Marine Resources Assessment for the Marianas Operating ... - SPREP

AUGUST 2005 FINAL REPORT
Achilles Tang (Ancanthurus achilles)
Status—The Achilles tang is managed in Micronesia as part of the CHCRT by the WPRFMC
(2001), has been reported as occurring in CNMI and Guam (Amesbury and Myers 2001; Myers
and Donaldson 2003), and has EFH designation within the boundaries of the study area
(WPRFMC 2001; NMFS 2004c). Currently, no data are available to determine if the Achilles tang
of the CHCRT is approaching an overfished situation (NMFS 2004a). This species is not listed on
the IUCN Red List of threatened species (IUCN 2004).
Distribution—The Achilles tang can be found distributed throughout the tropical Indo-Pacific
from the western Caroline Islands, Parece Vela, and the Torres Strait east to the Hawaiian,
Marquesan, and Ducie Islands. This species ranges as far north as the Marcus Islands and south
to New Caledonia. The Achilles tang can be found throughout Micronesia including the Caroline,
Mariana, and Marshall Islands (Myers 1999).
Habitat Preferences—The Achilles tang inhabits clear seaward reefs from the surge zone to a
depth of 4 m (Myers 1999). This species can be found in tropical waters from 28°N to 26°S in
water temperatures ranging from 26° to 28°C at depths between 0 and 10 m (Froese and Pauly
2004).
Life History—There is very little information available on the life history of the Achilles tang at
this time (WPRFMC 2001).
♦ Zanclidae (Moorish Idol)
Status—The Moorish idol (Zanclus cornutus), a sole member of this monotypic family, is an aquarium
taxa that is managed in Micronesia as part of the CHCRT by the WPRFMC (2001), has been reported
as occurring in CNMI and Guam (Amesbury and Myers 2001; Myers and Donaldson 2003), and has
EFH designation within the boundaries of the study area (WPRFMC 2001; NMFS 2004c). Currently,
no data are available to determine if the Moorish idol of the CHCRT is approaching an overfished
situation (NMFS 2004a). This species is not listed on the IUCN Red List of threatened species (IUCN
2004).
Distribution—The Moorish idol can be found distributed throughout the Indo-pan-Pacific from the
Gulf of Aden and eastern Africa east to Mexico. This species ranges as far north as southern Japan
and the Hawai’ian Islands and south to Lord Howe, the Kermadecs, Rapa, and Ducie Islands. The
Moorish idol tang can be found throughout Micronesia (Myers 1999).
Habitat Preferences—The Moorish idol inhabits areas of hard substrates from turbid inner harbors
and reef flats to clear seaward reefs as deep as 182 m (Myers 1999). This species can be found in
tropical waters from 30°N to 35°S in water temperatures ranging from 24° to 28°C at depths between
3 and 182 m (Froese and Pauly 2004).
Life History—The Moorish idol is usually found in small groups but may occur in schools numbering
over 100 individuals (Myers 1999).
♦ Pomacanthidae (Angelfishes)
Status—Two species of aquarium taxa in the family Pomacanthidae are managed in Micronesia as
part of the CHCRT by the WPRFMC (2001) and occur in CNMI and Guam (Amesbury and Myers
2001; Myers and Donaldson 2003). Both species have EFH designation within the boundaries of the
study area (WPRFMC 2001; NMFS 2004c). In addition, the remaining 15 species of angelfishes
found in the study area have designated EFH under the PHCRT (WPRFMC 2001). Currently, no data
are available to determine if angelfishes of the CHCRT are approaching an overfished situation
(NMFS 2004a). Although harvested as food-fish, the primary value of angelfish is through the
ornamental marine aquarium trade, where they are the second most-frequently exported fish by
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