Corals and Coral Predators at the ICON Site

Coral growth is moderately abundant at the ICON station, though the site has experienced bleaching and Acanthaster planci outbreaks in the past. Shallow coral communities, featuring some of the fastest growing corals are again luxuriant, despite the continued presence of several coral predators.

Predators include the spiny Acanthaster, a sea star known for devastating outbreaks that can nearly denude a reef of corals, the aptly named pillow star (Culcita novaguinea), and coralliophilid snails of the genus Drupella.

Acanthaster planci (above)

Culcita novaguinea (above)

Drupella sp.

IOOS Visits ICON Site

Zdenka Willis, head of the IOOS program along with Chris Ostrander, Director, and Jim Potemra, Data Management Chair, of the PacIOOS RA visited the ICON site. PacIOOS is partnering with the ICON program by providing additional sensor capabilities to the station.

Installing the Mooring System

John Halas, joined by Ben Cabrera and David Benavente of CNMI's Marine Monitoring Team, drills holes into reef pavement. The holes will receive stainless steel mooring pins that will hold the station firmly in place during any kind of weather.

New CREWS station site.

Looking east over the new site at Laolao Bay, just below Laolao Bay Golf Course (Hole #4), Saipan, June 24, 2010. Photo by Jim Hendee.

New site

The new location for the station is approximately 15° 9' 24.42" N, 145°46' 10.62" E, that is, right next to the Laolao Bay Golf Course. Pictures will be forthcoming soon, after the installation of the plate and pins is complete.

[Edited by MJ to correct new coordinates, August 31, 2010.]

Bottom Plate

During the week of June 20, John Halas, John Starmer, Mark Blackburn and Jim Hendee will survey the new site for the installation of the bottom plate for the new station. The site will be near 15° 09'39.6" N, 145° 45'51.4 W if you want to look it up on Google Earth. More information can be found at our ecological forecast site at http://ecoforecast.coral.noaa.gov/index/0/LLBP7/station-home. Updates on the operation soon...

Station Arrives

The ICON Station arrived and is now electronically set up thanks to Mike "Shoe" Shoemaker of NOAA's AOML in Florida. Shoe travelled all the way from Miami to make sure the station survived its long trip and that all was in order for the planned installation at the end of June.

Box of Goodies

After a lot of hard work by the AOML crew, the pylon and associated goodies are on their way to Saipan's commercial port where the station will be assembled before being transported over to Laolao Bay. We anticipate their safe arrival at the end of the month. Photo by Mike Jankulak.