eDNA Expeditions 2026-2028: First Samples Collected in the Wadden Sea
The first seawater samples for the UNESCO-led eDNA Expeditions 2026-2028 programme were collected in the Wadden Sea last week. The three-year initiative supports biodiversity monitoring at 25 marine sites worldwide, using environmental DNA (eDNA) to improve understanding and protection of ocean life.
Every three months, seawater samples are collected following a standardised protocol. Laboratory analyses detect traces of DNA left behind by marine organisms, providing detailed information on biodiversity, from microscopic species to fish and marine mammals. The resulting data will support local conservation efforts and contribute to global biodiversity knowledge through open data sharing.
In the Wadden Sea World Heritage Site, the project is coordinated by the Common Wadden Sea Secretariat (CWSS) together with partners from Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands. Five locations representing different habitats are being monitored, with a focus on improving the detection of rare, threatened, and ecologically important species, including houting, river lamprey, sea trout, European eel, sharks, rays, and invasive species.
“eDNA can support traditional monitoring surveys by indicating the presence of species that were previously not reported in the Wadden Sea”, says Julia Busch, project coordinator at CWSS. “In additon, the citizen science project helps to raise awareness on the rich biodiversity in the water.”
A key objective of the programme is to engage communities in marine conservation. Across the Wadden Sea region, school classes, Junior Rangers, volunteers, researchers, and site managers are supporting sampling activities. While most samples are collected close to shore, sampling in Schleswig-Holstein involves the research vessel FK Senckenberg and onboard laboratory facilities.
The programme builds on a pilot phase conducted in 2022-2023, during which eDNA analysis detected DNA from 310 species in the Wadden Sea, including 58 fish species and three marine mammal species. First results from the current programme are expected to be published through the Ocean Biodiversity Information System (OBIS) in the second half of 2027.