Fish and Wildlife has created the Marine Protected Wildlife Reporter application. This application allows the report of sightings of, and encounters with, federally listed Endangered or Threatened marine species including marine mammals, sea turtles, Atlantic Sturgeon, as well as prohibited shark species.

Compatible with smartphones, tablets, and desktop computers, citizen scientists will be able to report the species that was encountered, the location of the sighting, and other pertinent information such as size and condition. Users will also be able to upload any photographs they have captured of the animal. This valuable information will be used by Fish and Wildlife biologists to track habitat use and collect life history information in order to more effectively manage the recovery of these important natural resources.

Remember that, per the Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act, viewing marine mammals and sea turtles must be conducted in a manner that does not harass the animals.

Marine Protected Wildlife Reporter Application

Comments or questions can be directed to Brian Neilan, Principal Fisheries Biologist, at Brian.Neilan@njdepwptest.net.