National Coral Reef Monitoring Program:
Tracking Biological Trends

Divers begin by laying out transect lines at predetermined locations to guide the coral reef surveys.

Fishing pressures, climate change, and pollution are just some of the many stressors on marine life within coral reef ecosystems. Researchers identified the following biological indicators to assess the condition of coral reefs and associated reef fish communities.

• Coral reefs – coral diversity, distribution, abundance, colony size, and condition
• Reef fish – reef-related fish diversity, distribution, abundance, and size
• Habitats – composition, complexity, and key species

Data are collected through diving surveys of shallow-water (0-30 meters) areas. Scientists and coastal managers then use these data to evaluate coral reef and fish population management strategies, document endangered or invasive marine species, and assist with local monitoring efforts.

Outreach Products

• NCRMP 2022 Biological Sampling infographic
• NCRMP 2020-2021 Biological Sampling infographic
• NCRMP 2019 Biological Sampling infographic
• NCRMP Biological Monitoring one-pager

Atlantic Biological Sampling Protocols

• 2022 Benthic Community Assessment Survey Field Protocols for U.S. Atlantic
• 2022 Coral Demographics Survey Field Protocols for U.S. Atlantic
• 2022 Reef Visual Census (RVC) Fish Survey Protocols U.S. Atlantic

Technical and Peer Reviewed Publications

• Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program - Benthic REA Monitoring Summary Reports
  • southern Mariana Islands 2017
  • northern Mariana Islands 2017
  • Howland and Baker Islands 2017
  • Jarvis Island 2017
  • Wake Atoll 2017
  • Main Hawaiian Islands 2016
  • Northwestern Hawaiian Islands 2016
• Grove, L. J. W., Blondeau, J., Cain, E., Edwards, K. F., Groves, S. H., Hile, S. D., Langwiser, C., Siceloff, L., Swanson, D. W., Towle, E. K., Viehman, T. S., and Williams, B. National Coral Reef Monitoring Program, Biological Monitoring Summary – U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico: 2021. NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS CRCP 46 pp. https://doi.org/10.25923/zj1v-z618
• Grove, L.J.W., J. Blondeau, E. Cain, I.M. Davis, K.F. Edwards, S.H. Groves, S.D. Hile, C. Langwiser, L. Siceloff, D.W. Swanson, E.K. Towle, S.T. Viehman, B. Williams. 2022. National Coral Reef Monitoring Program, Biological monitoring summary - Florida: 2020–2021. NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS CRCP 44. 52 pp. doi: 10.25923/9jns-v916
• Edwards, K.F., J. Blondeau, L.J.W. Grove, S.H. Groves, S.D. Hile, M.W. Johnson, C. Langwiser, L. Siceloff, E.K. Towle, T.S. Viehman, and B. Williams. 2021. National Coral Reef Monitoring Program, Biological monitoring summary – U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico: 2019. NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS CRCP 40. 27 pp. doi: 10.25923/fdp6-qv15
• K. McCoy, J. Asher, P. Ayotte, A. Gray, T. Kindinger, and I. Williams. 2019. Reef fishes and benthic habitats of the main Hawaiian Islands. PIFSC data report DR-19-039. https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/22057.
• K. McCoy, J. Asher, P. Ayotte, A. Gray, K. Lino, T. Kindinger, and I. Williams. 2018. Reef fishes and benthic habitats of the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument and American Samoa. PIFSC data report DR-19-008. https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/19591.
• Heenan A, Williams ID, Acoba T, DesRochers A, Kosaki RK, Kanemura T, Nadon MO, Brainard RE. 2017. Long-term monitoring of coral reef fish assemblages in the Western central pacific. Scientific Data. 4:170176. https://doi.org/10.1038/sdata.2017.176.
• McCoy, K., Heenan, A., Asher, J., Ayotte, P., Gorospe, K., Gray, A., Lino, K., Zamzow, J., Williams, I. 2017. Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program. Data report: ecological monitoring 2016: reef fishes and benthic habitats of the main Hawaiian Islands, Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, Pacific Remote Island Areas, and American Samoa. Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center. PIFSC data report DR-17-001, 66 pp.
• Clark, R., S. Viehman, L. Bauer, C.A. Buckel, K. Egan, and J. Vander Pluym. 2015. National Coral Reef Monitoring Program, Biological Monitoring Atlantic/Caribbean: St. Thomas and St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands 2013 Mission Data Report. NOAA National Ocean Service, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science. 63 pp.
• Heenan A, Ayotte PM, Gray AE, Lino KC, McCoy KS, Zamzow JP, Williams ID. 2014. Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program Data Report Ecological monitoring 2012–2013—reef fishes and benthic habitats of the main Hawaiian Islands, American Samoa, and Pacific Remote Island Areas. Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, PIFSC Data Report, DR-14-003, 112 p
• Williams ID, Baum JK, Heenan A, Hanson KM, Nadon MO, Brainard RE (2015) Human, Oceanographic and Habitat Drivers of Central and Western Pacific Coral Reef Fish Assemblages. PLoS ONE 10(4): e0120516. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0120516

Complete list of publications produced by the NCRMP Biological Monitoring Team.

 

Data Collections

Supporting Documentation (Please note this encompasses only a subset of documentation for the submitted data. Contact the data providers with further questions.)

Florida

• Fish Surveys
• Benthic Surveys

Flower Garden Banks

• Fish Surveys
• Benthic Surveys

Puerto Rico

• Fish Surveys
• Benthic Surveys

U.S. Virgin Islands

• Fish Surveys
• Benthic Surveys

American Samoa

• Fish Surveys
• Benthic Surveys

Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

• Fish Surveys
• Benthic Surveys

Hawaii and the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands

• Fish Surveys
• Benthic

Pacific Remote Island Areas

• Fish Surveys
• Benthic Surveys

For more information, contact:

Erica.Towle@noaa.gov