In an effort to detect spatial and temporal changes in the structure of the coral reef community, coral coverage and reef fish density and diversity were documented at selected sites along the coastline of the Big Island of Hawaii using standard transect methodology and SCUBA. The data were collected as training for students within the Quantitative Underwater Ecological Surveying Techniques (QUEST) Program of the Kalakaua Marine Educational Center at the University of Hawaii at Hilo. Several sites have been established. This database contains surveys for Puako and Mahukona from 1992 - 1999. Because of the disparity of experience among the student observers, this data set contains a much higher margin of error than like surveys by professional coral reef scientists.

In an effort to detect spatial and temporal changes in the structure of the coral reef community, coral coverage and reef fish density and diversity were documented at selected sites along the Maui coastline using standard transect methodology and SCUBA. Physical parameters examined included: wave exposure, water motion, sedimentation levels and water quality (temperature, salinity, and turbidity). Nine long-term monitoring sites have been established since 1989.

The Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program (Pacific RAMP), established by the Coral Reef Ecosystem Division of the NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), is tasked with documenting and understanding the status and trends of coral reef ecosystems in the U.S. Pacific. Pacific RAMP involves an interdisciplinary series of integrated ecosystem observations of coral reefs around ~ 50 islands, atolls, and shallow-water banks of the Mariana Archipelago, American Samoa, the Hawaiian Archipelago, and the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument. Pacific RAMP surveys are designed to characterize the spatial and temporal variability of the distribution, abundance, and diversity of corals, algae, other macro-invertebrates, and fishes in the context of their benthic habitats and oceanographic environments. As part of this Pacific-wide monitoring effort, CRED conducted its first Pacific RAMP research cruise to the Mariana Archipelago (MARAMP) in 2003, with subsequent cruises to follow on a biennial cycle through 2011, and on a triennial cycle thereafter when Pacific RAMP was implemented as part of NOAA's National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP). The coral data described herein were collected via Rapid Ecological Assessment (REA) surveys following the quadrat method, and conducted at specific reef sites around the islands and reefs of Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) during MARAMP 2003, 2005, and 2007. During MARAMP 2003, 2005, and 2007, the majority of REA surveys were conducted along the fore reef slopes of islands at depths of 10-20 m; however, other habitat types were also surveyed. During REA surveys, biological assessment teams -- a fish team, a coral team, and a combined algal and macro-invertebrate team -- followed highly structured protocols that were repeated at each REA site. REA sites were selected in 2003 and, when possible, revisited during 2005 and 2007; a few additional sites were added in 2005 and 2007, and were chosen based on consultations with the resource management agencies of each jurisdiction. Quadrat surveys were conducted at all islands surveyed during MARAMP 2003, all but one island during MARAMP 2005, and at 10 of 15 islands during MARAMP 2007. The quadrat method was only employed during surveys in the Mariana Archipelago, and the method was retired from Pacific RAMP following MARAMP 2007. The quadrat survey data include species/genus identification of individual coral colonies and empirical size measurements (colony length and width) that can provide metrics such as generic richness and composition, coral-colony density, and size distribution (not included in the dataset), and can be accessed online via the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) Ocean Archive.

This dataset consists of digital still transect images (JPG files) from CRAMP surveys taken in 2007 from 9 sites on Maui, 3 sites on Molokai, and 1 site on Kauai. Sites typically have two transects along different isobaths, shallow (~3m) and deep (~10m) lines. Digital images are important for future researchers to resolve any question about how the image data were interpreted for the quantitative database, to provide the opportunity to re-analyze the images using other methods, and to return to the same locations for future comparisons. In a separate NODC Accession, 0051060, text data files are given of the substrate types and coverages as derived objectively from photographic images using PhotoGrid, a software package which analyzes random points on images of coral reefs and substrate.

Rapid Assessment Transects were conducted in 2007 in the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument of the Northwest Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve. The surveys were led by Dr. Paul Jokiel and Mr. Erik Franklin along various depth contours at 7 unique atolls or islands. This dataset consists of digital still transect images (JPG files). Digital images are important for future researchers to resolve any questions about how the image data were interpreted for the quantitative database, to provide the opportunity to re-analyze the images using other methods, and to return to the same locations for future comparisons. In a separate NODC Accession (0000881), benthic data for substrate types and coverages are given, which were derived objectively from these photographic images using PhotoGrid, a software package which analyzes random points on images of coral reefs and substrate.

Census of Coral and other data were collected by using swimmers and divers from January 1, 1981 to December 31, 1999. Data were submitted by the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum. Swimmers and divers collected data at the Coastal Waters of Hawaii to do surveys on coral reef.