PolarQuest joins the BioBlitz campaign to Spot the Mediterranean Monk Seal

The Mediterranean monk seal is one of the world’s most endangered marine mammals (around 800 individuals remaining globally), playing a crucial role in the health of Mediterranean and Eastern Atlantic marine ecosystems. Polarquest and its newly created Fleet4Science has partnered with the Environmental Science Department of Milano-Bicocca University to join the  Spot-The-Monk campaign to monitor the monk seal, a marine biology project coordinated by marine biologist Elena Valsecchi. 

The project relies on cutting-edge molecular biology techniques based on the mammal’s environmental DNA (e-DNA) sampling. All living organisms release traces of this  genetic material into their surroundings. By collecting and analyzing seawater samples, researchers can detect even infinitesimal traces of monk seal DNA, offering a powerful, non-invasive tool to monitor the animal’s presence, seasonal movements, and habitat use. This technique is not only more accurate than simple sightings, but also crucial for identifying key areas to protect, both on land and at sea.

Monk seals can travel up to 40 miles per day, so, in order to avoid sampling e-Dna of the same animal, scientists have developed the BioBlitz technique, a coordinated effort to collect eDNA samples from multiple points in the Mediterranean on the same day. This means data will be collected simultaneously across a wide geographic area to avoid double counting. That’s where Polarquest’s Fleet4Science comes in. Launched in 2025 as Polarquest’s contribution to the Unesco Ocean decade, Fleet4Science is a network of small low impact sailing vessels united by the goal of supporting science at sea and serving as a reliable partner for universities and research institutions in need of marine data collection.

The 2025 BioBlitz dates are: May 23, July 4, August 15, September 26, November 7, and December 19. 

On May 23rd, three of Polarquest’s Fleet4Science network will take part in the BioBlitz campaign:

• Il Passatore, a classic sailing vessel, off the coast of Cervia, Italy, with marine biologist Elena Valsecchi, and science communicator and Polarquest’s President Paola Catapano, with Melanie Arnold, of the Polarquest communications team; Il Passatore is supported by ‘La Congrega del Passatore’, a sports association aiming to foster cultural and human values of historic sailboats;
• Wiki, a centenary sailing yacht, near Nice, France, with Micaela Tursi, Polarquest’s social media lead, Roberta Layton, one of Polarquest’s young scientists, who will be supported by young members from the Help Save the Med foundation, a non-profit initiative focused on educating and inspiring young global audiences to protect the Mediterranean through filming, photography, and social media;
• Waya Waya, Waya Waya, a schooner run by the Austrian Marine Conservation NGO ‘Project Manaia’, off the Greek Ionian Islands.
  

The BioBlitz sampling process is simple: seawater can be collected without special equipment, stored for weeks thanks to its salinity, and any boat—public or private—can join by filling a 12-litre bag to help track and protect the monk seal. This effort is therefore particularly suited to citizen science, a field in which the Polarquest association has been active since its foundation in 2017. All collected data will be analyzed in Valsecchi’s lab at Milano Bicocca and made publicly available on the Spot the Monk Observatory platform. As the campaign progresses, more Fleet4Science vessels will join, expanding the monitoring reach and public engagement across the Mediterranean.

With the monk seal’s survival at risk, citizen science plays a key role in raising awareness and supporting concrete conservation efforts. Taking part in the BioBlitz means actively contributing to the protection of one of the Mediterranean’s most endangered marine species. As the campaign continues, additional Fleet4Science boats are expected to join across the Mediterranean, expanding the reach of this citizen science effort. The greater the participation, the more effective the monitoring of this endangered and emblematic species. 

For further information and media requests:

• Melanie Arnold melanie.arnold@cern.ch for Polarquest and Project Mania 
• Elena Valsecchi elena.valsecchi@unimib.it for Spot-The-Monk
• Edward Girardet edgirardet@gmail.com for Wiki, Help Save The Med
• Giovanni Sartini giovisartini64@gmail.com for La Congrega del Passatore