NECWA News Blog

Ocean Sunfish Stranding - Barnstable MA Dead ocean sunfish on the beach. Just when I thought there was going to be a little down time, I get a call from Ranger Nina Coleman at the Sandy Neck Beach Park about a dead ocean sunfish in the surf. The crew! Ranger Nina, Ed, Kevin and Christine.  Over the past few days, Ranger Nina and her team have been picking up many cold-stunned sea turtles so this was a bit of a change for them. Ranger Nina met me at the Park's Gatehouse around 1 pm and offered to drive me to the carcass. Once I transferred all my gear and equipment to the park's 4-wheel drive truck, we were off and were accompanied by two local journalists, Christine and Kevin. Ocean sunfish getting weighed. We were met down at the beach by resident Ed White who took an interest in this carcass. With Ed's help, I was able to weigh this carcass which Nina had very accurately predicted to be around 368 lbs. Ed photographing the carcass.  Ranger Ni...

Dead Ocean Sunfish at Rocky Nook, Kingston MA Ocean sunfish carcass finally exposed at the water's edge.  View of ocean sunfish carcass looking back towards the beach.  This morning, Nancy Borsari called to report a dead ocean sunfish in Kingston, MA. Most strandings of ocean sunfish occur on Cape Cod so this was an usual sighting for us.  With a quick call, Leah was at my house and ready to head out to Kingston to find and necropsy this carcass. Leah taking photos of carcass.  Since NECWA is a volunteer non-profit, Leah was helping out on her own time. Leah recently graduated from Bridgewater State University in Biology and has been with NECWA for many years. NECWA is grateful for her help and the help of the other biologists and professionals within the community that volunteer their time and expertise on behalf of these amazing animals. Thanks Leah! Head-on view of this ocean sunfish.  In an effort to help us locate this carcass, Nancy m...

Loggerhead resting in the back of Tammy's car during transport.  Yesterday while Krill and Leah were responding to an ocean sunfish stranding in Kingston, MA, Tammy headed down to Sandwich and then Bourne to help MA Audubon at Wellfleet Bay rescue stranded sea turtles.  At least 20 live animals washed ashore on Cape Cod Beaches yesterday so the Audubon staff and their volunteers were very busy. Here are a few photos of the live loggerhead that Tammy picked up from Bourne and transported to Wellfleet Bay for stabilization. Loggerhead during transport.  NECWA staff are always involved in many different activities and projects and we support other nonprofits like Wellfleet Bay as much as possible. And Wellfleet Bay supports our ocean sunfish stranding and response network by helping us with many of the ocean sunfish stranding reports on Cape Cod. These types of collaborations make sense since many nonprofits are working for the same goal - towards...

The NECWA team! Staff and volunteers working together. Amanda and Jamie with the leatherback carcass.  Leatherback Sea Turtle Examination at Humarock Beach, Scituate MA. Michael next to the leatherback carcass. Today, NECWA staff and volunteers headed to Humarock Beach in Scituate to find and examine a dead leatherback sea turtle reported in this area the day before. Rick Foley, a resident of Humarock, found this carcass just a few hundred feet from his house.  Tiffany, Patty, Rick, Michelle, Amanda and Jamie. The NECWA team consisted of a nice mix of young and old. We had NECWA staff members Patty, Tiffany and Krill along with volunteers Michelle and Michael. We also had two young ones with us. We had Michelle's daughter Amanda and my son Jamie. They were very interested in our examination of the sea turtle carcass and had a lot of fun chasing the waves. Needless to say they were totally soaked by the time we were ready to head home.  Amanda and...

On November 23, 2012 a number of NECWA staff members and volunteers helped MA Audubon at Wellfleet Bay walk Sandwich beaches that border Cape Cod Bay in hopes of finding stranded sea turtles. The day before, MA Audubon found 10 live sea turtle on these same beaches.  Michael with one of the sea turtle carcasses.  Participating in this rescue effort were NECWA staff members Patty, Tammy and Krill. Helping out were Michael and Jamie.  Our NECWA team coordinated efforts with Michael Sprague, staff member at MA Audubon. This team covered the beaches from the Cape Cod Canal to the west side of Sandy Neck, Barnstable.  Krill picking up trash during the walk. Unfortunately, only two sea turtles were found and both were dead. Michael Spragaue found both carcasses and took them back to Wellfleet Bay headquarters for processing. Both carcasses were Kemp's ridley sea turtles, the most endangered sea turtles in our area.  Jamie helping look for sea ...

Dragging the canoe to the narrow channel off Great Island. This season, NECWA has responded to 21 stranded ocean sunfish along the shores of Cape Cod and in the Buzzard Bay area. Many of these giant fish washed ashore just after the nor'easter and most have been located in the Wellfeet area. Tiffany and Jessica helping to carry some gear.  Deploying the canoe.  With the help of many people and organizations, NECWA has been able to measure, photograph and necropsy 21 ocean sunfish carcasses.  And with the help of the staff from MA Audubon at Wellfleet Bay, we have collected much information on these carcasses that will be used to help protect living ocean sunfish. Jeff and Michael giving Jessica and Leah and push into the channel. And much help has been provided by people within the community. As an example, Jeff, Wellfleet's Herring Warden, has helped NECWA tremendously by locating many of the ocean sunfish that stranded dead in Wellfleet this past wee...

Ocean Sunfish stranding at Breakwater Beach, Brewster MA This morning, Krill received a call from Merriellen who lives in Eastham. She was walking Breakwater Beach looking for cold-stunned turtles for Mass Audubon when she found a dead ocean sunfish just off the parking lot. Krill headed down to Brewster to try and find this carcass on the low tide. Michael Sprague from Mass Audubon at Wellfleet Bay took time out of his busy schedule to help as well. Merriellen putting the strap under the carcass.  Merriellen and her husband Michael met Krill and Michael Sprague (MA Audubon) back on the beach later that day to help collect body measurements and to photograph this animal. Working as a team, Merriellen, her husband Michael and Michael Sprague helped Krill weigh this carcass which came in at a little over 260 pounds. This was not a fresh carcass so the weight does not reflect the true weight of this animal before its death. Merriellen and Michael Sprague helping secure ...