NOAA researchers are headed to American Samoa and the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument for coral reef surveys, April–July 2026, and you’re invited behind the scenes!
Join our Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center through an interactive StoryMap of the mission. Follow along as researchers share where they’re headed and what they find.
Day Shift
During the day, scientists will dive into coral reef health and ocean condition surveys. Their activities will include:
- Photographing, measuring, and mapping corals
- Taking ocean temperatures and collecting seawater samples
- Identifying, counting, and estimating reef fish populations (but no catching involved!)
The information they collect will be used to sustainably manage ocean resources for the human and marine communities who rely on them.
These key surveys are funded by NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Program and are part of the National Coral Reef Monitoring Program. This year marks the 10th survey by the monitoring program in American Samoa since 2002. It also marks the 16th survey in the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument since 2000. Regular surveys of these reefs enable us to track reef health and impacts over time.
Night Shift
At night, another team of researchers will hit the deck to collect samples of free-floating ichthyoplankton, or fish eggs and larvae. They’ll count and identify the larvae (fish babies) while aboard the ship. Larval surveys can tell us when and where fish are laying eggs, and where the babies are traveling after hatching.
All the data from this mission are shared with the local communities and resource managers to provide insights on the condition of their fisheries and coral reefs. Healthy fish populations are essential to Pacific Islands communities. In American Samoa, fishing is a way of life. People depend on thriving, sustainable fish populations for their culture and traditions, food security, and livelihoods. Approximately 20 percent of jobs in American Samoa are connected to commercial fishing!
Program History and Resources
NOAA began coral reef health reef assessments in the Pacific in 2000. Since then, NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Program has expanded and standardized these efforts—aiming to track coral reef conditions across all U.S. waters. This work complements other agencies’ long-term coral reef monitoring efforts.
Data from our research trips is available for everyone to access:
Data Summaries
- NOAA National Coral Reef Monitoring Program – Data Visualization tool
- NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program – Digital Corals website
