After participating in an educational seminar designed to help divers identify fish quickly and easily, the volunteers go out, slate in hand, and count fish. Although the training seminars are not required, they are helpful in showing divers how to differentiate between similar species. The Great American Fish Count was started in 1992 in southern California by Channel Islands National Park biologists and volunteers as a way to encourage divers to report fish sightings. Since then it has grown into an annual event that has established some baseline data for sanctuaries around the country. This data will help document fish diversity and populations trends that can also be used when assessing the health of coral reefs on a global level.
Volunteers are the backbone of monitoring efforts being conducted in the Keys and around the world.
The Great American Fish Count is just another way that people enjoying these waters can help contribute to their preservation.