Between September 10, 2013 – October 3, 2013 the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation conducted a
research mission to Tonga, focusing on coral reefs surrounding the islands in the Ha'apai group (Sep 11-21),
Vava'u (Sep 22-28) and Niuaatoputapu (Sep 29-Oct 1). The mission included coral reef assessments, coral reef
research, habitat mapping, and educational activities. The objectives of the mission were to:
1) Identify and characterize shallow marine habitats and develop habitat and bathymetric maps:
2) Evaluate the composition, structure and health of coral reefs using a standardized assessment protocol;
3) Evaluate the effects of environmental stressors on coral health and subcellular changes through biomarker
expression;
4) Assess the diversity, abundance and population structure of fishes, corals and other invertebrates, and algae,
including commercially valuable species;
5) Document the impacts of broad scale disturbances and patterns of recovery with emphasis on Tsunami
damage in Niua;
6) Measure ocean chemistry (pH) and effects on coral growth; and
7) Characterize the types of symbionts in reef building corals and variations in their photosynthetic efficiency
under different environmental conditions.
The project was conducted in partnership with the Ministry of Lands, Environment, Climate Change & Natural Resources (MLECCNR), Ministry of Agriculture, Forests and Fisheries (MAFF) and Vava'u Environmental Protection Association (VEPA), with involvement of scientists from Nova Southeastern University, University of the Azores, University of the Philippines, NOAA/University of Miami, Atlantic and Gulf Rapid Reef Assessment Program (AGRRA), and the National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium (Taiwan)
