Subscribe to Newsletter
Donate
Shop
0
| The Transect Line – December 2009 |
| Letter from the Director |
Do you remember back in the 1990s when we were all wondering how we would pronounce the years after 1999? And now we have just completed our first decade of the new millennium. How are coral reefs and California rocky reefs doing? How is Reef Check helping? Despite the financial chaos this year, the continuing support of thousands of volunteers from around the world allowed Reef Check to maintain its staff and programs, and carry out over 500 coral reef surveys and 70 rocky reef surveys in California. The tropical data are being used by independent scientists to analyze and publish peer-reviewed papers in top scientific journals – leading to new insights in the science of coral reef ecology such as the role of algae in destabilizing reef systems. At the local level, the data are used by government managers to track the status of their reefs. More and more governments are finally realizing how difficult it is to fund detailed ecological monitoring by pure scientific teams every year. Countries such as Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean and Vanuatu in the Pacific are using community-based monitoring as a primary tool to track the status of their reefs. At the international level, Reef Check data are being used to push for more action on coral reef conservation using tools such as the Global Status Report series. Climate change, global warming and ocean acidification were in the news in 2009. Coral reefs are THE most sensitive ecosystem to climate change. We found this out in 1997-8 when an overheated ocean killed 10% of the world’s reefs in a few months. Some scientists predict that coral reefs will be completely killed off within 50 years if global warming continues. Many countries and local managers recognize that Reef Check monitoring provides a great way to track climate change impacts on coral reefs. In addition, the EcoDiver certification program not only produces high-quality data, but also is an ecotourism opportunity that provides both jobs and income to coastal residents.
Reef Check’s partnership with Communidad y Biodiversidad in Baja, Mexico continues to produce successful marine management results. On the Gulf of California side, we have helped to develop the stock assessment program for the sustainable aquarium fishery while on the Pacific side, we have been assisting with the monitoring program for a sustainable food fishery for abalone, lobster and sea cucumber. Reef Check’s immersion learning programs for children continue to educate hundreds of kids. It is a sad irony that so many children in small island developing countries as well as in large American coastal cities such as Los Angeles have never had the chance to put on a mask and snorkel and see our underwater treasures. With your help we hope to expand our kids programs in 2010. Reef Check is a partnership organization focused on citizen science. We could not do this work without the thousands who volunteer each year to learn and carry out surveys. We salute our 2009 partners and volunteers for all the wonderful accomplishments of 2009.
|
| Successful Survey Season in California |
|
By Reef Check California's Regional Managers Colleen Wisniewski & Megan Wehrenberg The 2009 California survey season has come to a close and looking back at what we have done, it is really quite impressive. This year we conducted a whopping 79 surveys at 64 sites! Now that’s a lot of transects! Fortunately, we had a substantial number of top-notch volunteers. We trained 201 Reef Checkers statewide this year including recertifications for those returning from years past. Reef Check is truly a community endeavor and the program has continued to grow as supporters like you have spread the good word about what we do. Our most important goal of each season is to survey all existing sites that we have surveyed since 2006; only then can we attempt to add new sites. This year, through the dedication of our rock star volunteers we were able to add 6 new sites in Southern California: Pier 400, LA Federal Breakwater, Goldfish Bowl, Cathedral Wall, Johnson’s Lee, and Landing Cove! Way to go SoCal!
We had great end of the year parties in early December at the Long Beach Aquarium and the Monterey Bay Aquarium, where we had the opportunity to thank many of our volunteers for all they do for the organization. A good time was had by all as we were guided behind the scenes by aquarium staff, had a relaxing lunch, and viewed slide shows of photos and accomplishments of 2009. We’ve had spectacular participation by so many volunteers this year and we wanted to honor a few that went above and beyond the call of duty in 2009 with awards, broken up by geographic region. In the Southern California program, the Golden Calipers Award went to Dirk Burcham who surveyed 154 transects in 2009 (he also won the Golden Slate Award last year)! Wow! The Silver Slate Award went to Yasumichi Kato who surveyed 85 transects! Sheree Lahey won a special Data Captain Award for entering a huge amount of this season’s data into our Nearshore Ecosystem Database (we love our data entry volunteers!). In the North/Central California region the Golden Slate Award went to Jonah Mulski who surveyed 52 transects! David Horwich won a special Survey Captain Award for taking great initiative and organizing 3 surveys on his own. Congratulations winning Reef Checkers! Big thanks to the aquariums for hosting us! As we approach the last days of 2009, all of us at Reef Check are looking back on a successful year filled with beautiful dives, rare sightings, and above all else, tons of quality data. We are busy preparing for another great year in 2010! All of our trainings and recertifications are up on the web so sign up now to take part in the fun! |
| Reef Check California Update |
|
The numbers are in and 2009 has been the most successful Reef Check California survey season to date! With the help of hundreds of divers statewide, we collected critical information on the status of 61 reef sites while completing 75 surveys. We had some great highlights this year as well: sevengill sharks in San Diego, training and surveying with the Port of Los Angeles Police, and the most successful north coast camp out ever, just to name a few. It really was an inspired year with participation and support of the program continuing to grow in leaps and bounds. In addition to all the new partnerships and accomplishments, our successes would not be possible without the support of our incredible group of citizen scientist divers. Since the start of the program in 2006, 354 individual divers have taken part in RCCA surveys. Each one of those divers has taken action to help improve marine management in California. We even have 16 divers who have just completed their fourth season of surveying! We are a more well known and respected community-based monitoring network and I look forward to another amazing year in 2010. If you want the inside scoop on what is happening with RCCA you can follow me on Twitter. I will continue “tweeting” throughout the season to keep everyone updated on the RCCA program and my exploits as RCCA’s Director of Science. All relevant updates will also be posted on the Forum including daily blogs when I am on the road spreading the word about Reef Check. As you all know, this has been a challenging year financially for most of us and RCCA is no exception. Please consider making an end-of-the-year donation to help us finish 2009 in a healthy financial condition. We continue to be on the front lines of improving marine management in California and we need your continued support! Your donations to RCCA go directly to supporting the collection of the critical data needed to sustainably manage California’s marine resources. Please join us and help ensure the sustainability of reefs worldwide! |
| Reef Check Teams in Action |
|
PERSGA Releases Status Report on Red Sea and Gulf of Aden PERSGA participated with member countries in two regional surveys of coral reef ecosystems, the first during 2002 and the second during 2008. Their status report, to be published in February 2010, presents data from the 2008 survey in which 36 sites were surveyed in Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, and Yemen using the Reef Check survey protocol. This data was compared to that collected during the regional survey of 52 sites in 2002. The key findings of the analysis for the whole RSGA region are as follows:
|
|
|
| Reef Check Malaysia – Review of 2009 By Reef Check Malaysia General Manager Julian Hyde
Training and Surveys Once certified, EcoDivers are given the opportunity to participate in our Reef Check survey programme. This year, 50 surveys have been completed on the East coast islands, many of them repeats from the previous two years. This survey programme is sponsored by Sime Plantations. In East Malaysia, we have conducted our first training programmes and have now certified 15 EcoDivers and two EcoDiver Trainers. We now have an active Reef Check Certified Facility in Miri, Sarawak, which is delivering training and organizing surveys through a local dive club. We are hoping to establish other training facilities around Sabah over the next 12 months. As part of a government-sponsored expedition to assess marine resources around Sabah, 26 surveys were completed, many in areas that had not previously been surveyed. An additional 31 surveys were conducted in other parts of East Malaysia, covering both Sabah and Sarawak, by Reef Check Malaysia and its partners. Our 2009 annual report will be published soon, with details of all surveys, and an update on coral reef health in Malaysia. Outreach
Community Programmes A similar project at Pangkor Island on the West coast is looking into how we can improve the marine environment around a tourist island which is not a protected area. Coral reefs in the area have been badly damaged, in part by tourism activity (boat anchoring, poor snorkeling supervision). We are looking into the possibility to do some small scale coral reef restoration, which would improve snorkeling areas and link into tourist and community education programmes. This is a long term programme with YTL Group, a major RCM sponsor. If you would like more information on RCM, please visit their website at www.reefcheck.org.my. |
|
|
| Numerous Achievements for RC Dominican Republic in 2009 Submitted by Reef Check Dominican Republic
Much progress was also made in La Caleta marine reserve, which RCDR currently manages. The Inter-American Foundation visited with RCDR to exchange ideas on the management of the reserve and to discuss future plans. Throughout the year, fishers, tourism outfitters, and volunteers gathered to maintain the buoys inside the reserve. Monitoring of La Caleta during 2009 was supported by the American Chamber of Commerce, and was conducted by RCDR, community members and recreational divers. In addition, an important local achievement was the completion of a workshop on buoy installation conducted in Punta Rusia. In April, RCDR signed an agreement with the government agency DINAPES (Dirección Nacional de Pesca de la Marina de Guerra) to collaborate on efforts to reach out to coastal communities, and to conserve marine resources through workshops, trainings and field activities. RCDR also collaborated with World Resources Institute investigators, who interviewed users of the La Caleta reserve as part of a project to assess the economic value of the country’s marine ecosystems. RCDR also conducted educational trainings for dive shops, and organized several camps for children in which they snorkeled and experienced the marine environment firsthand. Snorkeling gear was generously donated by Body Glove. Other accomplishments included the monitoring of reef health at Bayahibe as part of the Blue Flag program. Also, a proud group of youngsters from Punta Rusia won third place in Reef Check’s Year of the Reef International Singing Contest; this was made possible with the support of RCDR volunteer Alicia Srinivas. To view a full report (in Spanish) on RCDR in 2009, click here to download. Please visit http://www.reefcheckdr.org/ for more information. |
|
|
| Turks & Caicos Students Trained Up As EcoDivers Submitted by Reef Check EcoDiver Trainer & SFS Intern Jim Catlin
Given that the students had spent the first month of their time in South Caicos familiarising themselves with over 150 fish, invertebrates and corals, my job as Reef Check trainer was made considerably easier. Field sessions were great fun and took place in the clear and calm waters of Cockburn Harbour, South Caicos. The photo shows students showing off their Reef Check certificates (printed on underwater paper) after the in water presentation ceremony. I may stand corrected, but this may be a Reef Check first!! We have our next semester beginning in Feb 2010 and it is hoped that the new students will bring as much enthusiasm and commitment as our EcoDiver graduates this time round. |
In California, under the mandate of the Marine Life Protection Act, the state is in the midst of designing a network for Marine Protected Areas. The high quality data from Reef Check’s California surveys are available to the general public, and are being used on a regular basis by government agencies, especially the Fish and Game Department, by academics, fishermen and other non-profit organizations to help determine the best design. With four years of data in the bag, the California program is poised to be able to track future effects of the MPA network on the populations of key fish, algae and invertebrates.
ded for the Red Sea in the same period. 
This programme will continue through to 2011 under the existing sponsorship arrangement. We are now extending this programme to Urban schools. KPMG has funded a programme for a KL-based school, and we will extend the programme to an additional six schools around Kuala Lumpur in January 2010 with funding from local bank CIMB.
