Shore-based belt transects were conducted and habitat quadrats were surveyed using transects at 1 to ~ 5 m depths at a total four (4) sites: at (1-2) 2 longshore sites on the leeward coast (South Kohala district) of the Big Island (Hawaii Island) in the MHI during spring-summer 2008; and (3-4) at 2 longshore sites on the back reef of Midway Atoll in the NWHI during summer 2008. For recruit reef fish survey, from 18-20 randomly positioned transects were surveyed at each site or site-group in 2008. Each transect was 50-m long x 2-m wide (100 m**2 area). Raw survey data consist of species-specific and size-specific (total length, TL, in cm) numerical counts of recruit (≤ 5 cm total length, TL) reef fishes encountered within transect boundaries. For predator reef fish survey, from 18-20 randomly positioned transects were surveyed at each site or site-group in 2008. Each transect was 50-m long x 4-m wide (200 m**2 area). Raw survey data consist of species-specific and size-specific (total length, TL, in cm) numerical counts of large juvenile and adult (≥ 6 cm total length, TL) stages of PREDATOR reef fishes encountered within transect boundaries. Inclusion as a predator fish in the transect tally was based on either known or likely (based on functional morphology) inclusion of small fishes in the species' diet. For habitat quadrat survey, substratum cover and rugosity were characterized within multiple quadrats at each site. Two types of quadrats were surveyed: "Reference" ('REF') quadrats (whose positions were randomly selected) and "Target" ('TAR') quadrats (positions centered on sightings of recruit fishes); each quadrat was square and 1-m**2 area. In each quadrat, the benthic cover of each of fourteen (14) main substratum types were estimated, as was a "Rugosity Index" based on the ratio of conforming-to-straight line distances along both major axes of the quadrat.

Shore-based belt transects were conducted at 8-13 m depths at 3 longshore sites on the leeward coast (North and South Kohala districts) of the Big Island (Hawaii Island) in the MHI during spring 2005. From 8-10 randomly positioned transects were surveyed at each site; each transect was 25-m long x 2-m wide (50 m**2 area). Raw survey data consist of species-specific and size-specific (total length, TL, in cm) numerical counts of recruit (>5 cm total length, TL) and larger (5-10 cm TL) juvenile reef fishes encountered within transect boundaries. Habitat quadrats were surveyed at 8-13 m depths using shore-based transects swum at 3 longshore sites on the leeward coast (North and South Kohala districts) of the Big Island (Hawaii Island, in the MHI) during spring 2005. Substratum percent cover and rugosity were characterized within multiple quadrats at each site. A total 90 "Reference" ('REF') quadrats (whose positions were randomly selected) and a total 89 "Target" ('TAR') quadrats (positions centered on sightings of recruit fishes), each of 1-m2** area, were surveyed at the 3 Sites. In each quadrat, the percentage cover of each of seven (7) major substratum types were estimated, as was a "Rugosity Index". The study was published in a peer-reviewed marine science journal in August 2007. The full citation is: DeMartini EE, Anderson TW (2007) Habitat associations and aggregation of recruit fishes on Hawaiian coral reefs. Bulletin of Marine Science 81(1):139-152.

Shore-based belt transects were conducted at 1 to ~ 5 m depths at a total two (2) sites: at 2 longshore sites on the leeward coast (South Kohala district) of the Big Island (Hawaii Island) in the MHI during spring-summer 2009. For recruit reef fish survey, twenty (20) randomly positioned transects were surveyed at each site or site-group in 2009. Each transect was 50-m long x 2-m wide (100 m**2 area). Raw survey data consist of species-specific and size-specific (total length, TL, in cm) numerical counts of recruit (≤ 5 cm total length, TL) reef fishes encountered within transect boundaries. For predator reef fish survey, twenty (20) randomly positioned transects were surveyed at each site or site-group in 2009. Each transect was 50-m long x 4-m wide (200 m**2 area). Raw survey data consist of species-specific and size-specific (total length, TL, in cm) numerical counts of large juvenile and adult (≥ 6 cm total length, TL) stages of PREDATOR reef fishes encountered within transect boundaries. Inclusion as a predator fish in the transect tally was based on either known or likely (based on functional morphology) inclusion of small fishes in the species' diet. For recruit-habitat survey, the recruit-habitat relations (habitat use by recruits) were surveyed at 1 to ~5 m depths based on all 'Encounters' of singletons and 'groups' (where a group comprised > 1 recruit associating with one another and within 10-cm distance of one another), along transects conducted at a total two (2) sites on the leeward coast (South Kohala district) of the Big Island (Hawaii Island, in the MHI) during spring 2009. The substrate type closest to recruits encountered within transect swaths were recorded as one or more of fourteen (14) main taxonomic and functional habitat types.