Workshop: The role of citizen science in marine mammal monitoring and management in the Wadden Sea

Marine mammals such as seals and harbour porpoises play an important ecological role in the Wadden Sea as top predators and indicators of ecosystem health. Shifts in their abundance, distribution, or condition can signal broader environmental changes, linked to impacts of climate change, human activities, and habitat disturbance. The current trilateral monitoring provides information on trends in numbers, however, information e.g. on the spatial distribution of seals outside the breeding season, space use of harbour porpoises, or individual data is largely missing.

The workshop will focus on exploring the role of citizen science in improving our understanding of marine mammals in the Wadden Sea by addressing data availability, quality, and comparability between countries and regions. Key elements include reviewing existing initiatives in the Wadden Sea (including technological tools and platforms that facilitate data collection and integration), identifying opportunities for large-scale analysis, but also discussing how to overcome biases and gaps in citizen-collected data. 

The workshop is expected to deliver a set of suggestions on how citizen science data can be used in trilateral assessments of marine mammals in the Wadden Sea. This can include references to best practices for data collection and harmonization, ideas for integrating citizen science into existing reports, and guidance on data governance and sharing. Finally, participants will also explore how feedback to citizen scientists can be improved to encourage their continuous engagement.

By bringing together researchers, site managers, data specialists, citizen science coordinators, and data users, the workshop aims to foster stronger collaboration among stakeholders, while potentially initiating ideas for pilot projects to test innovative approaches. Ultimately, the goal is to increase the available data and enhance evidence-based decision-making for marine mammals in the Wadden Sea.

If you are working with citizen science data in the Wadden Sea and would like to contribute to the discussion, please contact Kristine Meise (meise@waddensea-secretariat.org). There are still a few spots available for external partners.