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Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, Wellfleet
Wellfleet Bay News

2026 State of Wellfleet Harbor Conference

Special Event: Saturday, November 14

Doors open at 8:45 am. Conference: 9:15 am-1:00 pm

New location! Nauset Regional High School
100 Cable Rd, Eastham, MA

The 2026 State of Wellfleet Harbor Conference returns for its 24th year, offering an opportunity to learn about the latest research, monitoring efforts, and emerging issues affecting Wellfleet Harbor and the surrounding ecosystem.

This year, the conference will be held at a new location, bringing together scientists, conservation professionals, and community members to explore recent findings, discuss future challenges, and connect over coffee and baked goods. 

Long-necked white bird wading through a marsh

Presentations

  • Analysis of Wellfleet Harbor Environmental Water Quality Data by John Brawley, Wellfleet Oyster Alliance
  • Spat Settlement Study in the Herring River by Patrick Temple, Cape Cod Conservation District
  • Duck Harbor Breach and Overwashes Lead to Shift in Invertebrate and Shellfish Habitat in Herring River by Annalicea Melite, Cape Cod National Seashore and Conservation Legacy
  • Toward an Acoustic Dolphin Mass Stranding Alert System in Wellfleet Harbor by Laela Sayigh, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
  • Herring River Restoration Project by Christa Drew, Friends of the Herring River
  • Cyanobacteria Bloom Trends in Cape Cod National Seashore Ponds by Kate Holland, Cape Cod National Seashore and Conservation Legacy
  • An Interdisciplinary Approach to the Restoration of Fresh Brook, Wellfleet by Geoffrey M. Sanders, Cape Cod National Seashore
  • Diadromous Fish in Wellfleet Harbor and Cape Cod Bay by Brad Chase, Division of Marine Fisheries

Poster Presentations

  • Seasonal Quahog (Mercenaria Mercenaria) Growth Dynamics in Wellfleet Harbor: A Century-Spanning Analysis Building on The Early Work of Dr. David Belding by Abigail Archer, Fisheries & Aquaculture Specialist; Rachel Hutchinson, Marine Resource Specialist; Joshua Reitsma, Fisheries & Aquaculture Specialist, with Cape Cod Cooperative Extension/ Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Sea Grant; Michael Parlante, Shellfish Grower, Wellfleet
  • Understanding Seasonal Thresher Shark (Alopias vulpinus) Strandings on Cape Cod, by Carol “Krill” Carson, NECWA Founder & President/Bridgewater State University Senior Visiting Lecturer; Kathy Miller, Volunteer, NECWA

After the Conference

Elevate your conference experience with a field trip to Fresh Brook, South Wellfleet. This is the site of a restoration to improve fish passage and will be led by Geoff Sanders, Chief of Natural Resource Management & Science, Cape Cod National Seashore. Sign up at the check-in table during the conference to secure your spot. Please note that participation is limited to 20 individuals.

Conference Partners 

The State of Wellfleet Harbor Conference is collaboratively planned and sponsored by:

  • Cape Cod National Seashore
  • Center for Coastal Studies
  • Cape Cod Cooperative Extension
  • Friends of Herring River
  • Mass Audubon’s Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary
  • Town of Wellfleet
  • Wellfleet Conservation Trust
  • Wellfleet Oyster Alliance
  • Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Sea Grant

Save Your Spot

Registration is Recommended