Mission Statement

To Guide Newfoundland and Labrador to the World Through Global Leadership in Applied Oceans Education and Research

The main campus of the Marine Institute overlooks the city of St. John’s from within Pippy Park, which has extensive hiking trails and recreational facilities. This building houses a flume tank, a seafood processing plant, freshwater aquaculture research and development facilities, and extensive marine simulation facilities. The Dr. C.R. Barrett Library, located at this campus, houses one of Canada’s largest marine-related collections. In addition, the Institute manages the Offshore Safety and Survival Centre (OSSC) in Foxtrap, the Safety and Emergency Response Training Centre (SERT) in Stephenville, a regional fisheries and marine training centre in Lewisporte, and the newly-opened ocean innovation centre called The Launch in Holyrood, NL.

The Launch is the Marine Institute’s ocean innovation centre and Memorial University’s portal to the ocean. The facility is designed to support a comprehensive approach to ocean research by providing access to the Arthur W. May Building, vessels, technology, and technical expertise. The facility is home to MI’s Centre for Applied Ocean Technology and some of the activities of the Offshore Safety and Survival Centre and offers inclusive access to a comprehensive suite of ocean focused resources for faculty, students, researchers and private industry in a unique, cold-ocean environment.

All programs and courses are designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills required for success in the workforce. The Institute seeks the advice of industrial program advisory committees in the ongoing development and review of programs. Whenever appropriate, it submits programs for national and international accreditation, providing graduates with mobility in professional employment.

The Fisheries and Marine Institute was established in 1964 as the College of Fisheries, Navigation, Marine Engineering and Electronics at the original campus on Parade Street. It became affiliated with Memorial University in 1992 and since then has continued to grow as a world-class centre of marine technology and education in its current location on Ridge Road. The official name is the Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University of Newfoundland, but it is commonly known as the Marine Institute. With affiliation and change in the leadership structure of the University, the leaders have transitioned from presidents to executive directors, to now vice-presidents of the University.

Presidents of the College of Fisheries, Navigation, Marine Engineering and Electronics, Parade Street Campus

1964 – 1968  Dr. William Hampton

1968 – 1984  Dr. C. Raymond Barrett

Presidents of the Newfoundland and Labrador Institute of Fisheries and Marine Technology (Marine Institute), Ridge Road Campus

1985 – 1989  David Vardy

1989 – 1991  Leslie O’Reilly (interim)

1991  Dr. Arthur May

Executive Directors of the Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University of Newfoundland

1992 – 2005  Leslie O’Reilly

2005 – 2011  Glenn Blackwood

Vice - Presidents of the Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University of Newfoundland

2011 – 2021  Glenn Blackwood

2021 – 2023  Dr. Robert Shea

2023 – Present  Dr. Paul Brett (pro tempore)