The data file comprises 25536 length estimates for 144 species of reef fishes recorded by underwater visual census in 10 adjoining coral reef areas spanning the western coast of Kadavu Island, Fiji. These data were collected during one phase of a larger study of reef fish community structure, fisheries and fishing impacts in Fiji. Habitat cover data were collected at the same time as the fish census data and are provided as a separate file. Data collection is described in detail in Jennings, S. and Polunin, N.V.C. (1997) "Impacts of predator depletion by fishing on the biomass and diversity of non-target reef fish communities" (Coral Reefs, 16, 71-82). Additional descriptions of the data structure and data collection process are provided in the accompanying "readme" file.