Community Fishers Training Program

Ocean Acoustic Monitoring Training Program

Data Tools Workshop

Community-Engaged Research Workshop

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Our training programs and workshops offer community-friendly access to observatory and mobile sensor data and opportunities to advance knowledge and skills in marine science, environmental monitoring and community engagement.


**Overview** 
This two-day course equips participants with the practical knowledge to participate in the Community Fishers Program and to learn user‐friendly tools for collecting data from mobile scientific instruments.

**Program description** 
Coastline monitoring has historically relied on research vessels with expert staff, both of which are commonly expensive and in short supply. This can result in samples taken only a few times a year in spot locations.

In response to this challenge, ONC developed the Community Fishers mobile app that provides a practical, user-friendly tool for collecting data and accessing it via Oceans 3.0.

Consisting of a mobile application that connects wirelessly to a conductivity, temperature, depth (CTD) instrument and additional sensors, Community Fishers enables an organization or community to engage all vessels of opportunity (such as fishing and recreational boats) allowing for more flexible, frequent, and locally relevant sampling of water properties without the cost or requirement of utilizing specialized research vessels and scientific staff.

**Learning objectives** 
Upon completion of this two-day training program, participants will be able to:

- Understand and communicate the importance of instrumenting our oceans and coastal regions
- Identify key oceanographic parameters and understand their significance to ocean life and marine health;
- Accurately describe the theory of operation and application of a CTD, oxygen optode, fluorometer, turbidity sensor, and CDOM sensor in monitoring marine waters
- Plan and conduct an effective sampling strategy and sensor deployment based on specified deliverables and designed to answer a specific research question
- Using the Community Fishers app: collect, display, interpret, and report sensor data
- Identify and troubleshoot impacts on sensor performance and data quality

**Who is this program for?** 
This training program is designed to complement funded Community Fishers ocean monitoring programs. The funding usually includes a communities/organizations procurement of a multi-parameter sonde (conductivity, temperature, depth [CTD]) water profiler, their own data management and ONC's scientific support. This training provides the foundation of collecting good quality base-line oceanographic data, along with the practical methodology to operate the CTD and the initial interpretation of the data.

There are also potential training opportunities for groups/individuals outside the Community Fishers program - please contact us for further discussion.

**Contact information** 
For questions regarding this program, please contact: training@oceannetworks.ca

**Overview** 
This two-day course provides an introduction to acoustic data principles and training in hydrophone use and deployment, sampling strategies, sampling strategies, and interpretation and reporting of underwater acoustic data.

**Program description** 
As coastal communities grow, so too do human activities such as shipping, boating, fishing, and construction, each leading to increases in ocean noise levels in nearshore and offshore habitats. Underwater noise can travel long distances and high noise levels are known to negatively impact marine species such as orca, humpback whales, seals, and salmon. Monitoring and understanding the impacts of underwater noise on marine life is critical for responsible management of marine habitats and for improving ocean health.

**Learning objectives** 
Upon completion of this two-day training program, participants will be able to:

- Understand and communicate the importance of instrumenting our oceans and coastal regions
- Understand the significance of underwater acoustics to ocean life and marine health
- Accurately describe the theory of operation and application of a hydrophone in monitoring marine waters
- Plan and conduct an effective sampling strategy and hydrophone deployment based on specified deliverables and designed to answer a specific research question
- Use Lucy and other software packages to collect, display, interpret, and report acoustic data
- Identify and troubleshoot impacts on hydrophone performance and data quality

**Who is this program for?** 
Researchers and community members who require training in the use of hydrophones to collect, interpret and report acoustic data for environmental monitoring purposes.

**Contact information** 
For questions regarding this program, please contact: training@oceannetworks.ca

**Workshop description** 
Oceanographic data from a wide variety of deep ocean, coastal, and surface sensors collected by Ocean Networks Canada are freely accessible online using our [Oceans 3.0](https://data.oceannetworks.ca/home) web tools. These tools provide access to general information about instruments and associated technology, and allow users to view, search and download live and archived data.
 
This half-day workshop is designed to teach scientists, educators, students and community members how to access ONC observatory and mobile sensor data and use online data tools for research, teaching and learning.

**Contact information** 
For questions regarding this workshop or to schedule a training session, please contact [Dr. Dave Riddell](mailto:riddelld@uvic.ca) or [Wylee Fitz-Gerald](mailto:wyleefitz@oceannetworks.ca), Post-Secondary Education Coordinators at Ocean Networks Canada.

**Workshop description** 
Covering topics such as forming partnerships, co-developing research priorities, power dynamics and positionalities, ethics, communication, and data collection and management, this workshop is designed to provide foundational skills in community-engaged research theory and praxis.
 
Adaptable from one hour (specific topic) to two days (full workshop) depending on the learning needs of participants, the workshop content is aimed at graduate students, undergraduate students enrolling in senior-level capstone courses or anyone engaging in research that puts community interests first.

**Contact information** 
For questions regarding this workshop, or to schedule a training session or discuss specific topics of interest, please contact [Dr. Dave Riddell](mailto:riddelld@uvic.ca), Post-Secondary Education Coordinator, Ocean Networks Canada.