Sub tidal monitoringThe BC Reefkeepers program is no longer supported by DFO, but the guides are still in place online at
http://www.keepersweb.org/Reefkeepers/Guide/index.htm
The Guide contains how-to instructions for each part of the project methods. It contains all the necessary data sheets with completed data sheet examples, as well as instructions for filling out each section. Several appendices exist that list pertinent information about where to get the necessary equipment, advice, and provide specific examples from the Reefkeepers' pilot project, SPARS. The Table of Contents is shown at the bottom of this page.
The Guide does not contain any instruction or guidance on how to identify species of subtidal plants and animals. You will need to obtain suitable field guidebooks and enlist the help of the Fisheries and Oceans Canada representatives and experts in your community.The Guide does not provide training for dive certification at any level. You will need to contact your local accredited dive store or a qualified dive instructor to obtain information about how to become a fully qualified diver. The Reefkeepers' Guide requires observers to be competent and comfortable divers before becoming a certified Reefkeeper volunteer. Practice your dive skills before taking to the water as a Reefkeeper. Don't forget, not all Reefkeepers' participants have to be divers. Get involved in other aspects while you hone your abilities. Contact us to find out what level of dive skills you require before becoming a Reefkeepers' volunteer diver.
Although the Reefkeepers' Guide contains instructions on general dive safety, it is not a replacement to what you have learned during dive certification courses from accredited instructors. You must be well versed in dive safety. The Reefkeepers' training will then reinforce the more important aspects of dive safety as they pertain to conducting a Reefkeepers' Survey Event.
REEF: This is another format for collecting underwater information on marine conditions
What is the REEF Volunteer Survey Project?
REEF's mission, to educate and enlist divers in the conservation of marine habitats, is accomplished primarily through the Volunteer Survey Project. The Project was developed in 1990 with support from The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and guidance by the Southeast Fisheries Science Center of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). The project allows volunteer SCUBA divers and snorkelers to collect and report information on marine fish populations as well as selected invertebrate and algae species along the West Coast of the US and Canada. The data are collected using a fun and easy standardized method, and are housed in a publicly-accessible database on REEF's Website. These data are used by a variety of resource agencies and researchers. To find out more about the REEF Invertebrate & Algae Monitoring Program, click here.
How do I conduct a REEF survey?
To collect data for the Project, REEF volunteers use the Roving Diver Technique (RDT), a visual survey method specifically designed for volunteer data. The only materials needed are an underwater slate and pencil, a good reference book, and access to the internet to submit the data online. Data may also be submitted via paper scantron form where there is no internet access. REEF has developed several survey materials that make things easy, including pre-formated underwater paper and waterproof ID guides. These supplies, as well as slates, pencils, and training courses are avilable through REEF's Online Store.
The Survey MethodDuring RDT surveys, divers swim freely throughout a dive site and record every observed fish species that can be positively identified. Species and approximate abundance scores are recorded on an underwater slate. The search for fishes begins as soon as the diver enters the water. The goal is to find as many species as possible so divers are encouraged to look under ledges and up in the water column. In some regions, sea turtle species seen during your dive should also be marked. More about the Sea Turtle Program.
Each recorded species is assigned one of four abundance categories based on about how many were seen throughout the dive [single (1); few (2-10), many (11-100), and abundant (>100)]. Be sure to also visit these very informative tutorial pages written by two of REEF's regional partners: the Project S.E.A.-Link tutorial webpage and the Pacific Northwest Scuba tutorial webpage. Even though these were written for surveyors in Hawaii and the Pacific Northwest, the information is valid for all of REEF's regions. Submitting the DataFollowing the dive, each surveyor transfers the information about their survey dive, including survey time, depth, temperature, and other environmental information, along with the species sightings data, to the REEF database. Information is submitted through REEF's online data entry interface, or on a REEF scantron form specific for the region the survey was conducted in. The location of the survey is recorded using the common dive site name and the REEFGeographic Zone Code. The Zone Codes are a hierarchical list of codes. A separate survey submission is done for each dive. Online Data SubmissionREEF volunteers are highly encouraged to submit their survey data online athttp://www.reef.org/dataentry. Processing time is much faster for online submissions versus survey data submitted on the REEF scanforms. Whenever possible, online submission is recommended and is free.
REEF surveys can be conducted in any of REEF's Project areas:
What happens to the survey after it's submitted?The data goes through a series of computer and human error-checks. For data submitted online, this can take several weeks. If submitted by paper scantron form, the processing time is much longer, several months. After the quality control checks, the survey data are loaded into REEF's online database. From this database, a variety of reports can be generated on species distribution and population trends, for a specific reef or large geographic regions.
How can I access the data?All data collected by REEF volunteers is returned to REEF and entered into our database. This database is accessible online, via this Webpage, and a variety of reports can be generated. A summary report can be generated for a given location or region, with data on all species that have been documented there. Distribution reports can be generated for a specific species or family. And you can view your own lifelist of fish sightings using your REEF member ID number. To visit the REEF database, click here.
What are the different levels of surveyor experience?REEF fish survey data are separated into two categories based on experience level- Novice and Expert. These experience levels are determined by number of surveys completed and examination scores. Click here to read more about these experience levels.
How do I interpret the data and the reports?Roving diver survey data generate a species list along with sighting frequency and abundance estimates for each species. Click here for information on interpreting these frequency and abundance estimates.
Are the data accurate and useful?Yes! From the beginning, the program was designed in conjunction withmarine scientists from NOAA, the University of Miami, and The Nature Conservancy. For over two years, a team of marine ecologists andfisheries managers monitored and carefully evaluated REEF's field methods and reporting procedures. Their study, published in the Bulletin of Marine Science in 1996, confirmed that the collected dataare of extreme value to the scientific community. They found that fish surveys conducted using the REEF roving diver method meet several objectives:
What are the data used for?As the REEF Fish Survey Project has grown, several papers andproducts have been produced using the roving diver survey method andthe REEF database. In addition, the REEF Fish Survey Project has becomeintegrated into several projects. These collaborations have includedthose with management agencies and other non-profit organizations. Toread more about these papers and projects and about using volunteers indata collection, visit ourMonitoring and Research page.
Why collect fish survey data?Once you start conducting fish surveys, your diving experience will change. Suddenly you will start to notice things on your dives that have always been there, but the difference is that now you will know them. You will realize when a species you encounter is a great find, and who are the usual suspects. Another reason - it allows you to participate, become a scientist, become an explorer. It gives you a voice to make a difference. We hope you will use it.
Are other animals included besides fish?While the main focus of REEF's program is marine fish, we have incorporated two additional components through collaborations with other organizations - the Pacific Invertebrate & Algae monitoring program in the Pacific Northwest and California and the Sea Turtle Sighting Program. Sea turtles are reported in all of REEF's regions.
REEF Database CitationPlease cite REEF's Database as:REEF. year. Reef Environmental Education Foundation Volunteer Survey Project Database. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.reef.org, date of download (day month year).
Contact REEF Director of Science, Dr. Christy Pattengill-Semmens, to request raw data files.
http://www.keepersweb.org/Reefkeepers/Guide/index.htm
The Guide contains how-to instructions for each part of the project methods. It contains all the necessary data sheets with completed data sheet examples, as well as instructions for filling out each section. Several appendices exist that list pertinent information about where to get the necessary equipment, advice, and provide specific examples from the Reefkeepers' pilot project, SPARS. The Table of Contents is shown at the bottom of this page.
The Guide does not contain any instruction or guidance on how to identify species of subtidal plants and animals. You will need to obtain suitable field guidebooks and enlist the help of the Fisheries and Oceans Canada representatives and experts in your community.The Guide does not provide training for dive certification at any level. You will need to contact your local accredited dive store or a qualified dive instructor to obtain information about how to become a fully qualified diver. The Reefkeepers' Guide requires observers to be competent and comfortable divers before becoming a certified Reefkeeper volunteer. Practice your dive skills before taking to the water as a Reefkeeper. Don't forget, not all Reefkeepers' participants have to be divers. Get involved in other aspects while you hone your abilities. Contact us to find out what level of dive skills you require before becoming a Reefkeepers' volunteer diver.
Although the Reefkeepers' Guide contains instructions on general dive safety, it is not a replacement to what you have learned during dive certification courses from accredited instructors. You must be well versed in dive safety. The Reefkeepers' training will then reinforce the more important aspects of dive safety as they pertain to conducting a Reefkeepers' Survey Event.
REEF: This is another format for collecting underwater information on marine conditions
What is the REEF Volunteer Survey Project?
REEF's mission, to educate and enlist divers in the conservation of marine habitats, is accomplished primarily through the Volunteer Survey Project. The Project was developed in 1990 with support from The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and guidance by the Southeast Fisheries Science Center of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). The project allows volunteer SCUBA divers and snorkelers to collect and report information on marine fish populations as well as selected invertebrate and algae species along the West Coast of the US and Canada. The data are collected using a fun and easy standardized method, and are housed in a publicly-accessible database on REEF's Website. These data are used by a variety of resource agencies and researchers. To find out more about the REEF Invertebrate & Algae Monitoring Program, click here.
How do I conduct a REEF survey?
To collect data for the Project, REEF volunteers use the Roving Diver Technique (RDT), a visual survey method specifically designed for volunteer data. The only materials needed are an underwater slate and pencil, a good reference book, and access to the internet to submit the data online. Data may also be submitted via paper scantron form where there is no internet access. REEF has developed several survey materials that make things easy, including pre-formated underwater paper and waterproof ID guides. These supplies, as well as slates, pencils, and training courses are avilable through REEF's Online Store.
The Survey MethodDuring RDT surveys, divers swim freely throughout a dive site and record every observed fish species that can be positively identified. Species and approximate abundance scores are recorded on an underwater slate. The search for fishes begins as soon as the diver enters the water. The goal is to find as many species as possible so divers are encouraged to look under ledges and up in the water column. In some regions, sea turtle species seen during your dive should also be marked. More about the Sea Turtle Program.
Each recorded species is assigned one of four abundance categories based on about how many were seen throughout the dive [single (1); few (2-10), many (11-100), and abundant (>100)]. Be sure to also visit these very informative tutorial pages written by two of REEF's regional partners: the Project S.E.A.-Link tutorial webpage and the Pacific Northwest Scuba tutorial webpage. Even though these were written for surveyors in Hawaii and the Pacific Northwest, the information is valid for all of REEF's regions. Submitting the DataFollowing the dive, each surveyor transfers the information about their survey dive, including survey time, depth, temperature, and other environmental information, along with the species sightings data, to the REEF database. Information is submitted through REEF's online data entry interface, or on a REEF scantron form specific for the region the survey was conducted in. The location of the survey is recorded using the common dive site name and the REEFGeographic Zone Code. The Zone Codes are a hierarchical list of codes. A separate survey submission is done for each dive. Online Data SubmissionREEF volunteers are highly encouraged to submit their survey data online athttp://www.reef.org/dataentry. Processing time is much faster for online submissions versus survey data submitted on the REEF scanforms. Whenever possible, online submission is recommended and is free.
REEF surveys can be conducted in any of REEF's Project areas:
- Tropical Western Atlantic (Florida, Caribbean, Bahamas, and Gulf of Mexico), southern Atlantic states (Georgia and South Carolina)
- Northeast US & Canada (Virginia through Newfoundland)
- West Coast of the United States and Canada (California, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia)
- Tropical Eastern Pacific (Gulf of California to the Galapagos Islands).
- Hawaiian Islands
- South Pacific
What happens to the survey after it's submitted?The data goes through a series of computer and human error-checks. For data submitted online, this can take several weeks. If submitted by paper scantron form, the processing time is much longer, several months. After the quality control checks, the survey data are loaded into REEF's online database. From this database, a variety of reports can be generated on species distribution and population trends, for a specific reef or large geographic regions.
How can I access the data?All data collected by REEF volunteers is returned to REEF and entered into our database. This database is accessible online, via this Webpage, and a variety of reports can be generated. A summary report can be generated for a given location or region, with data on all species that have been documented there. Distribution reports can be generated for a specific species or family. And you can view your own lifelist of fish sightings using your REEF member ID number. To visit the REEF database, click here.
What are the different levels of surveyor experience?REEF fish survey data are separated into two categories based on experience level- Novice and Expert. These experience levels are determined by number of surveys completed and examination scores. Click here to read more about these experience levels.
How do I interpret the data and the reports?Roving diver survey data generate a species list along with sighting frequency and abundance estimates for each species. Click here for information on interpreting these frequency and abundance estimates.
Are the data accurate and useful?Yes! From the beginning, the program was designed in conjunction withmarine scientists from NOAA, the University of Miami, and The Nature Conservancy. For over two years, a team of marine ecologists andfisheries managers monitored and carefully evaluated REEF's field methods and reporting procedures. Their study, published in the Bulletin of Marine Science in 1996, confirmed that the collected dataare of extreme value to the scientific community. They found that fish surveys conducted using the REEF roving diver method meet several objectives:
- Ability to collect large quantities of presence/absence and relative abundance data
- Indication of species distribution throughout a geographical area based on sighting frequency and abundance
- Specific species presence/absence and abundance lists may be presented for any given region, subregion, zone or site
- Measures of similarity in species composition may be computed between any combination of geographical areas
What are the data used for?As the REEF Fish Survey Project has grown, several papers andproducts have been produced using the roving diver survey method andthe REEF database. In addition, the REEF Fish Survey Project has becomeintegrated into several projects. These collaborations have includedthose with management agencies and other non-profit organizations. Toread more about these papers and projects and about using volunteers indata collection, visit ourMonitoring and Research page.
Why collect fish survey data?Once you start conducting fish surveys, your diving experience will change. Suddenly you will start to notice things on your dives that have always been there, but the difference is that now you will know them. You will realize when a species you encounter is a great find, and who are the usual suspects. Another reason - it allows you to participate, become a scientist, become an explorer. It gives you a voice to make a difference. We hope you will use it.
Are other animals included besides fish?While the main focus of REEF's program is marine fish, we have incorporated two additional components through collaborations with other organizations - the Pacific Invertebrate & Algae monitoring program in the Pacific Northwest and California and the Sea Turtle Sighting Program. Sea turtles are reported in all of REEF's regions.
REEF Database CitationPlease cite REEF's Database as:REEF. year. Reef Environmental Education Foundation Volunteer Survey Project Database. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.reef.org, date of download (day month year).
Contact REEF Director of Science, Dr. Christy Pattengill-Semmens, to request raw data files.