Formats for Participatory Research on the Ocean: An Overview of Field Insights and Scientific Prospects

Since 2008, the NGO Objectif Sciences International (OSI), in close collaboration with leading academic institutions such as IRD, IFREMER, and CNRS, has been designing, implementing, and supporting participatory research projects that directly engage citizens in oceanographic research across coastal zones, inshore waters, and the open sea. At this global meeting, we aim to present a detailed analysis of the types and diverse formats that participatory research projects on ocean-related topics can take, drawing from field experience accumulated between 2008 and 2023 across the Pacific and North Atlantic Bassins, as well as Mozambique Channel.

 

This presentation seeks to provide a model of participatory science formats applied to ocean science, highlighting their specificities in terms of implementation, research themes, and expected or achievable outcomes. OSI has developed a wide range of approaches—from citizen data collection in marine environments to marine mammal ethology and the study of coastal and underwater ecosystems—demonstrating the rich variety of participatory formats that can be adapted to each mission's logistical, technical, and safety constraints and contexts. We propose an analysis of citizen involvement models within participatory research. In some projects, citizens act as co-researchers engaged in every stage of the research process, while in others, technical or safety restrictions may limit their participation to specific stages of the research. This comprehensive overview also highlights the diversity of audiences involved in these projects: children, teenagers, adults, enthusiasts, and ocean advocates, each contributing at their own level to common objectives. We will discuss both the successes and limitations of each model, along with the adjustments made to optimize results based on the research needs and contextual demands of each mission.

 

This presentation offers an “open-source” compilation of formats and field testimonials, made accessible to the scientific community and participatory science stakeholders. This sharing effort serves a dual purpose: to facilitate the scalable development of citizen-led research initiatives on ocean, and to enable multidisciplinary and international collaborations to realistically position themselves within the framework of vibrant scientific actions in line with today’s critical oceanic challenges.