Reef Check Indo-Pacific introduction

Introduction to Reef Check EcoDiver Course Saving Reefs Worldwide www.reefcheck.org

Session Overview PART ONE • What are coral reefs and why are they so important?

• What environmental factors do coral reefs need to stay healthy?

• What are the threats facing coral reefs worldwide? - the global coral reef crisis • What are the threats facing your local coral reefs?

• What are the solutions to these problems? Why is coral reef monitoring important?

• The history of Reef Check and importance in global coral reef conservation efforts PART TWO • EcoDiver survey methods • Identification of target species www.reefcheck.org

PART ONE

Introduction to Coral Reefs www.reefcheck.org

What are coral reefs?

• Tropical ecosystems, second highest biodiversity on earth (after rainforests) • Hard corals = reef structure • Habitat for marine life • Solar powered • Oldest and largest living structures on the planet Photo by Undersea Explorer, 2005

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Why are coral reefs important?

• Home to 33% of all known fish species • Nursery ground for over 25% of all marine species

Photo by MacGillivray Freeman Films

Photo by MacGillivray Freeman Films

Photo by Dee Wescott

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Photo by J. Randall

Why are coral reefs important?

• Food -- source for 100s of millions of people • Tourism and recreation -white sand beaches and islands derived from coral reefs • Income -- 100s of millions of dollars annually for coral reef countries • Protect 20% of world’s coasts from wave erosion Photo by C. Kane

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Optimal conditions for healthy coral reefs

• Light • Low nutrient, clear water • Salinity around 32-42 ppm • Water temperature 18-29 ºC • Water circulation Photo by MacGillivray Freeman Films

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What are the threats facing coral reefs worldwide?

1. Overfishing 2. Destructive fishing 3. Sedimentation 4. Pollution 5. Global climate change

These human impacts tend to be CHRONIC so, unless stopped, do not allow reefs to recover. www.reefcheck.org

Threats to Coral Reefs - Overfishing • • • • •

Most large fish are gone Fishing down the food chain Herbivores are being fished out Algae take over reefs Major ecosystem destabilization

Photo by G. Hodgson

Photo by C.. Shuman

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Threats to Coral Reefs – Destructive Fishing

Photo by L. Pet-Soede

Photo by J. Jeffords

Photo from Reef Check Heqdquarters, 2003

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Threats to Coral Reefs – Pollution and Sedimentation

Photo by G. Hodgson

Photo by G. Hodgson

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What are the threats facing your local coral reefs?

Your EcoDiver Trainer will explain what threats your local coral reefs face.

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Ecosystem Impacts • What is the magnitude of these threats on coral reefs as a whole?

• What is the global extent of these threats?

• Are these impacts cumulative?

• How are we affecting reefs and how can we track these impacts?

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History of Reef Check In 1993 at the Global Health of Reefs Symposium in Miami a question was asked:

What is the health of the world’s coral reefs?

• Surprisingly, scientists could not answer this question!

• About half the scientists believed reefs globally were in excellent condition • Others reported reefs in decline • No standardized monitoring to answer this question

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1996 – Reef Check begins Coral ecologist Dr. Gregor Hodgson designed a global survey method called Reef Check for 1997 International Year of the Reef. Goals were: • • • • •

Simple, rapid and all volunteer Local community teams trained and led by scientists Eco-holistic, i.e. not just fish or coral Provide maximum data from key indicator species Applicable anywhere in the world

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Global Coral Reef Crisis The 1997 survey effort revealed that many coral reefs around the world were in very poor health!

• First global survey of coral reefs • Used standardized Reef Check method • Overfishing found to be greatest impact • Pollution and sedimentation important • Most large food fish absent

Reef Check first to publicize coral reef crisis via media and scientific journals www.reefcheck.org

Reef Check Global Network - 1997

385 Surveys, 32 Countries and Territories www.reefcheck.org

Reef Check Global Network - Today

7200+ Surveys, 98 Countries and Territories www.reefcheck.org

What do we monitor? Indicator Organisms Indicator Organism Philosophy: • • • • • • •

Measure human impacts Ease of identification Information content Demand for organisms Broad distribution Ecological importance Can we fix it?

Photo by D. Wescott

Photo by D. Wescott

www.reefcheck.org

Photo by D. Wescott

Photo by D. Wescott

Photo by D. Wescott

What do we monitor? Substrate types Substrate Measure important living and non-living reef components (% cover) with respect to human impacts • Corals (living and recently killed), sponges and algae as indicators of an imbalance between herbivores and nutrients. •

Photo by J.A. Alvarez

Photo by J. Hill

www.reefcheck.org

Photo by J.A. Alvarez

Photo by R. Torres

Who are the people involved?

Everybody!

• • • • • •

Villagers/fisherfolk Tourist divers and academics Local dive clubs Government agency staff NGOs and conservation groups Other stakeholders

RC Turks and Caicos Islands

RC Saipan RC China

RC St. Lucia

RC Indonesia

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Reef Check Foundation Today • Global non-profit marine conservation organization • National offices worldwide • Multiple programs: conservation, fisheries and tourism • Active at local, national and international levels

Photo by G. Hodgson

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Reef Check Actions - Education EcoDiver Program • Sell conservation education

• Self-financing certification courses • Help fund local survey teams • Increase awareness

Success Story • Recife, Brazil – RC Brazil and local government set up children’s reef education center after Reef Check shows reef damage

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Reef Check Actions - Conservation Coral Reef Management Program • Promote best practices • Teach non-damaging fishing methods • Monitor and manage stocks of reef fish and invertebrates • Establish Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) • Rehabilitate damaged coral reefs

Success Story • Gilutongan Island, Cebu, Philippines local barrio set up MPA after Reef Check participation. Today this MPA is the most successful urban, no-take MPA in Philippines (Ross et al, 2000) www.reefcheck.org

Photos Courtesy of Sea Dwelling Creatures

Reef Check Actions - Science Tsunami Report 2006

• Earthquake/tsunami impacts Aceh coral reefs • Uplifted reefs and damage Photo by C. Shuman

Caribbean Bleaching Report

• 2005/6 Caribbean bleaching event • RC teams in 16 countries tracked bleaching of coral reefs

Reef Rehabilitation Center, Philippines • Testing, capture, growth and release of juvenile fish • Aid in rebalancing ecosystem www.reefcheck.org

Photo by R. Torres

Photo by C. Kane

Reef Check California • Promote monitoring and management of temperate rocky reef ecosystems • Link California divers to tropical programs

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Some Global Reef Check Results

• Zero grouper larger than 30 cm were recorded at 48% of reefs surveyed • Fewer than 1 grouper per 100 m2 in both the Atlantic and Indo-Pacific

Grouper

Mean # of individuals/100m^2

• Large Grouper abundance low on reefs in both the Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific

1 0.9 0.8

Atlantic Indo-Pacific

0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

Year

These results indicate Grouper have been widely overfished! www.reefcheck.org

Some Global Reef Check Results

• Abundances of Haemulids have been consistently low in the Indo-Pacific

Haemulidae 60 Mean # of individuals/100m^2

• Haemulidae (grunts and sweetlips) have been steadily declining since 2001 in the Atlantic

50

Atlantic

40

Indo-Pacific

30 20 10 0 1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

Year

These trends indicate Haemulids are prone to overfishing as well www.reefcheck.org

Some Global Reef Check Results 18%

Mean fleshy seaweed cover (%)

16% 14% 12% 10% 8% 6% 4% 2% none

low

moderate

Level of perceived sewage impact

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heavy

Some Global Reef Check Results 3

Level of perceived impact

Atlantic Indo-pacific 2

1

0

st m er ial ng ng ge ro.

Oth quariu ndustr Divi Anth Sewa Fishi rt harve I A Inve

Type of impact

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t n Blas Poiso

Key Reef Check Discoveries • Mean hard coral cover 32%, lower than expected • Hard coral cover (%) significantly higher on reefs having no human impacts than on those with high impacts • The 1997 – 1998 bleaching event reduced live coral cover by 10% globally, indicating that coral reefs are a sensitive indicator of global warming • Marine Protected Areas in developing countries are showing some success! 5 of 10 fish and 1 of 10 invertebrate indicators were significantly more abundant inside the MPA’s than outside

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Celebrity Spokespeople Cameron Diaz and Jessica Alba snorkelling for RC!

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Hundreds of Global Partners and Sponsors

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PART TWO

EcoDiver Methods www.reefcheck.org

A note on buoyancy

Buoyancy is important to: • Avoid breaking coral

Photo by R. Torres

• Collect high quality data

Photo by AIMS

Part of the learning process in the development of good, underwater skills is gaining an understanding of the need to learn them. www.reefcheck.org

What are the major contributors to reef damage during surveys?

1. Overweighting 2. Dangling gear 3. Use of the flutter kick for propulsion 4. Standing upright when writing on slates 5. Unnecessary touching and feeling of substrate 6. Wearing gloves 7. Fending off the reef due to lack of skills in moving underwater

www.reefcheck.org

The Transect

100m 1

20m

2

5m

3

20m

5m

20m

4

5m

20m

The basic idea of the Reef Check protocol is to swim along a 100 meter measuring tape (called a transect) and count organisms in four 20 m long sections! www.reefcheck.org

The Equipment • 100m tape measure (or 2 x 50m) • Underwater slate for each team member • Pencil • Spare pencil!!

• Underwater EcoDiver survey forms • GPS or detailed chart (or access to one) • Plumb line • Surface marker buoys

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Survey tasks • Site selection (done by the Team Scientist) •

Lay the line (1-2 divers)

• Fish survey (1-2 divers) • Substrate survey (1-2 divers) • Invertebrate/impact survey (1-2 divers) • Map drawing (1 diver) • Transect tape collection • Additional buddy (not required for every survey)

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Before you jump into the water…

Site name: BASIC INFORMATION Country: Date: Latitude (deg. min. sec): From chart or by GPS? (If GPS, indicate units):

• Record the GPS location

Orientation of transect: Temperature (ºC):

• Record the name of the Team Scientist and Team Leader on the data sheet • Start to fill out site description form including all team members names • Go over your survey / dive plan

State/Province: Time: Start of survey: Longitude (deg. min. sec): Chart:

N-S: Air:

Distance from shore (m): River mouth width: <10 m Distance to nearest population center (km): Weather: Visibility (m) : Why was this site selected: IMPACTS: Is this site sheltered?: Major coral damaging storms Overall anthropogenic impact Is siltation a problem Blast fishing Poison fishing Aquarium fishing Harvest inverts for food

sunny:

E-W: surface: 11-50 m cloudy:

Is this best reef in the area?

Always: Yes:

Sometimes:

City/town: End of survey: GPS:

GPS units:

NE-SW: at 3m:

SE-NW: at 10m:

from nearest river (km): 51-100 m Population size (x1000):

101-500 m

raining:

Yes:

No :

Exposed:

No:

If yes, when was last storm:

None: Never: None: None: None: None:

Low: Occasionally: Low: Low: Low: Low:

Med: Often: Med: Med: Med: Med:

High: Always: High: High: High: High:

Harvest inverts for curio sales Tourist diving/snorkeling:

None: None:

Low: Low:

Med: Med:

High: High:

Sewage pollution (outfall or boat) Industrial pollution

None: None:

Low: Low:

Med: Med:

High: High:

Commercial fishing (fish caught to sell for food) Live food fish trade

None: None:

Low: Low:

Med: Med:

High: High:

Artisinal/recreational (personal consumption)

None:

Low:

Med:

High:

How many yachts are typically present within 1km of this site

None:

Few (1-2):

Med (3-5):

Many (>5):

Yes: Yes:

No: No:

None:

Low:

Other impacts: PROTECTION: Any protection (legal or other) at this site?

Is protection enforced What is the level of poaching in protected area?

Check which activities are banned:

Other comments TEAM INFORMATION Submitted by

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Spearfishing Commercial fishing Recreational fishing Invertebrate or shell collecting Anchoring Diving Other (please specify)

Regional Coordinator: Team Leader: Team Scientist: Team Members:

If yes, answer questions below

Med:

High

Line deployment •

Surveys are made at 2 depths (when both available): 1) Between 2-6m 2) Between 6-12m (max 12 m for safety)

•

Survey depth is the depth at mean low tide

Photo by R. Torres

Photo by R. Torres

www.reefcheck.org

Photo by R. Torres

Fish survey • The fish survey is the first survey to be done • 5 m wide belt transect but is also 5 m HIGH in water column • The ideal survey time is between 09:00 and 10:00 in the morning

Site Name: Depth: Date:

Country/Island: Team Leader: Time:

Fish Data recorded by: 0-20m

25-45m

50-70m

75-95m

0-20m

25-45m

50-70m

75-95m

Butterflyfish (Chaetodontidae)

• Completion time is approximately 1 hour • The team must wait 15 min after the line is deployed before entering the water

Sweetlips (Haemulidae) Snapper (Lutjanidae) Barramundi cod (Cromileptes altivelis ) Humphead wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus ) Bumphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum ) Other parrotfish (Scaridae) only >20 cm Moray eel (Muraenidae)

Grouper (Serranidae) sizes (cm) (count ONLY >30cm): 30-40 cm 40-50 cm 50-60 cm >60 cm Total # grouper Rare animals sighted (type/#) Comments:

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Fish survey • Divers must swim slowly with minimal movement • Concentrate on buoyancy • Coordinate counts with buddy to avoid double counting • Only count fish in 5 x 5 m “tunnel” except for any mega fauna (sharks, turtles, rays, etc) or unless otherwise noted.

Photo by D. Wescott

Photo by D. Wescott

www.reefcheck.org

Invert and impact survey Site Name: Depth: Date: Data recorded by:

• A 5 m wide belt transect

Invertebrates

• Goal to count target invertebrates and note any coral damage, such as bleaching, anchor damage or trash

Country/Island: Team Leader: Time: 0-20m

25-45m

50-70m

75-95m

0-20m

25-45m

50-70m

75-95m

Banded coral shrimp (Stenopus hispidus ) Diadema urchins (including Echinothrix spp.)

Pencil urchin (H. mammilatus ) Collector urchin (Tripneustes spp.)

Sea cucumber (Holothuridae) Crown of thorns (Acanthaster plancii ) Triton (Charonia tritonis ) Lobster ( Palinuridae) Giant clam (Tridacna sp.) sizes <10 cm 10-20 cm 20-30 cm

• Proper buoyancy and body position to search and write

30-40 cm 40-50 cm >50 cm Total # giant clams observed

Impacts: Coral Disease/ Bleaching/Trash/Other

0 = none, 1 = low, 2 = medium and 3 = high

0-20m

• S or U-shaped search pattern • 30 mins -1 hour to complete

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Coral damage: Boat/Anchor Coral damage: Dynamite Coral damage: Other Trash: Fish nets Trash: General Bleaching (% of coral population) Bleaching (% of colony) Coral Disease (% of coral affected if yes)

Rare animals sighted (type/#) Comments:

25-45m

50-70m

75-95m

The substrate survey

Aim is to collect % cover estimates of major substrate types and benthic organisms •

Site name:

Country/Island:

Depth:

Date:

TS/TL:

Data recorded by:

Time: Substrate Code HC hard coral NIA nutrient indicator algae RB rubble OT other

•

Point sampling at 50 cm intervals Plumb line must be used to remove bias

This survey typically takes 30 min to 1 hour to complete •

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RKC recently killed coral RC rock SI silt/clay

(For first segment, if start point is 0 m, last point is 19.5 m)

SEGMENT 1 0 - 19.5 m

•

SC soft coral SP sponge SD sand

SEGMENT 2 25 - 44.5 m

SEGMENT 3 50 - 69.5 m

SEGMENT 4 75 - 94.5 m

0

10

25

35

50

60

75

85

0.5

10.5

25.5

35.5

50.5

60.5

75.5

85.5

1

11

26

36

51

61

76

86

1.5

11.5

26.5

36.5

51.5

61.5

76.5

86.5

2

12

27

37

52

62

77

87

2.5

12.5

27.5

37.5

52.5

62.5

77.5

87.5

3

13

28

38

53

63

78

88

3.5

13.5

28.5

38.5

53.5

63.5

78.5

88.5

4

14

29

39

54

64

79

89

4.5

14.5

29.5

39.5

54.5

64.5

79.5

89.5

5

15

30

40

55

65

80

90

5.5

15.5

30.5

40.5

55.5

65.5

80.5

90.5

6

16

31

41

56

66

81

91

6.5

16.5

31.5

41.5

56.5

66.5

81.5

91.5

7

17

32

42

57

67

82

92

7.5

17.5

32.5

42.5

57.5

67.5

82.5

92.5

8

18

33

43

58

68

83

93

8.5

18.5

33.5

43.5

58.5

68.5

83.5

93.5

9

19

34

44

59

69

84

94

9.5

19.5

34.5

44.5

59.5

69.5

84.5

94.5

Navigation – map drawing The map should include the following features:  Surface: • Bearing to “start buoy,” mooring or any other prominent features  Underwater: • Bearing from start buoy to mooring • Bearing along transect • Prominent features • Depth (should be the same depth contour the whole length of the transect! www.reefcheck.org

Navigation – map drawing All maps should have: • Name of map drawer • Date • Site name • Depth • If transect is permanent or random • Name of dive operator with whom you are with www.reefcheck.org

A note on this course: Due to testing requirements, there are 2 outcomes for this course • Complete • Pass Each section of the course (Fish, Inverts, Substrate) has an individual test – if you exceed the minimum correct answers you receive a pass, if you are below the minimum correct answers, you will receive a complete

In order to conduct surveys in each category you must receive a pass mark for that category! www.reefcheck.org

These materials were produced by Jos Hill and Cori Kane. ŠReef Check 2006

THE END!

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