Fish, Benthic and Urchin Survey Data from Kahekili Herbivore Fisheries Management Area (HFMA), Maui since 2008 (NCEI Accession 0146683)

Data are summary fish, benthic and urchin data from belt transect surveys conducted by the NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program within the Kahekili Herbivore Fisheries Management Area (KHFMA) in West Maui. All transects are included.

Surveys were completed in 'rounds', each round being an intensive 4 day survey effort (occasionally with an additional day soon after) from 2009 to 2016. Also included are data gathered by Hawaii Division of Aquatic Resources in 2008 at the same locations and using the same survey design and methods.

Each row represents a single survey of a 25-m haphazardly located transect KHFMA. Habitat types are SAG (shallow agregate reef); DAG (Deep aggregate reef); MMX (Mixed mid-depth reef); SSG (shallow spur and groove); DSG (deep spur and groove); and SPA (shallow pavement).

Benthic cover (%) is extracted from a photo-transect (25 photographs, taken at 1 m intervals, 15+ points analyzed per photograph using Photogrid Image Analysis Software). NA values represent situations where images were either not gathered or not analyzed.

Fishes are surveyed by means of a diver swimming outward and return swims down the transects. On the outward swims, the diver records all fishes >15 cm total length (TL) within a 4-m wide belt centered on the diver; on the return swim, divers record fishes <15 cm TL within a 2-m wide belt. Fish species and size observations are converted to biomass (grams per square meter, or g/m^2) using species-specific length-weight conversion parameters. Urchins are counted on a 1-m wide belt centered on the transect line. Urchin density is calculated by the number per square meter (#/m^2).