U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceEstablished in 1997, the BeachCOMBERS (Coastal Ocean Mammal and Bird Education and Research Surveys) program is led by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). This initiative uses trained volunteers to conduct monthly surveys of beached marine birds and mammals at selected coastal sections. Operating as a collaboration between the USFWS, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories (MLML), and the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS), the program also includes participation from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Key highlights of the program include: Primary Goal: Monitoring the deposition of beach-cast carcasses to serve as a vital index for the health of the sanctuary. Expansion: As of 2026, the program continues its extensive reach, having grown from its original Monterey Bay focus to include volunteers surveying beaches from Santa Cruz to San Diego. Scientific Impact: The program has successfully provided critical data for numerous scientific papers, aided in the conservation of sanctuary resources, and helped identify and quantify oiled wildlife. For additional details : https://mlml.sjsu.edu/beachcombers/ Microsoft Word - BC 20 yr report summary_7-15-19.docx Contacts: Mark Metevier - GIS Specialist U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Ventura Field Office 2493 Portola Road, Suite B Ventura, CA 93003 mark_metevier@fws.gov Kirby M. Bartlett (she/her) - Senior Fish and Wildlife Biologist U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Ventura Field Office 2493 Portola Road, Suite B Ventura, CA 93003 kirby_bartlett@fws.gov Sabrina Kennedy - Fish and Wildlife Biologist U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Ventura Field Office 2493 Portola Road, Suite B Ventura, CA 93003 sabrina_kennedy@fws.gov For internal FWS staff, please reference this Data Management Plan : Project Title: Coastal Ocean Mammal and Bird Education and Research Surveys - BeachCOMBERSArcGIS FeatureLayerhttps://hub.arcgis.com/datasets/75054cf1f9f04af2a6f55c5b8f93541a_1engU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Open DataPublicOrganism Data [United States]Web servicesUnited StatesLast Modified: 2026-04-23