Ocean Sanctuaries was formed in 2014 as an ocean-related non-profit group to create and support marine citizen science projects primarily for residents of San Diego, but has now expanded to countries abroad. We have two shark citizen science projects and one involving a local artificial reef: the Yukon, off Mission Beach. A partnership with National Geographic’s Citizen Science tool called ‘Fieldscope’ which allows local divers to document encounters with local non-sevengill sharks, called ‘Sharks of California’
 
The Sevengill Shark ID Project, which began locally in 2010, but has now expanded to partner with the Two Oceans Aquarium in South Africa, allows divers to submit photographs of Sevengill sharks (Notorynchus cepedianus) to a pattern recognition algorithm contained in Wildbook, an open source software program used for mark-recapture, molecular ecology, and social ecology studies, especially where citizen science data needs to be incorporated and managed. The freckling patterns in this species are analysed to determine which individuals may be returning from year-to-year in certain pre-identified locations.
 
The Yukon Marine Life Project, which began locally here in San Diego in 2000, with the sinking of the Canadian warship Yukon, to act as an artificial reef. Local divers can submit marine life photos taken while diving the Yukon, as part of a follow-up study being done by Ocean Sanctuaries.