Who's it for?
Ocean Spy is open to all interested parties. You don't need to have any in-depth knowledge to take part. Whether you're young or old, a beginner, an initiate or an expert in the field, get involved in research into marine biodiversity.
Why do researchers need our help?
To study marine ecosystems, scientists deploy cameras on underwater devices or on observatories on the ocean floor, recording thousands of hours of photos and videos. All these images represent an important archive whose analysis time far exceeds the human capacity of Ifremer's scientific teams. Your participation will speed up the acquisition of the immense amount of information provided by these images. By processing the data obtained, we will learn a great deal about the functioning of marine ecosystems and the behavior of the species that live there.
How can I take part?
To take part, you need to create an account on the Ocean Spy platform or directly on the sub-project sites proposed on the main portal. Once you've entered your personal details, click on "Dive" and you'll be automatically redirected to the platform's main page.
What does Ocean Spy do with my account information?
We take the task of protecting users' personal information very seriously. Details of these efforts can be found in the "Privacy Policy" and "Personal Data Management" sections on the "Legal" page.
I've forgotten my password. How can I get my account back?
A "Forgotten password" section is provided on the platform login page. Simply enter your username or email address to retrieve your password.
How does the platform work?
The principle is simple. Internet users have access to thousands of images collected by seabed observatories or underwater devices. They come from different ecosystems, from the coast to the abyss. We invite you to identify and find in these images the different species that live there. Images of these species are available to help you recognize them. You can click on each specimen you identify, add your comments and save when you're done.
How do I annotate the images?
You'll need to measure some of them by pointing the cursor at both ends of the organism, or delimit them with polygons, circles, rectangles or dots.
What species are there to discover?
From the coast to the abyss, you'll discover a wide variety of species. Go on a hunt for the inhabitants of the Bay of Brest, explore the cold-water corals or go on an expedition to the underwater geysers to observe species such as the chimera Hydrolagus, a white fish with easily identifiable scars, the Segonzacia mesatlantica, small pale crabs that feed on mussel corpses, or the large Bathymodiolus azoricus mussel beds.
What will this data be used for?
The data obtained by users of the platform will enable Ifremer scientists to learn a great deal about the functioning of these ecosystems, the behavior and distribution of the species, and thus define the specific habitats associated with each of them.
How do I know if I'm doing it right?
Don't worry about making occasional mistakes, more than one person will examine each image. The project includes a page for testing the application before you get started, and annotation help with information to guide you when annotating images.
I've found an image I can't use, how do I report it?
A comment space is provided for each new mission, enabling you to report any problems or remarks.
What is an observatory?
These are permanent observation stations that provide fixed weekly data (measurement of physical parameters (temperature, water currents, pressure...), chemical parameters (oxygen, pH, methane...), and biological parameters) and allow to observe the temporal evolution of fauna from fixed images and videos of the seabed.
Where are the observatories used to monitor this biodiversity located?
The images available in Deep Sea Spy have been recorded since 2010 by the EMSO-Azores observatory, located on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, and by the Ocean Networks Canada observatory, located on the Juan de Fuca Ridge in the Pacific Ocean. The data proposed in Deep Reef Spy are acquired by the MARLEY observatory located in the Lampaul Canyon off the coast of Brittany.
Can't find the answer to your question?
Please feel free to contact us at: oceanspy@ifremer.fr