gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:32588 eng UTF8 dataset CSV Files Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center 808-725-5300 1845 Wasp Blvd. Honolulu HI 96818 USA https://www.pifsc.noaa.gov WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Website Website for this organization information 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. resourceProvider DesRochers, Annette M (808)725-5461 1845 Wasp Blvd. Honolulu HI 96818 USA annette.desrochers@noaa.gov 8 am - 5 pm Email preferred pointOfContact Akridge, Michael W (808)725-5483 1845 Wasp Blvd. Honolulu HI 96818 USA michael.akridge@noaa.gov pointOfContact 2026-03-04T19:17:25 ISO 19115-2 Geographic Information - Metadata Part 2 Extensions for imagery and gridded data ISO 19115-2:2009(E) Towed-Diver Observations in the Main Hawaiian Islands to Assess the Mass Coral Bleaching Event in November 2015 Bleaching: 2015 Towed-Diver Observations 2016 publication NOAA/NMFS/EDM 32588 https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/32588 WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Full Metadata Record View the complete metadata record on InPort for more information about this dataset. information Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center 808-725-5360 1845 Wasp Blvd. Honolulu HI 96818 USA pifsc.info@noaa.gov https://www.pifsc.noaa.gov WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center Website Pacific Island Fisheries Science Center homepage information 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. originator NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (301) 713-3155 1305 East West Highway 10th Floor Silver Spring MD 20910-3281 https://coralreef.noaa.gov WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program Website Link to the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program website information originator https://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/cred/towboard.php WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Citation URL Online Resource download tableDigital A team from the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) deployed on a two-week research cruise in November 2015 to evaluate the impacts of the 2015 mass coral bleaching event in the Main Hawaiian Islands via towed-diver surveys. Areas surveyed included south Oahu, west Maui, Lana’i, and west Hawaii island. Over the course of 10 survey days, the team surveyed approximately 90 km of 15-m wide transects at depths ranging from 2 to 10 m. Data provided in this dataset include visual estimates recorded by towed divers of percentage of live coral that was pale and bleached, as well as presence/absence data of condition by generic composition. Analysis of observer data reveals estimates of live coral affected by the event (pale or bleached) show a regional mean of 38.8% (+/- 1.96% CI95), with large variation in impact apparent between transects on the same island separated by as little as 13 km. Additionally, instruments mounted on the towboards collected other in-situ data that are documented separately. A downward-facing DSLR camera with strobes collected photographic quadrat data by capturing an image of the benthos at 15-second intervals during the surveys. Oceanographic data was collected continuously throughout each survey with a suite of mounted sensors recording conductivity, temperature, depth, flourometry (chlorophyll-a), turbidity and dissolved oxygen. The towed-diver visual estimate data can be accessed online via the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) Ocean Archive. The 2014–2015 global coral bleaching event brought widespread and severe impacts to the entire Hawaiian archipelago. In 2015, the corals of the Main Hawaiian Islands were subjected to unprecedented levels of thermal stress that resulted in the most severe coral bleaching ever recorded in the islands. To report on the event, local researchers and reef managers conducted free-swimming diver surveys in areas generally accessible via same-day field excursions. In an effort to survey larger high coral cover areas that are difficult for local researchers and managers to access via day-long field trips, a team from CREP deployed on a two-week research cruise in November 2015 aboard the NOAA ship Hi‘ialaka‘i to evaluate the impacts of the 2015 coral bleaching event in the Main Hawaiian Islands via towed-diver surveys. PIFSC Coral Reef Ecosystem Program and funded by the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program completed Oliver, Thomas (808)725-5444 1845 Wasp Blvd. Honolulu HI 96818 USA thomas.oliver@noaa.gov Email preferred pointOfContact Pomeroy, Noah (808)725-5439 1845 Wasp Blvd. Honolulu HI 96818 USA noah.pomeroy@noaa.gov Email preferred custodian Oliver, Thomas (808)725-5444 1845 Wasp Blvd. Honolulu HI 96818 USA thomas.oliver@noaa.gov custodian notPlanned 31075 Observing and Documenting Predicted 2015/2016 Mass Coral Bleaching Events in Hawaii theme CRCP Project Numeric Data Sets > Biology theme CoRIS Discovery Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Aquatic Habitat > Reef Habitat EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Bleaching > Bleaching Resistance EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Coral Diseases > Bleaching EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Coral Diseases > Bleaching > Bleaching Alert Area EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Coral Diseases > Bleaching > Bleaching Thermal Stress EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Coral Mortality EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Photic Zone Corals EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral Reef Ecology > Coral Cover EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral Reef Ecology > Habitats EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral Reef Ecology > Hard Coral Cover EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral Reef Ecology > Hard Coral Cover Dead percentage EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral Reef Ecology > Hard Coral Cover Live percentage EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Coral EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Coral Communities theme CoRIS Theme Thesaurus CORAL CORAL-BLEACHING REEF AND/OR BOTTOM REGIME - PERCENT COVER theme NODC DATA TYPES THESAURUS survey survey - biological survey - coral reef survey - swimmer/diver tows visual estimate theme NODC OBSERVATION TYPES THESAURUS HI'IALAKAI theme NODC PLATFORM NAMES THESAURUS CORAL REEF STUDIES Coral Reef Conservation Program theme NODC PROJECT NAMES THESAURUS US DOC; NOAA; NMFS; Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center; Ecosystem Sciences Division; Coral Reef Ecosystem Program theme NODC SUBMITTING INSTITUTION NAMES THESAURUS COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Hawaii > Hawaii (21N160W0000) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Hawaii > Hawaii Island (19N155W0003) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Honolulu > Oahu (21N157W0003) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Maui > Lanai Island (20N156W0002) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Maui > Maui Island (20N156W0004) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaiian Islands (21N157W0027) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Hawaiian Islands (21N157W0027) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Hawaiian Islands > Hawaii > Hawaii (21N160W0000) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Hawaiian Islands > Hawaii Island > Hawaii Island (19N155W0003) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Hawaiian Islands > Lanai Island > Lanai Island (20N156W0002) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Hawaiian Islands > Maui Island > Maui Island (20N156W0004) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Hawaiian Islands > Oahu Island > Oahu (21N157W0003) place CoRIS Place Thesaurus North Pacific Ocean place NODC SEA AREA NAMES THESAURUS CRED CREP Coral Reef Ecosystem Division Coral Reef Ecosystem Program PIFSC Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center TDS Towed-diver surveys towboard towed diver theme MHI Main Hawaiian Islands place DOC/NOAA/NMFS/PIFSC > Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce dataCentre Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Data Center Keywords 2017-04-24 publication 8.5 Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD%2BKeywords GCMD Keyword Forum Page Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2025. GCMD Keywords, Version 22. Greenbelt, MD: Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). URL (GCMD Keyword Forum Page): https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD+Keywords information custodian Ocean and Climate Change project InPort otherRestrictions Cite As: Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, [Date of Access]: Towed-Diver Observations in the Main Hawaiian Islands to Assess the Mass Coral Bleaching Event in November 2015 [Data Date Range], https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/32588. NOAA provides no warranty, nor accepts any liability occurring from any incomplete, incorrect, or misleading data, or from any incorrect, incomplete, or misleading use of the data. It is the responsibility of the user to determine whether or not the data is suitable for the intended purpose. otherRestrictions Access Constraints: None otherRestrictions Use Constraints: Please cite NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) when using the data. Suggested citation: Coral Reef Ecosystem Program; Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (2016). Towed-Diver Observations in the Main Hawaiian Islands to Assess the Mass Coral Bleaching Event in November 2015. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/32588 otherRestrictions Distribution Liability: While every effort has been made to ensure that these data are accurate and reliable within the limits of the current state of the art, NOAA cannot assume liability for any damages caused by errors or omissions in the data, nor as a result of the failure of the data to function on a particular system. NOAA makes no warranty, expressed or implied, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty. unclassified Not applicable Not applicable Benthic Images from Towed-Diver Surveys in the Main Hawaiian Islands to Assess the Mass Coral Bleaching Event in November 2015 NOAA/NMFS/EDM 32587 crossReference Oceanographic data, including conductivity, temperature, depth, dissolved oxygen, fluorescence, and turbidity, collected during towed-diver surveys conducted from November 3-18, 2015 in the Main Hawaiian Islands to assess damage from the 2015 mass coral bleaching event NOAA/NMFS/EDM 32586 crossReference NOAA Data Management Plan (DMP) NOAA/NMFS/EDM 32588 https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inportserve/waf/noaa/nmfs/pifsc/dmp/pdf/32588.pdf WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link NOAA Data Management Plan (DMP) NOAA Data Management Plan for this record on InPort. information crossReference eng; US biota PIFSC Oracle database view: VS_BENT_TDS_BLEACHING_OBS The latitude and longitude coordinates of the survey track are recorded using a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver on-board the tow boat. The survey track is georeferenced and a layback model is applied (python script in ESRI ArcGIS for Desktop) that more accurately maps the positions of the recorded observations. Main Hawaiian Islands -157.94722922 -155.82934199 19.74853696 21.30306893 Extent of underwater surveys in Main Hawaiian Islands in November 2015. Time frame of surveys conducted in Main Hawaiian Islands. | Currentness: Ground Condition 2015-11-03 2015-11-18 false eng false Data View View: VS_BENT_TDS_BLEACHING_OBS 2016-12-20 publication CSV - Comma Separated Values (Text) NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information ncei.info@noaa.gov https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/contact WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link NCEI Contact Information Information for contacts at NCEI. information distributor https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0157624 WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link VS_BENT_TDS_BLEACHING_OBS.csv Observations from towed-diver surveys of benthic habitat by the NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) conducted around the Main Hawaiian Islands (HA1602) in 2015. download dataset Representativeness This survey effort specifically targeted areas of known high coral coverage to evaluate bleaching impact. Although efforts are made to include broad spatial coverage of high coral cover areas at each island, poor weather and sea conditions prevented the team from surveying various reef areas. Accuracy Towed-diver visual observations were made by divers who have been trained in the identification of coral genera and the estimation of area of coverage. Prior to the research cruise, divers calibrated their estimates of area of coverage and judgement of paling or bleaching via free-swimming diver surveys of 10 m x 10 m transect boxes. The positions of observations are determined by (GPS) data collected on the small boat towing the divers that is adjusted with a layback script to account for the actual distance behind the boat the divers are being towed. Completeness Report There are a few scenarios that will affect the completeness of the data: -If the GPS points are not collected, associated diver's positions and survey tracks are not generated -If the estimation of the divers' positions are erroneous and it is impossible to make corrections, the tow tracks/points are flagged and removed from further analyses -If SEABIRD sensor (SB 39) is not operational during surveys, temperature and depth data are not available Conceptual Consistency Visual estimates of coral bleaching are useful as a broad indication of the bleaching impact on the scale of several kilometers. Towed-diver surveys require a trade-off in which the observation detail one might obtain in a free-swimming diver survey is traded for the ability to survey a 2 km x 15 m stretch of reef in about an hour. A pair of scuba divers is towed about 1 m above the reef roughly 30 m behind a small boat at a constant speed of about 1.5 kt. Both divers collect visual observations of the benthos. Towboards are connected to the small boat by a bridle and towline. A tow survey is typically 50 minutes and covers about 2 km of habitat. Each survey is divided into 5-minute segments, with data recorded per segment to allow observations to be georeferenced within the ~200 m covered during each 5-min segment. Throughout a survey, the latitude and longitude of the survey track is recorded at 5-second intervals on the small boat with a global positioning system (GPS). Following a survey, towed-diver tracks are generated using this GPS data and a layback algorithm to account for the position of the diver relative to the small boat. For each 5-minute tow segment, each diver notes live coral cover, the percentage of that cover that is noticeably pale, and the percentage of that cover that is bleached. They also record the presence/absence of condition classes of each of the five major coral genera/morphologies found in Hawaiian waters, specifically, Pocillopora, Montipora, Porites massive, Porites branching, Pavona, and other. Each genus is also noted as the presence/absence of the conditions: healthy, pale, bleached, and recently dead. otherRestrictions otherRestrictions Access Constraints: None | Use Constraints: None