Introduced or “marine biological invaders” often have a profound, adverse affect on marine ecosystems. Along the coast of Massachusetts and around the world, scientists have witnessed these invasions and their affects, and the issue has emerged as one of the leading environmental threats to our coastal habitats. As some introduced species become invasive, the physical conditions and habitats of native species are altered in a variety of negative ways. Learn more about this problem at our new online Monitoring Resouce Center or download our A Citizen's Guide to Monitoring Marine Invasive Species.

NEW! SETL Project! In December 2007, we joined the international effort to detect and quantify fouling marine organisms by placing settlement plates at three docks, one in Salem, Beverly and Gloucester. Every three months the plates will be pulled and examined for fouling organisms that have colonized the plates. We welcome our new partners in this project: Endicott College, Waring School and the Gloucester Maritime Heritage Center. We also want to thank Cell Signaling Technology for providing funds to purchase the materials for this initial deployment.

Learn more about this project:

• International SETL Project website: ANEMOON Foundation
• Introduction to the SETL Project (48 MB PowerPoint)
  Introduction to the SETL Project (PowerPoint PDF 6MB)
• SETL Plates Materials List (638 KB PDF)
  

Coastal Habitat Invasive Monitoring Program:
Locally, to develop effective management policies and identify the locations of highest risk, we must first collect information about the current locations, abundance, and characteristics of these species along our shores.

Please join us in our effort to better understand the marine introduced species on the North Shore by becoming trained by SSCW staff in survey techniques and intertidal marine species identification, including the marine bioinvaders of concern. You will receive field training at a specific site where you will return once a month from May to October to monitor. SSCW provides each monitoring volunteer with a set of 20 marine bioinvader species identification cards and as much assistance as needed to conduct reliable surveys. To become a volunteer and attend our 2008 training sessions, send us an email with your name, address and phone number and we will send you the dates and times for trainings this summer.

A set of 20 laminated ID cards (8.5"x5.5") are also available for a $20 donation to Salem Sound Coastwatch by calling 978-741-7900 or emailing info@salemsound.org. This donation funds the reprinting of the cards and supports our Coastal Habitat Marine Invasive Monitoring Program

SSCW has developed an online Monitoring Resource Center to help our volunteers and others who are interested in learning more about this subject. The site includes links to background information on the pathways of introduction and monitoring methods explained in the SSCW's A Citizen's Guide to Monitoring Marine Invasive Species. This manual was created by Salem Sound Coastwatch to provide the information necessary for volunteers to become monitors or volunteer coordinators to initiate a marine invasive species monitoring program. We hope you will become involved in collecting data on marine biological invaders in our program or start one in your area. Let us know how it is going for you and what you are finding along your coast.