Estuaries are where freshwater from the rivers meets saltwaters from the ocean. Discovery Hall Programs’ Educator JoAnn Mood introduces you to the nurseries of the ocean.

DISL’s Senior Marine Scientist Dr. Jeff Krause introduces us to the tiny organisms that form the foundation of ocean food webs and play a surprisingly big role in our everyday lives.

DISL’s Senior Marine Scientist Dr. Lee Smee research aims to help oyster survivability by helping them to create a stronger shell as soon as they settle. In this podcast, Smee explains how they use predator cues to scare the oysters strong.

A new study published in Scientific Reports, a Nature journal, sheds light on how common bottlenose dolphins adjust their habitat use in response to dynamic environmental conditions in urbanized Gulf Coast estuaries.

In recognition of World Oceans Day, the Alabama Marine Mammal Stranding Network is proud to announce its participation in the founding of the National Marine Mammal Stranding Association, a landmark initiative designed to strengthen marine mammal rescue...

The Rays of the Bay Touch Tank is a visitor favorite at the Alabama Aquarium. Director Mendel Graeber shares more about their lifestyle and the rays we find in the northern Gulf of Mexico.

The Dauphin Island Sea Lab is Alabama's Marine Research and Education Center

A new study by researchers at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab and University of South Alabama reveals that the common snook is not just a visitor, but a year-long resident in coastal Alabama waters.

Alabama Center of Excellence Deputy Director and seagrass expert Dottie Byron shares why seagrass is a foundational habitat, how they recruit birds to help restore seagrass beds, and what you can do ...

For many people, spotting a dolphin is a highlight of any day on the water. But for researchers, those moments represent something much bigger. “These animals are our closest human analog in …

The Alabama Aquarium, a core department of the Dauphin Island Sea Lab, celebrated a landmark year in 2025, recording its second-highest attendance in history with more than 111,000 visitors.

Coastal classrooms are not the only place you will find collaboration with our team at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab. In landlocked Iowa, a number of seahorses raised by aquarists from the Alabama Aquarium are helping to teach high school students about biodiversity.

A short film showcasing the beauty of the Mobile-Tensaw delta

Windy, wet, and cool were the conditions participants encountered during the 2025 MATE Worlds ROV Competition this year in Alpena, Michigan. Yet the excitement, energy, and drive of the students weren’t diminished in the slightest as they showcased their Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs).