Estimating reef habitat coverage suitable for the humphead wrasse, Cheilinus undulatus, using remote sensing.
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This study evaluates the use of satellite images for mapping shallow reef areas and the habitat of humphead wrasse. A method for mapping the suitable habitat for adult humphead wrasse is developed based on the location of reef edges on available Landsat images and on the application of a buffer area around the edges, where the probability of finding adult humphead wrasse is highest according to Underwater Visual Survey (UVS) data. The method is used to estimate the habitat coverage of the specie s in Indonesia, Malaysia and Papua New Guinea, three of the most important exporting countries of the species. The total estimated habitat coverage was 11 892 km2 in Indonesia, 941 km2 in Malaysia and 5 254 km2 in Papua New Guinea. The estimates for Indonesia and Malaysia are approximately four times smaller than other available estimates of reef coverage for these countries, the difference being explained by the higher accuracy of the method used in the present study in identifying the location of shallow water fringing reefs. It is concluded that, for the purpose of estimating the suitable areas of humphead wrasse as a basis for defining population size and sustainable export quotas, the results obtained in the present study are more conservative and appropriate than previously available estimates of reef areas.