NECWA News Blog

Poem by Deliska Pollara On October 13, 2023, Deliska, John-Tyler and Billie-Jo worked together to kayak a wayward ocean sunfish out of Wellfleet's inner harbor. Here are thoughts and a poem from Deliska who took the lead on this rescue "I had been on all kinds of kayaking adventures before but never quite like this. I was supposed to guide a fish into deeper waters, so it wouldn’t suffocate. And I was and suddenly I found myself within 2 ft of one. Gliding through the water side by side with largest boniest fish in the ocean the Mola mola . This is inspired by that interaction" Chasing the Sun with the Mola mola     Gentle strokes left right left right Gentle breaths in out in out  Together we glide through the water The sun illuminating our path We know where we are going  We are chasing the sun together  We are chasing that bone depth warmth The molas dorsal fin cuts through the water up down up down  The mola moves a little side to side I watch...

DIAMONDBACK TERRAPINS IN YOUR BACKYARD PowerPoint Presentation This November, NECWA staff provided 2 Family Programs to the Bourne Community on Diamondback Terrapins, a threatened species of marsh turtle, that lives in the coastal waters of Bourne, MA. The first program was on November 4th at the Jonathan Bourne Library. The second was on November 24th at the Bourne Recreation Department.  Each program consisted of a kid-friendly PowerPoint presentation followed by arts and craft activities, including block printing of diamondback terrapin designs. NECWA also set up a number of tables with marine artifacts on display, including terrapin and box turtle shells, egg shards, and research equipment (calipers, scales, etc.). Another table had brochures, NEWCA's new terrapin coloring and activity book, stickers, and other free educational material. Fun was had by one and all. We even had a visit my Gabriel who is Tiny Miss Massachusetts. Thank you also to the staff of the Jonathan Bourne...

  Join NECWA on Saturday, December 2, 2023 for a fun day of programs on Ocean Sunfish and Basking Sharks. The kids program is at 10:30 am and the Family/Adult program is at 1:30 pm.  KIDS PROGRAM AT 10:30 AM ADULT PROGRAM AT 1:30 PM

Fall Stranding Season is soon upon us. As we approach the fall stranding season, please report your sightings of these unusual New England fish to our online stranding network at www.necwa.org. NECWA is one of the few organizations that rescues these animals when they strand live or necropsies carcasses when they wash ashore. This information is helping us better understand and protect these unusual fish that live in our New England waters. To support this work, please donate today through Facebook or our website at www.necwa.org. NECWA is an all-volunteer nonprofit so this money will be used to purchase needed rescue and research gear and supplies. Last season, NECWA responded to 110 stranded ocean sunfish, 58 stranded torpedo rays, and 45 stranded triggerfish. It was a very busy stranding season and numbers are continuing to climb each year. Thank you!

Here are some upcoming events that NECWA will be participating in the spring and early summer.  Plymouth Farmers Market – Winter Market April 27, 2023, from 2:30 pm to 5:30 pm Visitors Center, Plimoth Patuxet Museum, 137 Warren Ave., Plymouth, MA https://www.plymouthfarmersmarket.org   Join NECWA at our educational table focused on our email campaign to better protect the Horseshoe Crab. We will also have fun hands-on activities for market participants focused on this email campaign, including a block printing activity and a 3-D paper cut-out of a Horseshoe Crab. The Plymouth Farmers Market is a wonderful place to pick-up fresh, local produce, meats, and cheeses at the market and to support farmers focused on agricultural diversity, food economy, and food literacy.     Cooler Middleboro Festival: April 29, 2023, from 11 am to 2 pm. Middleboro High School gym, 71 E. Grove St., Middleboro, MA.   A free, fun, educational event for all ages to learn a...

Watercolor by Kathy Miller Horseshoe Crabs ( Limulus  polyphemus ) Horseshoe Crabs are a marine crustacean that has lived on planet earth for over 445 million years. This living fossil plays an important role in marine ecosystems and in human health. However, Horseshoe Crab populations are decreasing across the state of MA and more needs to be done to protect them. Learn about this amazing and ancient species and see how you can help protect the Horseshoe Crab in Massachusetts' waters. Overview: Horseshoe Crabs are bioturbators that dig-up bottom sediments in search of prey or when nesting in shallow water. The shell of the Horseshoe Crab is often covered in algae, slipper shells, and barnacles that hitch a ride on this slow-moving, tank-shaped animal. Horseshoe Crabs help control populations of various benthic invertebrates targeted as prey and they themselves are a food source for other marine animals. The fertilized eggs of Horseshoe Crabs are an important source of energy for m...

Read NECWA's Spring 2023 newsletter. Hot off the press.  And if you would like this newsletter to automatically come to your email inbox, the go to the NECWA website at www.necwa.org and sign up. CLICK HERE  

 

Kathy and Deb with dead torpedo ray in sled. On January 26th, a large female torpedo ray stranded dead on the shores of Corporation Beach in Dennis, MA, and was reported to the NECWA hotline (508-566-0009). This would become torpedo ray stranding #53 for the 2022 season which extends into the early months of 2023.  Torpedo ray stranded dead at Corporation Beach. NECWA volunteer, Deb Capobianco responded immediately and rushed down to the beach to secure the carcass as the animal stranded below the high tide. The carcass would have washed away if not for her fast action. Being a large carcass, Deb was concerned that she would not be able to drag the carcass on her own. So Deb was able to maneuver the carcass onto a sled and dragged the carcass above the high tide live with a lot of effort. Thank you Deb! Female torpedo ray in Deb's sled. Ready for transport.  Soon, NECWA volunteer, Kathy Miller, joined her and the two ladies necropsied the carcass on-site. These external a...

NECWA'S winter newsletter hot off the press.  Click HERE to read all the amazing things that have been going on this fall and early winter.

 

  https://www.capecodtimes.com/story/news/local/2022/12/27/mola-mola-fish-live-tropical-areas-traveled-north-recently/69758811007/