The Probilof Islands Stewardship Project began simply as a summer nature camp. The schools of St. George and St. Paul were influenced by a community concern for cultural continuity. As a result, the program was expanded with the purpose of empowering youth with both western ideology and the traditional ways of the Probilof Islands community. A sense of stewardship was developed through interaction with their Elders and scientists already working in the field.

To build a solid foundation, students were first exposed to the intricacies of the Bering Sea ecosystem through a mentoring system in cooperation with the National Marine Mammal Laboratory. Students learned the proper procedures for disentangling Northern Fur seals from marine debris. The Probilof Islands Stewardship Project also participated in the collection of empirical data in the field.

The program now works independently to disentangle seals, collect entanglement sample and data, cleans and surveys beaches, and continues to document the behavioral repertoire of the Northern Fur seal. The students have also worked to train younger students and even obtain project funding from the National Marine Fisheries Service.

The Center for Marine Conservation wished to make the following statement, "The Center for Marine Conservation has aligned itself with the Probilof Islands Stewardship Project because community stewardship is critical in solving marine debris and marine wildlife entanglement issues associated with the degradation of the ocean environment."