gvi mexico quarterly report pez maya july-september 2011

8/3/2019 GVI Mexico Quarterly report Pez Maya July-September 2011

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GVI MexicoPez Maya Marine Expedition

Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve

Quarterly Report 113

July - September 2011

© GVI – 2010 ii



GVI Mexico, Pez Maya Expedition Report 113

Submitted in whole toGVI

Amigo de Sian Ka’anComisión Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas (CONANP)

Produced by

Sarah Davies – Science Officer Martin Stelfox – Science and Dive Officer

Sonja Kovacev – Field Staff

And

Fred Hill Volunteer Michael Westerman Volunteer Hemisha Lakhoo Volunteer Peter Westerman Volunteer

Kevin Wolfe Volunteer Luke Offutt Volunteer Eve Ashforth Volunteer Alexa Bennett Volunteer

Heather Simpson Volunteer Florence Roberts Volunteer Frank Spooner Volunteer Anya Tober Volunteer

Jonas Danielsen Volunteer Ben Hargreaves Volunteer Peter Gray Volunteer Ben Greenfield Volunteer

Freya Steinbeck Volunteer Jessica Adams Volunteer Melanie Macias Volunteer Roman Schagala Volunteer

Regina Young NSP Alexander Fox Volunteer Elisa Sandoval Seres NSP Rebecca Umeed Volunteer Charles Bowden Volunteer Sarah Raffan Volunteer George Darrah Volunteer Susie Gibson Scholar

Sophie Stephenson Volunteer Esther Hantman Scholar Ali Hanratty Volunteer

Kate Blomfield Volunteer Joshi Volunteer

Edited by

Sarah Davies

Lluvia Soto

GVI Mexico, Pez Maya

Email: [email protected] Web page: http://www.gvi.co.ukand http://www.gviusa.com

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http://www.gvi.co.uk/

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Executive Summary

The 33rd ten week phase of the Pez Maya, Mexico, GVI expedition has now beencompleted. The programme has maintained working relationships with local communities

through both English classes and local community events. The programme has continuedto work towards the gathering of important environmental scientific data whilst workingwith local, national and international partners. The following projects have been run duringPhase 113:

• Monitoring of strategic sites along the coast.• Training of volunteers in the MBRS methodology including fish, hard coral, and

algae identification.• Continuing the MBRS Synoptic Monitoring Programme (SMP) for the selected sites

within the northern Sian Ka’an Biosphere to provide regional decision makers withup to date information on the ecological condition of the reef.

• Providing English lessons and environmental education opportunities for the localcommunity.

• Further developing of the recycling Project “Punta Allen Verde”.• Continuation of the Mayan Farm Project, Nuevo Durango Organic farm, assisting a

local Mayan community to establish and develop a composting programme.• Liaising with local partners to develop a successful and feasible programme of

research in collaboration with GVI into the future.• Continue adding to a coral and fish species list that will expand over time as a

comprehensive guide for the region.• Continuation of weekly beach cleans within the reserve, monitoring waste

composition and trends.• Daily bird monitoring and Incidental sightings program.

• Marine Turtle Monitoring Programme along the Pez Maya beach.• Continuation of the National Scholarship Programme, whereby GVI Pez Maya

accepts a Mexican national on a scholarship basis into the expedition.

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Table of Contents

Executive Summary..........................................................................................................ivList of Figures...................................................................................................................viList of Tables....................................................................................................................vi

1. Introduction ....................................................................................................................72. Synoptic Monitoring Programme...................................................................................8

2.1 Introduction.........................................................................................................82.2 Aims..................................................................................................................102.3 Methodology.....................................................................................................102.4 Results...............................................................................................................122.5 Discussion.........................................................................................................16

3. Community programme...............................................................................................193.1 Introduction.......................................................................................................193.2 Aims..................................................................................................................193.3 Activities and Achievements............................................................................193.4 Review..............................................................................................................20

4. Incidental Sightings.....................................................................................................224.1 Introduction.......................................................................................................224.2 Aims..................................................................................................................224.3 Methodology.....................................................................................................224.4 Results...............................................................................................................234.5 Discussion.........................................................................................................24

5. Marine Litter Monitoring Programme.........................................................................275.1 Introduction.......................................................................................................275.2 Aims..................................................................................................................275.3 Methodology.....................................................................................................275.4 Results...............................................................................................................285.5 Discussion.........................................................................................................286.1 Introduction.......................................................................................................306.2 Aims..................................................................................................................306.3 Methodology.....................................................................................................316.4 Results...............................................................................................................316.5 Discussion.........................................................................................................33

7. References....................................................................................................................348. Appendices...................................................................................................................36

Appendix I – SMP Methodology Outlines.............................................................36

Appendix II - Adult Fish Indicator Species List.....................................................40Appendix III - Juvenile Fish Indicator Species List...............................................41Appendix IV - Coral Species List...........................................................................42Appendix V - Fish Species List..............................................................................43Appendix VI - Bird Species List.............................................................................45

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List of Figures

Figure 2-3-1 The monitoring sites of Pez Maya (Courtesy of JuniperGIS)Figure 2-4-1 Percentage of diseased colonies presenting different diseases, across all sitesFigure 2-4-2 Percentage of bleaching events in affected coralsFigure 2-4-3 Percentage abundance of benthic organismsFigure 2-4-4 Breakdown of percentage coral coverage over all sites.Figure 2-4-5 Total number of individuals recorded within each family for each monitoring siteFigure 5-4-1 Breakdown of marine litter collected during July – September 2011 (%)Figure 6-4-1 Total composition of birds sighted in phase 112 (“Other” refers to species presenting apercentage of 1% or less).

List of Tables

Table 2-3-1 GPS locations of the monitoring sites. GPS points are listed here in the WGS84 datum.

Table 2-4-1 Total number of individuals recorded for each monitoring site and the average number of individuals recorded per transect for adult and juvenile fishTable 4-4-1 Number of sightings for each category

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1 . Introduction

The Yucatan Peninsula is fringed by the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System (MBRS), thesecond largest barrier reef system in the world, extending over 4 countries. Starting fromIsla Contoy at the North of the Yucatan Peninsula it stretches down the Eastern coast of Mexico down to Belize via Honduras and Guatemala.

The GVI Marine Programme was initiated within Mexico with the setup of its first base, PezMaya, in the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve in 2003. Since then the programme hasflourished, with a sister site being set up in the south of Quintana Roo at Punta Gruesa.Both projects assist our partners, Amigos de Sian Ka’an (ASK) and Comisión Nacional deÁreas Naturales Protegidas (CONANP) in obtaining baseline data along the coast of Quintana Roo through marine surveys. This data allows ASK to focus on the areasneeding immediate environmental regulation depending on susceptibility and therefore,implement management protection plans as and when required.

With the continuing development of the Riviera Maya, effective monitoring is becomingever-more important. Inadvertent environmental degradation can be prevented if theappropriate measures are taken to advocate long-term, sustainable ecotourism. Continualassessment of Sian Ka’an’s reef health can support and develop management strategiesfor the area, the work outlined in this report forming a key part of that assessment.

Methodologies continue to be improved and focused as experience is gained andimprovement to data quality is continuous. A full Annual Report will collate and summarizeall data and enable more descriptive and accurate analysis.

The following research/monitoring programmes have been carried out this phase:• The MBRS Synoptic Monitoring Programme• Community Work Programme• Incidental Sightings• Marine Littering Monitoring Programme• Bird Monitoring Programme

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2 . Synoptic Monitoring Programme

2.1 Introduction

The Synoptic Monitoring Programme looks to evaluate the overall health of the reef bylooking at three main areas: Benthic cover, fish populations and physical parameters.

Benthic Cover

Caribbean reefs were once dominated by hard coral, with huge Acropora palmata standson the reef crests and Acropora cervicornis and Montastraea annularis dominating the forereef. Today, many reefs in the Caribbean have been overrun by macro algae during aphase shift which is thought to have been brought about by numerous factors including adecrease in herbivory from fishing and other pressures, eutrophication from land-basedactivities and disease (McClanahan & Muthiga, 1998).

Benthic transects record the abundance of all benthic species as well as looking at coralhealth. The presence of corals on the reef is in itself an indicator of health, not onlybecause of the reefs’ current state, but also for its importance to fish populations (Spalding& Jarvis, 2002). Coral health is not only impacted by increased nutrients and algal growth,but by other factors, both naturally occurring and anthropogenically introduced. A reportproduced by the United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation MonitoringCentre (UNEP-WCMC) in 2004 stated that nearly 66% of Caribbean reefs are at risk fromanthropogenic activities, with over 40% of reefs at high to very high risk (UNEP-WCMC,2006).

Through monitoring the abundances of hard corals, algae and various other key benthicspecies, as well as numbers of Diadema urchin encountered, we aim to determine not onlythe current health of the local reefs but also to track any shifts in phase state over time.

Fish Populations

Fish surveys are focused on specific species that play an important role in the ecology of the reef as herbivores, carnivores, commercially important fish or those likely to beaffected by human activities (AGRRA, 2000).

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For more in depth rationale of the importance of each of the key fish families please seeprevious GVI Pez Maya reports.

All reef fish play an important role in maintaining the health and balance of a reef community. Fishing typically removes larger predatory fish from the reef, which not onlyalters the size structure of the reef fish communities, but with the reduction in predationpressure, the abundance of fish further down the food chain is now determined throughcompetition for resources (AGRRA, 2000).

Although each fish is important, the removal of herbivores can have a considerable impacton the health of the reef, particularly in an algal dominated state, which without their

presence has little chance of returning to coral dominance. Through the monitoring of these fish and by estimating their size, the current condition of the reef at each site can beassessed, any trends or changes can be tracked and improvements or deteriorationsdetermined.

The monitoring of juvenile fish concentrates on a few specific species. The presence andnumber of larvae at different sites can be used as an indication of potential futurepopulation size and diversity. Due to the extensive distribution of larvae, however,

numbers cannot be used to determine the spawning potential of a specific reef. Theremoval of fish from a population as a result of fishing, however, may influence spawningpotential and affect larval recruitment on far away reefs. The removal of juvenile predatorsthrough fishing may also alter the number of recruits surviving to spawn themselves(AGRRA, 2000).

Together with the information collected about adult fish a balanced picture of the reef fishcommunities at different sites can be obtained.

Physical Parameters

For the optimum health and growth of coral communities certain factors need to remainrelatively stable. Measurements of turbidity, water temperature, salinity, cloud cover, andsea state are taken during survey dives. Temperature increases or decreases cannegatively influence coral health and survival. As different species have different optimum

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temperature ranges, changes can also influence species richness. Corals also requireclear waters to allow for optimal photosynthesis. The turbidity of the water can beinfluenced by weather, storms or high winds stirring up the sediment, or anthropogenicactivities such as deforestation and coastal construction. Increased turbidity reduces light

levels and can result in stress to the coral. Any increase in coral stress levels can result inthem becoming susceptible to disease or result in a bleaching event.

In the near future, GVI Pez Maya hopes to be able to use this data for analysis of temporaland seasonal changes and try to correlate any coral health issues with sudden or prolonged irregularities within these physical parameters.

2.2 Aims

The projects at Pez Maya and Punta Gruesa aim to identify coral and fish species with along term, continuous dataset allowing changes in the ecosystem to be identified. Theprojects also aim to ascertain areas of high species diversity and abundance. The data isthen supplied to the project partners who can use the data to support management plansfor the area.

2.3 Methodology

The methods employed for the underwater visual census work are those outlined in theMBRS manual (Almada-Villela et al., 2003), but to summarize, GVI use three separatemethods for buddy pairs:

Buddy method 1: Surveys of corals, algae and other sessile organismsBuddy method 2: Belt transect counts for coral reef fishBuddy Method 3: Coral Rover and Fish Rover diver

The separate buddy pair systems are outlined in detail in Appendix I.

The 9 sites that are monitored as part of the MBRS programme at GVI Pez Maya,replicates a similar study conducted over 15 years ago (Padilla et al. 1992), concentratingmonitoring efforts on the reefs in the northern area of the Sian Ka’an Biosphere (SeeFigure 2-3-1 below.

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These sites have 21 stations in total and are monitored every 3 months to give a long termevaluation of the reef health.

Figure 2-3-1 The monitoring sites of Pez Maya (Courtesy of JuniperGIS)

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Location Site ID Depth (m) Latitude LongitudeLa Colonia LC10 10.9 19.78693º N 087.43310º W

LC20 17.9 19.78637º N 087.42628º WPaso Juana PJ05 6.1 20.01498º N 087.46475º W

PJ10 9.1 20.01690º N 087.46215º WPasoLagrimas

PL05 3 20.05045º N 087.47035º WPL10 6.7 20.05200º N 087.46625º WPL20 16.7 20.05138º N 087.46275º W

PuntaXamach

PX05 7.4 19.93205º N 087.43415º WPX10 12.3 19.93395º N 087.43355º WPX20 16.2 19.93333º N 087.43213º W

Table 2-3-1 GPS locations of the monitoring sites. GPS points are listed here in the WGS84 datum.

The sites have a wide range of types of reef including spur and groove formations.

2.4 Results

Due to bad weather and logistical constraints only three out of the ten sites werecompleted, these were the 10 metre site at Paso Juana, and both the 10 and 20 metresites at Paso Lagrimas.

Benthic Data

A total of 252 coral colonies were recorded for coral community studies sighting 23individual cases of disease (9.1%). Dark spot disease was the most prevalent, accounting

for 56.5% of the disease sightings. Siderastrea siderea made up all recorded dark spotcases. Other diseases recorded included Red band disease, White plague and Yellowblotch (Figure 2-4-1). There were no recorded cases of Neoplasm, Hyperplasms andPatchy necrosis

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Figure 2-4-1 Percentage of diseased colonies presenting different diseases, across all sites.

Different levels of bleaching were recorded on 27.8% of all corals recorded. Pale bleachingappeared to be most prevalent accounting for 92.9% of all bleaching events, 25.8% of palebleaching appeared on S. siderea colonies. In addition S. siderea was the only coralrecorded as totally bleached (Figure 2-4-2). Eighteen per cent of all corals recorded wereaffected by predation; Sponges accounted for 89.1% and S. siderea appeared mostaffected by this predation accounting for 23.9% of all cases seen. Other predationrecorded was Zooanthid.

Figure 2-4-2 Percentage of bleaching events in affected corals.

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The point intercept data showed a 12.7% hermatypic coral cover across all sites, whilstmacroalgae remains considerably higher at 52.1% coverage. The remaining 35.2%consisted of smaller reef creatures including Zooanthids, sponges, tunicates, bryzoan and

gorgonians. (Figure 2-4-3).

Figure 2-4-3 Percentage abundance of benthic organisms

Hermatypic coral cover was most abundant at PL20 (40.4 percentage cover) (Figure 2-4-4). Incidentally macroalgae also has the highest abundance at 35.5% cover.

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Figure 2-4-4 Breakdown of percentage coral cover over all sites

Fish Populations

A total of 342 adult target fish and 543 juvenile fish were recorded over 40 transects. Theaverage number of fish per transect ranged from 2.3 (PJ05) to 7.8 (PL10) (Table 2-4-1).The most abundant family was Acanthuridae (Surgeonfish) with 56% of the total number of fish recorded, followed byHaemulidae (Grunts) with 18% of the total (Figure 2-4-5). PJ20showed the highest diversity for both adult and juvenile fish species.

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Figure 2-4-5 Total number of adult individuals of each family for each monitoring site

Table 2-4-1 Total number of individuals recorded for each monitoring site and the average number of

individuals recorded per transect for adult and juvenile fish

PJ05 PJ10 PL05 PL10 PL20Total number of adult individuals 18 59 44 62 60Average number of adult fish per transect 2.3 7.4 5.5 7.8 7.5

Total number of juvenile individuals 64 149 116 58 156Average number of juveniles per transect 8.0 18.6 14.5 7.3 19.5

Of the 543 juvenile fish recorded, the majority was made up of the familyLabridae

(Wrasse) (52%), followed by Pomacentridae (Damselfish) (32%). The most commonspecies recorded were Halichoeres garnoti (Yellowhead Wrasse), Stegastes partitus (Bi-colour Damselfish) andThalassoma bifasciatum (Bluehead Wrasse).

2.5 Discussion

Due to a recent phase shift to an algae dominant reef, Hermatypic coral cover remains lowat 12.7 %. The average percentage coral cover across the Caribbean is approximately16% (Schutte et al ., 2010). The difference in percentage cover at Pez Maya could be dueto the increased development near our local monitoring sites. Also we only managed to

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monitor three sites this phase which would not give a true average representation of our monitoring sites. Hermatypic coral cover was greatest at PL20, at this depth light, salinity,water movement and pH meet optimum conditions for coral growth. The point interceptdata showed that brown and green fleshy algae appeared to be the most abundant, which

could be explained by its fast growth rate.

Siderastrea siderea was recorded as the most abundant coral this phase – this speciestends to be particularly susceptible to bleaching, which explains the high percentage of pale bleached corals recorded, as the majority of those observed with bleaching were S.

siderea . Its susceptibility to bleaching could be a result of the clade of zooxanthellaehoused by the coral. Coral bleaching can occur through an increase in water temperature,which causes the zooxanthellae to die and be expelled by the coral. When this happens,

the coral can no longer photosynthesise, the flesh loses its colour which is usually createdby the zooxanthellae, and the colony becomes “bleached”. Zooxanthellae aredinoflagellates of the genus Symbiodinium , of which there are several clades, or groups.Sampayo et al. (2008) found that each clade has fine-scale differences, which allows someto be more thermally tolerant than others. Some coral species can harbour more than oneclade, whereas others may be restricted to only one.

Agaricia agaricites was the second most commonly recorded coral. This coral grows in

several different forms: carinata (grows in thick, bifacial plates with upright projections); purpurea (grows in flat plates, ridges are sharp and tall with long, continuous valleysrunning parallel to each other); formdanai (grows in thick, bifacial blades) andagaricites

(has the ability to encrust, displays discontinuous ridges and valleys) (Humann &DeLoach, 2008). It is therefore expected that this species was recorded as one of the mostcommon, as it is able to inhabit a wider range of areas than most other corals.

Dark spot disease was the most prevalent disease recorded this phase. Dark spot disease

was most frequently seen on Siderastrea siderea – a coral which is particularly susceptibleto this disease. Siderastrea siderea was also the species observed with the mostbleaching – therefore this result is unsurprising, as bleaching causes great stress to acoral and the colony can become much more vulnerable to diseases (Humann & DeLoach,2008). Sponges were the most prevalent predator on corals this phase; Most likely due tothe availability of space for sponges to predate.

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Acanthuridae was once again the dominant fish family recorded during this phase makingup over half of all adult fish sightings. Acanthuridae are an important grazer on the reefskeeping down algae levels allowing space for new coral recruits to attach and grow. Within

shallow reef areas it is not uncommon to observe large mixed aggregations of Acanthurus

coeruleus (Blue Tang), A.bahianus (Ocean Surgeonfish) and A.chirurgus (Doctorfish)grazing on the algae abundant on these reefs (Deloach, N. 1999). Haemulidae were seento be the dominant family on PJ10. Haemulidae have been known to show the largestbiomass in areas that have large expanses of seagrass bed or sand flats (Humann &DeLoach 2008b) feeding on the crustaceans and invertebrates which are known to foragein these areas. The surrounding area of PJ10 would be perfect for this with the spur andgrove reef surrounded by sandy areas and seagrass beds boarding the shallower areas of

the reef.

The abundance of juvenile species was greater this phase then at the start of the year,which indicates encouraging recruitment rates. The later phases of this year will showwhether the recruitment on the reefs will continue to show the promising results of increased numbers seen. It is an encouraging sign to see more juveniles on the reefs asover the last year the number of Lionfish sighted on the reef has been increasing with eachphase. Lionfish are known to target juvenile fish and have a dramatic effect on the

recruitment of the reef (Morris, J. et al. 2009). When Lionfish have been caught at PezMaya their stomach are dissected and the most commonly seen fish are juvenile wrassespecies. Future studies will enable us to find out if the increase in lionfish sightings has aneffect on the recruitment of the reefs.

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3. Community programme

3.1 Introduction

GVI is committed to working with the local communities, assisting them to guide their development towards a sustainable future. For that, we center our activities in two mainaspects: English and Environmental Education.

GVI hopes to provide the local community with the tools to develop the area beneficially for themselves, their professions and needs, whilst protecting it for the future. Consequently,during both the child and adult education programs, wherever possible an environmentaltheme has been included within the structure of the lessons.

3.2 AimsThe aims of the community programme in Pez Maya are:

1. To raise awareness about the importance of the ecosystems that surround their area, providing them with information about it and organizing activities to reinforcethe knowledge given.

2. To provide locals with English lessons that will help them to develop a skill that isnecessary for them in order to be able to communicate with the growing touristvisitors that come to the area.

3. To participate in the different activities that are organized by the locals and providehelp if it is needed.

3.3 Activities and Achievements

Nuevo Durango

Due to the soil composition, amount of rocks and lack of nutrients found within the thin soilof the Yucatán Peninsula, growing crops can be a challenging business. During the weeklyvisits to Nuevo Durango, staff and volunteers work on farms collecting soil and cutting

vegetation, in preparation for setting up a compost pit; each week a different family ishelped. The compost produced is used by local families to grow a range of organic cropsthat can be sold locally. In order to expose volunteers to the way of life in Nuevo Durango,each week, the host family prepares lunch for the volunteers, allowing the group toexchange experiences and learn about each other’s life and culture.

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Pez Maya also supports the Mayan farmers by purchasing some of the weekly fruit andvegetable supply from the host families.

Punta Allen

Volunteers visit the village once a week during the phase. English lessons for children arecarried out during school hours to ensure the maximum number of children benefit fromthe curricula. Three different educational levels are targeted: Kindergarten, Primary andSecondary school. Volunteers are in charge of preparing lesson plans, including Englishlanguage topics and fun activities, such as games, song and painting. Often anenvironmental theme is included in the lessons.

Pez Maya also started a recycling project “Punta Allen Verde” in April 2010. The project

has several objectives: to create a solid waste separation programme, to encouragepeople to participate and separate household solid waste with which a proportion of theprofits will support financially the recycling centre, and to establish Punta Allen as anexemplary community for the region.

Following the delivery of the classes, volunteers participate in a range of activities at therecycling centre, for example plastic collection around town, tidying up the centre, makingcontainers for the recycling. The activities vary depending on what the people in the village

need doing.

3.4 Review

Nuevo Durango

This phase no volunteering was carried out at Nuevo Durango, due to logisticalconstraints. Also much had already been completed as during the previous phasevolunteers had worked on large projects helping several families to effectively compost,

and finally planting seeds.

Punta Allen

Unfortunately again, the road deterioration prevented volunteers from visiting the villageeach week. However, Punta Allen was host to a lionfish tournament, and volunteers andstaff made a boat journey through the mangroves to take part. Staff were involved in

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catching lionfish around Punta Allen over a 3 hour time period, using spearguns or nets,the fish were then brought back to be counted and the biggest ones weighed.Pez Maya volunteers had also put together a play for the children; dressed up inhandmade costumes as various marine animals they gave a clear message of the

importance of healthy mangrove, seagrass and coral reef ecosystems. Needless to say itwas enjoyed by all.

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4. Incidental Sightings

4.1 Introduction

GVI Pez Maya has implemented an incidental sightings program since 2003. This speciesare good indicators of reef health and provide early warnings of changes, therefore it isuseful to continue keeping long-term records of which species are around. Species thatmake up the incidental sightings list are:

• Sharks• Rays• Eels• Turtles• Marine Mammals• Lionfish• Snakes and crocodiles• Terrestrial mammals

These groups are identified to species level where possible and added to the data

collected by the Ocean Biogeographic Information Systems Spatial Ecological Analysis of Megavertebrate Populations (OBIS-SEAMAP) database. An interactive online archive for marine mammal, seabird and turtle data, OBIS-SEAMAP aims to improve understandingof the distribution and ecology of marine mega fauna by quantifying global patterns of biodiversity, undertaking comparative studies, and monitoring the status of and impacts onthreatened species.

4.2 Aims

The aim of the project is to record all mega fauna sightings in the vicinity of Pez Maya andto keep track of the population numbers and spread of lionfish.

4.3 Methodology

Each time an incidental sighting species is seen on a dive , snorkel or around Pez Mayabase it is identified, and the date, time, location, depth it was seen at, and size are all

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recorded. The volunteers are provided with a Mega fauna presentation during sciencetraining, which aids in identification of shark, ray and turtle species.

For the first time in 093 GVI Pez Maya began recording lionfish sightings. Over the past

decade the Pacific Lionfish (Pterois volitans and P. miles ) has established itself along theAtlantic coast as a result of multiple releases (intentional or otherwise) from privateaquaria. This invasive species lacking in natural predators, has adapted well to the warmwaters of the Caribbean, and is currently spreading its geographical range along theMesoamerican coastline.

4.4 Results

During phase 113 a total of 166 incidental sightings were recorded, 81 of these being

lionfish sightings.

Table 4-4-1. Number of sightings for each category.

Category Total Number of Sightings

Lionfish 81

Turtles 20

Rays 33

Eels 15Sharks 8

Marine Mammals 6

Snakes and Crocodiles 3

A total of 20 turtle sightings were recorded, within this total there were 3 different turtle

species; 6 were Green, 4 were Hawksbill, 6 were Loggerhead and 4 were unidentifiedindividuals. The fourth species that can be found in the area, the Leatherback, iscategorised as critically endangered by the IUCN, and has not been recorded sincemonitoring began.

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The number of eel sightings has increased since the previous 3 month total; with 15sightings compared to 6. This was also the case for ray sightings; 33 sighted compared to18 previously. There are several species of ray that are monitored; the CaribbeanStingray, Giant Manta Ray, Lesser Electric Ray, Southern Stingray, Spotted Eagle Ray

and Yellow Stingray. The Southern Stingray was the most commonly sighted of the rayswith a total of 18 sightings; this seems to be the case for every phase. The 8 sharks thatwere sighted were all Nurse sharks. The other species that have been sighted previously(Bull shark, Blacktip, Reef shark and Hammerhead) were not seen during phase 113.

Of the marine mammals sighted, unidentified dolphins accounted for all; with 6 sighted.Manatees follow the trend of low numbers of sightings since 2007 with none recorded.

Phase 113 saw low numbers in recorded sightings of snakes and crocodiles; 1 crocodileand 2 snake sightings. Since phase 2010, sightings of snakes and crocodiles have beensteadily increasing with the majority being snake sightings; however the data from thisphase does not seem to follow this pattern.

Since the lionfish monitoring started there has been a dramatic increase in sightings.However this phase, as in the previous phase, we recorded a lower number of 81individual sightings.

4.5 Discussion

Incidental sightings of large marine creatures are often good indicators of how healthy anecosystem is. As can be seen from the data, the number of sightings and speciesrecorded varies from phase to phase, with few obvious trends. These species are highlymobile animals and therefore their movements depend on a range of external factors.

Phase 101 (January-March 2010) had the greatest total number of recorded incidentalsightings since the implementation of the programme. However, variation in recordednumbers could be a reflection of the amount of diving that occurred. Over the past twoyears there has been a steady increase in the number of sightings, suggesting an increasein reef health. In 073 (July-September 2007), Hurricane Dean hit the coast of Mexico andgreatly affected the reef and animals that live in and around it. The number of incidental

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sightings recorded during and since phase 101 shows a return to similar numbers beforethe hurricane hit, suggesting some reef recovery.

Turtles were one of the most recorded species with a total of 20 individual sightings, this

follows a predictable pattern. Nesting season for all turtle species found on the Yucatanruns between May and September which coincides with the second and third phases of each year. Phase 113 is during the middle of the season and subsequently would showincreased numbers of turtle sightings. This pattern is encouraging and shows a relativelystable population of turtle species in Pez Maya’s region.

There appears to be a general trend over previous phases of rays being one of the mostcommonly sighted species. This is again true and could be for a number of reasons; rays

tend to lay stationary on sandy bottoms in open water and would therefore be more easilyspotted. They are also frequently seen close to the shore whilst observers are swimmingor snorkeling and this too could explain the slightly higher numbers recorded. Since theproject began, there is a clear trend that sightings of Southern stingrays are slowly on therise, a thriving species could be the reason for incline, however this doesn’t appear to be aseasonal trend and could simply be improvements in what is now a well-establishedincidental sightings program.

The lower numbers of eel and shark sightings could be due to the lifestyle of the species´.Eels hide in rocky crevices away from passing predators or prey and are therefore moredifficult to spot. Sharks are generally mobile and pelagic, and sightings wouldsubsequently not be as common. This is with the exception of the nurse shark however,which is always the most commonly sighted shark species. Nurse sharks are reef dwellersand are able to remain in one place without having to move to breathe; therefore they aremost likely to be spotted on Pez Maya sites. On occasions sharks have also beenobserved early in the morning in the shallows off the beach; however exact numbers and

species can often be mistaken as only the fin is seen.

The majority of mammals seen were unidentified dolphins. Mammals are difficult tomonitor as they generally inhabit deeper pelagic waters. In addition dolphins are mostlyobserved from the surface by boat, therefore exact numbers and species can be difficult to

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determine. Manatees generally prefer the calmer waters of the mangrove lagoons than theocean, which could explain the low numbers spotted every phase.

As in the previous three month phase, there were lower numbers of sightings of snakes

and crocodiles. Sightings have been steadily increasing over the past year with themajority being snake sightings. Mangroves are the likely place to encounter crocodileswhich involves a walk to the bridge early morning or early evening. This would suggestthat in previous phases more people are actively seeking to look for crocodiles, and resultswould therefore depend on the volunteers we have on base. It could be thought that somecategories or species (e.g. snakes and land mammals) may be under-represented, asobservers tend to concentrate on known target species and forget to record other species.

The number of lionfish sightings was again lower than expected. Over the past year thenumber of lionfish observed around Pez Maya dive sites has been increasing dramatically,however this phase along with the previous phase there was a drop in numbers seen from138 to 70 and 81, almost half. It was thought that the reduced numbers recorded lastphase was due to the lower number of volunteers that were on base, however this phasehad more volunteers and only 11 more lionfish recorded, so this was not the case.Therefore it could be thought that the fact that we have been regularly killing/removinglionfish ourselves has meant that the overall population has decreased somewhat. It will

be interesting to see the data from the next 3 months as this could give us a better idea of whether the population of lionfish in the area has been impacted. Either way, regular catchand removal of this species is vital to reduce the increasing numbers.

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5. Marine Litter Monitoring Programme.

5.1 Introduction

Pez Maya’s location on the Yucatan Peninsula means that it faces the Caribbean Current.This is a circular current that combined with the Loop current and the Yucatan current,transports a significant amount of water northwest ward through the Caribbean Sea. Themain source is from the equatorial Atlantic Ocean via the North Equatorial, North Braziland Guiana Currents. Due to the volume of water that is transported and both the natureand origin of the said currents, it is possible that the litter being found is from quite far afield. Other factors also include outflows from rivers and storm drains etc. If this is themost common source for the marine debris then it is likely that weather changes, which

have an impact on both tidelines and sea turbulence, will have a direct and noticeableeffect on the amount of rubbish washed up.

Marine litter is prevalent along the Caribbean coast and is not only unsightly but a healthhazard to marine life and humans alike. In order to collect more data on this issue a beachclean program will be conducted every phase. This is part of a worldwide program and is

just one method of investigation to discover where marine litter originates from and whichmaterials are most common.

5.2 Aims

This project has three main aims:• Quantified data and photographic evidence as to the extent of marine litter.• Conservation of terrestrial and marine fauna threatened by litter.• Improvement of beach aesthetics.• Creation of a monitoring programme that can be implemented in other locations

within the reserve.

5.3 Methodology

Marine litter is collected weekly on a 300 metre stretch of beach south of base. Thetransect is cleared one week prior to the commencement of the monitoring program, inorder that only a weekly amount of debris is recorded. Materials are collected from thetidemark to the vegetation line to eliminate waste created by inland terrestrial sources.

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The waste is separated, weighed and recorded by the categories below:• Fabric• Glass• Plastic• Polystyrene• Metal

• Natural material (modified)• Medical waste• Rubber • Rope• Other

5.4 Results

Seven representative weekly litter picks were conducted this phase, collecting a total of 59.5kg of marine litter. Plastic accounted for approximately 57.2% of the total weight

collected. Even though polystyrene was one of the lightest categories in terms of weight, alarge percentage of polystyrene contributed to the overall breakdown of total rubbishcollected.

Figure 5-4-1. Breakdown of marine litter collected during July – September 2011 (%)

5.5 Discussion

As has been the case for the majority of monitors, plastics have again constituted thelargest volume of all the categories this phase. This could be due to its light weight makingit easy to transport and its robustness against degradation. The fact that the level of plastic

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found is consistently high from phase to phase is a worrying trend as when plastics suchas Polythene, found in plastic bags, breakdown they form smaller plastic particles that cancontaminate the food web and be passed on through the trophic levels. Plastic debris canact like a sponge soaking up toxic chemical compounds. Once these are ingested into the

food chain the high concentrations will be spread from organism to organism until thelevels become fatal.

Even though the data shows a large volume of rubbish being collected from a relativelysmall section of beach, the results do not do justice to the actual problem at hand. Plasticbottles collected may not necessarily be washed up by sea, but could be deposited onland by visitors. In addition, heavier materials such as metals and water logged fabrics arelikely to sink to the sea bed, and subsequently would not get washed up on our shorelines

and included in the monitoring transects.

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6. Bird Monitoring Programme

6.1 Introduction

With regard to avi-fauna, Mexico, Central and South America can be divided into three

distinct regions separated by mountain ranges: the Pacific slope, the Interior and theAtlantic slope. These regions can be further divided into other sub-zones, based on avariety of habitats.

The Yucatan Peninsula lies on the Atlantic slope and is geographically very different fromthe rest of Mexico: It is a low-level limestone shelf on the east coast extending north intothe Caribbean. The vegetation ranges from rainforest in the south to arid scrubenvironments in the north. The coastlines are predominantly sandy beaches but alsoinclude extensive networks of mangroves and lagoons, providing a wide variety of habitatscapable of supporting large resident populations of birds.

Due to the location of the Yucatan peninsula, its population of resident breeders issignificantly enlarged by seasonal migrants. There are four different types of migratorybirds: Winter visitors migrate south from North America during the winter (August to May).Summer residents live and breed in Mexico but migrate to South America for the winter months. Transient migrants are birds that breed in North America and migrate to SouthAmerica in the winter but stop or pass through Mexico. Pelagic visitors are birds that liveoffshore but stop or pass through the region.

Pez Maya is located near the town of Tulum inside the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reservebetween a network of mangrove lagoons and the Caribbean Sea. The local area containsthree key ecosystems; wetland, forest and marine environments.

6.2 Aims

• Develop a species list for the area

• Gain an idea of the abundance and diversity of bird species. Long-term bird datagathered over a sustained period could highlight trends not noticeable to short-termsurveys.

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• Educate the volunteers in bird identification techniques, expanding on their generalidentification skills. The birding project also provides a good opportunity to obtain abetter understanding of area diversity and the ecosystem as a whole.

6.3 Methodology Bird monitoring surveys are conducted using a simple methodology based on the birdmonitoring program at Costa Rica Expedition. A member of staff accompanied byvolunteers monitor the transects daily between 6 and 8am. There are five transects –Beach, Bridge, Road, Base and Mangrove. These transects were selected to cover arange of habitats, including coastline, mangroves, secondary growth and scrub. Thetransects are completed in approximately 30 minutes to allow for consistency of data. Toreduce duplication of data, recordings are taken in one direction only which also helps to

avoid double-counting where individuals are very active or numerous. Birds are identifiedusing binoculars, cameras and a range of identification books. Identification of calls is alsopossible for a limited number of species for experienced observers. If the individualspecies cannot be identified then birds are recorded to family level.

Each survey records the following information; location, date, start time, end time, name of recorders and number of each species seen. Wind and cloud cover have also beenrecorded to allow consideration of physical parameters.

6.4 Results

With comparison to the previous phase, 112, this phase has lowered slightly in numbers of species seen and number of transects that were conducted. The mangrove transect thatwas observed last phase was not utilized for this one. The reasoning behind this wasovergrowth of the transect, inhibiting the survey from being conducted.

The total number of transects was fifteen, only five less than last phase. The beach wassurveyed eight times, bridge was visited twice, lagoon three times, and the road twice. Theaverage number of persons conducting the surveys was four.

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Table 6-4-1. The most abundant species, number seen and the percentages over 15 surveyed

transects.

Common Name Number Seen Percentage SeenMangrove Swallow 93 26.3Sanderling 44 12.4

Magnificent Frigatebird 35 9.9Brown Pelican 31 8.7Great-tailed Grackle 29 8.2White Ibis 18 5.1Least Tern 18 5.1Tropical Mockingbird 17 4.8Black Catbird 9 2.5Turkey Vulture 9 2.5

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6.5 Discussion

Phase 113 has shown considerable change in the data that was collected. The speciesseen and the amount of transects has been reduced to almost half of what it was in theprevious three months. The amount of decreased species could be attributed to thelowering in transects that were observed and the number of transects themselves. Anexample of this would be the mangrove path, which had significant overgrowth to the pointthat a survey could not be conducted. Species decrease, while substantial, can easily beattributed to seasonal migration and breeding seasons.

In terms of the species that were recorded, this phase the Mangrove Swallow(Tachycineta albilinea ) was seen the most, with 26% of the total species recorded.Compared to last phase, this increase is attributed to seasonal migratory routes thathappened to correspond with the phase dates. Many of the top species will change quitefrequently because various seasonal migrants and winter visitors change with the phasedates. Two species that are seen every phase, at frequent intervals, are the Brown Pelican(Pelecanus occidentalis ) and the Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens ); there wasno change this phase. A note should be made regarding the absence of large flocks of shore birds such as terns, sandpipers and the like, since many of these species tend tomigrate in the winter months. Last phase there were 300 avian sightings that wereidentified only to genus level; this phase there were only 21 that could not be identified tospecies level. More than 80% of these were Plovers and other shore birds.

In terms of the different transects, the lagoon seems to produce the majority of speciesdiversity. It is the location that has the most seasonal migration of shore birds, includingegrets and herons. The bridge is the second best in species diversity because it is locatedwithin the mangrove and tends to be home to Egrets, Herons, Kingfishers and numerous

juvenile birds of prey such as the Common Black Hawk (Buteogallus anthracinus ).

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7. References

AGRRA (2000) Atlantic and Gulf Rapid Reef Assessment (AGRRA). The AGRRA Rapid

Assessment Protocol. http://www.agrra.org/method/methodhome.htm

Almada-Villela P.C., Sale P.F., Gold-Bouchot G. Kjerfve B. (2003) Manual of Methods for the MBRS Synoptic Monitoring System: Selected Methods for Monitoring Physical andBiological Parameters for Use in the Mesoamerican Region. Mesoamerican Barrier Reef Systems Project (MBRS).

Deloach, N. (1999)Reef fish behaviour . New World Publications, Inc

Humann, N. & DeLoach, P. (2008)Reef Coral Identification: Florida, Caribbean, Bahamas .Florida: New World Publications,

Humann, N. & DeLoach, P. (2008)Reef Fish Identification: Florida, Caribbean, Bahamas.

Florida : New World Publications.

McClanahan, T.R., Muthiga, N.A. (1998) An ecological shift in a remote coral atoll of Belize

over 25 years. Environmental Conservation 25 : 122-130.

Morris, J.R, Akins, J.L., Barse, A., Cerino, D., Freshwater, D. W., Green, S.J., Munoz, R.C.Paris, C., Whitfield, P.E. (2009). Biology and Ecology of the Invasive Lionfishes, Pterois

miles and Pterois volitans. Proceedings of the 61st Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries InstituteNovember 10 - 14, 2008. 1-6.

Padilla C., Gutierrez D. Lara M., Garcia C. 1992. Coral Reefs of the Biosphere Reserve of

Sian Ka’an, Quintana Roo, Mexico. Proceedings of the International Coral Reef

Symposium, Guam. 2, 986-992.

Sampayo, E.M, Ridgeway, T., Bongaerts, P. & Hoegh-Goldberg, O. (2008). Bleachingsusceptibility and mortality of corals are determined by fine-scale differences in symbionttype. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science . 105 , 10444-10449.

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http://www.agrra.org/method/methodhome.htm





Schutte, V. G. W., Selig, E. R. & Bruno, J. F. (2010). Regional spatio-temporal trends inCaribbean coral reef benthic communities. Marine Ecology Progress Series . 402 , 115-122.

Spalding, M.D., Jarvis, G.E. (2002). The impact of the 1998 coral mortality on reef fish

communities in the Seychelles. Marine Pollution Bulletin 44: 309-321.

UNEP-WCMC (2006). In the front line: shoreline protection and other ecosystem servicesfrom mangroves and coral reefs. UNEP-WCMC, Cambridge, UK.

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8. Appendices

Appendix I – SMP Methodology OutlinesBuddy method 1: Surveys of corals, algae and other sessile organisms

At each monitoring site five replicate 30m transect lines are deployed randomly within100m of the GPS point. The transect line is laid across the reef surface at a constantdepth, usually perpendicular to the reef slope.

The first diver of this monitoring buddy pair collects data on the characterisation of thecoral community under the transect line. Swimming along the transect line the diver identifies, to species level, each hermatypic coral directly underneath the transect that is atleast 10cm at its widest point and in the original growth position. If a colony has beenknocked or has fallen over, it is only recorded if it has become reattached to thesubstratum. The diver also records the water depth at the beginning and end of eachtransect.

The diver then identifies the colony boundaries based on verifiable connective or commonskeleton. Using a measuring pole, the colonies projected diameter (live plus dead areas) inplan view and maximum height (live plus dead areas) from the base of the coloniessubstratum are measured.

From plane view perspective, the percentage of coral that is not healthy (separated intoold dead and recent dead) is also estimated.

The first diver also notes any cause of mortality including diseases and/or predation andany bleached tissue present. The diseases are characterised using the following tencategories:

Black band disease Red band diseaseWhite band disease Hyperplasm and Neoplasm (irregular growths)White plague Dark spot diseaseYellow blotch disease Unknown

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Predation and overgrowth are also recorded on each of the coral colonies. The followingcategories are considered:

Parrotfish predation Fire coral predationDamselfish predation Gorgonian predationFireworm predation Zoanthid predationShort coral snail predation Coralline algae overgrowthOvergrowing mat tunicate Sponge overgrowthVariable boring sponge Cliona sp.

Bleaching is described as either pale, partial of total using the following definitions:Pale – the majority of the colony is pale compared to the original colour of the coralPartial – the colony has a significant amount of patchy white areasTotal – all, or almost all, of the colony is white

Any other features of note are also recorded, including, orange icing sponge, coralcompetition and Christmas tree worms.

The second diver measures the percentage cover of sessile organisms and substratealong the 30m transect, recording the nature of the substrate or organism directly every25cm along the transect. Organisms are classified into the following groups:

Coralline algae - crusts or finely branched algae that are hard (calcareous.Turf algae - may look fleshy and/or filamentous but do not rise more than 1cm above thesubstrateMacroalgae - include fleshy and calcareous algae whose fronds are projected more than1cm above the substrate. Three of these are further classified into additional groups whichinclude Halimeda, Dictyota , and Lobophora

GorgoniansHermatypic corals - to species level, where possible

Bare rock, sand and rubbleAny other sessile organisms e.g. sponges, tunicates, zoanthids and hydroids.

Buddy method 2: Belt transect counts for coral reef fish

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At each monitoring site 8 replicate 30m transects lines are deployed randomly within 100mof the GPS point. The transect line is laid just above the reef surface at a constant depth,usually perpendicular to the reef slope. The first diver is responsible for swimming slowlyalong the transect line identifying, counting and estimating the sizes of specific indicator

fish species in their adult phase. The diver visually estimates a two metre by two metre‘corridor’ and carries a one meter T-bar divided into 10cm graduations to aid the accuracyof the size estimation of the fish identified. The fish are assigned to the following sizecategories:

0-5cm 21-30cm6-10cm 31-40cm11-20cm >40cm (with size specified)

The buddy pair then waits for three minutes at a short distance from the end of thetransect line before proceeding. This allows juvenile fish to return to their original positionsbefore they were potentially scared off by the divers during the adult transect. The seconddiver swims slowly back along the transect surveying a one metre by one metre ‘corridor’and identifying and counting the presence of newly settled fish of the target species. Inaddition, it is also this diver’s responsibility to identify and count the Banded Shrimp,Stenopus hispidus. This is a collaborative effort with UNAM to track this species as their

population is slowly dwindling due to their direct removal for the aquarium trade. The juvenile diver also counts any Diadema antillarum individuals found on their transects.This is aimed at tracking the slow come back of these urchins.

Buddy Method 3: Coral & Fish Rover divers

At each monitoring site the third buddy pair completes a thirty minute survey of the site inan expanding square pattern, with one diver recording all adult fish species observed. The

approximate density of each fish species is categorised using the following numerations:

Single (1 fish)Few (2-10 fish)Many (11-100 fish)Abundant (>100 fish)

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The second diver swims alongside the Fish Rover diver and records, to species level, allcoral communities observed, regardless of size. The approximate density of each coralspecies is then categorised using similar ranges to those for fish:

Single (1 community)Few (2-10 communities)Many (11-50 communities)Abundant (>50 communities)

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Appendix II - Adult Fish Indicator Species List The following list includes only the adult fish species that are surveyed during monitoringdives.

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Scientific Name Common Name Scientific Name Common Name Acanthurus coeruleus, Blue Tang Scarus guacamaia Rainbow Parrotfish Acanthurus bahianus, Ocean Surgeonfish Scarus vetula Queen Parrotfish Acanthurus chirurgus, Doctorfish Sparisoma viride Stoplight ParrotfishChaetodon striatus, Banded Butterflyfish Scarus taeniopterus Princess ParrotfishChaetodon capistratus, Four Eye Butterflyfish Scarus iserti Striped ParrotfishChaetodon ocellatus, Spotfin Butterflyfish Sparisoma aurofrenatum Redband ParrotfishChaetodon aculeatus, Longsnout Butterflyfish Sparisoma chrysopterum Redtail ParrotfishHaemulon flavolineatum French Grunt Sparisoma rubripinne Yellowtail ParrotfishHaemulon striatum Striped Grunt Sparisoma atomarium Greenblotch ParrotfiHaemulon plumierii White Grunt Sparisoma radians Bucktooth ParrotfishHaemulon sciurus Bluestriped Grunt Epinephelus itajara Goliath Grouper Haemulon carbonarium Caesar Grunt Epinephelus striatus Nassau Grouper Haemulon chrysargyreum Smallmouth Grunt Mycteroperca venenosa Yellowfin Grouper Haemulon aurolineatum Tomtate Mycteroperca bonaci Black Grouper Haemulon melanurum Cottonwick Mycteroperca tigris Tiger Grouper Haemulon macrostomum Spanish Grunt Mycteroperca interstitialis Yellowmouth GroupHaemulon parra Sailor’s Choice Epinephelus guttatus Red HindHaemulon album White Margate Epinephelus adscensionis Rock Hind

Anisotremus virginicus Porkfish Cephalopholis cruentatus Graysby Anisotremus surinamensis Black Margate Cephalopholis fulvus ConeyLutjanus analis Mutton Snapper Balistes vetula Queen TriggerfishLutjanus griseus Gray Snapper Balistes capriscus Gray TriggerfishLutjanus cyanopterus Cubera Snapper Canthidermis sufflamen Ocean TriggerfishLutjanus jocu Dog Snapper Xanithichthys ringens Sargassum TriggerfiLutjanus mahogoni Mahaogany Snapper Melichthys niger Black DurgonLutjanus apodus Schoolmaster Aluterus scriptus Scrawled FilefishLutjanus synagris Lane Snapper Cantherhines pullus Orangespotted FilefiOcyurus chrysurus Yellowtail Snapper Cantherhines macrocerus Whitespotted FilefisHolacanthus ciliaris Queen Angelfish Bodianus rufus Spanish HogfishPomacanthus paru French Angelfish Lachnolaimus maximus HogfishPomacanthus arcuatus Grey Angelfish Caranx rubber Bar JackHolacanthus tricolour Rock Beauty Microspathodon chrysurus Yellowtail DamselfiScarus coeruleus Blue Parrotfish Sphyraena barracuda Great BarracudaScarus coelestinus Midnight Parrotfish



Appendix III - Juvenile Fish Indicator Species List The subsequent list specifies the juvenile fish species and their maximum target lengththat are recorded during monitoring dives

Scientific Name Common Name Max. target length (cm)

Acanthurus bahianus Ocean surgeonfish 5 Acanthurus coeruleus Blue tang 5Chaetodon capistratus Foureye butterflyfish 2Chaetodon striatus Banded butterflyfish 2Gramma loreto Fairy basslet 3Bodianus rufus Spanish hogfish 3.5Halichoeres bivittatus Slipperydick 3Halichoeres garnoti Yellowhead wrasse 3Halichoeres maculipinna Clown wrasse 3Thalassoma bifasciatum Bluehead wrasse 3Halichoeres pictus Rainbow wrasse 3Chromis cyanea Blue chromis 3.5Stegastes adustus Dusky damselfish 2.5Stegastes diencaeus Longfin damselfish 2.5Stegastes leucostictus Beaugregory 2.5Stegastes partitus Bicolour damselfish 2.5Stegastes planifrons Threespot damselfish 2.5Stegastes variabilis Cocoa damselfish 2.5Scarus iserti Striped parrotfish 3.5Scarus taeniopterus Princess parrotfish 3.5Sparisoma atomarium Greenblotch parrotfish 3.5Sparisoma aurofrenatum Redband parrotfish 3.5Sparisoma viride Stoplight parrotfish 3.5

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Appendix IV - Coral Species List

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Family Genus Species Family Genus SpeciesAcroporidae Acropora cervicornis Meandrinidae Dendrogyra cylindrus

Acroporidae Acropora palmata Meandrinidae Dichocoenia stokesii Acroporidae Acropora prolifera Meandrinidae Meandrina meandritesAgariciidae Agaricia agaricites Milliporidae Millepora alcicornisAgariciidae Agaricia fragilis Milliporidae Millepora complanataAgariciidae Agaricia grahamae Mussidae Isophyllastrea rigidaAgariciidae Agaricia lamarcki Mussidae Isophyllia sinuosaAgariciidae Agaricia tenuifolia Mussidae Mussa angulosaAgariciidae Agaricia undata Mussidae Mycetophyllia aliciaeAgariciidae Helioceris cucullata Mussidae Mycetophyllia ferox Antipatharia Cirrhipathes leutkeni Mussidae Mycetophyllia lamarckianaAstrocoeniidae Stephanocoenia intersepts Mussidae Mycetophyllia reesi Caryophylliidae Eusmilia fastigiana Mussidae Scolymia sp.

Faviidae Colpophyllia natans Pocilloporidae Madracis decactisFaviidae Diploria clivosa Pocilloporidae Madracis formosaFaviidae Diploria labrynthiformis Pocilloporidae Madracis mirabilisFaviidae Diploria strigosa Pocilloporidae Madracis pharensisFaviidae Favia fragum Poritidae Porites astreoidesFaviidae Manicina areolata Poritidae Porites divaricataFaviidae Montastraea annularis Poritidae Porites furcataFaviidae Montastraea cavernosa Poritidae Porites poritesFaviidae Montastraea faveolata Siderastridae Siderastrea radiansFaviidae Montastraea franksi Siderastridae Siderastrea s idereal Faviidae Solenastrea bournoni Stylasteridae Stylaster roseusFaviidae Solenastrea hyades



Appendix V - Fish Species List This list was begun for Pez Maya in 2003. This list is compiled from the Adult and Rover diver surveys.

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Family Genus Species Common NamesAcanthuridae Acanthurus Bahianus Ocean surgeonfishAcanthuridae Acanthurus Chirurgus DoctorfishAcanthuridae Acanthurus Coeruleus Blue tang

Atherinidae, Clupeidae, Engraulididae Silversides, Herrings, AnchoviesAulostomidae Aulostomus Maculates TrumpetfishBalistidae Balistes Capriscus Gray triggerfishBalistidae Balistes Vetula Queen triggerfishBalistidae Canthidermis Sufflamen Ocean triggerfishBalistidae Melichthys Niger Black durgonBalistidae Xanithichthys Ringens Sargassum triggerfish

Bothidae Bothus Lunatus Peacock flounder Carangidae Caranx Bartholomaei Yellow jackCarangidae Caranx Crysos Blue runner Carangidae Caranx Ruber Bar jackCarangidae Trachinotus Falcatus PermitCentropomidae Centropomus Undecimalis Common snookChaenopsidae Lucayablennius Zingaro Arrow blennyChaetodontidae Chaetodon Aculeatus Longsnout butterflyfishChaetodontidae Chaetodon Capistratus Foureye butterflyfishChaetodontidae Chaetodon Ocellatus Spotfin butterflyfishChaetodontidae Chaetodon Sedentarius Reef butterflyfishChaetodontidae Chaetodon Striatus Banded butterflyfishCirrhitidae Amblycirrhitus Pinos Red spotted hawkfishCongridae Heteroconger Longissimus Brown garden eelDasyatidae Dasyatis Americana Southern stingrayDiodontidae Diodon Holocanthus BalloonfishElopidae Megalops Atlanticus TarponGobiidae Coryphopterus Eidolon Palid GobyGobiidae Coryphopterus Glaucofraenum Bridled gobyGobiidae Coryphopterus Lipernes Peppermint gobyGobiidae Coryphopterus personatus/hyalinus Masked/glass gobyGobiidae Gnatholepis Thompsoni Goldspot gobyGobiidae Gobiosoma Oceanops Neon goby.Gobiidae Gobiosoma Prochilos Broadstripe gobyGrammatidae Gramma Loreto Fairy bassletFamily Genus Species Common NamesGrammatidae Gymnothorax Funebris Green morayGrammatidae Gymnothorax Moringa Spotted morayHaemulidae Anisotremus Virginicus PorkfishHaemulidae Haemulon Album White margateHaemulidae Haemulon Aurolineatum TomtateHaemulidae Haemulon Carbonarium Ceaser GruntHaemulidae Haemulon Flavolineatum French gruntHaemulidae Haemulon Macrostomum Spanish grunt

Haemulidae Haemulon Plumierii White gruntHaemulidae Haemulon Sciurus Bluestriped gruntHaemulidae Haemulon Striatum Striped gruntHaemulidae Anisotremus Surinamensis Black margateHaemulidae Haemulon Parra Sailor’s choiceHolocentridae Holocentrus Adscensionis SquirrelfishHolocentridae Holocentrus Rufus Longspine squirrelfishHolocentridae Myripristis Jacobus Blackbar soldierfishHolocentridae Neoniphon Marianus Longjaw squirrelfishHolocentridae Sargocentron Bullisi Deepwater squirrelfishHolocentridae Sargocentron Coruscum Reef squirrelfishHolocentridae Sargocentron Vexillarium Dusky squirrelfishKyphosidae Kyphosus sectatrix/incisor ChubLabridae Bodianus Rufus Spanish hogfish



Appendix VI - Bird Species List Bird species identified to species level in Pez Maya.

Common name Species Common name SpeciesGreat-tailed grackle Quiscalus mexicanus Wilson's plover Charadrius wilsoniaMagnificent frigatebird Fregata magnificens Belted Kingfisher Ceryle alcyonRuddy turnstone Arenaria interpres Cinnamon hummingbird Amazilia rutilaRoyal tern Sterna m. maxima Common black-hawk Buteogallus anthracinusTropical mockingbird Mimus gilvus Common ground-dove Columbina passerinaBrown pelican Pelecanus occidentalis Melodious blackbird Dives divesSanderling Calidris alba Mangrove Vireo Vireo pallens

Yellow warbler Dendroica petechia Spot Breasted Wren Thryothorus maculipectusOsprey Pandion haliaetus Yellow-crowned Night-

Heron

Nycticorax violaceus

Black catbird Dumetella glabrirostris Black-bellied Plover Pluvialis squatarolaWhite Ibis Eudocimus albus Black-crowned Night-

Heron

Nycticorax nycticorax hoactli

Turkey vulture Cathartes aura Black vulture Coragyps atratusHooded Oriole Icterus cucullatus Great Egret Egretta alba egrettaSnowy egret Egretta thula Green kingfisher Chloroceryle americanaBananaquit Coereba flaveola Laughing gull Larus atricillaGolden-fronted

Woodpecker

Centurus aurifrons Little Blue Heron Egretta caerulea

Great blue heron Ardea herodias Mangrove warbler Dendroica erithachorides Yellow-throated warbler Dendroica dominica Neotropic Cormorant Phalacrocorax brasilianusBare-throated Tiger heron Tigrisoma mexicanum Roseate spoonbill Platalea ajajaSemipalmated sandpiper Calidris pusilla Solitary Sandpiper Tringa solitariaWhite-collared Seedeater Sporophila torqueola Tricolored heron Egretta tricolor Great Kiskadee Pitangus sulphuratus White-winged dove Zenaida asiaticaPlain Chachalaca Ortalis vetula

gvi mexico quarterly report pez maya july-september 2011

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