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Citizens of the Sea

Citizen science and environmental DNA (eDNA) are powerful tools for closing the gaps in our knowledge of ocean biodiversity. Citizens of the Sea, a New Zealand-based charitable trust, is harnessing these tools to monitor life across the offshore Pacific and the wider global ocean, where traditional research vessels rarely reach.

Our goal is to build a citizen-powered ocean observing network that generates large-scale, spatio-temporal biodiversity data from under-sampled offshore waters. With an initial focus on the South Pacific — spanning New Zealand, Tonga, Fiji, New Caledonia, and Australia — we equip cruising yachts with simple eDNA sampling kits through our Pacific Rally network, turning every voyage into a scientific expedition. Our offshore racing programme extends this reach further still, partnering with elite ocean racers in events such as the Vendée Globe and The Ocean Race to capture eDNA from remote, rarely sampled waters at the extremes of the global ocean. Citizens of the Sea is creating resources that enable broad-scale deployment of marine eDNA, including a growing bioarchive of genetic samples for future reanalysis; baselines to detect climate-driven shifts in species distribution; and biodiversity datasets published openly through GBIF and OBIS to support governments, NGOs, and communities in strengthening marine management and protection.

Lead Institute
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Project updates

Project period

1 January, 2024 – 31 December, 2030 

Joined OBON in June, 2026
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