34520 NCRMP: Fish Surveys (nSPC) American Samoa Data Set Published / External 32955 American Samoa Project On Going 2024-03 2024 The stationary point count (SPC) method is used to conduct reef fish surveys in the Hawaiian and Mariana Archipelagos, American Samoa, and the Pacific Remote Island Areas as part of the NOAA National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP). 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 U.S.-Pacific regions. For all regions, 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, with the exception of the Main Hawaiian Islands that includes habitat structure type as well. Sampling effort is allocated based on strata area. The reef fish and benthic estimate data provided in this data set were collected during SPC surveys as part of the NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), Ecosystem Sciences Division (formerly the Coral Reef Ecosystem Division) led NCRMP missions around American Samoa in 2015, 2018, and 2023. Additionally, data collected as part of a PIFSC-funded Reef Fish Survey cruise in American Samoa in 2016 are included as these data are funded separately from but are complementary to the NCRMP-funded data. During the 2016 cruise, some sites were surveyed using both open-circuit SCUBA (OC) and closed-circuit rebreather (CCR), as part of an ongoing assessment of sources of bias in survey count relating to divers' presence. The CCR data is archived separately. Added OBIS data portal in April 2020. Metadata will be updated as new datasets are collected on an approximately triennial basis. Ayotte P, McCoy K, Heenan A, Williams I, Zamzow J. 2015. Coral Reef Ecosystem Program standard operating procedures: data collection for Rapid Ecological Assessment fish surveys. Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center Administrative Report H-15-07, 33 p. In some circumstances, additional survey efforts using identical survey methods and design are conducted to supplement or otherwise complement NCRMP surveys. As methods, design and even sometimes personnel are consistent across those surveys and NCRMP; and where the supplementary surveys are expressly intended to be merged with NCRMP data, we include those surveys here. Data from Reef Fish Surveys collected to improve assessments of reef fish populations in American Samoa are included. The 2016 cruise included a comparison of counts on OC and CCR, in order to assess one source of disturbance on fish life (and ultimately counts) from with divers' presence - i.e. the bubbles produced by divers using standard SCUBA apparatus. Therefore, a subset of sites contain counts using both OC and CCR, conducted one after the other with order varying. 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 PIFSC Ecosystem Sciences Division 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. doi:10.7289/V5TB1564 NOAA Theme ISO 19115 Topic Category biota Theme CRCP Project 743 Theme CRCP Project National Coral Reef Monitoring Program Theme CoRIS Discovery Thesaurus Numeric Data Sets > Fish Census Theme CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Aquatic Habitat > Reef Habitat Theme CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Ecological Dynamics > Species Richness Theme CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef monitoring and assessment Theme CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef monitoring and assessment > Rapid assessment studies Theme CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef monitoring and assessment > Reef fish census Theme CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef monitoring and assessment > Reef fish census > Stationary Theme CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs Theme CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral Reef Ecology > Coral Cover Theme CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral Reef Ecology > Rugosity Theme CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral reef ecology Theme CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Fish Theme CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Fish > Fish Assemblages Theme CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Macroinvertebrates Theme CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Marine Invertebrates Theme CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Marine Invertebrates > Macroinvertebrates Theme NODC DATA TYPES THESAURUS FISH - CORAL REEF Theme NODC DATA TYPES THESAURUS FISH BIOMASS Theme NODC DATA TYPES THESAURUS FISH SPECIES Theme NODC DATA TYPES THESAURUS SPECIES IDENTIFICATION Theme NODC DATA TYPES THESAURUS SPECIES IDENTIFICATION - COUNT Theme NODC DATA TYPES THESAURUS SPECIES IDENTIFICATION - ORGANISM LENGTH Theme NODC OBSERVATION TYPES THESAURUS survey Theme NODC OBSERVATION TYPES THESAURUS survey - biological Theme NODC OBSERVATION TYPES THESAURUS survey - swimmer/diver Theme NODC OBSERVATION TYPES THESAURUS visual estimate Theme NODC PLATFORM NAMES THESAURUS HI'IALAKAI Theme NODC PLATFORM NAMES THESAURUS Oscar Elton Sette Theme NODC PROJECT NAMES THESAURUS CORAL REEF STUDIES Theme NODC PROJECT NAMES THESAURUS Coral Reef Conservation Program Theme NODC PROJECT NAMES THESAURUS National Coral Reef Monitoring Program Theme NODC SUBMITTING INSTITUTION NAMES THESAURUS US DOC; NOAA; NMFS; Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center; Ecosystem Sciences Division Theme CRED Theme CREP Theme Coral Reef Ecosystem Division Theme Coral Reef Ecosystem Program Theme ESD Theme Ecosystem Sciences Division Theme PIFSC Theme Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center Theme RAMP Theme REA Theme Rapid Ecological Assessment Theme Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program Theme Reef Fish Theme SPC Theme Stationary Point Count Spatial CoRIS Place Thesaurus COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > American Samoa > American Samoa > American Samoa (14S170W0000) Spatial CoRIS Place Thesaurus COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > American Samoa > American Samoa > Ofu Island (14S169W0013) Spatial CoRIS Place Thesaurus COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > American Samoa > American Samoa > Olosega Island (14S169W0014) Spatial CoRIS Place Thesaurus COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > American Samoa > American Samoa > Rose Island (Rose Atoll) (14S168W0001) Spatial CoRIS Place Thesaurus COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > American Samoa > American Samoa > Swains Atoll (11S171W0001) Spatial CoRIS Place Thesaurus COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > American Samoa > American Samoa > Ta'u Island (14S169W0012) Spatial CoRIS Place Thesaurus COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > American Samoa > American Samoa > Tutuila Island (14S170W0016) Spatial CoRIS Place Thesaurus OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > American Samoa > American Samoa (14S170W0000) Spatial CoRIS Place Thesaurus OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > American Samoa > Swains Atoll (11S171W0001) Spatial CoRIS Place Thesaurus OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > American Samoa > Tutuila Island (14S170W0016) Spatial CoRIS Place Thesaurus OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Manu'a Group > Ofu Island (14S169W0013) Spatial CoRIS Place Thesaurus OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Manu'a Group > Olosega Island (14S169W0014) Spatial CoRIS Place Thesaurus OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Manu'a Group > Ta'u Island (14S169W0012) Spatial CoRIS Place Thesaurus OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Rose Island > Rose Island (Rose Atoll) (14S168W0001) Spatial NODC SEA AREA NAMES THESAURUS Rose Atoll Marine National Monument Spatial NODC SEA AREA NAMES THESAURUS South Pacific Ocean Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center Honolulu HI USA Data Set CSV Files As Needed Dataset record updated as new data for the region are added to the collection. Updated 12/2018 to add 2018 surveys. Table (digital) Raw survey data includes metadata for each survey (where, when, who, area); site characteristics (depth, reef type, habitat, benthic cover); individual reef fish observations identified to the lowest taxonomic level possible (usually species) including size, count, and observation type; and parameters needed to calculate biomass and density. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/35993 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. PIFSC Ecosystem Sciences Division and funded by the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program and the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center 35993 FISH_REA_DataDictionary_2022 Published / External Completed Data Table Yes GISDAT Data dictionary for the dataset produced by the fish nSPC surveys conducted at stratified-random sites (StRS). 1 OBJECTID NUMERIC 22 Yes No 38 0 Active Unique identifier for fish REA observations 2 ROUNDID NUMERIC 22 Yes No 28 0 Active Unique Identifier for ROUND record 3 MISSIONID TEXT 30 Yes No Active Mission Identifier 4 REGION_NAME TEXT 30 No No Active The Pacific Island region surveyed: American Samoa, Pacific Remote Island Areas, Mariana Archipelago, main Hawaiian Islands, Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. 5 ISLAND TEXT 150 No No Active Island or Atoll surveyed in the Pacific Island region (REGION_NAME). 6 SITE TEXT 150 Yes No Active The code for the site surveyed at the island or atoll (ISLAND). Combines a 3-letter island code with a 2-4 digit site number. 7 LATITUDE NUMERIC 22 No No 38 Active Latitude in decimal degrees, WGS84, for the given SITE as recorded by divers on the datasheets. 8 LONGITUDE NUMERIC 22 No No Active Longitude in decimal degrees, WGS84 for the given SITE as recorded by divers on the datasheets. 9 REEF_ZONE TEXT 150 No No Active The reef zone for the given site (Forereef, Backreef, Protected Slope, or Lagoon) 10 DEPTH_BIN TEXT 60 No No Active Classification of depth (shallow, mid, deep) based on midpoint between minimum and maximum depths of replicates at this site. Shallow: >0-6 m, Mid: >6-18 m, Deep: >18-30 m. 11 SITEVISITID NUMERIC 22 Yes No 38 Active Unique identifier created each time a SITE is surveyed on a DATE_. 12 DATE_ DATE 7 Yes No Active Local date the survey was conducted 13 OBS_YEAR NUMERIC 22 No No 38 Active 4-digit year the survey was conducted (DATE_). 14 DIVER TEXT 150 Yes No Active Initials of diver conducting survey 15 REPLICATEID NUMERIC 22 Yes No 38 0 Active Unique identifier for the replicate sample within a Fish REA survey 16 REP TEXT 150 No No Active Letter associated to replicate (A, B, C, or D) 17 METHOD TEXT 150 Yes No Active Fish method employed: new stationary point count (nSPC) 18 PHOTOGRAPHER NUMERIC 22 No No 5 0 Active Flag to indicate photographer of benthic photos. Two divers simultaneously conduct a survey at a site (indicated by the initials of the observer in the DIVER field), only one of which captures the benthic photos. Value -1 indicates the photographer. 19 TRAINING_YN NUMERIC 22 No No Active Flag to signify whether replicate was for training purposes. Value -1 indicates the replicate was for training. 20 DEPTH NUMERIC 22 No No 38 Active Depth of survey area in meters. Depths usually within 0-30 m. 21 SURVEY_RADIUS_M NUMERIC 22 No No Active Radius of survey area in meters, usually 7.5 m (15-m SPC survey 'cylinder') 22 HARD_CORAL NUMERIC 22 No No Active Hard coral cover (0-100%). Sum of benthic composition categories equals 100. 23 SOFT_CORAL NUMERIC 22 No No 38 Active Soft coral cover (0-100%). Sum of benthic composition categories equals 100. No longer collected as of 2016 surveys; pooled into OTHER. 24 MA NUMERIC 22 No No Active Macroalgae cover (0-100%). Sum of benthic composition categories equals 100. 25 CCA NUMERIC 22 No No 38 Active Crustose coralline algae (CCA) cover (0-100%). Sum of benthic composition categories equals 100. 26 TA NUMERIC 22 No No 38 Active Turf algae cover (0-100%). Sum of benthic composition categories equals 100. No longer collected as of 2016 surveys; pooled into OTHER. 27 SAND NUMERIC 22 No No 38 Active Sand cover (0-100%). Sum of benthic composition categories equals 100. 28 TUNICATE NUMERIC 22 No No 38 Active Tunicate cover (%). No longer collected as of 2016 surveys; pooled into OTHER. 29 ZOANTHID NUMERIC 22 No No 38 Active Zoanthid cover (%). No longer collected as of 2016 surveys; pooled into OTHER. 30 CORALLIMORPH NUMERIC 22 No No 38 Active Corallimorph cover (%). No longer collected as of 2016 surveys; pooled into OTHER. 31 CLAM NUMERIC 22 No No 38 Active Clam cover (%). No longer collected as of 2016 surveys; pooled into OTHER. 32 CYANO NUMERIC 22 No No 38 Active Cyanobacteria cover (%). No longer collected as of 2016 surveys; pooled into OTHER. 33 SPONGE NUMERIC 22 No No 38 Active Sponge cover (%). No longer collected as of 2016 surveys; pooled into OTHER. 34 OTHER NUMERIC 22 No No Active Other benthic composition cover (%). Turf algae, sand, tunicates, zoanthids, corallimorphs, clams, cyanobacteria, and sponges are pooled into this category as of 2016 surveys. 35 OTHER_TYPE TEXT 20 No No Active Other benthic composition cover type. No longer collected as of 2016 surveys. 36 HABITAT_CODE TEXT 50 No No Active Habitat code (see HABITAT_TYPE for description of code). 37 HABITAT_TYPE TEXT 50 No No Active HABITAT_CODE description 38 CURRENT_STRENGTH TEXT 20 No No Active Current Strength (None, Slight, Moderate, High) 39 VISIBILITY NUMERIC 22 No No 38 8 Active Visibility measured in meters 40 MIN_DEPTH NUMERIC 22 No No Active Minimum depth of the diver's survey cylinder in meters 41 MAX_DEPTH NUMERIC 22 No No 38 Active Maximum depth of the diver's survey cylinder in meters 42 SUBSTRATE_HEIGHT_0 NUMERIC 22 No No 38 8 Active Proportion of survey area between 0 cm and 20 cm elevation 43 SUBSTRATE_HEIGHT_20 NUMERIC 22 No No 38 8 Active Proportion of survey area between 20 cm and 50 cm elevation 44 SUBSTRATE_HEIGHT_50 NUMERIC 22 No No 38 8 Active Proportion of survey area between 50 cm and 100 cm elevation 45 SUBSTRATE_HEIGHT_100 NUMERIC 22 No No 38 8 Active Proportion of survey area between 100 cm and 150 cm elevation 46 SUBSTRATE_HEIGHT_150 NUMERIC 22 No No 38 8 Active Proportion of survey area over 150 cm elevation 47 MAX_HEIGHT NUMERIC 22 No No Active Highest elevation point in SPC cylinder measured in meters 48 URCHIN_DACOR TEXT 1 No No Active Free urchin abundance, estimated by DACOR, an abundance code based on visual estimation (Dominant, Abundant, Common, Occasional, and Rare) 49 BORING_URCHIN_DACOR TEXT 1 No No Active Boring urchin abundance, estimated by DACOR, an abundance code based on visual estimation (Dominant, Abundant, Common, Occasional, and Rare) 50 SPECIES TEXT 150 Yes No Active 4-letter species code 51 TAXONNAME TEXT 765 Yes No Active Scientific name of observed organism to the lowest level identified in the taxonomic hierarchy, which is usually species (see RANK). 52 COMMONNAME TEXT 150 No No Active Common name (from FishBase) 53 COMMONFAMILYALL TEXT 150 No No Active Common name of all families 54 FAMILY TEXT 150 No No Active Taxonomic family classification 55 SCIENTIFIC_NAME TEXT 255 No No Active The true scientific name (genus and species name). If blank, organism identified to genus or higher RANK in taxonomic hierarchy (not identified to species). See RANK. 56 RANK TEXT 20 No No Active Lowest defined rank in taxonomic hierarchy 57 TROPHIC TEXT 150 No No Active Trophic level: APEX (apex predator), Cor (corallivore), H (herbivore), MI (mobile invertivore), Om (Omnivore), Par (parasite), Pisc (piscivore), Pk (planktivore), SI (sessile invertivore), X (if unidentified fish), Z (zooplantivore) 58 TROPHIC_MONREP TEXT 150 No No Active Trophic level scheme used (Primary Consumer, Secondary Consumer, Planktivore, Piscivore) 59 LW_A NUMERIC 22 No No 38 8 Active Parameter "a" used in length-weight calculations 60 LW_B NUMERIC 22 No No 28 8 Active Parameter "b" used in length-weight calculations 61 LMAX NUMERIC 22 No No 28 8 Active Maximum length of the fish published in literature in centimeters 62 LENGTH_CONVERSION_FACTOR NUMERIC 22 No No 28 8 Active Factor to convert length as TOTAL LENGTH to get it to right form (standard [SL], fork [FL], or total length [TL]) for available length weight A and B parameters for this species. 63 COUNT NUMERIC 22 No No 5 0 Active Number of fish observed during survey 64 SIZE_ NUMERIC 22 No No 38 8 Active Total length of fish, measured from the tip of the snout to the tip of the longer lobe of the caudal fin, reported in centimeters. Total length for rays (Myliobatidae) is measured from pectoral fin tip to pectoral fin tip. 65 OBS_TYPE TEXT 1 No No Active A single letter representation of the observation type (see OBS_DESC for description) 66 OBS_DESC TEXT 20 Yes No Active The type of observation made during the fish survey (Instantaneous, non-instantaneous, after 5 minutes, after 10 minutes, presence). See the Reef Fish Survey Protocol for an explanation of the observation types. Data Set Credit 2016 2016 Organization Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center PIFSC pifsc.info@noaa.gov https://ror.org/02apffz65 1845 Wasp Blvd. Honolulu HI 96818 USA 808-725-5360 https://www.pifsc.noaa.gov Pacific Island Fisheries Science Center homepage Online Resource 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Data Set Credit 2015 Organization NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program CRCP 1305 East West Highway 10th Floor Silver Spring MD 20910-3281 (301) 713-3155 https://coralreef.noaa.gov Link to the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program website Online Resource Data Steward 2020-01 Person Gray, Andrew E andrew.e.gray@noaa.gov https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6261-8824 Data Steward 2015 2020-01 Person McCoy, Kaylyn S kaylyn.mccoy@noaa.gov https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4875-9863 1845 Wasp Blvd. Honolulu HI 96818 USA (808)725-5471 Distributor 2020-01-08 Organization Ocean Biogeographic Information System OBIS https://obis.org OBIS provides a portal or gateway to many datasets containing information on where and when marine species have been recorded. OBIS emanates from the Census of Marine Life (2000-2010) and was adopted as a project under IOC-UNESCO’s International Oceanographic Data and Information (IODE) programme in 2009. Online Resource Distributor 2016 Organization NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information NCEI ncei.info@noaa.gov https://ror.org/04r0wrp59 https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/contact NCEI Contact Information Information for contacts at NCEI. Online Resource Distributor 2015 2016 Person Kanemura, Troy T troy.kanemura@noaa.gov 1845 Wasp Blvd. Honolulu HI 96818 USA (808)725-5422 Email preferred Metadata Contact 2025-11-11 Person Akridge, Michael W michael.akridge@noaa.gov 1845 Wasp Blvd. Honolulu HI 96818 USA (808)725-5483 Metadata Contact 2015 Person DesRochers, Annette M annette.desrochers@noaa.gov 1845 Wasp Blvd. Honolulu HI 96818 USA (808)725-5461 8 am - 5 pm Originator 2015 Organization Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center PIFSC pifsc.info@noaa.gov https://ror.org/02apffz65 1845 Wasp Blvd. Honolulu HI 96818 USA 808-725-5360 https://www.pifsc.noaa.gov Pacific Island Fisheries Science Center homepage Online Resource 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Point of Contact 2025-11-11 Person Shantz, Andrew andrew.shantz@noaa.gov Point of Contact 2020-02 Person Kindinger, Tye tye.kindinger@noaa.gov https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4946-790X Point of Contact 2015 2020-01 Person Williams, Ivor D ivor.williams@noaa.gov https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9444-1020 1845 Wasp Blvd. Honolulu HI 96818 USA (808)725-5427 Email preferred Ground Condition American Samoa -171.09257371 -168.1373351 -11.04525081 -14.560622 American Samoa, including Tutuila, Manu'a (Ofo, Olosega, and Ta'u), Rose Atoll, and Swains. Range 2015-02-15 2015-03-30 HA1501 Range 2016-04-15 2016-05-05 SE1602 REEF FISH SURVEYS Range 2018-06-19 2018-07-18 HA1801 Reef fish surveys conducted during ASRAMP 2018 at Tutuila, Rose, Swains, Tau, and Ofu/Olosega Range 2023-04-26 2023-08-09 RA2301 Reef fish surveys conducted around Ofu & Olosega, Rose, Tau, and Tutuila. Swains was not surveyed in 2023 due to loss of operational days Unclassified Not applicable Not applicable NOAA Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD) Data Sharing Recommendations, version 9.0 updated August 12, 2015: ESD welcomes the opportunity to collaborate on research issues contributing to the scientific basis for better management of marine ecosystems. ESD has a very diverse set of field activities that generates large volumes of data using an array of data collection protocols. The following recommendations are for your consideration as you use this data: 1) Data analyses should take all field exigencies into account. The most effective way to do this would be active collaboration with ESD principal investigators. 2) In all presentations, product releases, or publications using data generated by CREP, proper acknowledgement of both ESD and the individuals responsible for data collection is expected. Citing the DOI (if available) is preferred, a non-DOI example is listed below. 3) If you collect or generate data for the same study areas, ESD requests that you share relevant information on complimentary data collections. 4) Those receiving data are strongly urged to inform the ESD Data Management Team of any errors and discrepancies that are discovered during the course of using these data. They are further urged to bring to the attention of the Team all problems and difficulties encountered in using these data. This information is necessary in order to improve the collections and to facilitate more efficient and economical data processing and retrieval. The users are asked to supply copies of any missing data that may be located, and to provide information as to significant subsets and special aggregations of data that are developed in using the material provided. Example citation: "This publication makes use of data products provided by the Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD), Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), with funding support from the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) and the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC). The analysis and interpretations presented here are solely that of the current authors.” Data can be accessed online via the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) Ocean Archive. None Please cite PIFSC Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD) when using the data. Suggested citation: Ecosystem Sciences Division; Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (2024). National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Stratified Random Surveys (StRS) of Reef Fish, including Benthic Estimate Data of American Samoa since 2015. NOAA's National Center for Environmental Information, https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/34520. None None https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0157588 2016 Organization NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information https://ror.org/04r0wrp59 V0_FISH_REA SAMOA 2015.csv Observations from stationary point count surveys of coral reef fishes by the NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) conducted at various islands in American Samoa (HA1501) in 2015. 2016-12-14T00:00:00 csv (comma-separated values) CSV - Comma Separated Values (Text) https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0157597 2016 Organization NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information https://ror.org/04r0wrp59 V0_FISH_REA SAMOA 2016.csv Observations from stationary point count surveys of coral reef fishes conducted on open circuit by the NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) at various islands in American Samoa (SE1602) in 2016. 2016-12-14T00:00:00 csv (comma-separated values) CSV - Comma Separated Values (Text) https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0157633 2016 Organization NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information https://ror.org/04r0wrp59 PIFSC_H-15-07_2015_SOP_Fish.pdf NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program standard operating procedures: collection for Rapid Ecological Assessment fish surveys. PIFSC Administrative Report H-15-07, https://doi.org/10.7289/v5sn06zt 2015-12-15T00:00:00 PDF PDF - Adobe Portable Document Format https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0157633 2016 Organization NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information https://ror.org/04r0wrp59 PIFSC_DR-16-002_2015_DataReport_Fish.pdf Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program Data Report: Ecological monitoring 2015---reef fishes and benthic habitats of the main Hawaiian Islands, Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, Pacific Remote Island Areas, and American Samoa. PIFSC Data Report 16-002. doi:10.7289/V5G73BQJ 2016-03-04T00:00:00 PDF PDF - Adobe Portable Document Format https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0157633 2016 Organization NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information https://ror.org/04r0wrp59 PIFSC_DR-19-008_2018_DataReport_Fish.pdf Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program Data Report. Ecological monitoring 2018—reef fishes and benthic habitats of the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument and American Samoa. PIFSC Data Report DR-19-008. https://doi.org/10.25923/0rg6-y073 2018-12-18T00:00:00 PDF PDF - Adobe Portable Document Format https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0157633 2016 Organization NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information https://ror.org/04r0wrp59 PIFSC_DR-18-009_2018_FishBrief_Am.Samoa.pdf Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program. Fish monitoring brief: Swains, Tutuila, Ofu and Olosega, Ta’u Islands, and Rose Atoll, 2018. PIFSC Data Report, DR-18-009, https://doi.org/10.25923/npqt-xh37 2018-07-27T00:00:00 PDF PDF - Adobe Portable Document Format https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0157633 2016 Organization NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information https://ror.org/04r0wrp59 PIFSC_DR-18-010_2018_FishBrief_BAK_HOW_SWA.pdf Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program. Fish monitoring brief: Howland, Baker, and Swains Islands, 2018. PIFSC Data Report DR-18-010. https://doi.org/10.25923/f5sp-pv56 2018-07-27T00:00:00 PDF PDF - Adobe Portable Document Format https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0157633 2016 Organization NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information https://ror.org/04r0wrp59 PIFSC_DR-14-003_2012-2013_DataReport_Fish.pdf 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. PIFSC Data Report DR-14-003, https://doi.org/10.7289/v55h7d81 2014-04-01T00:00:00 PDF PDF - Adobe Portable Document Format https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0157633 2016 Organization NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information https://ror.org/04r0wrp59 PIFSC_DR-16-007_2015_SummaryReport_NMSAS.pdf Summary Report of Baseline Surveys and Installations Conducted in 2015 in the National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa. PIFSC Data Report DR-16-007, http://dx.doi.org/10.7289/V5N014J6 2016-04-26T00:00:00 PDF PDF - Adobe Portable Document Format https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0157633 2016 Organization NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information https://ror.org/04r0wrp59 PIFSC_DR-17-001_2016_DataReport_Fish.pdf 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. PIFSC Data Report DR-17-001. https://doi.org/10.7289/v5/dr-pifsc-17-001 2017-01-13T00:00:00 PDF PDF - Adobe Portable Document Format https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0157633 2016 Organization NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information https://ror.org/04r0wrp59 PIFSC_DR-15-008_2015_FishBrief_Am.Samoa.pdf Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program. Fish monitoring brief: American Samoa 2015. PIFSC Data Report DR-15-008, http://dx.doi.org/10.7289/V5319SWZ 2015-04-02T00:00:00 PDF PDF - Adobe Portable Document Format https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0183543 2016 Organization NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information https://ror.org/04r0wrp59 V0_FISH_REA SAMOA 2018.csv Observations from stationary point count surveys of coral reef fishes by the NOAA PIFSC Ecosystem Sciences Division conducted at various islands in American Samoa during mission HA1801 in 2018. 2018-12-10T00:00:00 csv (comma-separated values) CSV - Comma Separated Values (Text) https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0290375 2016 Organization NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information https://ror.org/04r0wrp59 NCRMP_FISH_REA_SAMOA_2023 Observations from stationary point count surveys of coral reef fishes by the NOAA PIFSC Ecosystem Sciences Division conducted at various islands in American Samoa during mission RA2301 in 2023. 2023-01-23T00:00:00 CSV - Comma Separated Values (Text) 9705 KB https://ecowatch.ncddc.noaa.gov/erddap/tabledap/CRCP_Reef_Fish_Surveys_American_Samoa.html 2016 Organization NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information https://ror.org/04r0wrp59 NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) ERDDAP web service for reef fish data from stratified random surveys conducted by the PIFSC Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD) during ESD-led NOAA National Coral Reef Monitoring Program missions to Amercian Samoa since 2015. ERDDAP acts as a middleman between you and various remote data servers. ERDDAP offers an easy-to-use, consistent way to request data: via the OPeNDAP standard. Many datasets can also be accessed via ERDDAP's Web Map Service (WMS). ERDDAP returns data in the common file format of your choice. ERDDAP offers all data as .html table, ESRI .asc and .csv, Google Earth .kml, OPeNDAP binary, .mat, .nc, ODV .txt, .csv, .tsv, .json, and .xhtml. ERDDAP can also return a .png or .pdf image with a customized graph or map. ERDDAP also has web pages (for humans with browsers) and RESTful web services (for computer programs). ERDDAP Data Server ERDDAP Data Service https://mapper.obis.org/?datasetid=2ae2a2bd-8412-405b-8a9f-b71adc41d4c5 2020-01-08 Organization Ocean Biogeographic Information System ncrmp_nspc_fish_pacific Data have been translated by a third party to Darwin Core format and served via the Ocean Biogeographic Information System (OBIS) Data Access portal: OBIS Dataset Title: NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, Ecosystem Sciences Division, National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Stratified random surveys (StRS) of reef fish in the U.S. Pacific Islands. Years: 2007-2019 DOI: 10.15468/tk1hwm OBIS Dataset ID: 2ae2a2bd-8412-405b-8a9f-b71adc41d4c5 OBIS provides a portal or gateway to many datasets containing information on where and when marine species have been recorded. The datasets are integrated so you can search them all seamlessly by species name, higher taxonomic level, geographic area, depth, and time; and then map and find environmental data related to the locations. There are several ways to access OBIS data: (1) Mapper, (2) API, and (3) R package. The mapper allows you to visualize and inspect subsets of OBIS data. A variety of filters (taxonomic, geographic, time, data quality) is available and multiple layers can be combined in a single view. Layers can be downloaded as CSV files. Developers can access data through the OBIS API or the R package. 2019-10-15T00:00:00 Darwin Core Archive Darwin Core Archive https://origin-apps-pifsc.fisheries.noaa.gov/cred/img/diver_counting_fish_using_spc_sm.jpg Diver counting coral reef fishes at Pearl and Hermes Reef using the SPC method. Browse Graphic JPG https://origin-apps-pifsc.fisheries.noaa.gov/cred/survey_methods/fish_surveys/rapid_ecological_assessment_of_fish-survey_method_training.php Fish survey methods training page Online Resource PHP https://www.coris.noaa.gov/monitoring/ National Coral Reef Monitoring Program Online Resource NOAA National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) website. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/pacific-islands/ecosystems/coral-reefs-pacific Coral Reefs in the Pacific Online Resource NOAA Fisheries, Pacific Islands website. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/pacific-islands/ecosystems/coral-reefs-pacific#survey-methods Survey Methods Online Resource NOAA Fisheries, Pacific Islands website PIFSC Oracle database view: V0_FISH_REA 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. 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. 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. The same methods of data collection are used at each surveyed site, and periodic examination of the data is conducted throughout each mission to check for diver bias or other discrepancies. Observations, including species identification and sizing, are periodically checked during expeditions for consistency between divers. 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. Yes Unknown Yes No Unknown NCEI-MD Unknown NOAA IRC and NOAA Fisheries ITS resources and assets. Stationary Point Count survey of coral reef fish methodology, employed by the NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) since 2007. Ayotte, P., K. McCoy, A. Heenan, I. Williams, and J. Zamzow. 2015. Coral Reef Ecosystem Division standard operating procedures: data collection for Rapid Ecological Assessment fish surveys. Pacific Islands Fish. Sci. Cent., Natl. Mar. Fish. Serv., NOAA, Honolulu, HI 96818-5007. Pacific Islands Fish. Sci. Cent. Admin. Rep. H-15-07, 33 p. Organization Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, PIFSC Originator 2015-12-21 http://dx.doi.org/10.7289/V5SN06ZT NOAA Institutional Repository Coral reef ecosystem program standard operating procedures : data collection for rapid ecological assessment fish surveys Survey protocol 1 For the current NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) 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. 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). Upon completion of the fish survey, photographs of the benthos are captured at 1-m intervals along the 30-m transect line (30 photographs per site) using a 1-m PVC stick to position the camera directly above the substrate. Person Ayotte, Paula M paula.ayotte@noaa.gov 1845 Wasp Blvd. Honolulu HI 96818 USA (808)725-5403 Ayotte, P., K. McCoy, A. Heenan, I. Williams, and J. Zamzow. 2015. Coral Reef Ecosystem Division standard operating procedures: data collection for Rapid Ecological Assessment fish surveys. Pacific Islands Fish. Sci. Cent., Natl. Mar. Fish. Serv., NOAA, Honolulu, HI 96818-5007. Pacific Islands Fish. Sci. Cent. Admin. Rep. H-15-07, 33 p. Not Applicable 35993 Entity 24447 Data Set Cross Reference 34518 Data Set Cross Reference 34519 Data Set Cross Reference 34515 Data Set Cross Reference 35774 Data Set Cross Reference gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:34520 Troy Kanemura 2016-08-29T19:39:16 SysAdmin InPortAdmin 2026-03-04T19:17:27 2024-04-02 Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center PIFSC 1845 Wasp Blvd. Honolulu HI 96818 USA 808-725-5300 https://www.pifsc.noaa.gov 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. 1001 Public No No 2024-02-29 1 Year 2025-02-28