Title:
CRED REA Reef Fish Assessment Survey at Farallon De Pajaros 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 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, 7 REA sites were surveyed at Farallon De Pajaros 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 23 meters.
Fish species observed:
Year Region Island Species TaxonName
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros ABSO Abudefduf sordidus
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros ABVA Abudefduf vaigiensis
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros ACAC Acanthurus achilles
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros ACBL Acanthurus blochii
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros ACGU Acanthurus guttatus
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros ACLE Acanthurus leucopareius
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros ACLI Acanthurus lineatus
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros ACNC Acanthurus nigricans
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros ACNI Acanthurus nigricauda
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros ACNF Acanthurus nigrofuscus
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros ACNU Acanthurus nubilus
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros ACOL Acanthurus olivaceus
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros ACPY Acanthurus pyroferus
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros ACTH Acanthurus thompsoni
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros ACXA Acanthurus xanthopterus
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros CARD Apogonidae sp
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros APTR Apolemichthys trimaculatus
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros APVI Aprion virescens
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros ARME Arothron meleagris
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros BAUN Balistapus undulatus
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros BLEN Blenniidae sp
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros BOAX Bodianus axillaris
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros BOBI Bodianus bilunulatus
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros CATE Caesio teres
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros CADU Cantherhines dumerilii
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros CAAM Canthigaster amboinensis
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros CAMC Caracanthus maculatus
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros CAOR Carangoides orthogrammus
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros CALU Caranx lugubris
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros CAME Caranx melampygus
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros CAAB Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros CEFL Centropyge flavissima
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros CEVR Centropyge vrolikii
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros CEAR Cephalopholis argus
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros CESO Cephalopholis sonnerati
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros CEUR Cephalopholis urodeta
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros CHAU Chaetodon auriga
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros CHFL Chaetodon flavocoronatus
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros CHLU Chaetodon lunula
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros CHMR Chaetodon mertensii
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros CHOR Chaetodon ornatissimus
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros CHPU Chaetodon punctatofasciatus
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros CHQU Chaetodon quadrimaculatus
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros CHRE Chaetodon reticulatus
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros CHTR Chaetodon trifascialis
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros CHMC Chlorurus microrhinos
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros CHAC Chromis acares
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros CHAG Chromis agilis
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros CHMA Chromis margaritifer
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros CHVA Chromis vanderbilti
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros CHVR Chromis viridis
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros CHXA Chromis xanthura
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros CIKA Cirrhilabrus katherinae
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros CIFL Cirrhitichthys falco
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros CIVR Cirripectes variolosus
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros COAY Coris aygula
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros COGA Coris gaimard
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros CTCY Ctenochaetus cyanocheilus
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros CTHA Ctenochaetus hawaiiensis
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros CTSR Ctenochaetus striatus
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros DAAR Dascyllus aruanus
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros DARE Dascyllus reticulatus
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros DATR Dascyllus trimaculatus
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros DIHY Diodon hystrix
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros EPFA Epinephelus fasciatus
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros EPMA Epinephelus maculatus
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros EPSO Epinephelus socialis
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros EPTA Epinephelus tauvina
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros FOFL Forcipiger flavissimus
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros FOLO Forcipiger longirostris
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros GNAU Gnathodentex aureolineatus
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros GYUC Gymnosarda unicolor
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros GYUN Gymnothorax undulatus
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros HAHO Halichoeres hortulanus
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros HAMT Halichoeres margaritaceus
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros HAOR Halichoeres ornatissimus
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros HETH Hemitaurichthys thompsoni
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros HODO Hologymnosus doliatus
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros INPA Iniistius pavo
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros CHUB Kyphosidae sp
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros KYPA Kyphosus pacificus
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros WRAS Labridae sp
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros LADI Labroides dimidiatus
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros LAXA Labropsis xanthonota
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros LUBO Lutjanus bohar
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros LUFU Lutjanus fulvus
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros LUGI Lutjanus gibbus
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros LUKA Lutjanus kasmira
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros MAMA Macolor macularis
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros MENI Melichthys niger
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros MEVI Melichthys vidua
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros MOGR Monotaxis grandoculis
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros MUVA Mulloidichthys vanicolensis
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros MYBE Myripristis berndti
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros MYVI Myripristis vittata
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros NAAN Naso annulatus
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros NACA Naso caesius
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros NAHE Naso hexacanthus
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros NALI Naso lituratus
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros NAUN Naso unicornis
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros NAVL Naso vlamingii
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros NEMA Nemateleotris magnifica
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros NEAR Neocirrhites armatus
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros ODNI Odonus niger
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros OXUN Oxycheilinus unifasciatus
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros PAAR Paracirrhites arcatus
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros PAFO Paracirrhites forsteri
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros PAHE Paracirrhites hemistictus
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros PACY Parupeneus cyclostomus
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros PAIN Parupeneus insularis
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros PAMU Parupeneus multifasciatus
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros PEOU Pempheris oualensis
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros PLOR Platax orbicularis
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros PLTE Platax teira
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros PLDI Plectroglyphidodon dickii
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros PLJO Plectroglyphidodon johnstonianus
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros POGU Pomachromis guamensis
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros PSCO Pseudanthias cooperi
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros PSPA Pseudanthias pascalus
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros PSFL Pseudobalistes flavimarginatus
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros PSHE Pseudocheilinus hexataenia
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros PSOC Pseudocheilinus octotaenia
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros PSTE Pseudocheilinus tetrataenia
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros PSAT Pseudojuloides atavai
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros PTHE Ptereleotris heteroptera
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros SATI Sargocentron tiere
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros SCAL Scarus altipinnis
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros SCFO Scarus forsteni
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros SCRU Scarus rubroviolaceus
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros SPBA Sphyraena barracuda
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros STFA Stegastes fasciolatus
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros SUBU Sufflamen bursa
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros SUCH Sufflamen chrysopterum
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros LIZA Synodontidae sp
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros THAM Thalassoma amblycephalum
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros THLU Thalassoma lutescens
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros THPU Thalassoma purpureum
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros THQU Thalassoma quinquevittatum
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros THTR Thalassoma trilobatum
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros TYCR Tylosurus crocodilus
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros VAST Valenciennea strigata
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros VALO Variola louti
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros XAAU Xanthichthys auromarginatus
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros XACA Xanthichthys caeruleolineatus
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros ZACO Zanclus cornutus
2009 MARIAN Farallon de Pajaros ZEFL Zebrasoma flavescens