Challenge:

The Tribal Government of St. Paul Island and its collaborators recognized the rich knowledge and expertise, untapped research potential, and technological advancements in Alaska's fishing industry. We aim to harness the knowledge and expertise of Alaska’s fishermen to actively contribute to environmental monitoring and scientific research. To address this challenge, we developed an innovative program known as the Skipper Science Partnership.

Solution:

Skipper Science, developed by the Aleut Community of St. Paul Island and collaborators as part of the Indigenous Sentinels Network, empowers fishermen across Alaska to play an active role in environmental monitoring and scientific research. Through a smartphone app, this groundbreaking program encourages fishermen to make observations and report their findings, providing valuable insights into climate change, fish, marine mammals, and other wildlife in the Bering Sea, Gulf of Alaska, and Southeast Alaska.

Execution:

The goal of the Skipper Science Partnership is to provide tools and methodologies developed through the Indigenous Sentinels Network (ISN) to empower fishermen to collect relevant community-based monitoring data that contribute to sustainable fisheries management in a time of rapid changes in the marine environment. Generally, the program allows for a variety of data to be collected at the discretion of those participating in the program. Upon signing up, participants receive training on how to collect data on environmental monitoring (e.g., weather, marine debris, oil spills, water temperature sea ice, etc.), fish and wildlife observations (fish, marine mammals, seabirds, etc.), or plants (e.g., algae, kelp). Over the past three years, the program has evolved to allow for general observation reporting, like the examples just referenced, and more recently, to participate in targeted data collection through specific at-sea programs. For example:

1. Skipper Science partners with NOAA’s Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC) Resource Ecology and Fisheries Management (REFM) Division on a targeted data collection project to gather information on the diet of black cod (Sablefish). Skipper Science is working directly with longliners to collect photographs of the stomach contents of black cod and the sex and length of the fish for aging. This data will be used by the AFSC in food web modeling to supplement data collected by annual trawl surveys by providing additional data from areas and seasons not covered by AFSC surveys (pilot project launched during summer 2022; still operating today).

2. Skipper Science is partnering with the Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation on a targeted project to collect data on seabird distributions and interactions in association with Alaska salmon gillnet fisheries as a requirement under the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification of the fishery (pilot project launched summer 2023).

3. Skipper Science is partnering with the Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association (BBRSDA), the University of Washington, and the University of Alaska Fairbanks on a targeted project to collect information on the spatial distribution of king salmon in the Nushagak region in Bristol Bay. The goal of the project is to assist fisheries managers to better identify and map potential king salmon migration corridors and avoid bycatch in the Bristol Bay sockeye salmon fishery (pilot project launched summer 2023)

4. Skipper Science also addresses data sovereignty and confidentiality policies:

1. Data collected from the Skipper Science Partnership is compiled into an annual report that summarizes general observations and potentially provides context on the ecological status of Alaska fishing grounds. The annual report is communicated to communities participating in the program, and shared widely with policymakers and fisheries managers working on climate monitoring activities that aim to help build resilient fisheries. All data collected is collectively owned by the fishermen participating in the program and the Skipper Science Partnership is made for and by fishermen. By submitting information to Skipper Science, fishermen give permission for the program to contact them, and understand that no names or personal identifiers will be shared or appear in any report or paper resulting from the program unless their explicit permission is granted. As the data manager for this project, the Indigenous Sentinels Network of the Aleut Community of St. Paul Island Tribal Government (ACSPI) maintains appropriate administrative, physical, and technical safeguards for the protection of the security, confidentiality, and integrity of User Data. The ACSPI shall not: (a) modify User Data, (b) disclose User Data except as expressly permitted in writing by the User, or (c) access User Data except to provide the services and prevent or address service or technical problems, or at User request in connection with technical support matters. 

5. Engagement with Fishing Industries and Communities: Skipper Science actively involves the fishing and commercial fishing industries, as well as communities across Alaska. By fostering collaboration and engagement, the program amplifies the impact of research and technological innovation in protecting and preserving the State's natural resources.

6. Model for Collaboration and Engagement: Skipper Science serves as a model for collaboration and engagement between Indigenous communities, the scientific community, and the broader fishing industry. It showcases the power of collective efforts in research excellence, technological advancement, and sustainable resource management.

Results:

The execution of the Skipper Science program by the Aleut Community of St. Paul Island and partners has yielded significant results:

• Empowerment of Alaskan Fishermen: Skipper Science empowers fishermen to actively contribute to environmental monitoring and scientific research, leveraging their unique expertise and deep connection to the waters.

• Valuable Data Collection: Through the smartphone app, Skipper Science collects valuable data on climate change, marine mammals, and other wildlife in the Gulf of Alaska, the Bering Sea, and Southeast Alaska, enhancing our understanding of these ecosystems.

• Collaboration and Engagement: The program serves as a catalyst for collaboration and engagement between Indigenous and local communities, the scientific community, and the fishing industry, creating a model for collective efforts in research and conservation.

Skipper Science exemplifies the Aleut Community of St. Paul Island's commitment to research excellence, supporting community-driven monitoring, technological advancement, and sustainable resource management. By braiding local, Indigenous, and Traditional Knowledge with leading-edge innovation, they pave the way for a brighter future where marine environments are safeguarded for generations to come.

Through Skipper Science, the Aleut Community of St. Paul Island has successfully demonstrated the transformative power of integrating local, Indigenous, and Traditional Knowledge and modern technology to protect Alaska's natural resources and ensure the preservation of its rich marine ecosystems.