- Convenors:
-
Thora Herrmann
(Faculty of Humanities University of Oulu)
Hanne Hvidtfeldt Christiansen (Aarhus University)
Arja Rautio (University of OuluBiomedicine and Internal Medicine)
Caitlin Mandeville (Norwegian University of Science and Technology)
Elise Lépy (Faculty of Humanities, University of Oulu)
Tereza Fonseca (League for the Protection of Nature)
alessandra cenci (Aalborg University)
Tom Børsen (Aalborg Universitet)
Sedef Korkmaz (Akdeniz Koruma Derneği)
Alexandra Meyer (Dpt. of Social and Cultural Anthropology, University of Vienna)
Send message to Convenors
- Format:
- Panel
Short Abstract
Climate change and human activity are rapidly impacting marine ecosystems and communities. This session explores inclusive, community-based monitoring, highlighting citizen science as a tool to bridge data gaps, co-produce knowledge, and build resilience, and to ensure meaningful participation in increasingly high-tech marine research.
Description
Environmental conditions in marine ecosystems are changing rapidly due to climate change, increasing human activity (e.g., shipping, resource extraction, cruise tourism), and emerging pollutants such as plastics. These pressures affect ecosystems and biodiversity, as well as the health, food and water security, and livelihoods of coastal communities. Monitoring these environments remains challenging due to logistical, financial, and infrastructure constraints. The growing use of advanced technologies, such as remote sensors, drones, autonomous vehicles, and eDNA methods, offers new opportunities for data collection but also raises questions about the role of citizen participation.
This session brings together scientists, Indigenous rightsholders, local stakeholders, citizen science practitioners, and policymakers to explore inclusive, innovative approaches to environmental monitoring in marine contexts. We focus on community-based and participatory blue citizen science as critical tools to bridge data gaps, co-produce knowledge, strengthen resilience, and create policy-relevant governance, and efforts for marine conservation. Particular attention is given to tensions in blue citizen science between participatory ideals and current practices, including overemphasis on technical approaches to data collection, reliance on online platforms, and under-recognition of participants’ contributions.
We welcome case studies and discussions that:
highlight community-led efforts tracking pollution, ecosystem changes and biodiversity loss in marine environments;
explore technological innovations (low-cost sensors, drones, apps, platforms) that make monitoring more accessible while retaining participatory engagement;
address cumulative impacts of environmental change, cruise tourism, infrastructure, and other anthropogenic pressures on ecosystems and communities;
examine strategies for co-producing knowledge with Indigenous rightsholders and local stakeholders;
discuss opportunities and challenges and strategies forward to create scalable, research frameworks that maintain meaningful blue citizen engagement in high-tech, big-data contexts.
This session aims to identify pathways for more inclusive, participatory, and impactful environmental monitoring and marine citizen science research. A collective paper is anticipated as an outcome of the session.
Accepted papers
Short Abstract
This presentation highlights the topic of marine pollution in the Arctic, and the ways community based participatory research with local indigenous and non-indigenous communities, and citizen science conducted with school pupils and other local experts, may be used in tackling the pollution issue.
Abstract
ArcSolution is a transdisciplinary project that aims to reduce pollution in the Arctic using a comprehensive approach that considers both environmental and human health. Pollution in the Arctic is a big problem and it harms the environment and the health of the people and animals there. Climate change causes ice to melt, which releases harmful pollutants, and new pollutants are entering the area because of human activity. The result is severe problems for the plants and animals, water and food security, and the local communities. ArcSolution is working to solve these problems. The project uses the latest science and works with the people who live in the Arctic to find the best solutions. The project studies pollutants like organic chemicals, heavy metals, microplastics, and pathogens, and the oceans and other water bodies are central contexts, where these pollutants are studied. The goal is to create sustainable solutions that involve communities in protecting the environment and human health.
ArcSolution projects is conducted in several Arctic study locations in Norway, Svalbard, Finland, Greenland, Faroe Islands and Canada. In this presentation we offer an outline of the topic of marine pollution in the Arctic, specifically in ArcSolution study locations, and the ways community based participatory research with local indigenous and non-indigenous communities, and citizen science conducted with school pupils and other local experts are used in ArcSolution in tackling the pollution issue.
Short Abstract
Citizen science enhances marine monitoring by engaging communities. A survey of 102 divers in Portugal’s Professor Luiz Saldanha Marine Park showed strong interest in recording biodiversity but limited platform use. Unlocking this potential supports co-production, conservation and participation.
Abstract
Marine ecosystems face rising pressures from climate change and human activity, demanding more inclusive and adaptive monitoring approaches. Citizen science offers a promising pathway to expand biodiversity data collection, while fostering community participation and ecological awareness. This study explored the potential of recreational divers as contributors to citizen science initiatives in the Professor Luiz Saldanha Marine Park, a marine protected area on Portugal’s mainland coast. An online survey gathered 102 valid responses, providing insights into divers’ sociodemographic profiles, diving practices, motivations, and species-recording habits. Respondents generally had significant diving experience, high educational levels, and expressed strong interest in documenting marine biodiversity. Despite this willingness, actual use of citizen science platforms to share observations remained limited, highlighting the gap between potential and practice. These results underscore the need for targeted strategies, such as training opportunities, tailored feedback, and integration with formal monitoring programs, to engage divers more effectively. By connecting recreational diving and scientific research, citizen science can enhance marine biodiversity knowledge, strengthen conservation strategies, and contribute to more resilient marine ecosystems. Importantly, it also builds participatory pathways where citizens become active partners in co-producing knowledge. This case study illustrates how mobilizing divers’ contributions can help translate marine citizen science “from data to action,” aligning with the broader goals of Blue Participation.
Short Abstract
ICEBERG combines technology and community action to monitor Arctic beach litter via cameras, drones, and interactive mapping. Citizen data and AI enable automated litter detection, while geolocated observations highlight local engagement. Challenges and opportunities for public engagement are shown
Abstract
The ICEBERG project (2024-2026) takes a multidisciplinary approach to marine citizen science combining automated monitoring technologies with community-driven environmental monitoring and action across Northeast Iceland and South Greenland through three methods: time-lapse camera systems, drone-based monitoring, and an interactive online mapping platform to document beach litter in the Arctic. A network of 14 time-lapse cameras was developed and deployed in collaboration with residents, NGOs, and community groups in Iceland. These systems continuously capture visual data to feed into the development of an Artificial Intelligence (AI) model for automatic beach litter detection. Citizen scientists are central to this process: they help install and maintain the cameras, conduct field tests to train the AI, and take part in hands-on workshops where they learn how to build and use simple AI models for environmental monitoring. Community members in Iceland and Greenland have undertaken EASA-certified drone training, empowering them to conduct litter-monitoring flights. These citizen-led missions generate imagery for machine learning models and expands spatial coverage across difficult-to-reach coastlines. Citizen-generated data and drone footage are merged with machine learning algorithms in the Coastal Marine Litter Observatory for detecting, mapping, and visualizing marine litter in dynamic coastal litter distribution maps. The open-source uMap platform strengthens community involvement by enabling anyone to geolocate, describe, and share multimedia observations of marine litter, including photos and pollution records. Since summer 2024, more than 200 community entries have been uploaded, reflecting strong local engagement and a growing sense of ownership in environmental observation. These collective efforts highlight the potential of citizen-driven approaches to produce high-quality marine litter data, build local monitoring capacity, and foster sustainable stewardship of Arctic coastal ecosystems. The project also examines the challenges and opportunities of maintaining long-term, meaningful public participation in citizen science, particularly in balancing local motivations, technical skills, and data quality needs.
Short Abstract
Marine citizen science is limited by access and reporting gaps. Our nationwide eDNA projects engage students in sampling, analysis, and interpretation, achieving 72% success. They produce reliable data for conservation, early-warning, and policy, fostering ocean literacy and community stewardship.
Abstract
Citizen science has traditionally excelled in large-scale biodiversity monitoring. However, marine citizen science faces challenges due to limited accessibility and the absence of well-developed reporting systems compared to terrestrial programs. Moreover, genuine co-production—where participants engage in all stages of the scientific process—remains rare. At the same time, accelerating environmental change and cumulative human pressures on marine ecosystems demand scalable, inclusive, and high-quality monitoring frameworks.
We have developed a series of nation-wide projects demonstrating how environmental DNA (eDNA) methods can be integrated into participatory frameworks that extend beyond sampling to include molecular analysis and data interpretation. These projects have had more than 10.000 high school students participating over a total of ten years. Anchored at the Natural History Museum of Denmark and developed in collaboration with the Society of Danish Biologists, these initiatives engage high school students and teachers in collecting, extracting, and analyzing eDNA from marine and coastal environments. Citizen scientists achieved a 72% analytical success rate—comparable to trained researchers—showing that community participants can produce scientifically robust data suitable for national-scale species monitoring.
Our case studies illustrate how citizen-led eDNA data can contribute to early-warning systems, inform conservation, detect invasive or toxic species, and strengthen policy-relevant marine management. Together, these projects demonstrate that when rigorous protocols and training are paired with local ownership, citizen science can simultaneously generate high-quality ecological data and foster ocean literacy, community engagement, and shared stewardship. They exemplify a pathway toward inclusive, technologically advanced “blue citizen science,” where distributed molecular monitoring supports both scientific and societal resilience in rapidly changing marine environments.
Short Abstract
DiverSea uses blue citizen science to engage communities from Norway to Africa in marine biodiversity monitoring, improving data quality, ocean literacy, and policy relevance while turning collective observations into action for ocean conservation.
Abstract
Changes driven by increasing human activity, and emerging pollutants are placing intense pressure on marine ecosystems and the coastal communities that depend on them. Addressing these challenges demands reliable biodiversity data and inclusive monitoring approaches that link scientific knowledge with local experience. Citizen Science Initiatives provide a powerful means to bridge data gaps, foster community engagement, and translate collective observations into meaningful conservation action.
DiverSea harnesses blue citizen science across diverse marine contexts—from Portugal and Norway to Turkey and Africa—to co-produce knowledge and strengthen marine conservation. By involving coastal communities, divers and volunteers in biodiversity assessments and water-quality monitoring, DiverSea enhances data quality, methodological rigor, and transdisciplinary collaboration. The initiative integrates community-based observations with digital and technological tools to make marine research more participatory, accessible, and policy-relevant.
DiverSea’s objectives include: (1) advancing ocean literacy and empowering local communities; (2) improving the reliability and richness of biodiversity data; (3) fostering collaboration between scientists, citizens, and policymakers; and (4) promoting science-based, inclusive solutions to biodiversity loss.
By connecting science, society, and governance, DiverSea demonstrates how blue citizen science can turn data into action—bridging participatory ideals with practical monitoring, and supporting more resilient and equitable marine ecosystems and communities.
Short Abstract
This paper shows challenges and opportunities for Marine Citizen Science (MCS) to overcome current contributory models, and it draws actionable strategies to advance CS data quality together with more meaningful blue participation entailing co-design, co-production, and co-ownership.
Abstract
Marine Citizen Science (MCS) operates within a persistent tension between democratic-participatory ideals and prevailing practices. While CS traditionally emphasizes broad public engagement, MCS increasingly prioritizes digital data collection through platforms, apps, and social media or the use of data collection tools like remote sensors, autonomous vehicles, and eDNA etc. requiring minimal involvement from volunteer citizens.
This shift raises critical questions about the role of citizen scientists and how their contributions are validated as scientific knowledge. The paper draws on expert consultation workshops conducted in the EU-funded OBAMA Next project (Fall 2024), which explored challenges and opportunities for MCS in the digital era.
Key findings reveal that MCS is shaped by a narrow vision that values inexpensive data production over meaningful blue participation. Although advanced technologies expand the spatial-temporal scope of research, they constrain interactions between volunteers and researchers, limiting the understanding of each other’s motivations. Furthermore, the pursuit of large, standardized datasets integrating CS data can overlook peripheral or local ecological concerns while reducing volunteers’ emotional engagement. Finally, volunteer participants’ contributions are frequently anonymous and under-recognized, with limited feedback beyond initial phases.
Similar practices risk undermining long-term engagement, which is essential for sustained CS data production and the devising of wide-ranging MCS models.
To address these challenges, this paper advocates for genuinely participatory rather than contributory science approaches that emphasize co-design, co-production, and co-ownership. Such models can foster deeper collaboration, enhance data quality, and ensure that MCS become a truly democratic and empowering tool for blue governance research (and beyond).
Short Abstract
Schools and communities in the Mexican Caribbean monitor sargassum with CoastSnap to build environmental literacy and adaptive capacity. This participatory, low-cost citizen science links local action with a nuisance seaweed international school network for shared learning and resilience.
Abstract
Pelagic sargassum influxes across the tropical Atlantic have intensified in recent years, creating ecological stress and socio-economic challenges for coastal communities. These recurring events disrupt tourism, fisheries, and local livelihoods from western Africa to the western Caribbean, highlighting the need for participatory monitoring and adaptive management. This project is focused on the Mexican Caribbean and explores how community-based and educational citizen science can bridge data gaps, foster environmental literacy, and inform local action. We co-designed seven permanent volunteer monitoring stations with schools and community groups, training teachers, students (ages 11–18), and residents to use CoastSnap (a low-cost, participatory approach for documenting shoreline change and sargassum beaching events). These observations generate valuable, location-specific data on sargassum seasonality and impacts, addressing monitoring gaps in data-sparse coastal areas. Embedding these activities into school curricula further strengthens local capacity, empowering youth and educators as blue citizen scientists who link science learning with real-world adaptation. Findings show that community-led, low-tech monitoring enhances public understanding of environmental change while generating actionable knowledge to guide locally appropriate adaptation strategies. This participatory framework aims to demonstrate how inclusive citizen science can convert grassroots data into governance-relevant insights, contributing to coastal resilience. The Mexican initiative forms part of a broader Seaweed School and Community Network, connecting similar efforts in Ghana, Jamaica, and the United Kingdom. Together, these collaborations illustrate how accessible tools and shared learning pathways can promote equitable participation and strengthen blue citizen science across diverse coastal regions.
Short Abstract
Marine citizen science offers dual benefits of data collection and beneficial volunteer outcomes. Using Q methodology, this study explores the diverse opinions held on the role of marine citizen science in the UK and how this helps bridge the gap between practice and policy.
Abstract
Marine citizen science is a growing field offering opportunities for cost-effective data collection across varying temporal-spatial scales. It is used across many applications in monitoring and conservation efforts and there is growing awareness of positive outcomes for participants including increased connectedness to nature, community building and improving ocean literacy. However, when looking to integrate data sets within marine governance systems or research, projects face considerable barriers limiting the uptake and long-term use of data sets. Understanding how people view the role of marine citizen science projects is therefore essential for informing policy and practice, ensuring marine citizen science projects reach their full potential. Here, we use Q methodology to explore the different viewpoints held on the role of marine citizen science in the UK. Participants (n=22) took part in a structured rank sorting process of predetermined statements (n=31) derived from different opinions voiced about the role of marine citizen science. Combining factor analysis alongside qualitative data from a post-sort interview revealed patterns of consensus and divergence between discourse groups. The identification of key groups allows the differing opinions on the role of marine citizen science to be explored and provide novel insight into the perceived strengths and weakness of marine citizen science. This method demonstrates how understanding different viewpoints on the role of marine citizen science can help provide depth to our understand of the role of marine citizen science and explore opportunities to develop strategies for inclusive and impactful engagement of marine citizen science projects with research and policy.
Short Abstract
Small Island States (SIS) face severe marine threats, creating critical data needs for effective governance. Citizen Science (CS) offers a participatory tool, but current research is skewed towards Western regions. This study reviews CS in SIS to share crucial insights into island peripheries.
Abstract
Small Island States (SIS) face disproportionate threats to their marine and coastal environments, making the collection of data critical for effective governance and management. Due to the pressing global need to address data gaps and engage citizens in science and policy, Citizen Science (CS) provides a valuable participatory approach to complement current environmental monitoring procedures. CS initiatives enable the public to participate in various stages of research whilst fostering new scientific discoveries and local knowledge. Current literature and reviews of marine and coastal CS have primarily focused on Western regions, whilst knowledge of CS within SIS is limited. The inherent vulnerabilities of SIS, such as remoteness, demographics, geography, and resource constraints, pose significant challenges for the consistent collection of robust marine and coastal data. Therefore, understanding SIS perspectives is crucial to fostering community participation in CS initiatives to strengthen environmental stewardship and protection. Through adopting the PRISMA 2020 framework, this research systematically examines three databases of 35 SIS. The results will show the current scope of CS campaigns in SIS to understand the barriers and motives for implementation and participation in marine and coastal contexts. This research forms part of the ‘MEDiverSEAty’ project for Marine Biodiversity Conservation and Ocean Literacy funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Network.