MRRI Facilities
Marine Resources Research Institute
The
Institute is located at the Marine Resources Center near Charleston, SC.
Facilities include a 50,000 sq. ft. building that contains approximately 8000 sq. ft. of wet lab space,
10,000 sq. ft of dry laboratory space, a large classroom, a 150 seat auditorium, a computer center, and
a marine science library operated in cooperation
with the College of Charleston and NOAA's National Ocean Service.
Hollings Marine Laboratory
Other institute facilities include dedicated and cooperative research space in NOAA's Hollings Marine Laboratory, which is also located at the Marine Resources Center. The HML consists of approximately 32,830 square feet of state-of-the-art laboratory/bench space for analytical/environmental chemistry, aquaculture, scanning and transmission electron microscopes, cryogenic sample preparation and long term storage, and two BSL3 laboratories. Research programs located in dedicated SCDNR space within the HML include marine genomics, mariculture and disease testing, and harmful algal research. SCDNR staff have full access to all of the facilities located within the HML.
Waddell Mariculture Center
In addition to the facilities at the Marine Resources Center, the Institute operates the James M. Waddell Mariculture Research and Development Center at Bluffton, SC. Farming and husbandry of marine organisms offers opportunities for enhancement of commercial and recreational fisheries and production of fresh sea foods for SC residents and visitors. The WMC is one of the country's largest and most sophisticated aquaculture research facilities and includes 25 ponds ranging in size from 0.25 to 1.25 acres, a 10,000 sq ft research building, a 2,600 sq. ft. fish and shrimp maturation building, as well as indoor and outdoor replicated tank culture systems. Sea water systems can accommodate biosecure experimental systems through large scale production research. The center also has limited dormitory and conference room space and it serves as a center for SCDNR outreach and law enforcement for the southern coast. Internationally recognized award winning technologies developed at WMC provide advanced science based strategies for environmentally sound application of resource enhancement and seafood production systems.
Research Vessels
Research vessels available to Institute staff include:
- 110 ft. vessel suitable for deep water research
- 73 ft. trawler for coastal and offshore studies
- 50 ft vessel for estuarine and coastal studies
- 45 ft. catamaran for educational cruises
- numerous smaller boats ranging in size from 12 - 21 ft. for estuarine research.