14–20 September 2026, across Europe

Activities will take place throughout the week. Partners will organise local events and invite participants to join. A list of participating partners and activities will be added to this website as the planning develops.

Marine life along Europe’s coasts is not yet fully documented and constantly changing, and many areas need more observations over time. By taking part, participants help collect valuable information about where species are found and contribute to a better understanding of marine biodiversity, from common coastal species to unexpected findings.

Participating organisations and stakeholders are encouraged to help spread the word through their own channels and adapt shared communication material for their local context.

More information about the project and a basic communication kit will be made available in August, including:

• Short partner presentation and list of activities throughout Europe
• “How to attend” leaflet
• Information about how and where to upload observations and how data are managed
• Simple visual templates for marketing and communication

Local organisers add their own information, language, logos, contact details, and practical event information. Each participating organiser is responsible for reviewing and managing the observations from their own event. This includes involving relevant researchers or experts to check the data, assess its quality, and select which observations are suitable to share openly through platforms such as the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) or other biodiversity data infrastructures.

Everyone can take part. You do not need to be an expert. The event is open to schools, families, coastal communities, divers, snorkellers, NGOs, researchers, nature guides, and anyone interested in marine life.

Participants, including scientists and citizens, are invited to observe marine and coastal species, take clear photos, and upload their observations through MINKA, the Citizen Science Observatory platform used for this project. Observations can be added using the MINKA app or the MINKA website.

MINKA is a European digital platform for biodiversity observations and supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). During the European Marine Citizen Science Week 2026, MINKA will be used to collect marine and coastal observations from participants across Europe.

The platform follows a Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable (FAIR)-oriented approach, and part of the data collected through MINKA can be made available through international biodiversity data infrastructures such as GBIF.

Go to the MINKA website

Participation in the European Marine Citizen Science Week 2026 is voluntary and takes place at each participant’s own risk. Participants are responsible for their own safety and should always follow local rules, weather warnings, safety instructions, and guidance from local organisers. Please take extra care near water, slippery rocks, cliffs, harbours, boats, and other coastal environments.

Participants should not enter unsafe areas, disturb wildlife, damage habitats, or collect organisms unless this is clearly allowed and supervised as part of an organised activity. Children and young people must be supervised by a responsible adult. Schools, groups, and local organisers are responsible for making their own risk assessments and ensuring that activities are suitable for their participants and location.

The organisers of the European Marine Citizen Science Week provide general information and communication material, but local organisers are responsible for the practical planning, safety arrangements, and permissions for their own activities.

Photographs and geographic information are collected for research in the MINKA platform. No personal data are collected. By participating, you consent to your observations being used for these purposes.  

For more information or questions, please contact the team at Uppsala University: 

Florian Lüskow, Postdoc

Email: florian.luskow@geo.uu.se 

Åsa Eriksson, Project employee

Email: asa@green.nu 

Lina Mtwana Nordlund, Associate Professor and Project leader

Email: lina.mtwana.nordlund@geo.uu.se