'%Healthy Reefs for Healthy People - A Guide to Indicators of Reef Health and Social Well-being in the Mesoamerican Reef Region%'%by Melanie McField and Patricia Kramer%

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Wolcott Henry

need training in consistent fish identification and size

larger home ranges and move reef to reef. Therefore

estimation, with routine re-calibration and consistency

multiple, representative surveys are needed. Different

training for the surveyors.

survey methods may be needed for species with

different behaviors and life histories (e.g., groupers,

Status

St atus

which tend to be more cryptic).

AGRRA data indicate that total fish biomass in the

Fish surveying techniques are moderately cost-

MAR region averages 4618 g/100m2, with an average

effective, requiring approximately the same amount

of 4459 g/100m2 on fore reefs and 5009 g/100m2

of time to collect as benthic cover data. Surveyors

on reef crests. The MAR average is lower than the

Caribbean value of 6367 g/100m2 19.

Rachael Graham

Biomass of commercially significant fish in the MAR

region averages 1083 g/100m2, with 1175 g/100m2

on fore reefs and 857 g/100m2 on reef crests. The

MAR average is lower than the Caribbean value of

1493 g/100m2.

Data

Data Needs

A region-wide AGRRA survey is currently underway

(2006). The new data are for representative reef

habitats and will complement data previously collected

by other site-specific programs largely focused on

MPAs (e.g., local monitoring programs and the MBRS

Synoptic Monitoring Program).

A comprehensive database and meta-analysis are

needed to synthesize existing information.