How does Seagrass-Watch ensure the data is actually reliable and viable?
Seagrass-Watch has accepted Quality Assurance-Quality Control protocols in place to ensure that the program is producing data of high quality, and that time and resources are not wasted. The program implements QAQC during all three phases of monitoring: 1. Pre – monitoring • Representative site selection – ensures measurements actually represent the whole population at the time an observation was made. • Sites permanently marked – ensures data can be compared between periods of time 2. Field – monitoring • At least 1 participant at each monitoring event must have passed a Seagrass-Watch training course or has a degree (or similar) in environmental/marine science and is able to demonstrate competency of SGW methods & protocols.
