DOCSLIB.ORG

Ecosystem Components

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Ecosystem Components Amendment 4 – Fishery Ecosystem Plan for American Samoa Amendment 5 – Fishery Ecosystem Plan for the Mariana Archipelago Amendment 5 – Fishery Ecosystem Plan for the Hawaii Archipelago --- Ecosystem Components --- Including an Environmental Assessment and Regulatory Impact Review November 1, 2018 Western Pacific Fishery Management Council 1164 Bishop St., Suite 1400 Honolulu, HI 96813 Pacific Islands Regional Office National Marine Fisheries Service National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration 1845 Wasp Blvd., Bldg. 176 Honolulu, HI 96818 If you need assistance with this document, please contact NOAA Fisheries at (808) 725-5000 Amendment 4 to the Fishery Ecosystem Plan for American Samoa Amendment 5 to the Fishery Ecosystem Plans for the Mariana Archipelago Amendment 5 to the Fishery Ecosystem Plan for Hawaii Ecosystem Components Responsible Federal Agency Responsible Official Pacific Islands Regional Office Michael D. Tosatto National Marine Fisheries Service Regional Administrator National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration Tel. (808) 725-5000 1845 Wasp Blvd., Bldg. 176 Fax: (808) 725-5215 Honolulu, HI 96818 Regional Fishery Management Council Council Executive Director Western Pacific Fishery Management Council Kitty M. Simonds 1164 Bishop St., Suite 1400 Tel: (808) 522-8220 Honolulu, HI 96813 Fax: (808) 522-8226 Abstract The Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) established the Fishery Ecosystem Plans for American Samoa, the Mariana Archipelago, and Hawaii (FEPs, as amended) to conserve and manage fisheries in the US Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ, or federal waters) in the Pacific Islands. Currently, the FEPs include thousands of management unit species (MUS), that is, stocks previously considered to be in a federal fishery and needing conservation and management. Under the National Standard (NS) guidelines (50 CFR 600.305 and 600.310) for the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), the Council and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) manage MUS that generally are targets of a federal fishery and caught predominantly in federal waters. Pursuant to NS1, ecosystem component species (ECS) are stocks that are included in an FEP to achieve ecosystem management objectives, but do not require conservation and management (50 CFR 600.305(c)(5)). Based on the NS1 guidelines, the Council proposes to amend the three FEPs to reclassify certain MUS as ECS. Reclassifying certain MUS as ECS would allow the Council and NMFS to better prioritize monitoring, assessment, and management resources on species that are in federal fisheries in need of conservation and management, while preserving the ability to protect the associated role of EC species in the ecosystem and/or to address other ecosystem management issues. The purpose of this action is to improve efficiency of fishery management in the region. Copies of this EA and final rule are found under RIN 0648-BH63 at www.regulations.gov, or by contacting the responsible official or Council at the above addresses. ii Acronyms and Abbreviations ABD – Acceptable Biological Catch ACL – Annual Catch Limit AM – Accountability Measure CFR – Code of Federal Regulations CNMI – Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands DOD – Department of Defense DPS – Distinct Popultaion Segment EA – Environmental Assessment ECEWG – Ecosystem Component Expert Working Group ECS – Ecosystem Component Species EEZ – Exclusive Economic Zone EFH – Essential Fish Habitat ESA – Endangered Species Act FEP – Fishery Ecosystem Plan FMP – Fishery Management Plans FR – Federal Register IFKW – Insular False Killer Whale MFMT – Maximum Fishing Mortality Threshold MHI – Main Hawaiian Islands MMPA – Marine Mammal Protection Act MPA – Marine Protected Area MSST – Minimum Stock Size Threshold MSY – Maximum Sustainable Yield MUS – Management Unit Species NEPA – National Environmental Policy Act NMFS – National Marine Fisheries Service NOAA – National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NPDES – National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System NS – National Standard NS1 – National Standard 1 OY – Optimum Yield PHCRT – Potentially Harvested Coral Reef Taxa PIFSC – Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center PIRO – Pacific Islands Regional Office PRIA – Pacific Remote Island Area RFA – Regulatory Flexibility Act RFMC – Regional Fishery Management Council SAFE – Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation Report SDC – Status Determination Criteria SSC – Scientific and Statistical Committee US – United States WPFMC – Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) iii Table of Contents 1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................. 1 Background Information on NS1 ................................................................................... 1 Western Pacific Management under NS1 ...................................................................... 3 Purpose and Need for Action ......................................................................................... 4 Proposed Action ............................................................................................................. 5 Action Area .................................................................................................................... 5 Decision(s) to be Made ................................................................................................... 6 Public Involvement ......................................................................................................... 6 2 DESCRIPTION OF THE ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED .......................................... 6 Development of the Alternatives .................................................................................... 6 2.1.1 Council and SSC Meetings ........................................................................................... 10 Description of the Alternatives ..................................................................................... 13 2.2.1 Alternative 1: No Action (Status Quo/Current Management) ...................................... 13 2.2.2 Alternative 2: Reclassify some of the MUS as ECS (Preferred Alternative) ............... 14 2.2.3 Summary Comparison of Features of Alternatives Considered ................................... 19 Alternatives Considered, but Rejected from Further Analysis ..................................... 22 3 DESCRIPTION OF THE AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT .............................................. 22 Affected Physical Environment .................................................................................... 23 Affected Biological Resources ..................................................................................... 23 3.2.1 Marine Protected Areas ................................................................................................ 23 3.2.2 Affected Target Species, Non-Target Species, Bycatch, Biodiversity, and Protected Species ..................................................................................................................................... 24 3.2.3 Essential Fish Habitat and Habitat Areas of Particular Concern .................................. 24 Socio-economic Setting ................................................................................................ 33 Management Setting ..................................................................................................... 33 4 POTENTIAL EFFECTS OF THE ALTERNATIVES ..................................................... 35 Potential Effects of Alternative 1: No Action (Status Quo) ......................................... 35 Potential Effects of Alternative 2 (Preferred Alternative) ............................................ 35 4.2.1 Effects of Alternative 2 on Physical Environment ....................................................... 35 4.2.2 Effects of Alternative 2 on Biological Resources ........................................................ 36 4.2.3 Effects on Socio-economic Setting .............................................................................. 48 4.2.4 Effects on Management Setting for Species in the FEPs ............................................. 49 Potential Cumulative Effects of the Proposed Action .................................................. 50 4.3.1 Cumulative Effects on the Physical and Biological Environment ............................... 50 4.3.2 Climate Change ............................................................................................................ 51 4.3.3 Other Effects ................................................................................................................. 52 5 SUMMARY OF POTENTIAL EFFECTS ....................................................................... 53 6 PREPARERS, REVIEWERS, AND COORDINATION WITH OTHERS ..................... 56 Preparers and Reviewers .............................................................................................. 56 Coordination with Others ............................................................................................. 56 iv 7 REFERENCES ................................................................................................................. 58 APPENDIX A. MANAGEMENT UNIT SPECIES AND NATIONAL STANDARD 1 FACTORS .................................................................................................................... 61 APPENDIX B. ECOSYSTEM COMPONENT SPECIES .......................................................
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Reef Fish Biodiversity in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Megan E
    University of South Florida Scholar Commons Graduate Theses and Dissertations Graduate School November 2017 Reef Fish Biodiversity in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Megan E. Hepner University of South Florida, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd Part of the Biology Commons, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons, and the Other Oceanography and Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology Commons Scholar Commons Citation Hepner, Megan E., "Reef Fish Biodiversity in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary" (2017). Graduate Theses and Dissertations. https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/7408 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at Scholar Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Scholar Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Reef Fish Biodiversity in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary by Megan E. Hepner A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science Marine Science with a concentration in Marine Resource Assessment College of Marine Science University of South Florida Major Professor: Frank Muller-Karger, Ph.D. Christopher Stallings, Ph.D. Steve Gittings, Ph.D. Date of Approval: October 31st, 2017 Keywords: Species richness, biodiversity, functional diversity, species traits Copyright © 2017, Megan E. Hepner ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I am indebted to my major advisor, Dr. Frank Muller-Karger, who provided opportunities for me to strengthen my skills as a researcher on research cruises, dive surveys, and in the laboratory, and as a communicator through oral and presentations at conferences, and for encouraging my participation as a full team member in various meetings of the Marine Biodiversity Observation Network (MBON) and other science meetings.
    [Show full text]
  • Pacific Plate Biogeography, with Special Reference to Shorefishes
    Pacific Plate Biogeography, with Special Reference to Shorefishes VICTOR G. SPRINGER m SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ZOOLOGY • NUMBER 367 SERIES PUBLICATIONS OF THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION Emphasis upon publication as a means of "diffusing knowledge" was expressed by the first Secretary of the Smithsonian. In his formal plan for the Institution, Joseph Henry outlined a program that included the following statement: "It is proposed to publish a series of reports, giving an account of the new discoveries in science, and of the changes made from year to year in all branches of knowledge." This theme of basic research has been adhered to through the years by thousands of titles issued in series publications under the Smithsonian imprint, commencing with Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge in 1848 and continuing with the following active series: Smithsonian Contributions to Anthropology Smithsonian Contributions to Astrophysics Smithsonian Contributions to Botany Smithsonian Contributions to the Earth Sciences Smithsonian Contributions to the Marine Sciences Smithsonian Contributions to Paleobiology Smithsonian Contributions to Zoo/ogy Smithsonian Studies in Air and Space Smithsonian Studies in History and Technology In these series, the Institution publishes small papers and full-scale monographs that report the research and collections of its various museums and bureaux or of professional colleagues in the world cf science and scholarship. The publications are distributed by mailing lists to libraries, universities, and similar institutions throughout the world. Papers or monographs submitted for series publication are received by the Smithsonian Institution Press, subject to its own review for format and style, only through departments of the various Smithsonian museums or bureaux, where the manuscripts are given substantive review.
    [Show full text]
  • References Please Help Making This Preliminary List As Complete As Possible!
    Cypraeidae - important references Please help making this preliminary list as complete as possible! ABBOTT, R.T. (1965) Cypraea arenosa Gray, 1825. Hawaiian Shell News 14(2):8 ABREA, N.S. (1980) Strange goings on among the Cypraea ziczac. Hawaiian Shell News 28 (5):4 ADEGOKE, O.S. (1973) Paleocene mollusks from Ewekoro, southern Nigeria. Malacologia 14:19-27, figs. 1-2, pls. 1-2. ADEGOKE, O.S. (1977) Stratigraphy and paleontology of the Ewekoro Formation (Paleocene) of southeastern Nigeria. Bulletins of American Paleontology 71(295):1-379, figs. 1-6, pls. 1-50. AIKEN, R. P. (2016) Description of two undescribed subspecies and one fossil species of the Genus Cypraeovula Gray, 1824 from South Africa. Beautifulcowries Magazine 8: 14-22 AIKEN, R., JOOSTE, P. & ELS, M. (2010) Cypraeovula capensis - A specie of Diversity and Beauty. Strandloper 287 p. 16 ff AIKEN, R., JOOSTE, P. & ELS, M. (2014) Cypraeovula capensis. A species of diversity and beauty. Beautifulcowries Magazine 5: 38–44 ALLAN, J. (1956) Cowry Shells of World Seas. Georgian House, Melbourne, Australia, 170 p., pls. 1-15. AMANO, K. (1992) Cypraea ohiroi and its associated molluscan species from the Miocene Kadonosawa Formation, northeast Japan. Bulletin of the Mizunami Fossil Museum 19:405-411, figs. 1-2, pl. 57. ANCEY, C.F. (1901) Cypraea citrina Gray. The Nautilus 15(7):83. ANONOMOUS. (1971) Malacological news. La Conchiglia 13(146-147):19-20, 5 unnumbered figs. ANONYMOUS. (1925) Index and errata. The Zoological Journal. 1: [593]-[603] January. ANONYMOUS. (1889) Cypraea venusta Sowb. The Nautilus 3(5):60. ANONYMOUS. (1893) Remarks on a new species of Cypraea.
    [Show full text]
  • 1 Creating a Species Inventory for a Marine Protected Area: the Missing
    Katherine R. Rice NOAA Species Inventory Project Spring 2018 Creating a Species Inventory for a Marine Protected Area: The Missing Piece for Effective Ecosystem-Based Marine Management Katherine R. Rice ABSTRACT Over the past decade, ecosystem-based management has been incorporated into many marine- management administrations as a marine-conservation tool, driven with the objective to predict, evaluate and possibly mitigate the impacts of a warming and acidifying ocean, and a coastline increasingly subject to anthropogenic control. The NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS) is one such administration, and was instituted “to serve as the trustee for a network of 13 underwater parks encompassing more than 600,000 square miles of marine and Great Lakes waters from Washington state to the Florida Keys, and from Lake Huron to American Samoa” (NOAA, 2015). The management regimes for nearly all national marine sanctuaries, as well as other marine protected areas, have the goal of managing and maintaining biodiversity within the sanctuary. Yet none of those sanctuaries have an inventory of their known species nor a standardized protocol for measuring or monitoring species biodiversity. Here, I outline the steps required to compile a species inventory for an MPA, but also describe some of stumbling blocks that one might encounter along the way and offer suggestions on how to handle these issues (see Appendix A: Process for Developing the MBNMS Species Inventory (PD-MBNMS)). This project consists of three research objectives: 1. Determining what species inventory efforts exist, how they operate, and their advantages and disadvantages 2. Determining the process of creating a species inventory 3.
    [Show full text]
  • Phylogeny of the Damselfishes (Pomacentridae) and Patterns of Asymmetrical Diversification in Body Size and Feeding Ecology
    bioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.02.07.430149; this version posted February 8, 2021. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under aCC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license. Phylogeny of the damselfishes (Pomacentridae) and patterns of asymmetrical diversification in body size and feeding ecology Charlene L. McCord a, W. James Cooper b, Chloe M. Nash c, d & Mark W. Westneat c, d a California State University Dominguez Hills, College of Natural and Behavioral Sciences, 1000 E. Victoria Street, Carson, CA 90747 b Western Washington University, Department of Biology and Program in Marine and Coastal Science, 516 High Street, Bellingham, WA 98225 c University of Chicago, Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, and Committee on Evolutionary Biology, 1027 E. 57th St, Chicago IL, 60637, USA d Field Museum of Natural History, Division of Fishes, 1400 S. Lake Shore Dr., Chicago, IL 60605 Corresponding author: Mark W. Westneat [email protected] Journal: PLoS One Keywords: Pomacentridae, phylogenetics, body size, diversification, evolution, ecotype Abstract The damselfishes (family Pomacentridae) inhabit near-shore communities in tropical and temperature oceans as one of the major lineages with ecological and economic importance for coral reef fish assemblages. Our understanding of their evolutionary ecology, morphology and function has often been advanced by increasingly detailed and accurate molecular phylogenies. Here we present the next stage of multi-locus, molecular phylogenetics for the group based on analysis of 12 nuclear and mitochondrial gene sequences from 330 of the 422 damselfish species.
    [Show full text]
  • Cairns Regional Council Water and Waste Report for Mulgrave River Aquifer Feasibility Study Flora and Fauna Report
    Cairns Regional Council Water and Waste Report for Mulgrave River Aquifer Feasibility Study Flora and Fauna Report November 2009 Contents 1. Introduction 1 1.1 Background 1 1.2 Scope 1 1.3 Project Study Area 2 2. Methodology 4 2.1 Background and Approach 4 2.2 Demarcation of the Aquifer Study Area 4 2.3 Field Investigation of Proposed Bore Hole Sites 5 2.4 Overview of Ecological Values Descriptions 5 2.5 PER Guidelines 5 2.6 Desktop and Database Assessments 7 3. Database Searches and Survey Results 11 3.1 Information Sources 11 3.2 Species of National Environmental Significance 11 3.3 Queensland Species of Conservation Significance 18 3.4 Pest Species 22 3.5 Vegetation Communities 24 3.6 Regional Ecosystem Types and Integrity 28 3.7 Aquatic Values 31 3.8 World Heritage Values 53 3.9 Results of Field Investigation of Proposed Bore Hole Sites 54 4. References 61 Table Index Table 1: Summary of NES Matters Protected under Part 3 of the EPBC Act 5 Table 2 Summary of World Heritage Values within/adjacent Aquifer Area of Influence 6 Table 3: Species of NES Identified as Occurring within the Study Area 11 Table 4: Summary of Regional Ecosystems and Groundwater Dependencies 26 42/15610/100421 Mulgrave River Aquifer Feasibility Study Flora and Fauna Report Table 5: Freshwater Fish Species in the Mulgrave River 36 Table 6: Estuarine Fish Species in the Mulgrave River 50 Table 7: Description of potential borehole field in Aloomba as of 20th August, 2009. 55 Figure Index Figure 1: Regional Ecosystem Conservation Status and Protected Species Observation 21 Figure 2: Vegetation Communities and Groundwater Dependencies 30 Figure 3: Locations of Study Sites 54 Appendices A Database Searches 42/15610/100421 Mulgrave River Aquifer Feasibility Study Flora and Fauna Report 1.
    [Show full text]
  • Diverse Deep-Sea Anglerfishes Share a Genetically Reduced Luminous
    RESEARCH ARTICLE Diverse deep-sea anglerfishes share a genetically reduced luminous symbiont that is acquired from the environment Lydia J Baker1*, Lindsay L Freed2, Cole G Easson2,3, Jose V Lopez2, Dante´ Fenolio4, Tracey T Sutton2, Spencer V Nyholm5, Tory A Hendry1* 1Department of Microbiology, Cornell University, New York, United States; 2Halmos College of Natural Sciences and Oceanography, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, United States; 3Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, United States; 4Center for Conservation and Research, San Antonio Zoo, San Antonio, United States; 5Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, United States Abstract Deep-sea anglerfishes are relatively abundant and diverse, but their luminescent bacterial symbionts remain enigmatic. The genomes of two symbiont species have qualities common to vertically transmitted, host-dependent bacteria. However, a number of traits suggest that these symbionts may be environmentally acquired. To determine how anglerfish symbionts are transmitted, we analyzed bacteria-host codivergence across six diverse anglerfish genera. Most of the anglerfish species surveyed shared a common species of symbiont. Only one other symbiont species was found, which had a specific relationship with one anglerfish species, Cryptopsaras couesii. Host and symbiont phylogenies lacked congruence, and there was no statistical support for codivergence broadly. We also recovered symbiont-specific gene sequences from water collected near hosts, suggesting environmental persistence of symbionts. Based on these results we conclude that diverse anglerfishes share symbionts that are acquired from the environment, and *For correspondence: that these bacteria have undergone extreme genome reduction although they are not vertically [email protected] (LJB); transmitted.
    [Show full text]
  • Updated Checklist of Marine Fishes (Chordata: Craniata) from Portugal and the Proposed Extension of the Portuguese Continental Shelf
    European Journal of Taxonomy 73: 1-73 ISSN 2118-9773 http://dx.doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2014.73 www.europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu 2014 · Carneiro M. et al. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License. Monograph urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:9A5F217D-8E7B-448A-9CAB-2CCC9CC6F857 Updated checklist of marine fishes (Chordata: Craniata) from Portugal and the proposed extension of the Portuguese continental shelf Miguel CARNEIRO1,5, Rogélia MARTINS2,6, Monica LANDI*,3,7 & Filipe O. COSTA4,8 1,2 DIV-RP (Modelling and Management Fishery Resources Division), Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera, Av. Brasilia 1449-006 Lisboa, Portugal. E-mail: [email protected], [email protected] 3,4 CBMA (Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology), Department of Biology, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal. E-mail: [email protected], [email protected] * corresponding author: [email protected] 5 urn:lsid:zoobank.org:author:90A98A50-327E-4648-9DCE-75709C7A2472 6 urn:lsid:zoobank.org:author:1EB6DE00-9E91-407C-B7C4-34F31F29FD88 7 urn:lsid:zoobank.org:author:6D3AC760-77F2-4CFA-B5C7-665CB07F4CEB 8 urn:lsid:zoobank.org:author:48E53CF3-71C8-403C-BECD-10B20B3C15B4 Abstract. The study of the Portuguese marine ichthyofauna has a long historical tradition, rooted back in the 18th Century. Here we present an annotated checklist of the marine fishes from Portuguese waters, including the area encompassed by the proposed extension of the Portuguese continental shelf and the Economic Exclusive Zone (EEZ). The list is based on historical literature records and taxon occurrence data obtained from natural history collections, together with new revisions and occurrences.
    [Show full text]
  • Trait Decoupling Promotes Evolutionary Diversification of The
    Trait decoupling promotes evolutionary diversification of the trophic and acoustic system of damselfishes rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org Bruno Fre´de´rich1, Damien Olivier1, Glenn Litsios2,3, Michael E. Alfaro4 and Eric Parmentier1 1Laboratoire de Morphologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, Applied and Fundamental Fish Research Center, Universite´ de Lie`ge, 4000 Lie`ge, Belgium 2Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland Research 3Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Ge´nopode, Quartier Sorge, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland 4Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA Cite this article: Fre´de´rich B, Olivier D, Litsios G, Alfaro ME, Parmentier E. 2014 Trait decou- Trait decoupling, wherein evolutionary release of constraints permits special- pling promotes evolutionary diversification of ization of formerly integrated structures, represents a major conceptual the trophic and acoustic system of damsel- framework for interpreting patterns of organismal diversity. However, few fishes. Proc. R. Soc. B 281: 20141047. empirical tests of this hypothesis exist. A central prediction, that the tempo of morphological evolution and ecological diversification should increase http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2014.1047 following decoupling events, remains inadequately tested. In damselfishes (Pomacentridae), a ceratomandibular ligament links the hyoid bar and lower jaws, coupling two main morphofunctional units directly involved in both feeding and sound production. Here, we test the decoupling hypothesis Received: 2 May 2014 by examining the evolutionary consequences of the loss of the ceratomandib- Accepted: 9 June 2014 ular ligament in multiple damselfish lineages. As predicted, we find that rates of morphological evolution of trophic structures increased following the loss of the ligament.
    [Show full text]
  • The Importance of Live Coral Habitat for Reef Fishes and Its Role in Key Ecological Processes
    ResearchOnline@JCU This file is part of the following reference: Coker, Darren J. (2012) The importance of live coral habitat for reef fishes and its role in key ecological processes. PhD thesis, James Cook University. Access to this file is available from: http://eprints.jcu.edu.au/23714/ The author has certified to JCU that they have made a reasonable effort to gain permission and acknowledge the owner of any third party copyright material included in this document. If you believe that this is not the case, please contact [email protected] and quote http://eprints.jcu.edu.au/23714/ THE IMPORTANCE OF LIVE CORAL HABITAT FOR REEF FISHES AND ITS ROLE IN KEY ECOLOGICAL PROCESSES Thesis submitted by Darren J. Coker (B.Sc, GDipResMeth) May 2012 For the degree of Doctor of Philosophy In the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies and AIMS@JCU James Cook University Townsville, Queensland, Australia Statement of access I, the undersigned, the author of this thesis, understand that James Cook University will make it available for use within the University Library and via the Australian Digital Thesis Network for use elsewhere. I understand that as an unpublished work this thesis has significant protection under the Copyright Act and I do not wish to put any further restrictions upon access to this thesis. Signature Date ii Statement of sources Declaration I declare that this thesis is my own work and has not been submitted in any form for another degree or diploma at my university or other institution of tertiary education. Information derived from the published or unpublished work of others has been acknowledged in the text and a list of references is given.
    [Show full text]
  • Order GASTEROSTEIFORMES PEGASIDAE Eurypegasus Draconis
    click for previous page 2262 Bony Fishes Order GASTEROSTEIFORMES PEGASIDAE Seamoths (seadragons) by T.W. Pietsch and W.A. Palsson iagnostic characters: Small fishes (to 18 cm total length); body depressed, completely encased in Dfused dermal plates; tail encircled by 8 to 14 laterally articulating, or fused, bony rings. Nasal bones elongate, fused, forming a rostrum; mouth inferior. Gill opening restricted to a small hole on dorsolat- eral surface behind head. Spinous dorsal fin absent; soft dorsal and anal fins each with 5 rays, placed posteriorly on body. Caudal fin with 8 unbranched rays. Pectoral fins large, wing-like, inserted horizon- tally, composed of 9 to 19 unbranched, soft or spinous-soft rays; pectoral-fin rays interconnected by broad, transparent membranes. Pelvic fins thoracic, tentacle-like,withI spine and 2 or 3 unbranched soft rays. Colour: in life highly variable, apparently capable of rapid colour change to match substrata; head and body light to dark brown, olive-brown, reddish brown, or almost black, with dorsal and lateral surfaces usually darker than ventral surface; dorsal and lateral body surface often with fine, dark brown reticulations or mottled lines, sometimes with irregular white or yellow blotches; tail rings often encircled with dark brown bands; pectoral fins with broad white outer margin and small brown spots forming irregular, longitudinal bands; unpaired fins with small brown spots in irregular rows. dorsal view lateral view Habitat, biology, and fisheries: Benthic, found on sand, gravel, shell-rubble, or muddy bottoms. Collected incidentally by seine, trawl, dredge, or shrimp nets; postlarvae have been taken at surface lights at night.
    [Show full text]
  • American Samoa Archipelago Fishery Ecosystem Plan 2017
    ANNUAL STOCK ASSESSMENT AND FISHERY EVALUATION REPORT: AMERICAN SAMOA ARCHIPELAGO FISHERY ECOSYSTEM PLAN 2017 Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council 1164 Bishop St., Suite 1400 Honolulu, HI 96813 PHONE: (808) 522-8220 FAX: (808) 522-8226 www.wpcouncil.org The ANNUAL STOCK ASSESSMENT AND FISHERY EVALUATION REPORT for the AMERICAN SAMOA ARCHIPELAGO FISHERY ECOSYSTEM PLAN 2017 was drafted by the Fishery Ecosystem Plan Team. This is a collaborative effort primarily between the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council, NMFS-Pacific Island Fisheries Science Center, Pacific Islands Regional Office, Division of Aquatic Resources (HI) Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources (AS), Division of Aquatic and Wildlife Resources (Guam), and Division of Fish and Wildlife (CNMI). This report attempts to summarize annual fishery performance looking at trends in catch, effort and catch rates as well as provide a source document describing various projects and activities being undertaken on a local and federal level. The report also describes several ecosystem considerations including fish biomass estimates, biological indicators, protected species, habitat, climate change, and human dimensions. Information like marine spatial planning and best scientific information available for each fishery are described. This report provides a summary of annual catches relative to the Annual Catch Limits established by the Council in collaboration with the local fishery management agencies. Edited By: Marlowe Sabater, Asuka Ishizaki, Thomas Remington, and Sylvia Spalding, WPRFMC. This document can be cited as follows: WPRFMC, 2018. Annual Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation Report for the American Samoa Archipelago Fishery Ecosystem Plan 2017. Sabater, M., Ishizaki, A., Remington, T., Spalding, S. (Eds.) Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council.
    [Show full text]