Friends of Casco Bay

The baykeeping program through advocacy, stewardship, and technical assistance prevents pollution, protects critical habitats and marine life, strengthens enforcement and accountability, by working with individuals, businesses, municipalities, regulartory agencies, community groups, and other scientists.

The vessel pumpout program removes sewage from boats and provides outreach and education to boat owners, boatyards, marinas and municipalities about the need to increase the use and availability of shoreside pumpout facilities and to comply with the federal "no discharge area" status of Casco Bay.

The science program provides a wide variety of water quality monitoring efforts across the Bay using data sondes and sensors, including three continuous monitoring stations that collect data every 15 minutes, 365 days a year, seasonal spatial sampling at more than 20 sites around the Bay, and periodic investigations of specific regions of the Bay. In addition, volunteers are trained to collect observations about algal blooms, sea level rise, erosion, wildlife, trash, and pollution in the Casco Bay watershed using an observing network app.