HOOKLAB was created to turn those observations into structured data.

Developed by Merman Conservation, HOOKLAB is an independent field research project in South Pelion, Greece, exploring how recreational rod-and-line fishing can contribute to better documentation of coastal fish biodiversity.

The idea is not to turn every fishing trip into a scientific survey.

It is to introduce scientific discipline into observations that are already happening.

​From a catch to a field observation.

A fish encounter contains considerably more information than simply the species caught.
Through HOOKLAB, an observation can include:

• species
• total length
• weight
• number of individuals
• fishing method
• bait or lure
• habitat
• depth
• location
• release status
• field notes
• environmental conditions

Together, these fields create a much richer record of what was observed, where it occurred, and under what circumstances.

HOOKLAB can also attach environmental context such as weather, wave conditions and sea-surface information to an observation. These values are treated transparently as contextual or modelled information rather than measurements taken directly at the fishing location.

Where amateur fishing meets scientific integrity

Citizen science becomes valuable when participation is combined with good methodology.

HOOKLAB therefore focuses on structured recording, transparency and responsible interpretation.

An observation is not considered scientifically valuable simply because it has been entered into an app. Its usefulness depends on the quality of the identification, measurements, location information, supporting context and subsequent review.

This distinction is important.

HOOKLAB is designed to preserve observations in a form that can be examined, compared and curated rather than treating anecdotal information as scientific evidence automatically.

That means embracing both the possibilities and the limitations of recreational fishing data.

A digital field tool for anglers

HOOKLAB is designed to work where observations actually happen: on the coast.

The application combines a fish species guide, nearby verifiable community observations from iNaturalist, local environmental information, fisheries reference information, and a structured observation form. Records are stored locally on the user's device and can be exported in CSV or PDF format.

The project also includes practical field features such as offline species information and reminders relating to sensitive or closed periods. Fisheries information is advisory, and anglers remain responsible for checking current official Greek and European regulations.

The objective is to make careful documentation practical rather than burdensome.

Why recreational fishing data matters

Scientific monitoring cannot be everywhere at once.

Researchers typically work within defined surveys, sampling periods and budgets.

Recreational anglers, meanwhile, repeatedly interact with marine environments across different seasons, weather conditions and coastal locations.

That does not make recreational fishing a replacement for formal scientific surveys.

It does create an opportunity.

When observations are collected consistently and interpreted carefully, they may help reveal patterns worth investigating: changes in species occurrence, size distributions, seasonality, habitat associations or unusual records.

HOOKLAB explores how that observational potential can be captured responsibly.

Building a better relationship between fishing and conservation

Fishing and marine conservation are sometimes presented as opposing interests.

HOOKLAB starts from a different position.

An angler can also be an observer.
A fishing trip can also generate biodiversity information.
A released fish can still contribute a valuable record.
And people who spend substantial time beside the sea can become active participants in understanding the ecosystems they use.

The project therefore aims to encourage a culture of observation, measurement, documentation and responsible interaction with marine wildlife.

Data with purpose

HOOKLAB observations are curated by the project and may, where appropriate, contribute to scientific research and conservation work.

The long-term value lies not in accumulating the largest possible number of records, but in building a dataset whose origins, context and limitations are understood.

That is the principle behind HOOKLAB:
fish carefully, observe closely, record consistently and make the information useful.

HOOKLAB is a Merman Conservation field research project currently focused on Katigiorgis, Mourtias and the wider South Pelion coastline.
​
Explore the project:
https://hooklab.mermanconservation.co.uk/

​On August 9, 2026, our team documented marine biodiversity at Katigiorgis in South-east Pelion, Greece, using a different survey approach from our usual shallow-water marine bioblitzes.

Rather than surveying species directly underwater, observations were made alongside small traditional coastal fishing boats as they returned to Katigiorgis from fishing grounds in deeper water. Marine organisms brought up in the fishing nets were documented as the catch was sorted, with many non-target species subsequently released back into the sea.

Some of the organisms recorded had been brought to the surface from fishing grounds reaching approximately 100 metres in depth. This provided an opportunity to document species that are less frequently encountered during our shallow coastal surveys and offered a glimpse into the biodiversity associated with deeper marine habitats off South-east Pelion.
The observations included fishes, crustaceans, echinoderms, molluscs, anemones, bryozoans and algae.

Fish

• Scorpaena porcus (Black Scorpionfish) - common in the area's shallow waters.
• Symphodus mediterraneus (Axillary Wrasse) - common in the area's shallow waters.
• Torpedo sp. (Electric Ray)

Crustaceans

• Dardanus calidus (Red Hermit Crab)
• Maja crispata (Lesser Spider Crab)

Anemones

• Calliactis parasitica (Parasitic Anemone)

Molluscs

• Pecten jacobaeus (Pilgrim's Scallop)

Echinoderms

• Echinaster sepositus (Mediterranean Red Sea Star) - common in the area's shallow waters.
• Sphaerechinus granularis (Violet Sea Urchin)

Bryozoans

• Schizoporella errata (Branching Bryozoan)

Algae

• Peyssonnelia sp.

Several of the species were observed alive after being removed from the nets and, where possible, were released back into the sea.

These observations highlight the biodiversity that can be encountered through cooperation with small-scale traditional fishers. While this type of opportunistic survey differs from a standard underwater biodiversity assessment and does not provide a complete representation of the deeper-water community, it can contribute valuable records of species that are otherwise difficult to observe directly.
​
Continued collaboration with local fishing communities can complement coastal biodiversity surveys and help build a broader picture of marine life across different depths and habitats in South-east Pelion.

Wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centres manage complex information every day. Each admitted animal may require identification, clinical assessment, medication, feeding schedules, photographs, laboratory results, progress notes, staff coordination and, eventually, release or mortality records.

When this information is spread across paper forms, spreadsheets, messages and separate files, it becomes difficult to maintain a complete and reliable history for every animal.

To help address this challenge, we created WildCare: Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation Management System.

WildCare is a free, open and adaptable digital platform designed to help wildlife rescue centres organise animal care, clinical information, daily tasks and reporting in one place.

What is WildCare?

WildCare is a database-driven management system for wildlife first-aid and rehabilitation centres. It supports both the day-to-day work of staff and volunteers and the more detailed requirements of veterinarians, scientists and centre managers.

The system creates a complete case file for every admitted animal and connects that record with treatments, progress updates, imaging, documents, photographs and daily care schedules. It can also publish selected rescue statistics for supporters and members of the public.

Complete animal case records

Every animal admitted to the centre receives a unique case number.
The record can include:

• Common and scientific species names
• Genus and family
• Sex and age class
• Weight
• Admission date and reason
• Location where the animal was found
• Finder information
• Current rehabilitation status
• Photographs
• Clinical notes
• Release or mortality information
• Administrator-defined custom fields

Species can be selected through iNaturalist taxonomy autocompletion, helping centres maintain consistent scientific names and avoid spelling differences between users.

Medical and rehabilitation records

WildCare keeps clinical information connected to the individual animal record.
Users with the appropriate permissions can add:

• Medications and treatments
• Dosage, route, frequency and duration
• Dated progress notes
• Rehabilitation milestones
• Radiographs and findings
• Laboratory results
• Necropsy reports
• Certificates, permits and supporting documents

The system also maintains a history of changes, showing who updated the record and when.

A complete medical dossier can be exported as a PDF for veterinary clinics, authorities, partner organisations or receiving facilities.

Daily feeding, medication and care schedules

The daily programme converts each animal’s care plan into practical tasks for staff and volunteers.
For a selected date, the centre can organise:

• Feeding schedules
• Medication times
• Assigned staff members or volunteers
• Dosages and instructions
• Completion tracking
• Printed daily programmes
• PDF schedules
• Email distribution to the people on duty

When a task is completed, WildCare records who completed it and at what time. This creates a clearer and more accountable daily workflow.

Roles and permissions

WildCare includes four main user roles:

1. Super Admin
   Controls the full system, including user approvals, roles, permissions, backups and settings.
   
   
2. Admin
   Suitable for centre managers and lead veterinarians.
   
   
3. Member
   Suitable for veterinary staff, biologists and permanent personnel.
   
   
4. Volunteer
   Provides access to assigned tasks, daily schedules and new admission registration without exposing administrative settings or sensitive system functions.
   
   

Permissions can be adjusted in detail, allowing each centre to decide which roles can edit treatments, upload files, manage settings or access particular records.

Reporting, exports and backups

WildCare supports data portability so that centres are not locked into a single system.

The platform includes:

• CSV and Excel imports
• CSV exports
• Individual medical PDF exports
• Google Sheets links
• Google Drive backups
• Preview-before-restore functionality
• Audit records for backups, restores and important system actions

This allows organisations to move existing records into WildCare, continue using established spreadsheets during a transition period and maintain independent backups of their information.

Built for privacy and responsible access

Wildlife rescue records can include sensitive personal and clinical information.

WildCare therefore uses role-based access, approval controls, private file storage and row-level database security. Unapproved users cannot access clinical data, while public statistics provide aggregated totals without exposing animal, finder or user information.

The platform also records important changes and system events in an audit history that ordinary users cannot alter.

English and Greek interface

WildCare currently includes both English and Greek.

Each user can select their preferred interface language, and the system can be expanded with additional languages by adapting the translation files.

This makes the platform suitable for local teams, international partnerships and rescue centres with multilingual staff or volunteers.

Open for everyone to copy and use

WildCare was designed to be adapted, not restricted to one organisation.

Any wildlife rescue or rehabilitation centre can copy the project and create an independent version with its own database and published address.

Centres can change:

• Their name and logo
• Colour palette
• Languages
• Clinical fields
• User permissions
• Public statistics
• Existing admissions data
• Backup settings

The clinical structure is deliberately flexible so that each organisation can adapt the system to its own protocols, species, staff structure and operational needs.

Why we created WildCare?

Wildlife rehabilitation depends on accurate information, clear communication and coordinated care.

A missed medication, incomplete record or unclear handover can affect both animal welfare and scientific reporting. At the same time, many rescue centres operate with limited staff, volunteers and financial resources.

WildCare was created to make professional digital organisation more accessible.

It is not intended to replace veterinary expertise or the centre’s established protocols. It is a practical tool that can support those protocols by keeping information connected, structured and available to the right people.

Better organisation for better wildlife care

WildCare brings animal records, treatments, schedules, staff responsibilities, reports and backups into one system.

Its purpose is simple:
to help wildlife rescue centres spend less time searching for information and more time caring for animals.

WildCare is free, open and ready for rescue centres to copy, customise and use.
​
Open system. Shared knowledge. Better care for wildlife.

https://wildcare.mermanconservation.co.uk/​