The citizen science activities of LIFE Conceptu Maris, particularly appreciated for their innovative and engaging nature by the project audience, were presented by ISPRA and AMPCC during the CommOCEAN 2024 conference on 26-27 November 2024 in Málaga, Spain, hosted by the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (EOI): 160 participants from the world of science communication from all over Europe, Canada and the United States, 8 open debate sessions between the presenters and the audience, a unique opportunity to discuss tools and approaches to effective communication.

As of October 2024, 399 applications have been received by LIFE Conceptu Maris; of these, 225 have completed the theoretical training and 122 the entire course, including practical training on board. The majority of citizen scientists are women (74%) and, more generally, young people aged between 18 and 29 (66%). The participants come from 11 countries, mainly Italy (80%), Spain (9%) and France (8%).

Coordinating such a large number of volunteers, working together with scientists, entailed several logistical challenges, considering the limited availability of operational routes and the unpredictability of weather conditions, which affected boarding times.
The initial target was to involve 60 volunteers, but the results far exceeded expectations. Although the target was fully met, the activities at sea will continue next year to allow all those who signed up for the campaign to embark and participate in the monitoring activities themselves.