NECWA News Blog

On Saturday, November 5, 2011, Northbrook Academy parents and students helped staff from the New England Coastal Wildlife Alliance (NECWA) examine a dead ocean sunfish that stranded on the shores of Monument Beach. This carcass was recently reported to NECWA’s Ocean Sunfish Stranding Network and the carcass looked as if it was only a few days old. This ocean fish carcass was missing the majority of its dorsal fin. Since the cut completely severed the top of the dorsal fin, we assume that the injury was the result of a collision with a large vessel. The tissue at the site of the injury was raw and red, indicating that the injury was relatively recent. Ocean sunfish are the heaviest bony fish in the world and are common visitors to our New England waters, during the summer and fall. These large fish migrate great distances to feed in our cold waters on jellyfish, ctenophores and other gelatinous critters. As winter approaches, ocean sunfish begin their migrations south to spend their win...

Click HERE to read our Fall NECWA Newsletter.

On October 29, 2011, NECWA teamed up with Captain John Whale Watching and Fishing Tours and the Department of Conservation and Recreation to cleanup Scusset Beach. This cleanup effort was part of COASTSWEEP, the Commonwealth’s annual coastal cleanup program that is organized by the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management and the Urban Harbors Institute of the University of Massachusetts Boston. Last year, over 2,900 COASTSWEEP volunteers collected over 20,000 pounds of trash from beaches, marshes, rivers, ponds, and the seafloor. At 9 am, eleven volunteers met at Scusset Beach, a beautiful beach located within the Scusset Beach State Reservation on Cape Cod Bay. Everyone was bundled in hats and gloves, as it was mostly cloudy with increasing winds. Equipped with trash bags, gloves and data sheets, volunteers ventured onto the beach in pairs or trios looking for a variety of marine debris. Each piece of trash or debris that was collected was logged into the data sheet and all da...

Update: Beach Clean up for this Saturday is a go! Please check this blog for any changes due to weather. Hope to see you on the beach! SCUSSET BEACH – Join the New England Coastal Wildlife Alliance, Capt. John Boats and the Department of Conservation and Recreation from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 29, working together to clean up Scusset Beach, located within the Scusset Beach State Reservation. The rain date is from 9 to 11 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 30. This cleanup effort is part of Coastsweep, the commonwealth’s annual coastal cleanup program that is organized by the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management and the Urban Harbors Institute of UMass Boston. Last year, more than 2,900 Coastsweep volunteers collected in excess of 20,000 pounds of trash from beaches, marshes, rivers, ponds and the seafloor. NECWA and Coastsweep will provide all the necessary supplies, including protective gloves, garbage bags and data sheets for this cleanup effort. After the event, cleanup participants...

Studying bizarre-looking ocean sunfish | CapeCodOnline.com

The Sunfish Sisters! Ocean Sunfish Rescue in Wellfleet Harbor off Mayo Beach - Saturday, October 22, 2011 (Please read Nancy's story about an ocean sunfish rescue after Krill's message) Message from Krill: On Saturday, October 22, 2011, I was whale watching offshore when I received a call from CT, a good friend with IFAW's Marine Mammal Rescue Program. CT had just received a report about an ocean sunfish in dangerously shallow water just off Mayo Beach, Wellfleet Harbor. The caller was very concerned that this sunfish was in jeopardy of stranding and her concern was justified. Since I was offshore and would not be able to assist, I asked CT if the caller could push the ocean sunfish back into deeper water, but only if conditions were safe for the person. That was the last I heard about this situation until I got back to the dock late that afternoon and listened to a cell phone message from the Wellfleet Police Department. They had left a message about this same ocean sunfis...

New England Coastal Wildlife Alliance (NECWA) / Captain John Whale Watching and Fishing Tours announce … BEACH CLEANUP AT SCUSSET BEACH - Please join us! Date: Saturday, October 29th Time: 9 am to 11 am Location: Scusset Beach within the Scusset Beach State Reservation For the past six years, the New England Coastal Wildlife Alliance (NECWA), Captain John Whale Watching and Fishing Tours and the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) have teamed up to conduct a fall beach cleanup at Scusset Beach. This cleanup effort is part of COASTSWEEP, the Commonwealth’s annual coastal cleanup program that is organized by the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management and the Urban Harbors Institute of the University of Massachusetts Boston. Last year, over 2,900 COASTSWEEP volunteers collected over 20,000 pounds of trash from beaches, marshes, rivers, ponds, and the seafloor. Join NECWA, Captain John Boats and DCR on Saturday, October 29th from 9 am to 11 am as we work ...