SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico » Puerto Rico is building a water quality monitoring station to help protect a popular bioluminescent bay in the neighboring island of Vieques.

The Department of Natural Resources said Thursday that the station will help boost conservation efforts for a bay that attracts thousands of tourists a year.

The bay is home to microscopic plankton known as dinoflagellates that emit light through a chemical reaction when disturbed.

The announcement comes amid concerns that the bay’s glow has diminished in recent months because of rough seas.

The station will be completed in upcoming months and will measure the water’s salinity, oxygen and temperature, among other things.