The islands were proclaimed as a Critical Habitat by the Philippine government through Presidential Proclamation No. 1412 on April 22, 2007. It covered 175 hectares covering the two interconnected islands where important bird habitats such as mangroves, beach forests, lagoons, and mudflats are found. It was listed as a Ramsar wetland of international importance on March 15, 2013. Upon the enactment of the Republic Act No. 11038 (Expanded National Integrated Protected Area Act) on June 22, 2018, the LPPCHEA was legislated as a National Protected Area covering 181 hectares.