AFSC/NMML: Platforms of Opportunity Program (POP): 1950 - present

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.