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Within each quadrat, visual estimate of percent cover and genus/species identification shall be performed in-situ for the following functional groups: macroalgae (overall percent cover and identification/percent cover of two dominant species within quadrat), microalgae/cyanobacteria, encrusting calcareous algae, sponges (genus level), with a separate assessment of percent cover of boring sponge (Cliona spp), tunicates (with identification of dominant genera), zoanthids (genus level), hydroids, sabeliariid worm (Phragmatopoma lapidosa), octocorals (genus level), and scleractinian corals (species level). Individual counts shall be conducted for all octocorals, scleractinian corals, sponges (not including Cliona spp. which shall be assessed for percent cover), solitary tunicates, urchins, and holothuroids within the quadrat. Scleractinian corals and octocorals shall also be assessed for size class distribution: size class 1 : < 5 cm diameter of scleractinian/height of octocoral; size class 2 : 5 cm to 15 cm diameter of scleractinian/height of octocoral ; size class 3 : 15 to 25 cm diameter of scleractinian/height of octocoral; and size class 4 : >25 cm diameter of scleractinian/height of octocoral). Maximum and average algal height of the two dominant macroalgal species shall also be recorded. Average algal height shall be estimated by five measurements . Percent cover of substrate, unconsolidated substrate (rubble, shell hash, rhodoliths), sand and sediment over hardbottom shall be recorded. The maximum physical relief of hardbottom from the lowest point to highest point in the quadrat, shall be measured to the nearest centimeter. Sediment accumulation measurements will be performed within all quadrats located on the fiat (horizontal) surface of hardbottom along each transect. Five random measurements of sediment thickness will be performed within each quadrat using - a ruler to measure to the nearest cm. Continuous layers of sediment less than 1 cm covering the hardbottom surface and benthos shall be recorded . Benthic Data Analysis The methodology for monitoring the benthic community succession on the mitigation artificial reef is identical to the monitoring of the natural hardbottom for the renourishment of Sectors 1 and 2 . The artificial reef benthic communities will be compared to the natural hardbottom communities for each reef type (high relief and low relief) using community parameters such as percent cover, species richness, species dominance, sediment cover, average algal height, and substrate categories. These parameters will be compared between the artificial reef and natural reef for each reef type by one-way ANOVA tests. Data will be transformed as necessary to meet ANOVA assumptions and non-parametric tests (Mann-Whitney U test, Wilcoxon Rank-Sum) will _ be used on the original diversity data if the data do not distribute normally after transformation. To detect differences between the artificial reef and natural reef within each reef type, the Bray-Curtis similarity index based on the percent cover will be used. If there is dominance by a few, highly abundant taxa; a log transformation will be used to reduce their contribution to similarity and to strengthen the contribution of the less common taxa. 4