Looking for a Career in Marine Life? Look at NOAA
From marine biologists to engineers and policymakers to educators, NOAA Fisheries employs people in a wide range of fields.
Citizen Science and Volunteering
Participate in Citizen Science
From tagging fish to reporting sightings of sea turtles, there are many ways the public can participate in citizen science to support NOAA Fisheries’ mission. Citizen science is a type of volunteering in which individuals or organizations participate in one or more aspects of the scientific process. This work can also be known as community science, volunteer monitoring, and public participation in scientific research, among other names. In some cases you can participate remotely by using your computer or smartphone to analyze images of fish. In other cases you can participate in-person by reporting sightings of sea turtles. Volunteer observations have helped inform marine resource management efforts for several decades and continue to play a vital role in NOAA Fisheries’ research and monitoring.
NOAA has more than 60 projects listed in the Federal Citizen Science Catalog.
Citizen Science Opportunities Nationwide
Be a marine scientist from anywhere—even your couch! These opportunities are available nationwide and remotely or virtually.
OceanEYEs
- Species of Focus: Hawaiʻi’s “Deep 7” Bottomfish
- Location: Virtual/Remote
The OceanEYEs project is a partnership between the Pacific Island Fisheries Science Center and Zooniverse.org. Through this program, citizen scientists collect data to help enhance the management of Hawaiʻi’s “Deep 7” bottomfish complex.
FISHstory
- Species of Focus: Recreationally and commercially significant South Atlantic fish species
- Location: The pilot project focused on photos from Daytona Beach, FL but the project is expanding to include photos from the South Atlantic U.S. waters–from North Carolina through the Florida Keys. Photos can be submitted by anyone.
FISHstory collects historic dock photos taken in the South Atlantic from the 1940s–1970s. These photos help to fill important data gaps in for-hire South Atlantic fisheries before dedicated catch monitoring began in the 1970s. Photos contributed and analyzed by citizen scientists help to provide insight on changes in overall catches, seasonality of catches, and changes over time in the size of fish caught. FISHstory was developed through the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s Citizen Science Program.
Have historic fishing photos to contribute to FISHstory? Contact julia.byrd@safmc.net or join the project.
Citizen Science Opportunities by Region
Alaska
Alaska Beluga Monitoring Program
- Species of Focus: Cook Inlet Beluga Whale
- Location: Cook Inlet, Alaska
The Alaska Beluga Monitoring Program is a NOAA Fisheries-led monitoring program that facilitates collaboration between organizations, communities, and individuals to collect standardized shore-based observational data on Cook Inlet beluga whales.
Get involved with the Alaska Beluga Monitoring Program
Pacific Islands
Honu Count
- Species of Focus: Green Sea Turtle
- Location: Hawaiʻi
Honu, or Hawaiian green sea turtles, are one of the most culturally and ecologically important species living in the waters of the Hawaiian archipelago. Citizen scientists participating in the Honu Count help NOAA’s Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center Marine Turtle Biology and Assessment Program to assess the health, migrations, population status, and critical foraging habitats of Hawaiian honu.
New England/Mid-Atlantic Region
Cooperative Shark Tagging Program
- Species of Focus: Atlantic sharks
- Location: New England/Mid-Atlantic region
Initiated in 1962, the Cooperative Shark Tagging Program is one of the oldest citizen science programs in NOAA Fisheries. It is a collaborative effort between recreational anglers, the commercial fishing industry, and NOAA Fisheries to learn more about the life history of Atlantic sharks.
Get Involved
- Volunteer information
- Call toll-free: (877) 826-2612
- Found a shark tag?
Southeast Region
Cooperative Tagging Program
- Species of Focus: Billfish, tuna, and swordfish
- Location: Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean
Initiated in 1954, the Cooperative Tagging Program is one of the longest running tag and release programs for highly migratory species in the world. To date, volunteers have deployed more than 270,000 tags on more than 70 species of fish. The data help to inform international stock assessments of tunas and billfishes.
Get Involved
Do you catch and release billfish, tuna, or swordfish in the Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean? You can be a volunteer for this program! To request a free tagging kit, email tagging@noaa.gov or call (800) 437-3936.
South Atlantic Fisheries Management Council Release
- Species of Focus: Grouper and Red Snapper
- Location: South Atlantic region (North Carolina through the Florida Keys)
The South Atlantic Fisheries Management Council Release project partners with commercial, for-hire, and recreational fishers to collect data on released shallow water groupers and Red Snapper using the free mobile app SciFish. Through the project, anglers provide valuable information to help better understand the size and survival rates of released fish. It was developed through the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s Citizen Science Program. The South Atlantic Fisheries Management Council is the only Fisheries Management Council to operate a citizen science program.
Get Involved with South Atlantic Fisheries Management Council Release
West Coast Region
California Collaborative Fisheries Research Program
- Species of Focus: Rockfish and other Groundfish
- Location: California
The California Collaborative Fisheries Research Program is a community-based science program involving six California universities, captains and crew from 36 sport fishing vessels, more than 2,000 volunteer anglers, and various conservation and resource management agencies. The goal of this project is to collect data to help evaluate the status of nearshore fish stocks, monitor California’s network of marine protected areas, understand how climate change is impacting marine resources in California, and more.
Get involved with the California Collaborative Fisheries Research Program
Volunteering
Volunteer Opportunities Nationwide
Share a story for the Voices Oral History Archives database to provide primary information for researchers interested in our local, human experience with the surrounding marine environment.
Volunteer to protect national marine sanctuaries, helping to ensure that they remain America’s underwater treasures for future generations.
Volunteer Opportunities by Region
New England/Mid-Atlantic Region
West Coast Region
Pacific Islands
PRA Statement: NOAA is working with the White House Office of Management and Budget to develop an agency-wide information collection request for its citizen science projects to comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act.
Diversity and Inclusion
NOAA Fisheries is committed to achieving diversity and inclusion at all levels of the organization. We recognize that this is not a short-term goal but one that requires a deliberate, sustained effort.
Our Community
NOAA Fisheries is a multi-mission, geographically dispersed agency responsible for the stewardship of the nation’s ocean resources and its habitat. Our workforce is made up of individuals with a wide range of characteristics and experiences who serve diverse communities across the nation. We maintain that the best scientific work is achieved through a community that values diversity and inclusion throughout the agency. We use the collective experience of all our staff to create a productive workforce that is a leader in creating and sustaining diversity and inclusion.
Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion
Understanding that diversity and inclusion are essential to fulfilling our mission, we will strive to cultivate a culture that encourages collaboration, flexibility, fairness and belonging. We recognize that employees, supervisors, and leaders at all levels play a critical role in realizing this vision.
Defining Diversity and Inclusion
Diversity
Diversity is the mixture of the unique attributes that shape an individual's identity which they bring into the workplace to help NOAA accomplish its goals. Diversity refers to demographic diversity (e.g., race, gender, sexual orientation), experiential diversity (e.g., affinities, hobbies, and abilities), and cognitive diversity (e.g., sensory processing and problem solving).
Inclusion
Inclusion is a culture that values the unique attributes of all team members. It is an environment which is respectful, collaborative, supportive, and one that allows for equal access. Inclusion requires active and intentional engagement on the part of everyone and provides a feeling of belonging.
Goals
- Be a vibrant and productive workforce
- Move the organizational culture to an inclusive environment where all employees are connected, respected, and have the opportunity to reach their full potential
- Ensure managers and supervisors foster employee engagement and promote diversity and inclusion in our workplace
Objectives
- Recruit qualified individuals at all levels who are reflective of our nation’s diversity and whose diverse backgrounds, experience, education, and skills will advance NOAA’s mission
- Provide a full and fair opportunity for all employees and applicants, regardless of race, religion, gender, color, age, disability, national origin, genetic information, and sexual orientation
- Strengthen employee engagement to cultivate an inclusive culture
- Ensure all employees have equal access to career development opportunities
- Expand leadership and accountability for managing diversity and inclusion across NOAA
We will make every effort to enhance and promote practices that encourage employee engagement and empowerment. We will factor diversity into recruitment and succession planning, and increase work-life balance and developmental opportunities to foster retention. We will ensure performance management and other policies and systems are aligned with our vision of diversity and inclusion.
In addition to sustaining a more ecologically diverse marine environment, we recognize the importance of accountability for sustainable growth and development as an organization. By focusing on employee engagement and embedding diversity into the culture, we are able to help sustain a healthy and balanced work life for all. To do this, we will work to strengthen leadership’s commitment to a diverse and inclusive agency through accountability, data, and education. This in turn will help us institutionalize a culture of inclusion that can be sustained far into the future.
Learn more about our National Program Office for Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity