Beaches with life
What is the BioMARató?
The BioMARató is a fun way to compete in a friendly way with other cities along the Catalan coast and participate in one of the biggest citizen science events.
The Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM-CSIC), Anèl·lides Serveis ambientals marins, Cos4Cloud, MINKE, Plàncton diving and Xatrac encourage you to join the challenge and help your region win!
What is citizen science?
It is the public’s participation in research. In this case, you will contribute towards researching Catalan coastal biodiversity and the data you obtain will be used by researchers from all over the world.
Costa Daurada and Costa Brava Beaches
Grab your camera and photograph marine ecosystem organisms.
Share your photos on MINKA, a citizen science app.
Learn to identify the species you have seen with the help of experts and a network of wildlife enthusiasts.
Do you want to get involved?
Photograph species from all over the Catalan coast such as birds or plants while you walk, or go snorkelling or scuba diving and photograph underwater species.
Take part on your own or sign up for one of the snorkelling or scuba diving activities we organise on the Catalan coast. Don’t worry about the underwater camera, we have some to leave for you! You can also rent snorkelling or scuba diving equipment if you need it.
How is the winning region chosen?
Worldwide Competition – 29 April – 2 May, 2022
The BioMARató begins in April with the City Nature Challenge (CNC), which is an international friendly competition of wildlife enthusiast observations where cities around the world will compete against each other to achieve the highest number of observations of living beings in their area and publish them on a citizen science platform. In the case of Catalonia, the provinces of Barcelona, Girona and Tarragona will take part with the BioMARató.
The winning region will be the one with the most wildlife observations, in other words, the most species of living creatures observed and the most participants involved.
Catalan competition – from June to September, 2022
As we know that April is not always a good time to go to the beaches or into the water, this year we are extending the competition and it will continue around Catalonia during the summer. From June to September 2022 you will be able to enjoy the marine ecosystem by taking part in different free snorkelling and diving activities on the Barcelona, Tarragona and Girona area.
The province that achieves the highest number of underwater wildlife sightings, detects the most invasive and rare species or has the highest number of participants will win!
What equipment do you need to participate?
If you sign up for one of the organised outings:
You don’t need any equipment apart from a smartphone or a computer and a camera (that can be submerged in water if you want to take underwater photos).
You will be able to rent diving equipment (wetsuit, oxygen bottle, etc.) for a reduced price.
If you take part on your own:
Camera (underwater if you want to take pictures underwater), smartphone/laptop, snorkelling equipment (goggles and tubes) or your scuba diving equipment.
How do I share my observations?
From 29 April 2022, you will be able to upload your observations to the citizen science platform MINKA. MINKA is currently in Beta version, a version where we are testing its functioning, and BioMARató’s participants will be among the first to try it out!
- Access the MINKA citizen science platform website or download the app on your mobile phone (iOS and Android).
- Create your MINKA user account
- Search the project "BioMARató 2022".
- Upload your photos to the project
- Identify the living organism photographed or ask for help from the MINKA community if you don't know what species it is.
How does MINKA work?
MINKA is an online community of people that record observations of biodiversity and environmental parameters and share them with the world.
With each of your observations you contribute to researching the health of the planet and pave the way for a more sustainable future, be part of the solution!
Will I have to identify the species?
Whatever you want! Once you have posted the photographs you can identify which species you have found or ask for help in identifying it from the experts in the community. At the BioMARató, Xavi Salvador, an expert in marine biodiversity, will be there to review all the observations and will help you to identify them!
Any questions?
Contact Sònia Liñán (researcher at the Institute of Marine Sciences): slinan@icm.csic.es
Organisers
The ICM-CSIC is a research centre devoted to the study of oceans and the marine ecosystem. Barcelona.
Minka is a citizen science observatory coordinated by ICM-CSIC.
Activities' coordinators
Barcelona
Anèl·lides-Serveis ambientals is a company devoted to educate, disseminate and promote the conservation of the marine environment.
Costa Daurada
Plàncton is a diving and snorkelling centre in l'Ametlla de Mar (Tarragona).
Costa Brava
Xatrac is an environmental association whose main objective is to bring science and the environment closer to society. Lloret de Mar (Girona).
Collaborators
iDive Barcelona is a PADI dive shop and diving school located in the area of Diagonal del Mar (Barcelona).
The Federació Catalana d'Activitats Subaquàtiques (FECDAS) is the governing body for underwater sports activities in Catalonia.
Saita Diving is a federated and non-profit diving club in Barcelona.
Vanas Dive is a federated and non-profit diving club in Barcelona.
Underwater Barcelona is a PADI Eco Dive Friendly Resort in Barcelona.
OCEANICOS is an association whose aim is to raise awareness and take action regarding the marine environment, inform and train new divers and society in general.
Cos4Cloud is a Horizon 2020 European project to boost citizen science technologies.
MINKE is a European INFRAIA project that proposes an innovative "oceanographic data quality" framework.
The town council of Calonge i Sant Antoni is located in the Baix Empordà region (Girona).
