OlSeas: A Citizen Science Application for the Recording and Reporting of Marine Observational Data

About 150 000 vessels roam the world's oceans every single day - from cargo ships to cruise ships, yachts, fishing vessels, oil tankers and more. Collectively, they are immersed in all that the seas and oceans have to offer. They observe enormous amounts of marine phenomena and experience a full range of environmental conditions. The collective data-gathering potential of these vessels and the people on them is as vast as the ocean itself. Added to this is a growing culture of citizen science and engagement with the natural world. It has reached the ranks of people who visit the ocean and coastline for recreation and work alike as a new generation of apps allows us to interact with our surroundings in new ways.