Niue Marine Ecological Surveys, 2016 and 2017 Pauline Bosserelle, Navneel Singh, Nadia Helagi Kavisi, Launoa Gataua, Fiafia Rex and Andrew Halford FAME Fisheries, Aquaculture and Marine Ecosystems Division Niue Marine Ecological Surveys • 2016 and 2017 • Pauline Bosserelle1, Navneel Singh1, Nadia Helagi Kavisi1,2, Launoa Gataua2, Fiafia Rex2,3 and Andrew Halford1 1 Coastal Fisheries Programme, Pacific Community 2 Niue Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries 3 Niue Ridge to Reef Project Noumea, New Caledonia, 2018 © Pacific Community (SPC) 2018 All rights for commercial/for profit reproduction or translation, in any form, reserved. SPC authorises the partial reproduc- tion or translation of this material for scientific, educational or research purposes, provided that SPC and the source docu- ment are properly acknowledged. Permission to reproduce the document and/or translate in whole, in any form, whether for commercial/for profit or non-profit purposes, must be requested in writing. Original SPC artwork may not be altered or separately published without permission. Original text: English Pacific Community Cataloguing-in-publication data Bosserelle, Pauline Niue marine ecological surveys 2016 and 2017 / Pauline Bosserelle, Navneel Singh, Nadia Helagi Kavisi, Launoa Gataua, Fiafia Rex and Andrew Halford 1. Marine ecology – Niue. 2. Ecological surveys – Niue. 3. Ecological assessment (Biology) – Niue. 4. Marine resources – Niue. 5. Fishery resources – Niue. I. Bosserelle, Pauline II. Singh, Navneel III. Kavisi, Nadia Helagi IV. Gataua, Launoa V. Rex, Fiafia VI. Halford, Andrew VII. Title VIII. Pacific Community 577.7099626 AACR2 ISBN: 978-982-00-1150-2 Prepared for publication and printed at SPC’s headquarters B.P. D5, 98848 Noumea Cedex, New Caledonia, 2018 www.spc.int Contents Acknowledgements .............................................................................................................................................................................................v Summary .....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................1 Introduction .........................................................................................................................................................................................................................2 Context ...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................2 Marine resources ................................................................................................................................................................................................................4 Invertebrates ...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................4 Finfish ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................4 Local fisheries .........................................................................................................................................................................................................................4 Commercial tuna ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................4 Artisanal pelagic fish ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................4 Charterboat fishing .............................................................................................................................................................................................................4 Aluminium dinghy and outrigger canoe ..............................................................................................................................................................5 Reef fishing ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................5 Coconut crabs .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................6 Current marine management approaches and previous assessments ...............................................................6 General regulations.............................................................................................................................................................................................................6 Species-specific regulations ..........................................................................................................................................................................................7 Previous fisheries studies ..........................................................................................................................................................................................8 Aims and objectives of this assessment ..................................................................................................................................................9 Methodology ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................10 In-water resource assessments .......................................................................................................................................................................10 Invertebrates ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................10 Finfish .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................11 Supporting habitat ...........................................................................................................................................................................................................12 Data analysis and reporting ................................................................................................................................................................................12 Invertebrates ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................12 Finfish .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................12 Supporting habitat ...........................................................................................................................................................................................................12 Sampling effort ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................13 Results ...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................15 Invertebrates ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................15 Species richness, 2016 and 2017 Niue Marine Ecological Surveys ....................................................................................................15 Invert species presence comparison with previous Niue surveys .....................................................................................................16 Relative abundance .........................................................................................................................................................................................................16 Density .....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................18 Densities by station ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................22