Reef Check California Monitoring Protocol
Reef Check California data sheets
Reef Check California 2013 protocol updates
Reef Check California 2011 protocol updates
*Reef Check California 2007 Protocol Changes*
Reef Check Quality Assurance/Quality Control Procedures (QA/QC)

Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the California Department of Fish and Game and the Reef Check Foundation
Exhibit A – Reef Check California Monitoring Protocol
Exhibit B – Reef Check QA/QC Procedures

The Reef Check California monitoring program has been designed to assess the relative abundance and size distribution of target species and how these parameters are changing over time. This will permit the evaluation of population and community attributes at sites inside and outside of existing and proposed Marine Protected Areas and will provide insight into how different sites respond to newly imposed management measures.

Based on the Department of Fish and Game's CRANE monitoring program, 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).

A standard Reef Check California survey at each site will include:

• Site description (1 per year)
• Fish survey (size and identity) (18 fish transect, 6 core and 12 fish-only)
• The density, size distribution and sex (where possible) of target fish species will be counted along each 30 x 2 x 2 meter transect.
• Invertebrate band transect (6 transects surveyed in spring and fall)
• The density of selected conspicuous, solitary, and mobile invertebrates will be counted along each  of the 6 core 30 x 2 meter band transect.
• Seaweed band transect (6 transects surveyed in spring and fall)
• The density of selected conspicuous macro algae will be estimated along each of the 6 core 30 x 2 meter band transect. Four invasive algal species (Caulerpa. taxifolia, Sargassum. muticum, S. filicinum and Undaria. pinnatifida) will be noted, as present or absent anywhere on the site.
• Substrate Uniform Point Contact (UPC) (6  transects surveyed in spring and fall)
• Sampling of substrate type, cover (i.e, sessile invertebrates or algae) and rugosity (vertical relief) will occur at 30 uniformly spaced points at every meter along each of the 6 core 30 m transect line.
• Urchin size frequency survey (1 per site in spring and fall)
• The sizes of 100 red and purple urchins will be sampled to generate a size frequency distribution of the respective urchin populations at each site where densities are high enough to obtain the sample size.

While anyone can participate in Reef Check California programs, only divers with an established record of diving and who have completed the training and demonstrated proficiency in survey methods and species identification will be eligible to contribute data to the database.

Protocol Development

A panel of scientific, agency, and recreational diving experts was convened to review the draft protocol to ensure the sampling design, methods, and species list were scientifically sound and appropriate for volunteers.  Extensive field testing was conducted to evaluate the feasibility of the monitoring program and assess the ability of volunteer divers to implement the protocol in a variety of locations and conditions.  Field testing took place in Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Cruz Island, Santa Barbara, Palos Verdes, and Santa Catalina Island and included over 20 divers encompassing a range of diving and research abilities.  Following field testing and scientific review, the program was revised and the final version adopted.

Many thanks to Ingrid Steiner and The Castle Press for providing eco-friendly training manuals for Reef Check California’s divers!