Artificial intelligence is helping scientists analyse the growing volumes of data generated by monitoring oceans, rivers and lakes. From identifying millions of plankton images to detecting litter and tracking changes in fish populations and coral reefs, AI is making aquatic research faster and opening new possibilities for understanding ecosystem change.

The EU-funded iMagine project brought together aquatic scientists and digital experts from 11 European countries to develop AI tools for processing and analysing large volumes of aquatic data. Although the project ended in 2025, its tools, datasets and training materials remain available to support researchers across Europe.

The growing use of AI could also contribute to wider European efforts to monitor, restore and better understand marine and freshwater ecosystems.

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