Abstract

An expansion is underway of a nuclear power plant on the shoreline of Biscayne Bay, Florida, USA; the effects of its construction and operation on surrounding marine habitats and fishes are unknown. The fringing intertidal man-grove stands that border the power plant property are critical habitat for a number of fish species of ecological and commercial importance. The present study examined data gathered as part of an ongoing monitoring survey of mangrove fish communities. Our objective was to determine the adequacy of the survey to detect fish community changes, should they occur, at three spatial scales. Using seasonally-resolved data recorded during 477 fish surveys over a 5-year period, power analyses were performed for three metrics: fish diversity, fish density and the occurrence of two ecologically-important fish species (Lutjanus griseus and Floridichthys carpio). Results indicated that the monitoring study at cur-rent sampling intensity allows for detection of a < 30% change in fish density and diversity metrics in both the wet and the dry season. However, sampling effort is insufficient in either season to detect a < 30% change in species-specific occurrence metrics for the two important fish species examined. More effective monitoring strategies could be achieved by increasing sampling intensity within each season until effort allocation is sufficient to detect 30% change for each metric after only one year of post-impact sampling. Responsible monitoring practices are increasingly important in light of cumulative impacts to the

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