Data Collection
Collecting data to inform decision-making is the first step in the process of selecting areas for special protection. This section does not attempt to provide a comprehensive approach to data collection, rather to highlight aspects that are related to reef resilience.
Mapping Data
Consult atlases, nautical almanacs, oceanographic texts, and oceanographers to produce maps in greatest possible detail of local inshore as well as offshore currents, and combine these with data on fish movements obtained from fisheries authorities and reports.
Prepare a base map to an appropriate scale.
Map additional data as separate layers on the base map, using either GIS, Mylar, or other transparent sheets. Examples of data layers include:
- Reefs of different types
- High biodiversity areas (with different coral community types)
- Resistant and resilient reefs or sections of reefs
- Connectivity patterns (if known)
- Critical areas (e.g., spawning aggregations, foraging grounds)
- Resource uses (e.g., fisheries, tourism)
- Threats to reefs (e.g., destructive fishing, coastal development, coral mining)
Field surveys can be performed to collect data on places where corals have survived an earlier known bleaching event. For example, areas with high cover of old corals may indicate an area where coral communities are at low risk of bleaching. Photo © S. Wear/TNC
Identification of Special Areas
In addition to typical benthic habitat maps or other data maps often used, it is important to identify special places and conditions and include them in your data analysis. Some examples of special places and conditions are outlined below.
Areas with high cover of old corals: At the simplest level, and in the absence of any other information, undertake field surveys to identify those places where corals survived an earlier known bleaching event.
- A site having survived one major bleaching event is more likely to survive a future one, and should be listed as a candidate site.
- Presence of high cover of old corals could also indicate areas where coral communities are at low risk of exposure to bleaching, because of their location and prevailing climate and oceanographic conditions. These should also be considered candidate sites for protection.
Areas of ocean upwelling or current mixing: If time and resources permit, conduct a formal oceanographic analysis to locate areas of mixing and cooling (e.g., upwelling). In many cases, cost will prohibit such analysis.
Areas of high recruitment: Collect recruitment data to protect areas of high coral and fish recruitment, especially herbivorous fish. A simple method for collecting coral recruitment data can be implemented by putting out settlement plates and monitoring them over time.
Collecting Supplementary Data
Collate additional data from the literature, field surveys, stakeholders (e.g., fishermen interviews, local knowledge) and any other sources. Use these to help identify other values, levels and types of use, types and severity of threats, relevant oceanographic data, administrative districts, and locations of existing or proposed MPAs. Please refer to the Social Resilience section for information on vulnerability assessments and how to incorporate social resilience data into decision-making.
Resources
Ocean Surface Current Analysis Real-time (OSCAR)