The Ancona office of the Institute of Marine Sciences (ISMAR) was founded in 1968 as a Research Institute on Maritime Fishing (IRPEM), with scientific expertise mainly linked to the world of fishing in the Adriatic.
Over the years, and following the merging into ISMAR with six other CNR Institutes in 2003, the site has considerably expanded its research skills and activities.
The most important areas of research, which are the biology of fishing, mariculture and artificial barriers, population dynamics of fish species, physical and chemical oceanography, marine microbiology, geology marina, marine acoustics, naval technology and fishing gear. These activities are carried out both in the Mediterranean (and more specifically in the Adriatic) and in ocean areas (Antarctica). Currently it has a staff of 77 people, divided between permanent staff (52) and 25 unstructured staff (grant holders, grant holders, CoCoPro / administration), moreover about 25 students in training as PhD students, undergraduates and trainees.
Scientific research is supported not only by laboratories of some important on-site infrastructures, such as a library of two workshops: mechanics and fishing nets, two naval units, G. Dallaporta (285 GRT) and Tecnopesca II (34.5 GRT).