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

CalCOFI Hackathon

CalCOFI Hackathon brings together data science & marine science early career professionals to develop innovative data visualization tools using CalCOFI

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...

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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.