Ocean Citizen

07/09/2026

04/09/2026

🟡 In the waters off southwest Tenerife, 𝘈𝘱𝘭𝘺𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘢 𝘢𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘣𝘢, the vibrant yellow known as the "Yellow Architect", is more than just a striking presence. While not listed as endangered, its key ecological role makes it a priority for conservation. In the Canary Islands, it remains common, but localized declines have been observed in areas under strong human pressure.

is a sponge found throughout the Mediterranean and eastern Atlantic. It thrives in shallow, sunlit rocky habitats up to 25 meters deep in the Canaries. Its name “aerophoba” means “fear of air”, a reference to its dramatic color change from bright yellow to blue when exposed to oxygen.

OCEAN CITIZEN’s transplantation initiative is a proactive step to safeguard this species by introducing it onto artificial reefs near Punta Blanca, aiming to restore sponge-dominated habitats and monitor their resilience over time.

Learn more about this fascinating species and its role in rebuilding underwater ecosystems 🔗 https://oceancitizen.eu/news/aplysina-aerophoba-the-yellow-architect-of-tenerifes-underwater-forests/

📸 Clara Garcia (UGI)

27/08/2026

𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘬𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘢 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘴 is a belonging to the class , found in open waters of the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, typically in pelagic environments ‧˚･｡𖦹 °‧｡˚· Although it may resemble a jellyfish, it is actually a colony composed of specialized individuals called , which cooperate and divide functions such as feeding, defense, and reproduction. It has an elongated, translucent structure with tentacles equipped with stinging cells used to capture prey.

📷 Isa Peeters, UGI
📍 Tenerife pilot site

20/08/2026

The publication 'Addressing challenges in marine algal restoration: Lessons learned from 3D-printed structures on artificial reefs', by Jacopo Cimini, Lorenzo Meroni, Mariachiara Chiantore, Paolo Albicini, Claudia Pezzilli, Fulvia Melis, Marc García-Durán Huet, Laura Busquier, Jayant Khanuja, Sergio Rossi, Nadia Fani, Jan Andries Koopmans, Valentina Asnaghi, was published on 𝘌𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘌𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 (March 2026) and is available for download in the Results section on our website, or at the following direct link ⬇️
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0925857425003751?via%3Dihub

14/08/2026

Research and restoration continue in ’s coral forests 🌊🪸 The OCEAN CITIZEN team returned to the Catalan coast for its fourth research campaign, combining scientific diving, ROV surveys, multibeam mapping and environmental monitoring to better understand the conditions shaping coral forests.

The team also continued restoration work with 𝘓𝘦𝘱𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘪𝘢 𝘴𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘰𝘴𝘢, deploying coral fragments from different healthy donor colonies to maximise genetic diversity. Their survival and establishment will now be monitored over time.

🪸💻 From detailed 3D habitat models to long-term measurements of water currents, this campaign is helping us understand both the and the environment they depend on.

👉 Read the full story: https://oceancitizen.eu/news/research-and-restoration-continue-in-torredembarras-coral-forests/

06/08/2026

☆ 𝘊𝘰𝘴𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘶𝘪𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘢, commonly known as blue spiny starfish or ☆ white starfish, is a sea star belonging to the family that inhabits rocky reefs, seagrass meadows and coralligenous habitats throughout the Sea and the eastern Ocean.

It is easily recognised by its variable number of slender arms, usually ranging from seven to ten. Its colour is highly variable, displaying shades of 🔵 blue, 🟣 purple, 🟤 brown, 🟠 orange or 🟢 green.

Like other sea stars, it has remarkable abilities, being able to regrow lost arms and, in some cases, even form an entirely new individual through asexual reproduction by fission.

📷 Isa Peeters, UGI
📍 Tenerife pilot site

28/07/2026

📢 Have you joined our MOOC on Citizen Science yet? 🔬👥

Discover how science and society can work together to restore our . 🌊 This Massive Open Online Course offers a space to learn about marine ecosystems and explore how citizens and researchers can work side by side in marine forest regeneration.

🧭 The course will guide you through the essentials of , introduce you to and the principles of their restoration, and show how can empower everyone to contribute to .

Along the way, you will discover practical tools, inspiring stories from our pilot sites, and opportunities to engage directly in protecting and restoring our ocean.

Learn more and register: 🔗 https://oceancitizen.eu/education-and-citizen-science/

21/07/2026

Can a small change in diet make a big difference for sustainable sea cucumber aquaculture? 🌊🔬 New research highlighted by OCEAN CITIZEN shows that feeding 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘢 𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘴 larvae a mixed microalgal diet can significantly improve survival and development.

🧪 Larvae receiving a mix of 𝘐𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘩𝘳𝘺𝘴𝘪𝘴 sp. and 𝘙𝘩𝘰𝘥𝘰𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘴 sp. showed ~62% survival at day 14 (vs. ~40% with a single-species diet), with 100% reaching the juvenile stage by day 28.

Improving hatchery success could support more sustainable aquaculture, stock restoration, and integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA), where sea cucumbers help recycle organic matter and contribute to healthier marine ecosystems 🌱🌊

Read the full story: https://oceancitizen.eu/news/boosting-sea-cucumber-aquaculture-how-microalgal-diet-impact-larval-survival-and-development/

14/07/2026

The black , 𝘔𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘦𝘯𝘢 𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘪, is a fish species that can grow up to 90cm, living in shallow water among reefs and rocks and hiding in crevices. They are opportunistic, carnivorous and feed primarily on smaller fish, crabs, and octopuses.

📷 Marc Garcia Duran, UGI
📍 Tenerife pilot site

06/07/2026

𝗜𝗻 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗟𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘇𝗼 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶

There are people whose absence is impossible to measure because they leave a mark far greater than the time we shared with them. Lorenzo Bramanti was one of those people.

Lorenzo was an extraordinary scientist and an extraordinary person and friend. He combined scientific rigour with intellectual openness, methodological precision with fearless innovation. Curious, creative, and always willing to challenge assumptions, he was, in every sense, a scientist out of the box.

His passion for marine animal forests and their ecological role shaped a clear scientific vision that inspired so many of us. He taught us to see the ocean in three dimensions, to question concepts we had long accepted without hesitation, and to never stop asking whether there was another way of understanding nature. He had the rare gift of explaining complex ecological concepts through simple metaphors without ever sacrificing their depth. Although he never considered himself a science communicator, he inspired understanding and curiosity wherever he went.

Perhaps one of Lorenzo's greatest qualities was his belief that the best science is built together. In a world where competition and individual recognition can too often become barriers, Lorenzo made collaboration the driving force of his research. He generously shared ideas, welcomed different perspectives, and brought people together with humility and enthusiasm, making everyone feel that their contribution mattered.

Those of us who had the privilege of working alongside him will remember his unique sense of humour, his kindness, his generosity, and his endless enthusiasm for both science and people.

Lorenzo, we will miss you beyond words.

Thank you for your vision, your friendship, and your tireless commitment to understanding and protecting the marine animal forests you loved so deeply.

You will always be our Mesophotic Man.

Ciao Lore, Bye Lorenzo.