Citizen Science

Throughout the year, Sea Synergy co-hosts a number of training programmes aimed at promoting public participation in scientific research. Through collaboration with professional scientists and scientific institutions, you can become a Citizen Scientist and carry out independent data collection, research, rescue, and more. The information collected by Citizen Scientists is invaluable to the scientific community and to top it all off, it’s really fun to do! To learn more about the programmes on offer, click the link!

CURRENT RESEARCH PROJECTS: LOCAL MARINE BIODIVERSITY AND ECOSYSTEMS

SEAGRASS Research

Seagrass meadows can be a powerful nature-based climate solution and help sustain communities reliant on healthy marine ecosystems. Such plants which grow in marine environments are 35 times more efficient at capturing and storing carbon than tropical forests. According to a UN Environment Programme (UNEP) report an estimated 7% of seagrass habitat is being lost worldwide each year.

NATIVE OYSTER Research

The native European Oyster has been depleted throughout native sites and now European waters are estimated to contain only around 20 productive native sites. Oysters are not only commercially valuable but contribute significantly as a source of income for local fishing communities and provide a range of ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration. They help maintain water quality and support high biodiversity structural habitat. There are many site-specific pressures that are affecting these species from fishing pressures, competition with introduced species to declining quality of freshwater inputs. Sea Synergy is currently researching seagrass, kelp and native oysters along the Iveragh coastline, Co. Kerry.