Mike Palmer

Mike Palmer is a restoration ecologist with the Association to Preserve Cape Cod (APCC), where he leads efforts to restore freshwater systems across Cape Cod. His work focuses on cranberry bog restoration, coldwater habitat improvements, fish passage, and volunteer-based river herring monitoring - integrating science, community engagement, and ecological resilience. Prior to joining APCC, Mike spent nearly two decades as a fisheries scientist with NOAA, leading stock assessments for Gulf of Maine groundfish at the Northeast Fisheries Science Center in Woods Hole.

He holds a bachelor's degree in marine science from the University of Maine and a master's in fisheries oceanography from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Mike’s interdisciplinary background in field research, data analysis, and ecosystem restoration informs his place-based approach to conservation on Cape Cod. He is also the founder of the Waquoit Bay Fish Company, where he shares his scientific perspectives through detailed illustrations of marine and freshwater wildlife.