Jill Zamzow

2015

Purpose/Need: The Hawaii Division of Aquatic Resources (HDAR) has numerous in-water monitoring programs which generate a wealth of information critical to the effective management of Hawaii’s coral reefs. The data collected by staff of the Division of Aquatic Resources are used to inform management decisions including spatial planning for marine protected areas, establishment or modification of sport fishing regulations, and regulation of the aquarium fish collection trade. What HDAR lacks is the requisite expertise to synthesize and analyze these data and to generate graphics and statistics for use in management decision making and for public outreach. For example, in the past year, the CRED has provided hundreds of synthesized datasets, graphics, and statistical analyses that were used in public presentations by HDAR staff. HDAR outreach efforts aimed at building public support for improved coral reef management are greatly strengthened by inclusion of robust and timely local data from HDAR’s research and monitoring programs. Research/Project Objectives: This project would allow CRED to continue to provide the technical data analysis support that HDAR is lacking. CRED personnel have experience with the survey methods used by HDAR and considerable knowledge of appropriate methods of rigorous data synthesis and analysis. Issues and/or problems addressed: The issues addressed by HDAR managers include establishment or modification of sport fishing regulations, assessing the efficacy of current Marine Protected Areas, and regulation of the aquarium fish collection trade. HDAR’s overarching goal is to effectively protect, manage, conserve and restore Hawaii’s coral reefs. What is needed to achieve this goal is someone to provide the link between raw data generated by HDAR staff, and synthesized information products and analyses for use by HDAR managers and biologists. CRED is well positioned to provide this critical link. Data are useless if they are not appropriately synthesized and analyzed, and HDAR currently lacks the personnel depth necessary to achieve this. Other affiliated projects (dependent or leveraged projects): This project would benefit numerous research and monitoring projects overseen by HDAR biologists and managers. Methods: This project provides support for CRED staff to compile and quality control HDAR databases, and to synthesize and analyze the data therein, using standard software packages and analytical techniques already employed by CRED on CRED data. This project builds on the current CRED-HDAR partnership by providing continuity of data support and perpetuating the collaborative research currently underway between CRED and HDAR. Project partners: State of Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Aquatic Resources/ Sparks, Walsh

The expected outcome of this project will be that HDAR biologists have relevant, up to date information and graphics to inform their management, and for use in public presentations and documents, which will help them in their mission to protect, manage, conserve and restore Hawaii’s coral reefs.

• Hawaii

Fishing

Closed

Completed

https://www.coris.noaa.gov/search/rest/find/document?searchText=projectNumber%3A379%20OR%20projectTitle%3A"Data%20analysis%20support%20for%20the%20Hawaii%20Division%20of%20Aquatic%20Resources"&start=1&max=10&f=searchPage