CUIA Inventory

The CUIA Interactive Map depicts transect-level locations for the video and HD photographs currently available in the California Undersea Imagery Archive. [note: The default map is loaded with the All Transects (gray lines) layer turned off, i.e. the eye icon in the legend.] A corresponding list of available imagery can be found on the Imagery Catalog page. The archive holdings are continuously expanding beyond that shown in the map. 

The Map interface is intended to provide examples of video transects (forward-facing camera angle) showing general visibility and lighting conditions, common habitat in the region, and species encountered during collection. Additional information about the imagery can also be found in the site specific metadata. Video transects cannot be downloaded directly from the CUIA Interactive Map, but are obtained through the Request Form.

MAP VIEWER and METADATA

*Video transect and navigation information have been archived as received by the donor. For the map's interactive video transects, navigation records were modified with additional fields to ensure proper alignment with the associated video track(s).

CUIA Interactive Map: Site-specific Metadata

Video imagery were collected as part of State-funded research and monitoring projects. The following is a partial list of publications associated with the imagery.

• Lindholm, J., F. Moye, D. Kline, D. Rosen. 2013. North Central California Coast MPA Baseline Characterization and Monitoring of Mid-Depth Rock and Soft-Bottom Ecosystems (20-116 m), April 2010-April 2013. Report to California Sea Grant, R/MPA-8.
• Institute of Applied Marine Ecology & Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. 2011. Characterizing the Deep: Surveys in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary 2007-2010. 14pp.
• Lindholm, J., A. Knight, F. Moye, A. Cramer, J. Smith, H. Bolton, M. Esgro, S. Finstad, R. McCollough, M. Fredle, D. Rosen, A. Lauermann. 2015. South Coast Marine Protected Areas Baseline Characterization and Monitoring of Mid-Depth Rock and Soft-Bottom Ecosystems (20-350 m). Report to California Sea Grant, R/MPA-26A.
• Lindholm, J. M. Esgro, A. Knight, P. Iampietro, R. Kvitek. 2016. Baseline Characterization of Mid-depth (20-500 m) Marine Ecosystems at San Clemente Island, California. Report to US Department of the Navy, US Army Corps of Engineers, W9126G-12-2-0041.

North Central Coast

Central Coast

South Coast

North Central Coast - Point Arena to Pigeon Point

Central Coast - Pigeon Point to Point Conception

South Coast - Point Conception to the Mexican Border

CSUMB + Reef Check California

Reef Check California (RCCA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring the long-term sustainability and health of California’s nearshore rocky reefs and kelp forests. RCCA SCUBA divers (including volunteer citizen scientists as well as university faculty, staff and students) conduct annual monitoring at sites across the state to survey selected fishes, invertebrates, algae, and habitat attributes.

In 2018, the CUIA began collaboration with RCCA to collect videographic imagery of nearshore ecosystems at multiple sites along the coast. RCCA divers were outfitted with GoPro cameras mounted on dive slates to collect videographic imagery on selected fish transects.

North Central Coast - Point Arena to Pigeon Point

Central Coast - Pigeon Point to Point Conception

South Coast - Point Conception to the Mexican Border

HD Still Images

Please note that there is no longer a dedicated archivist to handle video requests. Although outdated, the information below can provide general guidance on the repository and access. Please send all inquiries to cbretz@csumb.edu.

How to Use the Request Form

1. Select Imagery of Interest

Due to the large volume of media housed at the Archive, specific information is necessary to create copies or prepare media for a viewing appointment. Requests can be made by sub-region as listed on the page (i.e. Bodega Head, Farallon Islands, Catalina), by original project (i.e. North Central Coast MPA Baseline Characterization and Monitoring of Mid-depth Rock and Soft Bottom Ecosystems), or more specifically by individual transect or dive. Collection tool, predominant habitat, date collected, video only, or stills only may also be specified.

2. Select Media Type

Video imagery may be requested in either compressed digital files on DVD or external drive, or for special requests its original tape format. are available by region, however those listed are selected sample images that do not encompass the entire image collection available. Imagery may be either copied to an external drive (details below) or delivered electronically through a shared Google Drive download folder. 

3. Ship Blank Copy Media or Schedule Appointment

After submitting a competed Request Form and receiving the approval email, if you require compressed digital forms of video (external drive or DVD), please ship the storage media to:

CSUMB Ryan Ranch Annex, Attn. CUIA, 8 Upper Ragsdale Road, Monterey, CA 93940

We will copy the requested imagery to either the DVDs or drive and ship them back.

Scheduling a Copying or Viewing Appointment

Due to the time consuming nature of copying tapes, we may require requests of more than 20 hours of tape-based video be copied by the requester at our Monterey location. If this is the case, the CUIA archivist (cuia@csumb.edu) will contact you after receiving the Request Form to schedule a time. Note that copying tape takes an equal amount of time to its length. We will provide the equipment necessary to view the tape and copy them, but we may require that you bring your own archival media.

If you lack the equipment necessary to view tape-based imagery but require it for your work, we have a viewing station available at the Archive that you may use to conduct your video observations. If you require use of the video workstation, please indicate so on the request form and we'll arrange the viewing appointments.

REQUEST FORM