Introduced marine species in Pago Pago harbour, Fagatele bay and the national park coast, American Samoa

Abstract

The biological communities at ten sites around the Island of Tutuila. American Samoa were surveyed in October 2002 by a team of four investigators. Diving observations and collections of benthic observations using scuba and snorkel were made at six stations in Pago Pago Harbor, two stations in Fagatele Bay. and one station each in Vatia Bay and Fagasa Bay. The purpose of this survey was to determine the organisms greater than 0.5 mm in size occurring at each site, including benthic algae, macroinvertebrates and fishes, and to evaluate the presence and potential impact of nonindigenous (introduced) marine species. These results were compared with all reports of marine organisms for these areas by previous investigators.