White Seabass Restoration Project

WSB Caretakers:

Help us raise and release baby white seabass in San Diego Bay. All ages welcome. Volunteer once, a couple times a month, weekly or daily – it’s up to you! All volunteers must attend an orientation prior to volunteering.

Upcoming orientations:

TBA – We currently do not need any volunteers at this time. Stay tuned!

RSVP required to attend. Please send an email to whiteseabass@sdof.org. Check out our online calendar for future orientations, or click here for more information. If you want to volunteer for this program, you will first need to fill out a volunteer application by clicking here.

Canyon WatchReef ID Classes

Every month we offer free fish and invertebrate identification courses where we will show you how to conduct underwater surveys and identify many of the marine species found commonly in Southern California.

Wed, Jan 21, 2015 at 6PM – Fish ID

Wed, Feb 18, 2015 at 6PM – Invertebrate/Algae ID

Wed, March 18, 2015 at 6PM – Fish ID

Wed, April 15, 2015 at 6PM – Invertebrate/Algae ID

Wed, May 20, 2015 at 6PM – Fish ID

Wed, June 17, 2015 at 6PM – Invertebrate/Algae ID

Wed, July 15, 2015 at 6PM – Fish ID

Wed, Aug 19, 2015 at 6PM – Invertebrate/Algae ID

Wed, Sep 16, 2015 at 6PM – Fish ID

Wed, Oct 21, 2015 at 6PM – Invertebrate/Algae ID

Send us an email to sign up.

Canyon Watch Program

Canyon Hikers:

Get out and hike any of San Diego’s 40 urban canyons! While on the hike, volunteers follow a map to locate and monitor the various manholes throughout each canyon. It’s fun for all ages! This program occurs every single day of the year – whenever it fits your own schedule. Click here for more information. If you want to volunteer for this program, you will first need to fill out a volunteer application, by clicking here.

Environmental Champions:

Are you a natural leader? We need volunteers to rally their friends and neighbors to lead small groups on Canyon Watch hikes. If you’d like to be the Environmental Champion for a canyon in your neighborhood, send us an email here, and we will train you!

Lobster Tagging and Monitoring Program

Reporting Lobster Tags:

If you find a lobster with a tag, please submit it with the date, approximate location, and your contact info on our website here, email it to volunteer@sdof.org, or call our office at 619.523.1903.

Lobster Field Assistants:

Lobster tagging for this season is now closed. Our lobster field assistants go out on research trips for a day to help us collect and record data on lobsters, sea whelks, and other by-catch. This is a great opportunity to gain field experience and work with a small team of elite scientists working on a large-scale species monitoring program.

If you’re interested in being notified when we begin recruitment for next year, please fill out this form. For more information on the project, please click here.

Fish Monitoring Program

Fish Tagging Volunteers:

Volunteers can sign up for free chartered tagging trips to go out with Scripps scientists all over San Diego. Because these trips are for research purposes only, these trips have special clearance to fish in MPA regions – areas normally restricted to fishermen! Anglers and volunteers will catch, tag and release fish, and record key information such as fish size, the gear used to catch the fish, and whether a fish is suffering from barotrauma (pressure-induced injury).

These events are VERY popular and fill up immediately.

Check this site here for the list of upcoming trips and send an email here with your name and desired date to sign up.

Ocean In Motion Marine Science Program

Summer Snorkeling Volunteers:

We need volunteers to help us go out with the students and teach them about conservation and marine science. If you would like to join the fun, please send us an email here. If you want to volunteer for this program, you will first need to fill out a volunteer application, by clicking here.

Other Ways to Help

Fundraising Committee Member:

Throughout the year, SDOF host dozens of fundraising efforts to help cover the costs of our programs. If you would like to volunteer your time to help us with our next fundraising event, please send us an email today!