Title:
CRED REA Reef Fish Assessment Survey at Niihau Island, Main Hawaiian Islands in 2008
Abstract:
To support a long-term NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) for sustainable management and conservation of coral reef ecosystems, from 16 October - 14 November 2008, reef fish assessment surveys were conducted, as a part of Rapid Ecological Assessments (REA), during the Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program (RAMP) Cruise OES0810 in the Main Hawaiian Islands at biennial intervals by the Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED) at the NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC). During the cruise, 16 REA sites were surveyed at Niihau Island in the Main Hawaiian Islands.
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 25 meters.
Fish species observed:
Year Region Island Species TaxonName
2008 MHI Niihau ABAB Abudefduf abdominalis
2008 MHI Niihau ABSO Abudefduf sordidus
2008 MHI Niihau ACAC Acanthurus achilles
2008 MHI Niihau ACBL Acanthurus blochii
2008 MHI Niihau ACDU Acanthurus dussumieri
2008 MHI Niihau ACLE Acanthurus leucopareius
2008 MHI Niihau ACNF Acanthurus nigrofuscus
2008 MHI Niihau ACNR Acanthurus nigroris
2008 MHI Niihau ACOL Acanthurus olivaceus
2008 MHI Niihau ACTH Acanthurus thompsoni
2008 MHI Niihau ACTR Acanthurus triostegus
2008 MHI Niihau ANCH Anampses chrysocephalus
2008 MHI Niihau ANCU Anampses cuvier
2008 MHI Niihau APFU Aphareus furca
2008 MHI Niihau APKA Apogon kallopterus
2008 MHI Niihau APAR Apolemichthys arcuatus
2008 MHI Niihau APVI Aprion virescens
2008 MHI Niihau BOBI Bodianus bilunulatus
2008 MHI Niihau CACA Calotomus carolinus
2008 MHI Niihau CADU Cantherhines dumerilii
2008 MHI Niihau CAAM Canthigaster amboinensis
2008 MHI Niihau CACO Canthigaster coronata
2008 MHI Niihau CAJA Canthigaster jactator
2008 MHI Niihau CAIG Caranx ignobilis
2008 MHI Niihau CAME Caranx melampygus
2008 MHI Niihau CAGA Carcharhinus galapagensis
2008 MHI Niihau CEPO Centropyge potteri
2008 MHI Niihau CEAR Cephalopholis argus
2008 MHI Niihau CHAU Chaetodon auriga
2008 MHI Niihau CHFR Chaetodon fremblii
2008 MHI Niihau CHKL Chaetodon kleinii
2008 MHI Niihau CHLU Chaetodon lunula
2008 MHI Niihau CHME Chaetodon meyeri
2008 MHI Niihau CHMI Chaetodon miliaris
2008 MHI Niihau CHMU Chaetodon multicinctus
2008 MHI Niihau CHOR Chaetodon ornatissimus
2008 MHI Niihau CHQU Chaetodon quadrimaculatus
2008 MHI Niihau CHPE Chlorurus perspicillatus
2008 MHI Niihau CHSO Chlorurus sordidus
2008 MHI Niihau CHAG Chromis agilis
2008 MHI Niihau CHHA Chromis hanui
2008 MHI Niihau CHOV Chromis ovalis
2008 MHI Niihau CHVA Chromis vanderbilti
2008 MHI Niihau CHVE Chromis verater
2008 MHI Niihau CIFA Cirrhitops fasciatus
2008 MHI Niihau CIVA Cirripectes vanderbilti
2008 MHI Niihau COFL Coris flavovittata
2008 MHI Niihau COGA Coris gaimard
2008 MHI Niihau COVE Coris venusta
2008 MHI Niihau CTHA Ctenochaetus hawaiiensis
2008 MHI Niihau CTST Ctenochaetus strigosus
2008 MHI Niihau DAAL Dascyllus albisella
2008 MHI Niihau DIHY Diodon hystrix
2008 MHI Niihau FICO Fistularia commersonii
2008 MHI Niihau FOFL Forcipiger flavissimus
2008 MHI Niihau FOLO Forcipiger longirostris
2008 MHI Niihau GOVA Gomphosus varius
2008 MHI Niihau GYME Gymnothorax meleagris
2008 MHI Niihau HAOR Halichoeres ornatissimus
2008 MHI Niihau CHUB Kyphosidae sp
2008 MHI Niihau KYSA Kyphosus sandwicensis
2008 MHI Niihau LAPH Labroides phthirophagus
2008 MHI Niihau LUFU Lutjanus fulvus
2008 MHI Niihau LUKA Lutjanus kasmira
2008 MHI Niihau MAGE Macropharyngodon geoffroy
2008 MHI Niihau MABR Malacanthus brevirostris
2008 MHI Niihau MABI Manta birostris
2008 MHI Niihau MENI Melichthys niger
2008 MHI Niihau MEVI Melichthys vidua
2008 MHI Niihau MOGR Monotaxis grandoculis
2008 MHI Niihau MUFL Mulloidichthys flavolineatus
2008 MHI Niihau MYBE Myripristis berndti
2008 MHI Niihau NABR Naso brevirostris
2008 MHI Niihau NACA Naso caesius
2008 MHI Niihau NAHE Naso hexacanthus
2008 MHI Niihau NALI Naso lituratus
2008 MHI Niihau NAUN Naso unicornis
2008 MHI Niihau NONE no individuals seen
2008 MHI Niihau OSME Ostracion meleagris
2008 MHI Niihau OXBI Oxycheilinus bimaculatus
2008 MHI Niihau PAAR Paracirrhites arcatus
2008 MHI Niihau PAFO Paracirrhites forsteri
2008 MHI Niihau PACY Parupeneus cyclostomus
2008 MHI Niihau PAIN Parupeneus insularis
2008 MHI Niihau PAMU Parupeneus multifasciatus
2008 MHI Niihau PAPL Parupeneus pleurostigma
2008 MHI Niihau PAPO Parupeneus porphyreus
2008 MHI Niihau PLEW Plagiotremus ewaensis
2008 MHI Niihau PLGO Plagiotremus goslinei
2008 MHI Niihau PLIM Plectroglyphidodon imparipennis
2008 MHI Niihau PLJO Plectroglyphidodon johnstonianus
2008 MHI Niihau PSOC Pseudocheilinus octotaenia
2008 MHI Niihau PSTE Pseudocheilinus tetrataenia
2008 MHI Niihau PSCE Pseudojuloides cerasinus
2008 MHI Niihau PTHE Ptereleotris heteroptera
2008 MHI Niihau RHRE Rhinecanthus rectangulus
2008 MHI Niihau SAXA Sargocentron xantherythrum
2008 MHI Niihau PARR Scaridae sp
2008 MHI Niihau SCDU Scarus dubius
2008 MHI Niihau SCPS Scarus psittacus
2008 MHI Niihau SCRU Scarus rubroviolaceus
2008 MHI Niihau SCSP Scarus sp
2008 MHI Niihau SECO Sebastapistes coniorta
2008 MHI Niihau SPBA Sphyraena barracuda
2008 MHI Niihau STFA Stegastes fasciolatus
2008 MHI Niihau STBA Stethojulis balteata
2008 MHI Niihau SUBU Sufflamen bursa
2008 MHI Niihau SUFR Sufflamen fraenatum
2008 MHI Niihau LIZA Synodontidae sp
2008 MHI Niihau THBA Thalassoma ballieui
2008 MHI Niihau THDU Thalassoma duperrey
2008 MHI Niihau THTR Thalassoma trilobatum
2008 MHI Niihau ZACO Zanclus cornutus
2008 MHI Niihau ZEFL Zebrasoma flavescens
2008 MHI Lehua ABAB Abudefduf abdominalis
2008 MHI Lehua ABVA Abudefduf vaigiensis
2008 MHI Lehua ACAC Acanthurus achilles
2008 MHI Lehua ACBL Acanthurus blochii
2008 MHI Lehua ACDU Acanthurus dussumieri
2008 MHI Lehua ACLE Acanthurus leucopareius
2008 MHI Lehua ACNF Acanthurus nigrofuscus
2008 MHI Lehua ACNR Acanthurus nigroris
2008 MHI Lehua ACOL Acanthurus olivaceus
2008 MHI Lehua ACTH Acanthurus thompsoni
2008 MHI Lehua ACTR Acanthurus triostegus
2008 MHI Lehua AENA Aetobatus narinari
2008 MHI Lehua ANCH Anampses chrysocephalus
2008 MHI Lehua ANCU Anampses cuvier
2008 MHI Lehua APFU Aphareus furca
2008 MHI Lehua APAR Apolemichthys arcuatus
2008 MHI Lehua APVI Aprion virescens
2008 MHI Lehua AUCH Aulostomus chinensis
2008 MHI Lehua BOBI Bodianus bilunulatus
2008 MHI Lehua CACA Calotomus carolinus
2008 MHI Lehua CADU Cantherhines dumerilii
2008 MHI Lehua CASA Cantherhines sandwichiensis
2008 MHI Lehua CAAM Canthigaster amboinensis
2008 MHI Lehua CACO Canthigaster coronata
2008 MHI Lehua CAJA Canthigaster jactator
2008 MHI Lehua CAME Caranx melampygus
2008 MHI Lehua CAAB Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos
2008 MHI Lehua CAGA Carcharhinus galapagensis
2008 MHI Lehua CEFI Centropyge fisheri
2008 MHI Lehua CEPO Centropyge potteri
2008 MHI Lehua CEAR Cephalopholis argus
2008 MHI Lehua CHFR Chaetodon fremblii
2008 MHI Lehua CHLI Chaetodon lineolatus
2008 MHI Lehua CHMI Chaetodon miliaris
2008 MHI Lehua CHMU Chaetodon multicinctus
2008 MHI Lehua CHQU Chaetodon quadrimaculatus
2008 MHI Lehua CHAG Chromis agilis
2008 MHI Lehua CHHA Chromis hanui
2008 MHI Lehua CHOV Chromis ovalis
2008 MHI Lehua CHVA Chromis vanderbilti
2008 MHI Lehua CHVE Chromis verater
2008 MHI Lehua CIFA Cirrhitops fasciatus
2008 MHI Lehua CIVA Cirripectes vanderbilti
2008 MHI Lehua COFL Coris flavovittata
2008 MHI Lehua COGA Coris gaimard
2008 MHI Lehua COVE Coris venusta
2008 MHI Lehua CTHA Ctenochaetus hawaiiensis
2008 MHI Lehua CTST Ctenochaetus strigosus
2008 MHI Lehua DAAL Dascyllus albisella
2008 MHI Lehua FOFL Forcipiger flavissimus
2008 MHI Lehua HAOR Halichoeres ornatissimus
2008 MHI Lehua HEPO Hemitaurichthys polylepis
2008 MHI Lehua HEDI Heniochus diphreutes
2008 MHI Lehua CHUB Kyphosidae sp
2008 MHI Lehua KYHA Kyphosus hawaiiensis
2008 MHI Lehua KYSA Kyphosus sandwicensis
2008 MHI Lehua LAPH Labroides phthirophagus
2008 MHI Lehua LUFU Lutjanus fulvus
2008 MHI Lehua LUKA Lutjanus kasmira
2008 MHI Lehua MAGE Macropharyngodon geoffroy
2008 MHI Lehua MABI Manta birostris
2008 MHI Lehua MENI Melichthys niger
2008 MHI Lehua MEVI Melichthys vidua
2008 MHI Lehua MOGR Monotaxis grandoculis
2008 MHI Lehua MUFL Mulloidichthys flavolineatus
2008 MHI Lehua MYBE Myripristis berndti
2008 MHI Lehua NABR Naso brevirostris
2008 MHI Lehua NAHE Naso hexacanthus
2008 MHI Lehua NALI Naso lituratus
2008 MHI Lehua NAUN Naso unicornis
2008 MHI Lehua NONE no individuals seen
2008 MHI Lehua OXBI Oxycheilinus bimaculatus
2008 MHI Lehua PAAR Paracirrhites arcatus
2008 MHI Lehua PACY Parupeneus cyclostomus
2008 MHI Lehua PAIN Parupeneus insularis
2008 MHI Lehua PAMU Parupeneus multifasciatus
2008 MHI Lehua PAPL Parupeneus pleurostigma
2008 MHI Lehua PAPO Parupeneus porphyreus
2008 MHI Lehua PEAS Pervagor aspricaudus
2008 MHI Lehua PLEW Plagiotremus ewaensis
2008 MHI Lehua PLGO Plagiotremus goslinei
2008 MHI Lehua PLIM Plectroglyphidodon imparipennis
2008 MHI Lehua PLJO Plectroglyphidodon johnstonianus
2008 MHI Lehua PSEV Pseudocheilinus evanidus
2008 MHI Lehua PSOC Pseudocheilinus octotaenia
2008 MHI Lehua PSTE Pseudocheilinus tetrataenia
2008 MHI Lehua PSCE Pseudojuloides cerasinus
2008 MHI Lehua RHRE Rhinecanthus rectangulus
2008 MHI Lehua SADI Sargocentron diadema
2008 MHI Lehua SASP Sargocentron spiniferum
2008 MHI Lehua SATI Sargocentron tiere
2008 MHI Lehua SAXA Sargocentron xantherythrum
2008 MHI Lehua SCDU Scarus dubius
2008 MHI Lehua SCPS Scarus psittacus
2008 MHI Lehua SCRU Scarus rubroviolaceus
2008 MHI Lehua SCSP Scarus sp
2008 MHI Lehua SEDU Seriola dumerili
2008 MHI Lehua STFA Stegastes fasciolatus
2008 MHI Lehua STBA Stethojulis balteata
2008 MHI Lehua SUBU Sufflamen bursa
2008 MHI Lehua SUFR Sufflamen fraenatum
2008 MHI Lehua THDU Thalassoma duperrey
2008 MHI Lehua THTR Thalassoma trilobatum
2008 MHI Lehua ZACO Zanclus cornutus
2008 MHI Lehua ZEFL Zebrasoma flavescens
2008 MHI Lehua ZEVE Zebrasoma veliferum