Sense of urgency
The ocean is in a declining state, and in order to preserve it for future generations we must act swiftly, but at the same time with caution and respect. In order to make sure that we as a industry make the right decisions, there is a great need for ocean data, and that is where Citizen Sailors hope to help.
Since the customers in the industry first hand experience the state of the ocean everytime they use their products (sailboats) they have a very real interest in keeping the oceans clean and healthy. As an industry we have previously gone through several successful transitions before, and have the competence and will to do so again. This can clearly be seen by the high compliance of the new Swedish regulations regarding sewage disposal for boats. Despite being a great inconvenience for most boat owners, and objectively a low chance of facing legal repercussions for breaking the regulations, most boat owners complied quickly and without much protest. A great indication of the willingness and competence to change for the better.
Underwater sound pollution is however much more of an unseen issue, so there is a higher need for education and information in order to reach the same level of awareness in the sailboat industry. In fact, post-industrial revolution human activities have increased underwater noise by 32 times.
A very real possibility that Carl Rönnow from SBU pointed out is that even if sailboats generally don’t contribute as much marine sound pollution as other categories of boats, there still is a real threat for them to be greatly affected by new legislation on the area. If a big governing body such as the EU or IMO introduces a maximum level for acceptable ocean noise, there is a risk that recreational sailboats are seen as “low hanging fruit” and easy to restrict inorder to lower the overall sound level. Especially in the hypothetical case that a country/region is just above the limit and limiting recreational sailboat activity will bring it under the threshold this is a really big concern.
So since there is a big potential downside for the whole sailboat industry, but we have the possibility to stop it by producing the right and usable marine sound data, we strongly urge all stakeholders to take the issue seriously and act now.
What is citizen science?
Citizen science is also known as community science or public participation in scientific research. It refers to involving general citizens in research activities. It is often a collaboration between non-professional scientists or volunteers who contribute time and effort to assist professional scientists in varying aspects of the scientific process. Often participants engage in data collection, observations and in some cases data analysis. The projects cover diverse fields of study, in this case with filling the coastal ocean data gap by submitting data from our sensor.
Why should you become a citizen scientist?
The benefits of citizen science are multiple and large. It allows scientists to gather more data over time and over broad geographic areas. Furthermore, scientists save time which can be used in the core activities of the research project. This citizen science project fosters public engagement in science, ocean literacy and provides an opportunity for people to contribute to a living ocean.
Overall, citizen science plays a valuable role in advancing scientific knowledge, empowering individuals to become active contributors, and promoting a deeper understanding and appreciation of the natural world, that’s why you should engage!
Main stakeholders
For this citizen science project collaborators should be able to construct our easy-to-build sensor. Since they are deployed in coastal areas, collaborators should have interest in the ocean. In order to ensure a living ocean, we are encouraging everyone filling the criteria to join this effort. Since it is possible to follow the data transmission real time it is interactive and fun to see what sounds your contribution has been able to detect. Everyone living close to the ocean, sailing clubs, recreational sailors and interest organizations within the industry.
There are multiple potential users of the data, and they can use it in a variety of different ways. One big potential data user is Transportstyrelsen or similar agencies which can use it to analyze the soundscape of the Swedish coast in order to make more informed decisions about legelations and restrictions.
Boat clubs and interest organizations can also have a personal interest in the data to preserve their own interests. If unjust legislation were to be introduced that limits their sailing possibilities they can use the data to prove that they aren't making big contributions to the soundscape.
Research institutes that model the ocean are highly interested in the data collected, one example is IVL - Swedish Environmental Research Institute who are underway with a project of evaluating underwater noise and its effects.