research
Our research is collaborative, interdisciplinary, and focused on finding sustainable solutions to the important issues facing our coastal communities and marine ecosystems.
rescue
The Marine Animal Entanglement Response (MAER) program is an emergency, field-based conservation effort with staff on call 24/7 to rescue and document whales and sea turtles entangled in fishing gear.
education
CCS promotes stewardship, raises awareness, and increases understanding of marine and coastal environments through a wide variety of audiences through curriculum-based classroom lessons, experiences in the field, and public outreach events.
Recent News
A Celebration of Stormy!
On Friday, May 10th, we celebrated the retirement of Charles “Stormy” Mayo, Ph.D. at a party at Provincetown Town Hall! Thank you to everyone who contributed to this special evening, and to the Charles G. Wright Endowment for Humanity for sponsoring the event. Please...
CCS Marine Debris & Plastics Program to Lead Debris Removal on Cuttyhunk
This month, the Center for Coastal Studies’ Marine Debris and Plastics Program will lead a group of dedicated volunteers to remove fishing gear debris from the beaches and shores of Cuttyhunk Island. Cuttyhunk is the southernmost island in the chain of the Elizabeths...
Grappling with Ghost Gear
Between the months of March and May, the trap fisheries of Massachusetts make way for North Atlantic right whales by removing their gear from the water. Each spring, individuals of the endangered right whale population come to these waters in search of foraging...
A Celebration of Stormy!
On Friday, May 10th, we celebrated the retirement of Charles “Stormy” Mayo, Ph.D. at a party at Provincetown Town Hall! Thank you to everyone who contributed to this special evening, and to the Charles G. Wright Endowment for Humanity for sponsoring the event. Please enjoy photographs of the event captured and generously provided by photographers Michael and Suz Karchmer.
Upcoming Events
Get Involved
The Center for Coastal Studies is an independent, non-profit, member supported organization whose mission is to understand and protect our coastal communities and marine ecosystems. The ocean and its spectacular diversity belong to all of us. You can support our critical work by becoming a member, volunteering your time, making a donation, or shopping our store.
become a member
As a new or renewing member of the Center for Coastal Studies, you are making an active contribution to the study and conservation of the Gulf of Maine, home to the great whales of the North Atlantic and the many other fantastic varieties of wildlife for which it serves as a primary habitat.
meet our supporters
The Massachusetts Environmental Trust (MET) is a grant program whose mission is to support projects that enable innovative approaches to protect and restore natural resources. The Center for Coastal Studies Humpback Whale Studies, Right Whale Ecology, Marine Animal Entanglement Response, and Water Quality Monitoring programs all receive funding via the MET’s Environmental License Plate program. Visit their website for more information.
Global Seas Sponsors
Atlantic Ocean Sponsors