Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED), Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
20101115
CRED REA Reef Fish Assessment Survey at Molokai Island, Main Hawaiian Islands in 2008
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 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 Molokai 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.
Part of a long-term monitoring program at biennial intervals which documents the state of the reefs.
Maximum depth was 24 meters.
Fish species observed:
Year Region Island Species TaxonName
2008 MHI Molokai ABAB Abudefduf abdominalis
2008 MHI Molokai ABSO Abudefduf sordidus
2008 MHI Molokai ABVA Abudefduf vaigiensis
2008 MHI Molokai ACAC Acanthurus achilles
2008 MHI Molokai ACBL Acanthurus blochii
2008 MHI Molokai ACDU Acanthurus dussumieri
2008 MHI Molokai ACGU Acanthurus guttatus
2008 MHI Molokai ACLE Acanthurus leucopareius
2008 MHI Molokai ACNC Acanthurus nigricans
2008 MHI Molokai ACNF Acanthurus nigrofuscus
2008 MHI Molokai ACNR Acanthurus nigroris
2008 MHI Molokai ACOL Acanthurus olivaceus
2008 MHI Molokai ACSP Acanthurus sp
2008 MHI Molokai ACTR Acanthurus triostegus
2008 MHI Molokai ANCH Anampses chrysocephalus
2008 MHI Molokai ANCU Anampses cuvier
2008 MHI Molokai APKA Apogon kallopterus
2008 MHI Molokai APAR Apolemichthys arcuatus
2008 MHI Molokai APVI Aprion virescens
2008 MHI Molokai ARME Arothron meleagris
2008 MHI Molokai AUCH Aulostomus chinensis
2008 MHI Molokai BOBI Bodianus bilunulatus
2008 MHI Molokai CACA Calotomus carolinus
2008 MHI Molokai CASA Cantherhines sandwichiensis
2008 MHI Molokai CAAM Canthigaster amboinensis
2008 MHI Molokai CACO Canthigaster coronata
2008 MHI Molokai CAJA Canthigaster jactator
2008 MHI Molokai CAOR Carangoides orthogrammus
2008 MHI Molokai CAIG Caranx ignobilis
2008 MHI Molokai CAME Caranx melampygus
2008 MHI Molokai CEPO Centropyge potteri
2008 MHI Molokai CEAR Cephalopholis argus
2008 MHI Molokai CHAU Chaetodon auriga
2008 MHI Molokai CHFR Chaetodon fremblii
2008 MHI Molokai CHKL Chaetodon kleinii
2008 MHI Molokai CHLU Chaetodon lunula
2008 MHI Molokai CHMI Chaetodon miliaris
2008 MHI Molokai CHMU Chaetodon multicinctus
2008 MHI Molokai CHOR Chaetodon ornatissimus
2008 MHI Molokai CHQU Chaetodon quadrimaculatus
2008 MHI Molokai CHUN Chaetodon unimaculatus
2008 MHI Molokai CHIN Cheilio inermis
2008 MHI Molokai CHPE Chlorurus perspicillatus
2008 MHI Molokai CHSO Chlorurus sordidus
2008 MHI Molokai CHAG Chromis agilis
2008 MHI Molokai CHHA Chromis hanui
2008 MHI Molokai CHOV Chromis ovalis
2008 MHI Molokai CHVA Chromis vanderbilti
2008 MHI Molokai CHVE Chromis verater
2008 MHI Molokai CIFA Cirrhitops fasciatus
2008 MHI Molokai CIPI Cirrhitus pinnulatus
2008 MHI Molokai CIVA Cirripectes vanderbilti
2008 MHI Molokai COFL Coris flavovittata
2008 MHI Molokai COGA Coris gaimard
2008 MHI Molokai COVE Coris venusta
2008 MHI Molokai CTST Ctenochaetus strigosus
2008 MHI Molokai DAAL Dascyllus albisella
2008 MHI Molokai DEMA Decapterus macarellus
2008 MHI Molokai DIHY Diodon hystrix
2008 MHI Molokai FICO Fistularia commersonii
2008 MHI Molokai FOFL Forcipiger flavissimus
2008 MHI Molokai FOLO Forcipiger longirostris
2008 MHI Molokai GOVA Gomphosus varius
2008 MHI Molokai GYEU Gymnothorax eurostus
2008 MHI Molokai GYFL Gymnothorax flavimarginatus
2008 MHI Molokai GYME Gymnothorax meleagris
2008 MHI Molokai HAOR Halichoeres ornatissimus
2008 MHI Molokai HEDI Heniochus diphreutes
2008 MHI Molokai CHUB Kyphosidae sp
2008 MHI Molokai KYCI Kyphosus cinerascens
2008 MHI Molokai KYVA Kyphosus vaigiensis
2008 MHI Molokai LAPH Labroides phthirophagus
2008 MHI Molokai LUFU Lutjanus fulvus
2008 MHI Molokai LUKA Lutjanus kasmira
2008 MHI Molokai MAGE Macropharyngodon geoffroy
2008 MHI Molokai MABR Malacanthus brevirostris
2008 MHI Molokai MENI Melichthys niger
2008 MHI Molokai MEVI Melichthys vidua
2008 MHI Molokai MOGR Monotaxis grandoculis
2008 MHI Molokai MUFL Mulloidichthys flavolineatus
2008 MHI Molokai MUVA Mulloidichthys vanicolensis
2008 MHI Molokai MYBE Myripristis berndti
2008 MHI Molokai NABR Naso brevirostris
2008 MHI Molokai NAHE Naso hexacanthus
2008 MHI Molokai NALI Naso lituratus
2008 MHI Molokai NASP Naso sp
2008 MHI Molokai NAUN Naso unicornis
2008 MHI Molokai NONE no individuals seen
2008 MHI Molokai OPPU Oplegnathus punctatus
2008 MHI Molokai OSME Ostracion meleagris
2008 MHI Molokai OXBI Oxycheilinus bimaculatus
2008 MHI Molokai OXUN Oxycheilinus unifasciatus
2008 MHI Molokai PAAR Paracirrhites arcatus
2008 MHI Molokai PAFO Paracirrhites forsteri
2008 MHI Molokai PACY Parupeneus cyclostomus
2008 MHI Molokai PAIN Parupeneus insularis
2008 MHI Molokai PAMU Parupeneus multifasciatus
2008 MHI Molokai PAPL Parupeneus pleurostigma
2008 MHI Molokai PAPO Parupeneus porphyreus
2008 MHI Molokai PLEW Plagiotremus ewaensis
2008 MHI Molokai PLGO Plagiotremus goslinei
2008 MHI Molokai PLIM Plectroglyphidodon imparipennis
2008 MHI Molokai PLJO Plectroglyphidodon johnstonianus
2008 MHI Molokai PRME Priacanthus meeki
2008 MHI Molokai PSBI Pseudanthias bicolor
2008 MHI Molokai PSEV Pseudocheilinus evanidus
2008 MHI Molokai PSOC Pseudocheilinus octotaenia
2008 MHI Molokai PSTE Pseudocheilinus tetrataenia
2008 MHI Molokai PSCE Pseudojuloides cerasinus
2008 MHI Molokai PTHE Ptereleotris heteroptera
2008 MHI Molokai PTSP Pterois sphex
2008 MHI Molokai RHAC Rhinecanthus aculeatus
2008 MHI Molokai RHRE Rhinecanthus rectangulus
2008 MHI Molokai SADI Sargocentron diadema
2008 MHI Molokai SAXA Sargocentron xantherythrum
2008 MHI Molokai PARR Scaridae sp
2008 MHI Molokai SCDU Scarus dubius
2008 MHI Molokai SCPS Scarus psittacus
2008 MHI Molokai SCRU Scarus rubroviolaceus
2008 MHI Molokai SCSP Scarus sp
2008 MHI Molokai SEDU Seriola dumerili
2008 MHI Molokai STFA Stegastes fasciolatus
2008 MHI Molokai STBA Stethojulis balteata
2008 MHI Molokai SUBU Sufflamen bursa
2008 MHI Molokai SUFR Sufflamen fraenatum
2008 MHI Molokai LIZA Synodontidae sp
2008 MHI Molokai SYVA Synodus variegatus
2008 MHI Molokai THBA Thalassoma ballieui
2008 MHI Molokai THDU Thalassoma duperrey
2008 MHI Molokai THTR Thalassoma trilobatum
2008 MHI Molokai XAAU Xanthichthys auromarginatus
2008 MHI Molokai ZACO Zanclus cornutus
20081021
20081024
Ground condition
asNeeded
-157.310857
-156.70983
21.224173
21.046002
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
Main Hawaiian Islands
Molokai Island
OES0810
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
Main Hawaiian Islands
Molokai Island
CoRIS Place Thesaurus
OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Hawaiian Islands > Molokai Island > Molokai Island (21N157W0001)
COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Hawaii > Molokai Island (21N157W0001)
CoRIS Region
MHI
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
"Marc Nadon, Kostantinos Stamoulis, Marie Ferguson, Kevin O'Brien", 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
20090914042507
None
20081021
20081024
https://www.coris.noaa.gov/metadata/records/html/cred_rea_fish_molokai_island_2008.html
2909