We conduct sea star surveys once a month during low tide at three intertidal locations from April to September. Our methodology is based off of those from the Pacific Rocky Intertidal Monitoring Lab of UCSC. Data is collected for the number, species, size, and degree of wasting syndrome of sea stars. At the end of each field season our data is shared with the Multi-Agency Rocky Intertidal Network (MARINe) to contribute to a larger North America-wide database to be used as open source data for SSWS research. The information collected from this data can be used to track seasonal and long-term trends in sea star species abundance, diversity, and level of wasting disease both within small-scale and large-scale regions.
Join us for the 12th year of counting sea stars at our Tonquin Study Site!
What to Know Before Volunteering:
The tide waits for no one!
Please arrive on time, as volunteers must complete the on-site training of methods and protocols prior to each survey. You can help us by coming prepared and completing the following tasks:
Attend/watch the training workshop (optional)
Sign and email our volunteer waiver and photo release form to jadyn@reddfish.org
Read through the SSSP protocol doc
Remember to dress for the weather, wear sturdy waterproof footwear (for traversing slippery rocks) and come ready to survey some sea stars!