Understanding California's dynamic ocean, and assessing anthropogenic impacts on its marine environments
The California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations (CalCOFI) is a long-term oceanographic and marine ecosystem monitoring and research program that that surveys the physical, biogeochemical, and biological dynamics of the marine environment with the goal of serving data and science in support of sustainable marine resource management.
Oceanographic Data
Temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, nutrients, dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and many more environmental variables from CTD sampling and underway systems
Marine Ecosystem Data
Marine mammals, seabirds, fish eggs & larvae, zooplankton, phytoplankton, primary production, bacterioplankton, and eDNA from net tows, CTD sampling, and underway systems
Latest News
Welcome, Josie Adams, SIO CalCOFI’s new Research Associate
We are excited to welcome Josie Adams to the SIO CalCOFI oceanographic team. Josie is a recent graduate of the University of
Welcome, Luke Irza, CalCOFI’s new Research Associate
We are excited to welcome Luke Irza to the CalCOFI team. Luke will serve as a nutrient and seagoing technician.
Welcome, Rachel Pound, CalCOFI’s new Research Associate
We are excited to welcome Rachel Pound to the CalCOFI team. Rachel will serve as a sea going technician and
Next Cruise: 2507SR
Cruise Summary
Summary:
CalCOFI 2507SR will sail on RV Sally Ride on 18 July 2025 from the Nimitz Marine Facility, San Diego. Number of science stations to be completed is TBD. CTD casts and various net tows will be completed at each science station. The cruise will end on 29 July 2025 at the Nimitz Marine Facility, San Diego.
Cruise Dates:
18 – 29 July 2025 (12DAS)
Loading:
16 – 17 July 2024
Offloading:
30 July 2025
Ship:
Contacts:
Kelsey Vogel, Chief Scientist, SIO
Cruise Map:
Station Data Collected:
CTD Sensors:
- Temperature
- Conductivity/Salinity
- Dissolved Oxygen
- Fluorescence
- Transmittance
- PAR (Photosynthetically Active Radiation)
- Altimetry
- Nitrates (SUNA)
Bottle Samples:
- Salinity
- Dissolved Oxygen
- Nutrients
- Chlorophyll-a & Phaeopigments
- Primary Productivity
- Phytoplankton
- HPLC (High Performance Liquid Chromatography)
- DIC (Dissolved Inorganic Carbon)
- DNA/RNA
Nets:
- Bongo
- PRPOOS
Underway Data Collected:
- Surface & Meteorological Measurements
- Marine Mammal Visual & Acoustic Observations
- Seabird Visual Observations
- ADCP (Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler)
- pCO2 (partial pressure of carbon dioxide)
- ALF (Advanced Laser Fluorometer)
- Fisheries Acoustic Observations (EK60)
CalCOFI conducts four research cruises per year; typically in January, April, July, and October.
Cruises depart from and return to San Diego, CA and occasionally San Francisco, CA. Depending on the season and number of stations targeted, cruises are between 15 to 25 days.
Check the Cruises page for dates of upcoming cruises and summaries of completed cruises.
CalCOFI is a unique partnership between government and academic organizations including NOAA’s Fisheries Service, California Department of Fish & Wildlife, and Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
