In Europe, biodiversity loss is occurring at an alarming rate, with the main drivers of species extinction being human activities, such as climate change, pollution, and direct exploitation. In an attempt to protect marine and coastal biodiversity from human intervention, the ANERIS project, funded under the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme, seeks to design and develop the next generation of advanced scientific and methodological tools to monitor the variety of life in our oceans. To fulfill its goals, the project relies heavily on the engagement of local and regional communities through organisation of large-scale citizen science initiatives, integrating the newly established sensing instruments and methods.

Organised by the COASTALWARMING research group and CIBIO-InBio/BIOPOLIS and co-funded by ECS, MINKE, ANERIS and both PHAROS and GUARDEN Horizon projects, the 2025 edition of the BioMARatona Portugal took place from May 5th to October 15th across Portugal’s coasts. The initiative marks the collaborative work of 7 partner organisations to promote citizen science through various activities, map marine and coastal biodiversity of mainland Portugal in the MINKA community-based observatory, raise awareness about the current condition of our oceans and beaches and increase public participation in the study and protection of coastal biodiversity.

The 2025 edition of BioMARatona has achieved an unprecedented milestone - a notable increase in the number of observations gathered, as well as recorded species and participants in comparison to the previous year. The results show that, in 2025, 175 participants contributed 3,407 observations to the MINKA platform, mapping 263 diverse types of coastal species in total. With these new contributions, the BioMARatona now has accumulated almost 5,000 observations and over 450 documented species since 2024. All observations, each accompanied by an image and a corresponding geolocation, can be found with a simple search in the MINKA observatory.

Mar Humet Caballero, a research technician from the CIBIO-InBIO/BIOPOLIS research network that is responsible for the organisation of this initiative in Portugal, says “Beyond the impressive number of observations collected, BioMARatona’s greatest impact lies in connecting people with their local coastal ecosystems. Participants become active contributors to scientific knowledge, helping researchers track biodiversity patterns while fostering a deeper understanding of marine conservation challenges.“

The year 2025 was particularly rich in observations of non-indigenous species, with over 200 observations of diverse exotic organisms collected across Portugal’s coastline. Notably, the devil’s tongue weed (Grateloupia turuturu), a type of seaweed that is native to East Asia, was recorded 77 times alongside Porto’s coast. Interestingly, another non-indigenous species with a total of 50 observations gathered is the striped false limpet (Siphonaria pectinata), most frequently spotted in Porto, Vila do Conde, Póvoa de Varzim, and Viana do Castelo. The Japanese wireweed (Sargassum muticum), native to the Western Pacific Ocean from coasts of China, South Korea, Japan, and southern Russia, is another exotic species observed 40 times in various locations across Portugal, such as Angeiras North Beach, Areia Beach, and Póvoa de Varzim. Another impressive observation on Porto’s coast constitutes a record of the European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax), also known as the branzino and listed as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature due to its decreasing population.

It should be noted that the increase of the number of invasive species recorded, however, does not always count for an abundance of participants. In fact, it often reflects improved observers’ activity and more extensive coastal coverage thanks to citizen participation. In 2025, prizes were awarded to the three participants with the most recorded observations for the whole duration of the initiative. Additionally, during the 2025’s edition of BioMARatona, the community decided that a special award should be presented to the best photograph. Among the winners were Tatiana Borer Rodrigues and Ana Borer, both experienced naturalists, and Nuno Manuel Didier Domingos, a rockpooling enthusiast.

The results from BioMARatona 2025 were extensively presented at the National Citizen Science Meeting on November 13th and 14th in Oeiras, Portugal. The conference was organised by the Portuguese Citizen Science Network, where institutional actors, civil society, and various promoters of citizen science activities gathered together to deepen their reflection and discuss numerous examples of collaboration between science and society. On behalf of the whole team at ANERIS, we would like to extend our gratitude to the organisers, participants, and supporters of BioMARatona 2025 and we look forward to an even more successful edition in 2026.

*****

ANERIS receives funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101094924. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Commission. Neither the EU nor the EC can be held responsible for them.