The Northwestern Hawaiian lslands were sampled during October 2000 at 63 stations on 9 atolls or islands under the lead of NOAA. This work is affiliated with the Northwest Hawaii Islands Coral Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program (NOWRAMP), which performed a cruise in September 2000. One aspect of this study was benthic community characterization, which was accomplished via sample collection by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) personnel and laboratory and data analysis by Barry A. Vittor & Associates, Inc. (BVA). Sampling devices varied during the field collections. Density, diversity and evenness could only be calculated at stations sampled with a Young dredge (area = 0.04 m2).

This dataset consists of CRAMP surveys taken in 2002-2004 and includes quantitative estimates of substrate and species type. From the data percent coverage of a given species can be estimated. The types and coverages were derived objectively from photographic images using PhotoGrid, a software package which analyzes random points on images of coral reefs and substrate. This dataset does not include the images from video transects or photoquadrats however these have been provided to NOAA separately. Fish transects were discontinued after 2002. In 2002, there were 57 lines surveyed at 28 sites. Due to funding cuts, the number of surveys dropped in 2003 and 2004. There were 8 surveys provided to NODC for 2003 and 5 in 2004. A few more surveys during this time period could become available at a later date. Surveys typically consist of shallow (~3m) and deep (~10m) lines.

To support NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) long-term goals for sustainable management and conservation of coral reef ecosystems, towed-diver surveys (aka. towboard surveys) were conducted by the Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED) of the NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC) as part of biennial Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program (RAMP) Cruises. 20 towboard surveys (36.5230 km in length), were conducted at Pearl And Hermes Atoll during the NW Hawaiian Islands RAMP Cruise HI0401 from 13 September - 17 October 2004. Towboard surveys are a good method for obtaining a general description of large reef areas, assessing the status of low-density populations of large-bodied reef fish, large-scale disturbances (e.g., bleaching), general distribution and abundance patterns of macro-invertebrates (e.g., COT, giant clams), and for assessing trends in these populations and metrics. A pair of scuba divers (1 fish and 1 benthic diver) are towed 60 m behind a small survey launch at a speed of 1-2 knots and a depth of approximately 15m. Each survey is 50 min long, covers about 2 km of habitat, and is divided into ten 5-minute survey segments. The fish diver records, to the lowest possible taxon, all large-bodied reef fishes (>50cmTL) seen within 5m either side and 10m in front of the towboard. Length of each individual is estimated to the nearest cm. The fish towboard is also outfitted with a forward-facing digital video camera to record the survey swath. The benthic diver records percent cover of coral and macroalgae, estimates benthic habitat type and complexity, and censuses a suite of benthic macroinvertebrates including Crown of Thorns sea stars and sea urchins. The benthic towboard is equipped with a downward-facing digital still camera which images the benthos at 15 second intervals. These images are analyzed for percent cover of coral, algae, and other benthic components. Both towboards are equipped with SEABIRD SBE-39 temperature/depth sensors set to record at 5 second intervals. Latitude and longitude of each survey track is recorded at 15 second intervals using a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver onboard the tow boat. A layback algorithm is applied to more accurately map the position of the divers with respect to the reef environment. This algorithm calculates the position of the divers based on the position of the tow boat taking into account the length of the tow rope, the depth of the divers, and the curvature of the survey track. This metadata applies to the benthic characterization observations.

This dataset consists of CRAMP Rapid Assessment Transect surveys taken in 2006 and includes quantitative estimates of substrate type and species. In 2006, there were 8 sites surveyed on Maui. Surveys typically consist of shallow (~3m) and deep (~10m) lines. The types and coverages were derived objectively from photographic images using PhotoGrid, a software package which analyzes random points on images of coral reefs and substrate. This dataset does not include the images from the transects, which have been provided to NOAA separately.

During 1990-1999, coral growth and fish abundance were monitored at stations located at and in the vicinity of the Waianae Ocean Outfall. Comparisons of results with fish surveys showed no significant differences in the species composition or relative abundances of fish populations at Station W-2 (the sunken ship Mahi), which is located 1.2 km south of the diffuser. Fish abundance and species richness increased at Station W- 3, which is located at the diffuser, from 1990 to 1995, decreased in 1996, and increased again in 1997 through 1999. At Station WW, an inshore station located 0.8 km from shore, fish were abundant and speciose on the armor rock covering the pipeline. The fish species seen inshore are comparable to fish species seen in similar (boulder) natural biotopes around Hawaii. There were no significant differences in total mean coral cover at selected quadrats from 1994 to 1999 at Station W-2. However, there was a significant increase (approximately 8%) in total mean coral cover at this station from 1991 to 1999. At the diffuser, corals were seen growing on the diffuser pipe and on the riser discharge ports. In 1986, when the diffuser began operation at a discharge rate of 1.5 mgd (0.07 m3/s), no corals were seen at this location. At inshore station WW, corals off the pipeline were sparsely distributed but were numerous and thriving on the armor rock over the pipeline. In 1998 the inshore transect (Alpha), off the armor rock, was covered (30%) with the alga Dictyopteris plagiogramma; however, in 1999 it disappeared. This seaweed was also abundant at this location in 1995, 1996, and 1997. The water was clear at all stations surveyed (13 to 20 m horizontal visibility), and the surrounding sediments were clean and white. No significant deleterious effect due to outfall operation and discharge were seen on the biological community at the stations surveyed. The increase in fish diversity and abundance at the diffuser since 1997 may be due to natural fluctuations in abundance or to environmental conditions suitable to the fish populations living there.

This report provides the results of the first quantitative survey of the coral reef communities in the vicinity of the Mokapu Ocean Outfall in Kailua Bay, Oahu, Hawaii. This survey, conducted in April and July 1998, focuses on benthic and fish community structure and is designed to detect community changes that may be mediated by the release of treated sewage through the outfall. The Kailua Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP), which has been operational since 1977, releases a little more than 13 mgd of secondary treated sewage through a 1.55-km-long discharge pipe at a depth of 32 m. If impacts are occurring to marine communities from a point-source discharge, their effects will be most evident in proximity to the source and less obvious with distance from the source. The sampling strategy used in this study focuses on quantifying the degree of development of marine communities adjacent to and at distances from the discharge source. This strategy should allow delineation of impacts if they are occurring. The results of this first survey indicate that the marine communities in the study area are diverse, with well-developed fish and coral components. This is particularly evident on the Mokapu Ocean Outfall diffuser (Transect T-1) where a high-biomass, diverse fish community occurs. This well-developed fish community is related to the shelter created by the diffuser pipe and basalt armor rock, as well as to the release of organic particles in the treated effluent which serve as a food resource for some fish species. The development of corals as measured in terms of live coverage in the diffuser pipe community is about half that found at the more distant sampling sites. However, a second sampling site (Transect T-2) located parallel to and 15 m away from the diffuser has coral coverage very similar to that found elsewhere in Kailua Bay. These data suggest that if the operation of the Kailua Regional WWTP is having an impact on marine communities, it is very limited in scope and scale.

To support NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) long-term goals for sustainable management and conservation of coral reef ecosystems, towed-diver surveys (aka. towboard surveys) were conducted by the Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED) of the NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC) as part of biennial Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program (RAMP) Cruises. 12 towboard surveys (20.0796 km in length), were conducted at Maro Reef during the NW Hawaiian Islands RAMP Cruise HI0401 from 13 September - 17 October 2004. Towboard surveys are a good method for obtaining a general description of large reef areas, assessing the status of low-density populations of large-bodied reef fish, large-scale disturbances (e.g., bleaching), general distribution and abundance patterns of macro-invertebrates (e.g., COT, giant clams), and for assessing trends in these populations and metrics. A pair of scuba divers (1 fish and 1 benthic diver) are towed 60 m behind a small survey launch at a speed of 1-2 knots and a depth of approximately 15m. Each survey is 50 min long, covers about 2 km of habitat, and is divided into ten 5-minute survey segments. The fish diver records, to the lowest possible taxon, all large-bodied reef fishes (>50cmTL) seen within 5m either side and 10m in front of the towboard. Length of each individual is estimated to the nearest cm. The fish towboard is also outfitted with a forward-facing digital video camera to record the survey swath. The benthic diver records percent cover of coral and macroalgae, estimates benthic habitat type and complexity, and censuses a suite of benthic macroinvertebrates including Crown of Thorns sea stars and sea urchins. The benthic towboard is equipped with a downward-facing digital still camera which images the benthos at 15 second intervals. These images are analyzed for percent cover of coral, algae, and other benthic components. Both towboards are equipped with SEABIRD SBE-39 temperature/depth sensors set to record at 5 second intervals. Latitude and longitude of each survey track is recorded at 15 second intervals using a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver onboard the tow boat. A layback algorithm is applied to more accurately map the position of the divers with respect to the reef environment. This algorithm calculates the position of the divers based on the position of the tow boat taking into account the length of the tow rope, the depth of the divers, and the curvature of the survey track. This metadata applies to the benthic characterization observations.