
Come to Maritime Gloucester and discover what lives near the bottom of the oceanic food chain using digital microscopes! Does the term plankton define a certain species? No! It is a term used to describe the enormous biomass of microscopic sea creatures ranging from nascent shrimp, fish and jelly fish to the tiny frye of lobster and squid.Utilizing our redesigned plankton lab, participants will learn about plankton’s role in the marine ecosystem. Then, as a group, we will go onto the pier (weather permitting) while a staff member or intern does a plankton tow. Once the tow is complete, we'll return to the lab to observe and identify the different species of plankton we caught under our microscopes. Recommended for ages 6 and up.