We have arrived in Mangareva, having just completed surveys in the remote Acteon Group. Each of the four atolls we surveyed was small, about 5 to 10 km2 including the lagoon. This meant we were able to do all our Acteon surveys dives in one day on each atoll. We picked similar survey spots – one windward (exposed) and two leeward (protected) reefs on each island. But each island was unique.
![Acteon Surveys: Sites around four islands in the Acteon Group](https://livingoceansfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/ActeonGroup_Surveys.jpg)
The first thing worthy of noting was the coral cover was high. The bottom was carpeted with corals – nearly 100% coral cover. But the type of corals differed between locations. The reef slope on one reef was formed by large flower-like (foliaceous) colonies (Montipora), some 4-5m in diameter; some reefs had shingle-like sheets (Porites) or tables (Acropora) of coral, and others had tall mounds with pillar-like branches (Pavona). From site to site, different species of coral were dominant and we recorded some corals at only one or two sites during our Acteon surveys.
![Bountiful corals of Maria Est](https://livingoceansfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/DSC_1910.jpg)
Maybe the most puzzling observation we made during our Acteon surveys was that with all of the healthy coral, there were hardly any fish. We saw a low abundance of fish on every reef in the Acteon group and the fish that we did see were usually juveniles.
![Aerial view of Maria Est](https://livingoceansfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Maira_Est.jpg)
We have had only one day of diving in Mangareva and in terms of the fish and coral these reefs are different from anything we have seen so far.
(Photos by: 1-Amanda Williams, 2,3 Phil Renaud)