About Us

Originating in Alaska, the Skipper Science Partnership is organized and supported by many public, private, and tribal organizations. Skipper Science is an expansion of the Indigenous Sentinels Network (ISN), which has been operating for over 20 years in remote Alaskan communities, starting with St. Paul Island. Like ISN, Skipper Science provides a secure, app-based platform for non-scientists in remote locations to systematically record and share environmental and biological data, supporting community-based monitoring. We launched our pilot season in the summer of 2021, receiving observational data from fishermen related to water temperature, weather events, sea bird and marine mammal sightings, and more (read the full report here).

Skipper Science is both a data collection platform and a partnership—we work to bridge data gaps and amplify fishermen's voices while building relationships and increasing dialogue between coastal resource managers and ocean users. Principles of Indigenous data sovereignty and tandem values of rigorous science and dynamic local knowledge are built into our software and methods. Data access policies protect user identities and sensitive information, protocols guide customized data collection forms, and GIS-integrated reports streamline data sharing with scientists and managers. All observations can be made offline, and the app is highly customizable, collaboratively tailored for each research program.

We recognize that coastal communities and fishermen understand the changing conditions of their environment better than anyone. Looking to the future, we want to continue to increase the number of participants, expand the geographic reach of the Partnership, and deepen the impact of targeted research programs. Join today and help steer the ship on ocean policy by reporting your observations!