Spot A Shark

Location: Australia

Topics include: Diving/Snorkeling; Sharks

Spot A Shark is a citizen-science program that engages anyone who spends time with Grey Nurse Sharks in the water and can assist our research along East Australian coast. Divers, snorkelers, and others are asked to photograph encounters with Grey Nurse sharks and post their images to the Spot A Shark website. Scientists then use unique spot patterns visible along the sides of the photographed sharks to identify individual animals. Identifying individual Grey Nurse sharks helps track shark movement, monitor overall health of the population, and help monitor behaviour and changes at local aggregation sites over time. This information is used by Spot A Shark researchers, as well as international partners, to facilitate management decisions aimed towards conserving our Critically Endangered population of Grey Nurse sharks. By supporting this project, you are helping researchers gather valuable data, which may help provide long-term protection for the Grey Nurse sharks and their habitats.

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Redmap

Location: Australia

Topics include: Marine Life

Redmap stands for Range Extension Database and Mapping project. This project invites Australians to share sightings of marine species that are ‘uncommon’ to their local seas. Over time, Redmap will use this ‘citizen science’ data to map which Australian marine species may be extending their distribution range – a.k.a moving house - in response to changes in the marine environment, such as ocean warming. Redmap members use their knowledge of the seas to help monitor Australia’s vast coastline. The citizen science data also highlights regions and species that may be experiencing more distribution changes, so that research can be focused into these areas.

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EyeOnWater

Location: Australia

Topics include: Ocean Conditions

The EyeOnWater concept consists of an app and a website. The app allows you as user to make a contribution to science and supply information about the water near your location or elsewhere. All your measurements will be visible via the EyeOnWater website. What is it you measure? Water colour is an indication for life in the water. Scientists have been measuring this in marine waters via the Forel-Ule scale for more than 200 years. Your measurements are invaluable to scientists and will contribute to this long-term observation of water colour and continue the timeseries.

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CoastSnap

Location: Australia

Topics include: Coastal Changes

The next time you visit a NSW beach, why not become a beach scientist by helping us measure how beaches erode and recover over time due to changing ocean conditions? Visit a CoastSnap station to measure the shoreline and amount of sand on the beach by taking a photo with your smartphone and sharing it through our app or on social media. Your snap will add to a community database that we use to map shoreline change and learn how different beaches respond to changing ocean conditions. Community beach monitoring can help to improve how we manage treasured coastal environments.

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