Volunteering and Community Science Opportunities on the West Coast

By volunteering and conducting community science, you can preserve vital habitat for marine and anadromous species, help scientists gather valuable data, and work towards a more sustainable future.

The West Coast Region accepts volunteers aged 18+ on a case-by-case basis. If you are interested in volunteering with us please complete the Volunteer Interest Form below.

West Coast Region Volunteer Interest Form.

Volunteering Opportunities

Photo: National Sea Grant College Program

Cleaning up beaches, tagging fish, and restoring riparian habitat are just a few ways that volunteers help ensure our waterways and coastlines remain viable for future generations. Volunteering is not only beneficial for communities and the environment, but it can be a great way for volunteers to develop new skills, explore career options, make friends, create professional contacts, get exercise, and spend time outdoors.

Countrywide Volunteering Opportunities

• Protect marine sanctuaries
• Share a story for the NOAA Voices Oral History Archives database

California Volunteering Opportunities

• Adopt a beach
• Clean up beaches
• Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary
• Plant native species
• Reforest urban areas
• Restore salmon habitat
• Repair local watersheds

Idaho Volunteering Opportunities

• Adopt a park
• Cleanup local rivers
• Remove invasive species

Oregon Volunteering Opportunities

• Adopt a park
• Plant trees, pick up litter, and cleanup beaches
• Hatch salmon and trout
• Remove invasive species

Washington Volunteering Opportunities

• Adopt a highway
• Adopt a park
• Plant native species
• Recover salmon

Community Science

Photo: National Sea Grant College Program

Observing marine mammals, tagging fish, and collecting water quality samples are just a few things community scientists do. Becoming a community scientist does not require any previous scientific training or background—just curiosity and a willingness to carry out relatively simple tasks. Participating is easy and can be as simple as using a cellphone to collect observations and submit results.

Both volunteers and researchers can benefit from community science programs. Taking part in community science can help community members learn more about scientific processes, become more engaged in local issues, and better understand policy decisions. The statistical power provided by large amounts of community science data helps researchers gain valuable insights into scientific questions. Together, scientists and community members are collecting data and making observations that help us better understand our planet.

Learn about NOAA Fisheries’ community science efforts around the country.

Countrywide Community Science Projects

• Collect water quality data
• Record plant and animal observations
• Report dead or injured marine mammals
• Sample phytoplankton
• Track marine debris

California Community Science Projects

• Count native species
• Catalog of community science projects
• Monitor coastline data
• Monitor sea turtles
• Report dead or injured marine mammals
• Visualize sea level rise

Idaho Community Science Projects

• Collect water quality data
• Monitor native habitats

Oregon Community Science Projects

• Count seabirds
• Monitor beaches and coastlines
• Report dead or injured marine mammals

Washington Community Science Projects

• Collect salmon data
• Record marine debris
• Report beached birds
• Report dead or injured marine mammals
• Report invasive species
• Restore habitat