reef check california: citizen science reef...
TRANSCRIPT
Reef Check California: Citizen Science Reef Monitoring
Selena McMillan, PhD Jan Freiwald, PhD
State Assembly Select Committee Hearing June 7th 2017 Phil Garner
Citizen Science
Goals • Involve the public
• Work over large spatial and
temporal scales • Focus on informing natural
resource management
Citizen science engages non-scientists in authentic scientific research and monitoring
Citizen Science Research
Education Engagement
Reef Check Foundation
1998 - Reef Check Foundation established
• Created to utilize citizen science
• Study coral reefs worldwide
• Inform and implement coral reef conservation through science
Reef Check California Established in 2006
Monitor rocky reefs & kelp forests using standardized protocols 1. Provide data to inform marine management and policy 2. Foster an educated constituency, supportive of science–based
management and ocean stewardship
Marine protected area network • MPA baseline • MPA evaluation
Fisheries management • Red abalone
Reef Check California
Pollution • Santa Barbara oil spill
Emerging issues • Disease • Ecosystem change
Climate Change • Implementing climate
change monitoring in 2017
Reef Check California Training
• Marine ecology • Oceanography • Fisheries management and MPAs
• Intensive 4-day training
– 2 days in classroom/pool – 2 days in open ocean
• Volunteers are tested and certified
– Annual re-certification
Reef Check California Training
• Scientific method
• Approach recognized by CDFW
• Protocol comparable to academic research
Reef Check California Training
Commercial Fisherman
Recreational Divers
University Students
Agency Staff
46.9%
34.9%
12.4%
4.0% 1.8%
Educational background
4-yr College
Masters
PhD/MD/JD
2-yr College
High School
Over the last decade… >1000 volunteers participated in surveys
• many more went through the training
= 8000 volunteer days
Volunteer Participation
30 years of full-time work
by citizen scientists
Statewide Citizen Science
Monitoring Program
11 years of data inside and outside of MPAs • 125 sites surveyed
– 68 for 5 years or more • 56 within MPAs Annually • ~90 sites • ~250 trained volunteers/year
Statewide Citizen Science Monitoring Program • MPA baseline monitoring in all regions • Long-term MPA monitoring • Ecosystem change monitoring • Basic science
David Horwich
Changing Ocean Ecosystems
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Den
sity
(#/6
0 m
2)
Year
North
North Central
Central
South
Changing Ocean Ecosystems
Changing Ocean Ecosystems
Changing Ocean Ecosystems
http://data.reefcheck.us/
Acknowledgements Citizen Scientist Volunteers
