Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team

Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team
Name	Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team
Abbreviation	COASST
Formation	1999
Type	Nonprofit / Citizen science program
Headquarters	University of Washington
Region served	Pacific Northwest

Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team

The Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team is a citizen-science program based at the University of Washington that coordinates volunteer monitoring of marine bird mortality and beach ecology along the Pacific Northwest coast. The program integrates long-term datasets used by agencies and institutions such as the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Smithsonian Institution. It supports research at partner universities including University of California, Santa Cruz, Oregon State University, and University of Alaska Fairbanks.

Overview

The program engages volunteers to conduct standardized surveys of beaches from California to Alaska and beyond, cataloging seabird carcasses, live strandings, and marine debris to inform responses by entities like the National Park Service, the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, and the Pew Charitable Trusts. COASST datasets are used in analyses published in journals such as Science Advances, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, and Marine Ecology Progress Series, and contribute to assessments by bodies like the International Union for Conservation of Nature and the Convention on Biological Diversity. Training and coordination interface with community organizations including the Nature Conservancy and regional programs tied to NOAA Fisheries and state agencies in Washington (state), Oregon, and Alaska (U.S. state).

History and Development

Founded in 1999 by researchers at the University of Washington and collaborators from institutions such as the Smithsonian Institution and NOAA, the program grew from localized beachwatch efforts inspired by initiatives like the Christmas Bird Count and projects at the British Trust for Ornithology. Early development involved partnerships with regional museums including the Seattle Aquarium and the Alaska SeaLife Center, and funding from foundations such as the Packard Foundation and federal grants administered through entities like the National Science Foundation. Over successive decades COASST expanded survey coverage and methodological rigor through collaborations with research groups at Duke University, University of British Columbia, Harvard University, and Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Mission and Activities

COASST’s mission emphasizes long-term monitoring, public engagement, and providing defensible data for management decisions by agencies such as United States Geological Survey and Environmental Protection Agency. Principal activities include standardized beach surveys, necropsy assistance for mass mortality events that involve partners like the Marine Mammal Center and the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and contributing data to incident responses coordinated with Federal Emergency Management Agency protocols and NOAA Office of Response and Restoration. Public outreach occurs through collaborations with institutions such as the Pacific Whale Foundation and educational initiatives linked to the National Science Teachers Association.

Methodology and Survey Techniques

COASST employs standardized transect protocols developed with input from scientists at Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Volunteers are trained to record species identifications using field guides aligned with taxonomies from the American Ornithological Society and to log biometric data comparable to datasets curated by the British Antarctic Survey and the Australian Antarctic Division. Sampling design incorporates randomized and fixed-site transects, carcass persistence experiments informed by studies at Point Reyes National Seashore and Cape Cod National Seashore, and protocols for handling hazardous materials coordinated with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance when necessary.

Data Management and Reporting

Data are stored in centralized databases housed at the University of Washington and shared with partners through portals used by the Global Biodiversity Information Facility and regional data repositories like the North Pacific Marine Science Organization. Quality assurance procedures reflect standards promoted by the Data Observation Network for Earth and metadata schemas compatible with the Long Term Ecological Research Network. COASST produces periodic technical reports for stakeholders such as the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and contributes to national assessments by NOAA and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service during incidents including oil spills investigated under frameworks like the Oil Pollution Act of 1990.

Partnerships and Funding

Key institutional partners include the University of Washington, NOAA Fisheries, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and regional museums and aquaria such as the Seattle Aquarium and the Alaska SeaLife Center. Funding sources have included the National Science Foundation, private philanthropies like the Packard Foundation and the Bullitt Foundation, state agencies in Washington (state), Oregon, and California (state), and cooperative agreements with organizations such as the Nature Conservancy. Research collaborations extend to academic groups at Stanford University, University of California, Berkeley, and Yale University.

Impact and Conservation Outcomes

COASST datasets have informed responses to events including avian die-offs associated with incidents that involved coordination with NOAA Office of Response and Restoration and regulatory reviews by the Environmental Protection Agency. Analyses using COASST data have supported conservation measures advocated by organizations like the Audubon Society and have contributed to species assessments utilized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The program’s long-term monitoring has enabled published studies linking seabird mortality patterns to climate-driven shifts documented in research from Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of Alaska Fairbanks, and the IPCC assessments, thereby influencing management decisions at agencies including NOAA Fisheries and state wildlife departments.

Category:Citizen science organizations Category:Seabirds