On transect 2, cage 2, 60 m from the reef, Udotea was much more 

 abundant inside than outside the cage. As with cage 1, blades 

 were entire, not frayed, and the bottom sediment and blue-green 

 growth was more stable and more concentrated inside than out. 

 In the surrounding area, Udotea cover was sparse. Inside the cage, 

 the following species were noted: Acanthophora spicifera , Laurencia 

 sp . , Digenia simplex , Anadyomene stellata , Halimeda incassata , 

 Udotea , spp. , Lobophora variegata , Dictyota dichotoma , and Syringodium 

 filif orme . All of these occurred outside the enclosed area, with 

 occasional plants of many additional species, notably Gracilaria 

 cylindrica , Dasya pedicellata , Hypoglossum tenuifolium , Ayr ainvi Ilea 

 spp., CodJTjn isthmocladium , and numerous others. 



Large plant-eating fishes were not common in the area, but the 

 surgeonfish, Acanthurus chirurgus , the redband parrotfish, Sparisoma 

 aurof renatum , the gray angelfish, Pomocanthus arcuatus , and spotted 

 goatfishes were occasionally seen. No small fishes gathered inside 

 the cage, but juvenile surgeonfishes (A. coeruleus ) sometimes were 

 observed nibbling the moderate growth of diatoms and filamentous 

 algae on the outside of the mesh. 



On transect 2, cage 3, 120 m from the reef, plant cover within the 

 cage appeared only slightly greater than outside. Udotea spp. was 

 most abundant, together with conspicuous amounts of the seagrass, 

 Syringodium filif orme , Anadyomene stellata , Halimdea incrassata , 

 Dictyota dichotoma , Lobophora variegata , Acanthophora spicifera , and 

 Laurencia sp. All of these, plus occasional plants of numerous other 

 species occurred in the area. Among the large plant-eating fishes, 

 only gray angelfishes were encountered at this site, but juvenile 

 surgeonfishes were common. Nvmerous small yellow- tailed snappers 

 remained in or close to the cage, day and night. A hea-vy growth 

 of filamentous algae, notably Cottoniella arcuata and Giffordia 

 indica occurred with diatoms and blue-green algae on the mesh of the 

 green. 



On transect 2, cage 4, 180 m from the reef, vegetation was sparse. 

 Filamentous algae (again principally a mixture of Cottoniella , 

 Giffordia, diatoms and blue-green algae) were very abundant on the 

 screen, in places completely spanning and covering the holes. No 

 large algae were inside the case. Six garden eels ( Nystactichthys 

 halis ) had established burrows in the calcareous sand bottom under 

 the screen, and were common in the area adjacent. 



VI-143 



