Fish identification is a skill that requires years of practice and a lot of time spent in the field. This app was conceptualized in 2012, while Chelsea and Evan Tuohy were teaching fish ID and underwater visual census to a group of undergraduates. Despite the time these students spent reviewing fish quizzes and reference books, their first time in the water was a little overwhelming. There had to be an easier and more gradual way to integrate classroom-learning with field experience. Three years later, they met independent graphic designer and app developer, Keith Charles. They explained their idea for the app, and Keith announced he could bring that dream into a reality.

The team successfully campaigned for donations on the scientific crowdfunding site Experiment.com and supported the original development of Artedi. Since the original launch in 2015, the app has gained momentum and was awarded an Applied Research grant from Sea Grant to continue improving the design and its features. The grant also funded an experiment to test the effectiveness of the app with teaching fish ID compared to traditional methods. This experiment was led by Dr. Juan Cruz-Motta of the University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez Dept. of Marine Sciences. A new developer, Matthew Katona, came on board in 2017 to restructure Artedi as a web-based app capable of functioning on Android and iOS tablets. He also built the My Artedi back-end data processing and app management to allow users to have more control of their surveys and data.

Future uses of Artedi include a possible expansion to Pacific regions. If this interests you, please reach out to us! We are also currently searching for a sponsor to fund on-going management and development.