OUR MISSION
A Mission of Science and Discovery
in an Ever Changing Environment
The San Francisco Bay and near-coastal waters are one of the planet’s most significant ecosystems teeming with a rich, abundant biodiversity of marine life including many threatened and endangered species.
These fabled waters provide a pathway for migratory whales and other sensitive species while serving as a major economic gateway for shipping and commercial / recreational fishing activity.
In addition, rapidly changing conditions in ocean temperature and biochemistry are affecting the usual patterns of smelt, anchovy and other source foods bringing whales closer to shore and into the bay increasing the instances of ship strikes, entanglements and other interactions with human activity. It is also having an effect on the behaviors of other marine mammals and migratory seabird populations.
While land-based marine science and conservation organizations continue to discover disturbing trends in the health of local aquatic life, there is currently no vessel dedicated solely to provide active on-the-water monitoring, data collection and protection of endangered marine life that call these waters home.
BayQuest is a vessel-based platform that puts researchers and marine science professionals out on the water both year round and during peak migration periods. Further, it offers a unique opportunity to build teams of “citizen scientists” among young people from underserved communities throughout the bay area.
Our dedicated team of maritime professionals and marine science educators will focus on four main mission-specific objectives:
- Whale Monitoring and Protection
- Seal / Sea Lion Observation
- Seabird Population Monitoring
- Water Sampling / Testing
These observations and real-time data will also serve as a valuable resource for local, state and regional planners working to create more sustainable shoreline infrastructure in preparation for pending sea level rise.
Helping to create a peaceful coexistence where people and local marine life can thrive for generations is our ultimate aim.
BayQuest Goals
Our goal is to provide consistent on-the-water vigil, observation, scientific data collection and reporting of residential / migrating marine mammals and seabird life while in the bay and near coastal waters.
Further, our goal is to provide on-site support and data for research scientists and organizations engaged in water sample testing and other efforts to sustain marine life in endangered shoreline habitats and tidal marsh areas of San Francisco Bay.
BayQuest Mission
Our mission is to be a steady, recognizable on-the-water force protecting whales and other endangered marine mammals from both commercial and recreational vessel strikes while providing valuable data sets to aid in measuring the effect of climate change on local marine life populations and behaviors.
Our guiding principle is to conduct all work and crew development through the lens of environmental justice by opening access opportunities for participation and the meaningful involvement of underserved communities historically harmed by systemic bias in the sciences.
Extensive community outreach and open data sharing are essential components of this important work.