Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED), Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
20090508
CRED REA Reef Fish Assessment Survey at Agrihan Island, Marianas Archipelago in 2009
spreadsheet
https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/pacific-islands/ecosystems/coral-reefs-pacific
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, 14 REA sites were surveyed at Agrihan 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.
Part of a long-term monitoring program at biennial intervals which documents the state of the reefs.
Maximum depth was 25 meters.
Fish species observed:
Year Region Island Species TaxonName
2009 MARIAN Agrihan ABSO Abudefduf sordidus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan ABVA Abudefduf vaigiensis
2009 MARIAN Agrihan ACAC Acanthurus achilles
2009 MARIAN Agrihan ACBL Acanthurus blochii
2009 MARIAN Agrihan ACDU Acanthurus dussumieri
2009 MARIAN Agrihan ACGU Acanthurus guttatus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan ACLE Acanthurus leucopareius
2009 MARIAN Agrihan ACLI Acanthurus lineatus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan ACNC Acanthurus nigricans
2009 MARIAN Agrihan ACNI Acanthurus nigricauda
2009 MARIAN Agrihan ACNF Acanthurus nigrofuscus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan ACNR Acanthurus nigroris
2009 MARIAN Agrihan ACNU Acanthurus nubilus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan ACOL Acanthurus olivaceus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan ACPY Acanthurus pyroferus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan ACTH Acanthurus thompsoni
2009 MARIAN Agrihan ACTR Acanthurus triostegus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan ACXA Acanthurus xanthopterus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan AMCH Amphiprion chrysopterus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan AMCL Amphiprion clarkii
2009 MARIAN Agrihan ANCA Anampses caeruleopunctatus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan APFU Aphareus furca
2009 MARIAN Agrihan APAN Apogon angustatus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan APTR Apolemichthys trimaculatus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan APVI Aprion virescens
2009 MARIAN Agrihan ARME Arothron meleagris
2009 MARIAN Agrihan BAUN Balistapus undulatus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan BACO Balistoides conspicillum
2009 MARIAN Agrihan BLEN Blenniidae sp
2009 MARIAN Agrihan BOAN Bodianus anthioides
2009 MARIAN Agrihan BOAX Bodianus axillaris
2009 MARIAN Agrihan BOBI Bodianus bilunulatus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan BOMA Bothus mancus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan CATE Caesio teres
2009 MARIAN Agrihan CACA Calotomus carolinus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan CADU Cantherhines dumerilii
2009 MARIAN Agrihan CAPA Cantherhines pardalis
2009 MARIAN Agrihan CASO Canthigaster solandri
2009 MARIAN Agrihan CAOR Carangoides orthogrammus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan CALU Caranx lugubris
2009 MARIAN Agrihan CAME Caranx melampygus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan CAAB Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos
2009 MARIAN Agrihan CEFI Centropyge fisheri
2009 MARIAN Agrihan CEFL Centropyge flavissima
2009 MARIAN Agrihan CEHE Centropyge heraldi
2009 MARIAN Agrihan CEMU Centropyge multifasciata
2009 MARIAN Agrihan CESH Centropyge shepardi
2009 MARIAN Agrihan CEAR Cephalopholis argus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan CESX Cephalopholis sexmaculata
2009 MARIAN Agrihan CEUR Cephalopholis urodeta
2009 MARIAN Agrihan CHAU Chaetodon auriga
2009 MARIAN Agrihan CHLU Chaetodon lunula
2009 MARIAN Agrihan CHMR Chaetodon mertensii
2009 MARIAN Agrihan CHOR Chaetodon ornatissimus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan CHPU Chaetodon punctatofasciatus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan CHQU Chaetodon quadrimaculatus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan CHRE Chaetodon reticulatus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan CHUL Chaetodon ulietensis
2009 MARIAN Agrihan CHUN Chaetodon unimaculatus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan CHMC Chlorurus microrhinos
2009 MARIAN Agrihan CHAC Chromis acares
2009 MARIAN Agrihan CHAG Chromis agilis
2009 MARIAN Agrihan CHMA Chromis margaritifer
2009 MARIAN Agrihan CHVA Chromis vanderbilti
2009 MARIAN Agrihan CHXA Chromis xanthura
2009 MARIAN Agrihan CHBR Chrysiptera brownriggii
2009 MARIAN Agrihan CIKA Cirrhilabrus katherinae
2009 MARIAN Agrihan CIFL Cirrhitichthys falco
2009 MARIAN Agrihan CIVR Cirripectes variolosus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan COAY Coris aygula
2009 MARIAN Agrihan COGA Coris gaimard
2009 MARIAN Agrihan CTCY Ctenochaetus cyanocheilus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan CTHA Ctenochaetus hawaiiensis
2009 MARIAN Agrihan CTSR Ctenochaetus striatus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan DAAR Dascyllus aruanus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan DARE Dascyllus reticulatus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan ELBI Elagatis bipinnulata
2009 MARIAN Agrihan EPFA Epinephelus fasciatus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan EPHE Epinephelus hexagonatus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan EPML Epinephelus melanostigma
2009 MARIAN Agrihan EPME Epinephelus merra
2009 MARIAN Agrihan EPSO Epinephelus socialis
2009 MARIAN Agrihan EPSP Epinephelus sp
2009 MARIAN Agrihan EXBR Exallias brevis
2009 MARIAN Agrihan FOFL Forcipiger flavissimus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan FOLO Forcipiger longirostris
2009 MARIAN Agrihan GNAU Gnathodentex aureolineatus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan GOVA Gomphosus varius
2009 MARIAN Agrihan GRAL Gracila albomarginata
2009 MARIAN Agrihan GYUC Gymnosarda unicolor
2009 MARIAN Agrihan GYFL Gymnothorax flavimarginatus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan GYME Gymnothorax meleagris
2009 MARIAN Agrihan HAHO Halichoeres hortulanus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan HAMT Halichoeres margaritaceus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan HAMA Halichoeres marginatus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan HAOR Halichoeres ornatissimus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan HEFA Hemigymnus fasciatus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan HOAN Hologymnosus annulatus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan HODO Hologymnosus doliatus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan CHUB Kyphosidae sp
2009 MARIAN Agrihan KYCI Kyphosus cinerascens
2009 MARIAN Agrihan KYPA Kyphosus pacificus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan WRAS Labridae sp
2009 MARIAN Agrihan LABI Labroides bicolor
2009 MARIAN Agrihan LADI Labroides dimidiatus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan LAPE Labroides pectoralis
2009 MARIAN Agrihan LAXA Labropsis xanthonota
2009 MARIAN Agrihan LETA Lepidozygus tapeinosoma
2009 MARIAN Agrihan LEOB Lethrinus obsoletus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan LUBO Lutjanus bohar
2009 MARIAN Agrihan LUGI Lutjanus gibbus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan LUKA Lutjanus kasmira
2009 MARIAN Agrihan LUMO Lutjanus monostigma
2009 MARIAN Agrihan MAMA Macolor macularis
2009 MARIAN Agrihan MANI Macolor niger
2009 MARIAN Agrihan MAME Macropharyngodon meleagris
2009 MARIAN Agrihan MABR Malacanthus brevirostris
2009 MARIAN Agrihan MALA Malacanthus latovittatus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan MENI Melichthys niger
2009 MARIAN Agrihan MEVI Melichthys vidua
2009 MARIAN Agrihan MOGR Monotaxis grandoculis
2009 MARIAN Agrihan MYBE Myripristis berndti
2009 MARIAN Agrihan MYKU Myripristis kuntee
2009 MARIAN Agrihan NABR Naso brevirostris
2009 MARIAN Agrihan NAHE Naso hexacanthus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan NALI Naso lituratus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan NATO Naso tonganus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan NAUN Naso unicornis
2009 MARIAN Agrihan NAVL Naso vlamingii
2009 MARIAN Agrihan NEMA Nemateleotris magnifica
2009 MARIAN Agrihan NEAR Neocirrhites armatus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan NOTA Novaculichthys taeniourus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan ODNI Odonus niger
2009 MARIAN Agrihan OSME Ostracion meleagris
2009 MARIAN Agrihan OXUN Oxycheilinus unifasciatus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan PAHP Paracanthurus hepatus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan PAAR Paracirrhites arcatus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan PAFO Paracirrhites forsteri
2009 MARIAN Agrihan PAHE Paracirrhites hemistictus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan PACL Parapercis clathrata
2009 MARIAN Agrihan PACY Parupeneus cyclostomus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan PAIN Parupeneus insularis
2009 MARIAN Agrihan PAMU Parupeneus multifasciatus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan PEOU Pempheris oualensis
2009 MARIAN Agrihan PLTA Plagiotremus tapeinosoma
2009 MARIAN Agrihan PLDI Plectroglyphidodon dickii
2009 MARIAN Agrihan PLIM Plectroglyphidodon imparipennis
2009 MARIAN Agrihan PLJO Plectroglyphidodon johnstonianus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan PLLA Plectroglyphidodon lacrymatus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan POPU Pogonoperca punctata
2009 MARIAN Agrihan POIM Pomacanthus imperator
2009 MARIAN Agrihan POVA Pomacentrus vaiuli
2009 MARIAN Agrihan POGU Pomachromis guamensis
2009 MARIAN Agrihan PSPA Pseudanthias pascalus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan PSEV Pseudocheilinus evanidus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan PSHE Pseudocheilinus hexataenia
2009 MARIAN Agrihan PSOC Pseudocheilinus octotaenia
2009 MARIAN Agrihan PSTE Pseudocheilinus tetrataenia
2009 MARIAN Agrihan PSMO Pseudodax moluccanus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan PSAT Pseudojuloides atavai
2009 MARIAN Agrihan PTHE Ptereleotris heteroptera
2009 MARIAN Agrihan PTTI Pterocaesio tile
2009 MARIAN Agrihan PTAN Pterois antennata
2009 MARIAN Agrihan PYDI Pygoplites diacanthus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan RHRE Rhinecanthus rectangulus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan SACA Sargocentron caudimaculatum
2009 MARIAN Agrihan SASP Sargocentron spiniferum
2009 MARIAN Agrihan SATI Sargocentron tiere
2009 MARIAN Agrihan PARR Scaridae sp
2009 MARIAN Agrihan SCFO Scarus forsteni
2009 MARIAN Agrihan SCRU Scarus rubroviolaceus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan STFA Stegastes fasciolatus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan STBN Stethojulis bandanensis
2009 MARIAN Agrihan SUBU Sufflamen bursa
2009 MARIAN Agrihan SUCH Sufflamen chrysopterum
2009 MARIAN Agrihan THAM Thalassoma amblycephalum
2009 MARIAN Agrihan THLU Thalassoma lutescens
2009 MARIAN Agrihan THQU Thalassoma quinquevittatum
2009 MARIAN Agrihan TROB Triaenodon obesus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan VAST Valenciennea strigata
2009 MARIAN Agrihan VALO Variola louti
2009 MARIAN Agrihan ZACO Zanclus cornutus
2009 MARIAN Agrihan ZEFL Zebrasoma flavescens
20090502
20090503
Ground condition
asNeeded
145.625762
145.705743
18.823275
18.716814
NCEI Geoportal FilterCoRIS_MetadataCRCP ProjectPacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program (Pacific RAMP): Biennial monitoring for the U.S. Pacific Islands and Atolls1221
None
Marine Ecosystem
Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program (RAMP)
Rapid Ecological Assessments (REA)
Coral Reef
Reef Fishes
Belt Transect (BLT) Survey
Stationary Point Count (SPC )Surveys
Roving-diver surveys
Marianas Archipelago
Agrihan Island
HI0903
CoRIS Discovery Thesaurus
Numeric Data Sets > Biology
CoRIS Theme Thesaurus
EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs
EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral reef ecology
EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef monitoring and assessment
EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef monitoring and assessment > Rapid assessment studies
EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef monitoring and assessment > Reef fish census
EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef monitoring and assessment > Reef fish census > Stationary
EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef monitoring and assessment > Reef fish census > Random swimming
EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef monitoring and assessment > Reef fish census > Belt transect
ISO 19115 Topic Category
biota
002
None
Marianas Archipelago
Agrihan Island
CoRIS Place Thesaurus
OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Western Pacific Ocean > Agrihan Island > Agrihan Island (18N145E0002)
COUNTRY/TERRITORY > Northern Mariana Islands > Agrihan Island > Agrihan Island (18N145E0002)
CoRIS Region
CNMI
Data are available two years following data collection date.
Please cite CRED when using the data. Coral Reef Ecosystem Division, Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED), Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Ivor Williams
mailing and physical address
NOAA IRC
NMFS/PIFSC/CRED
1845 WASP Blvd., Building 176
Honolulu
HI
96818
USA
808 725-5360
808 725-5429
nmfs.pic.credinfo@noaa.gov
e-mail preferred
"Robert Schroeder, Marc Nadon, Paula Ayotte, Valerie Brown, Marie Ferguson", Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED), Pacific Islands Fisheries Sciences Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA
Not applicable
Unclassified
Not applicable
Oracle
Observations at each site were made by three divers who are experts in fish taxonomy. The team of three REA fish divers rotated roles with two divers performing belt-transect surveys and one diver performing stationary point counts at each survey site. Observations were periodically checked during the expedition for consistency between divers, and little discrepancy was ever noted between divers. It should be noted, however, that this data set is quite large, and probably includes typographical or other errors that might be discovered at a future date.
The same methods of data collection were used at each of the sites surveyed at this location, and were conducted by the same scientists. Periodic examination of the data through the duration of the trip showed no signs of diver bias or other discrepancies.
The survey sites were selected to be representative of the coral reef habitats at this reef system. Efforts were made to include broad spatial coverage of the reef area, but weather conditions or other environmental constraints may have precluded the team from surveying windward or exposed sites.
GPS unit
1
Instrument parameters
Dive computer and SCUBA depth gauge
0.3
Instrument parameters
REA surveys are investigations that provide a high degree of taxonomic resolution for coral, algae, other macroinvertebrate, and reef fish communities. The surveys were conducted using a combination of dive teams which generally included a two to three person fish team, a two person coral/coral disease team, and a combined team of two algae biologists and one macroinvertebrate biologist. The majority of REA surveys were conducted along the forereef slopes of individual islands at depths between 10 and 20 m. However, additional surveyed habitats included a lagoonal-type patch reef and offshore oceanic banks.
During REA surveys, biological assessment teams follow highly structured protocols that are repeated at each REA site. Upon arrival at an REA site, three teams of divers enter the water over spaced time intervals. The fish team firstly enters the water and deploys a 25-m transect line. Two of the fish divers begin to survey along that transect while the remaining fish diver begins stationary point count assessments in the general vicinity. After approximately 20 min, the coral team enters the water and begins to work along the first transect line. By this time the fish team has deployed and begun surveys along a second 25-m transect. About 10 min later, the algal/invertebrate team enters the water and begins surveying the first transect. In total, the fish team surveys three transects at each site (transects 1, 2, and 3), and the coral and algal/invertebrate teams survey transects 1 and 2. The sampling effort takes between 60 and 80 min to complete.
The selection of REA sites was made in close consultation with Coral Reef Advisory Group (CRAG) and local agencies. Factors considered during REA site selection included: (1) ensuring a range of sample sites representative of the benthic and reef fish habitats around each island; (2) selecting a mixture of sites within and outside of marine protected areas; (3) selecting a mixture of both 'impacted' and 'least impacted' sites; (4) selecting some sites adjacent to local villages, and (5) selecting a number of sites that could be compared to and complement previous assessment and monitoring work as well as future coral reef monitoring proposed by CRAG and local agencies. It is important to note that access to REA sites can be limited by wave exposure, weather conditions, and other environmental factors such as currents, which can affect the ability to resurvey sites between years.
Transect placement was guided by: (1) a focus on hard-bottom communities; (2) deploying lines along an isobath to the extent possible at each site, and (3) laying the transect lines into the prevailing current.
Unknown
0.0001
0.0001
Decimal Degrees
World Geodetic System 1984 (WGS84)
Geodetic Reference System 80 (GRS80)
6378137
298.2572236
Local surface
1
meters
Explicit Depth Coordinate Included with Horizontal Coordinates
Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED), Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
CRED Data Management Team
mailing and physical address
NOAA IRC
NMFS/PIFSC/CRED
1845 WASP Blvd., Building 176
Honolulu
HI
96818
USA
808 725-5360
808 725-5429
nmfs.pic.credinfo@noaa.gov
e-mail preferred
Offline Data
While every effort has been made to ensure that these data are accurate and reliable within the limits of the current state of the art, NOAA cannot assume liability for any damages caused by errors or omissions in the data, nor as a result of the failure of the data to function on a particular system. NOAA makes no warranty, expressed or implied, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty.
XLS (Microsoft Excel worksheet)
CDROM, or email
ISO 9660
None if receiving the data online
Contact CRED data management team for information
Contact CRED data management team for information
20190526
20090914
Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED), Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
mailing and physical address
NOAA IRC
NMFS/PIFSC/CRED
1845 WASP Blvd., Building 176
Honolulu
HI
96818
USA
808 725-5360
808 725-5429
nmfs.pic.credinfo@noaa.gov
e-mail preferred
the Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata
FGDC-STD-001-1998
20090914025603
None
20090502
20090503
https://www.coris.noaa.gov/metadata/records/html/cred_rea_fish_agrihan_island_2009.html
2894