Chasing Coldwater: Wild Brook Trout Restoration and Recovery on the Upper Cape

Please join us for a great presentation and social event. Pizza and drinks will be provided.  

The October presentation will explore recent analyses of brook trout biology on the Quashnet River, share findings from post-restoration recovery monitoring on the Childs River, and highlight ongoing restoration efforts on Red Brook, the Quashnet, and the Mashpee River. Together, these case studies illustrate how collaborative, science-driven projects are advancing coldwater habitat restoration across the Upper Cape.

Mike Palmer is a Restoration Ecologist with the Association to Preserve Cape Cod (APCC), where he leads freshwater restoration projects—including fish passage improvements, retired cranberry bog restoration, and river restoration—while also coordinating the organization’s volunteer river herring monitoring program.

He earned degrees in marine science and fisheries oceanography from the University of Maine, Orono, and the University of Alaska Fairbanks. For nearly two decades, Mike served as a fisheries scientist with NOAA, where he researched New England’s groundfish such as cod and haddock, advanced fish stock assessments, managed commercial fisheries data programs, and developed electronic monitoring systems.

In 2022, he shifted his focus from federal fisheries science to local restoration and creative pursuits. He is also the founder of Waquoit Bay Fish Company, where his art reflects his scientific background—capturing fish and aquatic life with a balance of realism and stylized detail. Beyond his professional work, Mike spends extensive time on Cape Cod’s rivers fishing and observing, experiences that continue to inform both his science and his art.