A new citizen science event has been organized in the Mediterranean in the framework of the ANERIS project. After the success of the Ancona event two weeks ago, this time it has been the turn of Mersin. Both cities are MedCities member cities.

In Mersin, as was the case in Ancona, the event has been linked to the organization of the third of the Ocean Cities Network Conferences, titled “Urban Coastal Ecosystems Workshops on Marine Restoration through the Use of Nature-Based Solutions”. The workshop was divided into three sections: Biodiversity and restoration, Marine Spacial Planning and Prevention, and Elimination of Marine Pollution practices in Mersin. Local challenges and potential solutions such as Tropicalization, Environmental Protection and Control Activites, the Marine Space Plan using Artificial Reefs, Wastewater management, or the Coastal economy were discussed among different related stakeholders. The event gathered researchers (Middle East Technical University, Mersin University), public authorities, and policymakers (Mersin Metropolitan Municipality, Mersin Water and Sewage Administration, or Mersin Chamber of Shipping).

After an introduction of ANERIS project from the hand of Marine Science Institute-CSIC, the participants learned about the potential of Citizen Science in contributing to some of the presented challenges through a continuous data-gathering process that can give meaningful information on marine biodiversity and its trends. Afterward, the participants downloaded and registered to MINKA Platform and performed a hands-on activity on the beach, where different Algae, Seppia officinalis debris or sea snails and slugs were found.