"Citizen science" broadly engages volunteers and others in the collection, usually of data on observable phenomena in the natural world. Well-known examples include the British Trust for Ornithology's 'Bird Track' and other monitoring schemes. 

When systems are well-set up and managed, 'citizen science' data, while collected under generally less rigourous conditions than scientific experiments, can, nevertheless, yield valuable insights into changes in the environment, often at regional or national scales. Modern mobile technology, such a phone apps, and GPS, allow for rapid uploading of data.

Monitoring grayling populations through conventional fisheries techniques (electric fishing or netting) is often inefficient and costly, or may not even be possible in deeper rivers. Grayling although often seen during electric fishing surveys, can be difficult to capture. Good quantitative data from angling can therefore be of great value in monitoring and assessing grayling populations.

A range of valuable data can be obtained by anglers: size, body condition, presence of predator marks, and sometimes sex and spawning condition, for example. Collected over time from the same rivers, these data can build to provide insights into population dynamics and overall health.  Many angling clubs record catch data,usually for salmon and sea trout, and sometimes for brown trout - and occasionally for grayling. However, usually, little or no use is made of the data, despite being recorded for decades. River trusts and other organisations are now beginning to recognise the importance of the data collected by anglers, especially if undertaken in a structured and committed way.

The Grayling Research Trust can provide help and advice in the setting up of a grayling recording scheme, and analysis of the data. Groups recording the data can use them for their own purposes, but, if collated nationally, these data can also provide valuable information on grayling dynamics. Furthermore, analyses of these data can be coupled with other such analyses of data on other phyla, genera and species to provide more wide-scale environmental monitoring.