Seahorse Ecology and Monitoring
Prerequisites
- Be certified as an advanced diver under a leading diving organization (PADI, SSI, etc) (must include at least 1 deep dive)
- Demonstrate proper diving ability at an Advanced Level and be proficient in buoyancy and self-awareness.
Standards
- Learn about seahorse ecology and identification and understand the global and local threats to seahorse populations
- Learn the diagnostic features for identifying seahorses and be able to identify the most common local species of seahorses
- Know how to survey for seahorses using the roving diver and transect survey methods
- Practice a seahorse survey completing at least two of the main tasks (surveying along the line, controlling the GPS raft, keeping track of dive activity timing)
- Be familiar with the iSeahorse.org website and how to enter sightings data into the global database
Requirements
- Attend 1 seahorse lecture
- Attend 1 seahorse dive briefing
- Complete ID quiz using dichotomous key and seahorse photos
- Complete 1 seahorse survey dives (in 2 different roles)
- Enter GPS data into Google Earth
- Enter sightings and data into the iSeahorse.org and other relevant databases (if seahorse was observed)
Expected course time about 4 hours

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