Who We Are

ACCESS is a private/public partnership that supports marine wildlife conservation and healthy marine ecosystems in north-central California by conducting ocean research to inform resource managers, policy makers and conservation partners. Effective management and conservation of natural resources requires adaptive management strategies that are informed by robust analysis of past and present data and information at […]

What We Do

ACCESS members jointly conduct integrated, collaborative, and multi-disciplinary research to monitor the distribution and abundance of marine wildlife in the context of underlying physical and biological oceanographic processes. Our research inform managers, policy-makers and conservation partners about wildlife responses to changes in ocean conditions and human threats in order to mobilize public support for marine […]

Where We Work

ACCESS research takes place in north-central California, which is one of the most productive marine environments in the world. The high productivity here is the result of coastal upwelling, an oceanic response to winds along the coastline, which brings cold, nutrient-rich water to the surface. This enhances primary production, supports an abundant zooplankton prey base, […]

How To Help

Help us keep track of the number of whales off San Francisco and the US West Coast. Whether you do it from the shoreline or head out on a boat, join a group or swim solo, use our apps to record what you see. Learn how apps can save whales! Download and use the apps […]

Tracking Ocean Climate

ACCESS partners have been tracking ocean climate to examine seasonal patterns through the oceanographic year and assess how the ecosystem is responding to large, basin-scale climate shifts among years. Ongoing cruises started in 2004, and take place from April to October on the NOAA National Marine Sanctuary Research Vessel Fulmar. Sixty-six (66) cruises have been […]

Solving Ocean Problems

ACCESS recommends solutions to critical ocean problems to resource managers, policy-makers and conservation partners, and mobilizes public support for marine conservation. ACCESS focuses on the following conservation and management issues: Saving Whales from Ship strikes ACCESS data has been used to identify whale habitat within Cordell Bank and Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuaries and inform […]

Training Ocean Stewards

ACCESS trains ocean stewards by hosting a NOAA Teacher-at-Sea each year, providing research opportunities to graduate students and offering lab internships to recent college graduates interested in pursuing careers in marine science. Teachers At Sea ACCESS provides education opportunities for science teachers by hosting a NOAA Teacher-at-Sea each year. For more information about Teacher-At-Sea contact […]

Mapping Tool

The mapping tool provides quick visualizations of distribution and abundance of seabirds, whales and other wildlife from ACCESS cruises. We share data with researchers, graduate students and agencies in the region, and we are making data available in the Central and Northern California Ocean Observing System (CeNCOOS) Data Portal. Please contact Dr. Jaime Jahncke to […]

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Jan Roletto, Research Coordinator of Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary, provides a quick overview of ACCESS, highlighting research to track ocean climate, decrease whale ship strikes and mentor graduate students.

Support Us

ACCESS research to track ocean climate, recommend solutions to critical ocean problems, and train ocean stewards depends from continued support from philanthropic foundations and individual donors like you. To donate and support ACCESS, please click here. For additional information please contact Dr. Jaime Jahncke.