This consists of recording a single record of a single species (or numerous species) from a specific location on a specific date. This is the most common type of citizen science record in biodiversity recording and is typically facilitated through mobile apps etc. However in the marine environment this is somewhat more difficult – your phone won’t work underwater for a start!
This is a good starting point for someone who’s interested in recording but doesn’t have the time to commit to a training or a more formal recording scheme. Casual recording is particularly important for records or rare or under recorded species. The Seasearch species Identification sheets are a useful tool for identifying individual species as are guide books and online resources.
Records can be logged directly with the National Biodiversity Data Centre’s Explore Your Shore! project. Just click on the Seashore Spotter tab and you can record and number of species for a single location and add your photos too!
A number of notable records have been submitted by divers in recent years and all divers should be encouraged to submit casual records of unique or unusual sightings.
