Weekly Marine Field Assignment

Under direct supervision, assists the Santa Barbara Coastal Long Term Ecological Research project in its investigations of patterns and controls of community structure and primary production in giant kelp forests. Specific duties include: (1) SCUBA surveys of common kelp forest algae, invertebrates, and fish at depths less than 60ft, (2) Towing, launching, and piloting a small (22') research vessel, (3) Installing, maintaining, and retrieving oceanographic instrumentation moored in the field , (4) Collecting coastal seawater and biological samples, and (5) Preparing sampling gear and instrumentation for the field and maintaining them in proper working condition

40 Weekly Laboratory Assignment
Specific laboratory tasks include: (1) Processing seawater and biological samples, (2) Fabricating devices to aid in field sampling and laboratory sample processing,, (3) Computer entry, quality assurance and quality control of data, (4) perform assorted errands.
See the link here for more information on the position and directions on how to apply:

Thanks,
Clint

Clint Nelson
Staff Research Assistant III
Marine Science Institute
University of California
Santa Barbara, CA 93106-6150
(805) 893-7295 office phone
(805) 717-4794 cell phone
(805) 893-8062 FAX

Please apply with your CV, cover letter to v.haussermann@gmail.com with CC to huinayresearch @gmail.com
Applications missing forms will not be considered. Couples welcome.

Position Title: Technical-Scientific Assistant

Employer: San Ignacio del Huinay Foundation

Location: Huinay Scientific Field Station, Comau Fjord, Northern Patagonia,
Chile (the closest major center is Puerto Montt)

Position Type: Contract (1 year minimum)

Closing Date: November 15, 2008

Start Date: February 15, 2009 (Please note Visa requirements will have to be
fulfilled before arrival)

Salary:
* Starting wage of 400,000 Chilean Pesos per month with a set raise to 450,000CLP per month at 6 months (approximately 775USD and 870USD
respectively) minus local taxes and health insurance of approximately 17%
total. Based on a 40 hour work week. Days off are flexible.
* Free Room and Board while at the station. Two of your meals are prepared
for you.
* Free boat transfers to and from the station.
* Free laundry service.
* Rubber Boots.
* Steel-toed Boots.
* Eligibility to participate in the yearly expedition.

There are no living expenses while at the station.

This position is one of vast potential where you will learn a lot and be challenged frequently. Duties are ever changing as they are essentially what are needed for the scientific side of the daily operation at the scientific station. These duties include but are not limited to:
* Assisting the scientific directors in miscellaneous tasks.
* Assisting and accompanying scientists during their projects in Huinay -
supervising dives and sampling practices.
* Being a contact person for Scientific Visitors and Volunteers
* pre-visit contact, explaining rules and conduct, answering questions, logistics,
distributing and collecting required forms, checking daily life is going
smoothly.
* Maintenance of laboratory and diving equipment - general maintenance,
minor repairs, operating and maintaining the SCUBA compressor.
* Presenting and Representing Huinay
* tours to visitors, scientific conferences.
* Maintaining on-going projects (meticulously). Maintaining database information.
* Scientific Samples--collecting, preserving, logging, shipping,
photographing.
* Supervision and motivation of volunteers and students.
* Purchasing ? researching products, receiving quotations, ordering and
tracking, receiving, organizing repairs, issuing complaints if needed.
* Supervision and approval of projects and repairs carried out by external
companies.

Please Note: This is not a researcher position. All research carried out will be under the direction of the Scientific Directors.

Please apply with your CV, cover letter to v.haussermann @gmail.com with CC to huinayresearch @gmail.com
Applications missing forms will not be considered. Couples welcome.

Please see our website for information on HSFS.

About Huinay:

The San Ignacio del Huinay Foundation is a private entity operating a biological field station in Chilean Patagonia. The Huinay Scientific Field Station (HSFS) was inaugurated in 2001 and is situated 100 km south of Puerto Montt, Chile, in the Comau fjord; it is the only biological station in any Chilean fjord. The surroundings are characterized by steep mountains and volcanoes. The almost 6000 mm of annual precipitation gives rise to an extra-tropical rain forest with extremely lush vegetation. The small village of Huinay with its approximate 30 inhabitants can only be accessed by a 1 hour boat-trip (speed boat) from Hornopiren. Most infrastructure - except some small shops and a rural hospital in Hornopiren - is located in Puerto Montt, a 3 to 4 h drive or bus trip from Hornopiren.

Although the fjords of Chile maintain ecosystems with a very high biodiversity and biomass, beautiful examples of deep water emergence, and a long list of new species, knowledge on organisms and ecological functioning is very poor. The goal of the station is to carry out both our own projects and attract national and international projects to help fill these existing gaps. To accomplish this, the station has a dry and a wet laboratory, diving infrastructure and lodging facilities. We have telephone and internet access through satellite and power supplied by hydroelectric plant. In charge of the scientific operation are the Scientific Director, Verena Haussermann and Scientific Manager, Gunter Forsterra, who are at the station half of the time. Permanent station staff consists of two scientific-technical assistants (this position), an administrator, his wife (and assistant), a boat captain, a yard worker/carpenter and at least one person in charge of cooking and cleaning. Scientists are visiting throughout the year but most come between December and April. Projects involve all kinds of terrestrial and marine basic research. Currently our main focus is with the marine environment, especially inventory and ecosystem studies of the fjords. As of January 2009 we will be distributing our newly completed Chile Marine Benthic Field Guide and already a second edition is in the works. Another immediate goal is to establish a local marine protected area, of which there are minimal in Chile and non in the fjords. The summer season of 2007-2008 marked our busiest season to date and growth is not expected to stop.

About the Technical-Scientific Research Positions:

This position may be one of the best entry level biology positions out there in that it gives perfect perspective on the unwritten requirements needed to succeed as a field biologist. The successful candidates will understand that flexibility is among the highest attributes for a field station, especially located in such a remote setting and operating in a Latin culture. The recorded hours of work are not always the true reflection of the day but other benefits may outweigh any extra efforts.

A remote four season paradise comes with trade offs and trials. Busy times pass very quickly but slow times balance the equation and make personal initiative and self motivation priceless. In every small community the smooth and reliable operation of the team is the only option for success but stress and confined space are bound to bring up conflicts. Resolution of problems and patience with others will promote longevity.

The technical-scientific assistant is the "go-to" person for the station regarding science on a daily level and is responsible for the maintenance and well being of all scientific activities. In this position you are both the boss and the employee, who needs to be able to follow instructions exactly while leading and motivate others at the same time. Harder moments of the job include: being assertive and diplomatic in the face of cultural, language, age, education and political differences; managing many tasks and people at one time; self organising to remain busy during the "off season" (don't mistake this for there ever being a lack of work); adapting to delays and surprises in projects; and all the time keeping personal health and well being in high priority. Days off may be accumulated when necessary due to the science schedule which allows for longer trips from the station. Around the station there are many things to occupy free time as well, such as: camping, hiking, fishing, bird watching, kayaking, mountaineering and use of our tiny gym.

The scientific team in Huinay is operating well, therefore the selections for these positions will weigh heavily on personality as well as ability. Our team needs people with a desire to be here and will to perceiver. This is a "stepping-stone" job not an intermediate position en route to better things. What we offer in return is a learning experience and participation in important baseline studies which add to and change the view of fjord regions throughout the world, all the while in possibly the most beautiful setting you'll ever see. And most importantly a lot of good clean fun!

Since the fall of 2006 a project that has been at the fore front for Marine Life Studies (MLS) in California is to help create a full functioning disentanglement team for the central coast of California with annual training, a toll free number for people to call when a whale or dolphin is entangled in gear, more gear in various locations along the coast, public outreach, etc. Up to now it just took a lot of time and not much money. Our efforts have been very successful. This spring W.E.T. was created.

We were able to coordinate our efforts with Fluke Foundation – Mary Whitney, Moss Landing Marine Lab - Jim Harvey, Alaska Whale Foundation - Pieter Folkens, UCSC/Long Marine Lab - Dave Casper, and California Academy of Science - Kathi Koontz. Along with Marine Life Studies (MLS) these are the core members of our regional whale disentanglement network. We have adopted the acronym W.E.T (Whale Entanglement Teams) as a shorter, catchier, way to represent what we do. Classroom and hands-on training was given this spring and summer. We have a strong commitment to public outreach and education including annual training, plus there is a new toll free hotline and a variety of printed materials in the pipeline.

Now we have an opportunity to apply for a grant to help fund much needed equipment. But the stipulation of the grant is that we have to come up with 25% matching funds. This is where I desperately need your help. Marine Life Studies (MLS) is looking to add to the cache of tools that will be kept in central California.

I am asking you to please pledge a donation at this time. We need it because as part of the application process MLS has to list the dollar amount that we will match to be even considered for the grant. The donation itself will be tax deductible in 2009 as we are part of a 501(c)3 organization. The pledged donation money would not have to be sent in until 2009 and only upon being awarded the grant.

Right now we need the dollar amount of your pledge that you will donate so MLS can submit it for the grant request. Whatever you can pledge will be greatly appreciated.

MLS has already gotten $2500 in pledges but still need to raise $2000 in pledges by early Monday morning. I know it is a lot to raise in such a short amount of time but thanks to the generosity of my friends, dive buddies, volunteers of MLS, etc. we have raised $2500 since Tuesday.

The deadline for submitting the application is next week so if you could please let me know what you will pledge by Sunday, September 28th so there is time to finish the paperwork. Please only serious pledges as I am going on the faith that you will stand behind the pledge you make and send it to MLS.

Please email pledges to Peggy peggy@marinelifestudies.org

Once I receive a pledge I will send you back an email to let you know I have received it.

Please write or call me with any questions you may have.

Thank you and the whales will thank you most of all.

Aloha,

Peggy

Peggy Stap

Marine Life Studies in Monterey, California

Project of the Hawaii Whale Research Foundation

Cell: 831-901-3833

Home: 269-623-8355

Email: peggy @ marinelifestudies.org

Website

(please keep in mind I have not had time to update my researcher's blog since December but hope to do that real soon - just not enough hours in the day : )

40 Hours/Week + overtime

Position Description:

Participate as a team member in the coral reef monitoring and evaluation project (CREMP) in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS) and Dry Tortugas. Participate in field data collection using underwater photography, videography, and other sampling equipment. Make in situ species identifications of selected marine benthic taxa and stony corals. Assist the CREMP team in the mobilization and demobilization for all field operations. Perform other duties as needed to meet the project objectives of the coral reef research group and the Ecosystem Assessment and Restoration Section.

Maintain proficiency as Institute diver, including advanced SCUBA and NITROX capabilities according to AAUS standards. Assist in the safe operation of Institute research vessels and operation of portable SCUBA compressor. With training, operate cascade air fill station to refill diving cylinders. Assist in maintenance of diving, field, safety and laboratory equipment. Participate in training for additional field studies and participate in other coral research projects as directed.

Serve as the primary team member responsible for post-processing of video images and creating data files using coral image analysis programs. With training, responsible for incorporating QA/QC procedures as specified in frame grabbing of underwater video and creation of coral image analysis files. Assist with data entry, creation of summary tables, and digital graphics products. Identify stony coral species and octocoral, sponge and other selected taxa from CDROM images and assist in preparation of reports and manuscripts.

NOTE: This position requires extended travel in the field. Travel often requires 2 week stays in the field and requires working on weekends; workweeks in the field are often 60 hours. Overtime is paid for work over 40 hours in one workweek. Travel expenses will be reimbursed. This position is based in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Preferred Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Knowledge of marine biology and/or ecology
Knowledge of principles of SCUBA diving, diving safety
Knowledge of and ability to safely operate boats, trailers and related equipment
Knowledge of basic mechanics/equipment maintenance demonstrated ability to apply that knowledge
Knowledge of use and maintenance of underwater camera/video equipment
Knowledge of PC computer software (Word, Excel, Windows, Access, PRIMER, Raven view)
Skill in using computer software programs
Skill in basic use of marine navigation and electronics equipment
Demonstrated skill in seamanship
Skill in SCUBA diving and underwater navigation
Demonstrated organizational and communication skills and ability to complete assigned tasks in a timely manner
Ability to work as a team member to accomplish project goals
Ability to participate in heavy physical exertion while swimming or diving
Ability to meet the American Academy of Underwater Sciences scientific diver standards
Ability to obtain mixed gas (NITROX) certification
Ability to lift heavy equipment up to 50 lbs
Ability to endure long work hours and extensive periods of time in the field
Ability to learn advanced computer software applications, marine benthic taxonomy and in situ species identifications

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS
Valid driver's license and open water SCUBA certification required. Class D drivers license, advanced diving certification (NITROX) and current CPR and First Aid certifications required post-employment.

TO APPLY:
All applicants must submit an electronic application through People First (https://peoplefirst.myflorida.com/ ) before the closing deadline (9/18/08). In addition, applicants are required to submit an electronic copy of their resume, cover letter, and names of three references by the closing date to Mr. Jim Kozlowski. Incomplete applications will not be accepted.

For more information contact Jim Kozlowski at:
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Fish and Wildlife Research Institute
100 8th Avenue SE
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
Phone: 727-896-8626 x 3202

A link to this job announcement is available at http://jobs.myflorida.com/viewjob.html?refnode=1115559

Closing deadline: 9/19/08

FWC is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/American Disability Act Employer. If you require an accommodation to participate in the application/selection process, as defined by the ADA, please contact the hiring authority in advance. Federal law requires that we hire only U.S. citizens and lawfully authorized aliens who can provide proof of their identity and employment eligibility.

Thank you,

Rob Ruzicka
Coral Program
FL Fish & Wildlife Research Institute
100 8th Ave SE
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
Phone: 727-896-8626 x 1134
Email
2008-07-29T19:34:42Z 2008-07-29T19:32:24Z tag:www.blueplanetdivers.org,2008://1.171 2008-07-29T19:32:24Z

Email:
Mailing address:
Program in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
University of Florida
7922 NW 71st Street
Gainesville, FL 32653

REQUIREMENTS:

1. This is a physically demanding position that will require long strenuous days of diving, carrying heavy dive and sampling gear, and long days of travel.

2. SCUBA certification and experience diving to 20 meters (60 feet).

3. Prior experience conducting underwater fieldwork.

4. Knowledge of coral reef ecosystems.

5. Prior coral reef survey experience is preferred, but underwater survey experience in other habitats may suffice.

6. Knowledge of sessile coral reef species (corals, sponges, etc.) or ability to rapidly learn to identify species.

7. Small vessel (20 - 30 ft) handling and transportation experience.

8. Clean driving record and driver's license.

9. Bachelor's degree in biology, ecology, or related field.

10. NOT PRONE TO SEA SICKNESS.

1. Master's degree.

2. Current or prior AAUS research diver training.

3. Nitrox certification.

DUTIES:

1. Travel with research team to southeast Florida for 5 - 10 days/trip to conduct coral reef damage and disease surveys in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties. Multiple dives will be conducted each day. Multiple trips will take place Sept - Nov 2008. This is part of a project aimed at determining the patterns of recreational and commercial use of reef resources and the subsequent patterns of reef impact and recovery.

2. Conduct water quality and aquatic community (fish, invertebrates, and vegetation) surveys in the rivers and along the coast of the northeast Gulf of Mexico. Several water quality surveys will be conducted each month on various rivers along the coast. Aquatic community surveys will be conducted quarterly with a team of technicians and graduate students.

3. Data entry and database management.

4. Water quality and specimen processing.

5. Assist with any other projects as directed by supervisor.

Position Summary

The diving and safety officer is responsible for the Scientific Diving Program and oversees all diving activities undertaken at BMSC, in accordance with BMSC policy, and governing regulations of the Canadian Association for Underwater Sciences, the Workers Compensation Board of BC and Canadian Standards Association. The diving and safety officer also oversees all aspects of Occupational Health and Safety at the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre, in accordance with the standards described by the Workers Compensation Board of BC.

For full details of duties & responsibilities, and of qualifications & experience, please see the detailed job ad here.

Submission of Applications

Please submit a resume that summarizes your qualifications and experience, and provide the names and contact information for three references that can be contacted by telephone or e-mail.

Applications may be mailed, delivered by hand, faxed or e-mailed (e-mail preferred):

Shirley Pakula
Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre
PO Box 100
Bamfield, B.C. V0R 1B0 CANADA

Fax: 250-728-3452
E-mail

Preferred Start Date: Aug. 25, 2008

Review of applications will begin Aug. 4, 2008 and continue until the position is filled.

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

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

As one of six NURP Centers under the auspices of NOAA's Undersea Research Program (NURP), the Hawai‘i Undersea Research Laboratory (HURL) is presently soliciting research pre-proposals for coral reef ecosystem research for CY2004 and CY2005. Since HURL specializes in deep-water undersea research projects, it encourages research proposals that rely on advanced diving practices (e.g., saturation, mixed gases, and rebreathers). HURL and University of Hawai‘i assets, including the R/V Ka‘imikai-o-Kanaloa and the 900m remotely operated vehicle RCV-150, may be available to support operations in remote areas.

Regions of Interest:

* The waters of the Main and Northwest Hawaiian Islands, and the U.S. Territories and Freely-Associated States of the Western Pacific.
* American Flag Southwest Pacific waters, including American Samoa.

Go here for more information.

PDF job description here

Applications Close: Monday, 21 July 2008

Contact:
Jennifer McKinnon
Lecturer in Maritime Archaeology
Department of Archaeology
Flinders University
GPO Box 2100
Adelaide, SA 5001
AUSTRALIA

Phone: (+61 8) 8201 5875
Email

-by Ed Clifton

The night of February 14, 1969, I sat alone on the south shore of St. John, listening to the waves lapping against a beach of coral rubble. The sky was brilliantly lit with stars, and a light, warm breeze touched my face. Introspection claimed me, for I was on the brink of trading my familiar sun and starlit world for an alien undersea environment. The following afternoon, 3 marine biologists and I would splash down to a seafloor habitat where we would spend the next 60 days as aquanauts in the Tektite Man-in-the-Sea project.

I was not, I must admit, a seasoned diver. I had become certified with SCUBA two years earlier, and had since made a few tentative dives in the southern Oregon surf zone, where we had hoped to employ underwater observation in our research of nearshore sedimentology. I suppose I had, all told, a total of 25 dives under my belt. My primary qualifications for being a Tektite diver was probably my willingness to commit 60 days of my life to being the first geologist-aquanaut. So much for "The Right Stuff"!

As I sat in the darkness, I could hear a steel band and shouts of revelry in the distance. The Navy Seabees, who had carved a base camp out of the jungle and were providing logistical support for the project, were justifiably celebrating Spashdown Eve. I wondered what part of my subaerial existence I would miss most over the next 2 months. Would it be the stars? The feeling of a breeze on my face? The underwater world seemed dark and forbidding. What did it hold? How was all this going to work?

As I mused, listening to the lap of the waves and the sound of distant partying, I became aware that there were other sounds in the night: splashes and the distinctive popping sound of feeding fish. The sea was alive! Suddenly my introspection dissolved into eagerness to explore this world in a way privileged to very few others. I sat there for awhile longer listening to the sound of life in the sea, then returned to the party.

The Tektite project proved to be a wonderful, rewarding experience. I returned to the Oregon coast the following summer and we put scuba to full use in the first comprehensive study of a high-energy surf zone. I was also an eager participant a year later in the Tektite 2 experiment which gained me an additional 20 days of undersea habitation.

And what was it that I most missed while living underwater (other than wife and family, of course!)? It was something I had always taken for granted – the healing warmth of the sun.

photo of DK at Point Lobos courtesy Doug VanOmmeran

As everyone begins their work for the Summer it is imperative that every diver remembers that dive safety begins with the individual diver. Diving does have inherent risks and managing those risks is what prevents accidents. Risk management is every diver's and dive supervisor's number one job. And the risks begin above the water in the loading of gear and the use of vehicles, trailers and vessels - make sure you have proper training before driving vehicles, trailering vessels and operating boats.

Common incidents as new divers begin working and more experienced divers become complacent, tend toward poor air and decompression management and pushing the physical limits of one's diving capabilities. Below is a list of practices, that will help prevent diving accidents. I encourage everyone to review this list, and add to it, and share it with their divers. Make sure you have emergency contact information for all your divers at the dive site for every dive. Safety first, data second.

In the event of a suspected diving injury, contact your dive supervisor/leader and DAN (919-684-4326), begin oxygen therapy and prepare transportation to the nearest medical facility. Do not try to self-diagnosis without the help of DAN, they are your best resource to determine your course of treatment (or non-treatment). Make sure your DAN membership and insurance are current. Remember denial = delay = diminished recovery potential.

Prior to diving be healthy, rested and hydrated.

Plan appropriate bottom times based on depth, depth certification and air consumption. And then stick to the plan.

Manage air and decompression conservatively - on the surface with no less than 500psi after each dive, never allow your dive computer time at depth to be less than 10 minutes - especially critical on repetitive dives.

Ensure you are entering the water with an amount of gas that is appropriate for the task as well as a sharing air contingency.

Slow ascents (30 feet/minute) with safety stops of at least 3 minutes if the dive was deeper than 18 feet (longer if dives were strenuous or exceptionally cold).

Use a deep stop for any dive deeper than 60 feet (a deep stop = on ascent, stopping at 1/2 your maximum dive depth for 1 minute, then proceeding to your safety stop).

Take at least a 1 hour surface interval between dives - each diver should know how to use the planning mode on their dive computer to ensure that 1 hour is sufficient.

Stay hydrated throughout the day and stay as warm as possible between dives.

Use proper lifting technique and get help when lifting heavy loads - diving is hard enough on our bodies, don't make it harder.

Log your dives weekly in order to retain their accuracy - the longer you wait, the shorter your memory.

Have a safe and productive field season - now go forth and count!!

Steve

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.

Duties:
Assistant will participate in all aspects of the field research, including fish and benthic community surveys, fish capture, tagging and dissection, data recording and data entry. Household duties (i.e. cooking, cleaning and equipment maintenance) will be shared between myself and the assistant. All field surveys will be done in collaboration with a local SCUBA dive operator, and assistant must be willing to help with dive shop duties such as gear maintenance and set up, as well as act as an ambassador for the project to the public.

Room & board and dive costs will be covered for the assistant on New Providence, but the assistant is responsible for travel costs to and from Nassau, Bahamas.

If interested, please contact Stephanie Green via email for more information. To apply, please send a resume and contact information for two references.

Hi Folks, Here is an opportunity for an AAUS qualified diver to do some free diving at Anacapa Island on Monday. Dawn is a marine biologist, a researcher from CSN, a great diver, and a good friend. Contact me off line if you are qualified and interested, and I'll hook you up. Wayne
----- Original Message ----- From: Dawn Bailey
To: Surf City SCUBA
Sent: Friday, March 14, 2008 4:43 PM
Subject: Short notice diver

Hi Wayne,

Do you know any AAUS divers that would be available and interested in doing some diving at Anacapa THIS Monday, the 17th? I know its short notice but my Monday volunteer has come down with a sinus infection...

Thanks,
Dawn

by Greg Holzer
Each fall for the past several years, the California Department of Fish and Game (DFG), has conducted red abalone and red sea urchin density surveys at designated sites in northern California. Survey sites range along the Sonoma and Mendocino County coastlines. The 2007 surveys were lead by Dr. Laura Rogers-Bennett and were conducted at Ocean Cove in Sonoma County, as well as Van Damme State Park, Point Arena, and Stornetta Ranch in Mendocino County. The Cruise Report for Arena Point/Stornetta Ranch can be found (here) and makes for compelling reading, but I’d like to stress another aspect here--that of actually getting divers in the water for these surveys and cruises.

The DFG survey teams typically include divers from the Department, Bodega Marine Laboratory (BML), Humboldt State, and other related organizations, as well as volunteer AAUS-certified scientific divers. And as the boat leaves the dock, it’s usually clear that more divers would be a good thing.

For most everyone concerned about the progress of marine life conservation, repopulation efforts, and developments surrounding Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), the effort that goes into the work is recognized, as well as the dedicated people involved. There are a lot of deserving projects though, and so DFG is developing a process in collaboration with Reef Check to recruit qualified divers who are interested in this research. AAUS-certification as a scientific diver is necessary to work from DFG’s boats and facilities, and that carries with it the associated training. However, speaking as one of the volunteer AAUS divers on the cruises the last few years, the rewards and benefits are definitely worth the effort to get and maintain the certification, if you’re interested in the work. Among the benefits:

If all this sounds appealing, and you’re AAUS-certified, DFG would sure like to hear from you, and Dr. Laura Rogers-Bennett would appreciate an email from you about possibly helping with the 2008 abalone and urchin surveys.

So, you’re not yet AAUS certified? Not to worry! There is a great alternative for those who want to begin the training and get involved in scientifically-valuable research that even now is shaping the MLPAs along the California coast. This alternative is Reef Check California (RCCA). If you are an experienced diver you can get involved directly with helping to conserve California’s rocky reefs by becoming a trained and certified Reef Check diver. AAUS certification is not required and RCCA trainings are held in the spring and summer throughout California. As an RCCA diver myself, I can say it’s a very rewarding way to spend some bottom time. In addition, as we did on this trip during the cruise at Stornetta Ranch, Reef Check CA sometimes teams up with DFG to expand the scope of the data gathering. Presently RCCA is working with DFG and others to be able to facilitate AAUS Scientific Diver Certification. Look for updates on the RCCA website. In the meantime, check out the RCCA training page or go to this link to hear from other divers about what it is like to be a RCCA certified diver.

The DFG and Reef Check survey protocols are directly comparable to commonly used sampling methods (see Memorandum of Understanding) and were developed in collaboration with DFG, PISCO and others subtidal research programs to ensure the data collected can be used to improve marine management (see article by C. Dawson published on this site here). Divers lay 30-meter transect tapes, each on a specific heading, then conduct surveys along the transect while completing a datasheet tabulating measurements and quantities of selected species that occur within one meter on each side of the tape. The starting point of each transect is identified with GPS coordinates in the case of DFG abalone transects, and haphazardly placed in the case of RCCA surveys.

DFG survey species include emergent (i.e., large enough to be seen easily with the naked eye) red, flat, and pinto abalone as well as red and purple sea urchins. In addition, selected algal species and certain associated species (e.g., bat stars), as well as notes on seafloor composition are recorded. These species are also surveyed in RCCA surveys. Typically, it takes between 30 and 60 minutes to complete a DFG abalone transect depending on a variety of factors like the number of animals, amount of rugosity, and general sea conditions, which can be challenging in some of the shallower spots with kelp and heavy surge.

The main objective of the surveys at Point Arena Cove and Stornetta Ranch was to assess the density and size frequency distribution of red abalone (Haliotis rufescens) and red sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus franciscanus) populations. However, the task list for research cruises evolves continuously, based on opportunity and other needed research, and every effort is made to maximize the value of the cruise. Additions during this cruise included:
• Taking a small sample of epipodium from 50 red abalone, for genetic research (yes, they were returned “home” with strange tales to tell their friends).
• Collection and examination of 70 small boulders to assess recruitment levels of red abalone.
• Conducting plankton tows to assess levels of larval abalone.
• Conducting fish and related survey transects, in support of ongoing monitoring by RCCA in collaboration with DFG. As mentioned above, some divers aboard were trained in Reef Check protocols and were able to conduct surveys for a wider range of selected invertebrate, algal, and fish species as well as quantifying the type of substrate at this site. The RCCA transects were completed to provide a more comprehensive ecosystem site assessment at this site. Such collaboration is valuable in leveraging the skill sets of the participating groups, make it possible to field more divers, and maximize the value of each cruise. With the compatibility of DFG and RCCA data-gathering procedures and protocols, used together they provide a more complete picture of the overall underwater habitat and communities. These results, in turn, provide a more complete body of scientific evidence needed for creation and management of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and assist managers in making sustainable management decisions. (Click here for more information on Reef Check)

During the four days of the cruise we sampled a total of 36 transects at Point Arena Cove, and 33 at Stornetta Ranch, for a total of 69, exceeding considerably our goal of 56 total for the two sites. All the details are available in the Cruise Report (click here).

One particularly interesting aspect of this cruise was surveying abalone at Stornetta Ranch. This site was closed to public access until 2004 when the land was transferred to the state from a private owner. Prior to the public opening an extensive intertidal as well as subtidal survey was conducted to document abalone and urchin densities. The survey completed this year was the first survey of the subtidal area since the public access opening in 2004, and yielded a striking display of the effects of public access on abalone populations (see Cruise Report).

A few other cruise details:
• Again this year, the divers had as their base of operations the DFG’s enforcement vessel P/B Marlin, a 54-foot aluminum catamaran, skippered by Captain Keith Long, with Warden Steve Johnson and Engineer Jeff Rose as crew. The Marlin is equipped with a 17-foot Rigid Hull Inflatable and electric/hydraulic hoist for launching. In addition, BML supplied a 14-ft. Zodiac with a 25-horse motor. The Marlin is a capable and comfortable diving platform, and with this combination of personnel and equipment, we were able to field as many as five dive teams each day to lay and survey sixty-nine, 30-meter transects during four days of diving operations. The Department also provided a portable compressor so that empty tanks could be filled during diving operations, minimizing the number of tanks that had to be handled, and preventing the need to load and unload tanks during the cruise. Incidentally, support for the dive teams comes from the department’s Wildlife protection patrol boats, captains, and mates. Funding for many of the surveys is made possible by the recreational abalone fishing stamp funds.
• As is common, we had some mechanical problems to overcome, and some divers were limited by illness, so the schedule necessarily varied each day with status of the divers, equipment, and the research efforts.
• Water temperatures for this cruise were in the low to mid 50 Fº range, and visibility varied from less than five feet in shallow, turbulent areas, to near 40 feet on some deeper transects. Overall sea conditions were essentially flat for the entire week, making for some very enjoyable diving.

All in all, as one of the volunteer AAUS scientific divers, it was a very rewarding trip, and I encourage anyone who shares these interests to touch base with Dr. Rogers-Bennett (email). If this year is similar to the last few, trips will be scheduled periodically from mid-August through late October 2008. I hope to see some new faces this year!