Mike Palmer

Owner, Artist, Scientist

My family and I have called the Waquoit Bay watershed home for nearly twenty years. Long before arriving on Cape Cod, I lived in northern Massachusetts, Maine, and Alaska—places that deepened a lifelong habit of paying attention to the landscapes around me. Wherever I’ve lived, I’ve felt drawn to learn the shape of a place: its geography and ecology, its history, and the plants and animals that define it. My art and writing grew out of that instinct. They are ways of observing, understanding, and sharing a connection to the natural world.

I’ve been drawing for as long as I can remember. While my artistic path was largely self-taught, my formal training led me into science. I earned degrees in Marine Science and Fisheries Oceanography from the University of Maine and University of Alaska Fairbanks and spent nearly two decades as a federal fisheries scientist. My work took me across the North Atlantic and Alaska aboard fishing boats and research vessels, studying marine ecosystems and the fisheries that depend on them. During my time at National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, I witnessed both the collapse of New England cod and the recovery of haddock—experiences that shaped how I think about conservation, communities, and our relationship with the environment.

My scientific research has appeared in journals including Science, the North American Journal of Fisheries Management, Fisheries Research, and the Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. But over time, I found myself increasingly drawn back toward creative work and local conservation. In 2022, I left federal service to focus more fully on family, art, and storytelling. Two years later, after witnessing the return of brook trout to the restored Childs River, I joined the Association to Preserve Cape Cod as a restoration ecologist. Today, my work focuses on fish passage, river restoration, and wetland restoration projects across Cape Cod.

The work I create through Waquoit Bay Fish Company sits at the intersection of science, place, and storytelling. I’m interested in creating pieces that feel grounded and alive—work that reflects both the beauty and imperfection of the natural world. I’m especially influenced by the Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi: an appreciation for things that are weathered, practical, transient, and incomplete. Nature is never static, and I try to leave room for that truth in the work itself.

If you’re interested in a commission—or in customizing a piece you’ve seen through Waquoit Bay Fish Company—I’d be glad to hear from you. You can reach me at mike.palmer@waquoitbayfishcompany.com or through the social media links below.