Friends of Casco Bay

Friends of Casco Bay is a marine environmental nonprofit organization that works to improve and protect the environmental health of Casco Bay. We are a founding member of Waterkeeper® Alliance, a network of more than 255 independent organizations working to protect waters around the world.

Today, when one sees hundreds of sailboats plying Casco Bay, it is hard to imagine that in the 1970’s sailing magazines recommended avoiding Casco Bay’s foul smelling waters. Concerned citizens formed Friends of Casco Bay in 1989, after a report identified our waters as one of the most polluted regions in the nation. No one had a handle on the environmental problems in the Bay, so one of our first major initiatives was to launch a water quality monitoring program, enlisting volunteers from the community to “take the pulse” of Casco Bay using proven scientific methods. To this day, we continue to be a science-based, community-oriented environmental organization. Our goal is to inspire those who live, work, and play on Casco Bay to be better stewards of our waters. We meet our mission through science, education, and advocacy. Much of the scientific data that informs our efforts is collected by our volunteers and staff. Thanks in part to our work, industrial pollution has decreased, municipalities have worked to reduce sewage pollution, and the Bay has been designated a No Discharge Area, making it one of the water bodies in the country most protected from ship pollution.

A board of 21 directors and 5 honorary directors oversees the work of Friends of Casco Bay. We currently have more than 2,200 active members and financial supporters. More than 225 volunteers, students, and interns assist us each year, monitoring our water quality, conducting coastal cleanups and helping with presentations and educational events. In addition to being an organization that attracts both volunteers and donors, we are known as an exceptional place to work. We currently have eight full-time employees and one seasonal staff member. We balance our ability to leverage collaborative efforts, funds, and volunteers, with the capacity and capabilities of our staff—a talented team, all passionate about our mission.