Northern CA PPSR Projects 1

REEF Volunteer Survey Project

• Organization Name

  Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF)
• Project Website

  http://reef.org/programs/volunteersurvey
• Organization Website

  http://reef.org/
• Partners

  N / A
• Contact Name

  N / A
• Contact Email

  reefhq@reef.org
• Contact Phone

  N / A
• Other Contact Information

  N / A
• Project Purpose (taken from project materials)

  Collect and report information on marine fish populations as well as selected invertebrate and algae species along the West Coast of the US and Canada. The data are collected using a fun and easy standardized method, and are housed in a publicly-accessible database on REEF's Website. These data are used by a variety of resource agencies and researchers. 

• Participant Activities

  To collect data for the Project, REEF volunteers use the Roving Diver Technique (RDT), a visual survey method specifically designed for volunteer data. During RDT surveys, divers swim freely throughout a dive site and record every observed fish species that can be positively identified. Species and approximate abundance scores are recorded on an underwater slate. 

• Data Entry

  • Website
  • Data Sheets
• Other Participant Activities

  Participation in other dive monitoring programs; Host a Great Annual Fish Count Seminar

• System Studied

  • Marine
• Geographic Scope

  Regional
• Region

  All (see 'geographic scope')
• Location

  Coastal California
• Location - Map

  N / A
• Time Commitment

  • Specific dates (see Other Information below)
  • Other (see Other Information below)
• Volunteer Qualifications

  Volunteers must be certified divers.
  The only materials needed are an underwater slate and pencil, a good reference book, and access to the internet to submit the data online. Data may also be submitted via paper scantron form where there is no internet access. REEF has developed several survey materials that make things easy, including pre-formated underwater paper and waterproof ID guides. These supplies, as well as slates, pencils, and training courses are avilable through REEF's Online Store.

• Volunteer Training

  A short instructional video of the REEF survey method and tutorial pages written by two of REEF's regional partners: the Project S.E.A.-Link tutorial webpage and the Pacific Northwest Scuba tutorial webpage.

• Cost to Participant

  N / A
• How will the findings be used?

  The data is compiled with other surveys into a batch, which gets processed every few weeks. Not only does it go through computer quality control error checks, but REEF personnel review the data before the batch is passed into  REEF's accessible online database. From this database, a variety of reports can be generated on species distribution and population trends, for a specific site or region. 
  As the invertebrate and algae database grows, the data will be useful in a variety of management and conservation applications.

• Other Information

  REEF surveys are conducted as part of a diver's regular diving activities; anytime they are in the water.
  
  The Great Annual Fish Count (GAFC) is an event that mobilizes and trains volunteer divers and snorkelers in established methodologies to identify and document fish diversity and population trends in marine ecosystems. This annual event takes place the month of July 

• Photo

  N / A
• last update:

  N / A