Project Report NOAA Ship Hi‘ialakai, Project HA-15-01, Leg 1

Personnel from the NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center’s (PIFSC) Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED), the NOAA PIFSC Scientific Operations, the NOAA Pacific Islands Regional Office, San Diego State University, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducted interdisciplinary surveys of benthos, fishes, and physical oceanography in waters surrounding the Phoenix Islands as part of the National Coral Reef Monitoring Plan (NCRMP). All activities described in this report were covered by the following permits and authorizations: National Environmental Policy Act, Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PIFSC-20100901); Endangered Species Act, Section 7 consultation (PIR-2015-9580); U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, verification letter (POH-2009-00083); U.S. National Park Service, Scientific Research and Collecting Permit (NPSA-2015-SCI-0003); American Samoa National Marine Sanctuary, Research Permit (FBNMS-2014-003); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Special Use Permit (12521-14001); American Samoa Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources, Scientific Study and Collection Permit (2014/010); Presidential Proclamations 8336 and 8337, respectively for Pacific Remote Islands and Rose Atoll Marine National Monuments National Environmental Policy Act, Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PIFSC-20100901) Endangered Species Act, Section 7 consultation (PIR-2015-9580) U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, verification letter (POH-2009-00083) U.S. National Park Service, Scientific Research and Collecting Permit (NPSA-2015-SCI-0003) American Samoa National Marine Sanctuary, Research Permit (FBNMS-2014-003) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Special Use Permit (12521-14001) American Samoa Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources, Scientific Study and Collection Permit (2014/010) Presidential Proclamations 8336 and 8337, respectively for Pacific Remote Islands and Rose Atoll Marine National Monuments