The name The Real Sea Mob reflects their belief in honesty, community, and connection. They aim to present science clearly, without exaggeration or despair, and to show both the challenges and the opportunities facing marine and coastal environments. Maintaining optimism, they said, comes from spending time in nature, working with engaged communities, and supporting each other through shared purpose.

After moving to Australia three years ago, Lucia’s first local citizen science project involved mangrove monitoring with Positive Change for Marine Life in northern New South Wales. That work connected her with Jock Mackenzie, now her manager at Earthwatch Australia where she is the Program Manager for wetlands, coastal, and marine environments in Queensland. Based in Townsville, she now works closely with communities, Traditional Owners, and Indigenous rangers across large sections of the Queensland coast.

Owen’s pathway into citizen science began during his undergraduate studies, when he travelled to Indonesia to conduct coral reef surveys under academic guidance. His interest in coastal ecosystems continued into his master’s research, which focused on mangroves and their role in buffering heat and supporting marine life. That research brought him to Mexico, where he and Lucia met while working on a citizen science project in Akumal. Lucia managed a dive centre and led scientific dives, while Owen carried out mangrove research, and their shared enthusiasm for coastal ecosystems grew from there.

More Information

https://www.instagram.com/therealseamob/

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Ghost nets have become one of the most confronting environmental issues facing northern Australia, and hearing directly from those working on the ground makes it impossible to ignore the scale of the problem.

Speaking with Kristen Sierke, the Ghost Net and Marine Debris Coordinator with the Northern Land Council, highlighted how deeply this issue is woven into both marine conservation and Indigenous ranger work across the Northern Territory.

Kristen’s path into this work began with a long-standing connection to the ocean, from studying marine biology in South Australia to working in tourism on the Great Barrier Reef, and later as a ranger and in biosecurity roles in the Northern Territory.

That progression led her to work closely with Indigenous rangers, and eventually into a role dedicated entirely to tackling ghost nets and marine debris in Southeast Arnhem Land.

Ghost nets are abandoned, lost, or discarded fishing gear that continue to trap wildlife long after they are no longer under human control. Designed to catch fish, they do exactly that without discrimination, drifting for years or even decades.

An aerial survey in the Gulf of Carpentaria alone identified more than 2,500 ghost nets on beaches, with estimates suggesting that across northern Australia there is roughly one ghost net for every kilometre of coastline.

More Information

https://www.facebook.com/kristen.sierke/

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Heidi first recognised the scale of marine debris while working as a diving instructor, a career that placed her in the water almost daily and offered close encounters with marine wildlife.

Over time she began noticing increasing amounts of rubbish appearing in some of the world’s most treasured dive sites.

Later, while exploring the southwest coast of Western Australia, she saw debris washing onto remote beaches and began questioning its origins and how the flow could be stopped.

These observations planted the seeds of what would become Tangaroa Blue and the Australian Marine Debris Initiative.

People can get involved in many ways: participating in beach clean-ups, establishing monitoring sites, supporting data analysis, contributing to awareness campaigns or using the AMDI Data Collection App.

The value of sustained volunteer data cannot be overstated; it would be impossible to fund an equivalent program using paid staff alone.

More Information

https://tangaroablue.org/

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We are always looking for more guests to tell us about interesting citizen science projects, research and events.

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.