64552 Data Set Published / External 21559 Ecosystem Monitoring and Assessment Project On Going 2021-03 2026-01 2026 Photoquadrat benthic images were collected within the Kahekili Herbivore Fisheries Management Area (HFMA) in West Maui by the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC) Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD; formerly the Coral Reef Ecosystem Division) for quantifying benthic composition. This metadata record is for the source imagery of the benthic cover data produced using CoralNet which is part of a separate accession and metadata record (see 'Related Items' is below, link: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/30951). The images can be linked to the benthic cover by site number in each image filename (file naming convention for each photo/image is KA[YEAR][MONTH]_[SURVEY#]_[GenericImageName]);the sites are described in the site metadata file provided. All data are accessible via the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) Ocean Archive. Benthic cover (%) was extracted from photoquadrats where 25 photographs were taken at 1m intervals along a 25-m long transect. The resulting imagery at each site was analyzed using a web-based annotation tool called CoralNet where the benthic composition was defined for 15 points per photoquadrat. In 2009, the state of Hawaii established the Kahekili Herbivore Fisheries Management Area (HFMA) in West Maui. Fishing for herbivores (parrotfishes, surgeonfishes, chubs, sea urchins) is prohibited, as the goal is to use this form of marine management to promote ecosystem resilience of coral reefs by naturally maintaining macroalgae at low levels to prevent it from dominating over corals. The data described herein are part of an ongoing monitoring program used to assess changes in fish and benthic assemblages since the HFMA was implemented. The NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) has provided support for ESD staff to assist the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR) staff with maintaining long-term biological monitoring of the HFMA. https://doi.org/10.7289/v5js9nr4 NOAA Theme ISO 19115 Topic Category biota Theme CRCP Project 31430 Theme CRCP Project Maximizing information about reef resilience inferred from monitoring efforts to inform management and restoration actions Theme CoRIS Discovery Thesaurus Visual Images > Habitats Theme CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Aquatic Habitat > Benthic Habitat Theme CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Aquatic Habitat > Reef Habitat Theme CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals 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 > Benthos Analysis > Transect Monitoring Theme CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > In Situ Biological Theme CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef monitoring and assessment > Rapid assessment studies 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 Theme CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral Reef Ecology > Benthic biology Theme CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Coral Theme CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Coral Communities Theme NODC DATA TYPES THESAURUS PHOTOQUADRAT IMAGES Theme NODC OBSERVATION TYPES THESAURUS imagery Theme NODC PROJECT NAMES THESAURUS CORAL REEF STUDIES Theme NODC PROJECT NAMES THESAURUS Coral Reef Conservation Program Theme NODC SUBMITTING INSTITUTION NAMES THESAURUS US DOC; NOAA; NMFS; Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center; Ecosystem Sciences Division Theme CREP Theme Coral Reef Ecosystem Program Theme ESD Theme Ecosystem Sciences Division Theme KHFMA Theme Kahekili Theme Kahekili Herbivore Fisheries Management Area Theme PIFSC Theme Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center Temporal Biannual Spatial CoRIS Place Thesaurus COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Maui > Maui Island (20N156W0004) Spatial CoRIS Place Thesaurus COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaiian Islands (21N157W0027) Spatial CoRIS Place Thesaurus OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Hawaiian Islands (21N157W0027) Spatial CoRIS Place Thesaurus OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Hawaiian Islands > Maui Island > Maui Island (20N156W0004) Spatial NODC Sea Area Names Thesaurus Coastal Waters of Hawaii Spatial NODC Sea Area Names Thesaurus North Pacific Ocean Spatial MHI Spatial Main Hawaiian Islands Instrument NODC INSTRUMENT TYPES THESAURUS camera Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center Honolulu HI USA Data Set JPG Files Annually Imagery / data is added as it is collected - annually, after Spring & Fall research missions. Image (digital) Raw data include ~25 benthic photographs per survey site. The file naming convention for each photo/image is KA-[YEAR]-[MONTH]-[SITE]-[GenericImageName] (e.g., KA2103A01IMG_7933.JPG). https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/64619 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. NOAA Fisheries Ecosystem Sciences Division and funded by the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program 64619 Published / External Data Table Yes Kahekili Site Info 1 DATE DATE No No Active Date (YYYY-MM-DD) photograph was taken. 2 ROUND TEXT 22 No No Active Survey identifier. 3 SITE TEXT No No Active Survey site number; unique site name where photographs were taken. 4 HABITAT_STRATA TEXT 22 No No Active 3-letter habitat type code: SAG = shallow aggregate reef; DAG = deep aggregate reef; MMX = mixed mid-depth reef; SSG = shallow spur and groove; DSG = deep spur and groove; SPA = shallow pavement; and UNK = unknown. Data Set Credit 2021 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 2025-11-12 Person Shantz, Andrew andrew.shantz@noaa.gov Data Steward 2021 2025 Person Kindinger, Tye tye.kindinger@noaa.gov https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4946-790X Distributor 2021 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 2009 2016 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 Metadata Contact 2022 Person Luers, Lori H lori.luers@noaa.gov 1845 Wasp Blvd. Honolulu HI 96818 USA Metadata Contact 2021 2022 Person Olenski, Brooke brooke.olenski@noaa.gov Originator 2021 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 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 Ground Condition Kahekili Herbivore Fisheries Management Area, Maui -156.6983 -156.6867 20.9542 20.9263 Extent of Kahekili Marine Reserve Range 2021-03-01 2025 Start date of imagery available on this metadata record for underwater surveys conducted in the Kahekili Herbivore Fisheries Management Area. Imagery is added as data is collected. 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 ESD, 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). 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 NOAA Fisheries, Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD) when using the data. Example: Ecosystem Sciences Division; Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (2021). Benthic Imagery from the Kahekili Herbivore Fisheries Management Area (HFMA), https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/36152. None None https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0255324 2021 Organization NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information https://ror.org/04r0wrp59 KHFMA_IMAGES_2021 Photoquadrat benthic images collected at Kahekili Herbivore Fisheries Management Area (KHFMA), Maui by the NOAA Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD). Images are all in a single folder and organized by name only KA-[ROUND]-[ARBITRARY_SITE_NAME]_[GENERIC_IMAGE_NAME], e.g. KA2111_084_IMG_01.JPG. .jpg JPEG https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0255324 2021 Organization NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information https://ror.org/04r0wrp59 KHFMA_site_metadata_2021.csv This metadata file is a list of the sites analyzed, by which the images are named (the imagery naming convention: KA-[ROUND]-[ARBITRARY_SITE_NAME]_[GENERIC_IMAGE_NAME]). This links the source imagery to the benthic cover dataset. For example: Image name: KA2111_A01_IMG_01 has site name is 'A01'; one can find this site information in the site metadata file as well as with site name in benthic cover data produced with CoralNet, whose metadata record and accession are available under 'Related Items'. csv (comma-separated values) CSV - Comma Separated Values (Text) https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0307662 2021 Organization NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information https://ror.org/04r0wrp59 KHFMA_site_metadata_2024.csv Site metadata for benthic imagery. Latitude & longitude are excluded due to being a management area. CSV - Comma Separated Values (Text) https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0307662 2021 Organization NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information https://ror.org/04r0wrp59 KHFMA_IMAGES_2024 Imagery collected during March and October 2024 during Kahekili surveys. Data extracted is described and archived separately - see 'Related Items'. JPEG 42.6 GB https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0315338 2021 Organization NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information https://ror.org/04r0wrp59 KHFMA_IMAGES_2025 Imagery collected during March and October 2025 during Kahekili surveys. Data extracted is described and archived separately - see 'Related Items'. JPEG https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0315338 2021 Organization NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information https://ror.org/04r0wrp59 KHFMA_site_metadata_2025.csv Site metadata for benthic imagery. Latitude & longitude are excluded due to being a management area. CSV - Comma Separated Values (Text) https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/dar/files/2014/05/kahekili.jpg Map of Kahekili Herbivore Fishery Management Area Browse Graphic JPG Map of Kahekili Herbivore Fishery Management Area https://www.facebook.com/KHFMA Kahekili Herbivore Fisheries Management Area Facebook Online Resource HTML Kahekili Herbivore Fisheries Management Area Facebook page Data are from haphazardly located surveys and are believed to be highly representative. Benthic cover estimates derived from analysis of photographs are dependent on image quality, which was generally good as photographs were taken with a high resolution (8-20.2 MP) digital camera from 1 m above the reef substrate in generally clear water. Image quality is almost always more than sufficient for there to be high confidence in the accuracy of identification of benthic genera and functional groups by trained analysts. The survey sites were selected using a haphazard process based on available habitat and bathymetric habitats. Survey methods were consistent across all sites. The photos are reviewed by the diver for accuracy and usability. Yes Unknown Yes No Unknown NCEI-MD Unknown The images reside on a file server maintained and regularly backed up by PIFSC ITS. The haphazard sampling design and benthic photoquadrat survey methodology has been employed by the NOAA Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD) from 2008 to 2021. Benthic imagery is collected at haphazardly selected sites. These photos are color-corrected (if necessary) prior to analysis. The data management team also uses an optical validation script to rename photos and enforce several validation checks. Williams ID, White DJ, Sparks RT, Lino KC, Zamzow JP, Kelly ELA, et al. (2016) Responses of Herbivorous Fishes and Benthos to 6 Years of Protection at the Kahekili Herbivore Fisheries Management Area, Maui. PLoS ONE 11(7): e0159100. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0159100 Organization Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, PIFSC Originator 2016-07-27 https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0159100 PLOS One Responses of Herbivorous Fishes and Benthos to 6 Years of Protection at the Kahekili Herbivore Fisheries Management Area, Maui Research article of findings from the data described herein. 1 Still photographs were taken with a high-resolution digital camera at 1-m intervals along each 30-m transect from 1 m above. 25 photoquadrat images were analyzed per site. Person Shantz, Andrew andrew.shantz@noaa.gov 2 To ensure consistency, images were color corrected using Adobe Lightroom if it appeared that the camera they were taken from was not properly white balanced in the field. The file naming convention for each photo/image is KA[YEAR][MONTH]_[SURVEY#]_[GenericImageName] (e.g., KA2103_123_IMG_7933.JPG). Person Shantz, Andrew andrew.shantz@noaa.gov Not Applicable Not Applicable 64619 Entity 30951 Data Set Cross Reference Benthic cover data produced as a result of the imagery. gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:64552 Brooke Olenski 2021-04-21T19:45:23 Brighton Hedger 2026-05-27T21:45:03 2026-05-27 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 2022-07-07 1 Year 2023-07-07