July 22, 2008
Undaria Removal in Monterey Harbor
It's important that local divers and non-divers help this program get funded again! Contact Rita Bunzel to participate and get the required paperwork-Dida
Hello Everyone,
Your efforts to monitor and remove Undaria in the Monterey Harbor has been very successful over the last few years. Our repetitive monthly volunteer monitoring events were key in reducing populations in the harbor and providing data to help us understand and manage this invasive. No other efforts of this kind are in place so what we've done as the pilot project will help shape other monitoring programs along CA and potentially other areas.
Unfortunately, our program reporting period is up and we are being re-evaluated for funding. That being said, we will hold what might be our last Undaria Monitoring event for a bit. In an effort to go out with a bang, I'm asking all volunteers and any of their diver friends that might want to participate to come out on Saturday, July 26th from about 9am to 1pm to help us conduct an underwater survey/removal and celebrate our efforts together as a group over lunch! I'm buying! In addition, we will be filming the programs public service
announcement so we'll have film crew working on the sidelines and underwater recording all of your efforts.
Please come out and join me for our last hurrah...or at least until a later date. If you are interest, please RVSP so I have a count for lunch, tanks, etc.
For those of you that can't make it...always wishing the best to my volunteers!
With Warm Regards,
Rita Bunzel
Program Manager
Undaria Monitoring Program
Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary
General Information
We will gather at 9:00 am sharp in front of the Monterey Harbormaster's office (see directions below). First time volunteers should complete the attached forms base on their volunteer position. Bring the completed form on Saturday. Copies will also be available on site. Volunteers under the age of 18 must have a
parent/guardian signature on file to participate.
Attached are the following forms:
• Volunteer Questionnaire (dockside volunteers)
• SCUBA Medical History (SCUBA volunteers only)
• SCUBA Volunteer Questionnaire (SCUBA volunteers only)
AGENDA
9:00 - 9:30 am Volunteers assemble, safety protocol, program paperwork
9:30 - 10:00 am Introduction to Undaria survey methods, data collection protocol
10:00 - 12:00 pm Undaria surveys and removal
12:00 - 1:00 pm Lunch
DIRECTIONS
From Del Monte Ave take the Figueroa Street entrance to Wharf #2. Turn left into the wharf parking area. The Monterey Harbormasters office is located on the right. It is a two-story brown building situated dockside between Fisherman's Wharf and Wharf #2.
PARKING
Park closest to the Monterey Harbormasters office in the metered parking spaces only (do not park in permit parking). The program will distribute temporary parking passes for the day so DO NOT feed the meter with coins.
DATA COLLECTORS and SPECIMEN COLLECTORS (dockside work)
If you are working dockside, comfortable close-toed shoes are a must since you will be standing for several few hours. Do not wear nice clothing since you will be handling marine algae and will get dirty. It is advisable to wear sunscreen and a hat.
SCUBA DIVERS
Divers must provide their own personal dive equipment which includes: mask, snorkel, fins, wetsuit, BC, regulator, weight belt/weights. I can provide tanks for those of you that notified me in advance. If you have a small collecting bag, bring it. First time divers MUST bring their SCUBA certification card for Monterey Harbormaster clearance. We will need to have on file a copy (both front and back) of the certification cards. We can photocopy the C- cards at the
Harbormaster's office if necessary. If you have not already completed the medical history form and questionnaire (both attached) please do so and bring the complete the forms with you on Saturday to save time. We will conduct (1) dive.
PLEASE RECONFIRM YOUR PARTICIPATION WITH A REPLY EMAIL. Do not hesitate to contact me should you have any questions or concerns.
I look forward to seeing everyone on Saturday! Thank you for your support
of this program!
Rita Bunzel or here
831/647-4245
831/659-5722 office/fax
831/402-3866 cell
Posted by Dida at July 22, 2008 6:06 PM
