National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA)/National Ocean Service (NOS)/National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS)/Center for Coastal Ocean Science (CCMA)/Biogeography Branch 20091230 Silver Spring, MD NOAA's Ocean Service, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) http://ccma.nos.noaa.gov/ecosystems/coralreef/reef_fish/ The project originated from an ongoing collaboration between USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture) and NOAA on the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force. The Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) was developed in 2003 by the USDA as a multi-agency effort to quantify the environmental benefits of conservation practices applied by private landowners. Ten Special Emphasis Watersheds (SEW) were identified throughout the U.S. to address specific resource concerns such as animal feeding operations, water use, drainage management and wildlife habitat restoration. The Jobos Bay watershed was selected by CEAP partners as the first tropical CEAP SEW with the goal of identifying innovative conservation practices that will enhance the health of coral reef ecosystems. The project's general approach includes describing the baseline conditions in Jobos Bay, implementing agricultural conservation practices on the watershed and measuring the response in Jobos Bay's water quality, biogeochemistry, benthic habitats and marine biota. It is anticipated that relatively short term changes will be measured in water quality and marine sediments; while long-term changes in higher trophic levels, such as fishes, may be detected in out-years. The baseline biological monitoring was conducted in June 2009 by the Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment's Biogeography Branch. Biogeography Branch staff used monitoring protocols developed under NOAA's Caribbean Coral Reef Ecosystem Monitoring Project, which have been used since 2001 to monitor fish and benthic habitats in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. These protocols are standardized throughout the US Caribbean to enable quantification and comparison of reef fish abundance and distribution trends between locations. Specific objectives were: (1) to spatially characterize and monitor the distribution, abundance, and size of both reef fishes and macro-invertebrates (conch, lobster and sea urchin), (2) to relate this information to in situ data collected on associated benthic composition parameters, (3) to use this information to establish the knowledge base necessary for enacting management decisions in a spatial setting, and (4) to establish the efficacy of those management decisions. Using ArcView GIS software, nearshore benthic habitat maps created by NOAA's BB in 2001 were stratified to select sampling stations. Sites were randomly selected within these strata to ensure coverage of the entire study region and not just a particular reef or seagrass area. At each site, fish, macro-invertebrates, and benthic composition information were then quantified following standardized protocols. By relating the data collected in the field back to the habitat maps and bathymetric models, BB is able to model and map species level and community level information. (1) to spatially characterize and monitor the distribution, abundance, and size of both reef fishes and macro-invertebrates (conch, lobster and sea urchin), (2) to relate this information to in situ data collected on associated benthic composition parameters, (3) to use this information to establish the knowledge base necessary for enacting management decisions in a spatial setting, and (4) to establish the efficacy of those management decisions. This work is being conducted in collaboration with the Coral Reef Conservation Program, USDA and Jobos Bay NERRs. 200906 Ground Condition Complete one time only -66.35 -66.16 17.98 17.85 NOS Data Explorer Topic Category Environmental Monitoring CoRIS Discovery Thesaurus Numeric Data Sets > Fish Census CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef monitoring and assessment > Reef fish census > Belt transect EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Mangroves > Monitoring EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Mangroves > Animal association EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef monitoring and assessment EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef monitoring and assessment > Reef fish census > Linear transect EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Marine Plants > Seagrass > Monitoring EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Ecological Dynamics > Species richness EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Fish > Fish assemblages EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Fish > Fish Census ISO 19115 Topic Category biota 002 environment 007 oceans 014 None coral reef fishes Visual Images > Reptiles CoRIS Place Thesaurus OCEAN BASIN > Atlantic Ocean > Caribbean Sea /North Atlantic Ocean > Puerto Rico > Jobos Bay ( Bahia de Jobos ) (17N066W0001) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Puerto Rico > Jobos Bay ( Bahia de Jobos ) (17N066W0001) CoRIS Region PR None Please reference NOAA/NOS/NCCOS/CCMA/Biogeography Branch when utilizing these data in a report or peer reviewed publication. Additionally, knowledge of how this dataset has been of use and which organizations are utilizing it is of great benefit for ensuring this information continues to meet the needs of the management and research communities. Therefore, it is requested but not mandatory, that any user of this data supply this information to the Program Manager: Laurie Bauer (laurie.bauer@noaa.gov). NOAA/NOS/NCCOS/CCMA/Biogeography Branch Jobos Bay Conservation Effects Assessment Project- Biological Assessment Coordinator Mailing and Physical Address

1305 East-West Hwy. (SSMC4, N/SCI-1)

Silver Spring MD 20910 USA 301-713-3028 laurie.bauer@noaa.gov 9:00 - 5:00 This is a cooperative effort between NOAA's Biogeography Branch, NOAA's COAST Branch, NOAA's Coral Reef Conservation Program, USDA and the Jobos Bay NERRS Not applicable This data consists of multiple fish community surveys across all nearshore marine habitats around Jobos Bay, Puerto Rico. Sites were randomly selected and stratified by habitat types using NOAA's benthic habitat maps of Puerto Rico. Once in the field, the boat captain navigates to previously selected sites using a handheld GPS unit. On-site, divers are deployed and maintain contact with each other throughout the entire census. One diver is responsible for collecting data on the fish communities utilizing the belt-transect visual census technique over an area of 100m2 (25m length X 4m width). The belt-transect diver obtains a random compass heading for the transect prior to entering the water and records the compass bearing (0-360o) on the data sheet. Visibility at each site must be sufficient to allow for identification of fish at a minimum of 2m away. Once reasonable visibility is ascertained, the diver attaches a tape measure to the substrate and allows it to roll out for 25m while they are collecting data. Although the habitat should not be altered in any manner by lifting or moving structure, the observer should record fish seen in holes, under ledges and in the water column. To identify, enumerate, or locate new individuals, divers may move off the centerline of the transect as long as they stay within the 4m transect width and do not look back along area already covered. The diver is allowed to look forward toward the end of the transect for the distance remaining (i.e. if the diver is at meter 15, he can look 10 meters distant, but if he is at meter 23, he can only look 2 meters ahead). On-site, no attempt to avoid structural features within a habitat such as a sand patch or an anchor should be made as these features affect fish communities and are "real" component of the habitats. The only two instances where the transect should deviate from the designated path is to stay above 110 ft (limitations imposed by diving) or while surveying mangrove habitats. In mangrove areas, the diver swims close to the prop roots and looks as far into the mangroves as possible; up to 2m and then out to the edge of the mangrove overhang such that the total area surveyed is still 100m2. In this case, some of the survey may necessarily fall on seagrass habitat. This is allowed as the mangrove habitat is defined as a transition zone habitat. The transect should take 15 minutes regardless of habitat type or number of animals present. This allows more mobile animals the opportunity to swim through the transect, and standardizes the samples collected to allow for comparisons. Data are collected on the following: 1) Logistic information - diver name, dive buddy, date, time of survey, site code, transect bearing. 2) Taxa presence - as the tape roles out at a relatively constant speed, the diver records all fish species to the lowest taxonomic level possible that come within 2m of either side of the transect. To decrease the total time spent writing, four letter codes are used that consist of the first two letters of the genus name followed by the first two letters of the species name. In the rare case that two species have the same four-letter code, letters are added to the species name until a difference occurs. If the fish can only be identified to the family or genus level then this is all that is recorded. If the fish cannot be identified to the family level then no entry is necessary. 3) Abundance & size - the number of individuals per species is tallied in 5cm size class increments up to 35cm using visual estimation of fork length. If an individual is greater than 35cm, then an estimate of the actual fork length is recorded. 4) Photos - individuals too difficult to identify or unique in some manner may be photographed for later clarification. 200906 0.00001 0.00001 Decimal Degrees We supply abundance and size information of fish species at the lowest possible taxonomic level. This information is collected across all nearshore habitat types. In addition, we provide photographs of many of the taxa. For specific information please see the data dictionary available on the database website. NOAA/NOS/NCCOS/CCMA/Biogeography Branch NOAA/NOS/NCCOS/CCMA/Biogeography Branch Caribbean Coral Reef Ecosystem Monitoring Database Manager Mailing and Physical Address

1305 East-West Hwy. (SSMC4, N/SCI-1)

Silver Spring MD 20910 USA 301-713-3028 tom.mcgrath@noaa.gov 9:00 - 5:00 Downloadable data These data were prepared by an agency of the United States Government. Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, make any warranty, expressed or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference therein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof. Any views and opinions expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof. Although all data have been used by NOAA, no warranty, expressed or implied, is made by NOAA as to the accuracy of the data and/or related materials. The act of distribution shall not constitute any such warranty, and no responsibility is assumed by NOAA in the use of these data or related materials. tab delimited text file http://www8.nos.noaa.gov/biogeo_public/query_fish.aspx .jpg http://www8.nos.noaa.gov/biogeo_public/reef_photos.aspx None 20121220 20100201 NOAA/NOS/NCCOS/CCMA/Biogeography Branch Jobos Bay Conservation Effects Assessment Project- Biological Assessment Coordinator Mailing and Physical Address

1305 East-West Hwy. (SSMC4, N/SCI-1)

Silver Spring MD 20910 USA 301-713-3028 laurie.bauer@noaa.gov 9:00 - 5:00 Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata FGDC-STD-001-1998 20100201053732 None 20090601 20090631 http://www.coris.noaa.gov/metadata/records/html/jobos_bay_fish_metadata_1209.html 4465