Thanks to all of our volunteers for your help and support!
DMR protects public health by monitoring coastal water quality and toxic phytoplankton in all shellfish harvesting areas. Phytoplankton volunteers collect water samples in the spring, summer, and fall using field microscopes to identify toxic phytoplankton species. Volunteers work independently after receiving training and equipment needed to collect samples.
Biotoxin Volunteer Application and waiver
Documents and Identification Guides
- Phytoplankton Monitoring Program ID and Analysis Decision Tree (PDF file, 1 page)
- Phytoplankton Field Collection Guide (Word doc, 1 page)
- Phytoplankton Cell Counting Guide (Word doc, 1 page)
- Counting Data Sheet (PDF file, 1 page)
- Phytoplankton Identification Guide 1 - Identification Key (PDF file, 2 pages, 4 MB)
- Phytoplankton Identification Guide 2 - Common Phytoplankton of Blue Hill Bay (PDF file, 4 pages, 2 MB)
- Phytoplankton Identification Guide 3 - Common Gulf of Maine Phytoplankton (PDF file, 4 pages, 4MB)
- Phytoplankton Identification Guide 4 - Common Phytoplankton Key (JPG file, 1 page, 1 MB)
- Phytoplankton Identification Guide 5 - HAB Species not Found in the Gulf of Maine (PDF file, 2 pages, 281KB)
- Pytoplankton Identification Guide 6 - Phytoplankton Images at 10X (PDF file, 73 pages, 9.8MB)
- Alexandrium Can Be Difficult to Identify (Word docx, 3 pages)
- Pseudo-nitzschia Species Sizes (PDF file, 1 page)