WRWA Annual Meeting Will Be Sunday, March 9

Join us at the WRWA Annual Meeting on March 9, 2025, at 11:30 a.m. at the Acoaxet Club. Board President Michael Sullivan and WRWA Executive Director Deborah Weaver will present an overview of the 2024 finances and programs. Light refreshments will be provided, and the event is free and open to the public.

Our featured speaker, Paul Dobbins serves as the Vice President of Aquaculture for the World Wildlife Fund US Office. He leads the aquaculture team in their global work identifying companies and nonprofit organizations for impact investment, stakeholder collaboration, and research opportunities that will accelerate the growth of seaweed and shellfish farming. 



Prior to joining WWF, Paul operated shellfish farms and led the development of the US’ first open ocean commercial kelp farms. He brings to WWF expertise in impact investing, seaweed biomass markets, and the connection of aquaculture and climate. Paul served on the advisory boards of Maine NOAA SeaGrant, the Aquaculture Research Institute at the University of Maine, the Maine Aquaculture Association, The Maine Technology Institute, Focus Maine, and the Conservation Law Foundation.

He currently serves as a US Delegate to the International Council for Exploration of the Seas working group on offshore aquaculture, the National Council and Board for Manomet Conservation Sciences, and as an advisor to federally funded aquaculture research projects in Europe and North America. Paul and his wife Amy live in Westport.

To reserve your space, please register by following the link below:

Winter Speaker Series Continues

Nature Talks



Thursday, February 27, 5pm

In the River Center- Live presentation only

Shellfish Farming/Aquaculture - Past, Present, Future with Kerian Fennelly

As a lifelong resident of Westport and co-owner of Westport Oyster Farming, Kerian Fennelly will provide an overview of shellfish farming. This talk will include the history behind the industry, shellfish farming in Westport, the state of Massachusetts, what's happening on a global scale, and his thoughts on the future of the industry. Note: This presentation is only available in-person. We will post a video online afterwards.

Space is limited. To guarantee a seat, please register below: 

We love the River and we love our community.

Happy Valentine's Day from all of as at WRWA.

Be a tide of change this Valentine's day by giving a gift to support education, science, and advocacy at the Westport River Watershed Alliance.

Sending Dr. Dan Gibson a huge THANK YOU for opening the 2025 Nature Talks season with Horseshoe Crabs: Ancient Mariners, Biomedical Heroes, Scientific Marvels on Jan.30.

Over 75 people attended at the River Center and online!

If you missed the presentation, watch it below. Visit WRWA's YouTube channel to check out other educational videos.

Children in WRWA's summer Watershed Discovery Programs learn how to hold horseshoe crabs correctly. Their telsons (tails) are important so we never pick them up that way!

Creature Feature Fast Facts

Horseshoe Crabs: Limulus polyphemus

• These ancient mariners have been around for over 450 million years, predating dinosaurs.
• They're not true crabs. They are more closely related to spiders and scorpions.
• They can only be found along the east coast of the U.S. and around the top of the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico.
• Their tail is not a weapon and can't sting you. They use their tails as a rudder when swimming, to flip themselves over if they get turned upside down, and it even has light sensitive cells called photoreceptors on it that help them understand day and night cycles.
• Horseshoe crabs molt between 16-17 times in their lives until they reached adulthood between 9-11 years.
• When adult males go through their last molt, they develop claws that look like boxing gloves.
• It takes females longer to mature so they typically go through an additional molt which is why they are bigger than males. This bigger shell helps them carry more eggs.
• Females can lay between 80,000 - 90,000 eggs per season!
• They lay eggs on beaches during spring high tides which provides an important food source for migrating shorebirds
• During the non-breeding season, they move offshore to waters up to 200 ft (and possibly deeper), where they spend the winter buried in the sediment. In the spring, they return to shallow coastal waters and beaches to spawn.
• Threats to horseshoe crabs include overharvesting for bait and biomedical use as well as habitat loss from coastal development and sea level rise.
• Their blood is used in the medical industry to make a compound called limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) that is used to test for bacterial contamination in vaccines and medical implants.
• There is now a synthethic alternative to horseshoe crab blood called recombinant factor C (rFC).

To learn more about the updated horseshoe crab collection regulations, visit:

MA Division of Marine Fisheries

We are offering special River Center Open Days During February School Vacation

Help us learn more about frogs in the watershed.

Sign up to become a FrogWatch Citizen Scientist today!

Click the poster below to learn more and to register.

Now Accepting Applications for

Summer Environmental Educators

We are seeking two dedicated, energetic, and fun individuals with a passion for teaching and natural sciences to serve as Environmental Educators for the summer of 2025. In this role, you will have the opportunity to observe and assist in field

trips for public schools, learn to develop lesson plans and educational materials, and eventually lead outdoor programs for 5-16 year-olds during the summer watershed discovery program.

Activities include seining, paddle boarding, kayaking, hiking, underwater digital photography, arts & crafts, playing games, and more. Have a summer of fun and exploration while making a difference! If you are lifeguard certified or willing to get certified before the start of the summer programs on 6/23, your salary will jump from $15 to $18/hour plus we will cover your certification fees. Otherwise this position includes first aid and CPR certification training if you are not already certified. This position reports to the Education Director and includes 365 hours for the summer ranging from 30-35 hours per week from June 2- August 15.

This position can serve as an internship if college credit is needed.

To apply, contact Kim at wep@wrwa.com, or visit www.westportwatershed.org

Have you seen any of our winter visitors from the North?

The Westport River Watershed Alliance’s mission: working together to protect and preserve the Westport River Watershed now and for future generations.

Please save us your Lees Receipts!

The Watershed Alliance is happy to be a Lees Community Partner. Please save your market receipts and drop them off at WRWA River Center

493 Old County Road, or mail to PO Box 3427, Westport, MA 02790.