During her time as an Upwell Researcher, Stephanie J. Rousso used a Citizen Science approach to investigate the spatial distribution of sea turtles within fishing zones in the Southern Gulf of California. While she has since moved on to be Managing Director of Oceans@Duke at Duke University, Stephanie took a moment to chat with us about her recent publication in PeerJ, “Citizen science enhances understanding of sea turtle distribution in the Gulf of California,” based on her work with Upwell.
Q: What were the most rewarding parts of your work, and of integrating citizen science data into it?
Stephanie and interns from Colorado State University after a workshop with fishers who are also members of the Grupo Tortuguero of the Californias
A: Showing the participants the preliminary results of the data they had contributed and seeing their expressions of pride and ownership was wonderful. Hearing people’s stories and witnessing their genuine interest in contributing to sea turtle conservation was equally fulfilling. I learned as much from the community, especially the fishers, as I have learned in graduate school from professors. After years of gaining trust with fishermen, the feeling of inclusion and acceptance I feel is really rewarding. I was nicknamed “Turtle Girl” and called over VHF radios or tagged in social media posts recognizing me as the go-to person to report turtles.
Q: What were the most challenging aspects of collecting and working with citizen science data?
A: One of the biggest challenges was maintaining ongoing engagement with diverse community groups and navigating the differences among various demographics. For example, when working with sailboaters, most are accustomed to using GPS to record coordinates of sightings. Yet, many sailboaters are older and prefer to submit data on paper compared to younger participants such as SCUBA diving guides and university students who are open to digital communication channels. This variability complicates the standardization of data and requires additional effort during both data management and analysis phases.
Stephanie at a workshop with SCUBA dive guides
Stephanie at a workshop with fishers
Working with artisanal fishers presented an even greater challenge for me due to language barriers, my position as a woman in a predominantly male-dominated industry, and our different cultural experiences. First, requesting fishers to report sea turtle sightings adds extra work to their already demanding tasks. Secondly, asking them to report bycatch of sea turtles requires a high level of trust, as it involves discussing a controversial topic that can potentially bring scrutiny to their practices. Moreover, the process is time-consuming and detracts from their primary focus: achieving the highest possible catch within a limited time frame to maximize both quality and economic returns, especially as they live in economically marginalized communities.
Q: Do you have to collect or filter data you receive from citizen science in ways that differ from other data you’ve collected?
A: There are unique challenges in processing citizen science data that comes from a range of sources that are not standardized including social media, messaging platforms, and iNaturalist. For instance, converting GPS coordinates into consistent formats or reconciling ambiguous location names like "Punta Arena," which might exist in multiple places, can be tricky. The latter is especially common with fishers as they often do not use GPS and typically have their own names for their fishing spots. To resolve this we had fishers mark maps with a grid system, checking each box where they fish or have seen turtles. Although this kind of data cannot be cross referenced with specific dated sightings, it helped us identify the location of fishing spots so we had a geographic reference for their next report.
A hawksbill turtle spotted at San Rafalito, La Paz, BCS, submitted to sea turtle spotter by SCUBA dive guide, Daniel Ramirez Valenzuela from SCUBA Schools La Paz
Q: What surprised you most about your findings?
Figure 3: Spatial distribution of loggerhead turtle sightings reported through citizen science in the Bay of La Paz. Fish icons represent small fishing camps. Colored diamonds represent citizen science reports.
A: I was surprised by the depth and breadth of data collected through community participation. For example, while we did not initially aim to study loggerheads in La Paz Bay, those findings emerged organically thanks to citizen science efforts. We also found aggregations of green turtles in La Paz Bay that we later discovered to be related to mating activity. Currently, we are working on two other papers that reveal the results of all research-grade citizen science sightings. One includes incidental sightings and bycatch by fishers in Sinaloa and the other includes the results of several years of seaplane flyovers in La Paz Bay and sailboats in the western Gulf of California.
Q: What would you say to other researchers considering using citizen science data in their research?
A: Do it! Citizen science serves as a valuable complement to traditional research. Engaging community groups not only advances conservation and sustainability goals but also fosters deeper and more productive collaborations. This approach goes beyond funding or memberships, allowing for meaningful participation that significantly enriches research outcomes. While managing and standardizing the data from diverse contributors may require additional effort, the benefits outweigh the challenges.
Stephanie with fishers from the state of Sinaloa at the first citizen science bycatch data collection workshop in 2017
Citizen science offers a cost-effective methodology that provides scientists with continuous, long-term data. This is a stark contrast to the limited, time-bound data typically obtained through short-term, grant-funded studies. By involving communities, researchers gain access to a broader, more sustained dataset, enhancing the scope and impact of their work.
Q: What would you say to someone who is considering participating in a citizen science project?
A photo of a Green sea turtle submitted to Sea Turtle Spotter by kayak guide, Carlos Gajon B, taken from his kayak
A: Do it! Participating in citizen science is a great way to learn something new, stay mentally active, and contribute to science, even if you don’t have the financial means to support it otherwise. It provides a meaningful purpose to spend time in nature—and it’s fun! Check out Upwell’s Sea Turtle Spotter project and learn more about how you can contribute.