As I arrive at the marina, the sky is the dull gray of early morning. The seagulls are starting to call from overhead. A few sea lions lying on the pier are beginning to bark. And the engine of a whale-watching boat is rumbling to life in the distance.

The marine and the human worlds are waking up. And our crew needs to hit the water soon if we want to be at the table as the sea otters enjoy their breakfast.

Today, I am living the life of a marine biologist. If you love the water, are enthralled by marine mammals and want a job that makes a difference — this is working the dream.

Researchers Tim Tinker and Michelle Staedler are taking me out on Monterey Bay to track and observe sea otters. Tinker is lead scientist for the U.S. Geological Survey sea otter research program in California. Staedler is the Sea Otter Research and Conservation coordinator for the Monterey Bay Aquarium. more

When the Cub Scouts of East Jordan, Mich., donated $460 to the Jordan River National Fish Hatchery, they made history. Their contribution is the first the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has received since legislation in 2006 authorized nonfederal donations to the National Fish Hatchery System. Midwest Region Assistant Regional Director Charlie Wooley accepted the donation at an August 13 ceremony at the Elmira, Mich., hatchery. The hatchery will dedicate the money to the Baby Brookies, an educational program on the lifecycle of brook trout.

Community partnerships, such as this one, are what Congress had in mind when it enacted the National Fish Hatchery System Volunteer Act of 2006. The act encourages the use of volunteers, promotes public awareness of resource conservation and encourages donations from nonfederal individuals and organizations. more