The new Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre (IOMRC) will boost marine science capacity in Australia.

A collaborative project

The IOMRC is a collaboration that brings together four of Australia's leading research organisations working in and around the Indian Ocean. These are the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), CSIRO, the UWA Oceans Institute, and the Department of Fisheries. 

Through the IOMRC, the partner organisations are developing new multi-disciplinary research teams and creating a graduate training environment that will significantly advance Australia's marine science capacity, capability, and profile.

By integrating the research strengths of the partners, the IOMRC will be able to address greater challenges, risks and opportunities in the sustainable and safe use of marine resources, and in the conservation of the Indian Ocean's biodiversity.

The IOMRC will build Australia's potential for international competitiveness through stimulating innovative research and the teaching and training of next generation researchers and will be the largest marine research institution in the Southern Hemisphere and the largest marine research capability in the Indian Ocean Rim.

Infrastructure

As part of the collaboration, the partners are developing new marine research facilities. The project, led by The University of Western Australia, will see a significant upgrade to the Watermans Bay Marine Centre. These upgrades will also complement future plans for a new facility to be built at UWA. Collectively the buildings will be known as the Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre.

Support and funding

Funding support for the development of the IOMRC facilities comes from the partners and the Australian Government, through the Commonwealth Education Investment Fund.

The Western Australian Government, through the Department of Fisheries, strongly supports Indian Ocean marine research and is a key stakeholder in the Waterman facility.

Collaborative partners

Australian Institute of Marine Science

AIMS is committed to the protection and sustainable use of Australia's marine resources. The IOMRC component has a primary focus on the pristine Ningaloo Marine Park in WA and northwest Australia.

 

CSIRO

CSIRO is Australia's national science agency. CSIRO manages the Marine National Facility - RV Southern Surveyor, and a number of marine and atmospheric collections. The research effort at CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research is delivered largely through CSIRO's Wealth from Oceans Flagship, and with the Bureau of Meteorology through The Centre for Australian Weather and Climate Research. The Wealth from Oceans Flagship focuses on understanding Australia's oceans and their biodiversity, resources, and relationships with the climate system and provides CSIRO's contribution towards national challenges where oceans play a central role.

 

WA Department of Fisheries

The Department of Fisheries in Western Australia manages the state's fish, marine, and acquatic resources to world-class standards to conserve, develop, and share the fish and other living acquatic resources of WA - for the benefit of present and future generations.