California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations

  • Increase font size
  • Default font size
  • Decrease font size

Program Overview

E-mail Print PDF

CalCOFI 75 Sta PatternThe California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations (CalCOFI) are a unique partnership of the California Department of Fish and Game, NOAA Fisheries Service and Scripps Institution of Oceanography. The organization was formed in 1949 to study the ecological aspects of the sardine population collapse off California. Today our focus has shifted to the study of the marine environment off the coast of California, the management of its living resources, and monitoring the indicators of El Nino and climate change. CalCOFI conducts quarterly cruises off southern & central California, collecting a suite of hydrographic and biological data on station and underway.  Data collected at depths down to 500 m include: temperature, salinity, oxygen, phosphate, silicate, nitrate and nitrite, chlorophyll, transmissometer, PAR, C14 primary productivity, phytoplankton biodiversity, zooplankton biomass, and zooplankton biodiversity.

Last Updated on Monday, 06 June 2011 23:37 Read more...
 

2012 CalCOFI Cruise Schedule

E-mail Print PDF

Upcoming or Current:
Cruise dates are subject to change so check back often or check the ship's schedule

  • Summer CalCOFI • 2 - 19 Jul 2012 •  NOAA CalCOFI cruise on RV Ocean Starr. Tentative loading dates: 29 Jun - 1 Jul in San Diego (location TBD).
  • CalCOFI 1210NH • 18 Oct - 04 Nov 2012 • RV New Horizon • Loading 15-17 Oct 2012

Additonal Information:
RV New Horizon Information & 2012 Schedule -- RV Ocean Starr Information -- RV Bell M Shimada InformationSchedule 

Completed cruises: 

Last Updated on Wednesday, 09 May 2012 10:54
 

Available Data

E-mail Print PDF

Since 1949, hydrographic and biological data of the California Current System have been collected on CalCOFI cruises. The 61 year hydrographic time-series includes temperature, salinity, oxygen and phosphate observations. In 1961, nutrient analysis expanded to include silicate, nitrate and nitrite; in 1973, chlorophyll was added; in 1984, C14 primary productivity incubations were added; and in 1993, CTD profiling began.

>> Hydrographic Data - 1949 to Latest Update

CalCOFI Data Reports

  dreport  

Hydrographic Bottle

     

Primary Productivity

     

Macrozooplankton

     

Spatial Pattern Figures

     
description       description       description       description      
example       example       example       example      
download - mirror •       download - mirror •       download - mirror •       download - mirror •      
* Latest update: 201104.

Database Ready Files 

  dreport  

MS Access MDB

     

CSV - Btl / Cast Files

     

XML - Btl / Cast Files

     

SQL - Btl / Cast Files

     
14 Table - 50 MB Zip •       MDB Output - 38 MB Zip •       MDB Output - 50 MB Zip •       MDB Output - 45 MB Zip •      
example       example       example       example      
download - mirror       download - mirror       download - mirror       download - mirror      
* Latest update: 201108.

IEH Archive Files

  dreport  

IEH 128 Column

                             
description                              
example                              
download - mirror                              
* Latest update: 201108.

>> CTD Data - 1992 to Latest Update

CTD Zip Files

  dreport  

CTD Data

     

Data Descriptions

     

SBE Formats

     

CalCOFI Formats

     
latest final 1101       final       final asc - hdr       final csv-plot      
latest prelim 1203       preliminary       preliminary asc - hdr       preliminary csv-plot      
browse all       cast       cast       metadata      
* Latest update: 201204: CalCOFI 1203SH preliminary CTD data posted

>> Net Sampling

Online Databases

  dreport  

Data Zoo

     

IchthyoDB

     

ZooDB

     

Pelagic Invert DB

     
CalCOFI Data •       Ichthyoplankton DB •       Zooplankton Database •       Collection Search Form •      
download, plot, filter •       Mark Ohman Lab •       Mark Ohman Lab •       SIO •      
* Latest update: 201101.

>> Underway Sampling

Maps, Data, & DataBases

  dreport  

TSG & Meteorological

     

CUFES

     

Mammal Observations

     

Bird Observations

     
Underway Data       SWFSC - FRD       Census       Census      
Information       Information       Census Log       Census Log      
* Latest update: 201101.

 

Data Usage and Distribution Policy
CalCOFI hydrographic and plankton data are distributed to the community for use without restriction. Unless otherwise noted, these data can be considered to be final data which have been evaluated using CalCOFI data quality control procedures. Methods for data collection and processing are summarized in CalCOFI Data Reports introduction. To see the introduction or methods used on specific cruises, refer to the Data Report PDF page. Preliminary data from recent cruises for which the data processing is not complete can generally be made available to those programs for which there is an operational need. Refer to the Contacts page for addressing such requests. We ask that these preliminary data not be published or redistributed.

 

Last Updated on Tuesday, 15 May 2012 13:36 Read more...
 

2012 CalCOFI Conference

E-mail Print PDF
 
CalCOFI 60th Anniversary LogoThe 2012 CalCOFI Conference will be held at the Asilomar Conference Center in Pacific Grove, California, December 3-5.
Website | Map  |  Main Conference Registration & Information Webpage 

The CalCOFI Symposium convened by Dr. Laura Rogers-Bennett: topic to be announced...

Last Updated on Monday, 12 March 2012 10:21 Read more...
 

Vol 52 2011

E-mail Print PDF

CalCOFI Report Vol 52, 2011 (Complete report pdf; individual pdf links below)

I. Reports, Reviews, and Publications
Last Updated on Wednesday, 18 April 2012 09:51 Read more...
 

Volunteering

E-mail Print PDF

Opportunities to volunteer on CalCOFI Cruises in 2012

  • CalCOFI 1207OS • 02 - 19 Jul 2012 
  • CalCOFI 1211NH • 18 Oct - 04 Nov 2012 SIO RV New Horizon

Interested in participating in an oceanographic cruise? CalCOFI cruises are staffed by personnel from the following agencies: National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA), Integrative Oceanography Division at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and California Department of Fish & Game. Volunteers are recruited to help deploy equipment, collect data, and draw and analyze seawater samples. General criteria:

  • sea-worthiness (experience at sea, recreational is acceptable)
  • good health
  • scientific background
  • ability to follow detailed instructions carefully
  • ability to work safely on an oceanographic cruise
  • availability - most cruises are 18 - 20 days; some winter & spring cruises are longer
  • ability to work a 12hr watch (noon to midnight or midnight to noon) for +18 days

Additional information is available in the CalCOFI Handbook. If you are interested in participating, please send a resume and a brief description of your seagoing experience and interests to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it at Scripps Institution of Oceanography.

Last Updated on Wednesday, 09 May 2012 10:50
 

Current Events

Event Calendar

<<  May 2012  >>
 Su  Mo  Tu  We  Th  Fr  Sa 
    1  2  3  4  5
  6  7  8  9101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728293031  

Who's Online

We have 16 guests online