Community science and coastal monitoring take centre stage at Ceredigion marine conference
Residents, volunteers and anyone with an interest in protecting Ceredigion’s coastline are invited to attend a Marine Monitoring Conference on 18 February at Cardigan Castle. The event will showcase how Ceredigion’s coastline is being better understood and protected through a growing community-led project that brings local people and specialists together to monitor water quality — and explain how others can get involved.
The conference highlights the Marine Nutrient Monitoring project, a programme that supports volunteers, environmental specialists and partner organisations to better understand what is happening in local rivers, estuaries and coastal waters, and why this matters for the long-term health of the marine environment.
Over the past year, local volunteers – known as citizen scientists – have been testing water quality in rivers using simple handheld kits. This work is now expanding to coastal, estuary and near-shore locations, helping identify where excess nutrients may be affecting sensitive marine habitats.
Dr John Carvell, a volunteer citizen scientist, said: “Being involved in this project has been extremely rewarding, as the weekly year-round testing in New Quay, particularly the rapid bacterial counts, can provide bathers with reassurance about the quality of the sea water.”
Volunteer-led monitoring is supported by new technology installed along the coast. A marine sensor station was set up in Aberystwyth in December 2025, with a second being planned for Newquay in early 2026. These sensors collect information automatically, providing ongoing data that complements the work carried out by citizen scientists.
All information gathered through the project feeds into a live coastal and marine dashboard, which allows trends in water quality to be viewed and shared with partners, decision-makers and the public. here's the link to the Ceredigion Coastal and Estuarine Waters - Marine Monitoring Report dashboard: https://www.ceredigion.gov.uk/public/csr/ceredigion_coastal_complete_water_quality_report_cy.html
The Marine Monitoring Conference will take place at 10am-3pm on 18 February and is open to all. It will bring together volunteers, environmental experts, local authorities and partner organisations to share progress, discuss challenges and explore how communities can play a role in protecting Ceredigion’s coastline.
Councillor Clive Davies, Cabinet Member for Economy and Regeneration and Chair of the Nutrient Management Board, commented: “This project shows the real value of combining professional monitoring with local knowledge and community involvement. By supporting citizen scientists and investing in modern monitoring equipment, we’re building a more detailed picture of the health of our coastal waters and how best to protect for the future.”
People interested in attending can register via Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ceredigion-marine-nutrient-monitoring-project-tickets-1978380145271?aff=oddtdtcreator
The Marine Nutrient Monitoring project, is funded by the UK Government Shared Prosperity Fund and administrated by the Cynnal y Cardi team, Ceredigion County Council and delivered in conjunction with the West Wales Nutrient Management Board and its stakeholders.
20/01/2026