By creating an account, you are joining our Skipper Science “General Observing Program” and giving us permission to contact you (we promise we will not spam you!). You are also giving us permission to anonymously include any observations you log into an annual report authored by the Skipper Science team that you will have access to and be allowed to review and edit prior to publishing on our website (we request your response within 2 weeks of receiving the document from Skipper Science). Any and all use of your data will be kept anonymous during reporting of results. Identifying information will not appear in any deliverable resulting from the Skipper Science Partnership. If there are additional potential uses of data, the Skipper Science team will explicitly request your permission and will not use or share data unless you explicitly grant permission.

Go to Google Play store or the Apple App Store and search for “ISN Skipper Science” It is available for download on the Google Play store and the Apple app store. IF you signed up online or already have an account then sign into the app with your username and password that was emailed to you or that you already created, and to start recording data! IF you don’t have an account, then walk through the steps to “Create a new account”

You have two options: Simply download the “ISN Skipper Science” app and walk through the open-sign up process Once you download the app you will have the option to create a new account by walking through guided steps to set up your account Go to the sign up section of our website: If using the website, you will then receive 2 separate emails from our team within 24-72 hours on business days. A welcome email from info@skipperscience.org with your username and more information on the program and how to use the app An email “Bering Watch Robot <noreply@beringwatch.net>” containing a link to establish your password. ****NOTE: some email servers will block this email so please check your spam inbox You will need internet or cell service to set/reset your password In that email, click on the link provided and you will be directed to our Bering Watch web browser There you will see prompts to create your new password Once you have your username and your password set, you can download and log into the app

If you have steady wifi and cell signal, then you can use the “Forgot Password” function to reset your password which will send an email to the email address you registered with to reset your password You can also call a member of Skipper Science at (843)991-9427 to have our team manually reset your password for you.

Your username will usually be either your first and last name with no space and the first letters capitalized (JohnDoe) or it will be your email address.

Download and Print our observation guide and throw it in your pocket or keep it on your boat as a handy cheat sheet for how to upload observations. Click Here to view all of our training guides Examples of observations to collect: Always include the Date/Time of when you made the observation Identify what species or object you are specifically observing General presence or absence of wildlife species or environmental phenomena observed (or best estimate). Marine mammal sightings Seabird sightings Absence of a specific fish species you would expect to see Examples of what to put in the comments: (Comments = context) Unexpected low or high numbers of fish or wildlife (or best estimate), including age and sex class if possible to identify reliably Strange behavior of animals: general categories are usually best (e.g. active, resting/inactive) unless they are doing something specific and identifiable (e.g. fighting, nursing, foraging) Concerning conditions of animals: (e.g. entangled, growth, abnormalities, branded, dead, etc.) Interactions with other species. The interaction field can also be used to record prey species identified in the stomachs of fish caught Photo Documentation - Whenever possible, take photos (NO videos) Take as many photos as needed to document the observation including context in the comments

Check out our resources and training material pages for more information and pre-recorded vidoes