Census FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: I just sent back my 2010 U.S. Census form. How is the Census of Marine Life conducted and what information are you looking for? I am fairly certain that marine life can’t fill out forms and mail them back to your offices in Washington, D.C.!
A: This question is more common than you might think. Our “census” is very different from what the U.S. government tries to determine every ten years about the American population. Over 2,700 Census of Marine Life scientists work together as part of 17 different projects and 11 regional committees to assess what has lived, lives, and will live in the ocean. Our Census is not only interested in what marine life lives in the ocean, or where it is found, but more importantly, how such information can increase our understanding of the interactions and function of marine species in their environments.

Q: Is Census information intended mostly for scientists or will the general public be interested too?
A: Well if the general public hasn’t heard about the Census yet, we are hoping they will soon. Over the past ten years, Census information has been published mostly in highly scientific journals and discussed at marine science conferences. But recently, the Census has been highlighted in broader circulated venues such as Discover, Time, Popular Science and The Economist magazines. As part of our Decade of Discovery events in London later this year (www.coml.org), we are holding a major news conference in conjunction with National Geographic in the hopes of widely distributing our results to the general public. The news conference will be shown via the internet on http://coml.us/wp-admin/www.CoML.org, so be sure to check out the web site on October 4, 2010 and learn more out our ten years of findings!

Q: Why did the Census of Marine Life start in the first place?
A: The Earth is an ocean planet. The global ocean covers 71 percent of the globe, yet 95 percent of the ocean has yet to be explored. Mars and our moon have been more thoroughly explored. Because there is so much we still don’t know about the life that inhabits the ocean, the Census of Marine Life was created, in part, to increase that understanding.

Q: What does the Census plan to do with all the information the scientists collect?
A: The majority of the data and information collected by the Census can be found in the Ocean Biogeographic Information System, or OBIS. OBIS currently contains over 22 million individual records comprised of over 100,000 different species. One of the critical principles of Census is that all of our information becomes freely available to other researchers, and in that spirit, all of the information in OBIS is easily accessible online at http://iOBIS.org.

Q: Is the Census an advocacy group? Are you trying to influence, for example, what fish people eat?
A: No. The Census is a source of non-biased scientific information. As a whole, we simply try to present the scientific facts so that others can make well informed decisions.

Q: My family and I are looking to take a vacation this summer. Can we come visit the Census of Marine Life?
A: Sadly, no. The Census is a globally distributed group of 2000+ scientists working together towards a singular goal. Therefore, we are not like an aquarium; there is no central head quarter to visit. But, many of the Census projects have exhibits at aquariums and museums. If you visit one, be sure to ask if there is a Census-related display. You can, however, always visit us on the web at www.CoML.org.

Q: Where can we go to find out what’s going on with CoML Synthesis Activities and post-2010 CoML plans?
A: The Synthesis Group maintains a website with basic information at www.comlsecretariat.org/research-activities/coml-synthesis/. For the latest update, be sure to check out the February edition of our Newsletter, as we will recap the outcomes of the Synthesis Workshops in Long Beach and review the progress of the Science Council, the group tasked with determining the direction of a follow on marine biodiversity research program to CoML after 2010.

Q: Does the Census take a stand on controversial issues such as MPAs or fisheries management?
A: No, the Census of Marine Life focuses solely on the science of acquiring a baseline of marine biodiversity information, and by extension, developing the technologies to improve marine research. Individuals involved in CoML hope that this information will be used to help policy makers and resource managers make more informed decisions to solve the difficult issues surrounding marine resources. Many CoML scientists looking forward to disseminating their findings to managers and policy makers as the first CoML comes to close in 2010. Of course, individual scientists within CoML are welcome to draw their own conclusions regarding their findings and implications on policy and management issues.

Q: How “international” is the Census of Marine Life?
A: Scientists from over 80 countries are involved in the Census of Marine Life. Additionally, there are 11 National and Regional Committees. Like the USNC, these groups work with local stakeholders and policymakers to strengthen support for marine biodiversity research in their country or region. How many languages can you say Census in?

Q: What educational opportunities are provided by the Census?
A: Within the U.S., educational opportunities for all ages can be found at the U.S. Census “Get Involved” webpage (http://coml.us/?anchor=cus_get_involved). The site is updated regularly with opportunities for high school students, college students and educators to participate in workshops, internships, professional development courses, cruises aboard research vessels and more.  Many of the Census projects, including MAR-ECO, ChEss, TOPP, and EuroCoML have strong educational components such as lesson plans, educational games, classroom posters and links to opportunities on their websites.  Please visit the Census Portal (http://www.coml.org/) for links to these projects.

Q: Are there parts of the worlds’ oceans where Census does not have a presence?
A: By 2010 Census will likely have some data or samples from every 1 degree square in the global ocean, but that doesn’t mean we have full coverage.  The ocean is 4 km deep, on average, and more than 90% of the information collected by Census is only from the top 100 m.  The area where the South Pacific meets the Southern Ocean is the greatest challenge as it is a remote area a long way from any port and ship and satellite time are expensive!

Q: Is a decade enough time to inventory a baseline of species in the oceans?
A: The name Census of Marine Life was chosen to indicate that the true value of the information would come when the marine biodiversity, abundance and distribution information collected from 2000-2010 was compared to a Second Census in 2020.  We know things are changing, but we will only know how, and possibly why, they have changed when we compare the first to a second – this is the basis for censuses around the world.  The goal of the first Census was to demonstrate that we have the technology to make the unknown known and to provide a representative global baseline.  The next Census-like endeavor should be based on the most efficient and economical technologies evaluated in the first.