Big impact through shared effortPartnerships
Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre (IOMRC)
IOMRC is a partnership that brings together four of Australia's leading research organisations working in and around the Indian Ocean: the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), the Commonwealth Science & Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), the WA Department of Primary Industries (DPIRD) and The University of Western Australia’s (UWA). The IOMRC partnership was established in 2010 with support from the Department of Education and Training.
The Minderoo OceanOmics Centre at UWA combines a joint Ocean Genomes Laboratory, an OceanOmics Laboratory, and a Computational Biology Program.
The OceanOmics program is advancing marine genomics and bioinformatics to combat threats to ocean health, through biodiversity monitoring programs.
Minderoo-UWA Deep-Sea Research Centre
The University of Western Australia and Minderoo Foundation have joined forces to establish a world leading deep-ocean research centre, to increase understanding about the deepest parts of the ocean through research at depths of six to eleven kilometres below the surface, known as the Hadal zone. The Minderoo-UWA Deep-Sea Research Centre has been supported with a major five-year grant from Minderoo Foundation’s Flourishing Oceans initiative, as part of its commitment to increasing knowledge of the deep sea and to return the oceans to a healthy, thriving state.
OceanWorks is part of the Woodside FutureLab network, and brings together a community of industry professionals, researchers and students to engage with current problems in ocean engineering and science. By working closely with industry partners, OceanWorks develops solutions that have significant impact on industry practices now and into the future. The OceanWorks fund provides support for small-scale prototype grants, as well as the RiverLab Masters student program, and community outreach activities.
The Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) is Australia’s tropical marine research agency. AIMS plays a pivotal role in providing large-scale, long-term and world-class research that helps governments, industry and the wider community to make informed decisions about the management of Australia’s marine estate.
The AIMS@UWA alliance will see a deeper collaboration between both institutions on tropical marine research.
CSIRO is Australia’s national science agency. Research in the CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere unit focuses on solutions that benefit Australia by improving the sustainable use and management of Australia’s marine estate and atmospheric environment. Our researchers in the IOMRC use observations and models to understand the dynamics and vulnerabilities of the coastal and marine environments of the Indian Ocean and develop solutions that inform sustainable use of these environments. Their skills include ecology, oceanography, biogeochemistry, mathematics, modelling, bio-optics, eco-genomics, informatics, data visualisation, ocean engineering and sensor deployment.
Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
The Department has adopted ecosystem-based fisheries management which recognises social, economic and ecological values to ensure the sustainable management of fisheries. It has facilitated Marine Stewardship Council sustainability certification for WA’s fisheries with ten fisheries certified. DPIRD’s Aquaculture Research and Development Team includes the disciplines of marine fish, marine shellfish, freshwater aquaculture and aquaculture health. The Team is responsible for six commercial/research hatcheries and laboratories between Albany and Geraldton that supply a range of species to industry and undertake cutting-edge research to support industry development.
The Western Australian Marine Science Institution (WAMSI) is an independent marine research collaboration, bringing together diverse expertise and resources from its member organisations to deliver collaborative, trans-disciplinary world-class research. Its publications and consultations help governments, industry and the wider community make informed decisions about the management of WA’s marine estate. WAMSI’s current program focus includes a Shared Environmental Analytics Facility for Cockburn Sound, a world first program to enable regional environmental products to be developed for the benefit of many different users; and a Science Plan for Shark Bay (Gathaagudu). In 2021, WAMSI partnered with Westport to undertake a major scientific program at Cockburn Sound, south of Perth. More than 150 researchers from WAMSI’s partnership have been working on 30 projects to inform environmental planning around the future container port. An essential element of WAMSI’s approach is capturing the voices of Traditional Owners in marine science plans, programs and partnerships, and moving forward together.
Since 2019, the Oceans Institute has collaborated with the City of Perth Library to host seminars on marine science for the public. An annual event, this series of public talks is an opportunity to learn more about our oceans and have included talks on whale sharks, kelp restoration, little penguins and more. We are excited to continue this popular series. Keep an eye out for these and similar events on our Events page.
Photo by Frances Andrijich, courtesy of the City of Perth.
The National Marine Science Committee is an advisory body linking high quality marine science and the sustainable growth and development of Australia’s blue economy. The Committee assists coordination and information-sharing between Australia's research institutions, universities, Commonwealth and State/Territory governments, and the broader Australian marine science community.
Want to Partner with us?
The Oceans Institute is always looking to connect with like-minded organisations and believe that big impact needs collective effort. If you would like to work with us on our next project to create sustainable and thriving oceans for all, we want to hear from you!