The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary project will take place May 31 – June 4.This is the 8th year that REEF has conducted this project. Sponsored by a science grant which allows active REEF survey divers from around the West Coast to participate.
The Reef Environmental Education Foundation is a grass-roots organization that seeks to conserve marine ecosystems by educating, enlisting and enabling divers and other marine enthusiasts to become active ocean stewards and citizen scientists.
REEF trains local divers to recognize and identify marine life in their area of the country while diving and then, how to record and enter selected species into an online database, which is used by scientists and marine life managers to evaluate ocean conditions and make recommendations to policy makers.
REEF has been instrumental in evaluating the non-native species of Lionfish (Pterois volitans) infestation in Florida, see here:
http://www.reef.org/programs/exotic/lionfish#WhatsTheProblem
as well as assisting marine biologists in tracking the evolution of fish species, see here:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/5413512/reef_data_used_to_evaluate_evolution.html?cat=58
Under the supervision of the REEF Director of Science, Christy Pattengill-Semmens, selected REEF surveyors will be conducting marine life surveys off a boat specially chartered for this purpose, The Monterey Express, from June 1st through June 4th in selected areas of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.
The first dive, on Monday, on Memorial Day Monday, will be at the Pt. Lobos State Natural Reserve, see here for more: http://www.pointlobos.org/Scuba.html
As well as here: http://pt-lobos.parks.state.ca.us/Magazine.html
The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary is a Federally protected marine area offshore of California’s central coast. Stretching from Marin to Cambria, the MBNMS encompasses a shoreline length of 276 miles and 6,094 square miles of ocean. Supporting one of the world’s most diverse marine ecosystems, it is home to numerous mammals, seabirds, fishes, invertebrates and plants in a remarkably productive coastal environment. The MBNMS was established for the purpose of resource protection, research, education, and public use of this national treasure. The MBNMS is part of a system of 13 National Marine Sanctuaries and one marine national monument, administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
See here for more information on MBNMS:
http://montereybay.noaa.gov/
For more info on REEF.org, see:
www.reef.org
