
Under the slogan “Colombia 50% Ocean,” the Marine and Coastal Research Institute of Colombia (INVEMAR) operates as a nonprofit civil corporation governed by private law and its internal statutes. Its core mission is to conduct fundamental and applied research on renewable natural resources, the environment, and marine and oceanic ecosystems within Colombia’s territorial waters. INVEMAR provides technical expertise, scientific advice, and support to the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, as well as other key decision-makers.
With facilities strategically located in Santa Marta and San Antero, Cordoba, on the Caribbean coast and Buenaventura on the Pacific coast, INVEMAR strives to establish itself as a premier research institution. The institute is dedicated to advancing public policies that safeguard Colombia’s marine biodiversity and coastal ecosystems. To fulfill its mission, INVEMAR operates through four specialized research programs and two coordinating units:
- Valuation and Sustainable Use of Marine and Coastal Resources: This program assesses the biological, economic, and social potential of marine and coastal resources, focusing on their conservation and sustainable use. It also addresses key areas such as the fishery value chain, ecotourism, sustainable fishing practices, and bioprospecting.
- Marine Biodiversity and Ecosystems: This program leads national efforts to inventory marine biodiversity and analyze the structure and function of ecosystems at various biological levels. It manages the Makuriwa Museum, Colombia’s only institution dedicated to the curation of marine specimens.
- Marine Environmental Quality: This program aims to understand the environmental stressors affecting marine and coastal ecosystems, identifying their causes and impacts while proposing preventive and mitigation measures. Research areas include mangrove restoration, marine pollution, plastics and microplastics, and ocean acidification.
- Marine and Coastal Geosciences: Focusing on the physical and oceanographic forces that shape marine ecosystems, this program explores topics such as nature-based solutions, coastal erosion, and oceanography to improve understanding of ecosystem interactions with the marine environment.
INVEMAR’s coordinating units include:
- Coordination of Marine and Coastal Management Research: This unit fosters scientific and technological research projects that contribute to the effective management and planning of marine and coastal areas. It manages data for policy decision-making and collaborates with national and international entities to support marine governance. Additionally, the unit translates scientific findings into accessible formats for social media and web communications.
- Coordination of Scientific Services: INVEMAR offers specialized scientific advisory services to private enterprises, government agencies, and environmental organizations, providing studies, diagnostics, and monitoring of the physicochemical properties of water, sediments, and marine communities to assess and mitigate human impacts on marine and coastal ecosystems.
As Colombia’s designated training center for UNESCO’s Ocean Teacher Global Academy, INVEMAR enhances regional professional capabilities in areas such as ocean acidification, blue carbon, data management, and marine spatial planning. The institute also integrates traditional and scientific knowledge to support local communities.
Through these initiatives, INVEMAR remains at the forefront of scientific and technological research, contributing to the sustainable management and conservation of Colombia’s marine and coastal territories. The Institute continues to play a pivotal role in generating information for shaping national and international marine policies to ensure the long-term protection of Colombia’s marine and coastal environment.
To learn more:
Visit our website: www.invemar.org.co
Connect with us on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/invemar/
Find us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@invemar
