Required Caulerpa Surveys
An important goal of the Southern California Caulerpa Action Team is to detect and prevent the unintentional spread of undiscovered infestations of Caulerpa taxifolia. This detection might occur through either voluntary or mandatory surveys. Voluntary surveys are conducted by recreational and research SCUBA divers, while mandatory surveys are generally associated with in-water construction.
The California Department of Fish and Game and National Marine Fisheries Service require that project sites in southern California bays and harbors be surveyed for Caulerpa prior to conducting any activity that involves disturbance of the bottom.
Examples of such activities include:
- dredging
- placement of mooring weights
- realignment of aids to navigation
- anchoring construction barges
- pile driving
- placement of fill material
These surveys must be conducted by certified personnel. Click here for a list of biologists certified to conduct these surveys.
The Caulerpa Control Protocol outlines the methodology and timing guidelines for conducting surveys.
It is important to check the National Marine Fisheries Service Web site frequently to obtain the most current version of the protocol and reporting form.
When reviewing the Protocol, be careful to note the intensity levels and required timing of the surveys based on the status of the water body. References to an infected system indicate any bay, harbor, estuary or lagoon in which Caulerpa has been previously identified. Currently, no sites are designated as infected, since Caulerpa was declared eradicated from Agua Hedionda Lagoon in San Diego County and Huntington Harbour in Orange County in July 2006. Check the above Web site to obtain information about the addition or removal of systems from this designation.
The Protocol has specific guidelines on the methodology by which Caulerpa surveys are to be conducted and how the Protocol Survey Report Forms are to be completed.
To view images of Caulerpa, species mistaken for Caulerpa, and other invasives to watch for, see theCaulerpa Identification page.
Users may view the locations where past Protocol Caulerpa Surveys have been conducted, as well as view the reports of these surveys, by accessing the Caulerpa Control Protocol Survey Report Database. Link to Database.