Papahānaumokuākea Monitoring Inventory
The monitoring projects in the following inventory take place in or around Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. Projects are conducted by either Sanctuary staff or by our partners. Summary information is presented for each.
For more information about the monitoring activities at Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, please click here, and review the Sanctuary Condition Report.
Contact the research coordinator at the Sanctuary for additional information.
Marine Debris Monitoring and Removal
| Lead | NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (Coral Reef Ecosystem Division) |
| Objective | Remove and recycle derelict fishing gear from the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. |
| Method | Snorkelers survey areas using tow-board methodology. Fishing nets are removed through diving or snorkeling and their locations are marked and mapped with GPS/GIS. |
| Status | Duration | Frequency |
| Active | 1996 - present | Annual |
| Links | http://marinedebris.noaa.gov/projects/removal_nwhi.html |
| http://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/cred/nwhiefforts.php | |
| Partners | City and County of Honolulu, Covanta Energy, NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program, NOAA Marine Debris Program, Schnitzer Steel Hawaii Corporation, United States Coast Guard |
| Keyword(s) | derelict fishing gear, marine debris |
Human Impact Monitoring
| Lead | Dr. Robert Toonen (University of Hawaii), Dr. Kim Selkoe (National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis) |
| Objective | Assess the abundance and frequency of human usage on islands and atolls within the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument to determine impacts from anthropogenic threats. |
| Method | Habitat mapping and required permit reporting are used to assess human usage. |
| Status | Duration | Frequency |
| Active | 2007 - present | Annual |
| Links | http://www.Papahānaumokuākea.gov/research/map_mon |
| Partners | Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument |
| Keyword(s) | human impacts |
Maritime Heritage Survey
| Lead | NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (Maritime Heritage Program) |
| Objective | A systematic survey of maritime heritage sites in Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument with a goal of locating and assessing all existing maritime heritage sites |
| Method | Combination of diver surveys, tow-board methodology, magnetometer and side scan sonar surveys, and opportunistic sightings. |
| Status | Duration | Frequency |
| Active | 2002 - present | Annual |
| Links | http://www.Papahānaumokuākea.gov/maritime/shipwrecks |
| Partners | Southeastern Archaeological Research, Inc., Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, Flinders University, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, State Department of Land and Natural Resources, NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, Coral Reef Ecosystem Division) |
| Keyword(s) | maritime heritage |
Coral Reef Assessment and Monitoring
| Lead | NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, Coral Reef Ecosystem Division) |
| Objective | Survey the fish, coral, and benthic habitat of the shallow (< 30m) coral reef ecosystems of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. |
| Method | Diver observations including transect and stationary point count methodologies. |
| Status | Duration | Frequency |
| Active | 2000 - present | Annual |
| Links | http://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/cred/coral.php |
| Partners | United States Fish and Wildlife Service, State Department of Land and Natural Resources |
| Keyword(s) | coral, reef fish, benthic algae, non-coral invertebrates |
Monk Seal Monitoring
| Lead | NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, Protected Species Division) |
| Objective | Assess Hawaiian monk seal populations in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. |
| Method | Beach counts; measure and tag all weaned seal pups; resight previously tagged seals; count each seal subpopulation by individually identifying seals with tags, naturally occurring scars or markings, and applied bleach marks; document births, deaths, serious injuries, and entanglement in marine debris; conduct necropsies on dead seals; collect seal scats (feces) for dietary information habit analysis; and collect and remove any marine debris. |
| Status | Duration | Frequency |
| Active | 1980s - present | Annual |
| Links | http://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/psd/mmrp/monkseals |
| Partners | NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, United States Coast Guard |
| Keyword(s) | monk seals |
Green Sea Turtle Monitoring
| Lead | NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, Protected Species Division) |
| Objective | Assess green sea turtle populations in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. |
| Method | Assess population trends by monitoring green sea turtle nesting beaches at French Frigate Shoals. |
| Status | Duration | Frequency |
| Active | 1980s - present | Annual |
| Links | http://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/marine_turtle |
| Partners | United States Fish and Wildlife Service |
| Keyword(s) | sea turtles, population, nesting beaches |
Seabird Monitoring
| Lead | NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center) |
| Objective | Assess seabird populations in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. |
| Method | Population surveys and nesting success surveys. |
| Status | Duration | Frequency |
| Active | Information Not Available | Annual |
| Links | http://www.fws.gov/midway/ |
| Partners | United States Fish and Wildlife Service |
| Keyword(s) | marine birds |
Oceanographic Data Collection
| Lead | NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, Coral Reef Ecosystem Division) |
| Objective | Oceanographic instrumentation deployed across the archipelago to collect temperature, current, wave, and tide parameters. |
| Method | Scuba divers deploy instruments ether moored or anchored at nearshore reefs. |
| Status | Duration | Frequency |
| Active | 2001 - present | Annual (real-time) |
| Links | http://crei.pifsc.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/ |
| Partners | NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries |
| Keyword(s) | water temperature, currents, waves, tides |
Lobster Monitoring
| Lead | NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, Fisheries Research and Monitoring Division)n |
| Objective | Stock assessment surveys of spiny and slipper lobsters. |
| Method | Shipboard deep water trapping surveys at Necker Island and Maro Reef. |
| Status | Duration | Frequency |
| Active | 1980s - present | Biennial |
| Links | http://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/fbsab/ |
| Partners | NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries |
| Keyword(s) | spiny lobster, slipper lobster |
Invasive Species Monitoring
| Lead | NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, Coral Reef Ecosystem Division) |
| Objective | Survey and monitor anthropogenic transport mechanisms for marine alien species. Assess established populations of marine alien species in the Monument to develop additional monitoring strategies. |
| Method | Diver surveys are conducted to identify and monitor alien species present in the Monument, and assess method of transport into the sanctuary. |
| Status | Duration | Frequency |
| Active | 2005 - present | Annual |
| Links | http://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/index.php |
| Partners | Unites States Fish and Wildlife Service |
| Keyword(s) | invasive species |
Seawater Carbonate Chemistry Monitoring
| Lead | Hawaii Pacific University |
| Objective | Assess seawater carbonate chemistry profiles for nearshore and offshore environments within the Monument. |
| Method | Data are obtained via nearshore-to-offshore transects of vertical CTD (conductivity, temperature, and depth) stations and water samples collected in the field. Carbonate chemistry analyses are conducted in the lab. |
| Status | Duration | Frequency |
| Active | 2009 - present | Annual |
| Links | http://www.Papahānaumokuākea.gov/news/ |
| Partners | Hawaii Pacific University |
| Keyword(s) | water quality, carbonate chemistry |
Mesophotic Coral Ecosystem Characterization and Monitoring
| Lead | Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument |
| Objective | Survey the fish and benthic habitats of the deep (< 50m) coral reef ecosystems of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, and monitor the spread of invasive species (octocoral Carijoaand red alga Hypnea) |
| Method | Technical (open-circuit trimix) diver observations including transect and photo quadrat methodologies. |
| Status | Duration | Frequency |
| Active | 2009 - present | Annual |
| Links | http://ccma.nos.noaa.gov/ecosystems/sanctuaries/ |
| Partners | United States Fish and Wildlife Service, State Department of Land and Natural Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service (Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center) |
| Keyword(s) | invasive species, corals, reef fish |
Acoustic Monitoring
| Lead | Dr. Whitlow Au, Dr. Marc Lammers |
| Objective | Monitor long-term trends in biological and anthropogenic activities within the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument using passive acoustic methods. |
| Method | Eight ecological acoustic recorders have been deployed within the monument to monitor biological activity and detect human activities such as vessel traffic and explosives used in fishing. |
| Status | Duration | Frequency |
| Active | 2006 - present | Continuous |
| Links | http://www.Papahānaumokuākea.gov/research/ |
| Partners | Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument |
| Keyword(s) | acoustic monitoring |