Within the framework of the LIFE IP INTEMARES project, we have signed an alliance with the marine citizen science platform Sea Observers, coordinated by three institutes of the Spanish National Research Council – ICM, CEAB and IMEDEA.

The objective of this new collaboration is to promote the marine citizen science program of reference in Spain, strengthening the scientific research network, made up of citizens, scientific researchers and professionals. It aims to be a tool that provides and validates data referring to the impacts, habitats and species found within the areas of the marine Natura 2000 Network.

The presentation was attended by the deputy director of the Biodiversity Foundation and director of the LIFE IP INTEMARES project, Ignacio Torres; the coordinator of Sea Observers, Joaquim Garrabou; the director of the ICM-CSIC Josep Lluís Pelegrí, and Sergi Tudela, director general of Fisheries and Maritime Affairs of the Generalitat of Catalonia. Other personalities from the marine scientific community have also participated, as well as citizens who participate in the Sea Observers platform.

During this presentation, the new web platform of Sea Observers was launched, which has had the support of the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FECYT). Thanks to this update, the platform’s image is modernized and navigation is made more agile. In addition, it is committed to promoting direct contact between scientists and observers, and greater interaction between users of the platform.

The Sea Observers initiative reinforces one of the main objectives of LIFE INTEMARES, to achieve an effective, innovative and integrated management of marine protected areas, with the active participation of the sectors involved and research as basic tools for decision-making.

The citizen science platform Sea Observers collects visual data and experiences of citizens on different phenomena that occur at sea, to promote research and create new knowledge together. In addition, it is made up of experts from different national and international research centres, who analyse and validate the observations received, which represents an added value with respect to other existing initiatives.

Currently, the community that makes up the Sea Observers platform is made up of more than 2,000 citizens, 70 scientists and nearly 300 entities.

Do you want to know more about LIFE IP INTEMARES?

You can follow our twitter @LifeIntemares and through the hashtag #Intemares to find out all the news and marine news. You can also check the website  intemares.es, where you will find all the information about the project.