Cordell Bank Monitoring Inventory

photo of elephant seal

The monitoring projects in the following inventory take place in or around Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. Projects are conducted by either Sanctuary staff or by our partners. Summary information is presented for each.

For more information about the monitoring activities at Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary, please click here, and review the Sanctuary Condition Report. In addition, information about the monitoring projects taking place in or around the Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary is also accessible through the Sanctuary Integrated Monitoring Network (SIMoN) program. SIMoN is a powerful tool that allows users to quickly access summary metadata information on hundreds of on-going, recently completed and historic monitoring and research projects taking place within sanctuaries.

Contact the research coordinator at the Sanctuary for additional information.


Cordell Bank Buoy - West Coast Observatories

Lead Bodega Marine Laboratory (University of California, Davis)
Objective Buoy provides data for water temperature, salinity, turbidity, and chlorophyll-a fluorescence; data are linked with regional coastal ocean observing systems.

Method Data are collected via instrumentation attached to buoy; data from instrumentation are physically downloaded quarterly.

Status Duration Frequency
Inactive Spring 2007 - August 2013 Continuous (real-time), with some temporal gaps

Links http://www.sanctuarysimon.org/regional_sections/obs/
http://www.ncddc.noaa.gov/website/NMSP_WCO/viewer.htm
Partners Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary, West Coast Regional Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, Central and Northern California Ocean Observing System, NOAA Integrated Ocean Observing System Program Office
Keyword(s) Water temperature, conductivity, salinity, chlorophyll fluorescence, turbidity

Coastal Data Information Program (CDIP) Wave Rider Buoy 029 (Point Reyes, CA - South Cordell Bank, NDBC identifier 46214)

Lead Scripps Institute of Oceanography
Objective Measures and archives wave climatology (direction and energy) and water temperature of coastal waters.

Method Datawell directional buoy.

Status Duration Frequency
Active December 1996 - present Every 30 minutes

Links 029 POINT REYES, CA - SOUTH CORDELL BANK BUOY
http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=46214
Partners NOAA National Data Buoy Center, Central and Northern California Ocean Observing System, US Army Corp of Engineers, California Department of Boating and Waterways
Keyword(s) Water temperature, wave energy, wave direction

National Data Buoy Center (NDBC) - Station 46013

Lead NOAA National Data Buoy Center
Objective Measure and archive wind and wave climatology (direction and energy) and water temperature of coastal waters.

Method Data collected via instrumentation attached to a three-meter discus buoy located in Bodega Bay, 48 nautical miles north-northwest of San Francisco, California.

Status Duration Frequency
Active 1981 - present Every 30 minutes

Links http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=46013
Partners Not applicable
Keyword(s) Water temperature, wind and wave energy, wind and wave direction

Coast Watch

Lead NOAA's Coast Watch Program
Objective Provide remotely sensed satellite and other environmental data to government decision makers and academic researchers.

Method Satellite imagery

Status Duration Frequency
Active 1979 - present Continuous (real-time)

Links http://coastwatch.noaa.gov/
http://coastwatch.pfel.noaa.gov/
http://coastwatch.pfeg.noaa.gov/coastwatch/CWBrowser.jsp
Partners NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service, Pacific Fisheries Environmental Laboratory
Keyword(s) remote sensing, sea surface temperature, ocean color, surface winds

West Coast Ocean Acidification Monitoring

Lead NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory Carbon Group
Objective Conduct large-scale coastal surveys of pCO2 and related water column chemical and hydrographic measurements to determine the spatial scales of CO2 sources and sinks.

Method Water samples collected from conductivity, temperature, and depth (CTD) stations situated along transect lines extending from Canada to Mexico.

Status Duration Frequency
Active 2009 and 2011 Annual

Links http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/co2/story/WCC
http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/co2/story/PacOOS
Partners NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, Oregon State University
Keyword(s) ocean acidification, carbon

Marine Biotoxin Monitoring and Control Program

Lead California Department of Health Services
Objective State-wide effort to detect toxin-producing species of phytoplankton in ocean water before they harm the public.

Method Phytoplankton net samples are collected by a consortium of volunteer participants.

Status Duration Frequency
Active 2004 - Present Monthly

Links http://www.cdph.ca.gov/healthinfo/environhealth/water/
Partners Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary
Keyword(s) harmful algal blooms, human health

Cordell Bank Ocean Monitoring Program (CBOMP)

Lead Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary
Objective Monitor seabirds, marine mammals, krill, and physical oceanographic conditions in the Cordell Bank pelagic ecosystem.

Method Visual observations for seabirds and marine mammals, scientific echo-sounder for zooplankton, conductivity, temperature, and depth sensor (CTD) and thermosalinograph (TSG) for oceanographic conditions, and phytoplankton sample collected for biotoxin monitoring.

Status Duration Frequency
Inactive 2004 - 2010 Monthly

Links http://cordellbank.noaa.gov/science/cbomp_annualreport_2004
http://www.sanctuarysimon.org/cordell/sections/oceanography/
http://accessoceans.org/index.php?page=data
Partners Not applicable
Keyword(s) seabirds, marine mammals, physical oceanography zooplankton, water quality

Applied California Current Ecosystem Studies (ACCESS; formerly PRBO surveys)

Lead Dr. Jaime Jahncke (Point Blue Conservation Science), Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary, Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary
Objective Support marine wildlife conservation and healthy marine ecosystems in northern and central California by conducting ocean research to inform resource managers, policy makers and conservation partners.

Method Data collected via visual observations for birds and marine mammals; hoop net, Tucker trawl, and scientific echo-sounder for zooplankton; conductivity, temperature, and depth sensor (CTD) and underway thermosalinograph (TSG) for oceanographic conditions. Phytoplankton samples collected for biotoxin monitoring. Data also collected on floating marine debris and vessels.

Status Duration Frequency
Active 2004 - present 3-5 times per year

Links www.accessoceans.org
Partners ACCESS partners
Keyword(s) marine birds, cetaceans, pinnipeds, sea turtles, zooplankton, physical oceanography, water quality

Collaborative Survey of Cetacean Abundance and the Pelagic Ecosystem (CSCAPE)

Lead NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service, Southwest Fisheries Science Center
Objective Assess the abundance and distribution of marine mammals and characterize the pelagic ecosystem off the U.S. West Coast.

Method Vessel-based visual observation

Status Duration Frequency
Inactive, pending funding 2005 One-time event

Links SIMoN CSCAPE
Partners NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary
Keyword(s) cetaceans, fish

Tracking Black-footed Albatross

Lead Oikonos Ecosystem Knowledge
Objective Use satellite tracking to explore the post-breeding movements and ocean habitats of Black- footed Albatross, attempt to characterize albatross movement corridors and foraging grounds, and quantify overlap with management jurisdictions and long-line fisheries.

Method Post-breeding birds were tagged in National Marine Sanctuaries off of central California during summer and fall; tagged birds were tracked via satellite.

Status Duration Frequency
Completed 2004-2008 Variable

Links http://www.oikonos.org/race/
SIMoN TBFA Project
Partners Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary, Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, Oikonos partners
Keyword(s) Black-footed Albatross, marine birds, tracking

Tagging of Pacific Pelagics (TOPP)

Lead NOAA's Pacific Fisheries Ecosystems Lab, Stanford's Hopkins Marine Lab, and University of California, Santa Cruz's Long Marine Laboratory
Objective Tagging and tracking North Pacific predators to learn how they use the ocean environment. Species include elephant seals, white sharks, leatherback turtles, squid, albatross and sooty shearwaters.

Method Archival tags, Pop-up archival tags, Smart Position or Temperature Transmitting Tag (SPOT), and Satellite Relay Data Logger (SRDL)

Status Duration Frequency
Active 2000 - present Variable

Links http://topp.org/
http://las.pfeg.noaa.gov/TOPP_recent/index.html
Partners TOPP partners
Keyword(s) marine birds, cetaceans, pinnipeds, sea turtles, fish, tracking

Ocean Biogeographic Information System (OBIS) - Spatial Ecological Analyses of Megavertebrate Populations (SEAMAP)

Lead Andrew Read, Patrick Halpin (Duke University)
Objective Spatially referenced online database, aggregating marine mammal, seabird and sea turtle observation data from around the world.

Method Varies by principal investigator; data-collection methods include visual line-transect surveys, visual strip surveys, molecular techniques, and digital photography.

Status Duration Frequency
Active 2002 - present Variable

Links http://seamap.env.duke.edu/
http://iobis.org/
Partners OBIS partners
Keyword(s) cetaceans, pinnipeds, sea turtles, marine birds

Central California Aerial Surveys

Lead NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service, Southwest Fisheries Science Center
Objective Quantify the spatial and temporal distributions of marine mammals, seabirds, and leatherback turtles in the coastal waters of central California.

Method Aerial surveys

Status Duration Frequency
Active 1977 - present Annual

Links http://swfsc.noaa.gov/textblock.aspx
Partners Not applicable
Keyword(s) marine birds, cetaceans, pinnipeds, sea turtles

Southeast Farallon Island Seabird Ecology Surveys

Lead Point Blue Conservation Science, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Farallon National Wildlife Refuge
Objective Monitor and study the ecology of 12 seabird species. Daily measurements of sea surface temperature, salinity, and weather are also made.

Method Counts of adult and chick seabirds; diet analyses.

Status Duration Frequency
Active 1971 - present Annual

Links http://www.prbo.org/cms/159
http://www.fws.gov/sfbayrefuges/Farallon/Birds.htm
Partners The California Academy of Sciences
Keyword(s) marine birds

West Coast Bottom Trawl Survey

Lead NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, Fishery Resource Analysis and Monitoring (FRAM) Division
Objective Assess the distribution, abundance and biological characteristics of commercially important fish species, particularly sablefish, and many of the shelf and slope rockfish species.

Method Bottom trawls

Status Duration Frequency
Active 1977 - present Initially triennial (1977-2001), now annual

Links http://www.nwfsc.noaa.gov/research/divisions/
http://www.nwfsc.noaa.gov/research/divisions/fram/
Partners Not applicable
Keyword(s) Groundfish, population abundance, commercial fisheries

Pacific Hake Survey

Lead NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, Fishery Resource Analysis and Monitoring (FRAM) Division
Objective Assess the distribution, abundance and biological characteristics of commercially important mid-water fish species using trawls and acoustics, particularly pacific hake and sardines.

Method Bottom trawl and hydroacoustics

Status Duration Frequency
Active 1977 - present Triennially (1977-2001), Annual (2001-present)

Links http://www.nwfsc.noaa.gov/research/divisions/fram/
Partners Not applicable
Keyword(s) Fish, population abundance, commercial fisheries

Integrated Ecosystem Survey (formally known as Rockfish Recruitment Survey)

Lead NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, Fisheries Ecology Division
Objective Survey distribution and abundance of pelagic juvenile young-of-the-year (YOY) rockfishes. The survey extends from San Diego in the south to the northern boundary at Point Delgada, just south of Cape Mendocino.

Method Mid-water trawl and conductivity, temperature, and depth sensor (CTD)

Status Duration Frequency
Active 1983 - present Annual

Links http://swfsc.noaa.gov/textblock.aspx?Division=
Partners Not applicable
Keyword(s) fish, population, abundance

Seafloor Mapping and Monitoring

Lead Rikk Kvitek (California State University, Monterey Bay)
Objective Collected high resolution (3m) multi-beam data for the extent of Cordell Bank. The Seafloor Mapping Lab (SFML), within the Division of Science and Environmental Policy at California State University Monterey Bay, specializes in high-resolution acoustic remote sensing for coastal habitats.

Method Data collected via Reson multi-beam echo-sounder

Status Duration Frequency
Completed 2005 One-time event

Links http://seafloor.csumb.edu/
Partners Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary
Keyword(s) seafloor habitat characterization, hard-bottom, soft-bottom

Central California Habitat Characterization and Monitoring

Lead Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary, Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary, and Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary
Objective (1) Map the seafloor in three West Coast national marine sanctuaries: MBNMS, CBNMS, and GFNMS, (2) Ground-truth habitat maps in MBNMS and CBNMS, (3) Characterize habitats and associated benthic macro-invertebrates and fish assemblages in MBNMS and CBNMS, and (4) make mapping information available to the public.

Method Seafloor mapping data collected via side-scan sonar; habitat mapping and characterization data collected via towed camera sled.

Status Duration Frequency
Completed 2004 and 2007 Annual

Links http://www.sanctuarysimon.org/cordell/sections
Partners Not applicable
Keyword(s) Fish, invertebrates, soft-bottom, continental slope

USGS usSEABED Seafloor Characteristics Database

Lead USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Program, University of Colorado
Objective Gather diverse geologic data about the continental shelf and organize it through a GIS database know as usSEABED. The database provides unprecedented coverage of the sediment and rock types sampled from the seafloor as well as a searchable catalog of other observations, such as micro and macro flora and fauna and sedimentary structures.

Method Sediment grab samples, specific protocols per investigator requirements

Status Duration Frequency
Active Undetermined - present Variable

Links http://walrus.wr.usgs.gov/usseabed/
http://marine.usgs.gov/index.php
http://instaar.colorado.edu/~jenkinsc/dbseabed/
http://pubs.usgs.gov/ds/2006/182/
Partners dbSEABED partners,usSEABED partners
Keyword(s) hard-bottom, soft-bottom, seagrass, coral, invertebrates

Trawling Impacts to Soft-Sediment Habitats and Communities

Lead Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary
Objective Quantify the recovery of seafloor microhabitats and associated benthic fauna along the central California coast following the cessation of fishing with mobile bottom fishing gear (e.g., otter trawls). Cordell Bank site represented a closure area due to essential fish habitat closure regulations.

Method Remotely operated vehicle surveys conducted in 2006

Status Duration Frequency
Completed 2006 One-time event

Links http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/science/conservation/
Partners National Centers for Coastal and Ocean Science, Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary
Keyword(s) Invertebrates, fishing impacts, recovery

Cordell Bank Benthic Community Characterization and Monitoring

Lead Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary
Objective Conduct a long-term study to classify habitats and monitor fishes and macro-invertebrates on and around Cordell Bank; additionally, provide data on lost fishing gear abundance and distribution on Cordell Bank.

Method Visual observations along benthic transects from occupied research submersible

Status Duration Frequency
Inactive, pending funding 2002 - 2005 Annual

Links http://sanctuarysimon.org/cordell/sections/
Partners NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, Habitat Ecology Team
Keyword(s) Fish, invertebrates, habitat, fishing gear

Deep Sea Coral Explorations

Lead Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary, NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service, Northwest Fisheries Science Center
Objective Document the presence, abundance, and habitat associations of deep-sea coral and sponge communities in the deep waters (>200m) of CBNMS.

Method Remotely operated vehicle and autonomous underwater vehicle observations.

Status Duration Frequency
Completed 2010 - 2011 Annual

Links http://cordellbank.noaa.gov/science/cb_2010dsc_leg2_2011
http://www.nwfsc.noaa.gov/research/divisions/
Partners NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program, NOAA National Centers for Coastal and Ocean Science, United States Geological Survey
Keyword(s) Deep-sea corals, sponges, habitat