Counting Conundrum- Scientists Find New Method for Counting Reef Fish

Although it may appear deceivingly simple, the task of estimating reef fish populations is one that has stumped marine ecologists for decades- until now.

In a recent article published in the Fisheries Research Journal, scientists from the University of Miami and the NOAA Fisheries services have come together to develop a technique to increase the accuracy of monitoring reef fish populations. This new method uses a “probabilistic survey approach” to count fish more accurately, while also saving money on older techniques.

"The results of this study can be used to support stock assessments of principal exploited species, evaluate the performance of 'no-take' marine reserves, and assess community health for many non-target reef fish species," explained Steven Thur, acting manager of NOAA's Coral Reef Conservation Program. "This is a great example of science directly feeding into management decisions, finding research efficiencies, and of successful collaboration across federal, state, and academic lines so we invest our funds in areas of greatest importance."

More information on the fascinating history of estimating reef fish populations, as well as this new system, can be found in the Eurek Alert article.