NCCOS Mapping Monitoring and Assessment Activities in the

NCCOS Mapping, Monitoring, and Assessment Activities in the US Caribbean Chris Caldow chris. caldow@noaa. gov SECART November 2009 NOAA / NOS National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science

National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science To conduct and support research, monitoring, assessments, and technical assistance to meet NOAA’s coastal stewardship and management responsibilities. Ø Center for Coastal Monitoring & Assessment Ø Center for Coastal Fisheries and Habitat Research Ø Center for Coastal Environmental Health and Biomolecular Research Ø Center for Sponsored Coastal Ocean Research NOAA / NOS National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science

CRCP Roadmap for the Future • “Response” to recommendations • Primary objective: address coral reef management needs • Extensive internal and external comment • 3 priority threats NOAA / NOS National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science

US Caribbean Focus • Develop benthic habitat and bathymetric map products for resource managers • Develop and implement a standardized characterization and monitoring strategy (through granting process & directly) • Conduct assessments of coral ecosystem condition to inform the decision making process NOAA / NOS National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science

Mapping Strategy 1. Target Jurisdictional needs through partnerships 2. Bring Fed’l assets to bear to accomplish mapping. 3. Develop and provide a range of data products and capabilities to support coral ecosystem management and conservation • Map all US shallow-depth (<30 m) and targeted moderate depth (>30 m) coral ecosystems 4. Develop and foster capability towards “ecosystem change analysis” Management and Conservation Habitat Mapping NOAA / NOS National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science Biological and Physical Monitoring

Habitat Mapping – Core Capabilities SHALLOW (0 -30 m) MODERATE (30 -300 m) NOAA / NOS National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science DEEP (300 -1, 000 m)

Benthic Habitats Aerial Imagery St. John, USVI Resulting Benthic Habitat Map NOAA / NOS National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science

Bathymetry A B A) Multibeam data collected in deeper waters south of St. John, US Virgin Islands to complement habitat maps – February 2004 B) Bathymetric variation derived from multibeam bathymetry data provides managers with additional tools to understand resource distribution NOAA / NOS National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science

Caribbean Mapped Areas NOAA / NOS National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science

FY 09 Caribbean Activities Vieques ‘ 09 – 19 km 2 El Seco, 28 km 2 S. Shore St. John ‘ 09 – 47 km 2 Shallow, 195 km 2 Mid-depth Jobos Bay ‘ 09 – 16 km 2 Interferometric NOAA / NOS National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science

FY 10 Caribbean Activities NOAA / NOS National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science

US Caribbean Focus • Develop benthic habitat and bathymetric map products for resource managers • Develop and implement a standardized characterization and monitoring strategy (through granting process & directly ) • Conduct assessments of coral ecosystem condition to inform the decision making process NOAA / NOS National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science

National Coral Reef Ecosystem Monitoring Program Cooperative Monitoring Studies - Meeting Local Management Needs & National Program Requirements OBJECTIVES: 1) Provide leadership in the development and implementation of a national program to monitor US coral reef ecosystems. 2) Develop a “semi-coordinated” National network of monitoring sites, 3) Facilitate sharing of monitoring information among partners, and 4) Fill gaps in local monitoring coverage. A coordinated coral reef ecosystem monitoring program provides a national assessment capability to track the status and trends of coral reef health, community structure, and condition of US coral reef ecosystems. Results published (2002, 2005, 2008) in Status of US Coral Reef Ecosystem Report. NOAA / NOS National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science

Direct Implementation (2001 -present) St. John, USVI Guànica Bay, PR Vieques, PR La Parguera, PR Jobos Bay, PR St. Croix, USVI Sampling Effort La Parguera 1, 395 visual surveys Guanica Bay TBD 2009/2010 Jobos Bay TBD 2009/2010 St. John 1, 188 visual surveys Buck Island (St. Croix) 1, 619 visual surveys Flower Garden Banks 105 visual surveys NOAA / NOS National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science Vieques 75 visual surveys

Long-Term Monitoring (2001 -present) La Parguera -Basis for fishery independent assessments (consumptive & ornamental) -Evaluation of management efficacy -Baseline for damage assessment -Identification of nursery areas and key habitats (Acropora) -Inform decisions on marine zoning NOAA / NOS National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science

Field Data Collected Benthic Live cover (hard & soft corals, sponges, SAV) Abundance (soft corals & sponges) Condition (coral disease incidence; bleaching) Canopy height (soft corals, sponges, SAV) Water quality Reef fish Turbidity Abundance Temperature Size class Nutrients Organic Contaminants Sexual maturity Trace and Major Elements Ecosystem / Community Indices (Diversity, Evenness, Richness) NOAA / NOS National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science Macro invertebrates

Hydroacoustics Synoptic and real-time 2 - and 3 -D data at cm to km scale 1. Relative “biomass” across landscape/habitat mosaics (Kracker et al. , Grays Reef NMS) 2. Absolute density of prey fields, predator/prey relationships (Hazen et al. , Stellwagen Bank NMS) 3. Habitat utilization, behavioral observations, spawning aggregations ( Keys NMS and PR, Taylor et al. ) NOAA / NOS National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science 17

Implementation in Vieques, PR Mapping fish biomass NOAA / NOS National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science

US Caribbean Focus • Develop benthic habitat and bathymetric map products for resource managers • Develop and implement a standardized characterization and monitoring strategy (through granting process & directly ) • Conduct assessments of coral ecosystem condition to inform the decision making process NOAA / NOS National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science

Assessment: MPA Inside vs. Outside Biomass (kg/100 m 2) St. John – Groupers VICRNM 0. 6 Outside 0. 4 0. 2 0. 0 y e on C er g Ti d Re nd i H y b ys a Gr Objective: Assess fish and coral communities within and nearby Marine Protected Areas to evaluate their efficacy and provide a baseline against which future change can be documented NOAA / NOS National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science

Assessment: NS & T Program NS&T PROGRAM OVERVIEW Ü 280 sites nationwide monitored annually for 120 contaminants Ü Nation’s longest running coastal contaminant monitoring program Objective: Provide a comprehensive assessment of environmental contamination, toxicity, and biological community condition in coastal, estuarine, and coral reef ecosystems NOAA / NOS National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science

Assessment: Jobos Bay, NERR Watershed Objective: Integrate sediment and water contamination (nutrients and agrochemicals) with biological indicators of coral reef ecosystem condition to evaluate the effectiveness of BMP implementation in an agricultural watershed NOAA / NOS National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science

Representative Products • Technology transfer: Survey methodologies and analyses have become a standard at universities, as well as, federal and territorial government agencies; benthic maps are now integral to characterization, assessment, and monitoring activities in coral reef ecosystems. • Communication tools: Online database & website developed to serve information and summary analyses to partners and to the public. • Data: NMFS - stock assessments; UPR - ornamental fish species, sampling design; NPS – boundary modification, ship grounding damage assessment; USVI – sampling designs, methods; UVI – sampling design; PR – oil spill response; CFMC – spawning aggregation detection; DOA – BMP evaluation; Navy – ordinance eval in Vieques • 2008 Coral Report: Standardized set of data, analyses, and text for chapters on Puerto Rico, USVI, and Hawaii coral ecosystems. NOAA / NOS National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science

Information & Data Dissemination üWeb Site: http: //ccma. nos. noaa. gov ü Interactive, Web Data Discovery Tools üTechnical Memos üPeer-reviewed Journal Articles üData Set CD-ROMs and DVDs üProfessional Conferences üBriefings üVideo Documentary üMuseum Exhibits and Features üNational and Local Media Dialogues üOutreach and Education Events üMultimedia Features (Podcasts, Youtube) NOAA / NOS National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science

Caribbean: Partnerships Ø Caribbean Fisheries Management Council Ø National Marine Fisheries Service Ø National Ocean Service Ø National Park Service Ø Ocean Conservancy http: //ccma. nos. noaa. gov/ NOAA / NOS National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science Ø Ø Ø Ø Puerto Rico DNER University of Hawaii University of Miami University of Virgin Islands University of Puerto Rico US Geological Survey Virgin Islands DPNR