A Field Season in Photos
Perspectives | Dec 6, 2022

by Don Perkins
President/CEO
Explore our 2022 Field Season with a selection of our favorite photos from throughout the year. Whether tagging blue sharks offshore, seining the beaches of Casco Bay, or exploring the intertidal, our team spends each field season expanding our understanding of the Gulf of Maine ecosystem and sharing that information with those who need it the most.

Here in Maine, we measure our years by the seasons. Aside from the old standbys — winter, spring, summer, and fall — we also love to celebrate mud season, boating season, and the rapidly approaching holiday season. As we reach the end of the year, I’ve been reflecting on what may be my favorite season of all: Field Season.
Year in, year out, our staff hit the ground running (as soon as it begins to thaw) to sample migratory alewives on their way to spawn in coastal rivers. They traverse the region’s working waterfronts to document the impacts of sea level rise. They capture and document hundreds of species using seines on local beaches, sharing the wonders that turn up in their nets with student groups and local families. They head offshore to tag large pelagic fish and work with fishermen to understand our changing ocean.
As our staff return with stories and photos from the field, I’m always awestruck by the dynamism of our ocean ecosystem and the coastal communities it sustains. This year, we’ve done our best to share this feeling with you with this collection of photos.
I hope you’ll join us in supporting our exploration and stewardship of the Gulf of Maine by making a tax-deductible gift today.
In the midst of another season — a season of both giving and thanksgiving — I want to thank you for making our work possible. Without you, our boats don’t leave the dock. Your support allows us to go out into the world, improve our understanding of how it works, and then share that knowledge with the people who need it most.
Casco Bay Aquatic Systems Survey (CBASS) Sampling
Each summer, our scientists take to the field to gather data for a long-term study of Casco Bay.




Exploring Offshore
Animal encounters at sea aboard our research vessel.



Investigating the Intertidal
Commercial harvesting, research, and education taking place in Maine mudflats.





Tagging Blue Sharks with Dr. Walt Golet
Dr. Golet's Pelagic Fisheries Lab tags sharks and tunas in the Gulf of Maine to better understand these pelagic species.



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