About Redmap

Frequently asked questions

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  • How to register and sign in

    Easy! Simply click on "Create an account" top right of screen, and enter your email address or other username. You will receive an email confirming these details and you can then log into the site.

     

    To sign in - just click "Sign in" and use your Username and password! 

  • How to log a sighting

    It's pretty easy - but let us know if you have problems. The good thing is - you have options! You can find the species you saw/caught on our species page and hit "log a sighting" - which will automatically feed in the species info. Or you can just click "log a sighting" at the top of the page - and fill in the species name yourself - you can start typing the common or latin name here - and the menu will drop down.

    All you do then is follow the prompts! Firstly, upload a photo (remember to click the permissions box or else we cant show it on the website!). Fill in some details about the location, size, habitat (if you dont know these - that's ok - just leave them blank). Then hit submit!

    You'll receive an email thanking you for your sighting. From here your sighting goes straight to a scientist for checking. We hope that this take no longer than 7-10 days (but sometimes we cant help this). If the species identification and details are correct, the scientist "verifies" your sighting - and it appears on the website (and in your profile: My Redmap). If the photo or details cannot be verified, you'll receive an email. Oh, and we cant display an images that others will consider offensive....so keep that in mind when uploading your photo!

  • What are Redmap species?

    Redmap has provided a list of species indicated by scientific or anecdotal information to be extending or shifting their range. You can view this information on the marine species page. Each species is listed with some key identification information. By clicking on the 'more information' link, you will go to more detailed information on each species.

    Actually - we also list a few species that we class as 'species of interest' or 'invasives'- so they may not necessarily be shifting - but there is so little information on them, that we have included them to try and track actual ranges. Keep an eye out for these guys!

  • What if I'm not sure which species I saw?

    If you are not sure which species it is - please dont log your sighting.However, you could check the species pages (it might help to do this for species in your region only). So go to your region page, click species, and search by group (fish, invertebrate etc). We also have links to several identification resources for most regions...just go to the region About page.

     

     

  • What if my species isn't listed on the Redmap species page?

    If you've been fishing or diving there for years, and this is the first (or one of the first) time you've seen it - then it may be something new. So you cant click on Log Sighting and instead of finding the species name in the drop down menu, just fill in the "Other species" box next to it (with common or latin name).

  • I don't want to use the exact location

    That's ok! We never display the exact location on the website anyway! Sightings are displayed at a resolution of half a degree.

  • How is a fish measured?

    Brief descriptions of how to measure your catch are provided. For a detailed description on measuring marine species refer to the Recreational Sea Fishing Guide 2009-10 (Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment).

    FISH: Measure total length, that is from the tip of snout to furthest point of tail (longest measurement). For forked tails, this means you would manipulate the caudal (tail) fin to get the longest measurement.

    OCTOPUS: The length of octopus is not usually measured, they are weighed instead. If possible provide the whole weight of the octopus on the log a sighting page.

    ROCK LOBSTER: The entire length of a rock lobster is not required. A measurement of the rock lobsters carapace (shell) is used to measure its size.

  • How to review sightings (and what if I made a mistake?!)

    The final page of your sighting is a review - but you can move back and forward between the pages if you forget or want to change something. If you realise that you've submitted a sighting incorrectly - please email your regional administrator as soon as possible.

  • What will the information be used for?

    In time the Redmap data will provide a historical perspective of changes to species distributions across Australia. This will be very valuable information to help with planning for a sustainable marine environment. It may also highlight changes that require further information or targeted studies to be developed. Redmap data is displayed on the website so the information is used for a very important purpose - giving all interested Australiansthe opportunity to see how our ecosystems are changing. You can see some of the scientific papers already using here.

  • How can I use Facebook to log in?

    Easy - just click on the link on the Redmap sign up page!

  • What if I forget my username or password?

    That's ok - we've all done that! Just go to "Sign in" and then click on "Forgotten your password" below.

  • Who do I contact if I have problems logging a sighting?

    Please use your region's contact email as the first point of call:

     

    Western Australia: wa@redmap.org.au

    Victoria: vic@redmap.org.au

    South Australia: sa@redmap.org.au

    Tasmania: tas@redmap.org.au

    New South Wales: nsw@redmap.org.au

    Queensland: qld@redmap.org.au

     

     
  • Feedback

    We're always interested - please contact your region administrator or the general contact email! We'll try to respond as soon as we can.

     

    enquiries@redmap.org.au

     

     

    Western Australia: wa@redmap.org.au

    Victoria: vic@redmap.org.au

    South Australia: sa@redmap.org.au

    Tasmania: tas@redmap.org.au

    New South Wales: nsw@redmap.org.au

    Queensland: qld@redmap.org.au

  • How to cite Redmap information

    How to cite the website:

    Redmap Australia. “section/page [if applicable]”. Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania. Date of access. URL

     

    How to cite an article/resource on the website:

    Author [date published]. “Article/resource title”. Redmap Australia. Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania. Date of access. URL

     

    How to cite use of the data:
     

    Data provided by Redmap (redmap.org.au), a project initiated by the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS), University of Tasmania, for monitoring of marine species range shifts operated within Australia by [list of lead organisation(s) from where the data used have been collected ]. Data page URL. Date downloaded.

     

    If you are unsure about how to cite or need to cite in a different way, please contact the Redmap team (enquiries@redmap.org.au)

  • How else can I be involved in Redmap?

    Redmap needs YOU to help spread the word! The more people who know about Redmap, the more sightings (and data) we will have. Here are some tips on what you can do …
    – Tell your mates about Redmap
    – Be a 'marine champion' and give a talk at your local fishing, diving, or other community club about Redmap and its latest findings. We have powerpoint slides already prepared for you, as well as flyers, stickers and booklets
    – Like us on Redmap Australia's Facebook page, share our posts and join in the conversations with us
    – Send us details of any marine-type events or activities happening in your community and we can add the info to our website news page, quarterly newsletter and Redmap Facebook
    – Live in a regional area that may be off our 'map'? Help us spread the word. We can send you flyers and stickers to distribute in your community. Fishing and diving shops are usually pretty happy to help get the word out but we also have flyers and stickers in cafés, surf shops, tourist info centres and all sorts of places!
    – Go to www.redmap.org to learn more and to become familiar with the Redmap species list. Get to know your local marine species!
    – Bookmark Redmap and keep up to date with the who's where of marine species
    - Are you part of a fishing, diving, naturalist or community club? Let us know when you have events and functions - maybe we can help out with a raffle prize or two (depends on how flash with cash we are - but it is worth asking us)
    - Enjoy writing? Draft an article on Redmap for your local community or club paper or send it in to us and it might end up on the Redmap website

  • Information privacy

    We have obligations for managing and storing your information:

    UNIVERSITY OF TASMANIA PRIVACY COLLECTION STATEMENT FOR CITIZEN SCIENTIST PROGRAM - REDMAP

    This statement applies to non-students and non-staff.

    The personal information collected by us, or on our behalf, will be used for the purposes of the research project titled “Redmap – Range Extension Database and Mapping database”. The project invites Australians to share sightings of marine species that are “uncommon” to their local seas. 

    Redmap uses this citizen science data to map which Australian marine species may be extending their distribution in response to changes in the marine environment, such as ocean warming.

    This data also highlights regions and species that may be experiencing more distribution changes, so that research can be focused into these areas.

    Further information about the project can be accessed via the website - http://www.imas.utas.edu.au/community/citizen-science/citizen-science-lbs/citizen-science/redmap

     

    In addition, Redmap will use your data to prepare analyses and for quality assurance, benchmarking and planning purposes, and to comply with legislative reporting requirements.

    The information (such as your Redmap sighting) may be disclosed to other organisations:

    · With your consent; or

    · Where it is necessary given the University's use of contracted service providers to provide services on its behalf (such as mailing houses, logistics, IT service providers); Some of our service providers are located outside of Tasmania and/or Australia and, as a result, personal information collected and held by the University may be transferred outside of Tasmania (but within Australia) or outside Australia;

    · Where it is required or authorised by law; or

    · Where the disclosure is permitted by the privacy laws.

    If you choose not to provide the information requested, University of Tasmania may not be able to provide you with the specific information or assistance you have requested. You have a right to access personal information that University of Tasmania holds about you, subject to any exceptions in relevant legislation. For further information about how your personal information is handled at or if you wish to seek access to your personal information, please contact the University’s Privacy officer on legal.office@utas.edu.au This privacy collection statement applies to all methods of collecting personal information (including hardcopy, electronic or verbal means). This privacy collection statement should be read in conjunction with the University’s Privacy Policy

Redmap is funded by

Lead institutes