gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:17407 eng UTF8 dataset Alaska Fisheries Science Center 7600 Sand Point Way N.E., Building 4 Seattle WA 98115 USA https://www.afsc.noaa.gov WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Website Website for this organization information 0700-1700 Pacific Time resourceProvider 2026-04-30T00:00:00 ISO 19115-2 Geographic Information - Metadata Part 2 Extensions for imagery and gridded data ISO 19115-2:2009(E) AFSC/NMML: Platforms of Opportunity Program (POP): 1950 - present AFSC/NMML: Platforms of Opportunity Program (POP): 1950 - present publication NOAA/NMFS/EDM 17407 https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/17407 WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Full Metadata Record View the complete metadata record on InPort for more information about this dataset. information Alaska Fisheries Science Center (206) 526-4000 (206) 526-4004 7600 Sand Point Way N.E., Building 4 Seattle WA 98115 USA afsc.webmaster@noaa.gov https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/about/alaska-fisheries-science-center WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Alaska Fisheries Science Center Website AKFSC Home Page information 0700-1700 Pacific Time originator https://www.st.nmfs.noaa.gov/tm/nwc/nwc159.pdf WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Citation URL Boucher and Boaz. Documentation for the Marine Mammal Sightings Database of the National Marine Mammal Laboratory. NOAA Technical Memoradum NMFS F/NWC-159. download The Platforms of Opportunity Program (POP) is an opportunistic marine mammal sighting program that dates back to the 1950s and includes over 108,000 sightings. Sightings have been submitted by a number of sources including: NOAA vessels, USCG vessels, USFWS vessels, various research vessels, and the NMFS commercial fishery observer program. While data for POP is collected on a not-to-interfere basis, the opportunistic sightings provided have greatly improved the understanding of marine mammal distribution. In general, POP data has been used to document both historic and present occurrence and distribution of marine mammals, help identify potential cruise routes for systematic marine mammal surveys, and aid in examining relationships between marine mammals and fisheries. To gather opportunistic marine mammal sightings as supplemental information regarding marine mammal distribution, abundance and seasonality. Observer Program, NOAA Vessels, USCG, NMFS Charter, USFWS, Canadian Coast Guard underDevelopment Delean, Blair blair.j.delean@noaa.gov pointOfContact Delean, Blair blair.j.delean@noaa.gov custodian asNeeded Aleutian Islands Arctic Ocean Atlantic Ocean Bering Sea Gulf of Alaska Pacific Ocean place DOC/NOAA/NMFS/AFSC > Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce dataCentre Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Data Center Keywords 2017-04-24 publication 8.5 Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD%2BKeywords GCMD Keyword Forum Page Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2026. GCMD Keywords, Version 24. Greenbelt, MD: Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). URL (GCMD Keyword Forum Page): https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD+Keywords information custodian National Marine Mammal Laboratory project InPort otherRestrictions Cite As: Alaska Fisheries Science Center, [Date of Access]: AFSC/NMML: Platforms of Opportunity Program (POP): 1950 - present [Data Date Range], https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/17407. NOAA provides no warranty, nor accepts any liability occurring from any incomplete, incorrect, or misleading data, or from any incorrect, incomplete, or misleading use of the data. It is the responsibility of the user to determine whether or not the data is suitable for the intended purpose. otherRestrictions Access Constraints: For scientific, management, and regulation compliance purposes, all data collected by observers are confidential under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act; as amended, Public Law 109-479; 16 U.S.C. 1853; implemented at 50 CFR 679.50. Therefore unprocessed (raw) data can be shared only with authorized persons; however aggregated forms of the data are generally available. otherRestrictions Use Constraints: The user must adhere to restrictions placed on publication of data by the Magnuson-Stevens Act as amended in 2006. confidential eng; US biota oceans Access -180 -130 30 75 Primarily West Coast of US, and Alaska but also includes all other oceans | Currentness: Ground Condition 1950 2015 false eng false Sightings_master 2018-11-27 publication dataset Completeness Report The data that is gathered for the POP come as sightings of opportunity. These incidental sightings are not collected systematically, and there is no standardized sampling technique used by the observer (Consiglieri 1982). Sightings are provided by a range of persons with varying levels of education, training, and experience in marine mammal identification. NA