Spiny lobster growth as an indicator

[Craig Bonn]

Thanks all of you for your timely and influential responses.  I also
concur  that perhaps this idea needs to be looked at again.  It was not
mine originally and that is why I asked for your help.  On the other
hand, Im am involved in research that is focusing on several areas
except health, and I did want to include something where we could get
some indication of the overall health of the reef system we are involved
with.  There are numerous methods I would suppose-censusing known
corrallivores for example, but we are limited as to what we can do due
to both depth and bottom times.  This is a Carribean reef and the
average depth of our transect stations is 100'.  Again, suggestions are
welcomed.  One idea that I did have was the mark and recapture of
juvenile fishes using traps.  Pomacentrids, I think, stick pretty much
to their home reef sites and never ventrue very far away as do other
less mobile species.  Of course the presence or non-presence of coral
diseases is something else we could look at.  But determining that from
a 60X4 meter transect using video for example, is that really an
indication of overall health?  You folks are the experts and Im just a
techinician with a real interest.  Thanks

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  Biological Science Technician (Fisheries)
  NOAA/NOS
  Beaufort Lab

  Biological Science Technician (Fisheries)  <Craig.Bonn at noaa.gov>
  NOAA/NOS
  Beaufort Lab
  101 Pivers Island Road                     Cellular: 252-725-4794
  Beaufort                                   Fax: 252-728-8740
  North Carolina                             Work: 252-728-8777
  28512
  Additional Information:
  Last Name     Bonn
  First Name    Craig
  Version       2.1