MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — Navarre Marine Science Center has been operating for 13 years. This program is run by dual enrolled students with amazing research about red tide and water quality that are making a difference in our environment. A group of students are taking water samples three times a week to make sure that our waters stay clean

“I wanted to find a way that we can get the students out in the field, collecting data,” said Charlene Nauro, Director of the Navarre Marine Science Station.

Student scientists Cassie Stanish and Sailor Reynolds are making a big splash detecting red tide and forecasting it. Red tide is an algae bloom that is harmful to our environment and health.

“If our smallest little fish die from it, then everything up the food chain ends up dying too,” said Cassie. “We don’t have a lot of data on it, its important that we are doing this red tide because in the future we can see trends between certain water quality conditions with the red tide.”

They look at their water samples through their microscope and look for any indication of red tide. Red tide on a micro level looks like a tiny green circle that spins erratically. They log their findings and send them to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Their data has earned them recognition across the Gulf Coast. The way the Gulf stream flows, whatever algae bloom that occurs in Navarre, depending on the severity, could head towards Alabama Gulf Coast next. Their research will be impactful to many residents from Navarre to the Alabama Coast.

“Even though they might not think that things do make a difference, because they are small or insignificant, I hope that they realize the things that they do actually impact the world around us,” said Cassie.