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Objectives
The CCMA Biogeography Branch has been conducting many integrated
coral reef mapping and monitoring studies in US coral reef
ecosystems to support targeted living marine resource research
and management needs. This FY06 project is now under development
to track and monitor the movement and residency time of fishes
within and across habitats in the US Virgin Islands. The
project will use an array of in-situ acoustic receivers to
track fishes that have been implanted with acoustic “pinging” tags
to define movements in both space and time. Currently, the
project is underway in partnership with the National Park
Service in St. John, USVI to track fish movements in the
Virgin Islands National Park (VIIS) and the Virgin Islands
Coral Reef National Monument (VICR). The study objectives
are:
- Examine the movement of fish species, among different trophic guilds and
possessing a range of life history characteristics, inside and outside Virgin
Islands National Park;
- Examine the movement of fish species, among different trophic guilds and
possessing a range of life history characteristics, between inshore habitats
within VIIS and offshore habitats within the VICR;
- Examine the habitat utilization patterns and movements of fishes over diel
time periods at small and large spatial scales; and
- Examine the habitat utilization patterns and movements of fishes over time
periods ranging from weeks to months to years.
Hypotheses to be tested
Ha1 : Movement patterns and residence times of fishes
varies inside and outside of MPA depending on configuration
of MPA design
Ha2 : Movement patterns and residence times of fishes
vary depending on habitat type and proximity to adjacent
habitats.
Ha3 : Species show specific ontogenetic movement patterns
and habitat preferences depending on life-history phase
and proximity to adjacent habitats.
Ha4 : Species show specific adult movement patterns and
habitat preferences depending on life-history phase and
proximity to adjacent habitats.
Project Summary
Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument (VICR), adjacent
to Virgin Islands National Park (VIIS), was established by
Executive Order in 2001, but resources within the monument
are poorly documented and the degree of connectivity to VIIS
is unknown. Whereas, VICR was established with full protection
from resource exploitation, VIIS has incurred resource harvest
by artisanal fishers as allowed in its enabling legislation
since 1956. Large changes in local reef communities have occurred
over the past several decades, in part due to overexploitation.
The proposed investigation will allow for documentation of resource conditions
of important taxa in VICR and VIIS, and for development of an understanding
of the linkages between ecosystem components of the two NPS units. Potential
benefits of the new monument (VICR) to adjacent areas are adult “spillover” into
VIIS and adjacent harvested areas and enhanced reproductive output. The linkages
between VICR and VIIS and among various habitats of both units will be investigated
by studying the movements of fish species in different trophic groups. This
information will allow resource managers to understand the movement of organisms
into and out of the management units and to identify resources that may require
greater (or lesser) management focus. Inventory and characterization of existing
marine resources within VIIS has been progressing during recent years and has
been initiated for VICR to establish current baseline conditions of fish and
macro-invertebrates (e.g., species density and percent cover) and quality of
benthic habitats. This investigation will provide data necessary for development
of “ecosystem management” strategies for VIIS and VICR.
Figures 1 and 2 show potential array of acoustic receivers
to track fish.
Figure 1. Potential VR2 arrangement to examine fine-scale movement patterns in Lameshur Bay (N = 9). 250 m detection radius as an example.
Figure 2. Potential VR2 array design to examine large-scale movement patterns of fishes inside and outside VI National Park, VI Coral Reef National Monument and outside areas (N = 36).
250 m detection radius as an example.
Products
Completed
Reports and Publications
- Diel movements of fish are linked to benthic seascape structure in a Caribbean coral reef ecosystem. 2011. Hitt S., S.J. Pittman and R.S. Nemeth. Marine Ecology Progress Series, Vol. 427: 275–291, 2011
- Poster: Nocturnal migration patterns of two Caribbean reef fishes, Haemulon sciurus and Lutjanus apodus
- The coupling of St. John, US Virgin Islands marine protected areas based on reef fish habitat affinities and movements across management boundaries. Proceedings 11th International Coral Reef Symposium, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, 7-11 July 2008.
- Friedlander, A.M. and M.E. Monaco. 2007. Acoustic Tracking of Reef Fishes to
Elucidate Habitat Utilization Patterns and Residence Times Inside and Outside
Marine Protected Areas Around the Island of St. John, USVI. NOAA Technical
Memorandum NOS NCCOS 63, Silver Spring, MD. 50 pp.
- Poster: The Coupling of St. John, USVI MPAs Based on Reef Fish Habitat Affinities and Movements Across Management Boundaries
Partners
Relevant Links
Timeframe
Ongoing: 2006 - 2011
For More Information
Project Manager:
Mark E. Monaco, Ph.D
1305 East West Highway
SSMC-IV, N/SCI1
Silver Spring, MD 20910
301-713-3028 x 160
Alan M. Friedlander, Ph.D
Fisheries Biologist
USGS, Hawaii Cooperative Fisheries Research Unit
University of Hawaii
Matt S. Kendall, Ph.D
1305 East West Highway
SSMC-IV, N/SCI1
Silver Spring, MD 20910
301-713-3028 x 144
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