ABOUT

Our 30 years of research experience and contacts throughout the marine conservation community enable Coastwise Consulting to serve its clients as they seek to understand and address issues involving endangered and protected species.

Coastwise has been a leader in environmental consulting for 30+ years.

Coastwise Consulting, founded in 1991 by Chris Slay, was originally established to provide the marine construction industry with guidance, monitoring and mitigation for projects that potentially impact protected species. Over the years, Coastwise has provided imperiled species monitoring, necessitated by the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act, for projects at every major port entrance from Bath, Maine to Brazos, Texas. Research, logistical support, education and mitigation efforts are now provided to wide variety of clients, from state and federal agencies to NGO’s such as the National Geographic Society.

We protect & serve wildlife

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has contracted Coastwise to census endangered shorebirds, especially wood storks and other large wading species using aerial surveys. NOAA Fisheries relied on Coastwise for aerial surveys to monitor sea turtle abundance and commercial fishing activity offshore of Chesapeake Bay, VA. Coastwise not only monitors but mitigates, safely capturing and relocating endangered sea turtles and sturgeon from dredge sites using commercial shrimp trawlers. Over 2000 sea turtles have been successfully tagged and relocated from harm’s way. Coastwise also provides programs and material for educating the public and private sector about marine endangered species issues. Research and education are becoming as integral to the operations of Coastwise as mitigation and monitoring have been from the outset, serving federal, state and local agencies.

Resource to the US Navy

Coastwise Consulting provided environmental mitigation support to BAE Systems during the US Navy’s Ship Shock Trial of the DDG-81 USS Winston S. Churchill in 2001. Booz Allen Hamilton contracted Coastwise in 2008 to oversee environmental planning and monitoring of the Navy’s Ship Shock Trial of the LPD-19, USS Mesa Verde. Slay acted as the Lead Environmental Scientist, providing guidance on the location of the Trial and the overall design of the mitigation effort. Coastwise provided all observers and animal rescue teams for the project. There were three at-sea detonations of 5-ton bombs to test hull and systems capabilities on the LPD-19. Intensive shipboard monitoring and aerial surveys were employed to prevent injuries to marine wildlife. Despite weeks of daily shipboard and aerial surveys, no injuries or mortalities associated with this work were found. Coastwise was honored with an Excellence Award from the USN, LPD Program Manager.

Chris Slay, Founder

Chris Slay has worked with endangered marine species for 28 years and served as a Research Scientist with the New England Aquarium, a leading public education and research facility in Boston, for 15 years. He designed and managed large-scale aerial survey efforts for endangered marine animals, some of which are still being conducted for right whales along the southeast coast during the calving season. He led a tagging program, successfully designing, developing and deploying remote sensing systems for marine mammals, including satellite-telemetry and VHF-radio tags for whales.

Whale DISENTANGLEMENT & HABITAT expert

Slay has guided National Geographic Explorer in Residence Brian Skerry during photographic missions for a feature on right whales. Slay continues to assist the New England Aquarium with its right whale research efforts and works with NOAA Fisheries to mitigate the effects of fishing gear entanglement on large whales. Coastwise Consulting was contracted by the states of Florida and Georgia to train their agencies’ biologists in whale research and disentanglement.

Photo credit: Brian Skerry of National Geographic Explorer

National Geographic EXpedition to find Right Whales

Coastwise Consulting founder, Chris Slay, guided National Geographic Explorer in Residence Brian Skerry during photographic missions for a feature on Right Whales. 

Photo credit: Brian Skerry of National Geographic Explorer