Massachusetts Bays National Estuary Partnership (MASSBAYS)

Established as a National Estuary Program in 1990, the MassBays region covers more than 1000 miles of coastline, from the tip of Cape Cod Bay to the New Hampshire border, and serves 50 coastal communities. To provide technical assistance to all communities in the planning area, MassBays has teamed up with five partnering organizations to host MassBays regional coordinators. The regional coordinators work closely with communities to implement program goals and objectives in five coastal subregions: Upper North Shore, Lower North Shore, Metro Boston, South Shore, and Cape Cod.

For a complete list of our programs visit the Site Map.

The EPA National Estuary Program

The EPA National Estuary Program (NEP) was established under Section 320 of the Clean Water Act to protect and restore the water quality and ecological integrity of estuaries of national significance. There are currently 28 estuaries from around the U.S. in this program. To learn more about the NEPs visit the NEP Story Map. This interactive tool describes the vital resources of each estuary and highlights the role of local partnerships in protecting these resources and addressing the issues they face. 

Visit the Massachusetts Bays National Estuary Partnership Story Map. 

Zoom Into the Estuaries: MassBays Assessment Area Story Map

In order to capture the richness and complexity of its estuaries, MassBays has developed a Story Map to characterize its ecosystems and how human activities are shaping its planning area. For a closer look check out the story map and associated description.