Welcome

My long time bond with the wonders of Cape Cod Bay began with childhood summer vacation days on the beach, evolved into a career focused on coastal and ocean issues, and continues today, as the new Executive Director of the Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies. During that relatively short period, the surrounding coastal lands and towns that are so closely linked to Cape Cod Bay have experienced dramatic changes bringing new challenges to this famous ecosystem.

The Bay can be “viewed” and appreciated from many different perspectives. This State of the Bay 2007 Report offers several first hand reports from scientists, historians, educators, natural resource managers and others who use and enjoy these waters together conveying its extensive and exciting dimensions.

Clearly, the most important feature of Cape Cod Bay, and for the quality of life along the coast, is that it be preserved as an environmentally healthy ecosystem with unpolluted water, lush eelgrass beds, productive salt marshes, healthy populations of marine mammals and fish, and clean sandy beaches. This has been the mission of the Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies for over 30 years. In this first State of the Bay Report, we present the initial results of our Cape Cod Bay Monitoring Program. With water quality stations located from Provincetown to Plymouth and along the entire shoreline, we are establishing the baseline condition of the Bay in order to understand what current and future impacts may occur from our rapidly changing communities.

I invite you to read and learn more about this special place in the marine world deserving of our attention, appreciation and protection.

Sincerely,
Richard F. Delaney
Executive Director, PCCS

For your convenience the report is in four parts. Click the links below to read the report.

• Introduction
• Part I
• Part II
• Part III

here.