25371 Faga'alu: benthic images Data Set Published / External 58564 Benthic Missions Project On Going 2022 The data described herein are part of a NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) funded project aimed establishing a baseline and assessing the status and trends for coral demographics and benthic cover and composition via Rapid Ecological Assessment (REA) surveys conducted by the NOAA Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD) -former Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP), at Faga'alu Bay, Tutuila, American Samoa in 2012, 2015, and 2020. Photoquadrat benthic images were collected in 2012, 2015, and 2020 only, via belt transect surveys of coral demography according to protocols established by ESD in 2012 and by the NOAA National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) in 2015. In 2012 through 2015, the survey implemented a two-stage stratified random sampling (StRS) design to assess the Faga'alu benthic coral reef community, and a one-stage StRS design in 2020. The survey domain encompassed the majority of the mapped area of reef and hard bottom habitats in the 0–30 m depth range. The stratification scheme included cardinal position (i.e., north and south), reef zone (i.e., backreef and forereef), and depth (i.e., shallow: >0–6 m and mid-depth: >6–18 m). Sampling effort allocation was determined based on strata area and sites randomly located within strata. The StRS design effectively reduces estimate variance through stratification using environmental covariates and by sampling more sites rather than more transects per site. Therefore, site-to-site comparisons should proceed with caution. Data can be accessed online via the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) Ocean Archive, accession #0146682. The 2015 and 2020 photos have been analyzed for benthic cover (documented separately). Data from coral demographic surveys in 2012, 2013, 2015, and 2020, in addition benthic cover data from line-point intercept surveys in 2012 were also collected ESD and are documented separately. These data are part of a NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) funded project aimed at establishing baseline and assessing status, and trends data for coral demographics and benthic cover and composition via Rapid Ecological Assessment (REA) surveys conducted by the NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) at Faga'alu Bay, Tutuila, American Samoa between 2012 and 2020. In August 2012 Faga’alu watershed in American Samoa was adopted by the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Watershed Partnership Initiative as a priority site, with the objective to reduce inputs of land-based sources of pollution to nearby coastal areas and coral reefs within the watershed. The Samoa Maritime rock quarry was found to be a major contributor to the periodic flux of excessive sediments onto the adjacent reef in Faga‘alu. In September–December 2014, mitigation actions were implemented at the Samoa Maritime Quarry, including the installation of drainage systems, alternative ground cover, and retention ponds. Data were collected to assess the effectiveness of management actions implemented to reduce land-based sources of pollution impacts originating from the Samoa Maritime rock quarry. Pre-intervention baseline images data were collected in 2012 and subsequent post-intervention monitoring in 2015 and 2020. Funding provided by the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) through three internal projects entitled. 1) Comprehensive Baseline Assessment and Pilot Test of Outcome Performance Measures in Faga’alu Bay, American Samoa, awarded to Susie Holst. 2) Status and Trends Assessment for Land-based Sources of Pollution Impacts on Benthic Reef Communities in Faga’alu Bay and Vatia Bay, American Samoa, awarded to the NOAA Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD). And 3) Status and Trends Assessment for Land-based Sources of Pollution Impacts on Benthic Reef Communities in Faga’alu Bay and Vatia Bay, American Samoa, awarded to the NOAA Ecosystem Sciences Division.. S. Holst Rice, A. Messina, T. Biggs, B. Vargas-Angel, and D. Whitall. 2016. Baseline Assessment of Faga'alu Watershed: A Ridge to Reef Assessment in Support of Sediment Reduction Activities and Future Evaluation of their Success. Silver Spring, MD: NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program. NOAA Technical Memorandum CRCP 23. 44 pp. DOI: 10.7289/V5BK19C3 Vargas-Angel B, Schumacher BD. 2018. Baseline surveys for coral reef community structure and demographics in Vatia Bay and Faga'alu Bay, American Samoa. Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, PIFSC Special Publication, SP-18-002, 38 p. https://doi.org/10.7289/V5/SP-PIFSC-18-002. and Vargas-Ángel B, Huntington B. 2020. Status and trends assessments for land-based sources of pollution impacts on benthic reef communities in Faga‘alu Bay, American Samoa. U.S. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA Technical Memorandum NOAA-TM-NMFS-PIFSC-109, 38 p. doi:10.25923/0gvj-zm69. An Erosion and Sediment Control Plan was implemented at Samoa Maritime quarry to reduce excess sedimentation from quarry operations, and mitigation actions from the Plan took place in 2014 to install retention basins designed to stem the input of excess sediments into Faga'alu Stream below the quarry. REA surveys conducted by ESD in 2012 and 2013 serve as the pre-mitigation baseline, and surveys conducted in 2015 and 2020 by ESD and the American Samoa Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources serve to document any post-intervention changes to the coral community in Faga'alu Bay stemming from the mitigation efforts to reduce the sediment loads upstream. Concurrent pre- and post-mitigation monitoring of turbidity and sediment load in Faga'alu is managed by San Diego State University via the CRCP-funded project titled, "Capacity Building for On-Island Impact Assessment of Sediment Load Reduction in Faga'alu Watershed, American Samoa". Long-term monitoring of the stream is transitioning to the American Samoa Environmental Protection Agency. Theme ISO 19115 Topic Category biota Theme CRCP Project 31259 Theme CRCP Project 917 Theme CRCP Project Comprehensive baseline assessment and pilot test of outcome performance measures in Faga'alu Bay, American Samoa Theme CRCP Project Status and trends assessment for LBSP impacts on reef communities in Faga'alu Bay and Vatia Bay Theme CoRIS Discovery Thesaurus Visual Images > Habitats 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 > Baseline studies 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 > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral reef ecology > Coral cover 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 Conservation Program Theme NODC SUBMITTING INSTITUTION NAMES THESAURUS US DOC; NOAA; NMFS; Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center; Ecosystem Sciences Division; Coral Reef Ecosystem Program Theme CRED Theme CREP Theme Coral Reef Ecosystem Division Theme Coral Reef Ecosystem Program Theme Faga'alu Theme PIFSC Theme Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center Theme REA Theme Rapid Ecological Assessments Spatial CoRIS Place Thesaurus COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > American Samoa > Tutuila Island > Faga'alu (14S170W0005) Spatial CoRIS Place Thesaurus OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Pago Pago Harbor > Faga'alu (14S170W0005) Spatial NODC SEA AREA NAMES THESAURUS South Pacific Ocean Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center Honolulu HI USA Data Set JPG Files None Planned Image (digital) Raw data include 30 benthic photographs per survey site. Included in the archive package is a list of survey sites, including site id, location (latitude/longitude), and survey date, where photoquads were collected. The file naming convention for each photo/image is [SITE]_[YEAR]_[TRANSECT]_[PHOTO_NUMBER].JPG (for example: TUT-903_2012_A_01.JPG). 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 65172 BIA Site Info Data Dictionary Published / External Data Table Yes List of sites associated with benthic images 1 MP2006_Fagaalu_images images No No Active Photoquadrat images from belt transect benthic surveys during the 2020 fly-in mission to Faga'alu 2 DATE DATE No No Active date (day, month, year) photograph was taken 2 SITE TEXT No No Active Unique id for survey site 3 LATITUDE NUMERIC No No Active Latitude (dd) of the survey site where photoquads were collected. 4 LONGITUDE NUMERIC No No Active Longitude (dd) of the survey site where photoquads were collected. Data Steward 2012 Person Vargas-Angel, Bernardo bernardo.vargasangel@noaa.gov https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2001-463X 1845 Wasp Blvd. Honolulu HI 96818 USA (808)725-5423 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 2012 2016 Person Kanemura, Troy T troy.kanemura@noaa.gov 1845 Wasp Blvd. Honolulu HI 96818 USA (808)725-5422 Metadata Contact 2021 Person Luers, Lori H lori.luers@noaa.gov 1845 Wasp Blvd. Honolulu HI 96818 USA Metadata Contact 2012 Person DesRochers, Annette M annette.desrochers@noaa.gov 1845 Wasp Blvd. Honolulu HI 96818 USA (808)725-5461 8 am - 5 pm Originator 2012 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 Funders Originator 2012 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 2012 Person Vargas-Angel, Bernardo bernardo.vargasangel@noaa.gov https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2001-463X 1845 Wasp Blvd. Honolulu HI 96818 USA (808)725-5423 Ground Condition Faga'alu Bay, Tutuila, American Samoa -170.6808019 -170.6787708 -14.28890124 -14.29325329 Location of round 2 of 2 Rapid Ecological Assessment (REA) surveys in 2012 Range 2012-08-14 2012-08-16 Round 2 of 2 Rapid Ecological Assessment (REA) surveys in 2012 Faga'alu Bay, Tutuila, American Samoa -170.681125 -170.672613 -14.28695194 -14.29477025 Location of Rapid Ecological Assessment (REA) surveys in 2015 and 2020 Range 2015-10-29 2015-11-11 Rapid Ecological Assessment (REA) surveys in 2015 Range 2020-01-15 2020-01-24 Rapid Ecological Assessment (REA) surveys in Faga'alu 2020 Faga'alu Bay, Tutuila, American Samoa -170.68044341 -170.67263173 -14.28706602 -14.29516353 Location of round 1 of 2 Rapid Ecological Assessment (REA) surveys in 2012 Range 2012-03-28 2012-03-30 Round 1 of 2 Rapid Ecological Assessment (REA) surveys in 2012 Unclassified Not applicable Not applicable NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD) Data Sharing Recommendations, version 9.0 updated August 12, 2015: The ESD welcomes the opportunity to collaborate on research issues contributing to the scientific basis for better management of marine ecosystems. The 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 Coral Reef 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, with links provided in the Distribution Informatoin. None Please cite NOAA Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD) when using the data. Example Cite as: Vargas-Angel, Bernardo; Ecosystem Sciences Division; Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (2020). Benthic Surveys in Faga'alu, American Samoa since 2012: benthic images collected during belt transect surveys in 2012, 2015, 2020. [Access Date] None None https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0146682 2016 Organization NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information https://ror.org/04r0wrp59 Site Information (Fagaalu 2012).csv List of survey sites, including site id, location (latitude/longitude), and survey date, where photoquads were collected. 2016-05-11T00:00:00 csv (comma-separated values) CSV - Comma Separated Values (Text) 3k https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0146682 2016 Organization NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information https://ror.org/04r0wrp59 Site Information (Fagaalu 2015).csv List of survey sites, including site id, location (latitude/longitude), and survey date, where photoquads were collected. 2016-05-11T00:00:00 csv (comma-separated values) CSV - Comma Separated Values (Text) 2k https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0146682 2016 Organization NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information https://ror.org/04r0wrp59 Photoquadrat benthic images collected in 2012 and 2015 at monitoring sites (30 photos per site) in Faga'alu Bay via belt transect surveys of coral demography by the NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP). JPEG JPEG https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0259389 2016 Organization NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information https://ror.org/04r0wrp59 Site_Information_Fagaalu_2020.csv List of survey sites, including site id, location (latitude/longitude), and survey date, where photoquadrat benthic images collected in 2020 .csv CSV - Comma Separated Values (Text) https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0259389 2016 Organization NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information https://ror.org/04r0wrp59 Photoquadrat benthic images collected in 2020 at stratified randomly selected sites (30 photos per site) in Faga'alu Bay, Tutuila, American Samoa. .jpg JPEG https://doi.org/10.7289/V5/SP-PIFSC-18-002 Baseline surveys for coral reef community structure and demographics in Vatia Bay and Faga'alu Bay, American Samoa Online Resource PDF PIFSC Special Publication, SP-18-002, 38 p. https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/27088 Status and trends assessments for land-based sources of pollution impacts on benthic reef communities in Faga‘alu Bay, American Samoa. Online Resource NOAA Technical Memorandum, NMFS-PIFSC-109, 38 p. https://www.coris.noaa.gov/activities/fagaaluWatershed/ Baseline Assessment of Faga'alu Watershed: A Ridge to Reef Assessment in Support of Sediment Reduction Activities and Future Evaluation of their Success Online Resource JPG NOAA Technical Memorandum CRCP 23 https://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/cred/corals.php PIFSC Ecological Assessment of Corals Online Resource HTML PIFSC network/file system: \\picmakai\optical\OPTICAL\AMSM\2012\TUT\REA\BENTHIC T:\Cruise\CruiseData\MP1602\Optical\TUT\REA\BENTHIC T:\Cruise\CruiseData\MP2006\Optical\TUT\REA\BENTHIC Benthic Image collection was conducted by experienced benthic survey personnel who have been trained. Handheld GPS units were used to mark site locations. Not applicable. Site GPS location and depth are appropriately collected to allow spatiotemporal comparisons. Complete; photoquads were taken at all sites surveyed. On occasions instrument malfunction or sea conditions may preclude the collection of 30 benthic images per site. Backreef and forereef, hard bottom habitats were surveyed. Survey methods were consistent across all sites within the same year. Methods used in 2012 and 2015 are slightly different from the current standard protocol that was used in 2020. Instrumentation and camera setting are updated periodically to improve image quality. An optical validation QC procedure is employed to verify number of images, per site and file name. Also, image color correction is implemented to improve image quality. Benthic images and the file structure are quality controlled by CREP personnel before they are migrated and integrated into CREP's master optical directory on the PIFSC network. Yes Unknown Yes No Unknown NCEI-MD Unknown NOAA IRC and NOAA Fisheries ITS resources and assets. Benthic photographs were collected during belt transect surveys of corals by the NOAA Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD) following the same protocol in 2015 to that established by the NOAA National Coral Reef Monitoring Plan (NCRMP), and by a slightly different protocol in 2012 established by CREP. Baseline assessment of Faga’alu Watershed: a ridge to reef assessment in support of sediment reduction activities and future evaluation of their success. Organization Coral Reef Conservation Program Originator https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/8439 NOAA Technical Memorandum: 23 Holst Rice, S., A.T. Messina, T. Biggs, B. Vargas-Angel, and D.R. Whitall. 2016. Baseline assessment of Faga’alu Watershed: a ridge to reef assessment in support of sediment reduction activities and future evaluation of their success. NOAA Technical Memorandum CRCP 23. Silver Spring, MD. 44 pp. doi:10.7289/V5BK19C3 Baseline surveys for coral reef community structure and demographics in Vatia Bay and Faga'alu Bay, American Samoa Organization Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, PIFSC Originator https://doi.org/10.7289/V5/SP-PIFSC-18-002 NOAA, PIFSC Special Publication, SP-18-002 Vargas-Angel B, Schumacher BD. 2018. Baseline surveys for coral reef community structure and demographics in Vatia Bay and Faga'alu Bay, American Samoa. Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, PIFSC Special Publication, SP-18-002, 38 p. Ecosystem Sciences Division Standard Operating Procedures: Data Collection for Rapid Ecological Assessment Benthic Surveys, 2019 Update Organization NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center Originator https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/23951 NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-PIFSC ; 96 Winston W, Couch C, Huntingon B, Vargas-Ángel B. 2020. Ecosystem Sciences Division standard operating procedures: data collection for rapid ecological assessment benthic surveys,2019 update. NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-PIFSC-96, 56 p Ecosystem Sciences Division standard operating procedures: data collection for rapid ecological assessment benthic surveys Organization me: NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center Originator https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/18267 NOAA technical memorandum NMFS-PIFSC ; 71 Swanson, D., Bailey, H., Schumacher, B., Ferguson, M., and B. Vargas-Ángel. 2018. Ecosystem Sciences Division Standard Operating Procedures: Data Collection for Rapid Ecological Assessment Benthic Surveys. NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-PIFSC-71, 63 p. https://doi.org/10.25923/39jh-8993 Status and Trends Assessment for Land-based Sources of Pollution Impacts on Benthic Reef Communities in Faga‘alu Bay, American Samoa Organization Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center Originator https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/27088 NOAA technical memorandum NMFS-PIFSC ; 109 Vargas-Ángel B, Huntington B. 2020. Status and trends assessments for land-based sources of pollution impacts on benthic reef communities in Faga‘alu Bay, American Samoa. U.S. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA Technical Memorandum NOAA-TM-NMFS-PIFSC-109, 38 p. doi:10.25923/0gvj-zm69. 2012 In 2012 the survey implemented a two-stage stratified random sampling (StRS) design to assess the Faga'alu benthic coral reef community. The survey domain encompassed the majority of the mapped area of reef and hard bottom habitats in the 0–30 m depth range. The stratification scheme included cardinal position (i.e., north and south), reef zone (i.e., backreef and forereef), and depth (i.e., shallow: >0–6 m and mid-depth: >6–18 m). Sampling effort allocation was determined based on strata area and sites randomly located within strata. The StRS design effectively reduces estimate variance through stratification using environmental covariates and by sampling more sites rather than more transects per site. Therefore, site-to-site comparisons should proceed with caution. At each site, belt-transects were the focal point of the biological surveys. In 2012, fifteen images were collected along each, two haphazardly laid, 18-m transects. Still photographs were collected to record the benthic community composition at predetermined points along belt transects with a high-resolution digital camera mounted on a pole. Along each transect photographs were taken every meter from the 1 m to the 15 m mark. This work generates 30 photographs per site, which can be later analyzed by ESD staff and partners using the computer program CoralNet. Survey protocols followed the National Coral Reef Monitoring Program methodologies historically implemented by NOAA's Ecosystem Sciences Division. Person Swanson, Dione W dione.swanson@noaa.gov 1845 Wasp Blvd. Honolulu HI 96818 USA (808)725-5417 Ecosystem Sciences Division standard operating procedures: data collection for rapid ecological assessment benthic surveys 2015 In 2015, the survey implemented a two-stage stratified random sampling (StRS) design to assess the Faga'alu benthic coral reef community. The survey domain encompassed the majority of the mapped area of reef and hard bottom habitats in the 0–30 m depth range. The stratification scheme included cardinal position (i.e., north and south), reef zone (i.e., backreef and forereef), and depth (i.e., shallow: >0–6 m and mid-depth: >6–18 m). Sampling effort allocation was determined based on strata area and sites randomly located within strata. The StRS design effectively reduces estimate variance through stratification using environmental covariates and by sampling more sites rather than more transects per site. Therefore, site-to-site comparisons should proceed with caution. At each site fifteen images were collected along each, two haphazardly laid, 18-m transects. Still photographs were collected to record the benthic community composition at predetermined points along belt transects with a high-resolution digital camera mounted on a pole. Photographs were taken every 1 m from the 1 m to the 15 m mark . This work generates 30 photographs per site, which are later analyzed by ESD staff and partners using the computer program CoralNet. This analysis is the basis for estimating benthic cover and composition at each site. Survey protocols followed the National Coral Reef Monitoring Program methodologies historically implemented by NOAA's Ecosystem Sciences Division. Person Swanson, Dione W dione.swanson@noaa.gov 1845 Wasp Blvd. Honolulu HI 96818 USA (808)725-5417 Baseline assessment of Faga’alu Watershed: a ridge to reef assessment in support of sediment reduction activities and future evaluation of their success. 2020 In 2020, the survey implemented a one -stage stratified random sampling (StRS) design to assess the Faga'alu benthic coral reef community. The survey domain encompassed the majority of the mapped area of reef and hard bottom habitats in the 0–30 m depth range. The stratification scheme included cardinal position (i.e., north and south), reef zone (i.e., backreef and forereef), and depth (i.e., shallow: >0–6 m and mid-depth: >6–18 m). Sampling effort allocation was determined based on strata area and sites randomly located within strata. The StRS design effectively reduces estimate variance through stratification using environmental covariates and by sampling more sites rather than more transects per site. Therefore, site-to-site comparisons should proceed with caution. In 2020, thirty images were collected along one, haphazardly laid, 30-m transects Still photographs were collected to record the benthic community composition at predetermined points along belt transect with a high-resolution digital camera mounted on a pole. Photographs were taken every 1 m from the 1 m to the 30 m mark. This work generates 30 photographs per site, which are later analyzed by ESD staff and partners using the computer program CoralNet. This analysis is the basis for estimating benthic cover and composition at each site. Survey protocols followed the National Coral Reef Monitoring Program methodologies historically implemented by NOAA's Ecosystem Sciences Division. Person Winston, Morgan S morgan.winston@noaa.gov 1845 Wasp Blvd. Honolulu HI 96818 USA (808)725-5480 Ecosystem Sciences Division Standard Operating Procedures: Data Collection for Rapid Ecological Assessment Benthic Surveys, 2019 Update 65172 Entity 25283 Data Set Cross Reference Modified belt transect surveys, 2012. 32707 Data Set Cross Reference Benthic cover derived from image analysis, 2015 & 2020 25370 Data Set Cross Reference Line-point intercept surveys, 2012. 25369 Data Set Cross Reference Belt transect surveys, 2013 and 2015. gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:25371 Annette DesRochers 2015-06-15T13:08:03 SysAdmin InPortAdmin 2026-03-04T19:17:28 2022-09-19 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 2022-08-26 1 Year 2023-08-26 0.0001 0.0001 Decimal degrees World Geodetic System 1984 (WGS84) Geodetic Reference System 80 (GRS80) 6378137 298.2572236