Tidepools along our Rocky Shore
This is where people are most likely to see a large variety of marine creatures. Living protected on the underside of rocks, and surviving in isolated pools of water at low-tide, many animals and seaweed have become specialized at living in this rough environment where they can be exposed to the air for hours at a time, and where waves can crash with great force. Small fish and young crabs and lobsters seek refuge here until they grow big enough to survive in the open. These animals are also a food source for hungry shore birds, fish, and even terrestrial animals.
Looking for rocky intertidal organisms
We have not found Palaemon elegans- the latest INVADER to Salem Sound in tidepools yet, but we would expect to find them among the seaweed. Let us know if you spot any.
We train volunteers to be the eyes on the water! Call 978-741-7900 or email us if you want to participate in the 2011 summer dock and intertidal rocky shore monitoring. We are collecting information about the current locations, abundance, and characteristics of non-native and native species along our shores.