Marine Wildlife Internships
New England Coastal Wildlife Alliance - NECWA offers marine wildlife internships to high school students, college students and professionals in southeastern Massachusetts. Internships provide educational outreach and research opportunities to students and professionals who are 
interested in the field of marine biology. Hands-on experience with field research techniques and data analysis better prepares students for similar opportunities in their chosen field.
Currently, NECWA is providing unpaid internships for both high school and college-level students. In the future, NECWA hopes to increase the number of internships by providing paid internships that are supported through private donations from local businesses as well as from individuals.
NECWA is focusing on 3 main projects:
- New England Basking Shark Project (NEBShark)
- New England Ocean Sunfish Project (NEOceanSunfish)
- Project Marine Wildlife Research
- Humpback Research Project
- Finback Research Project
For many of these research projects, data are collected each season by project participants
aboard Captain John Boats operating in the waters of Cape Cod Bay and Massachusetts Bay. NECWA interns and participating naturalists are responsible for collecting sighting and photographic data while offshore. Our interns help manage the databases and assist in the creation of a photo-ID catalog of known individual 
finback whales, humpback whales, ocean sunfish and basking sharks sighted offshore. The projects’ databases are managed by NECWA staff and interns and are used in NECWA's educational outreach activities.
Interns working with NECWA assist with data collection and management as well as analysis techniques that include photo-identification and Geographic Information Systems - G.I.S.
mapping. They are asked to create and deliver poster and oral presentations to local government and non-government organizations as well as present their findings at local workshops and conferences.
Many of our college interns have presented their research at the Cape Cod Natural History Conference sponsored by the Massachusetts Audubon Society at Wellfleet Bay. Presenting is a wonderful way for NECWA interns to gain experience in public speaking and to meet professionals from many fields that live and work in our New England area.
Interns also assist
with necropsies which are animal versions of autopsies. Marine wildlife that has died and washed ashore is a sad event, but these carcasses can provide a great deal of information on the species regarding their health status, reproductive status as well as the individual’s cause of death.
Necropsies on whales, sharks, ocean sunfish and other large marine
animals is typically conducted on site which is usually the beach where the animal stranded. Necropsies on smaller animals like dolphins, porpoises and seals can be done at indoor facilities at research institutions like Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and at facilities associated with area stranding centers. Information collected from external examinations and necropsies provide important information that scientists and managers can use to better protect and conserve wild populations of marine wildlife that are found in the water’s of the Gulf of Maine.
NECWA is also asking for donations from community businesses and private individuals that are interested in providing long-term support to student interns through a monthly giving program or via a one-time donation.
If you would like to help support NECWA’s internship program, please make your tax-deductible donation today.
Please send a check or money order to:
- NECWA - New England Coastal Wildlife Alliance
- 11 Clarence Soule Drive
- Middleboro, MA 02346
Or use our new online donation service.
Please click the button below.
