The Regional Organization for the Conservation of the Environment of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden (PERSGA) Standard Survey Methods for Key Habitats and Key Species in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden PERSGA Technical Series No. 10 June 2004 PERSGA is an intergovernmental organisation dedicated to the conservation of coastal and marine environments and the wise use of the natural resources in the region. The Regional Convention for the Conservation of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden Environment (Jeddah Convention) 1982 provides the legal foundation for PERSGA. The Secretariat of the Organization was formally established in Jeddah following the Cairo Declaration of September 1995. The PERSGA member states are Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. PERSGA, P.O. Box 53662, Jeddah 21583, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Tel.: +966-2-657-3224. Fax: +966-2-652-1901. Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.persga.org 'The Standard Survey Methods for Key Habitats and Key Species in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden’ was prepared cooperatively by a number of authors with specialised knowledge of the region. The work was carried out through the Habitat and Biodiversity Conservation Component of the Strategic Action Programme for the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, a Global Environment Facility (GEF) project implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Bank with supplementary funding provided by the Islamic Development Bank. © 2004 PERSGA All rights reserved. This publication may be reproduced in whole or in part and in any form for educational or non-profit purposes without the permission of the copyright holders provided that acknowledgement of the source is given. PERSGA would appreciate receiving a copy of any publication that uses this material as a source. This publication may not be copied, or distributed electronically, for resale or other commercial purposes without prior permission, in writing, from PERSGA. Photographs: Abdullah Alsuhaibany, Birgit Eichenseher, Gregory Fernette, Fareed Krupp, Hunting Aquatic Resources, Hagen Schmid, Mohammed Younis Cetacean illustrations: Alessandro de Maddalena This publication may be cited as: PERSGA/GEF 2004. Standard Survey Methods for Key Habitats and Key Species in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. PERSGA Technical Series No. 10. PERSGA, Jeddah. FOREWORD PERSGA took the initiative during the execution of the Strategic Action Programme for the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden (SAP) to consider the importance of conserving regional habitats and biodiversity. The Habitats and Biodiversity Conservation (HBC) component of the SAP developed a strategy that contained five clear steps: (i) develop a set of standard survey methods (SSMs) for the region, (ii) train national specialists to use these methods, (iii) execute regional surveys, (iv) prepare conservation plans, and (v) implement the plans. In order to evaluate and monitor the status of marine habitats and biodiversity within the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, surveys must be undertaken that are comparable in extent, nature, detail and output. Standardising survey methodology within the region is essential to allow valid comparison of data, and for the formulation of conservation efforts that are regionally applicable. The preparation of this guide to the Standard Survey Methods for Key Habitats and Key Species in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden was initiated following a review of the methods currently in use around the world. Contextual SSMs were then drafted for each of the relevant fields: sub- tidal, coral reefs, seagrass beds, inter-tidal, mangroves, as well as for important groups such as reef fish, marine mammals, marine turtles and seabirds. The SSM guide was discussed at a regional workshop in September 2000 held in Sharm el-Sheikh where scientists from both inside and outside the region reviewed the first drafts and provided the authors with useful comments. During 2001 PERSGA conducted a series of training courses for regional specialists to teach them some of these specific methods. The training courses were also used as tools to evaluate the methods and to determine their applicability to our region. The results of the evaluations given by the specialists recognized the suitability of these SSMs for our region due to a combination of factors: their widespread use, their simplicity and the particular adaptations made to suit the region. We are proud to provide our region with this SSM guide. It has been recognized by experts from all over the world and tested by regional specialists. We hope this guide can be improved upon in the future and will play its part in achieving the goal of sustainable development of marine and coastal resourses in the region. This guide will form an important tool to be used by management to help make decisions that will prevent an otherwise irreversible decline in the status of our marine habitats and species. Dr. Abdelelah A. Banajah Secretary General PERSGA i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This document was prepared by PERSGA through the Habitat and Biodiversity Component of the Strategic Action Programme for the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden (SAP). Due acknowledgement is accorded to the GEF Implementing Agencies (UNEP, UNDP, the World Bank) and the Islamic Development Bank for financial and administrative support. Our sincere thanks go to all the authors and illustrators who contributed to the preparation of this document. Several regional specialists are thanked for the significant contribution they made to the completion of this document. They are: Dr. Nabil Mohamed (Djibouti), Dr. Mohamed Abou Zaid (Egypt), Dr. Salim Al-Moghrabi (Jordan), Dr. Abdul Mohsen Al-Sofyani (Saudi Arabia), Mr. Salamudin Ali Ehgal (NE Somalia), Mr. Sam Omar Gedi (NW Somalia), Dr. Ahmed Al-Wakeel (Sudan), Mr. Majed Sorimi (Yemen), and Mr. Abdullah Alsuhaibany (PERSGA). Our thanks are given to Dr. James Perran Ross, Dr. Fareed Krupp, Dr. Ahmed Khalil, Dr. John Turner, Dr. Charles Sheppard, Dr. Salim Al-Moghrabi, and Dr. Robert Baldwin for reviewing the chapters. The regional trainees and their trainers are thanked for their efforts in the evaluation of these methods during the regional training courses. LIST OF AUTHORS Chapter 1. Rapid Coastal Environmental Assessment Dr. A.R.G. Price, Ecology and Epidemiology Group, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7LA, England. Chapter 2. Intertidal Biotopes Dr. D. Jones, School of Ocean Sciences, University of Wales, Menai Bridge, Anglesey, Gwynedd LL59 5EY, Wales. Chapter 3. Corals and Coral Communities Dr. L. DeVantier, Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Queensland, Australia. Chapter 4. Seagrasses and Seaweeds Dr. F. Leliaert and Prof. Dr. E. Coppejans, Ghent Univeristy, Department of Biology, Research Group Phycology, Krijgslaan 281, S8, 9000 Ghent, Belgium. Chapter 5. Subtidal Habitats Dr. J. Kemp, Department of Biology, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, England. Chapter 6. Reef Fish Dr. W. Gladstone, Sustainable Resource Management and Coastal Ecology, Central Coast Campus, University of Newcastle, PO Box 127, Ourimbah, NSW 2258, Australia. Chapter 7. Marine Turtles Dr. N. Pilcher, Marine Research Foundation, 1-3A-7 The Peak, Lorong Puncak 1, 88400 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. Chapter 8. Breeding Seabirds Dr. S.F. Newton, BirdWatch Ireland, Rockingham House, Newcastle, Co. Wicklow, Ireland. Chapter 9. Marine Mammals Dr. A. Preen, 'Oberon', Scott's Plain Road, Rollands Plains, 2441 NSW, Australia. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS FOREWORD . .i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . .ii TABLES AND FIGURES . .v ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS . .vii STANDARD SURVEY METHODS INTRODUCTION . .1 1. RAPID COASTAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT . .5 1.1 INTRODUCTION . .5 1.2 CHARACTERISTICS OF RAPID ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT . .6 1.3 METHODOLOGY . .8 1.4 DATA ANALYSIS . .14 1.5 REFERENCES . .25 1.6 APPENDICES . .28 2. INTERTIDAL AND MANGROVE . .31 2.1 INTRODUCTION . .31 2.2 AIMS OF SURVEYS . .32 2.3 SURVEY METHODS . .33 2.4 BIOTOPE SPECIFIC METHODOLOGY . .34 2.5 REFERENCES . .42 2.6 APPENDICES . .46 3. CORALS AND CORAL COMMUNITIES . .51 3.1 INTRODUCTION . .51 3.2 METHODOLOGY . .53 3.3 SELECTED METHODS . .58 3.4 DATA ANALYSIS . .71 3.5 DATA PRESENTATION . .76 3.6 REFERENCES . .80 3.7 APPENDICES . .91 4. SEAGRASSES AND SEAWEEDS . .101 4.1 INTRODUCTION . .101 4.2 METHODOLOGY . .104 4.3 DATA ANALYSIS . .115 4.4 REFERENCES . .122 iii 5. SUBTIDAL HABITATS . .125 5.1 INTRODUCTION . .125 5.2 GENERAL PRINCIPLES . .125 5.3 STANDARD METHODS FOR ALL SURVEY OR SAMPLING SITES . .127 5.4 SURVEY OF BENTHIC COMMUNITIES OF SOFT SEDIMENTS . .129 5.5 NON–CORAL REEF HARD SUBSTRATE COMMUNITIES . .136 5.6 REFERENCES . .141 6. REEF FISH . .143 6.1 INTRODUCTION . .143 6.2 METHODOLOGIES . .146 6.3 DATA ANALYSIS . .163 6.4 DATA PRESENTATION . ..