Skip to main content
Ocean Networks Canada

Ocean Networks Canada

Search form

Facebook iconTwitter iconLinkedIn iconYouTube iconFlickr iconInstagram icon

Menu

  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Jobs & Opportunities
    • Events & Workshops
    • Contact Us
    • Support Us
    • Annual Report 2019-2020
    • Organization
      • Leadership
      • Staff
      • Boards
      • Committees
    • Funders, Associate Members & Partners
      • Funders
      • Associate Members
      • Partners
  • Science
    • Science
    • Active Research
    • Highlights
    • Science Plan
      • Summary
      • Science Themes
    • Publications
      • General Interest
      • Academic
    • Getting Involved
      • Proposals
  • Innovation Centre
    • Innovation Centre
    • About the Innovation Centre
    • Success Stories
    • Contact Us
    • Smart Ocean™ Systems
      • Sensors and Instruments
      • Technology Demos
      • Ocean Observing Systems
      • Earthquake Early Warning
    • Partners & Networks
      • Industry Network
      • Global Partnerships
      • R&D Support
      • Students in Industry
    • Atlantic Partners
  • Learning
    • Learning
    • Learning Highlights
    • Learning Events
    • Partnerships
    • Contact Us
    • Ocean Sense
      • Community Observatories
        • Cambridge Bay
        • Campbell River
        • Kitamaat Village
        • Prince Rupert
      • Teacher Info
      • Student Info
      • Resources & Lessons
    • Get Involved
      • For Students
        • For Undergrads & Grads
      • For Educators
        • Educator Opportunities
      • For Communities
      • Ship2Shore
      • Citizen Science
        • Coastbuster
        • Digital Fishers
      • Youth Science Ambassador
    • Resources
      • Learning at Home
      • Educator Resources
      • Ocean Alive!
      • Oceanography 101
      • About the Observatories
      • Research Ideas
      • Student Reports
  • Observatories
    • Observatories
    • Arctic
    • Atlantic
    • Pacific
    • Mobile Platforms
    • Infrastructure
      • Data Facilities
      • Platforms
      • Devices & Sensors
      • Cables & Connectors
    • Expeditions
      • Wiring the Abyss
      • Expedition Logs
      • Maintenance Processes
    • Notices
      • Information for Mariners
      • Alerts and System Status
  • Data & Tools
    • Data & Tools
    • Highlights
    • Data Quality
    • Preview & Download
      • Preview & Visualize
      • Data Download Tools
      • State of the Ocean Plots
      • Ocean Report Card
    • Apps & Services
      • Mobile Apps
      • OPeNDAP Web Services
      • Related Sources
      • Earthquake Data Dashboard
    • Data Help
      • Usage Policy
      • Tutorials & Help Pages
      • Request Help
  • Sights & Sounds
    • Sights & Sounds
    • Terms of Use
    • Video
      • Live Video
      • Video Highlights
      • Video Archives
    • Images
      • Maps
    • Audio
      • Audio Highlights
      • Audio Archive
  • News
    • News
    • Stories
    • Newsletters
    • Calendar
    • Media Relations
      • Backgrounders
      • Downloads
      • In the News
      • News Releases
      • Media Contacts

About Us

You are here

  1. Home
May 21, 2014

Sablefish Countdown Redux

Citizen scientists around the world are invited to participate in a new sablefish counting study. Two years after our original Digital Fishing Derby, we are now launching a follow-up study, which will help researchers refine the results from the first study. The goal is to count sablefish, or black cod, that appear in a series of one-minute clips—almost 1,500 clips in total.

How to Participate

Using Digital Fishers, count the number of sablefish (black cod) you see during individual 1-minute video clips. At the end of the 60-second clip, the video pauses. You can then select sablefish (black cod) and a corresponding number (0-12) from the dropdown menu under the Sealife category, as shown below. For this new mission, citizen scientists (you) are asked to count the number of sablefish that they see throughout the entire clip. Every sablefish. Even if it is only part of a sablefish or if appears that the same sablefish came back into the screen. At the end of the clip, the screen will pause. Participants can then select Sablefish and a corresponding number (0-12) from the dropdown menu.

Screengrab from Digital Fishers
 

Meet the Competitors

Analyses from 4 different sources will be used in this research project:

  1. Scientist (PhD student): A research group in Spain is investigating the influence of the daily and tidal cycles on the activity of the sablefish. A PhD student from their lab analysed these videos, counting fish and invertebrates, and focussing on the sablefish because of their large numbers.
  2. Experienced users (biology class): 60 students in a biology class at the University of Victoria analysed these videos and counted the fish.
  3. Automated detection (computer algorithm): We have a PhD student who has developed a computer algorithm; this mission can be used as a reliability test.
  4. General public/citizens (Digital Fishers): YOU

Patience Required

In previous Digital Fishers campaigns, participants were asked to analyze video clips that were 15 seconds long. For this campaign, we are need people to watch 1 minute of video, so we can have a more accurate match with previous analyses done by an expert. Your patience and attention are greatly appreciated!

What if the Lights Go Out?

Camera lights are out, but lasers are still on.

Frequently, toward the end of a clip, the lights will go out (they are illuminated and turned off automatically), but 2 red laser beams remain illuminated. Do not count sablefish you see passing through the laser beams when the lights are out.

Automated Analysis

Your eyes and observations will not only support ocean research projects but also help computer scientists at the University of Victoria’s Computer Vision Research Lab develop algorithms that one day will automate the long process of watching many hours of undersea footage. Automated analysis of underwater video is a very active area of research, with some early results already gleaned by researchers who are fine-tuning their work based on input from citizen scientists who watch and annotate the same footage (see an example in the following video clip).

Get Started Today!

Please visit Digital Fishers, log in (or create an account if you don't have one yet) and get started today. We hope to gather as many fish counts as possible over the next two months.

 

Digital Fishers | citizen science

Printer-friendly versionPDF version

Related Stories

Your new Digital Fishers mission (should you choose to accept it)…
Nov 20, 2017

Sablefish study reveals citizen scientists are expert observers
Jun 2, 2017

New app helps citizen scientists collect ocean data
Jun 2, 2015

Digital Fishers: New Sablefish Campaign
May 21, 2014

Teen Spots Hagfish-Slurping Elephant Seal
Jan 23, 2013

Digital Fishing Derby
Aug 1, 2012

Digital Fishers: New Mission
Jun 6, 2012

Calendar of Events

April 2021

  • « Prev  
  •   Next »
S M T W T F S
28
29
30
31
1
2
3
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
25
26
27
28
29
30
1
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Newsletter

Sign up for our monthly e-newsletter:

 

Tweets Follow @Ocean_Networks

 

 

Highlights

  • Audio
  • Data
  • Learning
  • Science
  • Video

Reading Room

  • Active Research
  • Backgrounders
  • FAQs
  • Glossary
  • News Briefs
  • News Stories
  • Newsletters
  • Publications

Cool Stuff

  • Apps
  • Digital Fishers
  • iBooks & e-Pubs
  • Live Video
  • Maps
  • Images
  • State of the Ocean

Data & Tools

  • Apps
  • Data Plots
  • Data Search
  • Data Policy
  • Data Help
  • OPeNDAP Web Services

Opportunities

  • Calendar
  • Educator Opportunities
  • Global Partnerships
  • Industry Network
  • Jobs
  • Staff List
  • Technology Services

Sites & Instruments

  • Arctic Sites
  • Northeast Pacific Sites
  • Salish Sea Sites
  • Notice to Mariners

Follow Us

Facebook iconTwitter iconLinkedIn iconYouTube iconFlickr iconInstagram icon

Sign up for our newsletter

Feedback

CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
Image CAPTCHA
Enter the characters shown in the image.

                              

About Us | Contact Us | Media Relations | Legal Notices

©   Ocean Networks Canada. All rights reserved.  2474 Arbutus Road, Victoria, BC, V8N 1V8 | 1.250.472.5400