Press Center

Coastal bioblitz to provide a living snapshot of sea life along California’s epic coastline

Snapshot Cal Coast (6/23–7/2) encourages citizen scientists to connect with nature and explore the coast

SAN FRANCISCO (June 20, 2017) —This summer, California families have a perfect excuse to connect with nature, explore the beach, and support science like never before. From June 23 through July 2, citizen scientists will document fish and wildlife up and down California’s coast as part of a bioblitz (a volunteer-powered nature survey) called “Snapshot Cal Coast.” In its second year, this monumental public effort to explore and document nature extends beyond the state’s 124 marine protected areas to highlight the entire coastline. The multi-city event calls on citizen scientists, nature and science fans, and people of all ages to provide a snapshot of biodiversity along our iconic—and ever-changing—coast.

Snapshot Cal Coast will include a series of bioblitzes where volunteers record plant, kelp, and animal sightings using the free app called iNaturalist. Strike out on your own, join one of the Academy’s 13 Bay Area bioblitz events, or find an event in your favorite coastal spot. Members of the public visiting the coast during Snapshot Cal Coast are asked to observe this tidepool etiquette.

For both budding and veteran citizen scientists, participating couldn’t be easier:

1. Download the free iNaturalist app to your mobile device.

2. Between June 23 and July 2, take photos to make “observations” of wild plants, seaweeds, and animals along California’s coast.

3. Upload your photos to iNaturalist.

4. Learn more as the iNaturalist community helps identify your observations.

“All of the observations from citizen scientists will add up to a snapshot of what species are found where at this moment in time—a baseline against which we can measure future change,” says Dr. Rebecca Johnson, Academy Citizen Science Manager. “We could never gather data at this scale without the help of so many volunteers, and this event will also help build a community that is motivated and informed to protect California’s marine biodiversity.”

The goal of Snapshot Cal Coast is to learn as much as possible about coastal wildlife, but volunteers are encouraged to pay extra attention to the following “most wanted” species that are affected by emerging diseases, invasive species, and changing ocean conditions:

• Species with changing ranges

  • Hopkins’ Rose Nudibranch, Okenia rosacea​

  • Hilton’s Aeolid Nudibranch, Phidiana hiltoni

  • California Spiny lobsters, Panulirus interruptus

  • Pink Acorn Barnacle, Tetraclita rubescens ​

• Species that were hard hit by the Sea Star Wasting Disease

  • Six-rayed Sea Stars, Leptasterias spp.

  • Pink Short-Spined Sea Star, Pisaster brevispinus ​

• Native seaweeds

  • Sea Palm, Postelsia palmaeformis

  • California rockweed, Hesperophycus californicus ​

• Introduced species

  • Non-native bryozoan (moss animal), Watersipora spp.

  • Wakame, Undaria pinnatifida

Snapshot Cal Coast is coordinated by the California Academy of Sciences and the Marine Protected Area Collaborative Network, with funding provided by the Sustaining California’s Ocean Program of Resources Legacy Fund Foundation. For more information about Snapshot Cal Coast, visit the Academy’s website and view observations here on iNaturalist.

When: June 23–July 2, 2017

Organizing and participating partners MPA Collaborative Network Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation ​Northcoast Environmental Center ​Noyo Center Reef Check California Fort Ross Conservancy Stewards of the Coast and Redwoods Environmental Action Committee of West Marin California Academy of Sciences Sequoia Audubon Ocean Protection Council Shark Stewards Long Marine Lab California State Parks (various) Pacific Grove Museum ​LiMPETS Monitoring Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary ​Wishtoyo Chumash Foundation USC Sea Grant Los Angeles Waterkeeper Heal the Bay Los Angeles County Natural History Museum Aquarium of the Pacific ​Terranea Resort Orange County Coastkeeper Catalina Island Conservancy Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies Crystal Cove Conservancy/Crystal Cove State Park Laguna Ocean Foundation City of Dana Point Cal Poly Pomona ​WILDCOAST City of Encinitas Ocean Sanctuaries San Diego Zoo Cal eDNA​ Bay Nature California Center for Natural History ​SEALIFE Aquarium ​Morro Bay Natural History Museum ​Wholly H2O ​EcoCenter at Heron's Head