Data for 2008 "Status of Coral Reefs of the World"

A call from Ms Helen Sykes of Marine Ecology Consulting...

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We are now calling for data from anyone who wishes to contribute to the 2007 Fiji report, which in turn will be included in the 2008 "Status of Coral Reefs of the World" edited by Clive Wilkinson of AIMS. All contributors will be acknowledged in the reports, and also help us to
increase the representation of more regions of the Fiji Islands. Data need to be with me by 15 DECEMBER 2007.

You can send me raw data if you wish, but I know many organisations need to hold on to original information. All I need are averages in the form of summaries. The reef should be as representative as possible of the area you work in, and it's great if you have data at two depths, one between 3 and 6 metres and one betwen 9 and 12 metres, but we will take any data you care to share. If you do not measure all the criteria below, send what you have - not all sites contribute to all categories.

Country

Region

Site name

GPS reference

Depth

Reef Type

Date

Water Temperature

Organisation name

Surveyor name

Survey method used

Please give means of at least 4 samples with standard deviation if possible:

Percentage substrate cover at the most complex level you record:

(Corals, Algae, Sponges, Abiotic substrate types)

Number of macro-invertebrates per 100m2 of reef Sea Cucumbers, Diadema Urchins, Tripnuestes Urchins, Pencil Urchins, Lobster, Banded Coral Shrimp, Crown of Thorns Stars, Giant Clams (Giant Clams with a size estimation)

Number of fish in these groups per 100m2 of reef Butterflyfish, Snappers, Sweetlips, Parrotfish over 20cm long, Moray Eels, Surgeon and Unicornfish, Goatfish, Jacks and Trevallies, Groupers (Groupers with a size estimation)

Any sightings, whether on a transect or off it, of Bumphead Parrotfish, Humphead Wrasse and Turtles. Turtles to species if possible, plus any notes on habitat and behaviour which may be possible.

Thanks and best regards,

Helen Sykes

Director

marine ecology

Fiji's leading company for Coastal & Marine Ecology Assessments

Resort Support

PO Box 2558, Govt Buildings

Suva, Fiji Islands

t: +679-336-3625 / +679-359-2136

e: helen@marineecologyfiji.com

Fiji’s reefs in spectacular condition!

Fiji’s reefs show high coral health after recovering from a coral bleaching event.

Coral reefs have frequently been in the news over the past few years, usually for all the wrong reasons, in articles about dying corals across the globe. However, Fiji has had reason to celebrate, with recent scientific reports suggesting that the reefs here are remarkably resilient, and currently in the best condition recorded. (this millennium!)

Fiji is a large archipelago with a great variety of reef types, spread across the country. While not denying that reefs have their ups and downs, the Fiji branches of the Global Coral Reef Network (GCRMN) and Reef Check have just published the results of eight years of study, where reefs have been seen to recover from events such as Cyclones, Crown of Thorns Starfish and High-temperature Coral Bleaching, within five years.

Dive operators around the Fiji Islands have supported and carried out scientific reef surveys on their dive sites, which have shown reefs affected by coral bleaching in 2000 were back to normal amounts of coral cover by 2005, and even better than normal by 2007.

Many reefs are currently showing a spectacular array of hard corals, with more than 80% coral cover, and 40% Acropora branching and table corals, the most attractive to fish, marine animals, and divers. This suggests that corals in Fiji can survive quite catastrophic events as long as they do not occur too often, a nice cause for optimism for the South Pacific reefs.

Detailed reef health reports can be found at:

• www.reefcheck.org

• www.gcrmn.org

• www.marineecologyfiji.com

By: Helen R Sykes

Director Marine Ecology Fiji

Fiji Co-coordinator Reef Check

Fiji Co-coordinator GCRMN

Marine EIA

Marine EIA

Marine Environmental Impact Assessments

marine ecology consulting is Fiji and the South Pacific's leading company for Marine Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA).

After the passing of Fiji’s Environment Management Act 2004, the demand for EIA related Marine Resource Assessments has grown significantly. (click on this link to download a pdf copy of the Environment Management Act 2004 )