Summary: | Divers conducted reef visual census (RVC) fish surveys and habitat assessments at 433 sites in the Florida Keys, 436 sites in the Dry Tortugas and 320 sites in the Southeast Florida Coral Reef Initiative (SEFCRI) region. NOAA Southeast Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC) divers collaborated with the University of Miami and the Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science (RSMAS), Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS), Florida Fish and Wildlife Department/Fish and Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI), State of Florida, Nova Southeastern University, and the National Park Service (South Florida and Caribbean Network). In total, it took 4718 dives to complete the 2014 mission to monitor reef fish community composition, habitat composition, and abundance and size structure for more than 300 reef fish species on Florida's coral reef tract. Data are used to assess population and habitat trends (e.g., whether species are overfished), ecosystem responses to fisheries management actions, including determining the effectiveness of no-take marine protected areas (MPAs) and benthic community and coral demographics.
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