The José Benito Vives de Andréis Marine and Coastal Research Institute, INVEMAR is a non profit marine

Marine (ocean)

Marine is an umbrella term. As an adjective it is usually applicable to things relating to the sea or ocean, such as marine biology, marine ecology and marine geology...

 and coastal research institute

Research institute

A research institute is an establishment endowed for doing research. Research institutes may specialize in basic research or may be oriented to applied research...

 of Colombia

Colombia

Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...

, linked to the Ministry of Environment, Housing and Territorial Development

Ministry of Environment, Housing and Territorial Development

The Ministry of Environment, Housing and Territorial Development , is the national executive ministry of the Government of Colombia charged with determining and regulating the standards and guidelines for the protection of the environment, the improvement and availability of potable water, and the...

, charged with conducting basic and applied research on the natural renewable resources and the environment of coastal and oceanic ecosystems

Marine ecosystem

Marine ecosystems are among the largest of Earth's aquatic ecosystems. They include oceans, salt marsh and intertidal ecology, estuaries and lagoons, mangroves and coral reefs, the deep sea and the sea floor. They can be contrasted with freshwater ecosystems, which have a lower salt content. Marine...

of the seas adjacent to the national territory. INVEMAR formulates technical concepts on conservation and sustainable use of marine resources and assistance and scientific and technical support to the Ministry, territorial entities and Autonomous Regional Organizations.