Title:
CRED REA Reef Fish Assessment Survey at Saipan 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 5 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 HI0902 and 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, 23 REA sites were surveyed at Saipan 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 24 meters.
Fish species observed:
Year Region Island Species TaxonName
2009 MARIAN Saipan ABSO Abudefduf sordidus
2009 MARIAN Saipan ABVA Abudefduf vaigiensis
2009 MARIAN Saipan SURG Acanthuridae sp
2009 MARIAN Saipan ACAC Acanthurus achilles
2009 MARIAN Saipan ACBL Acanthurus blochii
2009 MARIAN Saipan ACGU Acanthurus guttatus
2009 MARIAN Saipan ACLI Acanthurus lineatus
2009 MARIAN Saipan ACNC Acanthurus nigricans
2009 MARIAN Saipan ACNF Acanthurus nigrofuscus
2009 MARIAN Saipan ACNR Acanthurus nigroris
2009 MARIAN Saipan ACOL Acanthurus olivaceus
2009 MARIAN Saipan ACPY Acanthurus pyroferus
2009 MARIAN Saipan ACTR Acanthurus triostegus
2009 MARIAN Saipan ALSC Aluterus scriptus
2009 MARIAN Saipan AMSC Amanses scopas
2009 MARIAN Saipan AMCH Amphiprion chrysopterus
2009 MARIAN Saipan AMCL Amphiprion clarkii
2009 MARIAN Saipan ANCA Anampses caeruleopunctatus
2009 MARIAN Saipan ANMG Anampses meleagrides
2009 MARIAN Saipan ANTW Anampses twistii
2009 MARIAN Saipan APFU Aphareus furca
2009 MARIAN Saipan APAN Apogon angustatus
2009 MARIAN Saipan APTR Apolemichthys trimaculatus
2009 MARIAN Saipan APVI Aprion virescens
2009 MARIAN Saipan ARME Arothron meleagris
2009 MARIAN Saipan ARNI Arothron nigropunctatus
2009 MARIAN Saipan ARST Arothron stellatus
2009 MARIAN Saipan ASTA Aspidontus taeniatus
2009 MARIAN Saipan AUCH Aulostomus chinensis
2009 MARIAN Saipan BAUN Balistapus undulatus
2009 MARIAN Saipan BACO Balistoides conspicillum
2009 MARIAN Saipan BAVI Balistoides viridescens
2009 MARIAN Saipan NEED Belonidae sp
2009 MARIAN Saipan BLEN Blenniidae sp
2009 MARIAN Saipan BOAX Bodianus axillaris
2009 MARIAN Saipan CACA Calotomus carolinus
2009 MARIAN Saipan CADU Cantherhines dumerilii
2009 MARIAN Saipan CAPA Cantherhines pardalis
2009 MARIAN Saipan CAAM Canthigaster amboinensis
2009 MARIAN Saipan CACO Canthigaster coronata
2009 MARIAN Saipan CASO Canthigaster solandri
2009 MARIAN Saipan CAFE Carangoides ferdau
2009 MARIAN Saipan CAOR Carangoides orthogrammus
2009 MARIAN Saipan CAME Caranx melampygus
2009 MARIAN Saipan CASP Caranx sp
2009 MARIAN Saipan CEFL Centropyge flavissima
2009 MARIAN Saipan CEHE Centropyge heraldi
2009 MARIAN Saipan CELO Centropyge loricula
2009 MARIAN Saipan CESH Centropyge shepardi
2009 MARIAN Saipan CEAR Cephalopholis argus
2009 MARIAN Saipan CELE Cephalopholis leopardus
2009 MARIAN Saipan CEMI Cephalopholis miniata
2009 MARIAN Saipan CESO Cephalopholis sonnerati
2009 MARIAN Saipan CEUR Cephalopholis urodeta
2009 MARIAN Saipan CHAU Chaetodon auriga
2009 MARIAN Saipan CHCI Chaetodon citrinellus
2009 MARIAN Saipan CHEP Chaetodon ephippium
2009 MARIAN Saipan CHKL Chaetodon kleinii
2009 MARIAN Saipan CHLI Chaetodon lineolatus
2009 MARIAN Saipan CHLU Chaetodon lunula
2009 MARIAN Saipan CHLT Chaetodon lunulatus
2009 MARIAN Saipan CHML Chaetodon melannotus
2009 MARIAN Saipan CHMR Chaetodon mertensii
2009 MARIAN Saipan CHOR Chaetodon ornatissimus
2009 MARIAN Saipan CHPU Chaetodon punctatofasciatus
2009 MARIAN Saipan CHQU Chaetodon quadrimaculatus
2009 MARIAN Saipan CHRE Chaetodon reticulatus
2009 MARIAN Saipan CHTR Chaetodon trifascialis
2009 MARIAN Saipan CHUL Chaetodon ulietensis
2009 MARIAN Saipan CHUN Chaetodon unimaculatus
2009 MARIAN Saipan CHCL Cheilinus chlorourus
2009 MARIAN Saipan CHOX Cheilinus oxycephalus
2009 MARIAN Saipan CHTL Cheilinus trilobatus
2009 MARIAN Saipan CHUD Cheilinus undulatus
2009 MARIAN Saipan CHMD Cheilodipterus macrodon
2009 MARIAN Saipan TURT Chelonia sp
2009 MARIAN Saipan CHFN Chlorurus frontalis
2009 MARIAN Saipan CHMC Chlorurus microrhinos
2009 MARIAN Saipan CHSO Chlorurus sordidus
2009 MARIAN Saipan CHAC Chromis acares
2009 MARIAN Saipan CHAG Chromis agilis
2009 MARIAN Saipan CHAL Chromis alpha
2009 MARIAN Saipan CHAP Chromis atripectoralis
2009 MARIAN Saipan CHMA Chromis margaritifer
2009 MARIAN Saipan CHVA Chromis vanderbilti
2009 MARIAN Saipan CHVR Chromis viridis
2009 MARIAN Saipan CHXA Chromis xanthura
2009 MARIAN Saipan CHBR Chrysiptera brownriggii
2009 MARIAN Saipan CHTY Chrysiptera traceyi
2009 MARIAN Saipan CIKA Cirrhilabrus katherinae
2009 MARIAN Saipan CIFL Cirrhitichthys falco
2009 MARIAN Saipan HAWK Cirrhitidae sp
2009 MARIAN Saipan CIPI Cirrhitus pinnulatus
2009 MARIAN Saipan CIPO Cirripectes polyzona
2009 MARIAN Saipan CISP Cirripectes sp
2009 MARIAN Saipan CIVR Cirripectes variolosus
2009 MARIAN Saipan COAY Coris aygula
2009 MARIAN Saipan COGA Coris gaimard
2009 MARIAN Saipan CTBI Ctenochaetus binotatus
2009 MARIAN Saipan CTCY Ctenochaetus cyanocheilus
2009 MARIAN Saipan CTSR Ctenochaetus striatus
2009 MARIAN Saipan DAAR Dascyllus aruanus
2009 MARIAN Saipan DARE Dascyllus reticulatus
2009 MARIAN Saipan DATR Dascyllus trimaculatus
2009 MARIAN Saipan ECNE Echidna nebulosa
2009 MARIAN Saipan ECBC Ecsenius bicolor
2009 MARIAN Saipan ECMI Ecsenius midas
2009 MARIAN Saipan EPIN Epibulus insidiator
2009 MARIAN Saipan EPFA Epinephelus fasciatus
2009 MARIAN Saipan EPPO Epinephelus polyphekadion
2009 MARIAN Saipan EVSP Eviota sp
2009 MARIAN Saipan EXBR Exallias brevis
2009 MARIAN Saipan FICO Fistularia commersonii
2009 MARIAN Saipan FOFL Forcipiger flavissimus
2009 MARIAN Saipan FOLO Forcipiger longirostris
2009 MARIAN Saipan GNAU Gnathodentex aureolineatus
2009 MARIAN Saipan GOBI Gobiidae sp
2009 MARIAN Saipan GOVA Gomphosus varius
2009 MARIAN Saipan GYJA Gymnothorax javanicus
2009 MARIAN Saipan GYME Gymnothorax meleagris
2009 MARIAN Saipan HABI Halichoeres biocellatus
2009 MARIAN Saipan HAHO Halichoeres hortulanus
2009 MARIAN Saipan HAMT Halichoeres margaritaceus
2009 MARIAN Saipan HAMA Halichoeres marginatus
2009 MARIAN Saipan HAOR Halichoeres ornatissimus
2009 MARIAN Saipan HASP Halichoeres sp
2009 MARIAN Saipan HATR Halichoeres trimaculatus
2009 MARIAN Saipan HEFA Hemigymnus fasciatus
2009 MARIAN Saipan HEME Hemigymnus melapterus
2009 MARIAN Saipan HEPO Hemitaurichthys polylepis
2009 MARIAN Saipan HECH Heniochus chrysostomus
2009 MARIAN Saipan HEMO Heniochus monoceros
2009 MARIAN Saipan HILO Hipposcarus longiceps
2009 MARIAN Saipan HODO Hologymnosus doliatus
2009 MARIAN Saipan ISDE Istigobius decoratus
2009 MARIAN Saipan WRAS Labridae sp
2009 MARIAN Saipan LABI Labroides bicolor
2009 MARIAN Saipan LADI Labroides dimidiatus
2009 MARIAN Saipan LAXA Labropsis xanthonota
2009 MARIAN Saipan LETA Lepidozygus tapeinosoma
2009 MARIAN Saipan LEOB Lethrinus obsoletus
2009 MARIAN Saipan LEXA Lethrinus xanthochilus
2009 MARIAN Saipan LUBO Lutjanus bohar
2009 MARIAN Saipan LUFU Lutjanus fulvus
2009 MARIAN Saipan LUGI Lutjanus gibbus
2009 MARIAN Saipan LUKA Lutjanus kasmira
2009 MARIAN Saipan MAMA Macolor macularis
2009 MARIAN Saipan MANI Macolor niger
2009 MARIAN Saipan MAME Macropharyngodon meleagris
2009 MARIAN Saipan MABR Malacanthus brevirostris
2009 MARIAN Saipan MALA Malacanthus latovittatus
2009 MARIAN Saipan MEAT Meiacanthus atrodorsalis
2009 MARIAN Saipan MEVI Melichthys vidua
2009 MARIAN Saipan FILE Monacanthidae sp
2009 MARIAN Saipan MOGR Monotaxis grandoculis
2009 MARIAN Saipan MUFL Mulloidichthys flavolineatus
2009 MARIAN Saipan MUVA Mulloidichthys vanicolensis
2009 MARIAN Saipan MYSP Myripristinae sp
2009 MARIAN Saipan MYBE Myripristis berndti
2009 MARIAN Saipan MYKU Myripristis kuntee
2009 MARIAN Saipan MYMU Myripristis murdjan
2009 MARIAN Saipan MYVI Myripristis vittata
2009 MARIAN Saipan NABR Naso brevirostris
2009 MARIAN Saipan NAHE Naso hexacanthus
2009 MARIAN Saipan NALI Naso lituratus
2009 MARIAN Saipan NATO Naso tonganus
2009 MARIAN Saipan NAUN Naso unicornis
2009 MARIAN Saipan NAVL Naso vlamingii
2009 MARIAN Saipan NEMA Nemateleotris magnifica
2009 MARIAN Saipan NEAR Neocirrhites armatus
2009 MARIAN Saipan NESA Neoniphon sammara
2009 MARIAN Saipan NOTA Novaculichthys taeniourus
2009 MARIAN Saipan ODNI Odonus niger
2009 MARIAN Saipan OSME Ostracion meleagris
2009 MARIAN Saipan OXUN Oxycheilinus unifasciatus
2009 MARIAN Saipan OXLO Oxymonacanthus longirostris
2009 MARIAN Saipan PAHP Paracanthurus hepatus
2009 MARIAN Saipan PAAR Paracirrhites arcatus
2009 MARIAN Saipan PAFO Paracirrhites forsteri
2009 MARIAN Saipan PAHE Paracirrhites hemistictus
2009 MARIAN Saipan PACL Parapercis clathrata
2009 MARIAN Saipan PAMI Parapercis millepunctata
2009 MARIAN Saipan PACY Parupeneus cyclostomus
2009 MARIAN Saipan PAIN Parupeneus insularis
2009 MARIAN Saipan PAMU Parupeneus multifasciatus
2009 MARIAN Saipan PAPL Parupeneus pleurostigma
2009 MARIAN Saipan PEOU Pempheris oualensis
2009 MARIAN Saipan PLTA Plagiotremus tapeinosoma
2009 MARIAN Saipan PLPI Plectorhinchus picus
2009 MARIAN Saipan PLDI Plectroglyphidodon dickii
2009 MARIAN Saipan PLIM Plectroglyphidodon imparipennis
2009 MARIAN Saipan PLJO Plectroglyphidodon johnstonianus
2009 MARIAN Saipan PLLA Plectroglyphidodon lacrymatus
2009 MARIAN Saipan PLLE Plectroglyphidodon leucozonus
2009 MARIAN Saipan PLPH Plectroglyphidodon phoenixensis
2009 MARIAN Saipan PLAL Plectropomus areolatus
2009 MARIAN Saipan POIM Pomacanthus imperator
2009 MARIAN Saipan POVA Pomacentrus vaiuli
2009 MARIAN Saipan POGU Pomachromis guamensis
2009 MARIAN Saipan PSBI Pseudanthias bicolor
2009 MARIAN Saipan PSPA Pseudanthias pascalus
2009 MARIAN Saipan PSEV Pseudocheilinus evanidus
2009 MARIAN Saipan PSHE Pseudocheilinus hexataenia
2009 MARIAN Saipan PSOC Pseudocheilinus octotaenia
2009 MARIAN Saipan PSTE Pseudocheilinus tetrataenia
2009 MARIAN Saipan PSMO Pseudodax moluccanus
2009 MARIAN Saipan PSCE Pseudojuloides cerasinus
2009 MARIAN Saipan PTEN Pteragogus enneacanthus
2009 MARIAN Saipan PTEV Ptereleotris evides
2009 MARIAN Saipan PTZE Ptereleotris zebra
2009 MARIAN Saipan PTTI Pterocaesio tile
2009 MARIAN Saipan PTVO Pterois volitans
2009 MARIAN Saipan PYDI Pygoplites diacanthus
2009 MARIAN Saipan RHRE Rhinecanthus rectangulus
2009 MARIAN Saipan SACA Sargocentron caudimaculatum
2009 MARIAN Saipan SAMI Sargocentron microstoma
2009 MARIAN Saipan SASP Sargocentron spiniferum
2009 MARIAN Saipan SATI Sargocentron tiere
2009 MARIAN Saipan SCAL Scarus altipinnis
2009 MARIAN Saipan SCFO Scarus forsteni
2009 MARIAN Saipan SCGH Scarus ghobban
2009 MARIAN Saipan SCPS Scarus psittacus
2009 MARIAN Saipan SCRU Scarus rubroviolaceus
2009 MARIAN Saipan SCSC Scarus schlegeli
2009 MARIAN Saipan SCSP Scarus sp
2009 MARIAN Saipan SCLI Scolopsis lineata
2009 MARIAN Saipan SIAR Siganus argenteus
2009 MARIAN Saipan PIPE Solenostomidae/Syngnatidae sp
2009 MARIAN Saipan STFA Stegastes fasciolatus
2009 MARIAN Saipan STNI Stegastes nigricans
2009 MARIAN Saipan STBN Stethojulis bandanensis
2009 MARIAN Saipan STST Stethojulis strigiventer
2009 MARIAN Saipan SUBU Sufflamen bursa
2009 MARIAN Saipan SUCH Sufflamen chrysopterum
2009 MARIAN Saipan LIZA Synodontidae sp
2009 MARIAN Saipan THAM Thalassoma amblycephalum
2009 MARIAN Saipan THHA Thalassoma hardwicke
2009 MARIAN Saipan THLU Thalassoma lutescens
2009 MARIAN Saipan THQU Thalassoma quinquevittatum
2009 MARIAN Saipan THTR Thalassoma trilobatum
2009 MARIAN Saipan TROB Triaenodon obesus
2009 MARIAN Saipan VAST Valenciennea strigata
2009 MARIAN Saipan VAAL Variola albimarginata
2009 MARIAN Saipan VALO Variola louti
2009 MARIAN Saipan XAAU Xanthichthys auromarginatus
2009 MARIAN Saipan ZACO Zanclus cornutus
2009 MARIAN Saipan ZEFL Zebrasoma flavescens
2009 MARIAN Saipan ZEVE Zebrasoma veliferum