The use of Citizen Science for aerial monitoring of marine litter pollution.

The importance of monitoring marine litter in low accessibility areas has led to the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in recent years. Through ad hoc QGIS-based programmes, it is possible for "trained citizens" to analyze UAVs acquired orthophotos. This approach made it possible to achieve a significant increase in the data collected and, at the same time, to reduce the time needed to extract them. CNR-ISMAR, in collaboration with other research institutes, has launched projects to test the validity of these methodologies, also involving school pupils in the "virtual monitoring" phase. The promising results obtained have led us to involve other schools, extending these methodologies to new coastal marine areas in other countries, also considering rivers and lakes.