Recovery of Queen Conch in the U. S. Virgin Islands

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Metadata:

Identification_Information:
Citation:
Citation_Information:
Originator: Jennifer Doerr
Publication_Date: Unknown
Publication_Time: Unknown
Title: Recovery of Queen Conch in the U. S. Virgin Islands
Description:
Abstract:
The queen conch is an important cultural component and an extremely valuable coral reef fishery resource throughout the Caribbean, historically second only to the spiny lobster. Comparisons of past studies with current densities from these areas continue to show that queen conch populations are depletd although we may be seeing small signs of increase. This data set investigates the population status of queen conch around St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands, through mark and recapture, habitat availability and utilization, sonic tracking, and seasonal migration studies to provide needed information for improved management.
Purpose:
The intent of this project is to investigate possible causes of the lack of recovery of queen conch, particularly juvenile, populations around St. John.
Time_Period_of_Content:
Time_Period_Information:
Range_of_Dates/Times:
Beginning_Date: 200505
Ending_Date: 201009
Currentness_Reference: ground condition
Status:
Progress: Complete
Maintenance_and_Update_Frequency: None planned
Spatial_Domain:
Bounding_Coordinates:
West_Bounding_Coordinate: -64.794
East_Bounding_Coordinate: -64.661
North_Bounding_Coordinate: 18.388
South_Bounding_Coordinate: 18.286
Keywords:
Theme:
Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: CRCP Project
Theme_Keyword: Recovery of conch populations in the U.S. Virgin Islands
Theme_Keyword: 1873
Theme:
Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: CoRIS Discovery Thesaurus
Theme_Keyword: Numeric Data Sets > Fish Census
Theme:
Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: CoRIS Theme Thesaurus
Theme_Keyword: EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Vegetation > Algae > Algal Cover
Theme_Keyword: EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Aquatic Habitat > Benthic Habitat
Theme_Keyword:
EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Marine Invertebrates > Census
Theme_Keyword:
EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Marine Invertebrates > Census > Population Density
Theme_Keyword:
EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Marine Invertebrates > Census > Macroinvertebrates
Theme:
Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: ISO 19115 Topic Category
Theme_Keyword: biota
Theme_Keyword: 002
Theme_Keyword: environment
Theme_Keyword: 007
Theme_Keyword: oceans
Theme_Keyword: 014
Place:
Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: CoRIS Place Thesaurus
Place_Keyword:
COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > U. S. Virgin Islands > St. John > St. John (18N064W0011)
Place_Keyword:
OCEAN BASIN > Atlantic Ocean > Caribbean Sea > Virgin Islands > Virgin Islands > St. John (18N064W0011)
Place:
Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: CoRIS Region
Place_Keyword: USVI
Access_Constraints:
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) does not approve, recommend, or endorse any proprietary product or proprietary material contained in this data set. The NMFS Galveston Laboratory Fishery Ecology Branch compiled these data sets in order to develop a scientific basis for refining essential fish habitat designations for future amendments to fishery management plans. NMFS is not responsible for any uses of these data sets beyond those for which they were intended, and NMFS makes no claims regarding the accuracy of any data provided by agencies or individuals outside NMFS.
Use_Constraints: See Access Constraints.
Point_of_Contact:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Person_Primary:
Contact_Person: Jennifer Doerr
Contact_Organization: NOAA/NMFS/SEFSC/Galveston Laboratory/Fishery Ecology Branch
Contact_Position: Research Fishery Biologist
Contact_Address:
Address_Type: mailing and physical address
Address: 4700 Avenue U, Building 302
City: Galveston
State_or_Province: TX
Postal_Code: 77551
Contact_Voice_Telephone: 409-766-3705
Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: Jennifer.Doerr@noaa.gov
Hours_of_Service: 8:00-4:30
Browse_Graphic:
Browse_Graphic_File_Name:
https://data.nodc.noaa.gov/coris/data/NOAA/nmfs/1873/locations_of_tagged_queen_conch.jpg
Browse_Graphic_File_Description:
All Tag Locations All Bays - Information from mark and recapture and habitat studies.
Browse_Graphic_File_Type: JPEG
Native_Data_Set_Environment:
Microsoft Windows Vista Version 6.1 (Build 7601) Service Pack 1; ESRI ArcCatalog 9.3.1.3000
Data_Quality_Information:
Logical_Consistency_Report: Not applicable.
Completeness_Report:
These data consist of multiple tagging locations of queen conch in several bays around St. John. Also included is habitat use, movement and migration information from visual surveys and long-term acoustic tracking, and environmental data such as temperature and salinity.
Lineage:
Process_Step:
Process_Description:
Three field expeditions per year were completed beginning in May 2005 and ending in September 2010, each lasting from 10-14 days. During each sampling period, we haphazardly surveyed each bay for the presence of queen conch. The majority of these surveys were conducted by snorkel, but occasional SCUBA surveys were completed. At each conch's location we measured dissolved oxygen, salinity, depth, water temperature, air temperature, and wind speed. Spatial coordinates were collected using a portable wide area augmentation system-enabled global positioning system (WAAS GPS) unit. Siphonal (shell) length and lip thickness were measured with vernier calipers. Upon initial capture each conch was tagged with a uniquely numbered disk or T-bar anchor tag by drilling a small hole adjacent to the lip of the shell and injecting the tag through the hole. A small drop of super glue secured the tag in place until the conch deposited new material permanently integrating the tag into the shell. High resolution determination of habitat type at each conch's location was completed by centering a 1-m2 quadrat over the conch and visually identifying all benthic organisms contained within the quadrat. Vemco model VR2 omnidirectional hydrophone receivers were deployed throughout each study site such that an array of overlapping detection zones was created corresponding with changes in benthic habitat structure. Range tests were performed at each location on several occasions until a maximum range of tag detection was established. Locations were tested and adjusted accordingly to ensure adequate overlap in zones between neighboring receivers. Hydrophones were mounted on steel tie-down anchors, sunk approximately 1 m into the sediment such that the receiver base rested just above the sediment surface. Receivers were secured to the anchor with a combination of cable ties, hose clamps, and a padlock to minimize the possibility of equipment loss from vandalism or natural events. During the course of the project, we deployed 12 hydrophones in Fish Bay, 4 in No Name Bay, 5 in Brown Bay, and 5 in Coral Bay. HOBO temperature loggers (Onset Computer Corp.) were deployed at each hydrophone location, as well as several surface locations throughout each bay. Prior to deploying acoustic tags, varying sizes and maturity categories of queen conch were selected to effectively represent the composition of the population at large. Individuals matching the chosen size classes were randomly captured and tagged with Vemco V7-4L-R64K acoustic transmitters (20.5 mm length, 7 mm diameter) with a time interval of 60-180 seconds and an average life expectancy of 220 days. Tags were cemented using Liquid Roc 700 Acrylic Twin Tube epoxy (MKT Fastening, LLC) onto the highest portion of the spire where signal transmission was least likely to be obstructed. After the epoxy had cured (10-15 minutes) conch were returned to their exact location, marked previously by a fluorescent flag. On each field trip data files were downloaded from the receivers using an underwater cable. Temperature loggers were downloaded by temporarily removing them from the anchors, downloading, and replacing them in their previous location. After 12 months of continuous deployment receivers were removed from their anchors, cleaned, and batteries replaced to ensure no gaps in data collection. Data files were converted to MS Excel spreadsheets and transferred into ArcView 9.1. Spatial locations of tagged conch were overlayed onto categorized NOAA benthic habitat maps (NOAA/NCCOS Biogeography Program) to examine distributions through habitat types. Movement patterns and position estimates for queen conch with acoustic tags were interpreted from locational data collected on capture/recapture and detection patterns in hydrophone data.
Process_Date: Not complete
Spatial_Reference_Information:
Horizontal_Coordinate_System_Definition:
Geographic:
Latitude_Resolution: 0.00001
Longitude_Resolution: 0.00001
Geographic_Coordinate_Units: Decimal degrees
Geodetic_Model:
Horizontal_Datum_Name: North American Datum of 1983
Ellipsoid_Name: Geodetic Reference System 80
Semi-major_Axis: 6378137
Denominator_of_Flattening_Ratio: 298.257
Entity_and_Attribute_Information:
Overview_Description:
Entity_and_Attribute_Overview:
Temp = temperature in degrees Celsius; D.O. = dissolved oxygen in mg/L; depth = water depth in meters; sal = salinity in parts per thousand; shell length = total length of each conch measured in millimeters; lip = lip thickness of each conch measured in millimeters.
Entity_and_Attribute_Detail_Citation: NOAA/NMFS/SEFSC/Galveston Laboratory/Fishery Ecology Branch
Distribution_Information:
Distributor:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Person_Primary:
Contact_Person: Jennifer Doerr
Contact_Organization: NOAA/NMFS/SEFSC/Galveston Laboratory/Fishery Ecology Branch
Contact_Position: Research Fishery Biologist
Contact_Address:
Address_Type: mailing and physical address
Address: 4700 Avenue U, Building 302
City: Galveston
State_or_Province: TX
Postal_Code: 77551
Contact_Voice_Telephone: 409-766-3705
Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: Jennifer.Doerr@noaa.gov
Hours_of_Service: 8:00-4:30
Resource_Description: Map Files
Distribution_Liability:
While every effort has been made to ensure that these data are accurate and reliable within the limits of the currrent state of the art, NOAA cannot assume liability for any damages caused by errors or omissions in the data, nor as a result of the failure of the data to function on a particular system. NOAA makes no warranty, expressed or implied, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty.
Metadata_Reference_Information:
Metadata_Date: 20170124
Metadata_Review_Date: 20120621
Metadata_Contact:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Person_Primary:
Contact_Person: Jennifer Doerr
Contact_Organization: NOAA/NMFS/SEFSC/Galveston Laboratory/Fishery Ecology Branch
Contact_Position: Research Fishery Biologist
Contact_Address:
Address_Type: mailing and physical address
Address: 4700 Avenue U, Building 302
City: Galveston
State_or_Province: TX
Postal_Code: 77551
Contact_Voice_Telephone: 409-766-3705
Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: Jennifer.Doerr@noaa.gov
Hours_of_Service: 8:00-4:30
Metadata_Standard_Name: FGDC Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata
Metadata_Standard_Version: FGDC-STD-001-1998
Metadata_Time_Convention: Local Time
Online_Linkage: <http://www.esri.com/metadata/esriprof80.html>
CoRIS:
CoRIS_ID: 20120621074010
CoRIS_Children: None
CoRIS_Beginning_Date: 20050501
CoRIS_Ending_Date: 20100931
CoRIS_Metadata_Link:
https://www.coris.noaa.gov/metadata/records/html/queen_conch_metadata_1873.html
CoRIS_Tracking_ID: 6497
Generated by mp version 2.9.13 on Mon Oct 23 09:42:31 2017