Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program: Towed-diver Surveys of Large-bodied Fishes of the U.S. Pacific Reefs from 2000 to 2012

Description

The towed-diver method is used to conduct surveys of large-bodied (> 50 cm) fishes 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). A suitable method for assessing relatively large areas of reef habitat, the method involves towing a pair of SCUBA divers—one benthic and one fish—behind a small boat for approximately 50 min following the ~15-m depth contour and covering about 2–3 km of habitat. Each diver is equipped with a towboard and attempts to maintain a constant elevation above the surface of the reef (~1 m) for the duration of the survey. A complete towed-diver survey is divided into 10 5-min segments, with visual observations recorded by 5-min segment. The visual estimate data provided in this dataset were collected during towed-diver surveys in which the number, size, and species of all large-bodied fishes observed within a visually estimated 5-m transect on either side of the fish diver and 10 m in front were recorded. The data were collected at coral reefs across all U.S.-affiliated regions as part of the NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) led missions since 2000. These data can be accessed online via the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) Ocean Archive.

Resources

Name Format Description Link
33 NOAA Data Management Plan for this record on InPort. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inportserve/waf/noaa/nmfs/pifsc/dmp/pdf/34521.pdf
0 Observations from towed-diver surveys of coral reef fishes by the NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) conducted from 2000-2012 https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0163744
0 Richards BL, Williams ID, Nadon MO, Zgliczynski BJ 2011. A towed-diver survey method for mesoscale fishery-independent assessment of large-bodied reef fishes. Bulletin of Marine Science 87(1): 000-000. doi:10.5343/bms.2010.1019. https://dx.doi.org/10.5343/bms.2010.1019
0 View the complete metadata record on InPort for more information about this dataset. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/34521
0 Link to the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program website https://coralreef.noaa.gov
0 Pacific Island Fisheries Science Center homepage https://www.pifsc.noaa.gov
0 Coral Reef Ecosystem Program website, Fish Ecology and Monitoring http://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/cred/fish.php
0 Information about the NOAA National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) on the NOAA Coral Reef Information System website. http://www.coris.noaa.gov/monitoring/
0 Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2024. GCMD Keywords, Version 19. Greenbelt, MD: Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). URL (GCMD Keyword Forum Page): https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD+Keywords https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD%2BKeywords
0 NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program website, survey methods page, which includes a brief description of the fish towed-diver survey method used since 2000 to survey large-bodied fishes. http://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/cred/survey_methods.php
0 NOAA PIFSC Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) website, Monitoring Status Reports page. Monitoring status reports provide a periodic review of the coral reef monitoring surveys and research conducted by CREP each year in the U.S.-affiliated Pacific Islands region. https://pifsc-www.irc.noaa.gov/cred/monitoring_status_reports.php
0 Observations from towed-diver surveys of coral reef fishes by the NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) conducted from 2000-2012 https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0163744
0 View the complete metadata record on InPort for more information about this dataset. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/34521
0 Pacific Island Fisheries Science Center homepage https://www.pifsc.noaa.gov
0 Link to the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program website https://coralreef.noaa.gov
0 Coral Reef Ecosystem Program website, Fish Ecology and Monitoring https://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/cred/fish.php
0 Information about the NOAA National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) on the NOAA Coral Reef Information System website. https://www.coris.noaa.gov/monitoring/
0 NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program website, survey methods page, which includes a brief description of the fish towed-diver survey method used since 2000 to survey large-bodied fishes. https://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/cred/survey_methods.php
0 NOAA PIFSC Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) website, Monitoring Status Reports page. Monitoring status reports provide a periodic review of the coral reef monitoring surveys and research conducted by CREP each year in the U.S.-affiliated Pacific Islands region. https://pifsc-www.irc.noaa.gov/cred/monitoring_status_reports.php
33 NOAA Data Management Plan for this record on InPort. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inportserve/waf/noaa/nmfs/pifsc/dmp/pdf/34521.pdf
0 Richards BL, Williams ID, Nadon MO, Zgliczynski BJ 2011. A towed-diver survey method for mesoscale fishery-independent assessment of large-bodied reef fishes. Bulletin of Marine Science 87(1): 000-000. doi:10.5343/bms.2010.1019. https://dx.doi.org/10.5343/bms.2010.1019
0 Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2024. GCMD Keywords, Version 19. Greenbelt, MD: Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). URL (GCMD Keyword Forum Page): https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD+Keywords https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD%2BKeywords
0 Observations from towed-diver surveys of coral reef fishes by the NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) conducted from 2000-2012 https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0163744
0 Richards BL, Williams ID, Nadon MO, Zgliczynski BJ 2011. A towed-diver survey method for mesoscale fishery-independent assessment of large-bodied reef fishes. Bulletin of Marine Science 87(1): 000-000. doi:10.5343/bms.2010.1019. https://dx.doi.org/10.5343/bms.2010.1019
0 View the complete metadata record on InPort for more information about this dataset. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/34521
0 Pacific Island Fisheries Science Center homepage https://www.pifsc.noaa.gov
0 Link to the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program website https://coralreef.noaa.gov
0 Coral Reef Ecosystem Program website, Fish Ecology and Monitoring https://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/cred/fish.php
0 Information about the NOAA National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) on the NOAA Coral Reef Information System website. https://www.coris.noaa.gov/monitoring/
0 NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program website, survey methods page, which includes a brief description of the fish towed-diver survey method used since 2000 to survey large-bodied fishes. https://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/cred/survey_methods.php
0 NOAA PIFSC Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) website, Monitoring Status Reports page. Monitoring status reports provide a periodic review of the coral reef monitoring surveys and research conducted by CREP each year in the U.S.-affiliated Pacific Islands region. https://pifsc-www.irc.noaa.gov/cred/monitoring_status_reports.php
0 Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2025. GCMD Keywords, Version 22. Greenbelt, MD: Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). URL (GCMD Keyword Forum Page): https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD+Keywords https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD%2BKeywords
33 NOAA Data Management Plan for this record on InPort. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inportserve/waf/noaa/nmfs/pifsc/dmp/pdf/34521.pdf
0 Observations from towed-diver surveys of coral reef fishes by the NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) conducted from 2000-2012 https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0163744
0 Richards BL, Williams ID, Nadon MO, Zgliczynski BJ 2011. A towed-diver survey method for mesoscale fishery-independent assessment of large-bodied reef fishes. Bulletin of Marine Science 87(1): 000-000. doi:10.5343/bms.2010.1019. https://dx.doi.org/10.5343/bms.2010.1019
0 View the complete metadata record on InPort for more information about this dataset. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/34521
0 Pacific Island Fisheries Science Center homepage https://www.pifsc.noaa.gov
0 Link to the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program website https://coralreef.noaa.gov
0 Coral Reef Ecosystem Program website, Fish Ecology and Monitoring https://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/cred/fish.php
0 Information about the NOAA National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) on the NOAA Coral Reef Information System website. https://www.coris.noaa.gov/monitoring/
0 NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program website, survey methods page, which includes a brief description of the fish towed-diver survey method used since 2000 to survey large-bodied fishes. https://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/cred/survey_methods.php
0 NOAA PIFSC Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) website, Monitoring Status Reports page. Monitoring status reports provide a periodic review of the coral reef monitoring surveys and research conducted by CREP each year in the U.S.-affiliated Pacific Islands region. https://pifsc-www.irc.noaa.gov/cred/monitoring_status_reports.php
0 Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2025. GCMD Keywords, Version 22. Greenbelt, MD: Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). URL (GCMD Keyword Forum Page): https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD+Keywords https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD%2BKeywords
33 NOAA Data Management Plan for this record on InPort. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inportserve/waf/noaa/nmfs/pifsc/dmp/pdf/34521.pdf

Tags

  • hawaiian islands (21n157w0027)
  • guguan island
  • agrihan island (18n145e0002)
  • lanai island (20n156w0002)
  • farallon de pajaros (20n144e0001)
  • kingman reef (06n162w0001)
  • fish species
  • crep
  • lanai island
  • ofu island (14s169w0013)
  • townsend cromwell
  • doc/noaa/nmfs/pifsc
  • united states of america
  • species identification - organism length
  • american samoa (14s170w0000)
  • western pacific ocean
  • pacific remote islands marine national monument
  • alamagan island (17n145e0002)
  • reef monitoring and assessment
  • maug
  • johnston atoll (16n169w0001)
  • asuncion island (19n145e0001)
  • aquatic habitat
  • towed diver
  • wake atoll
  • corals
  • guguan island (17n145e0001)
  • north pacific ocean
  • rose island
  • coral reef ecosystem division
  • baker island
  • oahu (21n157w0003)
  • northern mariana islands
  • fish - coral reef
  • pifsc
  • equatorial pacific ocean
  • kaula island (21n160w0003)
  • in situ biological
  • jarvis island (00s160w0001)
  • maui
  • biosphere
  • pacific remote island areas
  • maug island
  • palmyra atoll (05n162w0001)
  • rota island
  • tutuila island (14s170w0016)
  • species identification
  • survey
  • oceans
  • maui island (20n156w0004)
  • rose atoll marine national monument
  • mhi
  • coral reef conservation program
  • oscar elton sette
  • pacific reef and assessment monitoring program
  • rota island ( luta ) (14n145e0007)
  • molokai island
  • maug island (20n145e0001)
  • northern mariana islands ( cnmi ) (18n146e0000)
  • rose island (rose atoll) (14s168w0001)
  • american samoa
  • maui island
  • survey - biological
  • cnmi
  • aguihan island reefs
  • papahanaumokuakea marine national monument
  • noaa
  • guam
  • aguihan
  • pagan island (18n145e0001)
  • numeric data sets
  • marianas
  • hawaii
  • tinian island
  • nmfs
  • farallon de pajaros
  • south bank (14s170w0067)
  • nihoa (23n161w0001)
  • oahu island
  • baker island (00n176w0001)
  • swains atoll (11s171w0001)
  • guam (13n144e0000)
  • us doc
  • linear transect
  • anatahan
  • tinian island reefs
  • fish
  • hawaii island (19n155w0003)
  • kauai
  • ta'u island (14s169w0012)
  • howland island
  • pacific islands fisheries science center
  • manu'a group
  • santa rosa bank (12n144e0051)
  • olosega island (14s169w0014)
  • u.s. department of commerce
  • earth science
  • molokai island (21n157w0001)
  • tds
  • maro reef (25n170w0001)
  • line islands
  • national marine fisheries service
  • niihau island (21n160w0001)
  • french frigate shoals (24n166w0001)
  • nwhi
  • hawaiian islands
  • kauai island (22n159w0001)
  • necker island (23n164w0001)
  • ramp
  • mariana archipelago
  • pearl and hermes reef (27n176w0001)
  • manu'a islands (14s170w0038)
  • pria
  • reef fish census
  • arakane reef
  • ecosystem monitoring and assessment
  • tows
  • marine biology
  • fish assemblages
  • cred
  • howland island (00s176w0001)
  • stingray shoals (20n142e0001)
  • guguan
  • honolulu
  • saipan island
  • rota
  • saipan
  • northwestern hawaiian islands (28n178w0000)
  • marianas trench marine national monument
  • pagan
  • survey - swimmer/diver
  • aguihan island (aguijan) (14n145e0006)
  • central pacific ocean
  • usa minor outlying islands
  • agrihan island
  • raita bank (25n168w0002)
  • commonwealth of the northern mariana islands
  • mariana islands
  • tatsumi reef (14n145e0011)
  • visual estimate
  • pacific reef assessment and monitoring program: monitoring coral reef ecosystems of the us pacific i
  • kure atoll (28n178w0001)
  • pagan island
  • reef habitat
  • asuncion island
  • reef assessment and monitoring program
  • nw pacific
  • coral reef ecology
  • ocean basin
  • main hawaiian islands
  • towed-diver surveys
  • pathfinder reef
  • c204 pacific reef assessment and monitoring program (pacific ramp): biennial monitoring for the us p
  • ecosystem sciences division
  • temperature
  • niihau island
  • biennial
  • anatahan island (16n145e0001)
  • coastal processes
  • johnston atoll
  • hi'ialakai
  • 1221
  • laysan island (25n171w0001)
  • saipan island (15n145e0002)
  • supply reef (16n145e0004)
  • northwestern hawaiian islands
  • zoology
  • coral reefs
  • sarigan island (16n145e0003)
  • gardner pinnacles (25n168w0001)
  • fish census
  • arakane reef (15n141e0001)
  • kauai island
  • pacific ocean
  • towboard
  • anatahan island
  • species identification - count
  • country/territory
  • midway atoll (28n177w0001)
  • pathfinder reef (16n141e0001)
  • tinian
  • hawaii island
  • fish biomass
  • wake atoll (19n167e0001)
  • alamagan island
  • sarigan island
  • south pacific ocean
  • lisianski island (25n173w0001)
  • 587
  • tinian island (14n145e0005)
  • coral reef studies
  • coral reef ecosystem program
  • depth - sensor

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