Gough Island. 20/11/08; St Helena, Tristan da Cunha; 229,811 ha; 40°19'S 009°56'W. World Heritage Site, Nature Reserve, Important Bird Area, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels. The site includes Gough Island and surrounding territorial waters. Gough Island is one of the largest relatively unmodified cool temperate island ecosystems in the southern hemisphere. Important wetland types include non-forested peatlands, permanent freshwater pools, permanent streams, marine subtidal aquatic beds and rocky marine shores. The island is a strong contender for the title of the most important seabird colony in the world  a total of 22 bird species and two species of seals breed, some in very large numbers. Several bird species that breed on Gough are considered globally threatened (e.g., Sooty Albatross, Northern Rockhopper Penguin), and some are endemic to the island group (e.g., Gough Moorhen, Gough Bunting, Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross). The South African meteorological station is currently run on the island; other human activities include research, commercial fishery for Tristan Rock Lobster in Gough territorial waters, and limited recreational fishing under license. Ramsar site no. 1868. Most recent RIS information: 2008.