Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program: Rapid Ecological Assessments of Fish Large-Area Stationary Point Count Surveys (SPC) at Coral Reef Sites across the Pacific Ocean from 2000 to 2007

Ivor Williams

doi:10.15468/gbblof

Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program: Rapid Ecological Assessments of Fish Large-Area Stationary Point Count Surveys (SPC) at Coral Reef Sites across the Pacific Ocean from 2000 to 2007

Citation

Williams I, DesRochers A (2020). Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program: Rapid Ecological Assessments of Fish Large-Area Stationary Point Count Surveys (SPC) at Coral Reef Sites across the Pacific Ocean from 2000 to 2007. Version 1.1. United States Geological Survey. Sampling event dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/gbblof accessed via GBIF.org on 2020-06-16. accessed via GBIF.org on 2021-05-16.

Description

The large-area stationary point count (SPC) method was used to conduct reef fish surveys in the Hawaiian and Mariana Archipelagos, American Samoa, and the Pacific Remote Island Areas as part of NOAA's Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program (Pacific RAMP). The SPC method catalogs the diversity (species richness), abundance (numeric density) and biomass (fish mass per unit area) of diurnally active reef fish assemblages in shallow-water (typically 10-15m, always < 30m) hard-bottom habitats. Stationary Point Counts (SPC) is one of several non-invasive underwater-survey methods to enumerate the diverse components of diurnally active shallow-water reef fish assemblages. At each REA survey sites, SPC fish surveys were conducted at 4 stations in conjunction with, but at least 10 m away from 3 consecutively-placed, 25m transect lines to quantify relatively larger (>25 cm Total Length [TL]) and more vagile fish species(BLT). All fishes >25 cm TL are recorded to species-level that enter a 20 m diameter cylinder (area ~314 m2) during a timed 5 minute count. Individuals or groups are estimated to the nearest 5 cm TL size-class bin. Four replicate, 5 minute cylinder counts are conducted at each station. Care is taken to avoid over-counting large transient or schooling species. Transects lines and stations are typically set at depths of 10-15 m. Reef ledges and holes are visually searched. Stations are completed on all sides of the island/atoll, weather and sea conditions permitting. Raw survey data included species level abundance estimates.

Additional info

marine, harvest by iOBIS

Taxonomic Coverages

Geographic Coverages

Hawaiian and Mariana Archipelagos, American Samoa, and the Pacific Remote Island Areas

Bibliographic Citations

Contacts

Ivor Williams
originator
position: Research Fish Biologist
National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration
email: ivor.williams@noaa.gov

Annette DesRochers
metadata author
position: Data Steward
National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration
email: annette.desrochers@noaa.gov

Abigail Benson
publisher
email: albenson@usgs.gov

Sarah Bingo
processor
position: Data Manager
Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System
email: sarahr6@hawaii.edu

Tye Kindinger
administrative point of contact
position: Supervisory Coral Reef Ecosystems Researcher
National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration
email: tye.kindinger@noaa.gov

Jake Asher
administrative point of contact
position: Marine Ecosystems Research Specialist
National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration
email: jacob.asher@noaa.gov