LISBON— Biodiversity loss in Europe is accelerating due to human activities such as climate change, pollution and overexploitation, scientists warn. To counter this, the EU-funded ANERIS project is developing advanced tools to monitor marine life, with citizen science playing a central role.

As part of the initiative, the 2025 edition of BioMARatona Portugal ran from May to October along the country’s coasts, organised by the COASTAL WARMING research group and CIBIO-InBio/BIOPOLIS, and co-funded by several Horizon Europe projects. The program engaged local communities to record species and raise awareness of ocean health.

This year’s BioMARatona saw 175 participants contribute 3,407 observations to the MINKA platform, mapping 263 coastal species. Since its launch in 2024, the project has amassed nearly 5,000 observations and documented more than 450 species. Each entry includes an image and geolocation, accessible via the MINKA observatory.

“The greatest impact lies in connecting people with their local ecosystems,” said Mar Humet Caballero, a research technician at CIBIO-InBIO/BIOPOLIS. “Participants become active contributors to scientific knowledge.”

Non-indigenous species featured prominently, with over 200 observations. These included 77 records of devil’s tongue weed (Grateloupia turuturu) near Porto, 50 of striped false limpet (Siphonaria pectinata) along northern coasts, and 40 of Japanese wireweed (Sargassum muticum). A juvenile European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax), listed as near threatened by the IUCN, was also recorded.

Marine biologist Cátia Monteiro noted that the rise in invasive species records reflects expanded coverage rather than increased abundance. Prizes were awarded to top contributors, including Tatiana Borer Rodrigues, Ana Borer and Nuno Manuel Didier Domingos.

Results were presented at Portugal’s National Citizen Science Meeting in Oeiras in November, where researchers and civil society discussed the impact of citizen engagement. “Most participants report a shift in their perception of urban beaches, discovering the biodiversity that coexists with coastal cities,” said Rocío Nieto Vilela of CIBIO-InBIO/BIOPOLIS.

Organisers said they expect BioMARatona to expand further in 2026.