Our Mission

The New England Coastal Wildlife Alliance (NECWA) is a volunteer driven, 501(c)3 nonprofit based in southeastern Massachusetts. Our organization combines educational outreach with research and conservation activities to protect and rescue marine wildlife in the coastal waters of New England. One of ours goals is to create community interest in local wildlife—working with communities to help people integrate with the wildlife that lives around them—much of which is endangered or threatened in Massachusetts. As well NECWA aims to teach the next generation of field biologists and conservationists by providing internship opportunities for high school and college students to gain experience in the field of marine science. As a research non-profit we study the Diamondback terrapin and Mola molas (Ocean sunfish) specifically and the data collected from our projects is used to enhance our understanding of the unique marine wildlife found off our shores. This data is shared with researchers in the United States and worldwide to support conservation and management efforts. As a rescue non-profit NECWA oversees rescues for terrapins and ocean sunfish plus other species that strand each fall and early winter in the communities around Buzzards Bay and along the shores of Cape Cod.

NECWA focuses on local issues in our area and collaborates with various private, government, and non-government organizations to achieve our many goals. Through our research projects and educational outreach activities, we work to protect the whales, turtles, ocean sunfish, basking sharks, dolphins, seabirds, seals, and the other unique coastal marine wildlife of New England.

All fundraising events help support projects and activities related to educational outreach, research, and conservation. 100% of donations goes to the work we do on behalf of marine wildlife.

NECWA Organization Chart

NECWA is an inclusive workplace. We believe the strength and success of our work comes from the diversity of our team and those we work with and serve. We believe in promoting and integrating fairness, respect, equality, and dignity into our work where people of diverse characteristics, including race, color, religion, sex or gender (including gender identity and gender expression), sexual orientation, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, political or interest group affiliation, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, parental or pregnancy status or any other characteristic, are welcomed and valued. NECWA is committed to providing an environment that fosters open dialogue and the free expression of ideas, free of harassment, discrimination, and hostile conduct. NECWA is also committed to adhering to conservation ethics – the careful handling and treatment of wildlife and ecosystems to ensure that every ecosystem we interact with is left as we found it, if not better than when we found it.

Our Founder

Founder and President of NECWA, Carol “Krill” Carson is a marine biologist who has worked in the New England area since 1980. She received the nickname “Krill” from Capt. Aaron Avellar when crewing aboard his whale watching boat. In the spring, Krill is busy counting herring and horseshoe crabs, she spends her summers studying diamondback terrapins and her falls rescuing ocean sunfish, sea turtles, and other marine wildlife in the New England area. Krill is the founder and President of the New England Coastal Wildlife Alliance (NECWA), a non-profit organization based in southeastern Massachusetts. She is also the author of the book My Friend Salt: The story of Salt, the most famous humpback whale in the world!