FL Keys reef fish monitoring
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Tortugas reef fish monitoring |
Description:
Annual scuba-based, habitat-stratified surveys of the coral reef fish
community and associated habitat along the FL Keys coral reef tract
Cooperating Institutions: University of Miami – Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science (J. Ault and S. Smith)
Management relevance: Information generated from this project is used
in stock assessments for reef-associated species (e.g., yellowtail
snapper), ongoing evaluation of reef fish response to establishment of
restricted fishing zones in the FL Keys National Marine Sanctuary, and
assessment of fish community response to other management measures
(e.g., environmental changes expected to occur under the Comprehensive
Everglades Restoration Plan).
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Description:
Biennial scuba-based, habitat-stratified surveys of the coral reef fish
community and associated habitat in the Dry Tortugas (FL) region
Cooperating Institutions: University of Miami – Rosenstiel School
of Marine and Atmospheric Science (J. Ault and S. Smith), Florida Fish
and Wildlife Conservation Commission, National Undersea Research Program
Management relevance: Information generated from this project has
guided the establishment of no-take MPAs in Tortugas waters managed by
both the FL Keys National Marine Sanctuary and the National Park
Service. Project data are used in ongoing assessments of MPA
effectiveness, stock assessments for reef-associated species (e.g., red
grouper), and assessment of fish community response to other management
measures and natural impacts (e.g., response of reef fish community to
hurricane impacts).
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Grouper habitat utilization |
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Assessing reef fish spawning aggregations via hydroacoustic surveys
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Description:
Investigation of grouper habitat utilization and seasonal movement
patterns using three approaches: (1) field studies utilizing acoustic
telemetry, (2) interviews with commercial fishers throughout the FL
Keys, and (3) analysis of multiple long-term data sets generated from
other studies or monitoring efforts.
Cooperating Institutions: University of Miami – Rosenstiel School
of Marine and Atmospheric Science (V. Koch and D. Die), Reef
Environmental Education Foundation and National Park Service (via
provision of data sets)
Management relevance: Information generated from this project will
improve our knowledge of essential fish habitat for black and red
grouper, which in turn will guide management decisions and improve our
ability to sustainably manage grouper fisheries. Relatedly,
project results will assist in and improve survey planning for grouper
population assessments.
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Description:
Identification of reef fish spawning aggregation sites on the Puerto
Rican and US Virgin Islands continental shelves via hydroacoustic
(towed split beam echo sounder) surveys
Cooperating Institutions: Puerto Rico Department of Natural Resources
Management relevance: Information generated from this project has
guided the establishment of annual spatial fishery closures during
red-hind spawning season on the Puerto Rican shelf. Continuing
surveys from FY06 and in FY07 will result in identification (timing and
location) of spawning aggregations for other fishery-targeted grouper
and snapper species in Puerto Rican and US Virgin Island waters, which
in turn can be used to guide management measures for those species.
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Reefs Revisited: current versus historical comparison of reef fish community structure in the northern FL Keys
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Fish community assessment in mangrove and coral reef habitats: comparison of data-collection methods
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Description: This project
involves repeating a study originally performed at eight reef sites in
Biscayne National Park (northern FL Keys) in the late 1970s and early
1980s. The objective of the project is to determine how reef fish
community structure has changed over the past 25-30 years, and how
those changes are related to changes in habitat quality and increased
fishing pressure.
Cooperating Institutions: National Park Service (Biscayne National Park).
Management relevance: Fish communities in most marine systems have been
altered due to fishing pressure and habitat degradation and loss.
Unfortunately, there a few cases in which quantitative historical data
exists with which to compare current conditions, and thus determine the
direction and degree of change that has occurred over time. By
taking advantage of a historical study in Biscayne National Park, we
will be able to quantify changes in reef fish community structure over
time. Results will be used to guide management actions in the
in-development Fishery Management Plan and General Management Plan for
BNP.
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Description:
This project involves the assessment and comparison of three data
collection methods (multi-beam sonar, stereo-video, and visual survey)
for fish community assessment in mangrove and coral reef habitats.
Cooperating Institutions: National Park Service, University of Miami
– Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science (J. Luo),
State of the Salmon (P. Rand)
Management relevance: Underwater visual fish surveys have become the
most commonly used method for assessing fish communities in coral reef
and interconnected mangrove environments. Limitations associated
with visual surveys (e.g., restricted to daylight hours and relatively
clear-water conditions) have resulted in a potentially incomplete
assessment and understanding of fish community composition, structure
and dynamics. Project results will guide future survey work in
mangrove and coral reef habitats to improve fishery assessments, and
thus our ability to sustainably manage and conserve coral reef
fisheries.
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| Acoustic assessment of reef fish habitat |
Description: This project
involves the assessment of an acoustic mapping tool to assess and
classify coral reef habitat, and comparison of the utility of that tool
with other acoustic mapping techniques. Habitat data will be utilized
in conjunction with diver-assessed reef fish data (predominantly
grouper) to assess fish-habitat correlations.
Cooperating Institutions: University of Miami – Rosenstiel School
of Marine and Atmospheric Science (A. Gleason and P. Reid)
Management relevance: Considerable portions of the Florida Keys
National Marine Sanctuary have not been mapped with sufficient detail
to distinguish hardbottom from sediment habitat. These unmapped areas
typically are beyond depths that can be mapped using aerial
photogrammetry or satellite imagery. Acoustic technologies are a
promising method for habitat assessment in deeper waters. Improving
habitat assessments will improve our ability to assess essential fish
habitat for coral reef fish, and thus guide the sustainable management
and conservation of these species.
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