CRED REA Reef Fish Assessment Survey at Aguijan Island, Marianas Archipelago in 2009

Identification_Information:

Citation:

Citation_Information:

Originator:

Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED), Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

Publication_Date: 20090415
Title:

CRED REA Reef Fish Assessment Survey at Aguijan Island, Marianas Archipelago in 2009

Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: spreadsheet
Online_Linkage:

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/pacific-islands/ecosystems/coral-reefs-pacific

Description:

Abstract:

To support a long-term NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) for sustainable management and conservation of coral reef ecosystems, from 5 April - 14 April 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 HI0902 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, 6 REA sites were surveyed at Aguijan 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.

Purpose:

Part of a long-term monitoring program at biennial intervals which documents the state of the reefs.

Supplemental_Information:

Maximum depth was 23 meters. Fish species observed: Year Region Island Species TaxonName 2009 MARIAN Aguijan ABVA Abudefduf vaigiensis 2009 MARIAN Aguijan ACBL Acanthurus blochii 2009 MARIAN Aguijan ACLI Acanthurus lineatus 2009 MARIAN Aguijan ACNC Acanthurus nigricans 2009 MARIAN Aguijan ACNF Acanthurus nigrofuscus 2009 MARIAN Aguijan ACNR Acanthurus nigroris 2009 MARIAN Aguijan ACOL Acanthurus olivaceus 2009 MARIAN Aguijan ACPY Acanthurus pyroferus 2009 MARIAN Aguijan ACTR Acanthurus triostegus 2009 MARIAN Aguijan ACXA Acanthurus xanthopterus 2009 MARIAN Aguijan AMFA Amblyeleotris fasciata 2009 MARIAN Aguijan ANCA Anampses caeruleopunctatus 2009 MARIAN Aguijan ANTW Anampses twistii 2009 MARIAN Aguijan APFU Aphareus furca 2009 MARIAN Aguijan APVI Aprion virescens 2009 MARIAN Aguijan ARHI Arothron hispidus 2009 MARIAN Aguijan BAUN Balistapus undulatus 2009 MARIAN Aguijan BLCH Blenniella chrysospilos 2009 MARIAN Aguijan BLEN Blenniidae sp 2009 MARIAN Aguijan CACA Calotomus carolinus 2009 MARIAN Aguijan CAPA Cantherhines pardalis 2009 MARIAN Aguijan CASO Canthigaster solandri 2009 MARIAN Aguijan CAVA Canthigaster valentini 2009 MARIAN Aguijan CAME Caranx melampygus 2009 MARIAN Aguijan CAML Carcharhinus melanopterus 2009 MARIAN Aguijan CEFL Centropyge flavissima 2009 MARIAN Aguijan CEHE Centropyge heraldi 2009 MARIAN Aguijan CESH Centropyge shepardi 2009 MARIAN Aguijan CEAR Cephalopholis argus 2009 MARIAN Aguijan CEUR Cephalopholis urodeta 2009 MARIAN Aguijan CHAU Chaetodon auriga 2009 MARIAN Aguijan CHCI Chaetodon citrinellus 2009 MARIAN Aguijan CHLU Chaetodon lunula 2009 MARIAN Aguijan CHLT Chaetodon lunulatus 2009 MARIAN Aguijan CHMR Chaetodon mertensii 2009 MARIAN Aguijan CHOR Chaetodon ornatissimus 2009 MARIAN Aguijan CHPU Chaetodon punctatofasciatus 2009 MARIAN Aguijan CHQU Chaetodon quadrimaculatus 2009 MARIAN Aguijan CHRE Chaetodon reticulatus 2009 MARIAN Aguijan CHUL Chaetodon ulietensis 2009 MARIAN Aguijan CHSO Chlorurus sordidus 2009 MARIAN Aguijan CHAC Chromis acares 2009 MARIAN Aguijan CHAG Chromis agilis 2009 MARIAN Aguijan CHMA Chromis margaritifer 2009 MARIAN Aguijan CHVA Chromis vanderbilti 2009 MARIAN Aguijan CHXA Chromis xanthura 2009 MARIAN Aguijan CHBR Chrysiptera brownriggii 2009 MARIAN Aguijan CHTY Chrysiptera traceyi 2009 MARIAN Aguijan CIKA Cirrhilabrus katherinae 2009 MARIAN Aguijan CIFL Cirrhitichthys falco 2009 MARIAN Aguijan CIVR Cirripectes variolosus 2009 MARIAN Aguijan COAY Coris aygula 2009 MARIAN Aguijan COGA Coris gaimard 2009 MARIAN Aguijan CTBI Ctenochaetus binotatus 2009 MARIAN Aguijan CTSR Ctenochaetus striatus 2009 MARIAN Aguijan DARE Dascyllus reticulatus 2009 MARIAN Aguijan DATR Dascyllus trimaculatus 2009 MARIAN Aguijan ECBC Ecsenius bicolor 2009 MARIAN Aguijan EPIN Epibulus insidiator 2009 MARIAN Aguijan EPFA Epinephelus fasciatus 2009 MARIAN Aguijan EPHE Epinephelus hexagonatus 2009 MARIAN Aguijan EXBR Exallias brevis 2009 MARIAN Aguijan FOFL Forcipiger flavissimus 2009 MARIAN Aguijan FOLO Forcipiger longirostris 2009 MARIAN Aguijan GOVA Gomphosus varius 2009 MARIAN Aguijan GYUN Gymnothorax undulatus 2009 MARIAN Aguijan HABI Halichoeres biocellatus 2009 MARIAN Aguijan HAHO Halichoeres hortulanus 2009 MARIAN Aguijan HAMT Halichoeres margaritaceus 2009 MARIAN Aguijan HAOR Halichoeres ornatissimus 2009 MARIAN Aguijan HEFA Hemigymnus fasciatus 2009 MARIAN Aguijan HEPO Hemitaurichthys polylepis 2009 MARIAN Aguijan HECH Heniochus chrysostomus 2009 MARIAN Aguijan HEMO Heniochus monoceros 2009 MARIAN Aguijan HODO Hologymnosus doliatus 2009 MARIAN Aguijan HOST Hoplolatilus starcki 2009 MARIAN Aguijan KYCI Kyphosus cinerascens 2009 MARIAN Aguijan KYVA Kyphosus vaigiensis 2009 MARIAN Aguijan WRAS Labridae sp 2009 MARIAN Aguijan LABI Labroides bicolor 2009 MARIAN Aguijan LADI Labroides dimidiatus 2009 MARIAN Aguijan LEXA Lethrinus xanthochilus 2009 MARIAN Aguijan LUBO Lutjanus bohar 2009 MARIAN Aguijan LUKA Lutjanus kasmira 2009 MARIAN Aguijan MANI Macolor niger 2009 MARIAN Aguijan MAME Macropharyngodon meleagris 2009 MARIAN Aguijan MABR Malacanthus brevirostris 2009 MARIAN Aguijan MALA Malacanthus latovittatus 2009 MARIAN Aguijan MENI Melichthys niger 2009 MARIAN Aguijan MEVI Melichthys vidua 2009 MARIAN Aguijan MOGR Monotaxis grandoculis 2009 MARIAN Aguijan MYAM Myripristis amaena 2009 MARIAN Aguijan NALI Naso lituratus 2009 MARIAN Aguijan NAVL Naso vlamingii 2009 MARIAN Aguijan NEMA Nemateleotris magnifica 2009 MARIAN Aguijan NEAR Neocirrhites armatus 2009 MARIAN Aguijan NOTA Novaculichthys taeniourus 2009 MARIAN Aguijan OXUN Oxycheilinus unifasciatus 2009 MARIAN Aguijan PAAR Paracirrhites arcatus 2009 MARIAN Aguijan PAFO Paracirrhites forsteri 2009 MARIAN Aguijan PAHE Paracirrhites hemistictus 2009 MARIAN Aguijan PACL Parapercis clathrata 2009 MARIAN Aguijan PAIN Parupeneus insularis 2009 MARIAN Aguijan PAMU Parupeneus multifasciatus 2009 MARIAN Aguijan PASE Pastinachus sephen 2009 MARIAN Aguijan PEOU Pempheris oualensis 2009 MARIAN Aguijan PLTA Plagiotremus tapeinosoma 2009 MARIAN Aguijan PLDI Plectroglyphidodon dickii 2009 MARIAN Aguijan PLIM Plectroglyphidodon imparipennis 2009 MARIAN Aguijan PLJO Plectroglyphidodon johnstonianus 2009 MARIAN Aguijan PLLA Plectroglyphidodon lacrymatus 2009 MARIAN Aguijan PLPH Plectroglyphidodon phoenixensis 2009 MARIAN Aguijan POVA Pomacentrus vaiuli 2009 MARIAN Aguijan POGU Pomachromis guamensis 2009 MARIAN Aguijan PSEV Pseudocheilinus evanidus 2009 MARIAN Aguijan PSHE Pseudocheilinus hexataenia 2009 MARIAN Aguijan PSOC Pseudocheilinus octotaenia 2009 MARIAN Aguijan PSTE Pseudocheilinus tetrataenia 2009 MARIAN Aguijan PTEV Ptereleotris evides 2009 MARIAN Aguijan PTHE Ptereleotris heteroptera 2009 MARIAN Aguijan PTMA Pterocaesio marri 2009 MARIAN Aguijan PTTI Pterocaesio tile 2009 MARIAN Aguijan PYDI Pygoplites diacanthus 2009 MARIAN Aguijan RHRE Rhinecanthus rectangulus 2009 MARIAN Aguijan SACA Sargocentron caudimaculatum 2009 MARIAN Aguijan SAMI Sargocentron microstoma 2009 MARIAN Aguijan SASP Sargocentron spiniferum 2009 MARIAN Aguijan SATI Sargocentron tiere 2009 MARIAN Aguijan PARR Scaridae sp 2009 MARIAN Aguijan SCFO Scarus forsteni 2009 MARIAN Aguijan SCOV Scarus oviceps 2009 MARIAN Aguijan SCPS Scarus psittacus 2009 MARIAN Aguijan SCRU Scarus rubroviolaceus 2009 MARIAN Aguijan SCSC Scarus schlegeli 2009 MARIAN Aguijan SCSP Scarus sp 2009 MARIAN Aguijan SCLY Scomberoides lysan 2009 MARIAN Aguijan SECY Sebastapistes cyanostigma 2009 MARIAN Aguijan GROU Serranidae sp 2009 MARIAN Aguijan STFA Stegastes fasciolatus 2009 MARIAN Aguijan STBN Stethojulis bandanensis 2009 MARIAN Aguijan SUBU Sufflamen bursa 2009 MARIAN Aguijan THLU Thalassoma lutescens 2009 MARIAN Aguijan THPU Thalassoma purpureum 2009 MARIAN Aguijan THQU Thalassoma quinquevittatum 2009 MARIAN Aguijan TROB Triaenodon obesus 2009 MARIAN Aguijan VAST Valenciennea strigata 2009 MARIAN Aguijan VAAL Variola albimarginata 2009 MARIAN Aguijan VALO Variola louti 2009 MARIAN Aguijan XAAU Xanthichthys auromarginatus 2009 MARIAN Aguijan ZACO Zanclus cornutus 2009 MARIAN Aguijan ZEFL Zebrasoma flavescens

Time_Period_of_Content:

Time_Period_Information:

Range_of_Dates/Times:

Beginning_Date: 20090411
Ending_Date: 20090411

Currentness_Reference: Ground condition

Status:

Progress: In Work
Maintenance_and_Update_Frequency: asNeeded

Spatial_Domain:

Bounding_Coordinates:

West_Bounding_Coordinate: 145.513089
East_Bounding_Coordinate: 145.59934
North_Bounding_Coordinate: 14.894833
South_Bounding_Coordinate: 14.801742

Keywords:

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: NCEI Geoportal Filter
Theme_Keyword: CoRIS_Metadata

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: CRCP Project
Theme_Keyword:

Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program (Pacific RAMP): Biennial monitoring for the U.S. Pacific Islands and Atolls

Theme_Keyword: 1221

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: None
Theme_Keyword: Marine Ecosystem
Theme_Keyword: Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program (RAMP)
Theme_Keyword: Rapid Ecological Assessments (REA)
Theme_Keyword: Coral Reef
Theme_Keyword: Reef Fishes
Theme_Keyword: Belt Transect (BLT) Survey
Theme_Keyword: Stationary Point Count (SPC )Surveys
Theme_Keyword: Roving-diver surveys
Theme_Keyword: Marianas Archipelago
Theme_Keyword: Aguijan Island
Theme_Keyword: HI0902

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: CoRIS Discovery Thesaurus
Theme_Keyword: Numeric Data Sets > Biology

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: CoRIS Theme Thesaurus
Theme_Keyword: EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs
Theme_Keyword:

EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral reef ecology

Theme_Keyword:

EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef monitoring and assessment

Theme_Keyword:

EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef monitoring and assessment > Rapid assessment studies

Theme_Keyword:

EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef monitoring and assessment > Reef fish census

Theme_Keyword:

EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef monitoring and assessment > Reef fish census > Stationary

Theme_Keyword:

EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef monitoring and assessment > Reef fish census > Random swimming

Theme_Keyword:

EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef monitoring and assessment > Reef fish census > Belt transect

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: ISO 19115 Topic Category
Theme_Keyword: biota
Theme_Keyword: 002

Place:

Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: None
Place_Keyword: Marianas Archipelago
Place_Keyword: Aguijan Island

Place:

Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: CoRIS Place Thesaurus
Place_Keyword:

OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Western Pacific Ocean > Aguihan Island Reefs > Aguihan Island (Aguijan) (14N145E0006)

Place_Keyword:

COUNTRY/TERRITORY > Northern Mariana Islands > Aguihan > Aguihan Island (Aguijan) (14N145E0006)

Place:

Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: CoRIS Region
Place_Keyword: CNMI

Access_Constraints: Data are available two years following data collection date.
Use_Constraints:

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

Point_of_Contact:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Organization_Primary:

Contact_Organization:

Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED), Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

Contact_Person: Ivor Williams

Contact_Address:

Address_Type: mailing and physical address
Address: NOAA IRC
Address: NMFS/PIFSC/CRED
Address: 1845 WASP Blvd., Building 176
City: Honolulu
State_or_Province: HI
Postal_Code: 96818
Country: USA

Contact_Voice_Telephone: 808 725-5360
Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: 808 725-5429
Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: nmfs.pic.credinfo@noaa.gov
Contact_Instructions: e-mail preferred

Data_Set_Credit:

"Robert Schroeder, Marc Nadon, Paula Ayotte, Valerie Brown", Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED), Pacific Islands Fisheries Sciences Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA

Security_Information:

Security_Classification_System: Not applicable
Security_Classification: Unclassified
Security_Handling_Description: Not applicable

Native_Data_Set_Environment: Oracle

Data_Quality_Information:

Attribute_Accuracy:

Attribute_Accuracy_Report:

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.

Logical_Consistency_Report:

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.

Completeness_Report:

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.

Positional_Accuracy:

Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy:

Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Report: GPS unit
Quantitative_Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Assessment:

Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Value: 1
Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Explanation: Instrument parameters

Vertical_Positional_Accuracy:

Vertical_Positional_Accuracy_Report: Dive computer and SCUBA depth gauge
Quantitative_Vertical_Positional_Accuracy_Assessment:

Vertical_Positional_Accuracy_Value: 0.3
Vertical_Positional_Accuracy_Explanation: Instrument parameters

Lineage:

Process_Step:

Process_Description:

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.

Process_Date: Unknown

CRED REA Reef Fish Assessment Survey at Aguijan Island, Marianas Archipelago in 2009

Metadata: