**Update April 16, 2026** Our Twentymile River site and The Point at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center is open to current, fully trained volunteers only.
**Update April 6, 2026** Our Ship Creek site is open to current volunteers and new volunteers for training sessions. Our Kenai River site is open to current volunteers and new volunteers for training sessions. MM95.3 Pullout is open to current, fully trained volunteers only.
**Update March 31, 2026** Our Ship Creek site is open to current, fully trained volunteers.
**Update March 29, 2026** Our Middle Inlet sites (Kenai River and Kasilof River) are open to current volunteers!
SESSION SIGNUP:
All of our monitoring sites are currently closed for the season.
The Point is located at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, who is one of our valued partners. Because of the location of the site on AWCC’s property there are special directions for monitoring this site; click here.
DATASHEETS:
DATA ENTRY:
Only ONE volunteer from a monitoring session should enter data from that session.
**NEW** Need additional clarification on filling out the online data entry? A tutorial walkthrough can be found here!
It is important for us to collect a digital copies or physical copy of the datasheets from the monitoring sessions. This allows for quality assurance and accuracy of the data. Use your phone (or camera) to take a photo and upload the image to the folder below. Save your datasheets using the format: Site_MMDDYY_FirstName_LastName
You may not be able to upload your datasheets if you do not have a Google account. If you are not able to upload, you can email your datasheets to the AKBMP coordinator at alaskabmp@gmail.com, or arrange to turn in your datasheets at the end of the season.
Protip: Adobe Scan and iScanner are free apps that makes this process easier.
**NEW** Need assistance for uploading a digital copy of your datasheets? A tutorial walkthrough can be found here! Note: this is a tutorial for uploading your datasheet from your computer. Uploading from a mobile device may have differences.
If you were able to take any photos of belugas during your monitoring session, please upload to folder below.
Click the fold associated with the site you took photos at and create a new folder with this format: Site_MMDDYY_FirstName_LastName. Add all photos to the folder you just created.
OPPORTUNISTIC SIGHTINGS:
Only enter data to the AKBMP database if it is from an AKBMP monitoring session. Any opportunistic beluga whale sightings should be reported to our partner, the Cook Inlet Beluga Photo-ID Project.
The following information is for the NOAA Citizen Science & Crowdsourcing information collections that NOAA submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and that OMB approved. At the time OMB approved this information collection, it included 49 citizen science & crowdsourcing, information collection projects; however, NOAA will add more projects.
Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) Statement
A federal agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, nor shall a person be subject to a penalty for failure to comply with an information collection subject to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 unless the information collection has a currently valid OMB Control Number. The approved OMB Control Number and Expiration Date for the Citizen Science & Crowdsourcing information collections are 0648-0828 and 09/30/2027. Without this approval, we could not conduct these information collection projects.
Public reporting for these information collections is estimated to be between one minute and 8 hours per response depending on the project, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the information collection. All responses to this information collection are voluntary. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this information collection, including suggestions for reducing this burden to the NOAA Citizen Science Office at citizenscience@noaa.gov
Privacy Act Statement
Authority: The collection of this information is authorized under 5 U.S.C. § 301, Departmental regulations which authorizes the operations of an executive agency, including the creation, custodianship, maintenance and distribution of records, and 15 U.S.C. 1512, Powers and duties of the Department.
Purpose: NOAA is collecting this information to help meet its mission to understand and predict changes in climate, weather, ocean, and coasts, to share that knowledge and information with others, and to conserve and manage coastal and marine ecosystems and resources. NOAA collects limited information, such as name, address, phone number, or email address for a variety of purposes. This information will be used to respond to user inquiries or provide services requested by the user.
Routine Uses: Disclosure of this information is permitted under the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. Section 552a) to be shared among Department staff for work-related purposes. Disclosure of this information is also subject to all of the published routine uses as identified in the Privacy Act System of Records Notice COMMERCE/NOAA-11, Contact Information for Members of the Public Requesting or Providing Information Related to NOAA’s Mission, and COMMERCE/DEPT-23, Information Collected Electronically in Connection with Department of Commerce Activities, Events, and Programs.
Disclosure: Furnishing this information is voluntary. By providing this information, you are consenting to the use of that information only for the purpose for which it is submitted.
Added 9/12/24