OTIONOS is proud to offer a Coral Reef Research Volunteer research assistant program that will enable and promote much needed research and awareness  in the beautiful Turks and Caicos Islands!

The Turks & Caicos Islands has an extensive network of 33 protected areas, but little is known about their function and effectiveness. Our efforts support management strategies set out by the Department of Environment and Maritime Affairs (DEMA). These strategies are essential for the sustainable and responsible use of the resource for tourism, tourism that is set to expand across the TCIs with expanding visiting airlines and the cruise ship dock on Grand Turk. 

As an OTIONOS coral reef volunteer research assistant, you will help to identify marine habitat that needs further protection and provide the support data necessary to help protect and conserve this endangered habitat. 

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The Coral Reef volunteer research assistant program 

 What really sets our reef volunteer research assistant program apart from others is the very small group we host, with a maximum of 6 volunteer research assistant divers at a time. This means full integration by all members of the research team at all times!

Every 2 weeks we run a series of training days where we present critical information about the biology, ecology and plight of Caribbean coral reefs. You will learn and perform Reef Check methodologies and at the end be certified Reef check EcoDivers.  Once your survey techniques are cleared by our senior scientist, you will commence research duties and become a member of the OTIONOS volunteer research team.  The remainder of your time will be spent conducting marine surveys and collating data! Areas of investigation include:  coral reef, sea turtles, conch, lobster and lion fish extraction.  

A little about the details...

Accommodation and snacks & drinks while on the boat are included. Housing is a comfortable beach front cottage-style apartment on Salt Cay with each volunteer researcher sharing the breezy upper floor. Shared working kitchens are provided but food is not included in the price. Volunteer marine research assistants will take responsibility for their own food requirements and, knowing this, can control their own food budget and choose to eat in or out!

Reusable water bottles will be provided to minimize our waste impact on Island. 

Volunteer coral reef research assistants must account for all flights to Providenciales or Salt Cay as well as a comprehensive dive travel Insurance.  Volunteer research assistants must be dive competent and be at least a PADI OW diver or equivalent. During your time with OTIONOS  it is possible to gain the PADI advanced rating to be able to conduct survey dives to 30m/ 100ft. During this season there are flights readily available from most places.  There are direct flights from Toronto,  Miami, and London to name a few.  All of these major airlines will fly into Providenciales.  To get to Salt Cay or Grand Turk you will have to take a small plane called the Caicos Express. 

OTIONOS is a NON PROFIT company.  All money that comes in with volunteers covers costs and goes back into practical research!!  

A day in the life of an OTIONOS volunteer coral reef research assistant..........

Each day will start bright and early around 8 am.  During each coral reef research excursion every volunteer research assistant will be assigned a set research responsibility each day which is rotated to enable all research volunteer assistants to become proficient at each skill.  

Underwater transect work will comprise of 3 buddy teams. The fish team will focus on Indicator fish species, abundance, size and juveniles. The Invertebrate team will measure the abundance of Lobster, Urchins and Sea Fans to name a few. The Substrate team will measure the abundance of Coral, Nutrient Indicator Algae and Sponges for example while Looking for signs of Coral Bleaching, Disease, pollution and predation. 

Each marine research survey trip will last about 5 hours, depending on the weather conditions and location of the survey site. Two survey dives will be conducted per trip to maximize coral reef data collection.   After the research trip each member will  plug in their research data for the day while we discuss the day's findings. Then the night is yours!!!  

We operate five days out of seven, giving volunteer research assistants 2 days a week to do what they please... sun tan, read, check emails, kayak, explore, or whatever else you wish to do.