gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:69138 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 Luers, Lori H 1845 Wasp Blvd. Honolulu HI 96818 USA lori.luers@noaa.gov pointOfContact 2026-03-04T19:17:27 ISO 19115-2 Geographic Information - Metadata Part 2 Extensions for imagery and gridded data ISO 19115-2:2009(E) Akule and 'Opelu Larval Data from Plankton Tows Conducted off the Kona Coast in West Hawai'i between 1997 and 2018 ESD_AkuleOpelu_WestHawaii publication NOAA/NMFS/EDM 69138 https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/69138 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.fisheries.noaa.gov/region/pacific-islands#science WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link NOAA Fisheries Pacific Islands Region - Science Overview Online Resource download tableDigital Gove JM, Whitney JL, McManus MA, Lecky J, Carvalho FC, Lynch JM, Li J, Neubauer P, Smith KA, Phipps JE, Kobayashi D, Balagso KB, Contreras EA, Manuel ME, Merrifield MA, Polovina JJ, Asner GP, Maynard JA, Williams GJ. 2019b. Prey-size plastics are invading larval fish nurseries. Proc Nat Acad Sci. 116(48):24143-24149. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1907496116. Whitney JL, Gove JM, McManus MA, Smith KA, Lecky J, Neubauer P, Phipps, JE, Contreras EA, Kobayashi, DR, Asner GP. 2021. Surface slicks are pelagic nurseries for diverse ocean fauna. Sci Rep. 11(1): 3197. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-81407-00. The data described here includes the analysis of plankton samples for the presence and size of akule and 'opelu larvae, as well as the tow metadata of samples including tow type, mesh size, and distance from shore. This data was collected as a part of Pacific Island Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC) Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD)'s West Hawai'i Ichthyoplankton Time Series Project. This project targeted the biosampling of commercially important species including billfish and tuna, but included all available ichthyoplankton; from 2016-2018 the focus shifted to plankton community structure around the island and in/out of oceanographic features. This data was produced by analysis of plankton samples collected off the Kona Coast of Hawai'i from 1997 throughout 2018 by NOAA ships and small boats. Ichthyoplankton samples were collected by 6 ft. Isaacs-Kidd Midwater Trawls and 1m ring-nets towing aside the ships/boats. Neuston and vertical tows were conducted from 2016-2018 to better assess the vertical distribution of larvae in the top 10m. Monitoring ichyoplankton levels helps us understand the composition of the neustonic plankton communities across space and time, with focus on larval dynamics of commercially and culturally important larval species. These data represent a strong mechanism to monitor spawning, recruitment, and phenology of larvae. NOAA Fisheries, Ecosystem Sciences Division completed Kobayashi, Donald R (808)725-5394 1845 Wasp Blvd. Honolulu HI 96818 USA donald.kobayashi@noaa.gov pointOfContact Whitney, Jonathan L jonathan.whitney@noaa.gov custodian notPlanned EARTH SCIENCE EARTH SCIENCE > BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION > ANIMALS/VERTEBRATES > FISH > RAY-FINNED FISHES EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > AQUATIC SCIENCES > FISHERIES theme Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords 17.0 Decapterus macarellus Selar crumenophthalmus theme World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) CONTINENT > NORTH AMERICA > UNITED STATES OF AMERICA > HAWAII OCEAN > PACIFIC OCEAN > CENTRAL PACIFIC OCEAN > HAWAIIAN ISLANDS > HAWAII ISLAND place Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Location Keywords 20.8 Geographic Information > Ecological Characterization theme CoRIS Discovery Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Aquatic Habitat > Coastal Habitat EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Aquatic Habitat > Water Column Habitat EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Microbiota > Plankton > Fish Eggs and Larvae EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Microbiota > Plankton > Neuston theme CoRIS Theme Thesaurus Date Distance to Shore Fish species Gear Type Habitat- Slicks Latitude Longitude Mesh size Sample Identification Species identification- organism length Tow depth Tow type Water Depth- Average theme NODC DATA TYPES THESAURUS Discrete sample Profile Survey Time series Visual observation theme NODC OBSERVATION TYPES THESAURUS US DOC; NOAA; NMFS; Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center; Ecosystem Sciences Division theme NODC SUBMITTING INSTITUTION NAMES THESAURUS COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Hawaii > Kona Coast (19N155W0002) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Hawaiian Islands > Hawaii Island > Kona Coast (19N155W0002) place CoRIS Place Thesaurus Coastal Waters of Hawaii place NODC SEA AREA NAMES THESAURUS: GPS instrument NODC INSTRUMENT TYPES THESAURUS Oscar Elton Sette Townsend Cromwell platform NODC PLATFORM NAMES THESAURUS ESD Ecosystem Sciences Division PIFSC Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center theme 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 Integrated Ecosystem Assessment project InPort otherRestrictions Cite As: Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, [Date of Access]: Akule and 'Opelu Larval Data from Plankton Tows Conducted off the Kona Coast in West Hawai'i between 1997 and 2018 [Data Date Range], https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/69138. 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 Fisheries, Ecosystem Science Division (ESD) when using the data. Example: Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, 2023: Akule and 'Opelu Larval Data from Plankton Tows Conducted off the Kona Coast in West Hawai'i between 1997 and 2018, https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/69138. 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 Larval Billfish Data from Plankton Tows Conducted off the Kona Coast in West Hawai'i between 1997 and 2018 NOAA/NMFS/EDM 74319 crossReference NOAA Data Management Plan (DMP) NOAA/NMFS/EDM 69138 https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inportserve/waf/noaa/nmfs/pifsc/dmp/pdf/69138.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 oceans A GPS unit was used to record distance to shore, and coordinates of each tow. The mean depth value was recorded by entering coordinates in ArcGIS using SRTM15+ v2 global bathymetry dataset (15 arc second resolution). Sampling occurred off the Kona coast from 1997 through 2018. -156.739 -155.539 18.78045 20.13833 Extent of samples collected off West Hawai'i from 1997-2018 Sampling occurred through 1997-2006, 2009, 2011, 2016-2018. | Currentness: Timeframe of the tows performed to collect samples used for analysis in 2023. 1997-04-12 2018-07-19 The data described here include tow data collected as a part of PIFSC/ESD's West Hawai'i Ichthyoplankton Time Series Project. The West Hawai'i Ichthyoplankton Time Series began in 1997, when ichthyoplankton was collected by neuston tows off West Hawai'i to assess the spatial and temporal variability in larval distribution and abundance. After samples are processed and fish are identified, environmental metadata helps us monitor seasonal occurrence, vertical distribution, habitat and temperature associations, and cross-shore distribution of larvae. The response of larvae to oceanographic conditions can provide insight into how the environment may modulate recruitment. false eng false Data Table Akule_Opelu_Larval_Hawaii_1997-2018_DataDictionary 2023-05-03 publication CSV - Comma Separated Values (Text) CSV - Comma Separated Values (Text) 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. distributor https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0277846 WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link ESD_AkuleOpeluLarvae_WestHawaii_Tow_metadata_1997-2018.csv This file contains metadata for all tows completed in West Hawai'i from 1997-2018 including sample ID, tow type, mean depth, slick, gear type, mesh size, date, latitude, and longitude. This .CSV file is 64KB. download https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0277846 WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link ESD_AkuleOpeluLarvae_WestHawaii_1997-2018 This file includes catches of larval 'opelu (Decapterus macarellus) and akule (Selar crumenophthalmus) in West Hawaii from 1997-2018 with relative metadata including larvae size, tow type, slick, sample ID, distance to shore and mean depth at time of capture. The file is 8KB in .CSV format. download dataset Accuracy Larval fish of certain taxa are notoriously difficult to identify to species. We consulted the help of fish expert at PIFSC Bruce Mundy and his resources to help us identify 'Opelu (Decapterus macarellus) and Akule (Selar crumenophthalmus). We also utilized DNA barcoding to confirm ID's of larvae, and utilized the morphological characteristics of those larvae to identify others. Larvae smaller than 2mm were unable to be confidently identified. Completeness Report Of the 1,016 neuston tows conducted in West Hawai'i, 660 of these contained whole and accurate metadata functional for analysis. All 123 vertical tows were included in this data set. Conceptual Consistency Research conducted before 2016 targeted the sampling of billfish and tuna primarily using large research vessels, and did not focus on oceanographic features (ie. surface slicks). Tows conducted between 2016-2018 were slick-focused and used both small boats and large vessels. Ichthyoplankton and larvae were processed in the same manner. The West Hawai'i Ichthyoplankton Time Series began in 1997, when ichthyoplankton was collected by neuston tows off West Hawai'i to assess the spatial and temporal variability in larval distribution and abundance. Samples were analyzed under microscope and larvae were identified, counted and measured for length. Distance from shore and mean bottom depth metrics were also utilized in the analysis of akule and opelu larval ecology. Environmental metadata helps us monitor seasonal occurrence, vertical distribution, habitat and temperature associations, and cross-shore distribution of larvae. The response of larvae to oceanographic conditions can provide insight into how the environment may modulate recruitment. Gove JM, Whitney JL, McManus MA, Lecky J, Carvalho FC, Lynch JM, Li J, Neubauer P, Smith KA, Phipps JE, Kobayashi D, Balagso KB, Contreras EA, Manuel ME, Merrifield MA, Polovina JJ, Asner GP, Maynard JA, Williams GJ. 2019b. Prey-size plastics are invading larval fish nurseries. Proc Nat Acad Sci. 116(48):24143-24149 https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1907496116 WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Source Citation URL Many of the world’s marine fish spend the first days to weeks feeding and developing at the ocean surface. However, very little is known about the ocean processes that govern larval fish survivorship and hence adult fish populations that supply essential nutrients and protein to human societies. We demonstrate that surface slicks, meandering lines of convergence on the ocean surface, are important larval fish nurseries that disproportionately accumulate nonnutritious, toxin-laden prey-size plastics. Plastic pieces were found in numerous larval fish taxa at a time when nutrition is critical for survival. Surface slicks are a ubiquitous coastal ocean feature, suggesting that plastic accumulation in these larval fish nurseries could have far reaching ecological and socioeconomic impacts. information Whitney JL, Gove JM, McManus MA, Smith KA, Lecky J, Neubauer P, Phipps, JE, Contreras EA, Kobayashi, DR, Asner GP. 2021. Surface slicks are pelagic nurseries for diverse ocean fauna. Sci Rep. 11(1): 3197. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-81407-0 WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Source Citation URL Here, we provide evidence that surface slicks, a common coastal convergence feature, provide nursery habitat for diverse marine larvae, including >100 species of commercially and ecologically important fishes. The vast majority of invertebrate and larval fish taxa sampled had mean densities 2-110 times higher in slicks than in ambient water. Combining in-situ surveys with remote sensing, we estimate that slicks contain 39% of neustonic larval fishes, 26% of surface-dwelling zooplankton (prey), and 75% of floating organic debris (shelter) in our 1000 km2 study area in Hawai'i. Results indicate late-larval fishes actively select slick habitats to capitalize on concentrations of diverse prey and shelter. By providing these survival advantages, surface slicks enhance larval supply and replenishment of adult populations from coral reef, epipelagic, and deep-water ecosystems. information otherRestrictions otherRestrictions Access Constraints: None | Use Constraints: None