New assessment techniques developed, in part, by NCCOS will be used by the National Coral Reef Monitoring Program’s research in St. Thomas and St. John, USVI. The new techniques will be used to collect data on seafloor habitat types in the region, and stony coral populations and condition.
NCCOS scientists met with other scientists from the National Marine Fisheries Service Southeast Fisheries Center, NOAA’s Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorlogical Laboratory, the National Park Service, the University of the Virgin Islands, Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, and NOVA Southeastern University during April 8-12 to finalize and field simulate the new seafloor community assessment procedures.
These were approved by all partners and will be implemented in a random sampling design in St Thomas and St. John during July 2013.
For more info please contact Randy.Clark@noaa.gov