Get Involved

Take part in monitoring Marine Invasive Species in Mediterranean Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)

Invasive species are one of the greatest threats to the biodiversity of both MPAs and the Mediterranean Sea, although if detected in time, it is possible to control and reduce their impact. Help us by reporting your sightings. Only with the participation of many people can we make this tool a useful one in diminishing this environmental problem. The information that you provide will be shared directly with the management unit of the closest MPA.

Who can participate?

This platform is for all observers (amateur or professional divers, fishers, marine technicians, MPA managers, or scientists) who would like to receive information on invasive species around protected areas and support conservation efforts by recording the potentially invasive species that they find.

This smartphone application is free to download and use. To download it on your smartphone from Apple Store or Google Play

How to participate:

Why should I register?

All the collected data from the MedMIS portal are publicly available. If you are a marine scientist, a scuba diver, or an MPA manager interested in conservation issues, you can upload reports of sightings of invasive alien species or take part in identification discussions.

How do I sign up?

Just click the 'Sign in' button on the top-right and click 'Sign up' and you will be taken to a page where you can create an account. None of your data will be presented to users other than your username and name, so choose wisely! The information compiled in the MedMIS platform can be used in reports or scholarly articles. In such cases, the user who submitted the information may be referenced using the name registered in the platform.

I think I have identified the presence of an invasive species in my area. How do I report it?

First, you have to be a registered member of MedMIS. Sign in with your email and password and you'll see the 'Add report' button at the top bar. Clicking it will bring you to the report form. Here you can fill in the report details. Please note that some information is mandatory. A report has to have at least one photograph of the observation, the possible scientific name of the invasive species seen, a location, the Marine Protected Area where the observation took place, the range of depth, and the date of observation. Any other information provided will be of greatest interest for scientific and managing purposes. If you return to the map, you'll see your newly created report, but with a cross icon instead of the usual X one. That means that the report has been sent to the administrators of MedMIS, it will be reviewed with a group of experts and published or put into a state of 'In identification'.

What you should know:

What is an alien species?

Alien species - sometimes termed exotic, introduced, or non-native species - are plants and animals that have been intentionally or unintentionally introduced, have established populations, and have spread into the wild in the new host region (IUCN, 2002).

What is an 'invasive alien species'?

Invasive Alien Species (often abbreviated to 'IAS') are those alien species that become established in natural or semi-natural ecosystems or habitats and become agents of change, increasing in abundance and distribution and threatening native biological diversity (IUCN, revised 2012). If the new area is hostile to the species, there is no problem for it will be unable to reproduce. But sometimes the invasive species thrive in the new area for several reasons: lack of natural predators, plenty of food available in the form of native species previously unknown to it, etc. Invasive species often represent an ecological threat to the area they are introduced into, and should be monitored and, if possible, controlled.

What is a MPA?

MPA stands for Marine Protected Area. 'It is a clearly defined geographical space, recognized, dedicated and managed, through legal or other effective means, to achieve the long-term conservation of nature with associated ecosystem services and cultural values' (Day et al., 2012).

Check: Day J., Dudley N., Hockings M., Holmes G., Laffoley D., Stolton S. & S. Wells, 2012. Guidelines for applying the IUCN Protected Area Management Categories to Marine Protected Areas. Gland, Switzerland: IUCN. 36pp. https://cmsdata.iucn.org/downloads/uicn_categoriesamp_esp_1.pdf

I'm an MPA manager. Do I get any special MedMIS features?

Yes. First, create a normal account, like any other user. Then, send an email to the MedMIS administration [email protected] & [email protected] indicating your full name, MedMIS username, and the MPA you are managing. Being a manager, you will be alerted of any activity in MedMIS that concerns your MPA and also receive warnings when new sightings are reported near your MPA.

What internet browsers are recommended for MedMIS?

Because MedMIS is a web application that makes heavy use of many advanced programming techniques, the web browsers recommended are Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox.