It has been a busy month for Reef Check Ecodiver courses on Koh Tao with three courses being conducted in the month of August. With increasing demand for environmentally based courses IDCS Nathan Cook has been admirably supported by MSDT Debbie Gottdenker during this busy month.
Reef Check surveys are vital tools for marine resource management allowing recreational divers the opportunity to add to the limited pool of data surrounding coral reefs worldwide. Diving in shallow water divers are trained how to count certain indicator species that suggest possible ill-effects for the ecosystem. For example an overgrowth of algae may suggest overfishing of the herbivores that would normally keep the algae in check – Rabbitfish, Parrotfish and sea urchins. |
Newly certified Ecodivers Victoria Miller and Olly Crichton |
Adanced Open Water Diver Tori Miller enjoying the Reef Check Ecodiver Course
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The courses allow us to utilise the time to not only train up new Ecodivers but to also conduct surveys that are submitted to the relevant agencies for further analysis and distribution.
Reef Check is conducted under to auspices of Reef Check International whereas the Koh Tao EMP is conducted in conjunction with Marine Conservation Koh Tao. Both surveys cover similar elements of the ecosystem but the local EMP is much more relevant to our local species.
Thank you to all of those certified Ecodivers who helped with surveys throughout August. |
Advanced Open Water diver Olly Crichton looking happy with his Reef Check data slate. 