Synopsis
A visual census technique is described in which the results of three separate enumerations of fish at a site are combined to produce a ‘best estimate’ of the fish fauna present. Its precision and accuracy are examined, and compared to those of censuses obtained by modifications of the technique. Visual censuses can display high repeatability, but they seldom (if ever) completely sample the fish present at a site. Accuracy varies with technique used. In our tests, the preferred method yielded 82% of species and 75% of individuals known to be present and potentially censurable at the time the observations were made. Visual censuses are of comparable accuracy to ichthyocide collections of unenclosed sites, but the two methods sample different components of the total fish fauna. It is important when using visual censuses to remember that their accuracy is not 100%.
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Sale, P.F., Douglas, W.A. Precision and accuracy of visual census technique for fish assemblages on coral patch reefs. Environ Biol Fish 6, 333–339 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00005761
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00005761