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Tonga_survey report draft_Haapai

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Tonga_survey report draft_Haapai

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S. Nakaya, 2007-05-28, p. 1

Survey Report Draft1

Ha’apai

Date: 13, 15 and 16 Aug 2002

Participants: Asipeli, Peter, Dee and Seiji

(Ministry of Fisheries @ Ha’apai: Sione Mailau, Taliauli Napa’a)

Prepared by: Seiji Nakaya

1. Objectives

(1) There are no data available on coral reef ecology of the Ha’apai group. We

conducted a survey to obtain baseline information on the coral reefs of the Ha’apai

area. We visited two of the 3 reefs that were once proposed by Ha’apai

Environment Conservation Committee to be MPAs based on suggestions from the

Ministry of Fisheries2,3.

(2) There are few, if any, people who are capable of conducting scientific survey on coral

reefs in Ha’apai. One of the objectives of the survey was to transfer basic skill of

coral reef survey and monitoring to the staff of the Ministry of Fisheries as well as to

a DoE-affiliated Peace Corps member based in Ha’apai.

(3) Start obtaining information for evaluating the accuracy of the data collected by the

spot check method and for standardization of this method.

2. Methods

Spot check method was used to survey Mu’i kuku (August 13), Kito/Kito si’i (August 15)

and Lua hoko (August 16). Reef Check method was used at Kito si’i Reef on August 15,

where two staff members of the Ministry of Fisheries participated.

For obtaining information for standardizing spot check method, the spot check data

were compared with other data set collected by using a different method. That was:

a) A 50m tape measure was laid at the depth contours of 10m and 3m, and

b) a series of underwater digital photographs of the reef surface were taken along

1 The trip consisted of underwater surveys, meeting of Ha’apai Conservation Committee,

and visits of sites for environmental issues. This report draft covers only underwater

surveys.

2 We have yet to obtain documents for this proposal.

3 This survey was not more than a preliminary reconnaissance survey. We have

learned, from our experiences of the management of MPAs established in the

Nuku’alofa area in 1979, that establishing new MPAs requires a long process of baseline

biological/physical and socio-economic studies and that public participation for decision

making for the MPAs is critical to expect the support of users and the community.

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entire length of the line (50m).

The coverage of types of substratum such as live hard corals and of soft corals was

calculated by the following procedures similar to the video transect method (English

1997):

1) Attach a piece of transparent sheet with randomly placed 5 dots to a PC monitor;

2) Display underwater photos one by one on the monitor;

3) Record the number of dots that are on each category of substratum such as live

hard corals, soft corals, rocks, etc. for each photo;

4) A series of photos along the 50m line was divided into 4 parts, for each of which

the coverage in per cent was calculated4;

5) Obtain average and standard error for each data sets (10m and 3m).

3. Results and discussions

(1) Spot check

Mu’i kuku Reef on the western coast of Lifuka Island near its northern tip showed low

coverage of live hard corals (<15%) consisting of high variety of colony types as well as a

moderate coverage of soft corals (<10%) (Appendix 1). The low coral coverage was

observed with no obvious threats such as sedimentation, recorded outbreaks of

Crown-of-thorns starfish or bleaching.

Kito and Kito si’i Reefs also showed low percentage of corals (at most 7.5%) with a

variety of coral types. At some sites of Kito some large colonies of massive Porites were

observed. An isolated island of Lua hoko also showed low coverage of corals (<5%) on

4 The line was divided into 4 parts to obtain variance for comparison, even though this

method is not statistically convincing due to interdependency of data among these parts.

Ideally, multiple numbers of shorter tapes should be placed randomly on the reef.

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its southern reefs (this was the only part of the reefs surrounding the island that we

were able to access due to rough seas).

Map of Hakau Mu’ikuku showing spot

check sites (scale: 1/72600)

Map of Kito Reef showing spot check

sites c-fand Reef Check site~

(scale: 1/72600)

Map of Luahoko Island showing

spot check sites c-e (scale:

1/72600)

ecd

It was found that the variation among observers within site was large. Therefore, it is

necessary to standardize data by using objectively collected data.

(2) Reef Check

For the Reef Check survey, we

selected a part of the reef on Kito si’i

where hard-bottom slope continues

to more than 10m deep. Live hard

coral cover was 19% ± 0.7SE and

16% ± 0.3SE, and soft coral

24%±1.2SE and 31% ± 1.0SE, at

10m deep and 3m deep, respectively.

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Few fish were recorded during the survey except butterflyfish. The record

spreadsheets are attached in Appendix 2.

Understanding situations including that there are not available data on ecology of

Ha’apai coral reefs, that there is no staff of DoE in Ha’apai, and that there are few, if

any, personnel capable to conduct reef surveys, it is essential for DoE to collaborate with

staffs from the Ministry of Fisheries, experts of AusAID who are undertaking a

community-based management project in Ha’apai and DoE DoE affiliated US Peace

Corps members.

(3) Digital photos

On Mu’i kuku Reef at the depth contours of 3 and 10m, the coverage of live hard corals,

dead hard corals, soft corals, rubble, rock, fleshy algae and sand were calculated as

below. It is noticed that coral cover at 10m deep contour was comparatively high (28%

±7.1SE).

Sample of underwater photos for calculation of coral coverage

Data obtained by using underwater photos.

Depth

10m Mean%

Live hard Dead hard Soft

corals

27.5

0.7 14.6

7.1

0.7

2.5

Mean%

10.0

0.3

4.3

3.1

0.3

3.9

Rubble

0.0

10.3

2.7

Rock

56.4

8.5

75.3

5.1

Fleshy

algae

0.0

sand

0.7

0.0

Data obtained by using spot check method.

Diver Depth m Live hard corals% Dead hard corals % Soft corals%

sand

3-3

7.5 (range 5-10)

7.5

IB I2-5 I

1(<5)

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The results of photo analysis were compared with the data from Spot Check at the same

site. As the divers conducting spot check use only snorkel, the reef deeper than some

5m may be uncertain, depending on the visibility. Therefore, the data only from 3m

contour was compared. The coverage of live hard corals measured by digital photo

method and by spot check method were 10%±3.1SE and 7.5 - 15％, respectively.

As noticed during the spot check surveys, the variation within treatment was too high

to make a statistically meaningful comparison of data among different sites or different

times. It is necessary to reduce variation within the data sets. For this, it may be

useful to consider stratification for sampling, reducing the number of parameters to be

measured and increase replicates. The variation of data may also affected by skill and

experience of surveyors and by reef conditions such as coral cover and topography. Use

of underwater video may also be useful to make underwater time short, to reduce effort

in the field and therefore to increase the number of replicates.

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Appendix 1. Results of Spot Check surveys in Ha’apai between August 13 and 16, 2002.

Largest

Domi

Type of

plate

nant

substratum Sedi Acropor

Site

LHC DHC Soft coral COT with no

ment a cm Dept

name No. Diver Date Time % % C% type No. corals

% (0-4) diamete h m Remarks

South

Mu'i kuku 1 Asipeli 02/08/13 1700 7.5 10 7.5 5

0 sand

20 0

3-3

19º46'13.7"

Mu'i kuku 1 Asipeli 02/08/13 1700 13 10 10 5

5-5

19º46'13.7"

Mu'i kuku 1 Peter 02/08/13 1700 15 10 1 5

60 2-5

19º46'13.7"

Mu'i kuku 2 Asipeli 02/08/13 1745 7.5 10 15 5

15 3-5

19º45'58.7"

Mu'i kuku 2 Seiji 02/08/13 1745 5 1 5 5

2-3

19º45'58.7"

Kito

1 Asipeli 02/08/15 945 1 5 5 5

19º50'04.4"

Kito

1 Seiji 02/08/15 945 1 1 5 5

20 0.5-4

19º50'04.4"

Kito

1 Dee 02/08/15 945 1 1 1 2

0 sand

10 0

4-6

19º50'04.4"

Kito

2 Asipeli 02/08/15 1015 7.5 1 5 4

5-5 massive Porites

19º50'10.5"

Kito

2 Seiji 02/08/15 1015 5 1 1 5

0 sand

10 0

20 5-6 massive Porites(>5m 19º50'10.5"

Kito

2 Dee 02/08/15 1015 5 1 5 5

0 sand

10 0

15 4- 6

Kito

2 Dee 02/08/15 1015 1 5 1 5

0 sand

50 0

10 1- 3

Kito

3 Asipeli 02/08/15 1050 1 5 1 5

0 sand, rubble 40 0

10 2-2

19º50'10.5"

19º50'23.3"

Kito

3 Seiji 02/08/15 1050 1 1 1 5

0 sand, rubble 30 0

15 1-2

19º50'23.3"

Kito

3 Dee 02/08/15 1050 1 1 1 5

0 rubble

15 0

15 4-6

19º50'23.3"

Kito

4 Seiji 02/08/15 1145 1 1 1 5

20 5-6

19º50'27.5"

Lua hoko 1 Seiji 02/08/16 1545 1 1 1 5

0 sand

30 0

20 1-3

19º40'26.2

Lua hoko 1 Peter 02/08/16 1545 1 1 1 5

0 sand

30 0

20 1-3

19º40'26.2

Lua hoko 1 Dee 02/08/16 1545 1 1 1 5

0 samd

1-5

19º40'26.2

Lua hoko 2 Seiji 02/08/16 1605 5 1 1 5

0 sand, rubble 15 0

60 2-5 many Zoanthidae

Lua hoko 2 Dee 02/08/16 1605 1 5 2 5

0 sand

20 1-5

Lua hoko 3 Seiji 02/08/16 1640 1 1 1 5

0 sand

10 0

30 1-3

Lua hoko 3 Peter 02/08/16 1640 5 1 1 5

0 sand

10 0

20 3-5

Lua hoko 3 Dee 02/08/16 1640 1 1 1 5

0 sand

10 0

15 1-5

West

174º21'24.2"

174º21'07.9"

174º25'03.6"

174º24'46.2"

174º24'43.7"

174º25'19.2"

174º23'39.4"

Photo: 20020813Haapai, 20020815Haapai and 20020816Haapai

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S. Nakaya, 2007-05-28, p. 7

Appendix 2.

Spread sheets for the results of Reef Check in Kito si’i Reef on 15 August 2002

Site name

Kito si'i (near Uoleva Island of Ha'apai Group)

Date

15-Aug-02

Time of day that work started

1300

Time of day that work ended

1730

Longitude of transect start point

19,50'16.2"S

Latitude of transect start point

174,25'16.9"W

From chart or by GPS? (If GPS,

indicate units)

chart_____

GPS__X WGS84

Orientation of transect

N-S___

NE-SW X E-W___

SE-NW___

Distance from shore

1300 m

Distance from nearest river

180 km (No river exists in this island group; a stream exists on a

River mouth width

<10m_X

11-50m__ 51-100m__ 101-500m__

Weather

sunny_X

cloudy__X raining__X

Air temperature

23 degrees C

Water temperature at surface

23_ degrees C

Water temperature at 3 m

23_ degrees C

Water temperature at 10 m

? degrees C

not able to measure

Distance to nearest population centre 7 km

Approximate population size

3x1000 people

Horizontal visibility in water

25 m

Why was this site selected?

Is this site -

sheltered_X

exposed_____

Any major coral damaging storms in

past years?

yes_____

no_____

unknown_X

How do you rate this site overall in

terms of anthropogenic impact?

none____

low____

moderate_X heavy____

What types of impacts do you believe

occur?

linefishing, spearfishing, shell collection

Dynamite fishing

none_X

low____

moderate____ heavy____

Poison fishing

none_X

low____

moderate____ heavy____

Aquarium fish collection

none_X

low____

moderate____ heavy____

Harvest of invertebrates for food

none____

low____

moderate_X heavy____

Harvest of invertebrates for curio sales none____

low_x

moderate____ heavy____

Tourist diving

none____

low_x

moderate____ heavy____

Sewage pollution

none_X

low____

moderate____ heavy____

Industrial pollution

none_X

low____

moderate____ heavy____

Other forms of fishing? (Specify)

none____

low____

moderate_x heavy____

Other impacts? (Specify)

none____

low____

moderate____ heavy____

Is there any form of protection (statutory

or other) at this site?

yes_____

no_x(once the fishery agency proposed this r

If yes, what type of protection?

Other comments

Submitted by (enter TL/TS and your name) TL: 'Asipeli Palaki; TS: Seiji Nakaya (submitted by S. Nakaya)

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S. Nakaya, 2007-05-28, p. 8

Site name: Kito si'i

Depth:

10m

Team Leader: Asipeli Palaki

Time:

1600

Substrate Code

HC hard coral

FS fleshy seaweed

RB rubble

OT other

Date: #####

Data recorded by: Asipeli Palaki

SC soft coral

SP sponge

SD sand

RKC recently killed coral

RC rock

SI silt/clay

(For first segment, if start point is 0 m, last point is 19.5 m)

SEGMENT 1

SEGMENT 2

SEGMENT 3

0 - 19.5 m

25 - 44.5 m

50 - 69.5 m

1 RC 21 sc 41 sc 61 rc 81 rc 101 RC

2 FS 22 sc 42 rc 62 rc 82 rc 102 RC

3 SD 23 sc 43 rc 63 rc 83 rc 103 RC

4 RB 24 rc 44 sd 64 rc 84 rc 104 fs

5 RB 25 rc 45 sc 65 hc 85 sc 105 fs

6 SC 26 rc 46 hc 66 hc 86 hc 106 fs

7 HC 27 hc 47 rc 67 sc 87 hc 107 sc

8 SC 28 rb 48 sd 68 rc 88 rc 108 RC

9 HC 29 sc 49 rc 69 rc 89 rc 109 RC

10 SC 30 sc 50 sc 70 rc 90 rc 110 RC

11 SC 31 hc 51 sc 71 rc 91 hc 111 RC

12 RB 32 rc 52 rb 72 hc 92 rc 112 sc

13 HC 33 hc 53 rc 73 hc 93 rc 113 sc

14 rb 34 sc 54 rc 74 fs 94 hc 114 sc

15 hc 35 sc 55 rb 75 fs 95 sc 115 RC

16 hc 36 rc 56 rc 76 sc 96 sc 116 RC

17 sc 37 rc 57 hc 77 rc 97 sc 117 RC

18 rb 38 sd 58 sc 78 rc 98 hc 118 hc

19 rc 39 fs 59 sc 79 rc 99 rc 119 hc

20 sc 40 rb 60 rc 80 rc 100 rc 120 RC

SEGMENT 4

75 - 94.5 m

121 sc 141 rc

122 rc 142 rc

123 fs 143 rc

124 rc 144 rc

125 rc 145 hc

126 hc 146 sc

127 rc 147 rc

128 hc 148 sc

129 hc 149 sc

130 hc 150 hc

131 rc 151 sc

132 rc 152 rc

133 rc 153 rc

134 rc 154 rc

135 hc 155 rc

136 hc 156 sc

137 sc 157 sc

138 sc 158 hc

139 rc 159 rb

140 sd 160 sc

DO NOT TYPE DATA BELOW THIS LINE

Total S1 Total S2 Total S3 Total S4

HC 8 HC 6 HC 7 HC 9

SC 13 SC 8 SC 8 SC 10

RKC 0 RKC 0 RKC 0 RKC 0

FS 2 FS 2 FS 3 FS 1

SP 0 SP 0 SP 0 SP 0

RC 8 RC 20 RC 22 RC 18

RB 7 RB 2 RB 0 RB 1

SD 2 SD 2 SD 0 SD 1

SI 0

OT 0

SI 0

OT 0

SI 0

OT 0

SI 0

OT 0

# 40 # 40 # 40 # 40

Grand total

HC 30

SC 39

RKC 0

FS 8

SP 0

RC 68

RB 10

SD 5

SI 0

OT 0

Mean

HC 7.5 HC 1.3

SC 9.8 SC 2.4

RKC 0 RKC 0

FS 2 FS 0.8

SP 0 SP 0

RC 17 RC 6.2

RB 2.5 RB 3.1

SD 1.3 SD 1

SI 0 SI 0

OT 0 OT 0

Comments:

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Site name: Kito si'i

Depth:

Team Leader: Asipeli Palaki

Time:

1700

Substrate Code

HC hard coral

FS fleshy seaweed

RB rubble

OT other

Date: #####

Data recorded by: Taliauli Napa'a

SC soft coral

SP sponge

SD sand

RKC recently killed coral

RC rock

SI silt/clay

(For first segment, if start point is 0 m, last point is 19.5 m)

SEGMENT 1

SEGMENT 2

SEGMENT 3

0 - 19.5 m

25 - 44.5 m

50 - 69.5 m

1 rc 21 sc 41 rc 61 rc 81 hc 101 sc

2 hc 22 hc 42 rc 62 rc 82 rc 102 sc

3 rc 23 rc 43 rc 63 rc 83 rc 103 sc

4 sc 24 sc 44 sc 64 rc 84 rc 104 RC

5 sc 25 rc 45 sc 65 rc 85 rc 105 hc

6 sc 26 rc 46 sc 66 hc 86 rc 106 rc

7 hc 27 rc 47 rc 67 rc 87 rc 107 sc

8 rc 28 sc 48 hc 68 sp 88 hc 108 sc

9 sc 29 rc 49 rc 69 sd 89 hc 109 sc

10 rc 30 sc 50 rc 70 sd 90 hc 110 sc

11 rc 31 rc 51 rc 71 rc 91 rkc 111 rc

12 rc 32 sc 52 sc 72 hc 92 sc 112 rc

13 sc 33 rc 53 rc 73 sc 93 sc 113 rc

14 hc 34 sc 54 sc 74 sc 94 sc 114 rc

15 sc 35 rc 55 hc 75 sc 95 rc 115 rc

16 rc 36 sc 56 hc 76 rc 96 sc 116 sc

17 sc 37 hc 57 rkc 77 hc 97 sd 117 rc

18 rc 38 rc 58 sc 78 sc 98 sd 118 rc

19 sc 39 hc 59 sc 79 rc 99 sd 119 rc

20 hc 40 rc 60 sc 80 rc 100 rc 120 hc

SEGMENT 4

75 - 94.5 m

121 sc 141 sc

122 sc 142 hc

123 rc 143 hc

124 rc 144 hc

125 rc 145 rc

126 hc 146 hc

127 rc 147 sp

128 sc 148 rc

129 sc 149 rc

130 rc 150 hc

131 sc 151 sp

132 sc 152 rc

133 sc 153 rc

134 sc 154 sp

135 hc 155 sc

136 rc 156 rb

137 rc 157 rb

138 rc 158 rb

139 rc 159 rb

140 rc 160 rb

DO NOT TYPE DATA BELOW THIS LINE

Total S1 Total S2 Total S3 Total S4

HC 7 HC 6 HC 6 HC 7

SC 15 SC 12 SC 12 SC 10

RKC 0 RKC 1 RKC 1 RKC 0

FS 0 FS 0 FS 0 FS 0

SP 0 SP 1 SP 0 SP 3

RC 18 RC 18 RC 18 RC 15

RB 0 RB 0 RB 0 RB 5

SD 0 SD 2 SD 3 SD 0

SI 0 SI 0 SI 0 SI 0

OT 0 OT 0 OT 0 OT 0

# 40 # 40 # 40 # 40

Grand total

HC 26

SC 49

RKC 2

FS 0

SP 4

RC 69

RB 5

SD 5

SI 0

OT 0

Mean

HC 6.5

SC 12

RKC 0.5

FS 0

SP 1

RC 17

RB 1.3

SD 1.3

SI 0

OT 0

HC 0.6

SC 2.1

RKC 0.6

FS 0

SP 1.4

RC 1.5

RB 2.5

SD 1.5

SI 0

OT 0

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REEF CHECK 2001- Please fill in all Black outlined boxes

Site Name:

Kito si'i

Depth:

10m

Date:

######

Team Leader:

Time:

Asipeli Palaki

1400

Red Sea Belt Transect : Fish

Data recorded by:

Butterfly fish

Sweetlips (Haemulidae)

Snapper (Lutjanidae)

Broomtail wrasse (Cheilinus lunulatus)

Peter Cloutier

0-20m 25-45m 50-70m 75-100m Total Mean SD

3 6 1.5 1.29

1 2 0.5 0.58

Grouper >30cm (Give sizes in comments)

Bumphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon

muricatum)

Humphead wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus)

Any Parrotfish (>20cm)

1 3 0.75 0.96

Moray eel

Red Sea Belt Transect : Invertebrates

Data recorded by:

Seiji Nakaya

0-20m 25-45m 50-70m 75-100m Total Mean SD

Banded coral shrimp (Stenopus hispidus)

Diadema urchins

Pencil urchin (Heterocentrotus

mammilatus)

Sea cucumber (edible only)

0 1 0.25 0.5

Crown-of-thorns star (Acanthaster)

Giant clam (Tridacna)

0 1 0.25 0.5

Triton shell (Charonia tritonis)

Lobster

For each segment, rate the following as: None=0, Low=1, Medium=2, High=3

Coral damage : Anchor

Coral damage:Dynamite

Coral damage : Other

Trash : Fish nets

Trash : Other

Comments:

Grouper sizes (cm):

Bleaching (% of coral population):

Belaching (% per colony):

Suspected disease (type/%):

Rare animals sighted (type/#):

Other:

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REEF CHECK 2001- Please fill in all Black outlined boxes

Site Name:

Kito si'i

Depth:

Date:

######

Team Leader:

Time:

Asipeli Palaki

1540

Red Sea Belt Transect : Fish

Data recorded by:

Butterfly fish

Sweetlips (Haemulidae)

Snapper (Lutjanidae)

Broomtail wrasse (Cheilinus lunulatus)

Seiji Nakaya

0-20m 25-45m 50-70m 75-100m Total Mean SD

1 1.41

Grouper >30cm (Give sizes in comments)

Bumphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon

muricatum)

Humphead wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus)

Any Parrotfish (>20cm)

0 1 0.25 0.5

Moray eel

Red Sea Belt Transect : Invertebrates

Data recorded by:

Taliauli Napa'a

0-20m 25-45m 50-70m 75-100m Total Mean SD

Banded coral shrimp (Stenopus hispidus)

Diadema urchins

Pencil urchin (Heterocentrotus

mammilatus)

Sea cucumber (edible only)

1 0.82

Crown-of-thorns star (Acanthaster)

0 1 0.25 0.5

Giant clam (Tridacna)

1 3 0.75 0.5

Triton shell (Charonia tritonis)

Lobster

For each segment, rate the following as: None=0, Low=1, Medium=2, High=3

Coral damage : Anchor

Coral damage:Dynamite

Coral damage : Other

Trash : Fish nets

Trash : Other

Comments:

Grouper sizes (cm):

Bleaching (% of coral population):

Belaching (% per colony):

Suspected disease (type/%):

Rare animals sighted (type/#):

Other: