The Blue Ocean Society for Marine Conservation’s mission is to protect marine life in the Gulf of Maine through research, education, and inspiring action.
Our vision is of thriving marine life in the Gulf of Maine with citizens committed to environmental stewardship.
We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, ID #02-0523308.
While the ocean appears clean and blue to many, problems lurk. Warming waters, plastic pollution, and human impacts on whales such as entanglement and vessel strikes, threaten the Gulf of Maine. The Jeffreys Ledge region is the area we study. It is located just 20 miles off the NH/MA coast. It supports a wealth of marine life yet is relatively understudied. Thus, we began studying whales there in the late 1990s to learn more about their distribution, behavior, and abundance and inspire the public to protect them.
Blue Ocean Society for Marine Conservation was founded in 2001 by two whale watch naturalists, Jen Kennedy and Dianna Schulte, who saw a need for more research and education about the ocean. We strive to learn more about the Gulf of Maine, particularly an important habitat called Jeffreys Ledge, and then bring our research to the public through various outreach programs. By sharing information with the public and resource managers, more people will be inspired to learn more about the marine environment and help protect it.
Long-term studies on marine mammals such as endangered whales allow us to learn about whale behavior, population health, and preferred habitat. We can then promote activities that will help increase whale populations and overall ocean health. Blue Ocean Society fulfills a critical role in designing, implementing and effectively managing and overseeing projects that benefit living marine resources.
Our Team
Our team also includes many dedicated interns and volunteers!
Awards and Accolades
- Aquarion Environmental Champion Award, 2022
- Hampton Area Chamber of Commerce Non-Profit Organization of the Year, 2017
- Gulf of Maine Visionary Award presented to Co-Founders Jen Kennedy and Dianna Schulte, 2007
- Platinum Transparency Seal on GuideStar
- Rated 100 out of 100 on Charity Navigator
Recent Reports
Organizational Annual Reports
Reports on Marine Debris and Whale Research Programs
Marine Debris Results, 2022 | Marine Debris Results, 2021
Whale Research Report Summary, 2022
Recent Tax Returns
Strategic Plan
We are updating our strategic plan. Check out our strategic plan for 2021-22
Our Location
Our office is located in Portsmouth, NH, in the historic Carey Cottage. Directions to Carey Cottage are below. We also have an educational facility, the Blue Ocean Discovery Center, in Hampton Beach, NH.
To get to Carey Cottage, follow Little Harbor Road in Portsmouth until you see Creek Farm/GoodWork signs. Turn right through the stone gate onto Creek Farm Driveway.
Parking is in designated spaces (GoodWork) and can be limited. If you find yourself at a parking lot with a Wentworth-Coolidge Mansion sign and a brown house, you missed the Creek Farm Driveway. Return in the direction you came and take a left after the white sign on the tree that says “CREEK FARM RESERVATION.”
