World Ocean Day iNaturalists wanted to share knowledge

This journal post was written by Australasian Fishes project member Dr Adam Smith, (@adam_smith3) who is an Adjunct Associate Professor at James Cook University and founder of Reef Ecologic.

To celebrate World Oceans Day 2022 we are asking the iNaturalist community to connect with the ocean and people between 1 and 8 June, 2022 and share photographs of marine life.

If you are an existing member of iNaturalist please introduce a new person such as a beach walker, citizen scientist, snorkelers, SCUBA diver, fisher, tourist, Master Reef Guide, reef ranger, students or photographer to the iNaturalist community. Scanning the QR code, above, will direct you to the iNaturalist sign-up page.

We would love to see your photographs of marine life and we are particularly interested in observations of fish, sharks, corals, shells, turtles and threatened species. Please also let us know if there are any reefs, islands or areas or species you think we should focus on for this event.

We will provide a pre-event online briefing and training for people interested in joining iNaturalist and this World Ocean Day ReefBlitz and FishBlitz on the 31 May. Join here.

We will provide daily updates through social media.

Learn more here, or contact Dr Adam Smith on Adam.smith@reefecologic.org or call 0418726584.

Below are three relevant links.

1. World Ocean Day event
https://worldoceanday.org/event/citizen-science-reefblitz/

2. World Ocean Day ReefBlitz information and training event
https://www.facebook.com/events/490688616140592

3. World Ocean Day Marine Life Surveys
https://www.facebook.com/events/1143305346244649