The App That Turns Yacht Trips Into Ocean Research Missions

Spotting a pod of dolphins or a breaching whale is often a highlight when cruising, but now these magical encounters can also generate data that actively helps protect the ocean. A new partnership between the global nonprofit, International SeaKeepers Society, and ORCA, a marine conservation charity, is bringing citizen science to the world’s boating community, giving yacht owners, crew, and recreational boaters a meaningful role in conservation.

The two organizations have joined forces to introduce ORCA’s OceanWatchers app and online training platform to SeaKeepers extensive network, making research participation accessible.

Important Science Underway

Compatible with both iPhone and Android devices, the OceanWatchers app lets users record sightings of whales, dolphins, and porpoises while underway. Users complete a simple, self-led e-training course that teaches them how to identify species and collect survey data using professional research methods, ensuring the data meets scientific standards.

SeaKeepers reports that the app has become one of their most popular citizen science projects, with many participants drawn by the sense of genuine contribution rather than passive observation.

The non-profit is expanding the program through its DISCOVERY fleet—a network of vessels dedicated to scientist-led expeditions, citizen science, and educational outreach—with yacht owners, crew, and guests invited to become active contributors to marine research.

Photo from Seakeepers

The Numbers Are Impressive

The results so far speak volumes, and during its first year, participants across the SeaKeepers fleet recorded more than 440 individual whales, dolphins, and porpoises with 70 vessels and 109 individuals contributing sightings to date.

That data feeds directly into ORCA’s research database, helping scientists monitor population trends, identify critical habitats, and map conservation hotspots. It also informs ORCA’s respected State of Cetaceans reports, which are shared with researchers, NGOs, and policymakers working to strengthen marine protection measures worldwide.

A Deeper Connection To The Ocean

Those who have taken part in the program explain how it changes their experience on the water, making them more observant and attuned to their surroundings, and helping them feel more connected to the ocean. For many, it has given their yachting trips a deeper sense of purpose.

Leveraging a vital moment for the future of the world’s oceans, this collaboration between SeaKeepers and ORCA demonstrates what the global boating community is capable of and how it can advance research and protection initiatives. The next whale sighting on your yacht charter could now be more than a memory and photo opportunity, but also contribute to and help shape the future of marine conservation.