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
Cruise Experience Spotlight: eDNA Sampling on the Fall 2025 CalCOFI Cruise
My name is Ella Crotty, a recent college graduate and lab volunteer at Scripps Institution of
A Decade of Remarkable Change: Heatwaves, HABs, Hypoxia, and Other Ocean Changes off the California coast
Please join us for this year’s CalCOFI Conference 2026, A Decade of Remarkable Change: Heatwaves, HABs,
Trophic Efficiency in Early Life: Insights from CalCOFI on Fish Resilience & Populations
In November, I was invited to speak about my CalCOFI research on the Trophic Efficiency in
Sharing science and stories across the North Pacific: PICES 2025
In November 2025, I flew across the largest and deepest ocean on Earth and landed in
Ocean Biomolecular Observing Network (OBON) Annual Projects Meeting 2025
The Ocean Biomolecular Observing Network (OBON) is a UN Decade program building a global biodiversity monitoring
Welcome, Mark Gold, SIO CalCOFI’s new Director
We are thrilled to share the news that Mark Gold has been named new director of
Spring CalCOFI Cruise – March – April 2026
NOAA FSV Bell M. Shimada
San Diego to San Francisco
Loading: 28-30 March 2026 (Port of San Diego 10th Avenue Marine Terminal)
Offloading: 25 April 2026 (San Francisco Pier)
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.
