What a Seawater Sample Can Tell Scientists About Ocean Health

UNESCO undertook a pilot environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling campaign in the Gulf of Porto: Calanche of Piana, Gulf of Girolata, Scandola Reserve World Heritage site (France), to prepare the global roll-out of its citizen science eDNA initiative. Credit: UNESCOby Kizito Makoye (dar es salaam, tanzania)Thursday, October 22, 2026Inter Press Service DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania, October 22 (IPS) - A fishing boat’s catch tells only part of the story of the waters around World Heritage sites. Species that escape the net, shelter inside reefs or pass through deeper channels can go unrecorded, leaving communities and conservation officials with an incomplete picture of the marine life supporting coastal livelihoods. A sample of seawater could help fill those gaps. Fish and other organisms leave genetic material in their surroundings, allowing scientists to identify species that might otherwise go unnoticed.More than that, monitoring marine species once required years of fieldwork and millions of dollars. Now just a few samples of seawater collected by citizen scientists can provide actionable ocean data in a matter of weeks.UNESCO is expanding this approach through its environmental DNA, or eDNA...