Scuba divers help to spread knowledge on marine biodiversity

31 May 2010. Reef Check Italia Onlus, a non-profit Italian organization and a member of the worldwide Reef Check Foundation, has recently joined the Countdown 2010 network.

Since its foundation in 2008, Reef Check Italia Onlus has been dedicated to saving marine biodiversity with a focus on marine protected areas. In particular, the organization works on the conservation of two ecosystems – tropical coral reefs and Mediterranean sea rocky reefs. By acknowledging that monitoring the state of coastal areas is essential to ensure conservation of this priceless heritage, Reef Check Italia Onlus organizes a network of volunteer recreational scuba divers. Divers are trained to monitor and report on the health of the Mediterranean coastal marine habitats and coral reefs. The network covers the entire Italian coastline, which is one of the planet’s biodiversity hotspots.

Among the various projects which the organization is implementing, such as the development of Coastal Environmental Monitoring, Reef Check Italia Onlus is planning numerous activities in collaboration with marine protected areas, diving centres, schools, and other associations. Among these are:

• involvement of recreational divers to describe and monitor the distribution of some target species by visual census;
• monitoring of permanent sites by standard areas;
• collection of temperature profile data by dive computers of volunteers;
• engagement of students and other citizens in the characterization of sandy beaches and rocky coasts.

Reef Check Italia Onlus will participate in major events to spread knowledge on the marine environment and help its protection. From 28 to 30 May, a series of posters to promote biodiversity was be displayed during the “Fiera del Libro” of Imperia. In June, the organization will coordinate the WE MAC event (Week End of the Coastal Environment Monitoring) which aims to promote the protection and understanding of the Mediterranean Sea as a biodiversity hotspot. During the WE MAC, participants will have a chance to join researchers in data collection and look for species to better define their range of distribution along the Italian coastline. Data collected will be stored in a constantly updated database.

• Reef Check Italia Onlus on Countdown 2010 website
• Visit website of the Reef Check Italia Onlus
• Learn more about Reef Check Foundation