Local Scuba Divers to Help in Fish Count
Counting the number of fish in the ocean might seem like an absurdly difficult task, but come the first two weeks of July, recreational divers are going to try to do just that.
As part of the Great American Fish Count, a national event sponsored by various federal and state fish agencies, local scuba divers will conduct a census of sorts in the waters around the Channel Islands and off the Ventura County coastline. From their notes, biologists will be able to estimate overall fish populations and use the information to manage the ocean’s resources.
“It’s a lot of fun,” said Gary Davis, a biologist with the Channel Islands National Park. “It’s a little bit like bird-watching.”
The idea for the fish count actually borrows from bird-watching; it is modeled after the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count, an event that started with 25 people in 1900 and now involves 22,000 bird-watchers.
The Great American Fish Count started in 1992. Davis said about 300 divers participated last year between Monterey and San Diego.
Divers who want to participate should contact Laura Gorodezky at the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary for information at (805) 966-7107.
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