What is "coasst"

COASST is a citizen science project of the University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA, with a vision of monitoring marine ecosystem health with the support of citizens within coastal communities. With the help of hundreds of volunteers from different locations spanning from Washington to California, COASST assesses beach conditions and identifies and tracks any carcasses of dead seabirds found. Data on the carcasses of a seabird contributes to create a baseline of frequently different species of seabirds birds are found at specific beaches and in what amount. Any irregularities can be identified and evaluated and if possible, the cause of any increase mortality can be identified. COASST believes citizen scientists partnered with trained scientists create an invaluable relationship that benefits our ability to track and understand marine ecosystems. COASST works closely with state, tribal and federal agencies, environmental organizations and community groups to help this vision of monitoring, and successfully establish marine conservation solutions.