{"id":622460,"date":"2025-12-09T15:59:20","date_gmt":"2025-12-09T15:59:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/622460\/"},"modified":"2025-12-09T15:59:20","modified_gmt":"2025-12-09T15:59:20","slug":"british-run-ngo-brings-nationwide-ocean-monitoring-to-spain-euro-weekly-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/622460\/","title":{"rendered":"British-run NGO brings nationwide ocean monitoring to Spain \u00ab Euro Weekly News"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n The open ocean remains one of the largest and most poorly documented ecosystems on Earth. Photo credit: Pelagics conservation <\/p>\n

Pelagics, a British-run marine conservation NGO currently based in Almerimar<\/a> (Almer\u00eda), has launched a new initiative called the Skippers Network<\/a>, designed to involve fishermen, sailors and members of the public in marine conservation and scientific monitoring across Spain. The project allows participants to record sightings of marine litter, wildlife and environmental changes while at sea.<\/p>\n

Through the network, registered users can log GPS coordinates, timing, written observations and photographs or videos, which are collected into a shared database. This information is later used to support scientific investigation, helping researchers build a clearer picture of conditions in the open ocean.<\/p>\n

Speaking to Euro Weekly News founder Alexander S\u00e1nchez said: \u201cCitizen science has proven extremely useful in both land and coastal conservation projects, and this programme is taking it even further in the sense that the open ocean is lacking scientific data and is a harsh environment where few people venture.\u201d<\/p>\n

Most Read on Euro Weekly News<\/p>\n

Why the open ocean matters<\/b>
\nSkippers provide unique scientific insight<\/b><\/p>\n

The open ocean remains one of the least studied ecosystems<\/a> on the planet, in part because of the difficulty and cost of long-distance marine research. Pelagics<\/a> believes that skippers are uniquely placed to help overcome this barrier.<\/p>\n

S\u00e1nchez explained: \u201cSkippers spend a lot of time living and working in offshore waters, which means they often encounter wildlife or human impacts that would otherwise go unseen.\u201d He added: \u201cThrough this programme we look to fill knowledge gaps but also build up a community of skippers who share a passion for the ocean.\u201d<\/p>\n

The organisation believes that combining professional research with real-world observations from those already working at sea can significantly improve understanding of marine threats and biodiversity trends.<\/p>\n

\n\"AGhost FADs like this can be reported by sailors through their skippers network. Photo credit: Pelagics Conservation<\/p>\n

Expansion planned for 2026<\/b>
\nTraining and ethical standards introduced<\/b><\/p>\n

During 2026, Pelagics plans to expand the Skippers Network and introduce basic training and formal ground rules. A key principle of the programme is that participants must never actively chase or disturb wildlife while collecting data.<\/p>\n

There are no minimum experience requirements to join. No sea-time thresholds or formal nautical qualifications are required, making the programme accessible to professional fishermen, recreational sailors and ocean enthusiasts alike.<\/p>\n

Key points<\/b><\/p>\n