gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:35768 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 2026-03-04T19:17:28 ISO 19115-2 Geographic Information - Metadata Part 2 Extensions for imagery and gridded data ISO 19115-2:2009(E) National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Towed-diver Surveys of Benthic Habitat, Key Benthic Species, and Marine Debris Sightings of American Samoa in 2015 NCRMP: Benthic Towed-diver Surveys American Samoa 2016 publication NOAA/NMFS/EDM 35768 NOAA doi:10.7289/V59G5K30 https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/35768 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 https://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/cred/benthic_monitoring.php WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Citation URL Coral Reef Ecosystem Program website, Benthic Monitoring download https://www.coris.noaa.gov/monitoring/ WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Citation URL Information about the NOAA National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) on the NOAA Coral Reef Information System website. download https://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/cred/survey_methods.php WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Citation URL NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program website, survey methods page, which includes a brief description of the towed-diver survey method used since 2000 to survey the benthic habitat. download tableDigital Lino K, Asher J, Ferguson M, Gray A, McCoy K, Timmers M, Vargas-Ángel B (2018) Ecosystem Sciences Division standard operating procedures: data collection for towed-diver benthic and fish surveys. Pacific Islands Fish. Sci. Cent., Natl. Mar. Fish. Serv., NOAA, Honolulu, HI 96818-5007. Pacific Islands Fish. Sci. Cent. Admin. Rep. H-18-02, 76 p. The towed-diver method is used to conduct benthic surveys, assessing large-scale disturbances (e.g., bleaching) and quantifying benthic components such as habitat complexity/type and the general distribution and abundance patterns of live coral, crustose coralline algae (CCA), macroalgae, and macroinvertebrates. Surveys are conducted in the Hawaiian and Mariana Archipelagos, American Samoa, and the Pacific Remote Island Areas as part of the NOAA National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP). A suitable method for assessing relatively large areas of reef habitat, the method involves towing a pair of SCUBA divers—one benthic and one fish—behind a small boat for approximately 50 min following the ~15-m depth contour and covering about 2–3 km of habitat. Each diver is equipped with a towboard and attempts to maintain a constant elevation above the surface of the reef (~1 m) for the duration of the survey. A complete towed-diver survey is divided into 10, 5-min segments, with visual observations recorded by 5-min segment. The visual estimate data provided in this dataset were collected during towed-diver surveys which includes percentage cover of total live hard corals, stressed hard corals, soft corals, sand, coralline algae, and macroalgae, and the number of individual macroinvertebrates (crown of thorns starfish (COTS), sea urchins, and giant clams). Benthic habitat complexity and type data are also collected as part of the survey with the following habitat type categories: continuous reef, spur and groove, patch reefs, rock boulders, pavement, rubble flat, sand flats, pinnacle, and wall. The data were collected around American Samoa as part of the NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) led mission in 2015. These data can be accessed online via the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) Ocean Archive. The National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) details an integrated ecosystem approach to provide a consistent flow of information to assess and report the status and trends of environmental conditions, living reef resources, and the people and processes that interact with coral reef ecosystems. Although the scope of NCRMP is broad, it is intended to assess the status of coral reef ecosystems and their conditions throughout U.S. States and Territories and provide a steady and comprehensive analytical context to gauge changes in conditions at the sub-jurisdictional scale of an island or atoll. Through the implementation of the NCRMP, NOAA is able to clearly and concisely communicate results of national-scale monitoring to Federal, State, and Territorial policy makers, resource managers, scientists, and the public on a periodic basis. PIFSC Coral Reef Ecosystem Program and funded by the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program completed Vargas-Angel, Bernardo (808)725-5423 1845 Wasp Blvd. Honolulu HI 96818 USA bernardo.vargasangel@noaa.gov email preferred pointOfContact Ferguson, Marie H (808)725-5414 1845 Wasp Blvd. Honolulu HI 96818 marie.ferguson@noaa.gov email preferred custodian asNeeded https://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/cred/img/towboard.jpg A diver conducting a survey of the benthos and benthic habitat using the towed diver method. JPG 743 National Coral Reef Monitoring Program 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 > 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 > Benthic biology 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 EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Macroinvertebrates EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Marine Invertebrates EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Marine Invertebrates > Census EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Marine Invertebrates > Census > Macroinvertebrates EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Marine Invertebrates > Census > Population Density EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Marine Invertebrates > Macroinvertebrates theme CoRIS Theme Thesaurus CORAL DEBRIS DEPTH - SENSOR HABITAT - BENTHIC MACROINVERTEBRATE CENSUS REEF AND/OR BOTTOM REGIME - PERCENT COVER TEMPERATURE 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 National Coral Reef Monitoring 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 > American Samoa > American Samoa > American Samoa (14S170W0000) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > American Samoa > American Samoa > Ofu Island (14S169W0013) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > American Samoa > American Samoa > Olosega Island (14S169W0014) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > American Samoa > American Samoa > Rose Island (Rose Atoll) (14S168W0001) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > American Samoa > American Samoa > Swains Atoll (11S171W0001) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > American Samoa > American Samoa > Ta'u Island (14S169W0012) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > American Samoa > American Samoa > Tutuila Island (14S170W0016) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > American Samoa > American Samoa (14S170W0000) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > American Samoa > Swains Atoll (11S171W0001) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > American Samoa > Tutuila Island (14S170W0016) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Manu'a Group > Ofu Island (14S169W0013) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Manu'a Group > Olosega Island (14S169W0014) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Manu'a Group > Ta'u Island (14S169W0012) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Rose Island > Rose Island (Rose Atoll) (14S168W0001) place CoRIS Place Thesaurus South 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 Triennial temporal 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 American Samoa project InPort otherRestrictions Cite As: Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, [Date of Access]: National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Towed-diver Surveys of Benthic Habitat, Key Benthic Species, and Marine Debris Sightings of American Samoa in 2015 [Data Date Range], https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/35768. 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). National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Towed-diver Surveys of Benthic Habitat, Key Benthic Species, and Marine Debris Sightings of American Samoa in 2015. NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information, https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/35768. 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 National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Towed-diver Surveys of Benthic Habitat, Key Benthic Species, and Marine Debris Sightings of the Hawaiian Archipelago in 2016 NOAA/NMFS/EDM 35767 crossReference National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Towed-diver Surveys of Benthic Habitat, Key Benthic Species, and Marine Debris Sightings of the Marianas since 2014 NOAA/NMFS/EDM 35769 crossReference National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Towed-diver Surveys of Benthic Habitat, Key Benthic Species, and Marine Debris Sightings of the Pacific Remote Island Areas since 2014 NOAA/NMFS/EDM 5567 crossReference National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Towed-diver Surveys of Large-bodied Fishes of American Samoa in 2015 NOAA/NMFS/EDM 35761 crossReference Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program: Towed-diver Surveys of Benthic Habitat, Key Benthic Species, including Marine Debris Sightings, of the U.S. Pacific Reefs from 2000 to 2012 NOAA/NMFS/EDM 35618 crossReference NOAA Data Management Plan (DMP) NOAA/NMFS/EDM 35768 https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inportserve/waf/noaa/nmfs/pifsc/dmp/pdf/35768.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 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. American Samoa -171.092526 -168.137397 -14.56062599 -11.04523805 American Samoa including Tutuila, Manu'a (Ofo, Olosega, and Ta'u), Rose Atoll, and Swains. ASRAMP 2015, Legs I through III | Currentness: Ground Condition 2015-02-15 2015-04-04 The National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) is a framework for conducting sustained observations of biological, climate, and socioeconomic indicators at 10 priority coral reefs across the U.S. and its territories. This integrated approach will consolidate monitoring of coral reefs under a uniform method in the Pacific, Atlantic, Caribbean, and the Gulf of Mexico for the first time. NCRMP is funded by the CRCP and supported by NOAA Fisheries, NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS), and many other partners. The Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) at NOAA Fisheries is leading biological monitoring in the U.S. Pacific Islands Region. The biological component of NCRMP in the Pacific provides a triennial ecological characterization at a broad spatial scale of general reef condition for reef fishes, corals and benthic habitat (i.e., fish species composition/density/size, benthic cover, and coral density/size/condition). Each year, CREP scientists work closely with CRCP and local partners to collect biological data on fish populations and coral reef communities from strategically selected sites during Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program (RAMP) missions. Innovative analysis techniques are then used to develop products that give fellow scientists, managers, decision makers and the public a better understanding of a region’s resources and how they are changing over time. false eng false Data View View: VS_BENT_TDS 2017-03-16 publication CSV - Comma Separated Values (Text) PDF - Adobe Portable Document Format 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/0157566 WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link VS_BENT_TDS SAMOA 2015.csv Observations from towed-diver surveys of the benthic habitat by the NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) conducted in American Samoa in 2015. download https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0157633 WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link PIFSC_H-18-02_2018_SOP_towed-diver.pdf Ecosystem Sciences Division standard operating procedures: data collection for towed-diver benthic and fish surveys. PIFSC Administrative Report H-18-02. https://doi.org/10.25923/59sb-sy51 download dataset Representativeness The towed-diver surveys are completed in forereef, backreef, and lagoon habitats. Considering that the towed divers are covering ~200 m during each 5-min time frame of a 50-minute survey, benthic coverage calculations are broad estimates. These data can be used to see large differences but can not be processed to a fine scale. Accuracy Observations during each tow were made by trained divers. The visual variation throughout the tow may change drastically as well as current and surface conditions for the support vessel impacting the preferred depth contour and accompanying track lines. Analytical Accuracy The percentage cover for the different benthic elements are binned within 1 of 10 classification categories. NOAA PIFSC CREP’s use of the 10-category method is similar to AIMS, whereby percent cover of living hard coral, stressed coral, soft coral, macroalgae, crustose coralline algae, sand, and rubble are calculated from towed-diver results by representing each cover category through the midpoint of its range. Note that the total percentage cover will not add up to 100%, as several habitat categories (e.g., rock, pavement, etc) are not included. Benthic cover categories and the corresponding percentage range bins are as follows: Category 1: 0.1 -1 % Category 2: 1.1 - 5 % Category 3: 5.1 - 10 % Category 4: 10.1 - 20 % Category 5: 20.1 - 30 % Category 6: 30.1 - 40 % Category 7: 40.1 - 50 % Category 8: 50.1 - 62.5 % Category 9: 62.6 - 75 % Category 10: 75.1 - 100 % Macroinvertebrates are counted independently up to 25 individuals. Above that, numbers of each macroinvertebrate taxa are binned as follows: Category 1: 26 – 50 Category 2: 51 – 100 Category 3: 101 – 250 Category 4: 251 – 500 Category 5: 501 – 1000 Category 6: > 1000 Data entry conversion for each macroinvertebrate category is as follows: Category 1: 37 Category 2: 75 Category 3: 175 Category 4: 375 Category 5: 750 Category 6: 1001 The habitat complexity data is based on a six-point subjective assessment of topographical diversity and complexity of the benthic habitat. Classified according to 1 of 6 categories: low (L), medium-low (ML), medium (M), medium-high (MH), high (H), and very high (VH). 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 The same methods of data collection are used during each tow. Regular examination and comparisons of the data are conducted throughout each mission to check for diver bias or other discrepancies. Benthic towed-diver survey method A pair of scuba divers is towed about 1 m above the reef roughly 60 m behind a small boat at a constant speed of about 1.5 knots. One diver quantifies fish populations, and the other diver quantifies the benthos. Each diver maneuvers their own towboard. Towboards are connected to the small boat by a bridle and towline and outfitted with various survey equipment, including a video camera on the fish towboard. The benthic diver records percentage cover of total live hard corals, stressed hard corals, soft corals, sand, coralline algae, and macroalgae, and the number of individual macroinvertebrates (crown of thorns starfish (COTS), sea urchins, and giant clams) as well as benthic habitat complexity and type data. A towed survey is typically 50 min long and covers about 2 km of habitat. Each survey is divided into 5-min segments, with data recorded separately per segment to allow for georeferencing of observations within the ~200 m covered during each segment. Throughout a survey, the latitude and longitude of its survey track are recorded at 5-s intervals on the small boat with a global positioning system (GPS). Following a survey, diver tracks are generated using this GPS data and a layback algorithm to account for position of the diver relative to the small boat. Ferguson, Marie H (808)725-5414 marie.ferguson@noaa.gov processor Source Contribution: Survey protocol Lino K, Asher J, Ferguson M, Gray A, McCoy K, Timmers M, Vargas-Ángel B (2018) Ecosystem Sciences Division standard operating procedures: data collection for towed-diver benthic and fish surveys. Pacific Islands Fish. Sci. Cent., Natl. Mar. Fish. Serv., NOAA, Honolulu, HI 96818-5007. Pacific Islands Fish. Sci. Cent. Admin. Rep. H-18-02, 76 p. 2018-06-01 publication Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center https://doi.org/10.25923/59sb-sy51 WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link NOAA Institutional Repository Ecosystem Sciences Division standard operating procedures: data collection for towed-diver benthic and fish surveys. information originator otherRestrictions otherRestrictions Access Constraints: None | Use Constraints: None