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Benthic Images from Towed-Diver Surveys in the Main Hawaiian Islands to Assess the Mass Coral Bleaching Event in November 2015

Published by Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce | Metadata Last Checked: December 19, 2025 | Last Modified: 2016-01-01T00:00:00.000+00:00
A team from the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) deployed on a two-week research cruise in November 2015 to evaluate the impacts of the 2015 mass coral bleaching event in the Main Hawaiian Islands via towed-diver surveys. Areas surveyed included south Oahu, west Maui, Lana’i, and west Hawaii island. Over the course of 10 survey days, the team surveyed approximately 90 km of 15-m wide transects at depths ranging from 2 to 10 m. Data provided in this dataset include benthic images that were collected during the towed-diver surveys from a camera that was mounted to the towboard. A downward-facing DSLR camera with strobes collected these photographic quadrat data by capturing an image of the benthos at 15-second intervals during the surveys. Two additional datasets were collected during the surveys and are documented separately. Towed divers recorded visual estimates of percentage of live coral that was pale and bleached, as well as presence/absence data of condition by generic composition. Oceanographic data was collected continuously throughout each survey with a suite of sensors mounted to the towboard recording conductivity, temperature, depth, flourometry (chlorophyll-a), turbidity and dissolved oxygen. The benthic images can be accessed online via the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) Ocean Archive.

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31075 Observing and Documenting Predicted 2015/2016 Mass Coral Bleaching Events in Hawaii Visual Images > Habitats EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Aquatic Habitat > Reef Habitat EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Bleaching > Bleaching Resistance EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Coral Diseases > Bleaching EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Coral Diseases > Bleaching > Bleaching Thermal Stress EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Photic Zone Corals EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral Reef Ecology > Habitats EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Coral PHOTOQUADRAT IMAGES imagery tows HI'IALAKAI CORAL REEF STUDIES Coral Reef Conservation Program US DOC; NOAA; NMFS; Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center; Ecosystem Sciences Division; Coral Reef Ecosystem Program COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Hawaii > Hawaii (21N160W0000) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Hawaii > Hawaii Island (19N155W0003) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Honolulu > Oahu (21N157W0003) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Maui > Lanai Island (20N156W0002) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Maui > Maui Island (20N156W0004) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaiian Islands (21N157W0027) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Hawaiian Islands (21N157W0027) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Hawaiian Islands > Hawaii > Hawaii (21N160W0000) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Hawaiian Islands > Hawaii Island > Hawaii Island (19N155W0003) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Hawaiian Islands > Lanai Island > Lanai Island (20N156W0002) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Hawaiian Islands > Maui Island > Maui Island (20N156W0004) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Hawaiian Islands > Oahu Island > Oahu (21N157W0003) North Pacific Ocean CRED CREP Coral Reef Ecosystem Division Coral Reef Ecosystem Program PIFSC Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center TDS Towed-diver surveys towboard towed diver MHI Main Hawaiian Islands DOC/NOAA/NMFS/PIFSC > Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce Ocean and Climate Change

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