How you can be involved in marine conservation

without a marine degree!

One of the questions I am regularly asked is how to get involved in marine conservation efforts when you don’t have a relevant degree or don’t live by the coast. It’s a great question! So here’s the answer: you can most definitely get involved in marine conservation. A passion for the oceans is all you need!

I’ve compiled a list of ways you could get involved, including some options for those who don’t have access to the coast.  

Marine conservation for those who can’t access the coast

One of my favourites is NeMO-Net. If you have access to an iPad, you can help NASA by playing their single-player iPad game, where players help to classify coral reefs by painting 3D and 2D images of coral. Players can rate the classifications of other players and level up in the food chain as they explore and classify coral reefs and other shallow marine environments and creatures from locations all over the world!

2. Zooniverse – Floating Forests: An online platform where volunteers can help scientists study the health of the world’s kelp forests by analyzing satellite images. Participants look for kelp in ocean photos from around the globe, aiding in understanding and conserving these important marine habitats.

3. The Plastic Tide – Although operations might vary or evolve, The Plastic Tide has used drone technology and image recognition to map plastic pollution on beaches around the world. Volunteers can help by tagging images of marine debris online, improving the algorithm’s ability to identify plastics. This contributes to larger efforts in combating plastic pollution in the oceans.

4. Seabird Watch – A citizen science project that uses remote cameras around the world to monitor seabird colonies. Volunteers help by tagging images to contribute to conservation research.

5. Plankton Portal – A web-based project where volunteers classify plankton images collected from automated underwater vehicles. The classifications help scientists understand plankton distribution and health, which are foundational to marine food webs.

6. Fish doorbell – Every spring, fish swim right through Utrecht, looking for a place to spawn and reproduce. Some swim all the way to Germany. There is a problem, however: they often have to wait a long time at the Weerdsluis lock on the west side of the inner city, as the lock rarely opens in spring. But there is a solution: the fish doorbell! If you see a fish, press the digital fish doorbell. The lock operator is sent a signal and can open the lock if there are enough fish. Now, you can help fish make it through the canals of Utrecht.

These projects enable people, regardless of their proximity to the ocean, to contribute to marine conservation efforts, highlighting the global nature of preserving marine environments. Participation in these initiatives helps in collecting valuable data for scientific research, advocacy, and policy-making aimed at protecting the world’s oceans and marine life.

Marine conservation projects for those who can access the coast

Focusing specifically on UK marine conservation and for those who have access to the coast, here are six citizen science projects and initiatives that aim to involve volunteers in protecting and understanding marine life and habitats around the UK. These projects offer engaging ways for volunteers to contribute to marine conservation in the UK, aiding in the protection and study of the country’s rich marine environments and biodiversity.

1. Seasearch – This is a project for volunteer scuba divers who want to contribute to the knowledge of marine life and the conservation of marine habitats around the UK and Ireland. During their dives, divers collect data on marine species and habitats, which contributes to marine conservation and protection efforts.

2. Capturing Our Coast (CoCoast) – A UK-wide project that invites volunteers to get involved in scientific research along the coast. Participants help by conducting surveys and collecting data on coastal species and habitats, contributing to the understanding of biodiversity and responses to environmental changes.

3. The Big Seaweed Search – Run by the Marine Conservation Society in partnership with the Natural History Museum, this project encourages people to record different seaweed species along the UK’s shores. The data helps scientists understand how marine environments are changing in response to factors like climate change and invasive species.

4. Shark Trust’s Great Eggcase Hunt – The Shark Trust’s initiative engages the public in searching for and identifying shark, skate, and ray eggcases (mermaid’s purses) along the coastline. The sightings contribute to the knowledge of shark nursery grounds and species distributions in UK waters.

5. ORCA OceanWatchers – Part of ORCA, a UK-based marine conservation organization, this project trains ferry and cruise passengers and crew to collect data on whale, dolphin, and porpoise sightings during their voyages around the UK. The data aims to enhance the understanding of cetacean distribution and support conservation measures.

6. British Diver Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) – was formed in 1988 when a few like-minded divers got together in response to a mass mortality of common seals. BDMLR is a people’s charity. Some people become supporters of our charity with a yearly subscription, whilst others want to get much more hands-on and undertake the training to be a Marine Mammal Medic. 

7. Marine Debris Tracker – A mobile app that lets users report the location of marine debris, including in inland waterways, which eventually lead to the ocean. This project contributes to understanding the sources and distribution of marine trash, informing efforts to prevent plastic pollution and protect marine life.

8. SharkBase – A global shark encounter database run by project AWARE, where divers and non-divers can report shark sightings. The data helps in the conservation efforts for sharks around the world.