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Dataset Overview | National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)

National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Stratified random surveys (StRS) of reef fish, including benthic estimate data across the main Hawaiian Islands from 2019-04-21 to 2019-10-31 (NCEI Accession 0210958)

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The reef fish and benthic estimate data provided in this data set are from stationary point count (SPC) surveys of reef fish conducted by the NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD, formerly the Coral Reef Ecosystem Division) from April 21 to October 31 during the ESD-led NOAA National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) mission around the main Hawaiian Islands in 2019.

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 (less than 30 m) hard-bottom habitats. Visual estimates of benthic cover and topographic complexity are also recorded, with benthic organisms grouped into broad functional categories (e.g., 'Hard Coral', 'Macroalgae'). A stratified random sampling (StRS) design is employed to survey the coral reef ecosystems throughout the main Hawaiian Islands. The survey domain encompasses the majority of the mapped area of reef and hard bottom habitats and the stratification includes island, reef zone, and depth. Sampling effort is allocated based on strata area.
  • Cite as: Ecosystem Sciences Division, Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (2020). National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Stratified random surveys (StRS) of reef fish, including benthic estimate data across the main Hawaiian Islands from 2019-04-21 to 2019-10-31 (NCEI Accession 0210958). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0210958. Accessed [date].
gov.noaa.nodc:0210958
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Distributor NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
+1-301-713-3277
NCEI.Info@noaa.gov
Dataset Point of Contact NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
ncei.info@noaa.gov
Time Period 2019-04-21 to 2019-10-31
Spatial Bounding Box Coordinates
West: -160.250107
East: -154.808004
South: 19.030253
North: 22.218748
Spatial Coverage Map
General Documentation
Associated Resources
  • National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Stratified random surveys (StRS) of reef fish, including benthic estimate data of the Hawaiian Archipelago
    • NCEI Collection
      Navigate directly to the URL for data access and direct download.
  • Coral Reef Conservation Program (2016). Documentation for NOAA's Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) data archived at NCEI (NCEI Accession 0157633). NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0157633.
  • Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, 2020: National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Stratified Random Surveys (StRS) of Reef Fish, including Benthic Estimate Data of the Hawaiian Archipelago since 2013, https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/24447.
  • Parent ID (indicates this dataset is related to other data):
    • gov.noaa.nodc:NCRMP-Fish-HI
Publication Dates
  • publication: 2020-07-01
Data Presentation Form Digital table - digital representation of facts or figures systematically displayed, especially in columns
Dataset Progress Status Complete - production of the data has been completed
Historical archive - data has been stored in an offline storage facility
Data Update Frequency As needed
Supplemental Information
Submission Package ID: 138TL7
Purpose The NOAA National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) details a long term approach to provide an ecosystem perspective via monitoring climate, fish, benthic, and socioeconomic variables in a consistent and integrated manner. The NCRMP coordinates various NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) biological, physical, and human dimensions activities into a cohesive NOAA-wide effort. Through the implementation of the NCRMP, NOAA is able to clearly and concisely communicate results of national-scale monitoring to national, state, and territorial policy makers, resource managers, and the public on a periodic basis. NCRMP is a framework for conducting sustained observations of biological, climate, and socioeconomic indicators at 10 priority coral reefs across the U.S. and its territories. This integrated approach consolidates monitoring of coral reefs under a uniform method in the Pacific, Atlantic, Caribbean, and the Gulf of Mexico for the first time. NCRMP is funded by the CRCP and supported by NOAA Fisheries, NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS), and many other partners. The Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD) at NOAA Fisheries is leading biological monitoring in the U.S. Pacific Islands Region. The biological component of NCRMP in the Pacific provides a triennial ecological characterization at a broad spatial scale of general reef condition for reef fishes, corals and benthic habitat (i.e., fish species composition/density/size, benthic cover, and coral density/size/condition). Innovative analysis techniques are then used to develop products that give fellow scientists, managers, decision makers and the public a better understanding of a region’s resources and how they are changing over time.
Use Limitations
  • accessLevel: Public
  • Distribution liability: NOAA and NCEI make no warranty, expressed or implied, regarding these data, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty. NOAA and NCEI cannot assume liability for any damages caused by any errors or omissions in these data. If appropriate, NCEI can only certify that the data it distributes are an authentic copy of the records that were accepted for inclusion in the NCEI archives.
Dataset Citation
  • Cite as: Ecosystem Sciences Division, Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (2020). National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Stratified random surveys (StRS) of reef fish, including benthic estimate data across the main Hawaiian Islands from 2019-04-21 to 2019-10-31 (NCEI Accession 0210958). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0210958. Accessed [date].
Cited Authors
Principal Investigators
Collaborators
Contributors
Resource Providers
Publishers
Acknowledgments
  • Related Funding Agency: NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program
Theme keywords NODC DATA TYPES THESAURUS NODC OBSERVATION TYPES THESAURUS WMO_CategoryCode
  • oceanography
CoRIS Discovery Thesaurus
  • Numeric Data Sets > Fish Census
CoRIS Theme Thesaurus
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Aquatic Habitat > Reef Habitat
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Ecological Dynamics > Species Richness
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > Rapid Assessment Studies
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > Reef Fish Census
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > Reef Fish Census > Stationary
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral Reef Ecology
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral Reef Ecology > Coral Cover
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral Reef Ecology > Rugosity
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Fish
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Fish > Fish Assemblages
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Macroinvertebrates
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Marine Invertebrates
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Marine Invertebrates > Macroinvertebrates
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords
Data Center keywords NODC COLLECTING INSTITUTION NAMES THESAURUS NODC SUBMITTING INSTITUTION NAMES THESAURUS Contributing Data Centers
  • CRED
  • CREP
  • Coral Reef Ecosystem Division
  • Coral Reef Ecosystem Program
  • ESD
  • Ecosystem Sciences Division
  • PIFSC
  • Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Data Center Keywords
Instrument keywords NODC INSTRUMENT TYPES THESAURUS Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Instrument Keywords
Place keywords NODC SEA AREA NAMES THESAURUS CoRIS Place Thesaurus
  • COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Hawaii > Hawaii Island (19N155W0003)
  • COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Hawaii > Kauai Island (22N159W0001)
  • COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Hawaii > Molokai Island (21N157W0001)
  • COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Honolulu > Oahu (21N157W0003)
  • COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Kalawao > Kahoolawe Island (20N156W0001)
  • COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Kauai > Niihau Island (21N160W0001)
  • COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Maui > Lanai Island (20N156W0002)
  • COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Maui > Maui Island (20N156W0004)
  • COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaiian Islands (21N157W0027)
  • OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Hawaiian Islands (21N157W0027)
  • OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Hawaiian Islands > Hawaii Island > Hawaii Island (19N155W0003)
  • OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Hawaiian Islands > Kahoolawe Island > Kahoolawe Island (20N156W0001)
  • OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Hawaiian Islands > Kauai Island > Kauai Island (22N159W0001)
  • OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Hawaiian Islands > Lanai Island > Lanai Island (20N156W0002)
  • OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Hawaiian Islands > Maui Island > Maui Island (20N156W0004)
  • OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Hawaiian Islands > Molokai Island > Molokai Island (21N157W0001)
  • OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Hawaiian Islands > Niihau Island > Niihau Island (21N160W0001)
  • OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Hawaiian Islands > Oahu Island > Oahu (21N157W0003)
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Location Keywords
Project keywords NODC PROJECT NAMES THESAURUS CRCP Project
  • 743
  • National Coral Reef Monitoring Program
Keywords NCEI ACCESSION NUMBER
Use Constraints
  • Cite as: Ecosystem Sciences Division, Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (2020). National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Stratified random surveys (StRS) of reef fish, including benthic estimate data across the main Hawaiian Islands from 2019-04-21 to 2019-10-31 (NCEI Accession 0210958). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0210958. Accessed [date].
Access Constraints
  • Use liability: NOAA and NCEI cannot provide any warranty as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of furnished data. Users assume responsibility to determine the usability of these data. The user is responsible for the results of any application of this data for other than its intended purpose.
Fees
  • In most cases, electronic downloads of the data are free. However, fees may apply for custom orders, data certifications, copies of analog materials, and data distribution on physical media.
Lineage information for: dataset
Processing Steps
  • 2020-07-01T20:23:19Z - NCEI Accession 0210958 v1.1 was published.
Output Datasets
Lineage information for: dataset
Processing Steps
  • Parameter or Variable: REEF AND/OR BOTTOM REGIME - PERCENT COVER (measured); Units: percent; Observation Category: in situ; Sampling Instrument: swimmer/diver; Sampling and Analyzing Method: On completing the fish count, divers make rapid visual estimates of benthic cover and structural complexity of the substrate within their survey cylinder. Benthic cover is estimated for broad functional groups (e.g., hard coral, sand, macroalgae). Structural complexity is determined by estimating the amount of the cylinder within 5 substrate-height bins (<20 cm, 20-50 cm; 50-100 cm; 100-150 cm, and >150 cm).; Data Quality Method: Visual estimates of benthic cover are useful as broad indication of the reef benthic assemblages present at each survey site, but there is considerable scope for error in rapid diver estimates of this kind..
  • Parameter or Variable: MACROINVERTEBRATE CENSUS (measured); Units: unitless; Observation Category: in situ; Sampling Instrument: swimmer/diver; Sampling and Analyzing Method: Urchin and boring urchin categorized as dominant (D), abundant (A), common (C), occasional (O), or rare (R).
  • Parameter or Variable: FISH CENSUS (measured); Units: count; Observation Category: in situ; Sampling Instrument: swimmer/diver; Sampling and Analyzing Method: For the current NOAA Fisheries Ecosystem Sciences Division stationary point count (SPC) method, pairs of divers record the number, size, and species of all fishes observed within visually estimated cylinders 15 meters (m) in diameter. At the start of a survey dive, a pair of divers first lay down a 30-m transect line along a predetermined depth contour, and then the two divers move to the 7.5- and 22.5-m marks on that line; these marks serve as the centers of two adjacent SPC cylinders. During the first 5 minutes of a survey, the divers create a list of the fish species observed in or passing through their cylinder. After the first 5 minutes, divers systematically proceed down their species lists, counting and estimating the size (total length, or TL) of each fish present to the nearest centimeter. Species seen after the 5 minutes or outside of the survey area are recorded as present. Only shallow water (0 to 30 meter depth range) hard-bottom habitats are surveyed. The survey sites were randomly selected using a systematic process based on available habitat and bathymetric data. Although efforts are made to include broad spatial coverage of surveys at each island, weather conditions and other environmental constraints may have prevented the team from surveying exposed reef areas.; Data Quality Method: The same methods of data collection are used at each surveyed site. Observations at each site were made by divers who have been trained, and met minimum standards in identifying species present at the survey locations and in estimating size of fishes in survey counts. However, all species identifications are made visually, sometimes in situations where a fish is only briefly seen. Observations, including species identification and sizing, are periodically checked during expeditions for consistency between divers (diver bias) or other discrepancies. Data entry is usually conducted on the same day as the surveys using a data entry interface with several data controls employed, and are quality controlled by the divers using a two-person system. Following a mission, the data is then run through rigorous quality control checks by the data management team before the data are migrated to the Oracle database. Given the size of the data set, there remains some possibility of typographical or other errors..
  • Parameter or Variable: SPECIES IDENTIFICATION - ORGANISM LENGTH (measured); Units: centimeter; Observation Category: in situ; Sampling Instrument: swimmer/diver; Sampling and Analyzing Method: For the current NOAA Fisheries Ecosystem Sciences Division stationary point count (SPC) method, pairs of divers record the number, size, and species of all fishes observed within visually estimated cylinders 15 meters (m) in diameter. At the start of a survey dive, a pair of divers first lay down a 30-m transect line along a predetermined depth contour, and then the two divers move to the 7.5- and 22.5-m marks on that line; these marks serve as the centers of two adjacent SPC cylinders. During the first 5 minutes of a survey, the divers create a list of the fish species observed in or passing through their cylinder. After the first 5 minutes, divers systematically proceed down their species lists, counting and estimating the size (total length, or TL) of each fish present to the nearest centimeter. Species seen after the 5 minutes or outside of the survey area are recorded as present.; Data Quality Method: The same methods of data collection are used at each surveyed site. Observations at each site were made by divers who have been trained, and met minimum standards in identifying species present at the survey locations and in estimating size of fishes in survey counts. However, all species identifications are made visually, sometimes in situations where a fish is only briefly seen. Observations, including species identification and sizing, are periodically checked during expeditions for consistency between divers (diver bias) or other discrepancies. Data entry is usually conducted on the same day as the surveys using a data entry interface with several data controls employed, and are quality controlled by the divers using a two-person system. Following a mission, the data is then run through rigorous quality control checks by the data management team before the data are migrated to the Oracle database. Given the size of the data set, there remains some possibility of typographical or other errors..
  • Parameter or Variable: SPECIES IDENTIFICATION (measured); Units: unitless; Observation Category: in situ; Sampling Instrument: swimmer/diver; Sampling and Analyzing Method: For the current NOAA Fisheries Ecosystem Sciences Division stationary point count (SPC) method, pairs of divers record the number, size, and species of all fishes observed within visually estimated cylinders 15 meters (m) in diameter. At the start of a survey dive, a pair of divers first lay down a 30-m transect line along a predetermined depth contour, and then the two divers move to the 7.5- and 22.5-m marks on that line; these marks serve as the centers of two adjacent SPC cylinders. During the first 5 minutes of a survey, the divers create a list of the fish species observed in or passing through their cylinder. After the first 5 minutes, divers systematically proceed down their species lists, counting and estimating the size (total length, or TL) of each fish present to the nearest centimeter. Species seen after the 5 minutes or outside of the survey area are recorded as present. Only shallow water (0 to 30 meter depth range) hard-bottom habitats are surveyed. The survey sites were randomly selected using a systematic process based on available habitat and bathymetric data. Although efforts are made to include broad spatial coverage of surveys at each island, weather conditions and other environmental constraints may have prevented the team from surveying exposed reef areas.; Data Quality Method: The same methods of data collection are used at each surveyed site. Observations at each site were made by divers who have been trained, and met minimum standards in identifying species present at the survey locations and in estimating size of fishes in survey counts. However, all species identifications are made visually, sometimes in situations where a fish is only briefly seen. Observations, including species identification and sizing, are periodically checked during expeditions for consistency between divers (diver bias) or other discrepancies. Data entry is usually conducted on the same day as the surveys using a data entry interface with several data controls employed, and are quality controlled by the divers using a two-person system. Following a mission, the data is then run through rigorous quality control checks by the data management team before the data are migrated to the Oracle database. Given the size of the data set, there remains some possibility of typographical or other errors..
Acquisition Information (collection)
Instrument
  • swimmer/diver
  • visual observation
Last Modified: 2024-03-14T18:47:00Z
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