{"id":2009,"date":"2017-03-08T13:45:41","date_gmt":"2017-03-08T13:45:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/test.kriesi.at\/enfold-minimal-photography\/?page_id=2009"},"modified":"2025-01-24T09:45:05","modified_gmt":"2025-01-24T09:45:05","slug":"about","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/campaigns.ocean.mt\/index.php\/about\/","title":{"rendered":"Campaigns"},"content":{"rendered":"<section  class='av_textblock_section av-m6akstt6-9fd0f51b3aabe2d9df668f7eb2e6db5b '   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><h3>ABOUT THE CAMPAIGNS<\/h3>\n<\/div><\/section>\n<div  class='flex_column av-24wth5-1d224f66c83b40eec817ca6f551954fc av_one_third  avia-builder-el-1  el_after_av_textblock  el_before_av_two_third  first flex_column_div  column-top-margin'     ><p>\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-68dgl5-621a000eb8e96ab62ac015e608b2c549\">\n#top .av_textblock_section.av-68dgl5-621a000eb8e96ab62ac015e608b2c549 .avia_textblock{\ntext-align:justify;\n}\n<\/style>\n<section  class='av_textblock_section av-68dgl5-621a000eb8e96ab62ac015e608b2c549 '   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><p>Marine alien species are organisms that move from one sea to another with the actions of humans. Humans are causing these species to move from one location to another in many ways, including carrying them in ballast water, on boat hulls and even as aquarium escapees. The main route of marine alien species invasion is the Suez Canal, an artificial canal built to offer a direct route for commercial ships from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea. This canal starts from the Red Sea and continues to Port Said in Egypt in the eastern Mediterranean. This canal was opened in 1869, and around 54% of all alien species have made their way to the Mediterranean Sea from the Red Sea via the Suez Canal, a phenomenon called Lessepsian migration. Species that are entering naturally through the Strait of Gibraltar are not to be considered as alien species, but rather as range expanders, the so-called \u2018neonative\u2019 species.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><br \/>\n\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-m67ok4ql-cb6b8521cfd41ab9d1c497c0f1945c21\">\n#top .av_textblock_section.av-m67ok4ql-cb6b8521cfd41ab9d1c497c0f1945c21 .avia_textblock{\ntext-align:justify;\n}\n<\/style>\n<section  class='av_textblock_section av-m67ok4ql-cb6b8521cfd41ab9d1c497c0f1945c21 '   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><p>Most of the alien species that are introduced end up not adapting to their new area and die out after a short time. This can be for many reasons, including not being fully adapted to the physical conditions of the new place (for example able to survive the temperature and salinity levels of the sea they have been introduced to) and or due to biological aspects (for example lack of food, predation and competition with local species). However, a few species do happen to have the necessary adaptations to survive and reproduce in their new location, and their numbers begin to increase. We call such species invasive. Usually, the impact of these species, both on the ecosystem and on the quality of life of local people, is negative.\u00a0 Notorious examples from the Mediterranean include the Lionfish (<em>Pterois miles<\/em>), an alien fish belonging to the Scorpaenidae family that outcompetes all local species. This fish species has a highly venomous spine that can cause great pain to humans. The Silver-cheeked Toadfish (<em>Lagocephalus sceleratus<\/em>) is a fish IAS alien fish species which has entered the Mediterranean and which IS extremely poisonous to humans, leading to death due to the presence of one of the most potent toxins known to man \u2013 tetradotoxin (TTX). Unfortunately, this IAS has been recorded from Maltese waters on a number of occasions already.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/p><\/div>\n<div  class='flex_column av-3m9gzt-31318e42499383abea644259b7be35da av_two_third  avia-builder-el-4  el_after_av_one_third  avia-builder-el-last  flex_column_div  column-top-margin'     ><p><div id='av-masonry-1' class='av-masonry av-m67pvzxk-cd41874fc1f49fbb154c2391f5628ba2 noHover av-flex-size av-large-gap av-hover-overlay-active av-masonry-animation-active av-masonry-col-flexible av-caption-always av-caption-style- av-masonry-gallery ' data-post_id=\"2009\"><div class=\"av-masonry-container isotope av-js-disabled\"><div class='av-masonry-entry isotope-item av-masonry-item-no-image '><\/div><a href=\"https:\/\/campaigns.ocean.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/lionfish-2.jpg\"  aria-label=\"image lionfish 2\"  id='av-masonry-1-item-2547' data-av-masonry-item='2547' class='av-masonry-entry isotope-item post-2547 attachment type-attachment status-inherit hentry  av-masonry-item-with-image' title=\"lionfish 2\" alt=\"\"    itemprop=\"thumbnailUrl\" ><div class='av-inner-masonry-sizer'><\/div><figure class='av-inner-masonry main_color'><div class=\"av-masonry-outerimage-container\"><div class='av-masonry-image-container'  ><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"3321\" height=\"2491\" fetchpriority=\"high\" class=\"wp-image-2547 avia-img-lazy-loading-not-2547\"  src=\"https:\/\/campaigns.ocean.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/lionfish-2.jpg\" title=\"lionfish 2\" alt=\"\" \/><\/div><\/div><\/figure><\/a><!--end av-masonry entry--><a href=\"https:\/\/campaigns.ocean.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/The-Emperor-red-snapper-copy.jpg\"  aria-label=\"image The Emperor red snapper copy\"  id='av-masonry-1-item-2551' data-av-masonry-item='2551' class='av-masonry-entry isotope-item post-2551 attachment type-attachment status-inherit hentry  av-masonry-item-with-image' title=\"The Emperor red snapper copy\" alt=\"\"    itemprop=\"thumbnailUrl\" ><div class='av-inner-masonry-sizer'><\/div><figure class='av-inner-masonry main_color'><div class=\"av-masonry-outerimage-container\"><div class='av-masonry-image-container'  ><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1259\" height=\"837\" fetchpriority=\"high\" class=\"wp-image-2551 avia-img-lazy-loading-not-2551\"  src=\"https:\/\/campaigns.ocean.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/The-Emperor-red-snapper-copy.jpg\" title=\"The Emperor red snapper copy\" alt=\"\" \/><\/div><\/div><\/figure><\/a><!--end av-masonry entry--><a href=\"https:\/\/campaigns.ocean.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Portunus-segnis-Gnejna-2nd-December-2024-Terence-Caselli-fb-copy.jpg\"  aria-label=\"image C:DCIM100GOPROGOPR6887.GPR\"  id='av-masonry-1-item-2550' data-av-masonry-item='2550' class='av-masonry-entry isotope-item post-2550 attachment type-attachment status-inherit hentry  av-masonry-item-with-image' title=\"C:DCIM100GOPROGOPR6887.GPR\" alt=\"\"    itemprop=\"thumbnailUrl\" ><div class='av-inner-masonry-sizer'><\/div><figure class='av-inner-masonry main_color'><div class=\"av-masonry-outerimage-container\"><div class='av-masonry-image-container'  ><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1792\" fetchpriority=\"high\" class=\"wp-image-2550 avia-img-lazy-loading-not-2550\"  src=\"https:\/\/campaigns.ocean.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Portunus-segnis-Gnejna-2nd-December-2024-Terence-Caselli-fb-copy.jpg\" title=\"C:DCIM100GOPROGOPR6887.GPR\" alt=\"\" \/><\/div><\/div><\/figure><\/a><!--end av-masonry entry--><a href=\"https:\/\/campaigns.ocean.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/lionfish-3-copy.bmp\"  aria-label=\"image lionfish 3 copy\"  id='av-masonry-1-item-2549' data-av-masonry-item='2549' class='av-masonry-entry isotope-item post-2549 attachment type-attachment status-inherit hentry  av-masonry-item-with-image' title=\"lionfish 3 copy\" alt=\"\"    itemprop=\"thumbnailUrl\" ><div class='av-inner-masonry-sizer'><\/div><figure class='av-inner-masonry main_color'><div class=\"av-masonry-outerimage-container\"><div class='av-masonry-image-container'  ><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"2121\" height=\"1414\" fetchpriority=\"high\" class=\"wp-image-2549 avia-img-lazy-loading-not-2549\"  src=\"https:\/\/campaigns.ocean.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/lionfish-3-copy.bmp\" title=\"lionfish 3 copy\" alt=\"\" \/><\/div><\/div><\/figure><\/a><!--end av-masonry entry--><a href=\"https:\/\/campaigns.ocean.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/The-yellowbar-angelfish-copy.jpg\"  aria-label=\"image The yellowbar angelfish copy\"  id='av-masonry-1-item-2548' data-av-masonry-item='2548' class='av-masonry-entry isotope-item post-2548 attachment type-attachment status-inherit hentry  av-masonry-item-with-image' title=\"The yellowbar angelfish copy\" alt=\"\"    itemprop=\"thumbnailUrl\" ><div class='av-inner-masonry-sizer'><\/div><figure class='av-inner-masonry main_color'><div class=\"av-masonry-outerimage-container\"><div class='av-masonry-image-container'  ><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"720\" fetchpriority=\"high\" class=\"wp-image-2548 avia-img-lazy-loading-not-2548\"  src=\"https:\/\/campaigns.ocean.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/The-yellowbar-angelfish-copy.jpg\" title=\"The yellowbar angelfish copy\" alt=\"\" \/><\/div><\/div><\/figure><\/a><!--end av-masonry entry--><a href=\"https:\/\/campaigns.ocean.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Fistularia-commersonii-8-individuals-Cirkewwa-12th-Dec-2024-Ed-Ward-fb-copy.jpg\"  aria-label=\"image Fistularia commersonii 8 individuals Cirkewwa 12th Dec 2024 Ed Ward fb copy\"  id='av-masonry-1-item-2564' data-av-masonry-item='2564' class='av-masonry-entry isotope-item post-2564 attachment type-attachment status-inherit hentry  av-masonry-item-with-image' title=\"Fistularia commersonii 8 individuals Cirkewwa 12th Dec 2024 Ed Ward fb copy\" alt=\"\"    itemprop=\"thumbnailUrl\" ><div class='av-inner-masonry-sizer'><\/div><figure class='av-inner-masonry main_color'><div class=\"av-masonry-outerimage-container\"><div class='av-masonry-image-container'  ><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1151\" fetchpriority=\"high\" class=\"wp-image-2564 avia-img-lazy-loading-not-2564\"  src=\"https:\/\/campaigns.ocean.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Fistularia-commersonii-8-individuals-Cirkewwa-12th-Dec-2024-Ed-Ward-fb-copy.jpg\" title=\"Fistularia commersonii 8 individuals Cirkewwa 12th Dec 2024 Ed Ward fb copy\" alt=\"\" \/><\/div><\/div><\/figure><\/a><!--end av-masonry entry--><a href=\"https:\/\/campaigns.ocean.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/fish00003.jpg\"  aria-label=\"image fish00003\"  id='av-masonry-1-item-2339' data-av-masonry-item='2339' class='av-masonry-entry isotope-item post-2339 attachment type-attachment status-inherit hentry  av-masonry-item-with-image' title=\"fish00003\" alt=\"\"    itemprop=\"thumbnailUrl\" ><div class='av-inner-masonry-sizer'><\/div><figure class='av-inner-masonry main_color'><div class=\"av-masonry-outerimage-container\"><div class='av-masonry-image-container'  ><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1280\" height=\"853\" fetchpriority=\"high\" class=\"wp-image-2339 avia-img-lazy-loading-not-2339\"  src=\"https:\/\/campaigns.ocean.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/fish00003.jpg\" title=\"fish00003\" alt=\"\" \/><\/div><\/div><\/figure><\/a><!--end av-masonry entry--><a href=\"https:\/\/campaigns.ocean.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/jellyfish-4477548_1280.jpg\"  aria-label=\"image jellyfish-4477548_1280\"  id='av-masonry-1-item-2421' data-av-masonry-item='2421' class='av-masonry-entry isotope-item post-2421 attachment type-attachment status-inherit hentry  av-masonry-item-with-image' title=\"jellyfish-4477548_1280\" alt=\"\"    itemprop=\"thumbnailUrl\" ><div class='av-inner-masonry-sizer'><\/div><figure class='av-inner-masonry main_color'><div class=\"av-masonry-outerimage-container\"><div class='av-masonry-image-container'  ><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1280\" height=\"854\" fetchpriority=\"high\" class=\"wp-image-2421 avia-img-lazy-loading-not-2421\"  src=\"https:\/\/campaigns.ocean.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/jellyfish-4477548_1280.jpg\" title=\"jellyfish-4477548_1280\" alt=\"\" \/><\/div><\/div><\/figure><\/a><!--end av-masonry entry--><a href=\"https:\/\/campaigns.ocean.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/jellyfish-1838613_1280.jpg\"  aria-label=\"image jellyfish-1838613_1280\"  id='av-masonry-1-item-2415' data-av-masonry-item='2415' class='av-masonry-entry isotope-item post-2415 attachment type-attachment status-inherit hentry  av-masonry-item-with-image' title=\"jellyfish-1838613_1280\" alt=\"\"    itemprop=\"thumbnailUrl\" ><div class='av-inner-masonry-sizer'><\/div><figure class='av-inner-masonry main_color'><div class=\"av-masonry-outerimage-container\"><div class='av-masonry-image-container'  ><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1280\" height=\"853\" fetchpriority=\"high\" class=\"wp-image-2415 avia-img-lazy-loading-not-2415\"  src=\"https:\/\/campaigns.ocean.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/jellyfish-1838613_1280.jpg\" title=\"jellyfish-1838613_1280\" alt=\"\" \/><\/div><\/div><\/figure><\/a><!--end av-masonry entry--><a href=\"https:\/\/campaigns.ocean.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/fish00001.jpg\"  aria-label=\"image fish00001\"  id='av-masonry-1-item-2337' data-av-masonry-item='2337' class='av-masonry-entry isotope-item post-2337 attachment type-attachment status-inherit hentry  av-masonry-item-with-image' title=\"fish00001\" alt=\"\"    itemprop=\"thumbnailUrl\" ><div class='av-inner-masonry-sizer'><\/div><figure class='av-inner-masonry main_color'><div class=\"av-masonry-outerimage-container\"><div class='av-masonry-image-container'  ><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1280\" height=\"853\" fetchpriority=\"high\" class=\"wp-image-2337 avia-img-lazy-loading-not-2337\"  src=\"https:\/\/campaigns.ocean.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/fish00001.jpg\" title=\"fish00001\" alt=\"\" \/><\/div><\/div><\/figure><\/a><!--end av-masonry entry--><a href=\"https:\/\/campaigns.ocean.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/fish00002.jpg\"  aria-label=\"image fish00002\"  id='av-masonry-1-item-2338' data-av-masonry-item='2338' class='av-masonry-entry isotope-item post-2338 attachment type-attachment status-inherit hentry  av-masonry-item-with-image' title=\"fish00002\" alt=\"\"    itemprop=\"thumbnailUrl\" ><div class='av-inner-masonry-sizer'><\/div><figure class='av-inner-masonry main_color'><div class=\"av-masonry-outerimage-container\"><div class='av-masonry-image-container'  ><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1280\" height=\"853\" fetchpriority=\"high\" class=\"wp-image-2338 avia-img-lazy-loading-not-2338\"  src=\"https:\/\/campaigns.ocean.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/fish00002.jpg\" title=\"fish00002\" alt=\"\" \/><\/div><\/div><\/figure><\/a><!--end av-masonry entry--><a href=\"https:\/\/campaigns.ocean.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/jellyfish00007.jpg\"  aria-label=\"image jellyfish00007\"  id='av-masonry-1-item-2311' data-av-masonry-item='2311' class='av-masonry-entry isotope-item post-2311 attachment type-attachment status-inherit hentry  av-masonry-item-with-image' title=\"jellyfish00007\" alt=\"\"    itemprop=\"thumbnailUrl\" ><div class='av-inner-masonry-sizer'><\/div><figure class='av-inner-masonry main_color'><div class=\"av-masonry-outerimage-container\"><div class='av-masonry-image-container'  ><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1280\" height=\"853\" fetchpriority=\"high\" class=\"wp-image-2311 avia-img-lazy-loading-not-2311\"  src=\"https:\/\/campaigns.ocean.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/jellyfish00007.jpg\" title=\"jellyfish00007\" alt=\"\" \/><\/div><\/div><\/figure><\/a><!--end av-masonry entry--><\/div><\/div><br \/>\n\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-m67okkpk-d0537062277f17451a2f3ee96354487a\">\n#top .av_textblock_section.av-m67okkpk-d0537062277f17451a2f3ee96354487a .avia_textblock{\ntext-align:justify;\n}\n<\/style>\n<section  class='av_textblock_section av-m67okkpk-d0537062277f17451a2f3ee96354487a '   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><p>The Spot the Alien and Spot the Alien Fish citizen science campaigns were launched in 2017 and are coordinated by Prof. Alan Deidun, Dr Adam Gauci, Mr Alessio Marrone, Ms Audrey Zammit, and Mr David Montano, from the Oceanography Malta Research Group (University of Malta \u2013 ocean.mt) of the Department of Geosciences within the Faculty of Science of the University of Malta. They aim to promote the submission of reports of Non-Indigenous Species (NIS) spotted within Maltese waters by citizen scientists. The Spot the Alien Fish campaign focuses only on non-indigenous fish species, while the Spot the Alien campaign focuses on all other non-indigenous species.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><br \/>\n\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-m67okuqr-a96073c5fbb5ce102006a3787b22e00a\">\n#top .av_textblock_section.av-m67okuqr-a96073c5fbb5ce102006a3787b22e00a .avia_textblock{\ntext-align:justify;\n}\n<\/style>\n<section  class='av_textblock_section av-m67okuqr-a96073c5fbb5ce102006a3787b22e00a '   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><p>Both campaigns are present on the internet (www.aliensmalta.eu) and through the various events in which the Oceanography Malta Research Group participates, including but not limited to Science in the City festivals, research expos, Blue Schools events and EU-funded project events. A prominent aspect of these campaigns is the complementary posters which are useful tools to hand out to the public (either at events or through post) to help with promoting the campaigns, with encouraging more citizens to submit reports, to increase awareness about the problem of NIS and the importance of taking records, and to help citizen scientists identify some of the marine NIS that they might encounter. Both campaigns are providing an unparalleled contribution to Malta\u2019s international NIS monitoring obligations as well as NIS scientific monitoring efforts and have resulted in significant amounts of data, most of which have led to a number of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.um.edu.mt\/library\/oar\/browse?type=pauthor&#038;sort_by=2&#038;order=DESC&#038;rpp=1000&#038;etal=0&#038;value=Deidun,%20Alan\">peer- reviewed publications<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>This campaign is supported financially by the International Ocean Institute (IOI) through annual grants. The OMRG also manages a number of sister citizen science campaigns, namely:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The <a href=\"http:\/\/ocean.mt\/jellyfish\/public\">Spot the Jellyfish<\/a><\/li>\n<li>The <a href=\"https:\/\/ocean.mt\/2023\/03\/02\/andromeda\/\">ANDROMEDA microplastics<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/section><\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2009","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/campaigns.ocean.mt\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2009","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/campaigns.ocean.mt\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/campaigns.ocean.mt\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/campaigns.ocean.mt\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/campaigns.ocean.mt\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2009"}],"version-history":[{"count":35,"href":"https:\/\/campaigns.ocean.mt\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2009\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2666,"href":"https:\/\/campaigns.ocean.mt\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2009\/revisions\/2666"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/campaigns.ocean.mt\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2009"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}