report). Massey University. doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.12287069.v1.

[13] "ISLAND-HUNTERS". Auckland Star. 22 February 1930. p. 1 (Supp). Retrieved 2 November 2026 – via Papers Past.

[14] Grimshaw, Beatrice Ethel (1907). In the Strange South Seas. Hutchinson & Company. p. 183. Beveridge Reef wreck.

[15] "Papers Past". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 2026-08-12.

[16] "Newspaper".

[17] The Seamen's Journal. Sailors' Union of the Pacific. 1919.

[18] Borgese, Elisabeth Mann; Ginsburg, Norton Sydney (September 1990). Ocean Yearbook. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 978-0-226-06611-0.

[19] Sv-footprint (2017-09-05). "SV Footprint (Begonia): Beveridge Reef (Niue)". SV Footprint (Begonia). Retrieved 2026-08-12.

[20] Haro, Alexander (2017-08-28). "Family Crashes Vessel on Beveridge Reef". The Inertia. Retrieved 2026-08-12.

[21] Aotearoa, RNZ | Te Reo Irirangi o (2024-10-10). "Manawanui surveyed wreck of 'suspicious' Taiwanese fishing vessel in Niue". RNZ. Retrieved 2026-08-12.