Two plovers sit in the sand on a beach next to washed up seaweed.

Coasts and Oceans

Latest news about ÃÛèÖAPP's work on coasts and oceans.
Snowy Plovers. Photo: Katherine Pirozzi/ÃÛèÖAPP Photography Awards

Coastal birds are in crisis.

Threatened by ÃÛèÖAPP change, development, overfishing, and pollution, seabird populations around the world have decreased by 70 percent since 1950. In North America alone, shorebird populations have decreased by 70 percent since 1973. Through our Coasts strategy, ÃÛèÖAPP is working to reverse this crisis in multiple ways.

Areas of Focus

Coastal Resilience Coastal Stewardship Gulf Restoration Marine Conservation
a person stands on a beach and looks through a spotting scope, facing left. In the background is the ocean and a blue sky with sparse clouds.
Bird Bands Shed Light on Cross-Flyway Shorebird Migrations
October 02, 2023 — ÃÛèÖAPP Florida biologist Michael Ferrara tracks banded plovers as they stop over in the Panhandle on their twice-yearly journeys.
A photo of a Least Tern parent holding a worm towards its chick, which has its mouth open, on the beach.
Dog Lover to Dog Lover: It’s Time to Share the Shore
August 31, 2023 — As shorebirds face innumerable obstacles to survive, small actions like leashing our pets or sticking to dog-friendly beaches can go a long way.
Louisiana’s Most Ambitious Coastal Restoration Project Finally Takes Off
August 10, 2023 — By redirecting Mississippi River sediment, the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion will combat the state’s land-loss crisis.
This Art Show Captures the Magic of the World’s First Restored Seabird Colony
July 18, 2023 — An immersive exhibit in Maine transports viewers to Eastern Egg Rock, where Project Puffin began.
Celebrate ÃÛèÖAPP Texas’s Centennial with a Virtual Tour of the Coast
July 03, 2023 — A new online explorer reveals the importance of the Texas Coast for birds across the hemisphere.
Pink and blue skies with wispy clouds are reflected in water surrounded by marsh grass
ÃÛèÖAPP and Partners Launch Community-driven Climate Projects in Three States
June 15, 2023 — New funding will support birds and underserved communities in Indiana, North Carolina, and South Carolina.
A flock of Red Knots fly in a murmuration over water.
How ÃÛèÖAPP South Carolina Protects Their Coastal Birds and the Places They Need
June 01, 2023 — With their Shorebird Stewardship program, ÃÛèÖAPP South Carolina protects Red Knots, American Oystercatchers, and other birds that find respite on their shores.
Common Tern flying over water.
The Common Tern
April 04, 2023 — Connecting the Gulf of Mexico to the Boreal Forest
Three people sit at a wooden desk. Michael, right, is speaking with his hand upraised while two other people look on.
What I Learned on Capitol Hill
December 08, 2022 — ÃÛèÖAPP campus chapter leader Michael Kerrigan recalls what it was like to meet with legislators and advocate on behalf of birds.
A group of puffins, black and white seabirds with large orange beaks and feet, stand on a rock with the ocean behind them.
After a Climate Disaster Last Year, Maine’s Seabirds Get a Reprieve
October 05, 2022 — ÃÛèÖAPP researchers say seabirds across the state successfully raised chicks at double the rate of last year.