Join the effort to monitor Non-Indigenous Species!
By sharing your field observations, you directly help researchers and natural area managers quickly detect the arrival or proliferation of Non-Indigenous Species along our coastlines.
All your observations will be validated by experts and made available in global databases, where they will be used for scientific studies like ALIEN-OCCICAT.
Clavelina oblonga
MINKA © manelsalvador CC BY-NC
Where to share your observations?
There are many citizen science platforms dedicated to the marine environment. For the ALIEN-OCCICAT project, we particularly recommend Minka or BioObs.
All your observations will be validated by experts and made available in global databases, to be used in scientific studies such as ALIEN-OCCICAT.
Why contribute to citizen science?
Your observations and reports of Non-Indigenous Species are crucial for anticipating and mitigating their impact. By participating in this collective monitoring, you become a key player in biodiversity protection and ecosystem management.
By sharing your observations, you take concrete action at multiple levels:
Early detection of new introductions
Invasive species often operate silently before causing irreversible damage. The sooner an introduction is detected, the higher the chances of containing it. However, researchers and natural area managers cannot be everywhere: as sea users, you are the project’s eyes on the ground every day.
Protecting biodiversity
On a global scale, invasive species are one of the five major drivers of biodiversity collapse and are involved in 60% of species extinctions (IPBES). By reporting their presence in the Mediterranean Sea, you take concrete action to limit competition for resources, preserve key habitats, curb predation, and contain the spread of new diseases.
Supporting fishermen and natural area managers
Professional fishermen and natural area managers (such as marine parks and reserves) need precise and up-to-date data to adjust their management strategies. Your citizen monitoring helps them anticipate economic disruptions (e.g., declines in local fish catches or net damage) and identify priority areas to adapt management measures effectively.
Advancing scientific research
Scientists often lack geographical data on the distribution and behavior of Non-Indigenous Species. Your real-time observations enable researchers to analyze how and why a species proliferates, improve predictive models of spread in the face of climate change, and evaluate whether coastal regulation measures are truly effective.
Why contribute to citizen science?
Your observations and reports of Non-Indigenous Species are crucial for anticipating and mitigating their impact. By participating in this collective monitoring, you become a key player in biodiversity protection and ecosystem management.
By sharing your observations, you take concrete action at multiple levels:
Early detection of new introductions
Invasive species often operate silently before causing irreversible damage. The sooner an introduction is detected, the higher the chances of containing it. However, researchers and natural area managers cannot be everywhere: as sea users, you are the project’s eyes on the ground every day.
Protecting biodiversity
On a global scale, invasive species are one of the five major drivers of biodiversity collapse and are involved in 60% of species extinctions (IPBES). By reporting their presence in the Mediterranean Sea, you take concrete action to limit competition for resources, preserve key habitats, curb predation, and contain the spread of new diseases.
Supporting fishermen and natural area managers
Professional fishermen and natural area managers (such as marine parks and reserves) need precise and up-to-date data to adjust their management strategies. Your citizen monitoring helps them anticipate economic disruptions (e.g., declines in local fish catches or net damage) and identify priority areas to adapt management measures effectively.
Advancing scientific research
Scientists often lack geographical data on the distribution and behavior of Non-Indigenous Species. Your real-time observations enable researchers to analyze how and why a species proliferates, improve predictive models of spread in the face of climate change, and evaluate whether coastal regulation measures are truly effective.
