June 10, 2010

Special Deal on Reef Check Calif. Training

RCCA is a great group that trains volunteer divers to collect valid scientific data. Join them at a discount rate! And as usual, please don't contact me about this opportunity, but instead see email at end.-Dida

It’s fun! It’s educational! It makes a difference! The Reef Check Foundation invites experienced divers to become trained in our California rocky reef monitoring program. Since 2005, Reef Check’s California (RCCA) Program has trained over 500 experienced recreational SCUBA divers to scientifically monitor California’s rocky reef ecosystem at 64 sites from Humboldt to San Diego. Reef Check divers participate in surveys ranging along the entire coast of California, and more recently down into Baja, Mexico.

There are two open spots in Reef Check’s last Monterey training for 2010, which begins this weekend. They are offering these spots at half price ($100). If you are interested in taking part sign up here. Reef Check’s training is two weekends long with classroom and pool training the first weekend followed by six training and testing dives in the ocean the second weekend. Course fees include your own personal underwater survey equipment, the RCCA Training Manual, and species identification flash cards!

To date, data has been used by the California Department of Fish and Game to help assess population levels for nearshore fish and shellfish species and by stakeholder groups involved in the Marine Life Protection Act Initiative Process. Taking action and becoming a trained Reef Check Diver allows you join a group of dedicated divers from all walks of life including commercial and recreational fishermen, university students and conservationists who want healthier California rocky reef ecosystems and support science-based decision making.

Dates and locations for Monterey training:

June 12-13- Classroom training at Moss Landing Marine Laboratories

June 26-27- Field training aboard the Monterey Express

Email Megan with any questions.

Posted by Dida at 9:36 PM

May 3, 2010

Free CA Marine Life ID Classes Offered by REEF

From Janna Nichols of REEF

Tired of not knowing who’s who on your underwater adventures? REEF (Reef Environmental Education Foundation) is again offering free marine life ID classes this year in California. REEF Instructor and Outreach Coordinator Janna Nichols will be teaching these fun and informative classes at several locations. Find one near you and join the fun!

Learn how to identify many common California fish, invertebrates and algae, and how to do REEF surveys and become part of this worldwide citizen science program. This class will change the way you dive.

California Fish ID:
•Saturday, June 5th, 10am-2pm, Long Marine Lab, Santa Cruz
•Wednesday, June 23rd, 6-9pm, Ocean Institute, Dana Point
•Thursday, June 24th, 6-9pm, Aquarium of the Pacific, Long Beach

California Invertebrate/Algae ID:
• Friday June 25th, 6-9pm, Aquarium of the Pacific, Long Beach

Practice Survey Dives, experienced or new surveyors all welcome!
• Friday, May 14th, Sundiver Express. Special for REEF: $95
• Sat, June 26th, Sundiver. Special for REEF: 3 tanks $100

Sign up and pay for dives by calling Sundiver at: 562-594-6968
Register for one, or any combination of events, online
Classes are informative, fun and free, but registration is required

Sponsored by REEF with support from Aquarium of the Pacific, UCSC Long Marine Lab, The Ocean Institute and Sundiver.

Click here to register

The REEF program has been active in California since 1997 and has accumulated over 6,500 California marine life surveys in the Volunteer Survey Project. There are currently over 137,000 surveys in the REEF database worldwide. The database is online and accessible to anyone.

Posted by Dida at 7:52 PM

September 11, 2009

Upcoming Free REEF Classes in Southern California

For you SoCal citizen-scientist divers, free fish ID classes-Dida

The Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF) is excited to announce a series of REEF Fish and Invertebrate ID Classes to be held in Orange County and Los Angeles on the 23th-25th of September! The courses are free of charge and open to all. A REEF survey dive will be held on September 26th at Malaga Cove in Palos Verdes.

Classes are free but you must pre-register here . You can sign up for one or all classes. Everyone is welcome to attend the shore dive on Saturday, regardless of going to a class.

Instructor: Janna Nichols, REEF Instructor and Dr. Christy Pattengill-Semmens, REEF Director of Science

Identification of Southern California Fishes -- Wednesday September 23rd, 6:30-9:00 PM, Newport Beach Tennis Club, 2601 Eastbluff Dr., Newport Beach, CA 92660, brought to you by OCdiving.com
Identification of Southern California Fishes -- Thursday September 24th, 6-8:30 PM, REI Manhattan Beach, 1800 Rosecrans Ave Suite E, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
Identification of Common California Marine Invertebrates and Algae -- Friday September 25th, 6-8:30 PM, REI Manhattan Beach, 1800 Rosecrans Ave Suite E, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
Southern California REEF Survey Dive and BBQ -- Saturday September 26th, 8:30am - 2:30pm, Malaga Cove. Bring one or two tanks. REEF representatives will be on hand with survey materials, guide books, and ID advice. Dive followed by BBQ –free food, and prizes!

Tired of not knowing what you're looking at on your underwater adventures? Are you an existing REEF surveyor looking to learn more. Or a diver who is just interested in learning more about what this program is all about? Learn how to identify many of our California Fish and Invertebrates in these fun, informative and FREE classes. Also learn how to do REEF surveys. These classes will change the way you dive!

We use common names and focus on how to ID each critter. Classes help divers learn how to become citizen scientists and monitor California marine life on their recreational dives. Data gathered goes into an online database that is used by students, researchers, scientists, and resource agencies.

Over 6,300 REEF surveys have been conducted at hundreds of sites in California since the program begin in 1997. To see a summary of that data, visit here. For more information about the REEF Volunteer Survey Project, clisck here.

We hope you will join us. And please share this information with your friends.

Sincerely,

The REEF Team

Posted by Dida at 10:59 AM

March 18, 2009

SCUBA and GIS Training in Italy

Posted as a courtesy. Please do not contact me.-Dida
Dear all,
The final early-bird registration deadline for the Dive GIS 2009 course is approaching. Enrol by March 31st and be entitled to a major fee reduction. The course organized by Mappamondo GIS in collaboration with Capo Rizzuto Marine Protected Area, represents a unique training initiative that offers the chance to learn Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing methodologies while becoming a certified SCUBA diver in the context of marine environment management and science.

Participants are introduced to the underwater world through PADI Open Water Diver and specialty courses, and to GIS through leading ESRI authorized classes. The skills gained are put into practice on a real case study concerning marine habitat mapping from remotely sensed images and finding associations among biotic and abiotic components using GIS. Marine fauna and flora, habitat and GIS data are collected in the field while SCUBA diving or snorkeling.

The course is at its 4th edition. It will be held from the 26th of July to the 4th of August in the Capo Rizzuto Marine Protected Area, Crotone - Italy.

Scholarship may become available at a later stage. Those already enrolled in the course will have priority on their assignment.

More information, previous editions photos and reviews and online
registration here.
Email

Posted by Dida at 7:03 AM

February 5, 2009

UAF Cold Water Diving Course

Please do not contact me about this course. I am posting this as a courtesy-DK
The University of Alaska Fairbanks is offering a cold water diving course May 11-15 2009 at the Kasitsna Bay Laboratory in Alaska. Introduction to Cold Water Diving will train certified scuba divers in drysuit use and maintenance. The course will stress drysuit safety and buoyancy skills and will include practical experience in a cold-water rescue. Students will be beach and small boat scuba diving. Students will graduate with a PADI Drysuit Certification.

Professor: Dr. Brenda Konar

Prerequisites: AAUS SCUBA certification (www.sfos.uaf.edu/dive/index.html)

Costs: $598 + tuition (In-state tuition for all students)

Click here to register.

Prospective students are encouraged to email.

Posted by Dida at 6:58 PM

March 20, 2008

Unique DIVE WITH A RESEARCHER Program Announced

The Central Caribbean Marine Institute (CCMI) has announced a limited number of openings in its unique DIVE WITH A RESEARCHER (DWAR) program. This innovative opportunity provides certified scuba dives with a chance to dive and gather data alongside a working scientist. According to Dr. Carrie Manfrino, President and Director of Resarch at CCMI,
"There is a certain fascination and mystery about aquatic research. Divers have long asked us questions about how we conduct our research, the type of training and techniques that we use and other diverse questions. We developed the DIVE WITH A RESEARCHER program to give divers a chance to experience the research process first-hand. The response has been overwhelming and we're looking forward to doing more in the coming months."
Dr. Manfrino outlined multiple opportunities for divers that include:
Function of Fluorescent Proteins in Corals presented May 3-9, 2008
Search for Invasive Species presented May 10-17, 2008
Searching for Lobsters presented August 2-8, 2008
Herbivorous Fish & Reef Resiliency August 9-15, 2008
CCMI research provides important insights into the regional and global decline of coral reefs and tropical habitats. In 2008, the projects continue to focus on coral reef disease and coral reef regeneration potential. Participants in the DIVE WITH A RESEARCHER program must be certified scuba divers and will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.

For complete details on the program, visit the DWAR page here: CCMI Dive With a Researcher
Program. The CCMI website also contains additional important details.

Posted by Dida at 11:27 AM

January 11, 2008

Monterey Penisula College Offers Dual NAUI Master Diver and Reef Check CA Course

Please do not contact me regrading this course. Instead email Cyndi Dawson. But as a member of the first class of Reef Check CA divers, I can vouch for how great a program it is!--Dida

Hi all-
If you are interested in improving your dive skills, getting your NAUI Master Diver Certification, and becoming a certified Reef Check California dive this class if for you. (You can download a flyer @ reefcheck.org :: View topic - RCCA Course offered at Monterey Peninsula College). The class will give you an introduction to research diving techniques and safety guidelines. Completion can result in NAUI Master Diver Certification. The class will also include the Reef Check California Diving curriculum which teaches divers to collect scientifically robust data on California’s rocky reef that is provided to marine managers to better inform their decisions (Reef Check - Saving Reefs Worldwide).

This is a semester long course at Monterey Peninsula College beginning February 7th – June 5th.

MUST SIGN-UP BY February 4th.

Course Instructors:
Cecilia Shin - NAUI Course Director and head of Recreational Scuba Program at UCSC. She has been diving and teaching in the Monterey Bay Area for the past 14 years. cecil @ ucsc.edu (831)-345-9745

Cyndi Dawson, M.S. - NAUI Instructor since 1997, she has worked as a subtidal biologist for the past 7 years and currently is the Regional Manager for Reef Check California. cdawson @ reefcheck.org (831)-331-5189

HOW TO SIGN-UP:

Monterey Peninsula College Admission Application Introduction

Registration Steps:
1. Submit the web Application for Admission or the paper copy Application for Admission to the Admissions and Records Office.
2. Request to have all college and high school transcripts mailed to the Admissions and Records Office at MPC.
3. Register during registration dates using using WebReg (Web Registration), Mail-In (not available during summer session), or In-Person.
Note: Registration will not be accessible until an Application for Admission is submitted.
Hope to see you in class,
Cyndi

Posted by Dida at 1:07 PM

January 8, 2007

Santa Monica Baykeepers Training Feb 8, 2007

Just got news from a fellow Reef Check CA diver that the Santa Monica Baykeepers are doing a training on Thursday, Feb 8, at 7pm at Eco Dive Center. Brian says, "I've been volunteer diving with them for almost a year now, and there is no SoCal diving experience like it! Another way to do some giving back with your diving. It has made me a much better diver also! Free boat rides and air fills too! They go out to to Malibu or Palos Verdes about 3 times a week, weekends and weekdays."

They need new divers, so check out more about the program at their website or see the PDF flyer.

Posted by Dida at 4:40 PM

March 4, 2006

Reef Check California Update

I recently asked Craig Shuman, Director of the Reef Check California Program, to submit something to BPD about what's happening with this new program. I've participated in some of the "beta-testing" of the protocol, and have been impressed by how much thought has gone into developing a new program for recreational divers that will yield rich data for scientists. This program demands a lot more from its participants than some other recreational diver surveys, and it will be interesting to see how the program shapes up over the coming years. I truly wish Craig the best of luck with it, because he has clearly devoted a lot of time, thought, and heart to its success. Help support the rocky reefs of California by signing up for some training.

He recently sent me this note, along with a couple photos (copyright Nick Fash, Courtesy FASHPIX.com) from an Anacapa survey.
==================================

Our new California rocky reef monitoring program is out of the gates and off to a great start. Thanks to the help of our scientific review team and dedicated volunteers, the California survey methodology and species lists have been reviewed and field tested at several locations throughout the central coast. To date, we have been in the water with experts from the California Department of Fish and Game, Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, Monterey Bay Aquarium, Santa Monica Baykeeper, UCLA, UCSB, and UCSC. We have also conducted three orientations in Monterey to introduce local divers to the program. These activities have provided us with valuable feedback to help ensure our scientific and educational objectives are met.

There is still limited space available in the July San Luis Obispo and August, Monterey trainings. Visit our website today to download the protocol and sign up for a training before they fill up! See Reef Check California

Posted by Dida at 4:57 PM | Comments (1)

November 22, 2005

Santa Marta (Colombia) Research Diver Course

The Fundación Bucea Colombia will be offering its Third Research Diver Specialty Course Dec 12-18th. To learn more about the program, visit the Fundación Bucea Colombia site.

Posted by Dida at 3:14 PM

September 5, 2005

Catalina Conservancy Divers: Research Diver Training

Catalina Conservancy Divers (CCD), an excellent non-partisan organization that works to maintain and survey Catalina Island's key species, is offering research diver training to all certified divers beginning Sept. 10 of this year. Advanced training is not necessary, though candidates are encouraged to be trained at Rescue Diver level.

Successful candidates will be qualified to dive with CCD on projects conducted through the Wrigley Institute of Environmental Studies.

Details regarding the scope of training can be found here.

Posted by Dida at 10:10 PM