Home MARINE BIODIVERSITY MUSEUM

The purpose of establishing the Marine Biodiversity Museum at CMFRI is to collect, preserve, catalogue and display of species occurring along the marine and coastal environments for the education of researchers and public. The Marine Biodiversity Museum, established at the Headquarters of the Institute offers a glimpse of the biodiversity of the Indian seas displaying specimens collected from estuaries and coastal and deeper waters. The collections, arranged systematically for a better understanding of the resources, attracts students, teachers, scientists and the general public hailing from different States and Union Territories of the country, the students forming more than 80% of the total visitors.

The Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Cochin was recognized as a ‘Designated National Repository’ by the Government of India, in December 2007 in consultation with the National Biodiversity Authority under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002. A Designated National Repository (DNR) is an Institution authorized to keep in safe custody specimens of different categories of biological material. Researchers in the field of Marine Sciences can now deposit their valuable holotype specimens (species new to science) and new records in the Marine Biodiversity Museum of CMFRI. Quoting the Accession Numbers given to the specimens, the findings can be reported in scientific journals of repute.

LIST OF MUSEUM HOLDINGS

VISITING THE MUSEUM

Visiting hours of Museum is 9.30 AM to 4.30 PM on all working days (Monday -Saturday). The admission fee to Museum is Rs. 20/- for adults and Rs.10/- for students. School/College/University student/visitors are requested to take prior permission from Director CMFRI, Cochin in advance. Museum is located in north end of sixth floor.

Apply online. /Download Application Form

CATALOGUE

The CMFRI established its first Marine Museum with reference collections at Mandapam. This served as an important source of study material for researchers from all over the country. Four catalogues were brought out on the specimens in the reference collections of the Museum in late 1960s, in the form of Bulletins.

Catalogue of sponges, corals, polychaetes, crabs and echinoderms 
Catalogue of fishes from the Laccadive Archipelago
Catalogue of molluscs, prawns, stomatopods and marine algae
Catalogue of fishes (excluding those from Laccadives)
Marine Biodiversity Museum (A Designated National Repository) Catalogue..

Two e-books on herbarium of Common Seaweeds and Sea grasses are available:

Common Seaweeds and Seagrasses of India Volume I
Common Seaweeds and Seagrasses of India Volume II

ACCESSION NUMBERS

CMFRI Museum offers Scientist / Researchers to deposit their valuable holotype / paratype specimens in the Museum. We will provide accession numbers to the specimens deposited in the Museum. The accession numbers can be utilized for publishing it in the referred journals. Scientist / Researchers are requested to submit their specimen along with a request to Head, Marine Biodiversity Division for obtaining the Accession Number. Format of the application form is attached. Before submitting we request to kindly go through the list of specimens given in the Museum Catalogue in order to avoid the duplication of the submission.

Download Application for Accession Number:

RECENT DEPOSITS