Reef Check

Reef Check first conducted a global survey of coral reef health in 1997. The data confirmed that coral reefs were in crisis due to overfishing, pollution and other human impacts.{{cite journal |author=Hodgson, G. |title=A Global Assessment of Human Effects on Coral Reefs |journal=Marine Pollution Bulletin |volume=38 |issue=5 |pages=345–355 |year=1999 |url=http://reefcheck.org/about_RC_Reef/publications/mpb.pdf |access-date=2008-06-17 |doi=10.1016/S0025-326X(99)00002-8 |bibcode=1999MarPB..38..345H |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517225039/http://reefcheck.org/about_RC_Reef/publications/mpb.pdf |archive-date=2008-05-17 }} The published results in 1999 unsettled the coral biologist community, as the extent of impacts were not realized.

"The Global Coral Reef Crisis: Trends and Solutions (1997-2001)", a five-year report on coral reefs, was released in 2002 at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, South Africa.{{cite journal |vauthors=Hodgson G, Liebeler J |title=The Global Coral Reef Crisis: Trends and Solutions (1997-2001) |journal=Reef Check Report |year=2002 |url=http://www.reefcheck.org/about_RC_Reef/publications/Reef%20Check%20Report.pdf/Reef%20Check%205%20Year%20Report.pdf |access-date=2008-06-17 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080522124234/http://www.reefcheck.org/about_RC_Reef/publications/Reef%20Check%20Report.pdf/Reef%20Check%205%20Year%20Report.pdf |archive-date=2008-05-22 }} The report used data collected by thousands of volunteers worldwide, and was the first scientific document detailing the decline in coral reef health over a five-year period.

In 2005, Reef Check launched its first temperate reef program in California, collecting data on California’s kelp forests with the goal to inform the emerging statewide Marine Protected Area (MPA) network.{{cite journal |author1=Wehrenberg, ML |author2=Freiwald, J |title=Reef Check California: Applied Ecosystem Monitoring as a Training Tool for AAUS Programs |journal=In: Steller D, Lobel L, Eds. Diving for Science 2012. Proceedings of the American Academy of Underwater Sciences 31st Symposium. Dauphin Island, AL |year=2012 |url=http://archive.rubicon-foundation.org/10298 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20131017095627/http://archive.rubicon-foundation.org/10298 |url-status=usurped |archive-date=October 17, 2013 |access-date=2013-10-17}} Since then, Reef Check’s Kelp Forest Monitoring Program has grown to be the largest scuba-based citizen science program.

In 2016, this program expanded into climate change monitoring and is now providing ocean temperature data from over 75 sites.

In 2020, Reef Check began working on restoring kelp forests, with the hope of reversing some of the devastating collapse of these ecosystems along the North American West Coast. The focus of this program is on community-based restoration by engaging volunteers and providing economic benefit to the local communities that depend on the ocean environment who are the most hard-hit by the loss of kelp in many regions.

Reef Check's Dive into Science program, launched in 2019, is designed to provide scuba and scientific diving skills for groups that have been historically absent in this effort, including tribes, low-income communities of color, and foster youth.

Reef Check endeavors to create partnerships among communities, government agencies, businesses, universities and other non-profits. Reef Check's mission is "to empower people to save our reefs and oceans".

Image:Reef check survey buddy pair.png in 2008. Notice the transect tape.]]

For its coral reef monitoring protocol, Reef Check volunteer divers are trained to study a designated site annually or sometimes quarterly. Underwater surveyors focus chiefly on sessile invertebrates (benthos), along a {{convert|100|m|ft|adj=on|sp=us}} transect line.{{cite journal |author=Shuman CS |title=Reef Check California Monitoring Protocol 2007 |journal=Reef Check California Protocol-2007 |year=2007 |url=http://reefcheck.org/PDFs/2007_RC_CA_Protocol.pdf |access-date=2008-06-17}}{{cite web |author=Reef Check |title=Monitoring Instruction |url=http://reefcheck.org/ecoaction/Monitoring_Instruction.php |access-date=2008-06-17}}{{cite web |author=Reef Check |title=Long Term Monitoring |url=http://reefcheck.org/conservation/long_term_monitoring.php |access-date=2008-06-17 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080509164752/http://reefcheck.org/conservation/long_term_monitoring.php |archive-date=2008-05-09 }}

Four spatial replicates (spanning {{convert|20|m|ft|abbr=on}}) are studied with three {{convert|5|m|ft|abbr=on}} gaps between. The survey is sub-divided to allow paired divers to separately observe substrate, photograph macroinvertebrates and impacts, record video, and count fishes. A site-specific description is also documented.

Reef Check carries out its work through four major programs: the Coral Reef Program,{{Cite web |title=Coral Reef Program {{!}} Reef Check Foundation |url=https://www.reefcheck.org/tropical-program/ |access-date=2025-04-07 |website=Reef Check |language=en}} Kelp Forest Program,{{Cite web |title=Kelp Forest Program {{!}} Sustainable Reefs {{!}} Reef Check Foundation |url=https://www.reefcheck.org/kelp-forest-program/ |access-date=2025-04-07 |website=Reef Check |language=en}} Kelp Restoration Program,{{Cite web |title=Kelp Restoration |url=https://www.reefcheck.org/kelp-forest-program/kelp-restoration/ |access-date=2025-04-07 |website=Reef Check |language=en}} and Dive into Science Program.{{Cite web |title=Dive into Science Program |url=https://www.reefcheck.org/dive-into-science-program/ |access-date=2025-04-07 |website=Reef Check |language=en}}

{{Portal|Environment}}

• {{annotated link|Project AWARE}}
• {{annotated link|Commission on Sustainable Development|abbreviation=UNCSD}}
• {{annotated link|Coral Reef Alliance|abbreviation=CORAL}}
• {{annotated link|Reef Life Survey}}
• {{annotated link|Rubicon Foundation}}
• {{annotated link|SeaKeys}}
• {{annotated link|Shifting baseline}}
• {{annotated link|Citizen science}}
• {{annotated link|Ecotourism}}

{{Reflist|2}}

• Joyce, K.E., Phinn, SR, Roelfsema, CM, Neil, DT and WC Dennison. 2004. Combining Landsat ETM plus and Reef Check classifications for mapping coral reefs: A critical assessment from the southern Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Journal of Coral Reefs. Vol 23, Issue 1. pp 21–25. Springer Publ, New York, NY.

• [http://www.reefcheck.org Official Website]
• [http://www.reefcheckaustralia.org Reef Check Australia] (Australian counterpart)
• [http://www.reefcheckdr.org Reef Check Dominican Republic] (Dominican Republic counterpart)
• [http://www.gcrmn.org Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network] (GCRMN)
• [http://www.icri.org International Coral Reef Initiative] (ICRI)
• [http://www.reef.org Reef Environmental Education Foundation] (REEF)
• [http://www.icran.org International Coral Reef Action Network] (ICRAN)

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Category:Nature conservation organizations based in the United States

Category:Coral reefs

Category:Underwater diving organizations

Category:International environmental organizations

Category:Organizations established in 1996