Due to its geographic location, Rimouski offers an exceptional natural framework which is favourable for the development of marine sciences. The immediate area boasts a unique concentration of researchers. By integrating these researchers within diverse reasearch programmes, the Institut des sciences de la mer de Rimouski (ISMER) contributes to the exceptional vitality of marine research.

Located on the campus of the Université du Québec à Rimouski (UQAR) and composed of researchers and specialists whose expertise covers the main areas of coastal oceanography; the Institut des sciences de la mer de Rimouski offers a diverse and integrated research programme. Therefore students have access to expertise that only finds its equal in the largest North American research centres.

The Institute contributes to the improvement of student's (M.Sc and Ph.D) academic training and to that of research, by reinforcing the synergy between fundamental and applied research. In this way it favours the significant increase of Quebec contributions to large national and international programmes and the collaborations with several canadian and foreign universities. The Institute is therefore a research catalyst in the marine sciences field in Rimouski.