Created by decree of 5 June 1984, modified on 18 February 1998, Ifremer is a public institute of industrial and commercial nature. From January 2002, it will be placed under the joint supervision of four ministries: Research, Agriculture and Fisheries; Transport and Housing; Environment.
**Missions
Ifremer develops research, expertise and technologies in:
- the identification, evaluation, forecasting and sustainable exploitation of marine resources,
- the development of more efficient methods for the monitoring, behavioral forecasting, protection and enhancement of the marine and coastal environments
- the encouragement of the economic development of maritime activity.
**Key Figures
- An annual budget of nearly 150 million euros (2001)
- Personnel: Ifremer 1.385; Genavir (ship owner) 320
- 5 centres (Boulogne-sur-mer, Brest, Nantes, Toulon, Tahiti)
- 72 laboratories or research departments, located in 24 stations along the entire coastline of metropolitan France and in French overseas departments and territories
- A set of aquaculture rearing and experimental facilities
- 7 vessels (4 of them deep-sea vessels), 2 manned submersibles, 1 remotely-operated vehicle for deep sea explorations, a full set of test facilities
**Fields of Activity
- coastal environment management
- marine living resource management
- ocean research
- engineering and marine technology
- managing ocean research vessels and tools for underwater intervention
Priorities
- Study of climates, stream systems and ocean ecosystems to forecast and evaluate their natural evolution and the damages they undergo
- Knowledge of ocean floors related to sustainable exploitation of resources (offhore oil)
- Managing marine environment monitoring networks
- Developing marine biotechnologies
- Forecasting fisheries stocks and improving selectivity of fishing gear
