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Structure from Motion (SfM) benthic images collected from Fixed Sites across the U.S. Pacific since 2019

Published by Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce | Catalog Last Checked: August 02, 2026 at 11:24 PM | Dataset Last Updated: April 30, 2026 at 12:00 AM
The photographs described in this dataset were collected using a Structure from Motion (SfM) approach during in-water surveys throughout the U.S. Pacific since 2019. Surveys were funded by NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) and conducted by the NOAA Fisheries, Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD). Survey sites consisted of sites previously established by collaborators from Scripps Institution of Oceanography and new sites established in 2019 by NOAA ESD. All sites ranged from 9-16 meters in depth and surveys covered approximately 100 m2 of reef habitat. Sites were photographed by divers swimming approximately 1 m off the seafloor with high overlap between images to produce SfM products. The data extracted from this imagery provides information on juvenile and adult taxonomic identification, abundance, planar area, and can be used to track the fate of individual coral colonies over time. Imagery collected prior to 2019 can be accessed via the UC Library 100 Island Challenge Collection (https://library.ucsd.edu/dc/collection/bb1610330b). Methods used to collect & process raw imagery are detailed here: https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/22753 This metadata record also provides links to available SfM imagery collected at fixed sites established to assess bleaching impact and recovery in the Main Hawaiian Islands from 2019 - 2021, including the combined effort of DAR, Scripps, and the ESD. In 2019, Lana'i, O'ahu, and Hawai'i were visited by the ESD; In 2020 O'ahu was revisited by the ESD. In 2021, Hawai'i imagery was collected by DAR, and O'ahu imagery was collected by the ESD. In 2021 Lana'i imagery was collected by SIO and used a slightly different method of using 'tiles' rather than 'markers' in the imagery and will therefore be accessible separately via Google Cloud bucket.

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DOC/NOAA/NMFS/PIFSC/ESD > Ecosystem Sciences Division, Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce EARTH SCIENCE EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOSYSTEMS > MARINE ECOSYSTEMS > BENTHIC EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOSYSTEMS > MARINE ECOSYSTEMS > REEF > CORAL REEF EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > COASTAL PROCESSES > CORAL REEFS EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > COASTAL PROCESSES > CORAL REEFS > CORAL BLEACHING EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > COASTAL PROCESSES > CORAL REEFS > CORAL REEF ASSESSMENT OCEAN > PACIFIC OCEAN > CENTRAL PACIFIC OCEAN > HAWAIIAN ISLANDS

Complete Metadata
@type dcat:Dataset
accessLevel non-public
contactPoint 
{
  "fn": "Akridge, Michael W",
  "@type": "vcard:Contact",
  "hasEmail": "mailto:michael.akridge@noaa.gov"
}
describedByType application/octet-steam
description The photographs described in this dataset were collected using a Structure from Motion (SfM) approach during in-water surveys throughout the U.S. Pacific since 2019. Surveys were funded by NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) and conducted by the NOAA Fisheries, Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD). Survey sites consisted of sites previously established by collaborators from Scripps Institution of Oceanography and new sites established in 2019 by NOAA ESD. All sites ranged from 9-16 meters in depth and surveys covered approximately 100 m2 of reef habitat. Sites were photographed by divers swimming approximately 1 m off the seafloor with high overlap between images to produce SfM products. The data extracted from this imagery provides information on juvenile and adult taxonomic identification, abundance, planar area, and can be used to track the fate of individual coral colonies over time. Imagery collected prior to 2019 can be accessed via the UC Library 100 Island Challenge Collection (https://library.ucsd.edu/dc/collection/bb1610330b). Methods used to collect & process raw imagery are detailed here: https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/22753 This metadata record also provides links to available SfM imagery collected at fixed sites established to assess bleaching impact and recovery in the Main Hawaiian Islands from 2019 - 2021, including the combined effort of DAR, Scripps, and the ESD. In 2019, Lana'i, O'ahu, and Hawai'i were visited by the ESD; In 2020 O'ahu was revisited by the ESD. In 2021, Hawai'i imagery was collected by DAR, and O'ahu imagery was collected by the ESD. In 2021 Lana'i imagery was collected by SIO and used a slightly different method of using 'tiles' rather than 'markers' in the imagery and will therefore be accessible separately via Google Cloud bucket.
distribution 
[
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "SfM_FixedSite_RawImagery_Metadata_MHI_2019.csv",
    "accessURL": "https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/accession#",
    "mediaType": "text/html",
    "description": "Metadata for benthic imagery imagery collected using a Structure from Motion (SfM) approach at permanent survey sites. Surveys were conducted by the NOAA Fisheries Ecosystem Sciences Division and Scripps Institution of Oceanography in the Hawaiian Islands from 2014-2019.",
    "describedByType": "application/octet-stream"
  },
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "SfM_FixedSite_RawImagery_MHI_2019",
    "accessURL": "https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/ocean-exploration/video/",
    "mediaType": "text/html",
    "description": "Benthic imagery collected using a Structure from Motion (SfM) approach at permanent survey sites. Surveys were conducted by the NOAA Fisheries Ecosystem Sciences Division at coral reef sites throughout the main Hawaiian Islands beginning in 2019. Photos are organized by year, region, island and site. The imagery package contains 100 tar compressed files (each file <20 GB) and 100 archive manifest files. See metadata file for site information.",
    "describedByType": "application/octet-stream"
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  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "GCMD Keyword Forum Page",
    "accessURL": "https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD%2BKeywords",
    "mediaType": "text/html",
    "description": "Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2026. GCMD Keywords, Version 24. Greenbelt, MD: Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). URL (GCMD Keyword Forum Page): https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD+Keywords",
    "describedByType": "application/octet-stream"
  },
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "Full Metadata Record",
    "accessURL": "https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/63091",
    "mediaType": "text/html",
    "description": "View the complete metadata record on InPort for more information about this dataset.",
    "describedByType": "application/octet-stream"
  }
]
identifier https://data.noaa.gov/waf/NOAA/nmfs/pifsc/iso/xml/63091.xml
keyword 
[
  "DOC/NOAA/NMFS/PIFSC/ESD > Ecosystem Sciences Division, Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce",
  "EARTH SCIENCE",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOSYSTEMS > MARINE ECOSYSTEMS > BENTHIC",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOSYSTEMS > MARINE ECOSYSTEMS > REEF > CORAL REEF",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > COASTAL PROCESSES > CORAL REEFS",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > COASTAL PROCESSES > CORAL REEFS > CORAL BLEACHING",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > COASTAL PROCESSES > CORAL REEFS > CORAL REEF ASSESSMENT",
  "OCEAN > PACIFIC OCEAN > CENTRAL PACIFIC OCEAN > HAWAIIAN ISLANDS",
  "OCEAN > PACIFIC OCEAN > CENTRAL PACIFIC OCEAN > HAWAIIAN ISLANDS > HAWAII ISLAND",
  "OCEAN > PACIFIC OCEAN > CENTRAL PACIFIC OCEAN > HAWAIIAN ISLANDS > LANAI",
  "OCEAN > PACIFIC OCEAN > CENTRAL PACIFIC OCEAN > HAWAIIAN ISLANDS > OAHU",
  "OCEAN > PACIFIC OCEAN > WESTERN PACIFIC OCEAN > MICRONESIA > GUAM",
  "OCEAN > PACIFIC OCEAN > WESTERN PACIFIC OCEAN > MICRONESIA > NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS",
  "CAMERA > CAMERA",
  "CAMERAS",
  "Visual Images > Habitats",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Aquatic Habitat > Benthic Habitat",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Coral Growth",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > Photographic Analysis",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Scleractinia (stony corals)",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Coral Communities",
  "COUNTRY/TERRITORY > Northern Mariana Islands > Northern Mariana Islands > Northern Mariana Islands ( CNMI ) (18N146E0000)",
  "COUNTRY/TERRITORY > Northern Mariana Islands > Pagan > Pagan Island (18N145E0001)",
  "COUNTRY/TERRITORY > Northern Mariana Islands > Saipan > Saipan Island (15N145E0002)",
  "COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Guam > Guam (13N144E0000)",
  "COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Hawaii > Hawaii Island (19N155W0003)",
  "COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Honolulu > Kure Atoll (28N178W0001)",
  "COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Honolulu > Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (28N178W0000)",
  "COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Honolulu > Oahu (21N157W0003)",
  "COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Honolulu > Pearl and Hermes Reef (27N176W0001)",
  "COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Maui > Maui Island (20N156W0004)",
  "COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaiian Islands (21N157W0027)",
  "OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Northwestern Hawaiian Islands > Kure Atoll (28N178W0001)",
  "OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Northwestern Hawaiian Islands > Pearl and Hermes Reef (27N176W0001)",
  "OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Western Pacific Ocean > Guam > Guam (13N144E0000)",
  "OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Western Pacific Ocean > Mariana Archipelago > Northern Mariana Islands ( CNMI ) (18N146E0000)",
  "OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Western Pacific Ocean > Maug Island > Maug Island (20N145E0001)",
  "OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Western Pacific Ocean > Pagan Island > Pagan Island (18N145E0001)",
  "OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Western Pacific Ocean > Saipan Island > Saipan Island (15N145E0002)",
  "TERRITORY > Northern Mariana Islands > Maug > Maug Island (20N145E0001)",
  "images",
  "in situ",
  "CORAL REEF STUDIES",
  "Ocean Acidification Program",
  "Marianas Trench Marine National Monument",
  "NW Pacific",
  "Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument",
  "North Pacific Ocean",
  "US DOC; NOAA; NMFS; Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center; Ecosystem Sciences Division",
  "COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaiian Islands (21N157W0027)",
  "OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Hawaiian Islands (21N157W0027)",
  "OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Hawaiian Islands > Hawaii > Hawaii (21N160W0000",
  "OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Hawaiian Islands > Maui Island > Maui Island (20N156W0004)",
  "OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Hawaiian Islands > Oahu Island > Oahu (21N157W0003)",
  "OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (28N178W0000)",
  "photograph",
  "scale",
  "HI'IALAKAI",
  "OSCAR ELTON SETTE",
  "CNMI",
  "CRED",
  "CREP",
  "Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands",
  "Coral Reef Ecosystem Division",
  "Coral Reef Ecosystem Program",
  "ESD",
  "Ecosystem Sciences Division",
  "MHI",
  "Main Hawaiian Islands",
  "NWHI",
  "Northwestern Hawaiian ISlands",
  "PIFSC",
  "Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center",
  "RAMP",
  "Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program",
  "Scripps Institution of Oceanography",
  "SfM",
  "Structure from Motion",
  "Viscore",
  "DOC/NOAA/NMFS/PIFSC > Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce",
  "Structure From Motion"
]
landingPage https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/63091
language 
[]
license https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/
modified 2026-04-30T00:00:00.000+00:00
publisher 
{
  "name": "Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center",
  "@type": "org:Organization"
}
rights otherRestrictions, unclassified
spatial -154.806789,-14.373615,144.618287,28.455623
temporal 2019-04-27T00:00:00+00:00/2019-04-27T00:00:00+00:00
theme 
[
  "geospatial"
]
title Structure from Motion (SfM) benthic images collected from Fixed Sites across the U.S. Pacific since 2019

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