What citizen science is

Citizen science involves members of the public contributing data to research projects. In marine areas, this can mean counting fish, photographing sharks or recording coral health.

Examples of projects

  • Reef Check and similar surveys: Trained volunteers record reef health around the world.
  • Turtle monitoring: Volunteers record nesting and hatching in places such as Costa Rica, Greece and Australia.
  • Whale and dolphin surveys: Boat-based programmes ask travellers to log sightings.
  • Beach clean-up surveys: Collecting and recording rubbish.
  • Underwater photography projects where divers submit images of species.

How to join

  1. Check whether the project is led by scientists or recognised conservation bodies.
  2. Ask about training, and what data are collected.
  3. Look at costs and what they cover.
  4. Confirm the safety and diving requirements.

Good practice

Follow the code of conduct: do not touch animals, keep distance, and avoid disturbing nests. Use reef-safe sunscreen.

The value

You get a richer holiday and help build data scientists need.

Programmes and seasons change, so check availability.