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Reef Check Weekends by Golden Ab Winner Dan Schwartz
I spent the last two weekends in Monterey as part of certification in Reef Check California's Marine Ecology Monitoring program. Here's from their website:
"Stretching over 1,000 miles, California’s coastline is the gateway to a unique and often under-appreciated marine ecosystem. Offshore, just below the surface, kelp forests and rocky reefs play home to a vast array of marine life supporting a diverse array of consumptive and non-consumptive human uses. Unfortunately, similar to reefs around the world, the rapid growth of California’s population, coastal development, pollution, and overfishing have placed increasing demands on our nearshore resources. Many organisms that were previously common in high numbers, like abalone, are now almost gone.
Reef Check California aims to build a network of informed and involved citizens who support the sustainable use and conservation of our nearshore marine resources. To accomplish this, volunteers will be trained to carry out surveys of nearshore reefs providing data on the status of key indicator species. "
Two weekends ago I spent Saturday at a conference room in the Monterey Aquarium learning what we'll be doing, what's been done and how our data will be something that legislature will use - even though it came from nonscientists or degreed marine biologists. We've picked 35 Target Species (fish, sessile invertebrates and kelp) that we're set up to monitor both in abundance and size - plus identify the location of 4 invasive seaweed species. You needed 85% or above on the species test. I nailed it.
Sunday we went to the CSUMB pool and did trail runs. Basically we have a 100ft tape (the kind you use for Track and Field events like long-jump) and as we're realing it out we count what plastic fish we run into in a 6 to 10 minute time period. The window is 2 meters wide by 2 meters tall. We guess the size of a fish from a few feet out themn measure it from marks on our board. I came out low on size, as did most people. I think someplace in our brains we knew about the magnification effect and tried to over-compnesate for it.
Out in the field for a complete site survey there will be 18 transect lines in all.
"Based on the Department of Fish and Game's CRANE monitoring program (Cooperative Research and Assessment of Nearshore Ecosystems) sites will contain three core 30 meter transects in each of two habitat zones (offshore and inshore reef), with a maximum depth limit of 18 m (~60') (see figure). At these core transects, divers will assess fishes, invertebrates, seaweed and substrate. In addition to the 6 core transects, divers will survey 12 fish- only transects that are distributed across the site (6 offshore and 6 inshore)."
Last weekend we were out on the Monterey Express off Lovers ,Saturday, and Hopkins, Sunday, for ocean trials. Viz was about 3 to 5 m on each day depending where you were. Viz is measured by how far away from your buddy you are and still make out their 5 spread-out fingers.
Harbor seals were all over - but there was too much to do so no pics. There's extra gear to fumble with. Clipboard, pencil on a rubber tube, compass, flashlight and transect line that you unreal without getting caught in it or the kelp was a bit getting used to.
This weekend I volunteered to assist with the real thing.