Dataset contains reef fish species, count, and abundance data from sites located throughout the Eastern coastline of Hawaii Island. Fish data are derived from fish and habitat utilization surveys (FAHU) conducted by Hawaii Division of Aquatic Resources divers. FAHU surveys were conducted between December 2022 to October 2023. Fishes were visually identified to a species level when possible, and were then counted and sized (fork length in centimeters). A GPS attached to the dive float was used to determine the location of each transect. Coordinates continuously logged by the GPS correspond to the start and end times of each survey. The FAHU method uses stratified random sampling, where transects are randomly placed within four types of hard-bottom benthic habitats found in East Hawaii. Each FAHU transect consists of a paired fish and benthic survey, where one diver is responsible for the fish survey while the other diver conducts the benthic survey. The fish surveyor lays out the 25m long transect while recording all fish species observed within 2.5m swath on both sides of the transect line. This results in a 5m wide x 25m long surveyed area. The fish surveyor spends between 10-15 minutes counting fish to allow for fast moving and cryptic species to be recorded in the survey.

The State of Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR) is the primary agency responsible for coordinating Hawaii's reef management efforts in the main Hawaiian Islands. The DAR marine monitoring program employs numerous methodologies developed by DAR scientists in collaboration with NOAA, USGS and the University of Hawaii (UH). Specific methods are used at study sites depending on the resource management concerns that DAR is looking to address, and include surveys of abundance of resource and herbivorous fish, smaller cryptic fish and recruits, urchins and larger mobile invertebrates, benthic habitat cover, coral health, and biological diversity. This layer includes the locations of DAR monitoring sites along the west coast of Hawaii Island (Big Island). For further information, please see: http://dlnr.hawaii.gov/coralreefs/monitoring/

In response to declines in reef fishes, the Hawaii state legislature created the West Hawaii Regional Fishery Management Area in 1998 to improve fishery resources (Act 306). The West Hawaii Aquarium Project (WHAP) was funded by the Hawaii Coral Reef Initiative to monitor to fish populations and quantify the habitats in this region. This dataset consists of an MS Access relational database of all monitoring data from 1999-2003. The relational database of this dataset includes some of the data held in NODC Accession 0000938, however, it would be best to examine each accession carefully. The relational database of this accession has fewer tables and less parameters. During initial funding under CRAMP in 1998-99, 23 permanent study sites were established positioned in all of the proposed Fish Replenishment Areas (FRAs) as well as eight sites where fish collecting is know to occur ("impact"), and six managed areas where aquarium fish collection is prohibited (three Marine Life Conservation Districts (MLCDs) and three FMAs or "control"). Initial surveys confirm that aquarium fish collecting impacts are significant but vary along the coastline.

In response to declines in reef fishes, the Hawaii state legislature created the West Hawaii Regional Fishery Management Area in 1998 to improve fishery resources (Act 306). The West Hawaii Aquarium Project (WHAP) was funded by the Hawaii Coral Reef Initiative to monitor to fish populations and quantify the habitats in this region. This dataset consists of an MS Access relational database of all monitoring data from 1999-2002 and image and random point files of benthic habitat survey frames grabbed from video transects. During initial funding under CRAMP in 1998-99, 23 permanent study sites were established positioned in all of the proposed Fish Replenishment Areas (FRAs) as well as eight sites where fish collecting is know to occur ("impact"), and six managed areas where aquarium fish collection is prohibited (three Marine Life Conservation Districts (MLCDs) and three FMAs or "control"). Initial surveys confirm that aquarium fish collecting impacts are significant but vary along the coastline.

Effective management of coral reef ecosystems depends on adequate data on the status and trends of key ecosystem components. In spite of which, previous coral reef monitoring programs in the Main Hawaiian Islands (MHI) have been fragmentary and uncoordinated, with little or no overlap among programs in terms of survey site locations or habitat. The primary goal of this project was to develop and optimize an integrated reef-scale and ecosystem-scale monitoring approach for use by the state of Hawaii's aquatic resource management agency, the Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR), within the MHI. A combination of methods already applied by DAR with new ones developed and trialed by this project now form the basis of a standard 'method toolkit' for use by DAR monitoring staff. The key output of this project, an integrated statewide coral reef monitoring scheme, has been adopted by DAR, who have committed to implementing it, beginning in 2006. Two new monitoring approaches: (i) 'Resource-Fish' surveys (targeting the large and mobile fishes which are primary targets of recreational and commercial food fisheries); and (ii) 'Benthic Characterization' (intended to be a medium-large scale survey approach capable of relatively easily generating benthic information suitable for improved understanding of fish distribution and community structure, and for detecting gross change in benthos) were developed and field trialed at sites in West Hawaii. Extended fish trials of an 'integrated monitoring' approach, comprising both existing small-scale and the newly developed medium-large scale approaches were conducted at 14 sites in West Hawaii (Big Island) (each site surveyed 4 times for fish, once for 'Benthic Characterization'). Additionally, 'Resource-Fish' surveys using the newly developed methodology were conducted at 39 sites in Maui, and data from those surveys compared with an alternative approach focusing on the same fish groups which had been previously utilized at Maui sites (but not elsewhere in the state). 'Benthic Characterization' surveys were conducted at 14 sites in West Hawaii. This dataset includes only the 'Resource-Fish' surveys. The 'Benthic Characterization' sets will be provided to the NOAA posterity archive at a later date.

Fish & Invertebrate surveys: At each permanent monitoring site (26 total), fishes and urchins are recorded on 4 fixed 25m transects. Each transect is surveyed by a team of two divers who collectively record fishes within, entering or passing across the belt transect dimensions of 25m*4m. Fishes are counted by means of two passes – mid-water and roving species are recorded on the outward swim; urchins and all other fish species are recorded in the return swim, during which divers swim more slowly carefully looking for smaller site-attached and semi cryptic organisms that make up the bulk of abundance at most sites. Divers swim in parallel, each recording fishes and urchins within one half of the transect; an area of 25m*2m. Collectively the transect area is 100 m2. Divers take care not to count fishes moving across the transect line from the other diver’s portion of the transect. Benthic surveys: Benthic cover is assessed at all monitoring sites, typically during the spring every three years (or annually following an anticipated substantial change in benthic cover). Benthic images (0.30 m2) are taken at each meter along four 25 m transects at each site. Benthic taxa located below 20 stratified random points in each image are identified to the lowest possible taxonomic level using Coral Point Count with Excel extensions (CPCe) software during the years 2003-2017, and using CoralNet in 2020. Relative change in benthic cover by category is calculated for each transect, then averaged by site. Coral bleaching/ health surveys: In response to extensive coral bleaching in West Hawaii during the spring/summer of 2015, coral bleaching/ health surveys were conducted at 8 permanent monitoring sites from 9 October to 13 November 2015 using methods described in Couch et al. 2014. Three 10 m2 belt transects were surveyed per site, and all coral colonies (≥ 5cm diameter) within each belt were scored for bleaching/health condition and severity. During surveys, a progression of algal turf presence on bleached coral colonies was also scored (TF). The severity of each condition and algal turf presence was scored based on the percent of the colony affected. Additional coral bleaching/ health surveys will be conducted as needed.

To support a long-term NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) for sustainable management and conservation of coral reef ecosystems, from 20101107 to 20101208, reef fish assessment surveys were conducted, as a part of Rapid Ecological Assessments (REA), in the Main Hawaiian Islands region by the Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED) at the NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC). 25 REA sites were surveyed at Oahu in the Main Hawaiian Islands region. At each REA site, fish biologists entered the water and conducted a fine-scale (~700 m^2) and high degree of taxonomic resolution REA survey to assess and monitor species diversity, size distribution, and abundance of fish in shallow-water hard-bottom (less than 30 m) habitats. Reef fish assessment surveys were focused on cataloging the diversity (species richness), abundance (numeric density) and biomass (fish mass per unit area) of diurnally active reef fish assemblages. The stationary point count (SPC) method was used to quantify reef fish species. Two divers lay out a 30 m transect line, and position themselves at the 7.5 and 22.5 meter marks. The SPC biologist then records estimated size and abundance of all fish within a visually estimated 15-m diameter cylinder centered on the stationary diver (7.5-m radius, total area ~ 177m^2 per cylinder). The diver first spends 5 minutes identifying all fish species in the cylindrical area, then proceeds to count and estimate size (total length) for each in a series of "instantaneous" point counts or sweeps of the cylinder. Fish were identified at the species level, wherever possible. All reef-associated fish, including those in the water column, were surveyed. The survey time for each stationary point count survey was approximately 20 min and generally four stationary point count surveys (two per diver) were conducted at each fish REA site. After completing REA surveys, divers noted the presence, at the survey site, of any unusual fish species not counted during SPC counts, in order to facilitate species lists per location.

To support a long-term NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) for sustainable management and conservation of coral reef ecosystems, from 20101007 to 20101105, reef fish assessment surveys were conducted, as a part of Rapid Ecological Assessments (REA), during the Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program (RAMP) Cruise HA1008 in the Main Hawaiian Islands region by the Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED) at the NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC). During the cruise, 15 REA sites were surveyed at Oahu in the Main Hawaiian Islands region. At each REA site, fish biologists entered the water and conducted a fine-scale (~700 m^2) and high degree of taxonomic resolution REA survey to assess and monitor species diversity, size distribution, and abundance of fish in shallow-water hard-bottom (less than 30 m) habitats. Reef fish assessment surveys were focused on cataloging the diversity (species richness), abundance (numeric density) and biomass (fish mass per unit area) of diurnally active reef fish assemblages. The stationary point count (SPC) method was used to quantify reef fish species. Two divers lay out a 30 m transect line, and position themselves at the 7.5 and 22.5 meter marks. The SPC biologist then records estimated size and abundance of all fish within a visually estimated 15-m diameter cylinder centered on the stationary diver (7.5-m radius, total area ~ 177m^2 per cylinder). The diver first spends 5 minutes identifying all fish species in the cylindrical area, then proceeds to count and estimate size (total length) for each in a series of "instantaneous" point counts or sweeps of the cylinder. Fish were identified at the species level, wherever possible. All reef-associated fish, including those in the water column, were surveyed. The survey time for each stationary point count survey was approximately 20 min and generally four stationary point count surveys (two per diver) were conducted at each fish REA site. After completing REA surveys, divers noted the presence, at the survey site, of any unusual fish species not counted during SPC counts, in order to facilitate species lists per location.

Boundaries of fish replenishment areas (FRA) along the leeward (west) coast of Big Island in Hawaii. In order to replenish populations of heavily collected aquatic species, a network of FRAs comprising 35% of the coastline were established by the State of Hawaii in 1999 through the West Hawaii Regional Fisheries Management Area (FMA), administered by Hawaii's Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR). Though fishing is permitted (with some restrictions on lay net fishing), aquarium collecting is prohibited in these areas. For further information, please see: http://dlnr.hawaii.gov/dar/regulated-areas/west-hawaii-regional-fishery-management-area/

This data set contains sensitive biological resource data for reef, marine, estuarine, and native stream fish species in coastal Hawaii. Vector polygons in this data set represent fish distribution. Species-specific abundance, seasonality, status, life history, and source information are stored in relational data tables (described below) designed to be used in conjunction with this spatial data layer. This data set comprises a portion of the Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI) data for Hawaii. ESI data characterize the marine and coastal environments and wildlife by their sensitivity to spilled oil. The ESI data include information for three main components: shoreline habitats, sensitive biological resources, and human-use resources. See also the FISHPT (Fish Points) data layer, part of the larger Hawaii ESI database, for additional fish information.