CRED REA Reef Fish Assessment Survey at Pagan 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: 20090508
Title:

CRED REA Reef Fish Assessment Survey at Pagan 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 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, 21 REA sites were surveyed at Pagan 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 Pagan ABSO Abudefduf sordidus 2009 MARIAN Pagan ABVA Abudefduf vaigiensis 2009 MARIAN Pagan ACBL Acanthurus blochii 2009 MARIAN Pagan ACDU Acanthurus dussumieri 2009 MARIAN Pagan ACGU Acanthurus guttatus 2009 MARIAN Pagan ACLE Acanthurus leucopareius 2009 MARIAN Pagan ACLI Acanthurus lineatus 2009 MARIAN Pagan ACNC Acanthurus nigricans 2009 MARIAN Pagan ACNI Acanthurus nigricauda 2009 MARIAN Pagan ACNF Acanthurus nigrofuscus 2009 MARIAN Pagan ACNU Acanthurus nubilus 2009 MARIAN Pagan ACOL Acanthurus olivaceus 2009 MARIAN Pagan ACPY Acanthurus pyroferus 2009 MARIAN Pagan ACTH Acanthurus thompsoni 2009 MARIAN Pagan ACXA Acanthurus xanthopterus 2009 MARIAN Pagan AENA Aetobatus narinari 2009 MARIAN Pagan AMCH Amphiprion chrysopterus 2009 MARIAN Pagan AMCL Amphiprion clarkii 2009 MARIAN Pagan ANCA Anampses caeruleopunctatus 2009 MARIAN Pagan ANSP Anampses sp 2009 MARIAN Pagan APFU Aphareus furca 2009 MARIAN Pagan APEX Apogon exostigma 2009 MARIAN Pagan CARD Apogonidae sp 2009 MARIAN Pagan APTR Apolemichthys trimaculatus 2009 MARIAN Pagan APVI Aprion virescens 2009 MARIAN Pagan ARBI Archamia biguttata 2009 MARIAN Pagan ARHI Arothron hispidus 2009 MARIAN Pagan ARME Arothron meleagris 2009 MARIAN Pagan BAUN Balistapus undulatus 2009 MARIAN Pagan BAVI Balistoides viridescens 2009 MARIAN Pagan BLEN Blenniidae sp 2009 MARIAN Pagan BOAX Bodianus axillaris 2009 MARIAN Pagan BOBI Bodianus bilunulatus 2009 MARIAN Pagan CATE Caesio teres 2009 MARIAN Pagan CACA Calotomus carolinus 2009 MARIAN Pagan CADU Cantherhines dumerilii 2009 MARIAN Pagan CAPA Cantherhines pardalis 2009 MARIAN Pagan CAAM Canthigaster amboinensis 2009 MARIAN Pagan CASO Canthigaster solandri 2009 MARIAN Pagan CAMC Caracanthus maculatus 2009 MARIAN Pagan CAOR Carangoides orthogrammus 2009 MARIAN Pagan CALU Caranx lugubris 2009 MARIAN Pagan CAME Caranx melampygus 2009 MARIAN Pagan CASE Caranx sexfasciatus 2009 MARIAN Pagan CAAB Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos 2009 MARIAN Pagan CAML Carcharhinus melanopterus 2009 MARIAN Pagan CEFL Centropyge flavissima 2009 MARIAN Pagan CEHE Centropyge heraldi 2009 MARIAN Pagan CESH Centropyge shepardi 2009 MARIAN Pagan CEAR Cephalopholis argus 2009 MARIAN Pagan CESO Cephalopholis sonnerati 2009 MARIAN Pagan CEUR Cephalopholis urodeta 2009 MARIAN Pagan CEOC Cetoscarus ocellatus 2009 MARIAN Pagan CHAU Chaetodon auriga 2009 MARIAN Pagan CHCI Chaetodon citrinellus 2009 MARIAN Pagan CHEP Chaetodon ephippium 2009 MARIAN Pagan CHLU Chaetodon lunula 2009 MARIAN Pagan CHMR Chaetodon mertensii 2009 MARIAN Pagan CHME Chaetodon meyeri 2009 MARIAN Pagan CHOR Chaetodon ornatissimus 2009 MARIAN Pagan CHPU Chaetodon punctatofasciatus 2009 MARIAN Pagan CHQU Chaetodon quadrimaculatus 2009 MARIAN Pagan CHRE Chaetodon reticulatus 2009 MARIAN Pagan CHTR Chaetodon trifascialis 2009 MARIAN Pagan CHUL Chaetodon ulietensis 2009 MARIAN Pagan CHUN Chaetodon unimaculatus 2009 MARIAN Pagan CHTL Cheilinus trilobatus 2009 MARIAN Pagan CHMD Cheilodipterus macrodon 2009 MARIAN Pagan CHFN Chlorurus frontalis 2009 MARIAN Pagan CHMC Chlorurus microrhinos 2009 MARIAN Pagan CHSO Chlorurus sordidus 2009 MARIAN Pagan CHAC Chromis acares 2009 MARIAN Pagan CHAG Chromis agilis 2009 MARIAN Pagan CHAM Chromis amboinensis 2009 MARIAN Pagan CHMA Chromis margaritifer 2009 MARIAN Pagan CHVA Chromis vanderbilti 2009 MARIAN Pagan CHXA Chromis xanthura 2009 MARIAN Pagan CHBR Chrysiptera brownriggii 2009 MARIAN Pagan CIKA Cirrhilabrus katherinae 2009 MARIAN Pagan CIFL Cirrhitichthys falco 2009 MARIAN Pagan CIPI Cirrhitus pinnulatus 2009 MARIAN Pagan CIPO Cirripectes polyzona 2009 MARIAN Pagan CISP Cirripectes sp 2009 MARIAN Pagan CIVR Cirripectes variolosus 2009 MARIAN Pagan COAY Coris aygula 2009 MARIAN Pagan COGA Coris gaimard 2009 MARIAN Pagan CTBI Ctenochaetus binotatus 2009 MARIAN Pagan CTCY Ctenochaetus cyanocheilus 2009 MARIAN Pagan CTHA Ctenochaetus hawaiiensis 2009 MARIAN Pagan CTSR Ctenochaetus striatus 2009 MARIAN Pagan DARE Dascyllus reticulatus 2009 MARIAN Pagan DATR Dascyllus trimaculatus 2009 MARIAN Pagan EPFA Epinephelus fasciatus 2009 MARIAN Pagan EPHE Epinephelus hexagonatus 2009 MARIAN Pagan EPMA Epinephelus maculatus 2009 MARIAN Pagan EPML Epinephelus melanostigma 2009 MARIAN Pagan FOFL Forcipiger flavissimus 2009 MARIAN Pagan FOLO Forcipiger longirostris 2009 MARIAN Pagan GNAU Gnathodentex aureolineatus 2009 MARIAN Pagan GOVA Gomphosus varius 2009 MARIAN Pagan GRAL Gracila albomarginata 2009 MARIAN Pagan GYFL Gymnothorax flavimarginatus 2009 MARIAN Pagan GYJA Gymnothorax javanicus 2009 MARIAN Pagan GYME Gymnothorax meleagris 2009 MARIAN Pagan HABI Halichoeres biocellatus 2009 MARIAN Pagan HAHO Halichoeres hortulanus 2009 MARIAN Pagan HAMT Halichoeres margaritaceus 2009 MARIAN Pagan HAMA Halichoeres marginatus 2009 MARIAN Pagan HAOR Halichoeres ornatissimus 2009 MARIAN Pagan HEFA Hemigymnus fasciatus 2009 MARIAN Pagan HETH Hemitaurichthys thompsoni 2009 MARIAN Pagan HECH Heniochus chrysostomus 2009 MARIAN Pagan HILO Hipposcarus longiceps 2009 MARIAN Pagan HODO Hologymnosus doliatus 2009 MARIAN Pagan CHUB Kyphosidae sp 2009 MARIAN Pagan KYPA Kyphosus pacificus 2009 MARIAN Pagan WRAS Labridae sp 2009 MARIAN Pagan LABI Labroides bicolor 2009 MARIAN Pagan LADI Labroides dimidiatus 2009 MARIAN Pagan LAPE Labroides pectoralis 2009 MARIAN Pagan LAXA Labropsis xanthonota 2009 MARIAN Pagan LETA Lepidozygus tapeinosoma 2009 MARIAN Pagan LEOB Lethrinus obsoletus 2009 MARIAN Pagan LEXA Lethrinus xanthochilus 2009 MARIAN Pagan LUBO Lutjanus bohar 2009 MARIAN Pagan LUFU Lutjanus fulvus 2009 MARIAN Pagan LUGI Lutjanus gibbus 2009 MARIAN Pagan LUKA Lutjanus kasmira 2009 MARIAN Pagan LUMO Lutjanus monostigma 2009 MARIAN Pagan MAMA Macolor macularis 2009 MARIAN Pagan MANI Macolor niger 2009 MARIAN Pagan MAME Macropharyngodon meleagris 2009 MARIAN Pagan MABR Malacanthus brevirostris 2009 MARIAN Pagan MALA Malacanthus latovittatus 2009 MARIAN Pagan MENI Melichthys niger 2009 MARIAN Pagan MEVI Melichthys vidua 2009 MARIAN Pagan MOGR Monotaxis grandoculis 2009 MARIAN Pagan MUFL Mulloidichthys flavolineatus 2009 MARIAN Pagan MUVA Mulloidichthys vanicolensis 2009 MARIAN Pagan MYBE Myripristis berndti 2009 MARIAN Pagan MYKU Myripristis kuntee 2009 MARIAN Pagan MYVI Myripristis vittata 2009 MARIAN Pagan NAAN Naso annulatus 2009 MARIAN Pagan NABR Naso brevirostris 2009 MARIAN Pagan NAHE Naso hexacanthus 2009 MARIAN Pagan NALI Naso lituratus 2009 MARIAN Pagan NATO Naso tonganus 2009 MARIAN Pagan NAUN Naso unicornis 2009 MARIAN Pagan NAVL Naso vlamingii 2009 MARIAN Pagan NEFE Nebrius ferrugineus 2009 MARIAN Pagan NEMA Nemateleotris magnifica 2009 MARIAN Pagan NEAR Neocirrhites armatus 2009 MARIAN Pagan NESA Neoniphon sammara 2009 MARIAN Pagan OSME Ostracion meleagris 2009 MARIAN Pagan OXSP Oxycheilinus sp. 2009 MARIAN Pagan OXUN Oxycheilinus unifasciatus 2009 MARIAN Pagan PAAR Paracirrhites arcatus 2009 MARIAN Pagan PAFO Paracirrhites forsteri 2009 MARIAN Pagan PAHE Paracirrhites hemistictus 2009 MARIAN Pagan PACL Parapercis clathrata 2009 MARIAN Pagan PABA Parupeneus barberinus 2009 MARIAN Pagan PACY Parupeneus cyclostomus 2009 MARIAN Pagan PAIN Parupeneus insularis 2009 MARIAN Pagan PAMU Parupeneus multifasciatus 2009 MARIAN Pagan PEOU Pempheris oualensis 2009 MARIAN Pagan PLTA Plagiotremus tapeinosoma 2009 MARIAN Pagan PLPI Plectorhinchus picus 2009 MARIAN Pagan PLDI Plectroglyphidodon dickii 2009 MARIAN Pagan PLIM Plectroglyphidodon imparipennis 2009 MARIAN Pagan PLJO Plectroglyphidodon johnstonianus 2009 MARIAN Pagan PLLA Plectroglyphidodon lacrymatus 2009 MARIAN Pagan PLLE Plectroglyphidodon leucozonus 2009 MARIAN Pagan PLPH Plectroglyphidodon phoenixensis 2009 MARIAN Pagan POIM Pomacanthus imperator 2009 MARIAN Pagan POVA Pomacentrus vaiuli 2009 MARIAN Pagan POGU Pomachromis guamensis 2009 MARIAN Pagan PSBI Pseudanthias bicolor 2009 MARIAN Pagan PSPA Pseudanthias pascalus 2009 MARIAN Pagan PSEV Pseudocheilinus evanidus 2009 MARIAN Pagan PSHE Pseudocheilinus hexataenia 2009 MARIAN Pagan PSOC Pseudocheilinus octotaenia 2009 MARIAN Pagan PSTE Pseudocheilinus tetrataenia 2009 MARIAN Pagan PSMO Pseudodax moluccanus 2009 MARIAN Pagan PSAT Pseudojuloides atavai 2009 MARIAN Pagan PTEV Ptereleotris evides 2009 MARIAN Pagan PTHE Ptereleotris heteroptera 2009 MARIAN Pagan PTMI Ptereleotris microlepis 2009 MARIAN Pagan PTZE Ptereleotris zebra 2009 MARIAN Pagan PTMA Pterocaesio marri 2009 MARIAN Pagan PTTI Pterocaesio tile 2009 MARIAN Pagan PTAN Pterois antennata 2009 MARIAN Pagan PYDI Pygoplites diacanthus 2009 MARIAN Pagan RHRE Rhinecanthus rectangulus 2009 MARIAN Pagan SACA Sargocentron caudimaculatum 2009 MARIAN Pagan SADI Sargocentron diadema 2009 MARIAN Pagan SAMI Sargocentron microstoma 2009 MARIAN Pagan SASP Sargocentron spiniferum 2009 MARIAN Pagan SATI Sargocentron tiere 2009 MARIAN Pagan SCAL Scarus altipinnis 2009 MARIAN Pagan SCDM Scarus dimidiatus 2009 MARIAN Pagan SCFE Scarus festivus 2009 MARIAN Pagan SCFO Scarus forsteni 2009 MARIAN Pagan SCOV Scarus oviceps 2009 MARIAN Pagan SCRU Scarus rubroviolaceus 2009 MARIAN Pagan SCLY Scomberoides lysan 2009 MARIAN Pagan SPDE Spratelloides delicatulus 2009 MARIAN Pagan STFA Stegastes fasciolatus 2009 MARIAN Pagan STBN Stethojulis bandanensis 2009 MARIAN Pagan STST Stethojulis strigiventer 2009 MARIAN Pagan SUBU Sufflamen bursa 2009 MARIAN Pagan SUCH Sufflamen chrysopterum 2009 MARIAN Pagan THAM Thalassoma amblycephalum 2009 MARIAN Pagan THLU Thalassoma lutescens 2009 MARIAN Pagan THQU Thalassoma quinquevittatum 2009 MARIAN Pagan THSP Thalassoma sp 2009 MARIAN Pagan THTR Thalassoma trilobatum 2009 MARIAN Pagan TROB Triaenodon obesus 2009 MARIAN Pagan VAST Valenciennea strigata 2009 MARIAN Pagan VALO Variola louti 2009 MARIAN Pagan XAAU Xanthichthys auromarginatus 2009 MARIAN Pagan ZACO Zanclus cornutus 2009 MARIAN Pagan ZEFL Zebrasoma flavescens

Time_Period_of_Content:

Time_Period_Information:

Range_of_Dates/Times:

Beginning_Date: 20090422
Ending_Date: 20090424

Currentness_Reference: Ground condition

Status:

Progress: In Work
Maintenance_and_Update_Frequency: asNeeded

Spatial_Domain:

Bounding_Coordinates:

West_Bounding_Coordinate: 145.696404
East_Bounding_Coordinate: 145.824423
North_Bounding_Coordinate: 18.17954
South_Bounding_Coordinate: 18.034394

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: Pagan Island
Theme_Keyword: HI0903

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: Pagan Island

Place:

Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: CoRIS Region
Place_Keyword: CNMI

Place:

Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: CoRIS Place Thesaurus
Place_Keyword:

OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Western Pacific Ocean > Pagan Island > Pagan Island (18N145E0001)

Place_Keyword:

COUNTRY/TERRITORY > Northern Mariana Islands > Pagan > Pagan Island (18N145E0001)

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, Marie Ferguson", 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 Pagan Island, Marianas Archipelago in 2009

Metadata: