ORCID
- Kayleigh Wyles: 0000-0003-3205-9595
Abstract
Public engagement in marine litter research is increasing. Further advancing this approach requires a critical examination of the benefits of citizen science and the primary challenges that we must overcome. A thematic analysis of survey responses from 56 professionals (scientists and project organisers) who use citizen science to investigate marine litter revealed nine significant benefits alongside ten key challenges. Benefits were identified for the citizen scientists (e.g., learning something new), science (e.g., reducing data collection costs), and the environment (e.g., less plastic waste in the environment). Challenges identified fell within three categories related to: 1) involving citizens in science (e.g., in engaging, training, and retaining citizen scientists), 2) conducting effective science (e.g., raising the credibility of citizen science), and 3) bridging the gap between citizens and science (e.g., pragmatic and safety concerns). Reflecting on these findings and the broader literature, five key recommendations are provided to advance the practice of citizen science within marine litter research: 1) acknowledging the strengths and weaknesses of the approach; 2) strengthening collaboration and harmonisation within and between different citizen science projects; 3) increasing the awareness and value of the approach; 4) listening to and supporting citizen scientists better; and 5) securing sustainable funding for citizen science work. By incorporating these recommendations, key actors (e.g., professionals who organise citizen science projects, decision makers, and funding agencies) will be better able to advance citizen science projects to generate robust data that can be shared globally to assist in the assessment and management of marine litter.
DOI Link
Publication Date
2025-04-30
Publication Title
Marine Pollution Bulletin
Volume
217
ISSN
0025-326X
Acceptance Date
2025-03-28
Deposit Date
2025-05-02
Funding
This work was supported by the Global Challenge Research Fund [grant number: 88200/03 ] and by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council [grant number: BB/T018917/1 ]; Natalia Ghilardi-Lopes and Larissa Kawabe was supported by the National Institute of Science and Technology in Citizen Science ( 406712/2022-0 ); and Alexander Turra by the Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) ( 309697/2015-8 , 310553/2019-9 , and 316837/2023-7 ). As well as the people who kindly completed our survey, we would like to acknowledge the proactive delegates to the OLA! Ocean LitterAcy workshop that helped to interpret these findings (namely Allan Paul Krelling, Amy Lusher, Andy Donnelly, Camila Camolesi Guimar\u00E3es, Elizabeth Tyson, Erik Zettler, Isabela Ribeiro Borges De Carvalho, John Schofield, J\u00FAlia Porto Silva Carvalho, Justine Millard, Martin Thiel, Oliveiros Dias Junior, Paula Kasten, Richard McIlwain, Sabine Pahl, Tamyris Pegado de Souza e Silva, Vitoria Milanez Scrich, Yuri Costa) who are acting as champions for citizen science in marine litter research.
Keywords
Marine debris, Participatory science, Plastic pollution, Professionals' perceptions, Questionnaire survey
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Peacock, M., Ghilardi-Lopes, N., Turra, A., Rech, T., Kawabe, L., Gatersleben, B., & Wyles, K. (2025) 'The future of citizen science for marine litter research: What are the benefits to be realised and the challenges to be overcome?.', Marine Pollution Bulletin, 217. Available at: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2025.117914
