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Communicate Your Science: Outreach in the 21st Century
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Rebranding nuisance: using education and outreach to promote understanding, interest and participation in citizen science about jellyfish in Israel
Tuesday 8th @ 0950-1000, Multifunction Hall
Philip Nemoy* , Department of Maritime Civilizations
Leon Charney School of Marine Sciences
University of Haifa, Israel
Dori Edelist, Department of Maritime Civilizations
Leon Charney School of Marine Sciences
University of Haifa, Israel
Dror Angel, Department of Maritime Civilizations
Leon Charney School of Marine Sciences
University of Haifa, Israel
Presenter Email: philip.nemoy@gmail.com |
| Jellyfish are generally perceived as a nuisance by beachgoers, fishermen and other marine stakeholders. In Israel, the recurrent blooms of the stinging scyphomedusa Rhopilema nomadica have caused a particularly bad public perception of all gelatinous marine organisms (jellyfish). Our work is aimed at countering the public fear of jellyfish, which is largely caused by ignorance, with educational tools which promote interest and understanding. We use programs for schoolchildren, an internet website and dedicated social networking to engage the public in monitoring, awareness and research of jellyfish along the Mediterranean coast of Israel. Main outcomes: (1) The dedicated website, www.meduzot.co.il, fed by public jellyfish reports, provides citizens and beach-goers with information on the presence of jellyfish on Israeli beaches. (2) Through the website and social networking, we may document swarms and draw time series for several jellyfish species, thereby improving our understanding of the ecology of these groups. (3) The jellyfish citizen science activities contribute to the collective scientific knowledge, creating a community where citizens learn online about jellyfish and answer each other's questions. (4) Schoolchildren, ages 8 - 11 with little or no marine literacy, took part in this project, learning about the role of jellyfish in the marine ecosystem, reporting on the presence of jellyfish in the sea and educating their families and friends about jellyfish. Conclusions and directions for the future: During recent years, our research and outreach activities have encouraged a shift in public perception toward jellyfish in Israel: from a nuisance to enigmatic and important groups of marine animals. We promote the concept that jellyfish are a key group in the marine ecosystem, and that it pays to recognize their roles, appreciate their contribution and take advantage of jellyfish as valuable marine resources. |
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