From the second article:
Three New England Aquarium research expeditions since 2000 found great marine biodiversity, including more than 120 species of coral and 520 species of fish, some new to science. Nesting seabird populations, as well as healthy fish populations and the presence of sea turtles and other species, demonstrated the pristine nature of the area and its importance as a migration route.
A couple of thoughts come to mind:
1- I imagine they must have done some undersea investigation to determine what species live in the reefs and on the islands themselves. I wonder if they would have images or video of the Niku terrain, both land and undersea, that might be worth looking at.
2- I hope they haven't inadvertantly trampled or "cleaned up" any possible AE/FN flotsam that may have been around, as yet unseen by TIGHAR.
Welcome Alf. Keep in mind, nobody knows by whom or how this mystery may be conclusively solved one day...
-Gus