The Alabama Legislature on Tuesday awarded final approval to HB 136. Sponsored by Rep. Chip Brown (R-Hollinger’s Island), the bill would designate the Dauphin Island Sea Lab’s Alabama Aquarium and Marine Research Center as the “Official Aquarium of Alabama.”
HB 136 now awaits the signature of Governor Kay Ivey.
“The Dauphin Island Sea Lab and its aquarium are among the state’s greatest tourism treasures and have certainly earned recognition as the ‘Official Aquarium of Alabama,’” Brown said in a statement. “It is my hope that the title will be used to market the Sea Lab, attract more tourists and visitors, and generate additional dollars for the facility’s important research work, conservative programs, and educational efforts.”
The Dauphin Island Sea Lab was founded by the Alabama Legislature in 1971 in order to provide marine science programs for many of the state’s colleges and universities. Today, 23 member institutions partner with the Dauphin Island Sea Lab to provide studies to undergraduate and graduate students.
Its mission has since expanded to include K-12 education, professional development and a public aquarium, which opened in 1998 and has attracted more than one million visitors.
“The official designation also opens the door for the Sea Lab to receive new research grants and other funding from a variety of available sources,” Brown advised.
The facility now includes 31 aquariums containing more than 30,000 gallons of water and displaying roughly 100 species that highlight the four key habitats of coastal Alabama: the Mobile-Tensaw River Delta, Mobile Bay, the Barrier Islands and the Northern Gulf of Mexico.
Trip Advisor has awarded the Dauphin Island Sea Lab its prestigious “Travelers’ Choice Award” for receiving consistently high ratings and reviews.
Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn
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