Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team (COASST)

Mission Statement:  COASST is a citizen science project of the University of Washington in partnership with state, tribal and federal agencies, environmental organizations, and community groups. COASST believes citizens of coastal communities are essential scientific partners in monitoring marine ecosystem health. By collaborating with citizens, natural resource management agencies and environmental organizations, COASST works to translate long-term monitoring into effective marine conservation solutions.

Their Vision is:

Realizing the pressing needs of marine natural resource management, coastal conservation, and the need for good science and a stewardship ethic among citizens, the Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team (COASST) sees a future in which all coastal communities contribute directly to monitoring local marine resources and ecosystem health through the establishment of a network of citizen scientists, each collecting rigorous and vital data. Through their collective efforts, and the translation of their individual data into baselines against which any impact—from human or natural origins—can be assessed, nearshore ecosystems worldwide will be actively known, managed, and protected.

Organization Type: Not-for-Profit Organization