SFCN Reef Fish Visual Census Monitoring (1999 - Ongoing)

Feeley M and Richter L . SFCN Reef Fish Visual Census Monitoring (1999 - Ongoing). 2014. National Park Service

The South Florida/Caribbean Network (SFCN) conducts long-term reef fish population monitoring of as part of a cooperative multi-agency effort to assess the sustainability of multispecies coral reef fisheries given their economic and ecological importance, the dependence of subsistence and artisanal fishers on reef fisheries for their livelihoods, and the considerable threats to coral reef habitats (i.e., coral bleaching and disease, pollution and climate change). The SFCN Reef Fish Monitoring project aims to accurately assess reef fish populations and fill the data gaps produced by traditional fishery-dependent monitoring methods using visual census monitoring techniques. The project’s objectives include tracking relative fish densities, spatial distributions and size structures of both target and non-target species. The visual data collected facilitates the evaluation of marine protected areas (MPAs) and other fishery management regulations. Survey areas are segmented into 50 × 50-meter (164 × 164 feet) grid cells based on habitat, depth, and management status. Surveys are conducted by region biennially using the Reef Visual Census (RVC) stationary point count method, which allows divers to record fish abundance, size structure, and habitat characteristics. This project is a repository for all datasets, protocols, reports, and other types of publications pertaining to Reef Fish Visual Census monitoring in Biscayne National Park, Dry Tortugas National Park, Virgin Islands National Park, Buck Island Reef National Monument and Salt River Bay National Park and Ecological Preserve.

Type
Project
Authors
Feeley, Mike; Richter, Lee
Publisher
National Park Service
Units
BISC , BUIS , DRTO , SARI , VIIS
Keywords
Biomass, Biscayne National Park, Buck Island Reef National Monument and Salt River Bay National Park and Ecological Preserve, Coral Reef, Density, Dry Tortugas National Park, Fish, Marine fish, National Park Service, Occurrence, Reef fish, Size Frequency, South Florida/Caribbean Network, Survey Design, Virgin Islands National Park, Visual Census

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