Summary

Description

Shore-based belt and habitat quadrats were surveyed using transects at 1 to ~5 m depths at a total seven (7) 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 2006 and spring-summer 2007 (spring 2007 only for predator belt transects); (3) at 1 site-group comprising multiple patch reefs located throughout north, central and south Kaneohe Bay, windward Oahu in the MHI during spring 2007; (4-5) at 2 longshore sites on the back reef of Midway Atoll in the NWHI during spring 2006 and spring-summer 2007; and (6-7) at 2 site-groups comprising multiple patch reefs within the Welles Harbor region of the lagoon of Midway Atoll during spring-summer 2007. For predator reef fish surveys, from 12-20 randomly positioned transects were surveyed at each site or site-group in a given year. Raw survey data consist of species-specific and size-specific numerical counts of large juvenile and adult stages of PREDATOR reef fishes encountered within transect boundaries. For recruit reef fish surveys, from 12-25 randomly positioned transects were surveyed at each site or site-group in a given year. Raw survey data consist of species-specific and size-specific numerical counts of recruit reef fishes encountered within transect boundaries. Quadrat surveys consisted of two types: "Reference" quadrats (whose positions were randomly selected) and "Target" quadrats (positions centered on sightings of recruit fishes). In each quadrat, the benthic cover of each of ten (10) major 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.