A Citizen Science project to document the presence and abundance of rocky reef fish species. We’ll be snorkelling various rocky reefs around the Island. EMR kindly came over and conducted a workshop and provided us with a framework and methodology to make the data we collect consistent with other transects being monitored in New Zealand. Thanks to Waiheke Local Board for funding the workshop.
1 Method
Here is the information from EMR on conducting the surveys. Do read through it but, in short, what you do is choose one of the Rakino fish counting transects and snorkel at an easy, consistent pace, not splashing about too much, and count the fish you see.
Stop after 15 minutes and record your return journey as a second transect. You can use a dive slate – there are 5 on the island with Nat, Anna, Dylan, & Simon.
Here’s Tim Haggitt’s survey from the Noises.
2 Recognising Species
Here are some of the local denizens you might encounter around the rocky reefs of Rakino. They’re the most likely ones you’ll encounter, so familiarize yourself with them before you go.
3 Choose a Transect
Pick whichever transect suits you (and the weather) I’ve drawn them as straight lines, but it’s a more meandering journey than that, following the rocky reef and whimsy. The distance is also only an indication, stop after 15 minutes, then record the return journey as another transect.
4 Recording the Data
You can record your Fish Count data here. Or you can take a photo of your slate and email me simon@icepick.co.nz Recording data on the slate is easiest if you use a tally method 4 lines, then cross them.
