Climate change citizen science

Why is this project important?

As the ocean warms, many marine plants and animals are moving to keep pace with their preferred temperatures.

Along the NSW coastline, this means species are moving further south. This shift south is changing our coastal environments.

Assessing this change is vital for the ongoing management of our fisheries and coastal ecosystems into the future.  

This project engages citizen scientists already observing marine species as they fish, snorkel or dive to develop a better understanding of how the distribution of our marine life is changing due to climate change.

Given that fishers, snorkelers and divers often visit the same place over time, they are well placed to detect species that are new to the areas.

NSW DPIRD has teamed up with Redmap Australia (Range Extension Database and Mapping Project) to harness the power of citizen science to better understand which species are on the move along the NSW coastline.

You can see what marine species are on the move on the NSW coast by checking out the NSW Citizen Science Report Card or see the most recent out-of-range citing on the NSW REDMAP website.

You can find out about other DPIRD Fisheries Marine Ecosystems projects on the DPIRD Fisheries website.

What have we achieved so far?

To date, we have:

• Undertaken a decadal assessment (2012–2021) evaluating the contributions of ocean citizen scientists to our understanding of how marine species around Australia are shifting where they live in response to ocean warming.
• Published and distributed a NSW citizen science report card and National Citizen Science Poster that detail out-of-range species observations reported by over 230 ocean citizen scientists throughout NSW and Australia.
• Identified the environmental and biological drivers of out-of-range sightings of marine species around the Australian continent, including throughout the NSW marine estate.
• Published a comprehensive review of marine species that are undergoing a climate-driven redistribution around the Australian coastline.
• Published a significant piece of citizen science research titled “Continentalscale assessment of climate-driven marine species range extensions using a decade of citizen science data” in the international journal Diversity and Distributions.

The Marine Match NSW card game has now become a core part of the Marine Estate Education Strategy. Developed through our climate change citizen science project, the game brings 14 iconic marine species to life through vibrant watercolour illustrations, clear descriptions and engaging facts. It offers an accessible way for communities to learn about the state’s marine ecosystems.

For more information about our achievements in Marine Estate Management Strategy, please visit our report page.

Statewide

Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development

We are working closely with The Range Extension Database and Mapping Project (Redmap Australia; redmap.org.au), hosted by the University of Tasmania, to deliver this project.

• The Range Extension Database and Mapping Project
• NSW citizen science report card documenting marine species that are on the move along the NSW coastline * Map photo is key.
• National poster summarising the findings from a decadal assessment of ocean citizen science data for understanding of how marine species around Australia are shifting where they live in response to ocean warming
• Citizen scientists monitor marine life on the move | AdaptNSW

Journal articles

• The contributions of environmental and biological factors to out-of-range sightings of marine species around the Australian continent
• Australia-wide review of marine species that are undergoing a climate-driven redistribution