CoNCENSUS UFOBs

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Welcome

Thank you for taking the time to participate in our SCOR-CoNCENSUS questionnaire. Our goal is to evaluate the field of underwater fish observation research by exploring the methods used, research topics investigated, and collaborations formed. Your input will be greatly appreciated.
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Please provide your preferred name
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What is your affiliation?Please provide the names of your university, institute, company, or department.
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What sector do you work in?Please select the sector that best describes your current work environment.
Academic and Research Institution
Government Agency
Non-Governmental or Non-Profit Organisation
Private Sector
Intergovernmental and International Organisation
Technology and Innovation
Educational and Outreach Organisation
Tourism and Ecotourism
Other
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What other sector do you work in?
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Based on the sector you selected above, please specify your current job title or role within your organisation
Research Scientist
Postdoctoral Researcher
Professor/Academic
Graduate Student
Postgraduate Student
Undergraduate Student
Technician
Support Staff
Manager
Principal Investigator
Consultant
Volunteer
Director
Other
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Please specify your other current job title or role within your organisation
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Which method do you primarily use for underwater fish observations?* This field is required.If you use multiple methods, you will have the option to complete the questionnaire for each method after completing this one. Alternatively, we would be grateful if you could list any additional methods used in Question 17.
Underwater Visual Census
Baited Remote Underwater Video Systems (inc. stereo-video)
Remotely Operated Vehicles
Diver Operated Stereo-Video Systems
Remote Underwater Video Systems
Towed Underwater Video Systems
Automated Underwater Video Systems
Other
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May you please provide your other method?
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Does your selected monitoring method use stereo or mono video?
StereoMono
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What underwater Visual Census (UVC) sampling technique do you use?
Stationary Point Counts
Belt Transects
Timed Swims
Roving Diver Census
Tracked Roving Diver Census
Towed Diver
Other
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What other UVC sampling technique/s do you use?
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Please select the reason/s for selecting your observational method
Non-destructive and non-extractive
Accuracy
Cost
Availability
Comparative effectiveness (compared to other visual methods)
Spatial coverage
Depth capability
Safety
Widely-used standardised approach
Other
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Please provide your other reason/s for selecting your observation method
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What data do you collect using your observation method?
Length or Size
Species Composition
Abundance
Behavioural Observations
Habitat Type
Environmental Parameters
Morphometrics
Other
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What other data do you collect using your observation method?
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What do you use your collected length data for?Please describe the purposes for which you use fish length data.
Size Distribution
Growth Studies
Biomass Estimation
Maturity Assessments
Stock Assessments
Other
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What else do you use your collected length data for?
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Do you predominantly record all species detected by your observation method or just a subset?
All SPECIESONLY A SUBSET
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What subset of the assemblage do you focus on?
Elasmobranch species
Indicator species
Single species
Target species
Key species
Other
Other
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What other subset of the assemblage do you focus on?
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Please indicate the number of years you have been using underwater fish observation methods in your research
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Does your sampling protocol conform to standardised, widely accepted best practices, such as those used by multiple organisations nationally and internationally, and conform to FAIR standards?
YESNO
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Could you please share the reasons for your choice?Understanding the reasons behind not following best practices helps us identify potential challenges faced by the community.
I am unaware of any best practices.
I have resource limitations (e.g. funding, equipment, personnel).
There are environmental constraints (e.g. specific conditions of the study area).
I face logistical challenges (e.g. access to study site, transportation of equipment).
There are regulatory restrictions (e.g. local regulations or policies).
I have technological limitations (e.g. unavailability of advanced technology).
I have time constraints (e.g. limited time for research).
I lack training or expertise in standardised methods.
My project has specific requirements (e.g. unique objectives or requirements).
I need data compatibility (e.g. consistency with previous data).
Other
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Could you please share the other reasons for your choice?
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If willing, please upload the SOP documents used by your group
Drag and drop files here
Select files to upload
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What is your country of work?Please specify the country where you are currently working.
Street Address
Street Address Line 2
City
State / Province
Postal / Zip Code
Please Select
Please Select
Afghanistan
Albania
Algeria
American Samoa
Andorra
Angola
Anguilla
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Armenia
Aruba
Australia
Austria
Azerbaijan
The Bahamas
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Barbados
Belarus
Belgium
Belize
Benin
Bermuda
Bhutan
Bolivia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
Brunei
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cambodia
Cameroon
Canada
Cape Verde
Cayman Islands
Central African Republic
Chad
Chile
China
Christmas Island
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Colombia
Comoros
Congo
Cook Islands
Costa Rica
Cote d'Ivoire
Croatia
Cuba
Curaçao
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Denmark
Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Estonia
Ethiopia
Falkland Islands
Faroe Islands
Fiji
Finland
France
French Polynesia
Gabon
The Gambia
Georgia
Germany
Ghana
Gibraltar
Greece
Greenland
Grenada
Guadeloupe
Guam
Guatemala
Guernsey
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Guyana
Haiti
Honduras
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jersey
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kiribati
North Korea
South Korea
Kosovo
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Latvia
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macau
Macedonia
Madagascar
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Mali
Malta
Marshall Islands
Martinique
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mayotte
Mexico
Micronesia
Moldova
Monaco
Mongolia
Montenegro
Montserrat
Morocco
Mozambique
Myanmar
Nagorno-Karabakh
Namibia
Nauru
Nepal
Netherlands
Netherlands Antilles
New Caledonia
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
Niue
Norfolk Island
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
Northern Mariana
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Palau
Palestine
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Pitcairn Islands
Poland
Portugal
Puerto Rico
Qatar
Republic of the Congo
Romania
Russia
Rwanda
Saint Barthelemy
Saint Helena
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Martin
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Samoa
San Marino
Sao Tome and Principe
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Serbia
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
Somalia
Somaliland
South Africa
South Ossetia
South Sudan
Spain
Sri Lanka
Sudan
Suriname
Svalbard
eSwatini
Sweden
Switzerland
Syria
Taiwan
Tajikistan
Tanzania
Thailand
Timor-Leste
Togo
Tokelau
Tonga
Transnistria Pridnestrovie
Trinidad and Tobago
Tristan da Cunha
Tunisia
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Turks and Caicos Islands
Tuvalu
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
United States
Uruguay
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Vatican City
Venezuela
Vietnam
British Virgin Islands
Isle of Man
US Virgin Islands
Wallis and Futuna
Western Sahara
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Other
Country
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Do you conduct any of your underwater fish observation research or work as part of a larger program, network or working group?Such as Reef Life Survey (RLS), Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF), National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) etc.
YesNo I work independently
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How many collaborative groups are you currently involved in?
1-3
4-10
>10
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If willing, may you please list any of the programs or groups?
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How many other countries have you collaborated with when conducting your underwater fish observation research?
1-3
4-10
>10
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On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being not at all connected and 10 being highly integrated, how would you rate your level of connection and integration with your national research network of underwater fish observation researchers?
Level of connectedness
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On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being not at all connected and 10 being highly integrated, how would you rate your level of connection and integration with your global research network of underwater fish observation researchers?
Level of connectedness
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Where do you conduct your underwater fish observation research?
North Atlantic (East)
North Atlantic (West)
South Atlantic (East)
South Atlantic (West)
North Pacific (East)
North Pacific (West)
South Pacific (East)
South Pacific (West)
Western Pacific
Eastern Pacific
Western Indian Ocean
Eastern Indian Ocean
Arctic Ocean
Southern Ocean
Other
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Where else do you conduct your underwater fish observation research?
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In what types of ocean environments do you conduct your research?
Coastal (<10m)
Shallow demersal (<40m)
Mesophotic demersal (40m-200m)
Deep-sea demersal (>200m)
Pelagic (open ocean water column)
Artificial habitats (e.g, pipelines)
Estuaries
Other
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In what other types of ocean environments do you conduct your research?
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Other than your selected primary observation method, do you use any other underwater fish observation methods?
YES I DONO
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Please may you list any other methods that you use
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If willing, may you please upload any SOP documents that you use for your other methods
Drag and drop files here
Select files to upload
Max. file size: 10.6MB
Cancelof
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Methodological AdvancesWhat are the most significant methodological challenges to overcome or innovations needed in underwater fish observation research? Please share any specific techniques or technologies that you believe require further development or refinement.
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Global ChangeGlobal change (e.g. climate change, ocean acidification) is impacting coastal and nearshore fish populations and their ecosystems. What are the key research questions or challenges related to understanding and mitigating these impacts?
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Species or Spatial ManagementWhat are the pressing issues in species and spatial area management?
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Ecology or BehaviourWhat are the critical questions regarding the ecology or behaviour of fish that need to be addressed? Are there specific behavioral patterns or ecological interactions that are not well understood and require further investigation?
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Ok
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Any Additional QuestionsAre there other important research questions, topics or challenges that you consider important?
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Please discuss any obstacles or difficulties that have impacted your ability to focus on the research questions that you deem important
Funding
Equipment availability
Working conditions
Logistics
Other
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Please add any other obstacles or difficulties that have impacted your ability to focus on the research questions that you deem important
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What are your goals for sharing and applying your research findings?Outline your main goals for sharing and using the results of your research.
Educating the public
Informing policy/management
Advancing scientific knowledge
Supporting conservation efforts
Improving research methods
Monitoring
Other
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What are your other goals for sharing and applying your research findings?
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How important are the following strategies for achieving your goals mentioned in the previous slide?Please rate the strategies or actions on a scale of 1 to 7, with 1 being not important and 7 being highly important.
Publishing in academic journals
Presenting at conferences
Meeting with policy makers and managers
Developing educational materials
Conducting workshops
Participating in community outreach
Using social media
Developing digital tools
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Publishing in academic journals
Presenting at conferences
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Developing educational materials
Conducting workshops
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How often do you engage with stakeholders to share your findings?Indicate the frequency of your interactions with other researchers, policymakers, or communities in line with your goals.
Daily
Weekly
Monthly
Quarterly
Annually
Only at specific events
Rarely
Other
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May you please enter your email address* This field is required.We'll use this to send you a copy of your submission and you will able to edit your submission if needs be.
example@example.com
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In accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), please indicate your consent for the collection and use of your personal information for the purposes of this research study.* This field is required.The collection of this data has been approved by Rhodes University’s Human Ethics Board (Reference: 2024-5743-9110)
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Yes pleaseNo thanks
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