Title:
CRED REA Reef Fish Assessment Survey at Palmyra Atoll, 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, 28 REA sites were surveyed at Palmyra Atoll 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 Palmyra ACBL Acanthurus blochii
2008 PRIAs Palmyra ACGU Acanthurus guttatus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra ACLU Acanthurus leucocheilus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra ACLI Acanthurus lineatus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra ACMA Acanthurus maculiceps
2008 PRIAs Palmyra ACNC Acanthurus nigricans
2008 PRIAs Palmyra ACNI Acanthurus nigricauda
2008 PRIAs Palmyra ACNF Acanthurus nigrofuscus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra ACNR Acanthurus nigroris
2008 PRIAs Palmyra ACOL Acanthurus olivaceus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra ACSP Acanthurus sp
2008 PRIAs Palmyra ACTH Acanthurus thompsoni
2008 PRIAs Palmyra ACTR Acanthurus triostegus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra ACXA Acanthurus xanthopterus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra ANCA Anampses caeruleopunctatus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra ANME Anampses melanurus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra ANMG Anampses meleagrides
2008 PRIAs Palmyra ANTW Anampses twistii
2008 PRIAs Palmyra APFU Aphareus furca
2008 PRIAs Palmyra APXA Apolemichthys xanthopunctatus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra BAUN Balistapus undulatus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra BAVI Balistoides viridescens
2008 PRIAs Palmyra BLEN Blenniidae sp
2008 PRIAs Palmyra BOAX Bodianus axillaris
2008 PRIAs Palmyra BOLO Bodianus loxozonus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra BOMU Bolbometopon muricatum
2008 PRIAs Palmyra CATE Caesio teres
2008 PRIAs Palmyra CACA Calotomus carolinus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra CADU Cantherhines dumerilii
2008 PRIAs Palmyra CAAM Canthigaster amboinensis
2008 PRIAs Palmyra CASO Canthigaster solandri
2008 PRIAs Palmyra CAOR Carangoides orthogrammus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra CAIG Caranx ignobilis
2008 PRIAs Palmyra CALU Caranx lugubris
2008 PRIAs Palmyra CAME Caranx melampygus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra CAAB Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos
2008 PRIAs Palmyra CAML Carcharhinus melanopterus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra CEFI Centropyge fisheri
2008 PRIAs Palmyra CEFL Centropyge flavissima
2008 PRIAs Palmyra CELO Centropyge loricula
2008 PRIAs Palmyra CEAR Cephalopholis argus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra CELE Cephalopholis leopardus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra CEUR Cephalopholis urodeta
2008 PRIAs Palmyra CHAU Chaetodon auriga
2008 PRIAs Palmyra CHEP Chaetodon ephippium
2008 PRIAs Palmyra CHKL Chaetodon kleinii
2008 PRIAs Palmyra CHLU Chaetodon lunula
2008 PRIAs Palmyra CHLT Chaetodon lunulatus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra CHME Chaetodon meyeri
2008 PRIAs Palmyra CHOR Chaetodon ornatissimus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra CHPW Chaetodon pelewensis
2008 PRIAs Palmyra CHPU Chaetodon punctatofasciatus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra CHQU Chaetodon quadrimaculatus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra CHRE Chaetodon reticulatus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra CHTR Chaetodon trifascialis
2008 PRIAs Palmyra CHUL Chaetodon ulietensis
2008 PRIAs Palmyra CHUN Chaetodon unimaculatus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra CHVG Chaetodon vagabundus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra CHOX Cheilinus oxycephalus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra CHTL Cheilinus trilobatus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra CHUD Cheilinus undulatus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra CHJA Chlorurus japanensis
2008 PRIAs Palmyra CHMC Chlorurus microrhinos
2008 PRIAs Palmyra CHSO Chlorurus sordidus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra CHAC Chromis acares
2008 PRIAs Palmyra CHLE Chromis lepidolepis
2008 PRIAs Palmyra CHMA Chromis margaritifer
2008 PRIAs Palmyra CHVA Chromis vanderbilti
2008 PRIAs Palmyra CHXA Chromis xanthura
2008 PRIAs Palmyra CIEX Cirrhilabrus exquisitus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra CIOX Cirrhitichthys oxycephalus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra CIPI Cirrhitus pinnulatus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra CISP Cirripectes sp
2008 PRIAs Palmyra CIVA Cirripectes vanderbilti
2008 PRIAs Palmyra CIVR Cirripectes variolosus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra COAY Coris aygula
2008 PRIAs Palmyra COCE Coris centralis
2008 PRIAs Palmyra COGA Coris gaimard
2008 PRIAs Palmyra CTCY Ctenochaetus cyanocheilus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra CTFL Ctenochaetus flavicauda
2008 PRIAs Palmyra CTHA Ctenochaetus hawaiiensis
2008 PRIAs Palmyra CTMA Ctenochaetus marginatus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra CTSP Ctenochaetus sp
2008 PRIAs Palmyra CTSR Ctenochaetus striatus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra DAAU Dascyllus auripinnis
2008 PRIAs Palmyra DATR Dascyllus trimaculatus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra EPIN Epibulus insidiator
2008 PRIAs Palmyra EPHE Epinephelus hexagonatus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra EPMC Epinephelus macrospilos
2008 PRIAs Palmyra EPML Epinephelus melanostigma
2008 PRIAs Palmyra EPME Epinephelus merra
2008 PRIAs Palmyra EPPO Epinephelus polyphekadion
2008 PRIAs Palmyra EPSL Epinephelus spilotoceps
2008 PRIAs Palmyra EPTA Epinephelus tauvina
2008 PRIAs Palmyra FOFL Forcipiger flavissimus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra GNAU Gnathodentex aureolineatus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra GOVA Gomphosus varius
2008 PRIAs Palmyra GRAL Gracila albomarginata
2008 PRIAs Palmyra GYJA Gymnothorax javanicus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra HAHO Halichoeres hortulanus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra HAMT Halichoeres margaritaceus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra HAME Halichoeres melasmapomus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra HAOR Halichoeres ornatissimus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra HEFA Hemigymnus fasciatus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra HILO Hipposcarus longiceps
2008 PRIAs Palmyra CHUB Kyphosidae sp
2008 PRIAs Palmyra KYCI Kyphosus cinerascens
2008 PRIAs Palmyra WRAS Labridae sp
2008 PRIAs Palmyra LABI Labroides bicolor
2008 PRIAs Palmyra LADI Labroides dimidiatus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra LARU Labroides rubrolabiatus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra LAXA Labropsis xanthonota
2008 PRIAs Palmyra LETA Lepidozygus tapeinosoma
2008 PRIAs Palmyra LEOL Lethrinus olivaceus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra LEXA Lethrinus xanthochilus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra LUBO Lutjanus bohar
2008 PRIAs Palmyra LUFU Lutjanus fulvus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra LUGI Lutjanus gibbus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra LUMO Lutjanus monostigma
2008 PRIAs Palmyra MAME Macropharyngodon meleagris
2008 PRIAs Palmyra MABI Manta birostris
2008 PRIAs Palmyra MENI Melichthys niger
2008 PRIAs Palmyra MEVI Melichthys vidua
2008 PRIAs Palmyra MOGR Monotaxis grandoculis
2008 PRIAs Palmyra GOAT Mullidae sp
2008 PRIAs Palmyra MUFL Mulloidichthys flavolineatus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra MUVA Mulloidichthys vanicolensis
2008 PRIAs Palmyra MYSP Myripristinae sp
2008 PRIAs Palmyra MYAD Myripristis adusta
2008 PRIAs Palmyra MYAM Myripristis amaena
2008 PRIAs Palmyra MYBE Myripristis berndti
2008 PRIAs Palmyra MYKU Myripristis kuntee
2008 PRIAs Palmyra NABR Naso brevirostris
2008 PRIAs Palmyra NAHE Naso hexacanthus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra NALI Naso lituratus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra NAUN Naso unicornis
2008 PRIAs Palmyra NAVL Naso vlamingii
2008 PRIAs Palmyra NESA Neoniphon sammara
2008 PRIAs Palmyra NONE no individuals seen
2008 PRIAs Palmyra NOTA Novaculichthys taeniourus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra OXUN Oxycheilinus unifasciatus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra PAAR Paracirrhites arcatus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra PAFO Paracirrhites forsteri
2008 PRIAs Palmyra PAHE Paracirrhites hemistictus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra PABA Parupeneus barberinus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra PACY Parupeneus cyclostomus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra PAIN Parupeneus insularis
2008 PRIAs Palmyra PAMU Parupeneus multifasciatus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra PEOU Pempheris oualensis
2008 PRIAs Palmyra SAND Pinguipedidae sp
2008 PRIAs Palmyra PLTA Plagiotremus tapeinosoma
2008 PRIAs Palmyra PLDI Plectroglyphidodon dickii
2008 PRIAs Palmyra PLIM Plectroglyphidodon imparipennis
2008 PRIAs Palmyra PLJO Plectroglyphidodon johnstonianus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra PLPH Plectroglyphidodon phoenixensis
2008 PRIAs Palmyra POIM Pomacanthus imperator
2008 PRIAs Palmyra POCO Pomacentrus coelestis
2008 PRIAs Palmyra PSBA Pseudanthias bartlettorum
2008 PRIAs Palmyra PSDI Pseudanthias dispar
2008 PRIAs Palmyra PSOL Pseudanthias olivaceus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra PSFL Pseudobalistes flavimarginatus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra PSEV Pseudocheilinus evanidus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra PSHE Pseudocheilinus hexataenia
2008 PRIAs Palmyra PSOC Pseudocheilinus octotaenia
2008 PRIAs Palmyra PSTE Pseudocheilinus tetrataenia
2008 PRIAs Palmyra PSYA Pseudocoris yamashiroi
2008 PRIAs Palmyra PSMO Pseudodax moluccanus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra PTTI Pterocaesio tile
2008 PRIAs Palmyra RHRE Rhinecanthus rectangulus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra SACA Sargocentron caudimaculatum
2008 PRIAs Palmyra SADI Sargocentron diadema
2008 PRIAs Palmyra SASP Sargocentron spiniferum
2008 PRIAs Palmyra SATI Sargocentron tiere
2008 PRIAs Palmyra PARR Scaridae sp
2008 PRIAs Palmyra SCAL Scarus altipinnis
2008 PRIAs Palmyra SCFR Scarus frenatus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra SCGH Scarus ghobban
2008 PRIAs Palmyra SCGL Scarus globiceps
2008 PRIAs Palmyra SCOV Scarus oviceps
2008 PRIAs Palmyra SCPS Scarus psittacus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra SCRU Scarus rubroviolaceus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra SCSP Scarus sp
2008 PRIAs Palmyra SCSI Scarus spinus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra SCTR Scarus tricolor
2008 PRIAs Palmyra SCLY Scomberoides lysan
2008 PRIAs Palmyra STAU Stegastes aureus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra STFA Stegastes fasciolatus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra STNI Stegastes nigricans
2008 PRIAs Palmyra STBA Stethojulis balteata
2008 PRIAs Palmyra STBN Stethojulis bandanensis
2008 PRIAs Palmyra SUBU Sufflamen bursa
2008 PRIAs Palmyra LIZA Synodontidae sp
2008 PRIAs Palmyra THAM Thalassoma amblycephalum
2008 PRIAs Palmyra THHA Thalassoma hardwicke
2008 PRIAs Palmyra THLN Thalassoma lunare
2008 PRIAs Palmyra THLU Thalassoma lutescens
2008 PRIAs Palmyra THPU Thalassoma purpureum
2008 PRIAs Palmyra THQU Thalassoma quinquevittatum
2008 PRIAs Palmyra THTR Thalassoma trilobatum
2008 PRIAs Palmyra TROB Triaenodon obesus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra VAAL Variola albimarginata
2008 PRIAs Palmyra VALO Variola louti
2008 PRIAs Palmyra ZACO Zanclus cornutus
2008 PRIAs Palmyra ZERO Zebrasoma rostratum
2008 PRIAs Palmyra ZESC Zebrasoma scopas
2008 PRIAs Palmyra ZEVE Zebrasoma veliferum