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National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Assessment of coral reef benthic communities in the U.S. Virgin Islands

Published by NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce | Catalog Last Checked: August 03, 2026 at 08:14 AM | Dataset Last Updated: April 14, 2026 at 12:00 AM
Data provided in this dataset were collected around the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) as part of NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS)-led missions in collaboration with partners at the NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Southeast Fisheries Science Center, the National Park Service, USVI Department of Planning and Natural Resources, University of the Virgin Islands, University of Miami, Nova Southeastern University, The Nature Conservancy, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Benthic data collection for the ongoing National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) consists of two survey types: the Line Point-Intercept (LPI) method and the Coral Demographic method. The LPI method provides a measure of percent cover of biotic and abiotic components of the benthos in a stratified random sampling design in hardbottom and coral reef habitats. The coral demographics protocol provide more detailed and species-specific insight (‘signal magnitude’) for coral populations than is provided by percent cover.

Resources

15 resources available

  • CRCP Benthic Cover USVI

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  • CRCP Invertebrates ESACorals USVI

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  • CRCP Coral Demographic Survey USVI

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  • NCEI Dataset Landing Page

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  • Granule Search

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  • Belt Transect Fish Survey Protocol: U.S. Caribbean/Flower Garden Banks

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  • Coral Demographics Survey Protocol: U.S. Caribbean and Flower Garden Banks

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  • Line Point-Intercept Survey Protocol: U.S. Caribbean/Flower Garden Banks

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  • Topographic Complexity Survey Protocol: U.S. Caribbean/Flower Garden Banks

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  • Belt Transect Fish Survey

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  • Coral Demographic Survey Protocol: U.S. Caribbean/Flower Garden Banks 2013

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  • Line Point-Intercept Survey Protocol: U.S Caribbean/Flower Garden Banks 2013

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  • OBIS USA: NCRMP Benthic Variables in Darwin Core Format

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  • GCMD Keyword Forum Page

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  • NCEI Contact Information

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0176081 0215460 0224205 0270849 0294845 0313687 BENTHIC SPECIES BENTHIC SPECIES - TAXA COUNTS

Complete Metadata
@type dcat:Dataset
accessLevel non-public
contactPoint 
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  "fn": "NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information",
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describedByType application/octet-steam
description Data provided in this dataset were collected around the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) as part of NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS)-led missions in collaboration with partners at the NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Southeast Fisheries Science Center, the National Park Service, USVI Department of Planning and Natural Resources, University of the Virgin Islands, University of Miami, Nova Southeastern University, The Nature Conservancy, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Benthic data collection for the ongoing National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) consists of two survey types: the Line Point-Intercept (LPI) method and the Coral Demographic method. The LPI method provides a measure of percent cover of biotic and abiotic components of the benthos in a stratified random sampling design in hardbottom and coral reef habitats. The coral demographics protocol provide more detailed and species-specific insight (‘signal magnitude’) for coral populations than is provided by percent cover.
distribution 
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    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
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    "describedByType": "application/octet-stream"
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  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "Belt Transect Fish Survey Protocol: U.S. Caribbean/Flower Garden Banks",
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    "description": "Belt Transect Survey Protocol",
    "downloadURL": "https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0151728/data/0-data/NCRMP_STT-STJ_2013-2015_Benthics/Data_Documentation/Protocols/NCRMP_Caribbean-GoM_Field_Protocols_2015/NCRMP_BeltTransectFish_Protocol_Caribbean_FINAL_June_2015.pdf",
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    "description": "Topographic complexity survey protocol.",
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    "title": "Belt Transect Fish Survey",
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    "mediaType": "application/pdf",
    "description": "2013 Protocol for belt transect fish surveys",
    "downloadURL": "https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0151728/data/0-data/NCRMP_STT-STJ_2013-2015_Benthics/Data_Documentation/Protocols/NCRMP_Caribbean-GoM_Field_Protocols_2013/NCRMP_BeltTransectFish_Protocol_Caribbean_FINAL_June_2013.pdf",
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    "title": "Coral Demographic Survey Protocol: U.S. Caribbean/Flower Garden Banks 2013",
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    "description": "Coral demographic survey protocol for 2013",
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    "description": "Line point-intercept survey protocol 2013",
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    "title": "OBIS USA: NCRMP Benthic Variables in Darwin Core Format",
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identifier https://data.noaa.gov/waf/NOAA/NESDIS/ncei/accessions/iso/xml/NCRMP-Benthic-USVI.xml
issued 2018-09-12T00:00:00.000+00:00
keyword 
[
  "0176081",
  "0215460",
  "0224205",
  "0270849",
  "0294845",
  "0313687",
  "BENTHIC SPECIES",
  "BENTHIC SPECIES - TAXA COUNTS",
  "biological data",
  "CORAL",
  "CORAL - BLEACHING",
  "CORAL - CENSUS",
  "CORAL - COLONY SIZE",
  "CORAL - SPECIES IDENTIFICATION",
  "MACROINVERTEBRATE CENSUS",
  "REEF AND/OR BOTTOM REGIME - PERCENT COVER",
  "swimmer/diver",
  "visual observation",
  "biological",
  "in situ",
  "survey",
  "survey - biological",
  "survey - coral reef",
  "survey - swimmer/diver",
  "visual observation",
  "NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science",
  "NOAA Southeast Fisheries Science Center",
  "NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science",
  "Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP)",
  "CORAL REEF STUDIES",
  "National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP)",
  "Pacific Reef and Assessment Monitoring Program (Pacific RAMP)",
  "Caribbean Sea",
  "oceanography",
  "Coral World Ocean and Reef Initiative (CWORI)",
  "National Park Service (NPS)",
  "USVI Department of Planning and Natural Resources",
  "University of Miami (UM)",
  "University of the Virgin Islands (UVI)",
  "The Nature Conservancy",
  "US DOC; NOAA; NFMS; Southeast Fisheries Science Center (NMFS/SEFSC)",
  "US DOI; National Park Service (NPS)",
  "US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)",
  "USVI Department of Planning and Natural Resources",
  "University of Miami",
  "University of the Virgin Islands",
  "DOC/NOAA/NMFS > National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce",
  "DOC/NOAA/NMFS/SEFSC > Southeast Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce",
  "DOC/NOAA/NOS/NCCOS > National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, National Ocean Service, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce",
  "743",
  "National Coral Reef Monitoring Plan (NCRMP)",
  "National Coral Reef Monitoring Plan (NCRMP) Implementation",
  "National Coral Reef Monitoring Program",
  "National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP)",
  "CRCP Project #743 National Coral Reef Monitoring Plan (NCRMP)",
  "CRCP Project #743 National Coral Reef Monitoring Plan (NCRMP) Implementation",
  "NCCOS Project #180 National Coral Reef Monitoring Program Implementation: Biological and Socioeconomic Monitoring",
  "Numeric Data Sets > Benthic",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Aquatic Habitat > Reef Habitat > Description",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Ecological Dynamics > Species Richness",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Coral Diseases > Bleaching",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > ESA Listed Species",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > Benthos Analysis > Transect Monitoring > Linear Transect (point)",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > Coral Colony Size and Condition",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > In Situ Biological",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Scleractinia (stony corals)",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral Reef Ecology > Hard Coral Cover",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral Reef Ecology > Hard Coral Cover Dead percentage",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral Reef Ecology > Hard Coral Cover Live percentage",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral Reef Ecology > Rugosity",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Marine Invertebrates > Macroinvertebrates",
  "Monitoring",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION > ANIMALS/INVERTEBRATES",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOSYSTEMS > MARINE ECOSYSTEMS > BENTHIC",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOSYSTEMS > MARINE ECOSYSTEMS > REEF > CORAL REEF",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > COASTAL PROCESSES > CORAL REEFS > CORAL BLEACHING",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > SOLID EARTH > GEOMORPHIC LANDFORMS/PROCESSES > COASTAL LANDFORMS > CORAL REEFS",
  "NCCOS Research Data Types > Field Observation",
  "NCCOS Research Data Types > Long-term Monitoring",
  "NCCOS Research Priorities > Marine Spatial Ecology",
  "NCCOS Research Topic > Ecological and Biogeographic Assessments",
  "Marine Spatial Ecology > Ecological and Biogeographic Assessments",
  "Marine Spatial Ecology > Habitat Mapping",
  "Field Observation",
  "Long-term Monitoring",
  "REEF AND/OR BOTTOM REGIME - RUGOSITY",
  "VISUAL OBSERVATIONS > VISUAL OBSERVATIONS",
  "ruler",
  "Various Small Boats",
  "multiple small vessels",
  "COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > U. S. Virgin Islands > St. Croix > St. Croix (17N064W0003)",
  "COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > U. S. Virgin Islands > St. John > St. John (18N064W0011)",
  "COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > U. S. Virgin Islands > St. Thomas > St. Thomas (18N064W0033)",
  "COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > U. S. Virgin Islands > U. S. Virgin Islands > U. S. Virgin Islands (17N064W0000)",
  "OCEAN BASIN > Atlantic Ocean > Caribbean Sea > Virgin Islands > Leeward Islands > St. Thomas (18N064W0033)",
  "OCEAN BASIN > Atlantic Ocean > Caribbean Sea > Virgin Islands > Lesser Antilles > U. S. Virgin Islands (17N064W0000)",
  "OCEAN BASIN > Atlantic Ocean > Caribbean Sea > Virgin Islands > Virgin Islands > St. Croix (17N064W0003)",
  "OCEAN BASIN > Atlantic Ocean > Caribbean Sea > Virgin Islands > Virgin Islands > St. John (18N064W0011)",
  "OCEAN > ATLANTIC OCEAN > NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN > CARIBBEAN SEA",
  "OCEAN > ATLANTIC OCEAN > NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN > CARIBBEAN SEA > VIRGIN ISLANDS",
  "NCCOS Research Locations > Regions > Caribbean Sea",
  "NCCOS Research Locations > U.S. States and Territories > U.S. Virgin Islands",
  "U.S. States and Territories > U.S. Virgin Islands",
  "Waterbodies > Caribbean Sea",
  "USVI",
  "Caribbean Sea",
  "U.S. Virgin Islands",
  "Biennial",
  "VERTICAL LOCATION > SEA FLOOR",
  "4AT9KF",
  "7KDMNB",
  "EH2KCD",
  "RB1CKD",
  "XFA862",
  "Y90D6W"
]
landingPage https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/contact
language 
[]
license https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/
modified 2026-04-14T00:00:00.000+00:00
publisher 
{
  "name": "NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information",
  "@type": "org:Organization"
}
references 
[
  "https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0151728/data/0-data/NCRMP_STT-STJ_2013-2015_Benthics/Data_Documentation/Protocols/NCRMP_Caribbean-GoM_Field_Protocols_2015/NCRMP_BeltTransectFish_Protocol_Caribbean_FINAL_June_2015.pdf",
  "https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0151728/data/0-data/NCRMP_STT-STJ_2013-2015_Benthics/Data_Documentation/Protocols/NCRMP_Caribbean-GoM_Field_Protocols_2015/NCRMP_CoralDemographic_Protocol_Caribbean_FINAL_June_2015.pdf",
  "https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0151728/data/0-data/NCRMP_STT-STJ_2013-2015_Benthics/Data_Documentation/Protocols/NCRMP_Caribbean-GoM_Field_Protocols_2015/NCRMP_LinePointIntercept_Protocol_Caribbean_FINAL_June_2015.pdf",
  "https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0151728/data/0-data/NCRMP_STT-STJ_2013-2015_Benthics/Data_Documentation/Protocols/NCRMP_Caribbean-GoM_Field_Protocols_2015/NCRMP_TopographicComplexity_Protocol_Caribbean_FINAL_June_2015.pdf",
  "https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0151728/data/0-data/NCRMP_STT-STJ_2013-2015_Benthics/Data_Documentation/Protocols/NCRMP_Caribbean-GoM_Field_Protocols_2013/NCRMP_BeltTransectFish_Protocol_Caribbean_FINAL_June_2013.pdf",
  "https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0151728/data/0-data/NCRMP_STT-STJ_2013-2015_Benthics/Data_Documentation/Protocols/NCRMP_Caribbean-GoM_Field_Protocols_2013/NCRMP_CoralDemographic_Protocol_Caribbean_FINAL_June_2013.pdf",
  "https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0151728/data/0-data/NCRMP_STT-STJ_2013-2015_Benthics/Data_Documentation/Protocols/NCRMP_Caribbean-GoM_Field_Protocols_2013/NCRMP_LinePointIntercept_Protocol_Caribbean_FINAL_June_2013.pdf",
  "https://obis.org/institute/23174"
]
rights otherRestrictions
spatial -64.43145,17.63554,-65.14981,18.4152
temporal 2013-07-08T00:00:00+00:00/2013-07-08T00:00:00+00:00
theme 
[
  "geospatial"
]
title National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Assessment of coral reef benthic communities in the U.S. Virgin Islands

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