Stretching 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.
Have you always had an interest in marine sciences and loved diving? Take your passion for the underwater world to new levels and make a difference! Join Reef Check California, a group of over 700 recreational SCUBA divers that have been trained to scientifically monitor California’s rocky reef ecosystem. Once trained as a Reef Check diver, you can participate in surveys at over 60 sites from Humboldt to San Diego Counties. Join us on fun weekend campouts on the Sonoma Coast, exciting shore dives, or on one of our many dive boat charters in Central and Southern California.
Being a Reef Check diver is a great opportunity to play a role in the management of our marine resources. Data collected by Reef Check divers are publicly available and have been used by California Department of Fish and Game to help assess population levels for nearshore fish and shellfish species and by stakeholder groups involved in the Marine Life Protection Act Initiative.
Reef Check California is inviting experienced divers to join our training classes to become a volunteer. Check here for the training and recertification schedule for 2011 and to sign-up . Each training is held on two weekends with classroom and pool training during the first weekend followed by six training and testing dives in the ocean the second weekend. The cost of the course is $200-325 (depending on the location), which covers all fees and includes your own personal underwater survey equipment, the RCCA Training Manual, and species identification flash cards!
Once you have received confirmation from Reef Check that you are enrolled in the program, please consider registering on the NCRD website to let other club members know what you will be participating in the Reef Check training.
