 The 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
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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 Information & Schedule
Completed cruises:
- CalCOFI 1203SH & NOAA Project 12-04-SH • Leg 2: 11 Apr - 29 Apr, Depart San Diego, offload San Francisco; Cruise Plan (pdf). (Click ship icon for shiptracker)
- CalCOFI 1203SH Leg 1 (27 Mar - 07 Apr 2012) on NOAA RV Bell M Shimada occupied 57 stations. Leg 2 is currently underway. Preliminary CTD data from leg 1 is available here.
- Winter CalCOFI (27 Jan - 13 Feb 2012) on RV New Horizon occupied all 75 schedule stations successfully.
Last Updated on Wednesday, 09 May 2012 10:54
Recent California Current Ecosystem Data Reports from CalCOFI and Affiliates
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
>> CTD Data - 1992 to Latest Update
>> Net Sampling
Online Databases
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| CalCOFI Data • |
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Ichthyoplankton DB • |
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Zooplankton Database • |
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Collection Search Form • |
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| download, plot, filter • |
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Mark Ohman Lab • |
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Mark Ohman Lab • |
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SIO • |
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| * Latest update: 201101. |
>> Underway Sampling
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
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 The 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
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I. Reports, Reviews, and Publications
- Report of the CalCOFI Committee
- Review of Selected California Fisheries for 2010: Coastal Pelagic Finfish, Market Squid, Ocean Salmon, Groundfish, Highly Migratory Species, Dungeness Crab, Spiny Lobster, Spot Prawn, Kellet’s Whelk, and White Seabass. Dale Sweetnam, editor.
- State of the California Current 2010–2011: Regional Variable Responses to a Strong (But Fleeting?) La Niña. Eric Bjorkstedt, Ralf Goericke, Sam McClatchie, Ed Weber, William Watson, Nancy Lo, Bill Peterson, Bob Emmett, Ric Brodeur, Jay Peterson, Marisa Litz, Jose Gomez-Valdez, Gilberto Gaxiola-Castro, Bertha Lavaniegos, Francisco Chavez, Curtis A. Collins, John Field, Keith Sakuma, Pete Warzybok, Russell Bradley, Jaime Jahncke, Steven Bograd, Franklin Schwing, Gregory S. Campbell, John Hildebrand, William Sydeman, Sarah Ann Thompson, John Largier, Chris Halle, Sung Yong Kim, Jeff Abell.
- Publications
Last Updated on Wednesday, 18 April 2012 09:51
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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
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CCE-LTER: California Current Ecosystem
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| See our Affilates page for more information and other contributors. |
Last Updated on Friday, 29 April 2011 09:04
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