Citizen Science Projects – Ocean Sanctuaries

Volunteer Citizen Science Divers – Unusual Sighting

See what our volunteer divers, Chris, Jade, Mike, and Barbara encountered in Point Loma recently. Everything from debris (fishing rod and lures), to sponges and urchins, to a large bat ray. They also documented two key species that Ocean Sanctuaries is monitoring: Abalone and Sea Stars. See our iNaturalist projects to find out more:

Abalone Watch – Cal Coast

Sea Star Watch – Cal Coast

Video credit: Christopher Payne

Tide Pool Parent Project–All Year Round

Our Tide Pool Project is a citizen science project using iNatuarlist. We will use this tool to track and document tide pool species for the California Coastline and State Waters. In addition, we will have local bioblitzes to focus on specific reefs.

In 2019 we will supplement this tool with an actual online Tide Pool course.

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Tide Pool Bioblitzes 2019

King Tides January 2019 Tide Pool Bioblitz

The King Tides are a great time to explore tide pools. Connect with nature, explore the beach, and support science. Citizen scientists will document tide pool wildlife up as part of a bioblitz (a volunteer-powered nature survey). This bioblitz runs from Jan 18 thru Jan 23, 2019 all along the California Coastal Waters.

Sharing the Data: Collaborative Citizen Science Projects

2015 Yukon Marine Life Survey Project
Ocean Sanctuaries 2015 Yukon Marine Life Survey is an opportunity for divers to contribute photos documenting the marine life on the Yukon. This is a long-term study designed as a follow-up to the one done in 2004 by San Diego Oceans Foundations under the Artificial Reef Monitoring Projects (ARMP). The 366 ft. long Canadian warship Yukon was purchased, cleaned and sunk by the City of San Diego and the San Diego Oceans Foundation in July of 2000 to serve as a pioneering artificial reef which would attract both tourists and marine life–and, in that regard, it has been spectacularly successful. For the 11-11-15 broadcast of a KPBS Special Report and interview with founders Barbara Lloyd and Michael Bear by reporter Erik Anderson, see here: Yukon Science Diver peers into the ship
Donate to Ocean Sanctuaries

2015 Yukon Marine Life Survey Project

Ocean Sanctuaries 2015 Yukon Marine Life Survey is an opportunity for divers to contribute photos documenting the marine life on the Yukon. This is a long-term study designed as a follow-up to the one done in 2004 by San Diego Oceans Foundations under the Artificial Reef Monitoring Projects (ARMP). The 366 ft. long Canadian warship Yukon was purchased, cleaned and sunk by the City of San Diego and the San Diego Oceans Foundation in July of 2000 to serve as a pioneering artificial reef which would attract both tourists and marine life–and, in that regard, it has been spectacularly successful.

For the 11-11-15 broadcast of a KPBS Special Report and interview with founders Barbara Lloyd and Michael Bear by reporter Erik Anderson, see here:

Yukon Science Diver peers into the ship

Donate to Ocean Sanctuaries

Sevengill Shark Identification Project	Fieldscope – Sharks of California
Ocean Sanctuaries supports ocean-related citizen science projects which are already established, such as the Sevengill Shark Project: Methodology webpage that Bear founded in 2010 to monitor and track Sevengill sharks (Notorynchus cepedianus) in the San Diego area, using a pair of pattern recognition algorithms to analyze the freckling patterns on the dorsal sides of Sevengill sharks. This involves using photographs taken by local divers who have been trained to recognize this species and obtain high definition photographs from various angles.	Ocean Sanctuaries and BSCS are collaborating to feature their latest citizen science tool, Fieldscope, to track the Sharks of California.You can log sightings and photos of Leopard sharks, Horn sharks, Angel sharks, Tope sharks as well as pelagic species such as Blue, Mako, Great White and Thresher. Register here: http://sharksofsandiego.fieldscope.org/v3
Donate to Ocean Sanctuaries

Sevengill Shark Identification Project

Fieldscope – Sharks of California

Ocean Sanctuaries supports ocean-related citizen science projects which are already established, such as the Sevengill Shark Project: Methodology webpage that Bear founded in 2010 to monitor and track Sevengill sharks (Notorynchus cepedianus) in the San Diego area, using a pair of pattern recognition algorithms to analyze the freckling patterns on the dorsal sides of Sevengill sharks. This involves using photographs taken by local divers who have been trained to recognize this species and obtain high definition photographs from various angles.

Ocean Sanctuaries and BSCS are collaborating to feature their latest citizen science tool, Fieldscope, to track the Sharks of California.You can log sightings and photos of Leopard sharks, Horn sharks, Angel sharks, Tope sharks as well as pelagic species such as Blue, Mako, Great White and Thresher.