CRED REA Reef Fish Assessment Survey at Ofu And Olosega Islands, American Samoa in 2008

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: 20100320
Title:

CRED REA Reef Fish Assessment Survey at Ofu And Olosega Islands, American Samoa in 2008

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 18 February - 19 March 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 HI0802 in the American Samoa at biennial intervals by the Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED) at the NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC). During the cruise, 13 REA sites were surveyed at Ofu And Olosega Islands in the American Samoa. 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 24 meters. Fish species observed: Year Region Island Species TaxonName 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega ACAC Acanthurus achilles 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega ACBL Acanthurus blochii 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega ACGU Acanthurus guttatus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega ACLI Acanthurus lineatus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega ACMA Acanthurus maculiceps 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega ACNC Acanthurus nigricans 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega ACNI Acanthurus nigricauda 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega ACNF Acanthurus nigrofuscus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega ACOL Acanthurus olivaceus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega ACPY Acanthurus pyroferus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega ACSP Acanthurus sp 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega ACTH Acanthurus thompsoni 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega AMSC Amanses scopas 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega AMCH Amphiprion chrysopterus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega AMME Amphiprion melanopus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega ANTW Anampses twistii 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega APFU Aphareus furca 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega ARME Arothron meleagris 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega ARNI Arothron nigropunctatus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega BAUN Balistapus undulatus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega BLEN Blenniidae sp 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega BOAX Bodianus axillaris 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega BOLO Bodianus loxozonus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega CATE Caesio teres 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega CACA Calotomus carolinus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega CASO Canthigaster solandri 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega CAME Caranx melampygus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega CAML Carcharhinus melanopterus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega CEBI Centropyge bispinosa 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega CEFI Centropyge fisheri 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega CEFL Centropyge flavissima 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega CEHE Centropyge heraldi 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega CELO Centropyge loricula 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega CEAR Cephalopholis argus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega CEUR Cephalopholis urodeta 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega CHCI Chaetodon citrinellus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega CHEP Chaetodon ephippium 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega CHLU Chaetodon lunula 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega CHLT Chaetodon lunulatus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega CHMR Chaetodon mertensii 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega CHOR Chaetodon ornatissimus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega CHPW Chaetodon pelewensis 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega CHQU Chaetodon quadrimaculatus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega CHRE Chaetodon reticulatus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega CHSE Chaetodon semeion 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega CHUL Chaetodon ulietensis 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega CHUN Chaetodon unimaculatus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega CHVG Chaetodon vagabundus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega CHFN Chlorurus frontalis 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega CHJA Chlorurus japanensis 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega CHSO Chlorurus sordidus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega CHAC Chromis acares 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega CHAG Chromis agilis 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega CHIO Chromis iomelas 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega CHMA Chromis margaritifer 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega CHVA Chromis vanderbilti 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega CHXA Chromis xanthura 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega CHBR Chrysiptera brownriggii 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega CHTA Chrysiptera taupou 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega CILB Cirrhilabrus sp 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega CIPI Cirrhitus pinnulatus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega CIPO Cirripectes polyzona 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega CIST Cirripectes stigmaticus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega CIVA Cirripectes vanderbilti 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega CIVR Cirripectes variolosus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega COAY Coris aygula 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega COGA Coris gaimard 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega CTBI Ctenochaetus binotatus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega CTCY Ctenochaetus cyanocheilus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega CTHA Ctenochaetus hawaiiensis 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega CTMA Ctenochaetus marginatus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega CTSR Ctenochaetus striatus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega DARE Dascyllus reticulatus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega DATR Dascyllus trimaculatus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega ECBC Ecsenius bicolor 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega EPIN Epibulus insidiator 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega EPMC Epinephelus macrospilos 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega EPML Epinephelus melanostigma 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega EPME Epinephelus merra 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega FOFL Forcipiger flavissimus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega GNAU Gnathodentex aureolineatus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega GOVA Gomphosus varius 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega GRAL Gracila albomarginata 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega GYUC Gymnosarda unicolor 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega HABI Halichoeres biocellatus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega HAHO Halichoeres hortulanus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega HAMA Halichoeres marginatus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega HAOR Halichoeres ornatissimus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega HEFA Hemigymnus fasciatus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega HEPO Hemitaurichthys polylepis 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega HETH Hemitaurichthys thompsoni 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega HECH Heniochus chrysostomus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega HEVA Heniochus varius 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega HECR Heteropriacanthus cruentatus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega CHUB Kyphosidae sp 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega KYCI Kyphosus cinerascens 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega LABI Labroides bicolor 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega LADI Labroides dimidiatus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega LARU Labroides rubrolabiatus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega LAXA Labropsis xanthonota 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega LUBO Lutjanus bohar 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega LUKA Lutjanus kasmira 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega LUMO Lutjanus monostigma 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega MAMA Macolor macularis 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega MANI Macolor niger 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega MAME Macropharyngodon meleagris 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega MALA Malacanthus latovittatus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega MENI Melichthys niger 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega MEVI Melichthys vidua 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega MOGR Monotaxis grandoculis 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega MUVA Mulloidichthys vanicolensis 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega MYBE Myripristis berndti 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega MYKU Myripristis kuntee 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega MYMU Myripristis murdjan 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega NABR Naso brevirostris 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega NALI Naso lituratus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega NEMA Nemateleotris magnifica 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega NESA Neoniphon sammara 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega OSME Ostracion meleagris 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega OXDI Oxycheilinus digramma 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega OXUN Oxycheilinus unifasciatus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega PAAR Paracirrhites arcatus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega PAFO Paracirrhites forsteri 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega PAHE Paracirrhites hemistictus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega PACY Parupeneus cyclostomus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega PAMU Parupeneus multifasciatus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega PEOU Pempheris oualensis 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega PLTA Plagiotremus tapeinosoma 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega PLDI Plectroglyphidodon dickii 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega PLJO Plectroglyphidodon johnstonianus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega PLLA Plectroglyphidodon lacrymatus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega POIM Pomacanthus imperator 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega POPA Pomacentrus pavo 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega POSA Pomacentrus samoa 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega POVA Pomacentrus vaiuli 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega PORI Pomachromis richardsoni 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega PSCO Pseudanthias cooperi 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega PSPA Pseudanthias pascalus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega PSFL Pseudobalistes flavimarginatus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega PSEV Pseudocheilinus evanidus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega PSHE Pseudocheilinus hexataenia 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega PSOC Pseudocheilinus octotaenia 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega PSTE Pseudocheilinus tetrataenia 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega PSMO Pseudodax moluccanus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega PTEV Ptereleotris evides 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega PTMA Pterocaesio marri 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega PTTI Pterocaesio tile 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega PTVO Pterois volitans 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega PYDI Pygoplites diacanthus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega SACA Sargocentron caudimaculatum 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega SASP Sargocentron spiniferum 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega SATI Sargocentron tiere 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega SCAL Scarus altipinnis 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega SCFO Scarus forsteni 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega SCFR Scarus frenatus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega SCGL Scarus globiceps 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega SCOV Scarus oviceps 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega SCPS Scarus psittacus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega SCRU Scarus rubroviolaceus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega SCSC Scarus schlegeli 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega SCSP Scarus sp 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega SPQE Sphyraena qenie 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega STFA Stegastes fasciolatus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega STBN Stethojulis bandanensis 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega SUBU Sufflamen bursa 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega SUCH Sufflamen chrysopterum 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega THAM Thalassoma amblycephalum 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega THLU Thalassoma lutescens 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega THQU Thalassoma quinquevittatum 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega VAST Valenciennea strigata 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega VALO Variola louti 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega ZACO Zanclus cornutus 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega ZEFL Zebrasoma flavescens 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega ZESC Zebrasoma scopas 2008 SAMOA Ofu & Olosega ZEVE Zebrasoma veliferum

Time_Period_of_Content:

Time_Period_Information:

Range_of_Dates/Times:

Beginning_Date: 20080228
Ending_Date: 20080304

Currentness_Reference: Ground condition

Status:

Progress: In Work
Maintenance_and_Update_Frequency: asNeeded

Spatial_Domain:

Bounding_Coordinates:

West_Bounding_Coordinate: -169.696867
East_Bounding_Coordinate: -169.589923
North_Bounding_Coordinate: -14.144999
South_Bounding_Coordinate: -14.212963

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: American Samoa
Theme_Keyword: Ofu And Olosega Islands
Theme_Keyword: HI0802

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: American Samoa
Place_Keyword: Ofu And Olosega Islands

Place:

Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: CoRIS Place Thesaurus
Place_Keyword:

OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Manu'a Group > Ofu Island (14S169W0013)

Place_Keyword:

OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Manu'a Group > Olosega Island (14S169W0014)

Place_Keyword:

COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > American Samoa > American Samoa > Ofu Island (14S169W0013)

Place_Keyword:

COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > American Samoa > American Samoa > Olosega Island (14S169W0014)

Place:

Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: CoRIS Region
Place_Keyword: AmSam

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:

"Marc Nadon, Paul Brown, Kevin O'Brien, Paula Ayotte", 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 Ofu And Olosega Islands, American Samoa in 2008

Metadata: