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, 25 REA sites were surveyed at Guam 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.
Part of a long-term monitoring program at biennial intervals which documents the state of the reefs.
Maximum depth was 27 meters. Fish species observed: Year Region Island Species TaxonName 2009 MARIAN Guam ABVA Abudefduf vaigiensis 2009 MARIAN Guam ACBL Acanthurus blochii 2009 MARIAN Guam ACDU Acanthurus dussumieri 2009 MARIAN Guam ACGU Acanthurus guttatus 2009 MARIAN Guam ACLI Acanthurus lineatus 2009 MARIAN Guam ACNC Acanthurus nigricans 2009 MARIAN Guam ACNF Acanthurus nigrofuscus 2009 MARIAN Guam ACNR Acanthurus nigroris 2009 MARIAN Guam ACOL Acanthurus olivaceus 2009 MARIAN Guam ACPY Acanthurus pyroferus 2009 MARIAN Guam ACTR Acanthurus triostegus 2009 MARIAN Guam AMCU Amblyglyphidodon curacao 2009 MARIAN Guam AMCH Amphiprion chrysopterus 2009 MARIAN Guam ANCA Anampses caeruleopunctatus 2009 MARIAN Guam ANTW Anampses twistii 2009 MARIAN Guam APFU Aphareus furca 2009 MARIAN Guam APSP Apogon sp 2009 MARIAN Guam APTR Apolemichthys trimaculatus 2009 MARIAN Guam APVI Aprion virescens 2009 MARIAN Guam ARHI Arothron hispidus 2009 MARIAN Guam ARME Arothron meleagris 2009 MARIAN Guam ASTA Aspidontus taeniatus 2009 MARIAN Guam AUCH Aulostomus chinensis 2009 MARIAN Guam BAUN Balistapus undulatus 2009 MARIAN Guam BACO Balistoides conspicillum 2009 MARIAN Guam BAVI Balistoides viridescens 2009 MARIAN Guam BLCH Blenniella chrysospilos 2009 MARIAN Guam BLEN Blenniidae sp 2009 MARIAN Guam BOAX Bodianus axillaris 2009 MARIAN Guam CACA Calotomus carolinus 2009 MARIAN Guam CAPA Cantherhines pardalis 2009 MARIAN Guam CAAM Canthigaster amboinensis 2009 MARIAN Guam CASO Canthigaster solandri 2009 MARIAN Guam CAVA Canthigaster valentini 2009 MARIAN Guam CAME Caranx melampygus 2009 MARIAN Guam CEFL Centropyge flavissima 2009 MARIAN Guam CEHE Centropyge heraldi 2009 MARIAN Guam CESH Centropyge shepardi 2009 MARIAN Guam CEAR Cephalopholis argus 2009 MARIAN Guam CEUR Cephalopholis urodeta 2009 MARIAN Guam CEOC Cetoscarus ocellatus 2009 MARIAN Guam CHAU Chaetodon auriga 2009 MARIAN Guam CHBE Chaetodon bennetti 2009 MARIAN Guam CHCI Chaetodon citrinellus 2009 MARIAN Guam CHEP Chaetodon ephippium 2009 MARIAN Guam CHKL Chaetodon kleinii 2009 MARIAN Guam CHLI Chaetodon lineolatus 2009 MARIAN Guam CHLU Chaetodon lunula 2009 MARIAN Guam CHLT Chaetodon lunulatus 2009 MARIAN Guam CHML Chaetodon melannotus 2009 MARIAN Guam CHMR Chaetodon mertensii 2009 MARIAN Guam CHME Chaetodon meyeri 2009 MARIAN Guam CHOR Chaetodon ornatissimus 2009 MARIAN Guam CHPU Chaetodon punctatofasciatus 2009 MARIAN Guam CHQU Chaetodon quadrimaculatus 2009 MARIAN Guam CHRE Chaetodon reticulatus 2009 MARIAN Guam CHTR Chaetodon trifascialis 2009 MARIAN Guam CHUL Chaetodon ulietensis 2009 MARIAN Guam CHCH Chanos chanos 2009 MARIAN Guam CHFA Cheilinus fasciatus 2009 MARIAN Guam CHOX Cheilinus oxycephalus 2009 MARIAN Guam CHTL Cheilinus trilobatus 2009 MARIAN Guam CHUD Cheilinus undulatus 2009 MARIAN Guam CHIN Cheilio inermis 2009 MARIAN Guam GRTU Chelonia mydas 2009 MARIAN Guam CHSO Chlorurus sordidus 2009 MARIAN Guam CHAC Chromis acares 2009 MARIAN Guam CHAG Chromis agilis 2009 MARIAN Guam CHMA Chromis margaritifer 2009 MARIAN Guam CHVA Chromis vanderbilti 2009 MARIAN Guam CHXA Chromis xanthura 2009 MARIAN Guam CHBR Chrysiptera brownriggii 2009 MARIAN Guam CHTY Chrysiptera traceyi 2009 MARIAN Guam CIKA Cirrhilabrus katherinae 2009 MARIAN Guam CIFL Cirrhitichthys falco 2009 MARIAN Guam CIPI Cirrhitus pinnulatus 2009 MARIAN Guam CIVR Cirripectes variolosus 2009 MARIAN Guam COAY Coris aygula 2009 MARIAN Guam COGA Coris gaimard 2009 MARIAN Guam CTBI Ctenochaetus binotatus 2009 MARIAN Guam CTCY Ctenochaetus cyanocheilus 2009 MARIAN Guam CTHA Ctenochaetus hawaiiensis 2009 MARIAN Guam CTSR Ctenochaetus striatus 2009 MARIAN Guam DARE Dascyllus reticulatus 2009 MARIAN Guam DATR Dascyllus trimaculatus 2009 MARIAN Guam ECBC Ecsenius bicolor 2009 MARIAN Guam EPIN Epibulus insidiator 2009 MARIAN Guam EPFA Epinephelus fasciatus 2009 MARIAN Guam EPME Epinephelus merra 2009 MARIAN Guam EXBR Exallias brevis 2009 MARIAN Guam FOFL Forcipiger flavissimus 2009 MARIAN Guam FOLO Forcipiger longirostris 2009 MARIAN Guam GNAU Gnathodentex aureolineatus 2009 MARIAN Guam GOCI Gobiodon citrinus 2009 MARIAN Guam GOVA Gomphosus varius 2009 MARIAN Guam GYJA Gymnothorax javanicus 2009 MARIAN Guam GYUN Gymnothorax undulatus 2009 MARIAN Guam HABI Halichoeres biocellatus 2009 MARIAN Guam HAHO Halichoeres hortulanus 2009 MARIAN Guam HAMT Halichoeres margaritaceus 2009 MARIAN Guam HAMA Halichoeres marginatus 2009 MARIAN Guam HAOR Halichoeres ornatissimus 2009 MARIAN Guam HASP Halichoeres sp 2009 MARIAN Guam HATR Halichoeres trimaculatus 2009 MARIAN Guam HEFA Hemigymnus fasciatus 2009 MARIAN Guam HEME Hemigymnus melapterus 2009 MARIAN Guam HEPO Hemitaurichthys polylepis 2009 MARIAN Guam HECH Heniochus chrysostomus 2009 MARIAN Guam HEMO Heniochus monoceros 2009 MARIAN Guam HILO Hipposcarus longiceps 2009 MARIAN Guam SOLD Holocentridae sp 2009 MARIAN Guam HODO Hologymnosus doliatus 2009 MARIAN Guam ISSP Istigobius sp 2009 MARIAN Guam WRAS Labridae sp 2009 MARIAN Guam LADI Labroides dimidiatus 2009 MARIAN Guam LAXA Labropsis xanthonota 2009 MARIAN Guam LETA Lepidozygus tapeinosoma 2009 MARIAN Guam LEHA Lethrinus harak 2009 MARIAN Guam LEXA Lethrinus xanthochilus 2009 MARIAN Guam LUBO Lutjanus bohar 2009 MARIAN Guam LUFU Lutjanus fulvus 2009 MARIAN Guam LUGI Lutjanus gibbus 2009 MARIAN Guam LUMO Lutjanus monostigma 2009 MARIAN Guam MAMA Macolor macularis 2009 MARIAN Guam MANI Macolor niger 2009 MARIAN Guam MAME Macropharyngodon meleagris 2009 MARIAN Guam MABR Malacanthus brevirostris 2009 MARIAN Guam MEAT Meiacanthus atrodorsalis 2009 MARIAN Guam MEVI Melichthys vidua 2009 MARIAN Guam FILE Monacanthidae sp 2009 MARIAN Guam MOGR Monotaxis grandoculis 2009 MARIAN Guam MUFL Mulloidichthys flavolineatus 2009 MARIAN Guam MUVA Mulloidichthys vanicolensis 2009 MARIAN Guam MYBE Myripristis berndti 2009 MARIAN Guam MYKU Myripristis kuntee 2009 MARIAN Guam NAHE Naso hexacanthus 2009 MARIAN Guam NALI Naso lituratus 2009 MARIAN Guam NATO Naso tonganus 2009 MARIAN Guam NAUN Naso unicornis 2009 MARIAN Guam NAVL Naso vlamingii 2009 MARIAN Guam NEMA Nemateleotris magnifica 2009 MARIAN Guam NEAR Neocirrhites armatus 2009 MARIAN Guam NESA Neoniphon sammara 2009 MARIAN Guam NOTA Novaculichthys taeniourus 2009 MARIAN Guam ODNI Odonus niger 2009 MARIAN Guam OSME Ostracion meleagris 2009 MARIAN Guam OXBI Oxycheilinus bimaculatus 2009 MARIAN Guam OXDI Oxycheilinus digramma 2009 MARIAN Guam OXUN Oxycheilinus unifasciatus 2009 MARIAN Guam PAAR Paracirrhites arcatus 2009 MARIAN Guam PAFO Paracirrhites forsteri 2009 MARIAN Guam PAHE Paracirrhites hemistictus 2009 MARIAN Guam PACL Parapercis clathrata 2009 MARIAN Guam PAMI Parapercis millepunctata 2009 MARIAN Guam PABA Parupeneus barberinus 2009 MARIAN Guam PACY Parupeneus cyclostomus 2009 MARIAN Guam PAIN Parupeneus insularis 2009 MARIAN Guam PAMU Parupeneus multifasciatus 2009 MARIAN Guam PAPL Parupeneus pleurostigma 2009 MARIAN Guam PEOU Pempheris oualensis 2009 MARIAN Guam PECA Pentapodus caninus 2009 MARIAN Guam SAND Pinguipedidae sp 2009 MARIAN Guam PLTA Plagiotremus tapeinosoma 2009 MARIAN Guam PLDI Plectroglyphidodon dickii 2009 MARIAN Guam PLJO Plectroglyphidodon johnstonianus 2009 MARIAN Guam PLLA Plectroglyphidodon lacrymatus 2009 MARIAN Guam PLAL Plectropomus areolatus 2009 MARIAN Guam PLLV Plectropomus laevis 2009 MARIAN Guam POIM Pomacanthus imperator 2009 MARIAN Guam POVA Pomacentrus vaiuli 2009 MARIAN Guam POGU Pomachromis guamensis 2009 MARIAN Guam PSEV Pseudocheilinus evanidus 2009 MARIAN Guam PSHE Pseudocheilinus hexataenia 2009 MARIAN Guam PSOC Pseudocheilinus octotaenia 2009 MARIAN Guam PSTE Pseudocheilinus tetrataenia 2009 MARIAN Guam PSAT Pseudojuloides atavai 2009 MARIAN Guam PTEN Pteragogus enneacanthus 2009 MARIAN Guam PTEV Ptereleotris evides 2009 MARIAN Guam PTZE Ptereleotris zebra 2009 MARIAN Guam PTMA Pterocaesio marri 2009 MARIAN Guam PTTI Pterocaesio tile 2009 MARIAN Guam PYDI Pygoplites diacanthus 2009 MARIAN Guam RHRE Rhinecanthus rectangulus 2009 MARIAN Guam SACA Sargocentron caudimaculatum 2009 MARIAN Guam SAMI Sargocentron microstoma 2009 MARIAN Guam SASP Sargocentron spiniferum 2009 MARIAN Guam PARR Scaridae sp 2009 MARIAN Guam SCAL Scarus altipinnis 2009 MARIAN Guam SCDM Scarus dimidiatus 2009 MARIAN Guam SCFO Scarus forsteni 2009 MARIAN Guam SCGH Scarus ghobban 2009 MARIAN Guam SCNI Scarus niger 2009 MARIAN Guam SCOV Scarus oviceps 2009 MARIAN Guam SCPS Scarus psittacus 2009 MARIAN Guam SCRU Scarus rubroviolaceus 2009 MARIAN Guam SCSC Scarus schlegeli 2009 MARIAN Guam SCSP Scarus sp 2009 MARIAN Guam SCLI Scolopsis lineata 2009 MARIAN Guam SIAR Siganus argenteus 2009 MARIAN Guam SPQE Sphyraena qenie 2009 MARIAN Guam STAL Stegastes albifasciatus 2009 MARIAN Guam STFA Stegastes fasciolatus 2009 MARIAN Guam STNI Stegastes nigricans 2009 MARIAN Guam STBN Stethojulis bandanensis 2009 MARIAN Guam STST Stethojulis strigiventer 2009 MARIAN Guam SUBU Sufflamen bursa 2009 MARIAN Guam SUCH Sufflamen chrysopterum 2009 MARIAN Guam LIZA Synodontidae sp 2009 MARIAN Guam THAM Thalassoma amblycephalum 2009 MARIAN Guam THHA Thalassoma hardwicke 2009 MARIAN Guam THLU Thalassoma lutescens 2009 MARIAN Guam THQU Thalassoma quinquevittatum 2009 MARIAN Guam VAST Valenciennea strigata 2009 MARIAN Guam VALO Variola louti 2009 MARIAN Guam ZACO Zanclus cornutus 2009 MARIAN Guam ZEFL Zebrasoma flavescens 2009 MARIAN Guam ZEVE Zebrasoma veliferum
Ground condition
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
NOAA IRC
NMFS/PIFSC/CRED
1845 WASP Blvd., Building 176
e-mail preferred
"Robert Schroeder, Marc Nadon, Paula Ayotte, Valerie Brown", Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED), Pacific Islands Fisheries Sciences Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA
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.
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.
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.
GPS unit
Instrument parameters
Dive computer and SCUBA depth gauge
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.
While every effort has been made to ensure that these data are accurate and reliable within the limits of the current 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.
Contact CRED data management team for information
