5 Ways to Be an Ocean Citizen Scientist
April is Citizen Science Month, so what better time to get stuck into your local patch of coast and give something back to the big blue?
Here are five ways you can be a volunteer marine citizen scientist.
What is Citizen Science?
Data collection is crucial for the conservation of our natural world. By monitoring the environment, we can better understand how human activities impact biodiversity and identify possible solutions to address conservation needs. Gathering as much information as possible is essential to protecting a species, a habitat, or an entire ecosystem. However, the world is vast, and our influence on biodiversity is extensive, making it challenging for scientists to collect all the data necessary to evaluate the state of our environment and determine the best course of action.
You can make a difference as a volunteer citizen scientist. Citizen science projects are gaining popularity as a means to involve the public in important environmental issues, connect them with nature, and fill critical gaps in scientific knowledge. Depending on your interests and access to the coast, there are various projects that you can participate in to conserve our seas and the wildlife that calls them home. Anyone interested in the environment and conservation can get involved and contribute to meaningful change in their local marine environment and beyond.
Beachwatch
Why not get some friends together and participate in a beach clean survey with the Marine Conservation Society? Beach cleans are the perfect way of making a real difference to your local coastline. With the Marine Conservation Society, you can contribute to their beach clean monitoring scheme that provides a snapshot of the most frequently encountered items during their beach cleans across the country. Data from these events feeds into their policy and advocacy work, making a real-world difference to creating a cleaner, more responsible world - like campaigning to introduce a nationwide deposit-return scheme.
2. The Great Eggcase Hunt
Mermaid's purses is the colloquial name for eggcases of all skates and egg-laying sharks, and they can often be found during a walk along the beach. By reporting your sightings, you can help the Shark Trust to better understand the health of shark and skate populations in the UK. The Shark Trust has developed a handy guide, which can be downloaded from their website, to help identify which species the eggcase came from. Eggcases wash up along the British coastline throughout the year, so always keep your eyes open and register your sightings online.
3. Shoresearch
Shoresearch is a national citizen science survey of the intertidal shoreline carried out by the Wildlife Trust. By participating in this program, you can learn to identify shoreline plants and wildlife species while helping conservationists monitor this habitat. The data collected through this project is used to inform the management of the intertidal region, where the land meets the sea. It also helps monitor the effects of pollution, climate change, and invasive species on fragile marine species. Additionally, the data collected has been used to identify Marine Conservation Zones in the UK. So, if you love nature and want to help protect it, getting involved in Shoresearch is a great way to do it!
4. National Whale and Dolphin Watch
Love whales and dolphins? The Sea Watch Foundation hosts an annual week-long event during which members of the public submit their sightings. This helps provide a general snapshot of what is present in UK coastal waters over a short time. Many people are unaware of the great diversity of whales, dolphins, and porpoises in our seas despite them being commonly encountered. This event helps to fill this knowledge gap and to monitor their populations. You can also sign up for training by the ORCA Foundation to become a marine mammal observer. By becoming a marine mammal observer, you can join cruises across the Bay of Biscay to observe and record cetaceans passing through the area.
5. Sea Angling Diary
Do you go fishing? The Sea Angling Diary Project is a citizen science project led by Cefas and Substance that is open to all sea anglers across England Wales. If you’re interested in sharing insights from your fishing sessions to learn more about UK fish stocks and contribute to evidencing the value of recreational sea angling to coastal communities, then this one is for you.
However you choose to get involved in ocean citizen science throughout April and beyond, you will be making a difference to marine science and conservation. So get out there, enjoy the salty sea air and collect some data!
Be a coastal hero
Want to learn more about how you can become an everyday marine conservationist?
Order your copy of Britain’s Living Seas: Our Coastal Wildlife and How We Can Save It.