Title:
CRED REA Reef Fish Assessment Survey at Asuncion Island, Marianas Archipelago in 2009
Abstract:
To support a long-term NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) for sustainable management and conservation of coral reef ecosystems, from 15 April - 7 May 2009, reef fish assessment surveys were conducted, as a part of Rapid Ecological Assessments (REA), during the Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program (RAMP) Cruise HI0903 in the Marianas Archipelago at biennial intervals by the Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED) at the NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC). During the cruise, 13 REA sites were surveyed at Asuncion Island in the Marianas Archipelago.
At the specific REA sites, fish biologists along with coral biologists, algal biologists and marine invertebrate zoologist entered the water and conducted a fine-scale (~300 m2) and high degree of taxonomic resolution REA survey to assess and monitor species composition, abundance, percent cover, size distribution, diversity, and general health of fish, corals, macro-invertebrates, and algae in shallow-water (< 35 m) habitats.
Reef fish assessment surveys were focused on cataloging the diversity (species richness), abundance (numeric density [# fish 100 m-2] and biomass density [kg 100 m-2]) of diurnally active reef fish assemblages. Three complementary noninvasive underwater survey methods were used, including belt-transect, stationary point count, and roving-diver surveys. For all methods, fish were identified at the species level, when possible, and assigned to a size bin ranging from 1 to 200 cm based on a visual estimate of total fish length.
Belt-transect (BLT) surveys were used to quantify the entire diurnal fish community (all size classes). In belt-transect surveys, two fish biologists swam side-by-side along three consecutively-placed, 25m transect lines. The BLT team swam each transect two times. During the initial swim-out, each fish diver recorded all fish larger than 20 cm observed within a 4-m wide belt perpendicular to their respective side of the transect (200 m2 area per line, 100 m2 per diver). On the return swim, each fish diver recorded all fish less than 20 cm observed within a 2-m wide belt (100 m2 area per line, 50 m2 per diver). The survey of large fish took approximately 5 min to complete while the survey of smaller fish took about 10 min to complete. All reef-associated fish, including those in the water column (including planktivores), were counted. Any coastal pelagic species (e.g., clupeids [sardines], belonids [beakfish], antherinids [silversides]) seen near the surface were not recorded.
The stationary point count (SPC) method were used to quantify larger, more mobile reef fish species that can be missed on belt-transect surveys. In stationary point count survey, a fish biologist swam approximately 15 m away from a transect line concurrently being surveyed by the other two BLT fish biologists. The SPC biologist then recorded all fish greater than 25 cm in length that passed within a visually estimated 20-m diameter cylinder centered on the diver's fixed position (10-m radius, total area = 314 m2). The survey time for each stationary point count survey was 5 min and a total of four stationary point count surveys were conducted at each REA site.
Roving-diver surveys were followed belt-transect and stationary point count surveys. As diver bottom time permitted, the fish assessment team conducted random swim surveys throughout the REA site area, recording, to the species level or the lowest recognizable taxon, the presence of reef fish not encountered during previous methods.
Supplemental_Information:
Maximum depth was 23 meters.
Fish species observed:
Year Region Island Species TaxonName
2009 MARIAN Asuncion ABSO Abudefduf sordidus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion ABVA Abudefduf vaigiensis
2009 MARIAN Asuncion SURG Acanthuridae sp
2009 MARIAN Asuncion ACBL Acanthurus blochii
2009 MARIAN Asuncion ACDU Acanthurus dussumieri
2009 MARIAN Asuncion ACGU Acanthurus guttatus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion ACLE Acanthurus leucopareius
2009 MARIAN Asuncion ACLI Acanthurus lineatus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion ACNC Acanthurus nigricans
2009 MARIAN Asuncion ACNI Acanthurus nigricauda
2009 MARIAN Asuncion ACNF Acanthurus nigrofuscus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion ACNR Acanthurus nigroris
2009 MARIAN Asuncion ACNU Acanthurus nubilus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion ACOL Acanthurus olivaceus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion ACPY Acanthurus pyroferus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion ACTH Acanthurus thompsoni
2009 MARIAN Asuncion ACXA Acanthurus xanthopterus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion ALSC Aluterus scriptus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion AMAU Amblyglyphidodon aureus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion AMCH Amphiprion chrysopterus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion ANCA Anampses caeruleopunctatus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion ANMG Anampses meleagrides
2009 MARIAN Asuncion APFU Aphareus furca
2009 MARIAN Asuncion APAN Apogon angustatus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion CARD Apogonidae sp
2009 MARIAN Asuncion APTR Apolemichthys trimaculatus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion APVI Aprion virescens
2009 MARIAN Asuncion ASTA Aspidontus taeniatus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion BAUN Balistapus undulatus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion BACO Balistoides conspicillum
2009 MARIAN Asuncion BLEN Blenniidae sp
2009 MARIAN Asuncion BOAN Bodianus anthioides
2009 MARIAN Asuncion BOAX Bodianus axillaris
2009 MARIAN Asuncion CATE Caesio teres
2009 MARIAN Asuncion CACA Calotomus carolinus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion CADU Cantherhines dumerilii
2009 MARIAN Asuncion CAPA Cantherhines pardalis
2009 MARIAN Asuncion CASO Canthigaster solandri
2009 MARIAN Asuncion CALU Caranx lugubris
2009 MARIAN Asuncion CAME Caranx melampygus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion CAAB Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos
2009 MARIAN Asuncion CEFL Centropyge flavissima
2009 MARIAN Asuncion CESH Centropyge shepardi
2009 MARIAN Asuncion CEAR Cephalopholis argus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion CEMI Cephalopholis miniata
2009 MARIAN Asuncion CEUR Cephalopholis urodeta
2009 MARIAN Asuncion CHAU Chaetodon auriga
2009 MARIAN Asuncion CHCI Chaetodon citrinellus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion CHEP Chaetodon ephippium
2009 MARIAN Asuncion CHLU Chaetodon lunula
2009 MARIAN Asuncion CHMR Chaetodon mertensii
2009 MARIAN Asuncion CHOR Chaetodon ornatissimus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion CHPU Chaetodon punctatofasciatus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion CHQU Chaetodon quadrimaculatus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion CHRE Chaetodon reticulatus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion CHUL Chaetodon ulietensis
2009 MARIAN Asuncion CHFN Chlorurus frontalis
2009 MARIAN Asuncion CHMC Chlorurus microrhinos
2009 MARIAN Asuncion CHAC Chromis acares
2009 MARIAN Asuncion CHAG Chromis agilis
2009 MARIAN Asuncion CHMA Chromis margaritifer
2009 MARIAN Asuncion CHVA Chromis vanderbilti
2009 MARIAN Asuncion CHVR Chromis viridis
2009 MARIAN Asuncion CHXA Chromis xanthura
2009 MARIAN Asuncion CHBR Chrysiptera brownriggii
2009 MARIAN Asuncion CIKA Cirrhilabrus katherinae
2009 MARIAN Asuncion CIFL Cirrhitichthys falco
2009 MARIAN Asuncion CIPI Cirrhitus pinnulatus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion CIVR Cirripectes variolosus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion COAY Coris aygula
2009 MARIAN Asuncion COGA Coris gaimard
2009 MARIAN Asuncion CTCY Ctenochaetus cyanocheilus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion CTHA Ctenochaetus hawaiiensis
2009 MARIAN Asuncion CTSP Ctenochaetus sp
2009 MARIAN Asuncion CTSR Ctenochaetus striatus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion DARE Dascyllus reticulatus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion DATR Dascyllus trimaculatus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion DIHY Diodon hystrix
2009 MARIAN Asuncion ECBC Ecsenius bicolor
2009 MARIAN Asuncion ELBI Elagatis bipinnulata
2009 MARIAN Asuncion EPFA Epinephelus fasciatus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion EPHE Epinephelus hexagonatus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion EPMA Epinephelus maculatus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion EPML Epinephelus melanostigma
2009 MARIAN Asuncion EPME Epinephelus merra
2009 MARIAN Asuncion FOFL Forcipiger flavissimus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion FOLO Forcipiger longirostris
2009 MARIAN Asuncion GNAU Gnathodentex aureolineatus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion GOVA Gomphosus varius
2009 MARIAN Asuncion GRAL Gracila albomarginata
2009 MARIAN Asuncion GYUC Gymnosarda unicolor
2009 MARIAN Asuncion GYFL Gymnothorax flavimarginatus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion GYUN Gymnothorax undulatus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion HABI Halichoeres biocellatus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion HAHO Halichoeres hortulanus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion HAMT Halichoeres margaritaceus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion HAOR Halichoeres ornatissimus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion HEFA Hemigymnus fasciatus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion HETH Hemitaurichthys thompsoni
2009 MARIAN Asuncion HEMO Heniochus monoceros
2009 MARIAN Asuncion HECR Heteropriacanthus cruentatus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion HODO Hologymnosus doliatus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion CHUB Kyphosidae sp
2009 MARIAN Asuncion KYCI Kyphosus cinerascens
2009 MARIAN Asuncion KYPA Kyphosus pacificus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion WRAS Labridae sp
2009 MARIAN Asuncion LABI Labroides bicolor
2009 MARIAN Asuncion LADI Labroides dimidiatus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion LAPE Labroides pectoralis
2009 MARIAN Asuncion LAXA Labropsis xanthonota
2009 MARIAN Asuncion LETA Lepidozygus tapeinosoma
2009 MARIAN Asuncion LUBO Lutjanus bohar
2009 MARIAN Asuncion LUFU Lutjanus fulvus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion LUGI Lutjanus gibbus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion LUKA Lutjanus kasmira
2009 MARIAN Asuncion LUMO Lutjanus monostigma
2009 MARIAN Asuncion MAMA Macolor macularis
2009 MARIAN Asuncion MANI Macolor niger
2009 MARIAN Asuncion MAME Macropharyngodon meleagris
2009 MARIAN Asuncion MALA Malacanthus latovittatus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion MENI Melichthys niger
2009 MARIAN Asuncion MEVI Melichthys vidua
2009 MARIAN Asuncion MOGR Monotaxis grandoculis
2009 MARIAN Asuncion MUVA Mulloidichthys vanicolensis
2009 MARIAN Asuncion MYAM Myripristis amaena
2009 MARIAN Asuncion MYBE Myripristis berndti
2009 MARIAN Asuncion NABR Naso brevirostris
2009 MARIAN Asuncion NACA Naso caesius
2009 MARIAN Asuncion NAHE Naso hexacanthus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion NALI Naso lituratus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion NATO Naso tonganus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion NAUN Naso unicornis
2009 MARIAN Asuncion NAVL Naso vlamingii
2009 MARIAN Asuncion NEMA Nemateleotris magnifica
2009 MARIAN Asuncion NEAR Neocirrhites armatus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion NEOP Neoniphon opercularis
2009 MARIAN Asuncion ODNI Odonus niger
2009 MARIAN Asuncion OPPU Oplegnathus punctatus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion OXUN Oxycheilinus unifasciatus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion PAAR Paracirrhites arcatus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion PAFO Paracirrhites forsteri
2009 MARIAN Asuncion PAHE Paracirrhites hemistictus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion PAMI Parapercis millepunctata
2009 MARIAN Asuncion PACY Parupeneus cyclostomus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion PAIN Parupeneus insularis
2009 MARIAN Asuncion PAMU Parupeneus multifasciatus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion PEOU Pempheris oualensis
2009 MARIAN Asuncion PLTA Plagiotremus tapeinosoma
2009 MARIAN Asuncion PLDI Plectroglyphidodon dickii
2009 MARIAN Asuncion PLIM Plectroglyphidodon imparipennis
2009 MARIAN Asuncion PLJO Plectroglyphidodon johnstonianus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion PLLA Plectroglyphidodon lacrymatus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion PLLE Plectroglyphidodon leucozonus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion PLPH Plectroglyphidodon phoenixensis
2009 MARIAN Asuncion POIM Pomacanthus imperator
2009 MARIAN Asuncion POVA Pomacentrus vaiuli
2009 MARIAN Asuncion POGU Pomachromis guamensis
2009 MARIAN Asuncion PSCO Pseudanthias cooperi
2009 MARIAN Asuncion PSPA Pseudanthias pascalus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion PSHE Pseudocheilinus hexataenia
2009 MARIAN Asuncion PSOC Pseudocheilinus octotaenia
2009 MARIAN Asuncion PSTE Pseudocheilinus tetrataenia
2009 MARIAN Asuncion PSMO Pseudodax moluccanus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion PSAT Pseudojuloides atavai
2009 MARIAN Asuncion PTEV Ptereleotris evides
2009 MARIAN Asuncion PTZE Ptereleotris zebra
2009 MARIAN Asuncion PTTI Pterocaesio tile
2009 MARIAN Asuncion PYDI Pygoplites diacanthus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion RHRE Rhinecanthus rectangulus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion SACA Sargocentron caudimaculatum
2009 MARIAN Asuncion SASP Sargocentron spiniferum
2009 MARIAN Asuncion SATI Sargocentron tiere
2009 MARIAN Asuncion SAGR Saurida gracilis
2009 MARIAN Asuncion PARR Scaridae sp
2009 MARIAN Asuncion SCFO Scarus forsteni
2009 MARIAN Asuncion SCFR Scarus frenatus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion SCOV Scarus oviceps
2009 MARIAN Asuncion SCRU Scarus rubroviolaceus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion SCLY Scomberoides lysan
2009 MARIAN Asuncion SPBA Sphyraena barracuda
2009 MARIAN Asuncion STFA Stegastes fasciolatus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion STBN Stethojulis bandanensis
2009 MARIAN Asuncion SUBU Sufflamen bursa
2009 MARIAN Asuncion THAM Thalassoma amblycephalum
2009 MARIAN Asuncion THLU Thalassoma lutescens
2009 MARIAN Asuncion THQU Thalassoma quinquevittatum
2009 MARIAN Asuncion THSP Thalassoma sp
2009 MARIAN Asuncion THTR Thalassoma trilobatum
2009 MARIAN Asuncion TRBA Trachinotus baillonii
2009 MARIAN Asuncion TROB Triaenodon obesus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion TYCR Tylosurus crocodilus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion VAST Valenciennea strigata
2009 MARIAN Asuncion VALO Variola louti
2009 MARIAN Asuncion ZACO Zanclus cornutus
2009 MARIAN Asuncion ZEFL Zebrasoma flavescens