2012 Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program for the U.S. Pacific Remote Islands and American Samoa

Giant clams at Kingman Reef. Credit: Scott Godwin.

Papahānaumokuākea's Resource Protection Specialist Scott Godwin participated in the 2012 Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program (RAMP) research cruise run by the NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service, Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, and Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED). The expedition conducted coral monitoring and oceanographic research at Jarvis Island, Palmyra Atoll and Kingman Reef, which are part of the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument, and are the three U.S. territories in the eleven islands and atolls that make up the Line Islands. The remaining eight islands and atolls in the chain are part of the nation of Kiribati. The project Scott was working on specifically focused on gauging cryptic fauna diversity associated with these reefs using Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures, which were installed in 2010 at these locations.