Friends of Casco Bay

06/13/2026

She'd never seen a sturgeon before...

06/12/2026

06/09/2026

Join the festivities this week. Learn how to help your watershed. From storm drain stenciling to forest bathing to watershed models. Be sure to catch the award-winning film: Unless Something Goes Terribly Wrong. Check out all the cool things happening this week around Portland during Clean Water Week.

For all the details, visit: https://www.portlandmaine.gov/1504/Clean-Water-Week

06/09/2026

Join Friends of Casco Bay for our Members Annual Meeting and a special Casco Bay Q&A. Enjoy delicious hors d’oeuvres, a cash bar, and the company of Friends at Portland Yacht Services’ working waterfront location.

Join us for a special Casco Bay Q&A
What are the biggest threats facing our waters today? What progress are communities and the state making to reduce pollution, increase climate resiliency, and protect clean water? Bring your questions and hear directly from Casco Baykeeper Ivy Frignoca and Staff Scientist Mike Doan, our lead science and advocacy staff, who work every day to protect the Bay.

We will celebrate those who make waves for the Bay by presenting Casco Bay Awards to State Representative Art Bell for his advocacy to reduce stormwater pollution and to the members of “Protecting Falmouth: No on One” for their efforts to protect the Bay from lawn care chemicals.

Our Annual Meeting also will feature the election of new members to our Board of Directors.

All are welcome!

Waves for the Bay: Friends of Casco Bay Members Annual Meeting
Date: Wednesday, July 22, 2026
Time: 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Where: Portland Yacht Services, 100 West Commercial Street, Portland, ME 04101
The event will be held outside on a gravel surface under a tent, 💦rain or 😎 shine.

Cost: Join us with a sliding scale donation — from free ($0) to pay-it-forward ($50) — and give what feels right for you.

Register here: cascobay.org/waves-for-the-bay-2026

Thank you to our generous supporters, including Friends of Casco Bay members, KeyBank, and Stone Coast Fund Services, for making this event possible, and to Portland Shipyard and Portland Yacht Services Inc. for hosting us.

06/05/2026

We celebrated World Fish Migration Day at the Royal River in Yarmouth two weekends ago and even though it's a bit late, we still wanted to share the photos with you. There was a lot of creativity in this celebration of fish and rivers. Participants were particularly energized about the upcoming dam removal. It was truly a community event with folks of all ages, dogs, and kids playing in the river. Brickyard Hollow even poured their "Upstream" beer for this special day.

📸Photos by Sara Freshley and Janelle Goeke.

06/04/2026

This Sunday, we're cleaning up at Bug Light in South Portland with , and we hope you can join us! We’ll provide everything you need to help out, including gloves, bags, and trash grabbers. Bring yourself or your whole crew — all ages are welcome.

Sunday, June 7, 2026
11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Meet at: Bug Light Park, South Portland, ME
Registration is encouraged: https://www.cascobay.org/cleanup-series/

Thank you to our generous supporters, including Friends of Casco Bay members, and Clark Insurance / Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC for being our Corporate Impact Partner supporting our 2026 Community Clean-Up Events.

Photo credit Virginia Sambuco

06/03/2026

Show us your mussels! Join Friends of Casco Bay, Gulf of Maine Research Institute, and several partner organizations for a mussel bed mapping extravaganza event that spans the coast of Maine and New Hampshire! Help us observe where mussels are (and importantly where they aren't) during an extreme low tide on June 18. While in the field collecting observations, you'll also be learning about blue mussel beds, local ecosystems, and ongoing research. The data you collect will be put to use in the Mussel Bed Mapping Community Science Project.

Friends of Casco Bay will host the East End Beach site in Portland. We hope you can join us!

Before joining us in person, we encourage you to attend the webinar on Thursday, June 11 at noon to learn about the basics of blue mussels, the community science project your data will be contributing to, and how to participate.

Intro to Mussel Mapping Webinar
Date: June 11, 2026
Time: 12 - 1 p.m.
Location: online
Sign Up: https://gmri.org/events/show-us-your-mussels-intro-to-mussel-bed-mapping-community-science/

Show Us Your Mussels! Community Science Fieldwork
Date: June 18, 2026
Time: 8-9 a.m.
Location: East End Beach, Portland, and other locations across the region.
Sign Up: https://gmri.org/events/show-us-your-mussels-community-science-fieldwork/

Expect muddy boots, hands-on science, and a chance to contribute to real coastal research.

, and several partner organizations for a mussel bed mapping extravaganza event that spans the coast of Maine and New Hampshire! Help us observe where mussels are (and importantly, where they aren't) during an extreme low tide on June 18. While in the field collecting observations, you'll also be learning about blue mussel beds, local ecosystems, and ongoing research. The data you collect will be put to use in the Mussel Bed Mapping Community Science Project.

05/26/2026

The alewives are running! The alewives are running! The alewives in Mill Brook are working hard to get reach Highland Lake to spawn. They parents will return to Casco Bay in a couple of weeks, while the wee alewives will keep growing this summer in the lake, making their adventurous journey to Casco Bay later in the summer.

For now, you can still catch the sight of thousands of alewives traveling upstream at the Mill Brook Preserve in Westbrook. Check out the viewing recommendations from here: https://www.prlt.org/alewife-migration

05/25/2026

Help document the Royal River Dam removal this summer!

💦 The Royal River is about to undergo a major transformation as the Bridge Street Dam in Yarmouth is removed this summer. You can help document the change by visiting the Chronolog Photo Station on Bridge Street, snapping a photo with your phone, and uploading it using the posted QR code. Community-submitted photos will become a time-lapse capturing construction activity, storm events, seasonal changes, and the river’s restoration over time.

Watch the time-lapse grow throughout the summer. There's only one photo posted so far...but not for long! https://www.chronolog.io/site/YAR101

05/23/2026

Good news: Friends of Casco Bay Community Organizer Sara Freshley has joined the executive committee of the Waterfront Alliance of Portland Harbor, Maine ⚓

The Waterfront Alliance brings together a wide range of voices connected to Portland Harbor, including waterfront businesses, marine industries, neighborhood organizations, environmental groups, educators, municipal leaders, recreational boaters, and more — all with a shared interest in a thriving working waterfront.

“I’m excited to learn and lead with an organization that brings so much historical knowledge, industry experience, and waterfront perspective,” Sara said. “The Waterfront Alliance brings together many different sectors that all care deeply about the future of Portland Harbor and the working waterfront that is so important to Maine communities.”

We’re excited to see Sara help strengthen connections between communities and organizations working toward a healthy and resilient harbor.

📸Photo by Kevin Morris