Title:
CRED REA Reef Fish Assessment Survey at Kingman Reef, Pacific Remote Island Areas in 2008
Abstract:
To support a long-term NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) for sustainable management and conservation of coral reef ecosystems, from 21 March - 12 April 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 HI0803 in the Pacific Remote Island Areas 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 Kingman Reef in the Pacific Remote Island Areas.
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 22 meters.
Fish species observed:
Year Region Island Species TaxonName
2008 PRIAs Kingman ACAC Acanthurus achilles
2008 PRIAs Kingman ACBL Acanthurus blochii
2008 PRIAs Kingman ACLI Acanthurus lineatus
2008 PRIAs Kingman ACMA Acanthurus maculiceps
2008 PRIAs Kingman ACMT Acanthurus mata
2008 PRIAs Kingman ACNC Acanthurus nigricans
2008 PRIAs Kingman ACNI Acanthurus nigricauda
2008 PRIAs Kingman ACNF Acanthurus nigrofuscus
2008 PRIAs Kingman ACNR Acanthurus nigroris
2008 PRIAs Kingman ACOL Acanthurus olivaceus
2008 PRIAs Kingman ACPY Acanthurus pyroferus
2008 PRIAs Kingman ACSP Acanthurus sp
2008 PRIAs Kingman ACTH Acanthurus thompsoni
2008 PRIAs Kingman ACTR Acanthurus triostegus
2008 PRIAs Kingman ALSC Aluterus scriptus
2008 PRIAs Kingman ANME Anampses melanurus
2008 PRIAs Kingman ANTW Anampses twistii
2008 PRIAs Kingman APFU Aphareus furca
2008 PRIAs Kingman APGR Apolemichthys griffisi
2008 PRIAs Kingman APXA Apolemichthys xanthopunctatus
2008 PRIAs Kingman AUCH Aulostomus chinensis
2008 PRIAs Kingman BAUN Balistapus undulatus
2008 PRIAs Kingman BOAX Bodianus axillaris
2008 PRIAs Kingman BOLO Bodianus loxozonus
2008 PRIAs Kingman CACE Caesio caerulaurea
2008 PRIAs Kingman CATE Caesio teres
2008 PRIAs Kingman CACA Calotomus carolinus
2008 PRIAs Kingman CADU Cantherhines dumerilii
2008 PRIAs Kingman CAAM Canthigaster amboinensis
2008 PRIAs Kingman JACK Carangidae sp
2008 PRIAs Kingman CAME Caranx melampygus
2008 PRIAs Kingman CAAB Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos
2008 PRIAs Kingman CEFL Centropyge flavissima
2008 PRIAs Kingman CELO Centropyge loricula
2008 PRIAs Kingman CEAR Cephalopholis argus
2008 PRIAs Kingman CEUR Cephalopholis urodeta
2008 PRIAs Kingman CHAU Chaetodon auriga
2008 PRIAs Kingman CHCI Chaetodon citrinellus
2008 PRIAs Kingman CHEP Chaetodon ephippium
2008 PRIAs Kingman CHKL Chaetodon kleinii
2008 PRIAs Kingman CHLT Chaetodon lunulatus
2008 PRIAs Kingman CHME Chaetodon meyeri
2008 PRIAs Kingman CHOR Chaetodon ornatissimus
2008 PRIAs Kingman CHPW Chaetodon pelewensis
2008 PRIAs Kingman CHPU Chaetodon punctatofasciatus
2008 PRIAs Kingman CHQU Chaetodon quadrimaculatus
2008 PRIAs Kingman CHRE Chaetodon reticulatus
2008 PRIAs Kingman CHTR Chaetodon trifascialis
2008 PRIAs Kingman CHUL Chaetodon ulietensis
2008 PRIAs Kingman CHUN Chaetodon unimaculatus
2008 PRIAs Kingman CHOX Cheilinus oxycephalus
2008 PRIAs Kingman CHTL Cheilinus trilobatus
2008 PRIAs Kingman CHMC Chlorurus microrhinos
2008 PRIAs Kingman CHSO Chlorurus sordidus
2008 PRIAs Kingman CHAC Chromis acares
2008 PRIAs Kingman CHAG Chromis agilis
2008 PRIAs Kingman CHLE Chromis lepidolepis
2008 PRIAs Kingman CHMA Chromis margaritifer
2008 PRIAs Kingman CHVA Chromis vanderbilti
2008 PRIAs Kingman CHXA Chromis xanthura
2008 PRIAs Kingman CIEX Cirrhilabrus exquisitus
2008 PRIAs Kingman CIOX Cirrhitichthys oxycephalus
2008 PRIAs Kingman CIFA Cirrhitops fasciatus
2008 PRIAs Kingman CIVA Cirripectes vanderbilti
2008 PRIAs Kingman CIVR Cirripectes variolosus
2008 PRIAs Kingman COAY Coris aygula
2008 PRIAs Kingman COCE Coris centralis
2008 PRIAs Kingman COGA Coris gaimard
2008 PRIAs Kingman CTCY Ctenochaetus cyanocheilus
2008 PRIAs Kingman CTFL Ctenochaetus flavicauda
2008 PRIAs Kingman CTHA Ctenochaetus hawaiiensis
2008 PRIAs Kingman CTMA Ctenochaetus marginatus
2008 PRIAs Kingman CTSP Ctenochaetus sp
2008 PRIAs Kingman CTSR Ctenochaetus striatus
2008 PRIAs Kingman DAAR Dascyllus aruanus
2008 PRIAs Kingman DAAU Dascyllus auripinnis
2008 PRIAs Kingman DATR Dascyllus trimaculatus
2008 PRIAs Kingman EPIN Epibulus insidiator
2008 PRIAs Kingman EPFA Epinephelus fasciatus
2008 PRIAs Kingman EPHE Epinephelus hexagonatus
2008 PRIAs Kingman EPML Epinephelus melanostigma
2008 PRIAs Kingman EPME Epinephelus merra
2008 PRIAs Kingman EPPO Epinephelus polyphekadion
2008 PRIAs Kingman EPSL Epinephelus spilotoceps
2008 PRIAs Kingman EPTA Epinephelus tauvina
2008 PRIAs Kingman FICO Fistularia commersonii
2008 PRIAs Kingman FOFL Forcipiger flavissimus
2008 PRIAs Kingman GOVA Gomphosus varius
2008 PRIAs Kingman GYJA Gymnothorax javanicus
2008 PRIAs Kingman GYME Gymnothorax meleagris
2008 PRIAs Kingman HAHO Halichoeres hortulanus
2008 PRIAs Kingman HAME Halichoeres melasmapomus
2008 PRIAs Kingman HAOR Halichoeres ornatissimus
2008 PRIAs Kingman HEFA Hemigymnus fasciatus
2008 PRIAs Kingman HETH Hemitaurichthys thompsoni
2008 PRIAs Kingman HECR Heteropriacanthus cruentatus
2008 PRIAs Kingman CHUB Kyphosidae sp
2008 PRIAs Kingman LAUN Labrichthys unilineatus
2008 PRIAs Kingman WRAS Labridae sp
2008 PRIAs Kingman LABI Labroides bicolor
2008 PRIAs Kingman LADI Labroides dimidiatus
2008 PRIAs Kingman LARU Labroides rubrolabiatus
2008 PRIAs Kingman LAAU Labropsis australis
2008 PRIAs Kingman LAXA Labropsis xanthonota
2008 PRIAs Kingman LEXA Lethrinus xanthochilus
2008 PRIAs Kingman LUBO Lutjanus bohar
2008 PRIAs Kingman LUFU Lutjanus fulvus
2008 PRIAs Kingman LUGI Lutjanus gibbus
2008 PRIAs Kingman MAME Macropharyngodon meleagris
2008 PRIAs Kingman MABI Manta birostris
2008 PRIAs Kingman MENI Melichthys niger
2008 PRIAs Kingman MEVI Melichthys vidua
2008 PRIAs Kingman MOGR Monotaxis grandoculis
2008 PRIAs Kingman MUFL Mulloidichthys flavolineatus
2008 PRIAs Kingman MUMI Mulloidichthys mimicus
2008 PRIAs Kingman MUVA Mulloidichthys vanicolensis
2008 PRIAs Kingman MYAM Myripristis amaena
2008 PRIAs Kingman MYBE Myripristis berndti
2008 PRIAs Kingman MYKU Myripristis kuntee
2008 PRIAs Kingman NABR Naso brevirostris
2008 PRIAs Kingman NAHE Naso hexacanthus
2008 PRIAs Kingman NALI Naso lituratus
2008 PRIAs Kingman NAUN Naso unicornis
2008 PRIAs Kingman NAVL Naso vlamingii
2008 PRIAs Kingman NONE no individuals seen
2008 PRIAs Kingman NOTA Novaculichthys taeniourus
2008 PRIAs Kingman OSME Ostracion meleagris
2008 PRIAs Kingman OXDI Oxycheilinus digramma
2008 PRIAs Kingman OXUN Oxycheilinus unifasciatus
2008 PRIAs Kingman PAAR Paracirrhites arcatus
2008 PRIAs Kingman PAFO Paracirrhites forsteri
2008 PRIAs Kingman PAHE Paracirrhites hemistictus
2008 PRIAs Kingman PACY Parupeneus cyclostomus
2008 PRIAs Kingman PAIN Parupeneus insularis
2008 PRIAs Kingman PAMU Parupeneus multifasciatus
2008 PRIAs Kingman PEOU Pempheris oualensis
2008 PRIAs Kingman PEMA Pervagor marginalis
2008 PRIAs Kingman SAND Pinguipedidae sp
2008 PRIAs Kingman PLTA Plagiotremus tapeinosoma
2008 PRIAs Kingman PLDI Plectroglyphidodon dickii
2008 PRIAs Kingman PLIM Plectroglyphidodon imparipennis
2008 PRIAs Kingman PLJO Plectroglyphidodon johnstonianus
2008 PRIAs Kingman PLPH Plectroglyphidodon phoenixensis
2008 PRIAs Kingman POCO Pomacentrus coelestis
2008 PRIAs Kingman PSOL Pseudanthias olivaceus
2008 PRIAs Kingman PSEV Pseudocheilinus evanidus
2008 PRIAs Kingman PSHE Pseudocheilinus hexataenia
2008 PRIAs Kingman PSOC Pseudocheilinus octotaenia
2008 PRIAs Kingman PSYA Pseudocoris yamashiroi
2008 PRIAs Kingman PSMO Pseudodax moluccanus
2008 PRIAs Kingman PTEV Ptereleotris evides
2008 PRIAs Kingman PTHE Ptereleotris heteroptera
2008 PRIAs Kingman SADI Sargocentron diadema
2008 PRIAs Kingman SASP Sargocentron spiniferum
2008 PRIAs Kingman SATI Sargocentron tiere
2008 PRIAs Kingman PARR Scaridae sp
2008 PRIAs Kingman SCFR Scarus frenatus
2008 PRIAs Kingman SCPS Scarus psittacus
2008 PRIAs Kingman SCRU Scarus rubroviolaceus
2008 PRIAs Kingman SCSP Scarus sp
2008 PRIAs Kingman SCSI Scarus spinus
2008 PRIAs Kingman SCTR Scarus tricolor
2008 PRIAs Kingman STAU Stegastes aureus
2008 PRIAs Kingman STFA Stegastes fasciolatus
2008 PRIAs Kingman STBN Stethojulis bandanensis
2008 PRIAs Kingman SUBU Sufflamen bursa
2008 PRIAs Kingman SUCH Sufflamen chrysopterum
2008 PRIAs Kingman LIZA Synodontidae sp
2008 PRIAs Kingman THAM Thalassoma amblycephalum
2008 PRIAs Kingman THHA Thalassoma hardwicke
2008 PRIAs Kingman THLN Thalassoma lunare
2008 PRIAs Kingman THLU Thalassoma lutescens
2008 PRIAs Kingman THQU Thalassoma quinquevittatum
2008 PRIAs Kingman THTR Thalassoma trilobatum
2008 PRIAs Kingman TROB Triaenodon obesus
2008 PRIAs Kingman VALO Variola louti
2008 PRIAs Kingman ZACO Zanclus cornutus
2008 PRIAs Kingman ZERO Zebrasoma rostratum
2008 PRIAs Kingman ZESC Zebrasoma scopas