MCR LTER: Coral Reef: Long-term Population and Community Dynamics: Fishes, ongoing since 2005

These data describe the estimated species abundances and individual sizes of fishes surveyed in late July or early August of each year by researchers associated with the Moorea Coral Reef Long Term Ecological Research site. This study began in 2005, and the dataset is updated annually. Divers using SCUBA estimate the number and total length (total body length to the greatest precision possible) of all mobile and semi-cryptic fishes observed on four 50m long transects within each of the three principal habitat types, fore reef, back reef, and fringing reef, found around Moorea. These three habitats are each surveyed at six permanently marked sites, two sites on each of Moorea's three shores, yielding a total of 18 unique habitats (3) by location (6) combinations and 72 transects. Estimated total lengths are converted to estimates of species biomass using published length-weight relationships for each species. Data from the initial survey conducted in 2005 are presented in a separate data table as the protocol used in 2005 differed from the standard protocol adopted in 2006, and no estimates of fish body lengths were made in 2005. These data are a component of the MCR LTER core time series program and provide insight into the spatial and temporal patterns of reef fish abundance and biomass around the island of Moorea, French Polynesia.