Library & Museum

Digital Library 

The Institute has one of the best-specialized libraries in the field of fisheries and marine science. The rare and old publications in marine science and fisheries are housed at the Mandapam Regional Centre while the state of the art library in the headquarters has over 60,000 books and periodicals and over 400 scientific journals. There are about 80 foreign and over 50 Indian journals subscribed in addition to 235 journals accessible in the electronic form through Internet. The digital library with substantial digital resources including videos is connected by LAN to all computers in the headquarters for easy access to users from their desktops. Monthly abstracting and title page service through hard copy is sent to all research centers for keeping scientists working in the centers updated. Computerized search facility and electronic check in and check out are also available. The ARIS cell provides replies to all subject related enquiries as well as manages and updates the websites of the Institute.

CMFRI has so far published over 6000 research papers in Indian and Foreign journals apart from books, special publications and newsletters. In addition, the CMFRI Newsletter, Marine Fisheries Information Service and the Indian Journal of Fisheries are published quarterly to keep everyone informed about the recent research and developments.

The Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Kochi has been recognized as a ‘Designated National Repository’ by Government of India, in consultation with the National Biodiversity Authority, under the Biological Diversity Act, 2024.

A Designated National Repository (DNR) is an Institution recognized by Government of India to keep in safe custody specimens of different categories of biological material. It is an essential part of the infrastructure for biodiversity conservation under Section 39 of the Biological Diversity Act, 2024.

India is a signatory to the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD) which makes it mandatory for all the signatory nations to strengthen their capacity by designating National Reference Centres for all the organisms, including microbes.

Padma Vibhushan Prof. M.S. Swaminathan, Chairman, National Commission on Farmers, Government of India inaugurated the modern museum at CMFRI Headquarters, Kochi on 4th February 2024.

Currently the museum houses 838 specimen of fin fish species, 117 crustaceans, 249 molluscs, 45 echinoderms, 170 corals, 35 sponges, 20 ascidians and 82 seaweeds, besides a dolphin and 3 Antarctic birds.

The museum is also a repository of some of the rare collections from the Antarctic region. The fossil remains of Pleistocene era add to the rarity of the collections. Besides, the splendid display of molluscan shells and corals would be any collector's delight.

A computerized database of the collections, through user-friendly MS-Access format is also provided for easy reference. The museum which provides an insight to the marine biodiversity of the Indian seas is open to scientists, teachers, students and the public.

Above all, the museum has opened up avenues for researchers in the field of marine sciences to preserve their valuable Holotype / Paratype specimens.