NOAA Sea to Sky: Education resource database

Learn what scientists have discovered in ten years of studying the endangered Southern Resident killer whales. See the science behind recovering this charismatic creature, from collecting their poop to tracking them using satellites.

Dr. Kristine Laidre is a marine mammal biologist who works at the Polar Science Center in the Applied Physics Laboratory at the University of Washington collecting and analyzing information on marine mammals. Read the full text of Kristine's interview below to learn more about her job.

Watch this video to find out more about Southern Resident killer whales, the threats they face, and how we are studying them from a NOAA biologist.

Get up-to-date information on the status of some of the nation’s most valuable marine fish harvested in U.S. federal waters as well as U.S. farmed fish that help meet our country’s growing seafood demand. Learn how to make smart seafood choices by knowing the facts about what makes U.S. seafood sustainable — from the ocean or farm to your plate. Search by species name or browse by region to learn more about the sustainability of over 100 seafood species.

The From Shore to State House curriculum was the product of a project with the University of Hartford to create an open source, replicable, college-level service learning course to improve knowledge, lead outreach, inform policy, and inspire change on the issue of marine debris. The curriculum guides students to prevent marine debris and develop policy alternatives to discuss with state legislators.

In this full-length web exclusive, National Geographic journeys along the remote Alaskan coast ... in search of garbage. A team of scientists and artists investigates the buildup of marine debris washing out of the great gyres, or currents, in the Pacific Ocean. Called the Gyre Expedition, their goal is to create art from the trash they find to raise awareness about its impact on the ocean and wildlife. Their artwork became part of a traveling exhibition in 2014.

Learn what scientists have discovered studying the endangered Southern Resident killer whales. See the science behind recovering this charismatic creature, from collecting their poop to tracking them using satellite tags.

Congress passed the Marine Mammal Protection Act in 1972 in response to increasing concerns among scientists and the public that significant declines in some species of marine mammals were caused by human activities. The MMPA established a national policy to prevent marine mammal species and population stocks from declining beyond the point where they ceased to be significant functioning elements of the ecosystems of which they are a part. This was the first legislation to mandate an ecosystem-based approach to marine resource management.

Part of the series, Faces of the Southeast Fisheries Science Center. Laura Dias serves as a marine mammal observer and data manager during line-transect vessel and aerial surveys. She manages the data collected and assists with analysis and publishing.

This webpage offers a glimpse into what it is like to work in the field of ocean exploration. Explore student opportunities that may be available through NOAA Ocean Exploration.