In water transect-count surveys of keystone species and fish schools, Bonaire

With the in-water monitoring activities, STCB collects data on the following CITES species:

• (a) green turtles; (b) hawksbill turtles; (c) loggerhead turtles; (d) sharks; (e) rays.

In addition, data is collected on:

• (f) barracudas; (g) tarpons; (h) rainbow parrotfish; (i) midnight parrotfish; (j) fish schools (creole fish, creole wrasse, black durgon, blue tang/surgeon fish, palometa, chub, bar jack, black margate, horse-eye jack, school master, yellow-tail snapper).
• Time of survey: date and time.
• Environment: horizontal and vertical visibility, food availability, substrate, water temperature.
• Disturbance: presence and number of fishing boats and humans in the survey regions.
• Observers: number of observers and their level of experience.

For the in-water monitoring activities, STCB has divided Bonaire into three survey regions: Northwest Bonaire, Southwest Bonaire and Klein Bonaire. Within these survey regions, eighteen fixed systematically random transects (survey areas) have been set up. Subsequently, an additional eighteen random transects were set up in the areas between the fixed transects. Therefore, a total of 36 transects have been set.