Citizen Science Records of Marine Alien Species in Malta

This dataset was developed by the Oceanography Malta Research Group (OMRG) to document the occurrences and distribution of Non-Indigenous Species (NIS), commonly known as 'alien species', in Maltese waters. Data is collected through citizen science initiatives, involving SCUBA divers, fishers and recreational sea users, who report sightings of alien species.

OMRG coordiantes several citizen science campaigns including 'Spot the Alien', 'Spot the Alien fish' and 'Spot the Jellyfish', aimed at raising public awarness and encouraging the submission of NIS. The initiative relies on citizen-generated observational data, including species sightings, photographs and associated location information submitted by participants. All submitted reports are reviewed and validated by scientific personnel before being incorporated into the dataset, ensuring the reliability and scientific value of the data.

Citation: Deidun A, Marrone A, Prieto Gomez L (2026). Citizen Science Records of Marine Alien Species in Malta. Version 2.0. Oceanography Malta Research Group, Department of Geosciences, University of Malta. Occurrence dataset. https://doi.org/10.25607/t30dex

Published: May 25, 2026 at 08:04

First registration: May 20, 2026 at 13:03

License: This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY 4.0) License

URL: https://ipt.medobis.eu/resource?r=nis-records-malta