MARE – Centre for Marine and Environmental Sciences is a research centre comprising eight Regional Research Units (URI) which brings together researchers from the following higher education institutions: University of Évora (MARE-UÉvora), University of Lisbon (MARE-ULisboa), New University of Lisbon (MARE-NOVA), the University of Coimbra (MARE-UCoimbra), the University of Leiria and the West (MARE-ULO), ISPA – University Institute (MARE-ISPA), the Polytechnic University of Setúbal (MARE-UNIPS) and the University of Madeira (MARE-Madeira).

MARE conducts interdisciplinary research to study aquatic ecosystems in an integrated manner, ranging from river basins to estuaries, coastal zones and the ocean. It is organised into seven thematic areas, promoting knowledge and innovation to address major environmental and societal challenges.

Research Areas and Research Groups:

Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning: i) Predator Ecology and Conservation; ii) Freshwater Ecology; iii) Marine Ecosystems; iv) Coastal Conservation and Biodiversity; v) Marine Bioacoustics and Animal Behaviour; vi) Phytoplankton Monitoring and Remote Sensing, vii) Evolutionary Genetics, viii) Benthic Systems: Assessment of Function and Diversity, ix) Fish Biology, Conservation and Management, x) Ecology and Conservation of Temperate Reefs, and xi) Marine Megafauna and the Deep Sea.

Hydraulics, Hydrology and Sedimentary Environment: i) Hydraulics, Aquatic Resources and Environment Laboratory, ii) Sedimentary Geology, and iii) Water Management and Hydraulic Engineering Laboratory.

Aquaculture and Fisheries: i) Aquaculture and Sustainable Marine Resources, ii) Fisheries Biology and Sustainability, and iii) Marine Fisheries Management.

Biotechnology and Resource Utilisation: i) Research and Innovation in Blue Foods, ii) Marine Ecology and Biotechnology, and iii) Environment, Biotechnology and Sustainable Energy.

Technological Tools for Exploration and Monitoring: i) Oceanographic Physics and ii) Marine Technology and Artificial Intelligence

Environmental Risk: i) Integrative Marine Biology and Global Change, ii) Environmental Impact and Monitoring, iii) Coastal Sustainability Research, iv) Marine Research and Environmental Risk, v) Waste, Water Engineering and Management, and vi) Climate Change and Human Pressures

Governance and Literacy: i) Ocean Governance and Sustainability, ii) Marine Conservation and Ecology, iii) Ocean Literacy Observatory, and iv) Ecosystem Services and the Blue Economy