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Issue 2 - Volume 1 - Winter 2002 . |
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Reef Check Teams in Action Training Workshops/Meetings Methods Check Other Reef Check News |
| Reef Check Teams in Action |
AUSTRALIA Regional to global scale monitoring of coral reefs
can only proceed if existing and long-term field and image data sets can
be collected and analyzed
consistently.
There
are now a large variety and time-series of satellite and airborne image
data available for coral reef environments. What is the most effective
method to extract information from these data for use in monitoring and
management programs? A team of scientists from the University of
Queensland (Dr. Karen Joyce, Dr. Stuart Phinn, Dr. Christiaan
Roelfsema, Dr. David Neil and Dr. William Dennison) has conducted an
extensive field campaign covering ten reefs in the Capricorn Bunker Group,
southern Great Barrier Reef, Australia, aiming to characterize the spatial
variation of common substrate types, using the Reef Check classification
scheme. Reef Check substrate classifications were used to classify and
ground-truth Landsat ETM image data. The team concluded that adopting
the globally standardized Reef Check classifications for both remotely
sensed and field data created a valuable management tool. More
information.
GUAM During the course of 80 dives, no large groupers or
Napoleon wrasse were seen. One large adult bumphead parrotfish was spotted
at Facpi Point. Sadly, a DAWR biologist learned that a commercial spear
fisherman had shot it a week later. These results once again demonstrate the
level of overfishing on Guam’s coral reefs. SOCOTRA Unlike many island groups in the world, Socotra has remained virtually untouched by modern development and there is no evidence of recent extinction or large-scale changes in vegetation. The marine environments of Socotra Archipelago remain largely in a pristine state, unaltered by coastal pollution or over-exploitation. RC Socotra has been working on an UNDP/GEF-funded project studying terrestrial endemism and marine biodiversity, and developing a zoning plan for managing the islands. The Socotra team is supported by the Yemen Environment Protection Authority (EPA), and is coordinated by Malek Abdal- Aziz, B.Sc., and fishermen Fuad Naseb, Mohammed Ismail, and Thabit Khamis. For more information contact Malek. JAMAICA |
| Reef Check Champions |
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This month, we are featuring a Reef Check 'Champion'. RC Champions are individuals who have displayed a commitment to sustaining the coral reefs in their area, specifically those who have made enormous progress in coral reef conservation and education. We hope to have a RC Champion in every newsletter, which shouldn't be too difficult as everyone who volunteers with Reef Check is a champion in his or her own right. If you know a Reef Check Champion that you feel should be highlighted, please email a brief description of their contribution as well as a photo (if possible) to Kelly. Jun Ochea Jun has become a well-qualified Reef Checker, and has participated in a dozen surveys and presented the results at the recent Phuket, Thailand regional training. As a former fisherman, Jun has been able to communicate with other fishermen on his island and to educate them on the importance of reef conservation efforts. In addition to his RC work, Jun is a talented marine artist who often spends his free time painting beautiful seascapes. Thank you to RC Cebu and coordinator Mike Ross, who also runs Tropical Island Adventures, and submitted this wonderful account to share with us. |
| Spotlight on Reef Check Site |
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Reef Check
Indonesia Reef Check Indonesia
began in 1997 and since that time, RC Indonesia has been responsible for
establishing reef education programs for school children and
volunteer training in monitoring and management techniques.
The Capacity Building For Coral Reef
Conservation and Management project, funded by EAPEI/USAID has carried
out a large number of Reef Check surveys in Indonesia. The program even
attracted private sponsorship of US $15,000 for a national Reef Check
workshop last summer. With the help of
Operation Wallacea For more information on RC Indonesia, please contact Naneng Setiasih. A huge 'thank you' to RC coordinator Ketut Sarjana Putra for his contribution. Click here for more photos of RC Indonesia. To learn more about Operation Wallacea please contact Sarah Curran, or click here to visit the website. |
| Reef Check Honored with Award from NOAA |
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United
States Coral Reef Task Force Honors Reef Check |
| Trainings and Workshops/Meetings |
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Ocean Sciences, Honolulu,
HI Trainings in
Palau Upcoming Outings in O'ahu ITMEMS,
Philippines |
| Methods Check |
Why do we use a plumb line
and point sampling method?  The main reason that Reef Checkers are asked to
use a weighted “plumb line” is to reduce “observer bias.” Normally, when a
transect line is deployed on the reef, the transect will pass over
depressions, cracks or valleys such that it is not in direct contact with
the substratum in some sections. Thus, at a given 0.5 m mark, the observer
could look from above and, in a mixed substrate area, choose a variety of
different substrate types depending on the angle of observation. For
example, looking from directly above
the 0.5 m mark might appear to be on “live coral” whereas moving the
viewpoint a little to the right might appear to place the mark on “sponge”
etc. The worst case occurs when there is wave surge and the line is
actually swinging back and forth. By dropping a small weight on the end of
a light cotton string, the weight will only land on one substratum type
and will stop. An 8mm diameter metal nut (as in nuts and bolts), is a good
choice for a weight as it has flat sides so comes to rest quickly and is
easily tied on. The use of
the plumb line removes any need for the observer to try to choose the
“correct” angle of observation. Removing choice reduces the chances for
observer bias. By rolling the string up on one or two fingers of the left
hand using a twirling motion, the plumb line does not get in the way and
is easily dropped each time. |
| Other Reef Check News |
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JOIN REEF CHECK! MAQTRAC LAUNCH IN PHILIPPINES Reef Check Fisheries Scientist Dr Domingo Ochavillo and UCLA doctoral student Craig Shuman began testing MAQTRAC in Cebu and are now working in Palawan, Philippines. They are also working with marine aquarium fish and invertebrate collectors to directly measure the catch per unit effort and effects of various collection methods. REEF CHECK GREETS THE
NEW YEAR AT THE DATELINE IN FIJI SEAMESTER STUDENTS IN ST. LUCIA
PARTICIPATE IN REEF CHECK PARTICIPATE IN FIELD COURSE,
JAMAICA
SEND US YOUR UPDATES! |
| Coral Reefs in the News |
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LANDSAT 7 ALLOWS REEF
WATCHERS TO DOCUMENT DEGRADATION
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The global coral reef
education, monitoring and management program. |
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The
Reef Check Foundation |
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Click here to read
old newsletters: |
Jun
Ochea is a unique individual who has worked with RC Cebu (Philippines) for
five years and now serves as lead boat operator, dive guide and all around
great guy. Jun is from Olango Island from a community called Talima.
Talima is infamous for being a homebase to "pala-ut", or "long
distance" fishermen who, as a result of the degraded/depleted conditions
of their own reefs, venture each year all over the Philippines. Paid by
their "catch" (which is determined by whatever the trips "sponsor" has
ordered, such as marine aquarium species, dried sea cucumbers, shells and
the like) they dive these outer reefs for months, either free diving or
using improvised "hookah" compressors consisting of an old paint
compressor and typically a beer keg as a reserve tank. This is highly
dangerous work, which claims many young lives each year and basically
"rapes" many reefs. For more information on Olango and this type of
fishing, please visit 
The 
In 2001,
In
Reef Check St. Lucia just completed the training of 23
students from the Seamester group, who visit the SMMA on their schooner
Oceanstar twice a year. After the training the students conducted
Reef Check surveys at the Coral Gardens and Malgretoute sites within the
St Lucia Marine Management Area (SMMA). The training and the surveys were
conducted on 31st October and 1st November 2001 respectively. Since their
Reef Check experience, 
DIVE
INTO EARTH DAY