Papahānaumokuākea Monitoring Inventory

The monitoring projects in the following inventory take place in or around Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. Projects are conducted by either Sanctuary staff or by our partners. Summary information is presented for each.

For more information about the monitoring activities at Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, please click here, and review the Sanctuary Condition Report.

Contact the research coordinator at the Sanctuary for additional information.

Marine Debris Monitoring and Removal

Lead	NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (Coral Reef Ecosystem Division)
Objective	Remove and recycle derelict fishing gear from the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

Method

Snorkelers survey areas using tow-board methodology. Fishing nets are removed through diving or snorkeling and their locations are marked and mapped with GPS/GIS.

Status	Duration	Frequency
Active	1996 - present	Annual

Links	http://marinedebris.noaa.gov/projects/removal_nwhi.html
	http://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/cred/nwhiefforts.php
Partners	City and County of Honolulu, Covanta Energy, NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program, NOAA Marine Debris Program, Schnitzer Steel Hawaii Corporation, United States Coast Guard
Keyword(s)	derelict fishing gear, marine debris

Human Impact Monitoring

Lead	Dr. Robert Toonen (University of Hawaii), Dr. Kim Selkoe (National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis)
Objective	Assess the abundance and frequency of human usage on islands and atolls within the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument to determine impacts from anthropogenic threats.

Method

Habitat mapping and required permit reporting are used to assess human usage.

Status	Duration	Frequency
Active	2007 - present	Annual

Links	http://www.Papahānaumokuākea.gov/research/map_mon
Partners	Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument
Keyword(s)	human impacts

Maritime Heritage Survey

Lead	NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (Maritime Heritage Program)
Objective	A systematic survey of maritime heritage sites in Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument with a goal of locating and assessing all existing maritime heritage sites

Method

Combination of diver surveys, tow-board methodology, magnetometer and side scan sonar surveys, and opportunistic sightings.

Status	Duration	Frequency
Active	2002 - present	Annual

Links	http://www.Papahānaumokuākea.gov/maritime/shipwrecks
Partners	Southeastern Archaeological Research, Inc., Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, Flinders University, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, State Department of Land and Natural Resources, NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, Coral Reef Ecosystem Division)
Keyword(s)	maritime heritage

Coral Reef Assessment and Monitoring

Lead	NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, Coral Reef Ecosystem Division)
Objective	Survey the fish, coral, and benthic habitat of the shallow (< 30m) coral reef ecosystems of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

Method

Diver observations including transect and stationary point count methodologies.

Status	Duration	Frequency
Active	2000 - present	Annual

Links	http://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/cred/coral.php
Partners	United States Fish and Wildlife Service, State Department of Land and Natural Resources
Keyword(s)	coral, reef fish, benthic algae, non-coral invertebrates

Monk Seal Monitoring

Lead	NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, Protected Species Division)
Objective	Assess Hawaiian monk seal populations in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

Method

Beach counts; measure and tag all weaned seal pups; resight previously tagged seals; count each seal subpopulation by individually identifying seals with tags, naturally occurring scars or markings, and applied bleach marks; document births, deaths, serious injuries, and entanglement in marine debris; conduct necropsies on dead seals; collect seal scats (feces) for dietary information habit analysis; and collect and remove any marine debris.

Status	Duration	Frequency
Active	1980s - present	Annual

Links	http://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/psd/mmrp/monkseals
Partners	NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, United States Coast Guard
Keyword(s)	monk seals

Green Sea Turtle Monitoring

Lead	NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, Protected Species Division)
Objective	Assess green sea turtle populations in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

Method

Assess population trends by monitoring green sea turtle nesting beaches at French Frigate Shoals.

Status	Duration	Frequency
Active	1980s - present	Annual

Links	http://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/marine_turtle
Partners	United States Fish and Wildlife Service
Keyword(s)	sea turtles, population, nesting beaches

Seabird Monitoring

Lead	NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center)
Objective	Assess seabird populations in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

Method

Population surveys and nesting success surveys.

Status	Duration	Frequency
Active	Information Not Available	Annual

Links	http://www.fws.gov/midway/
Partners	United States Fish and Wildlife Service
Keyword(s)	marine birds

Oceanographic Data Collection

Lead	NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, Coral Reef Ecosystem Division)
Objective	Oceanographic instrumentation deployed across the archipelago to collect temperature, current, wave, and tide parameters.

Method

Scuba divers deploy instruments ether moored or anchored at nearshore reefs.

Status	Duration	Frequency
Active	2001 - present	Annual (real-time)

Links	http://crei.pifsc.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/
Partners	NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries
Keyword(s)	water temperature, currents, waves, tides

Lobster Monitoring

Lead	NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, Fisheries Research and Monitoring Division)n
Objective	Stock assessment surveys of spiny and slipper lobsters.

Method

Shipboard deep water trapping surveys at Necker Island and Maro Reef.

Status	Duration	Frequency
Active	1980s - present	Biennial

Links	http://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/fbsab/
Partners	NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries
Keyword(s)	spiny lobster, slipper lobster

Invasive Species Monitoring

Lead	NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, Coral Reef Ecosystem Division)
Objective	Survey and monitor anthropogenic transport mechanisms for marine alien species. Assess established populations of marine alien species in the Monument to develop additional monitoring strategies.

Method

Diver surveys are conducted to identify and monitor alien species present in the Monument, and assess method of transport into the sanctuary.

Status	Duration	Frequency
Active	2005 - present	Annual

Links	http://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/index.php
Partners	Unites States Fish and Wildlife Service
Keyword(s)	invasive species

Seawater Carbonate Chemistry Monitoring

Lead	Hawaii Pacific University
Objective	Assess seawater carbonate chemistry profiles for nearshore and offshore environments within the Monument.

Method

Data are obtained via nearshore-to-offshore transects of vertical CTD (conductivity, temperature, and depth) stations and water samples collected in the field. Carbonate chemistry analyses are conducted in the lab.

Status	Duration	Frequency
Active	2009 - present	Annual

Links	http://www.Papahānaumokuākea.gov/news/
Partners	Hawaii Pacific University
Keyword(s)	water quality, carbonate chemistry

Mesophotic Coral Ecosystem Characterization and Monitoring

Lead	Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument
Objective	Survey the fish and benthic habitats of the deep (< 50m) coral reef ecosystems of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, and monitor the spread of invasive species (octocoral Carijoaand red alga Hypnea)

Method

Technical (open-circuit trimix) diver observations including transect and photo quadrat methodologies.

Status	Duration	Frequency
Active	2009 - present	Annual

Links	http://ccma.nos.noaa.gov/ecosystems/sanctuaries/
Partners	United States Fish and Wildlife Service, State Department of Land and Natural Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service (Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center)
Keyword(s)	invasive species, corals, reef fish

Acoustic Monitoring

Lead	Dr. Whitlow Au, Dr. Marc Lammers
Objective	Monitor long-term trends in biological and anthropogenic activities within the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument using passive acoustic methods.

Method

Eight ecological acoustic recorders have been deployed within the monument to monitor biological activity and detect human activities such as vessel traffic and explosives used in fishing.

Status	Duration	Frequency
Active	2006 - present	Continuous

Links	http://www.Papahānaumokuākea.gov/research/
Partners	Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument
Keyword(s)	acoustic monitoring