Citizen Science Projects

Conserving our Oceans with

For Universities, Researchers, Interns, Schools, Divers, Volunteers & Conservationists

In addition to our own unique projects we take every opportunity to partner and work with a variety of other international projects such as the Shark Trust, Turtlewatch Egypt 2.0, Project Aware's Adopt a Dive Site to name a few.

Citizen Science is the public involvement in the discovery of new scientific knowledge, it bridges a gap between researchers and the general public and can involve anyone. Open Ocean have developed multiple citizen science projects and are engaging the non-scientific community in the Open Ocean research activities and conservation goals. Using public participation, to reduce costly time consuming independent research, provides the opportunity for non-scientists to contribute to projects with the goal to conserve marine ecosystems for future generations. Open Ocean citizen science projects will increase the available data on these reefs whilst increasing public environmental awareness and conservation knowledge.

Open Ocean have an established long term coral monitoring project in place which covers a number of carefully selected sites and a range of depths accessible to Scuba. Data is collected by trained volunteers and is completely open source and available to anyone upon request. The raw images are provided along with basic demographic data which can be analysed as simply or robustly as the researcher desires.

The latest Citizen Science project has just been established by Gerald & FIn, a Sea Grass Survey. The team noticed that a patch of sea grass had begun to form a small meadow in the bay, that raised several questions for research and study. Why has it appeared? How has it seeded itself? What species of grass and algae are there? What aquatic life will make use of the new habitat? And so much more.

VIEW Geralds blog & Notes on the process

Fish Assemblages and community structure are key indicators of reef health and complexity of habitat. We aim to collect raw video footage of selected sites which correspond with our ongoing coral monitoring projects to add further interest to an already robust data set. Again all of the raw images will be made available upon request with a basic supporting data sheet.

Coral recruitment is the process whereby coral larvae settle and establish themselves as part of a living reef. We have constructed a small artificial reef from natural rock in a sandy lagoon between two prominent fringing reefs. Here we can monitor coral recruitment over time using various innovative methods both during the day and under cover of darkness.

Having the ability to understand and identify marine species is as important for recreational divers as it is for researchers. Our aim is to compile a comprehensive library of our most commonly encountered Red Sea fish, reptiles, mammals, invertebrates and corals. We hope that this information will prove invaluable to anyone wishing to plan future research projects in the area as well as to those who would like a quick and easy reference to identify the charismatic species they encounter in the Red Sea.

Help collect more data for the Shark Trust's Shark Log - The Shark Sightings Database. The aim of the project is to generate important data for researchers and conservationists working with sharks, skates and rays around the world. At Open Ocean we are conducting a once a week Shark Trust Day, where anyone can get involved and record any sightings of sharks or rays during that days diving.

Project Aware Adopt a Dive site & Dive Against Debris Seated within Project AWARE’s flagship citizen-science program, Dive Against Debris®, Adopt a Dive Site is tailored to our most dedicated dive leaders: participants commit to carry out monthly Dive Against Debris surveys, reporting types and quantities of marine debris found underwater each month from the same location. Open Ocean have signed up to monitor Abu Sauatir the centre house reef, conducting a monthly clean up and report.

Turtlewatch Egypt 2.0 are collecting data on turtle sightings around the Egyptian Red Sea. To get involved, its very simple. Take pictures/videos of your turtle sightings, in order to identify the turtles you have seen. In particular, get pictures of the right and left facial profiles. During your sighting collect some basic data on the turtle and then back on dry land, fill in an online form with all your data on the turtle sighting and send it to Turtlewatch Egypt.

Do you have an academic requirement for Red Sea data? Contact us and if we dont have suitable data, it maybe possible to arrange a project to fulfil your needs.

Open Ocean Field Station actively seeks to support other non profit organisation working to secure the future of the planet. If you have a Citizen Science project that we can assist with please do not hesitate to contact us.

Open Ocean @ Roots Red Sea, kilo 14 safaga Road, El Quseir, red Sea, Egypt info@openoceanproject.org