Make a difference for public health

Join a network of trained volunteers who provide real-time data to the Maine Department of Marine Resources, alerting the Department to the presence – or absence – of potentially harmful algal blooms, also known as HAB or Red Tide.

Phytoplankton monitoring takes place from early spring to late fall. There are two roles that may be done by the same person or divided up between volunteers: one role is to use a plankton net to take weekly water samples at a site in South Bristol and to transport the sample to the Water Quality Lab at Coastal Rivers’ Nature Center at Salt Bay Farm. The second role is to identify and count cells using a microscope.

Because the samples are collected at high tide, sampling times will vary throughout the year. Volunteers will be able to pick and choose which dates work for them using an online calendar (shared during the training). The microscope work takes an average of three to four hours at a sitting.

New volunteers should be aware that the microscope work is a significant commitment! However, it is fascinating, and very rewarding. The cells are often prismatic within silica coverings and there are usually quick-moving zooplankton cells to see as well. We hope you will not be intimidated – there is a lot to learn initially, but we have a fabulous core group of trained volunteers and staff ready to support you as you learn.

How to register

To register, use the button below.

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