The Pointe-au-Père Aquaculture Laboratory, situated on the south shore of the St.Lawrence estuary, is the a key component in the research activities of the marine scientific community.

Constructed in 1990 under the auspices of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, the laboratory has an excellent supply of sea-water and is suited for all types of marine biological studies. It serves as a focal point for many institutions, organizations and research workers engaged in estuarine and aquaculture studies.

• the sea-water is fed by gravity from a 500 m³ reservoir;
• a gravel-bed is used for filtration;
• water is drawn from the estuary at a depth of 10m;

• 7 individual experimental rooms supplied with fresh water, sea-water and compressed air;
• 1 large area for experimental tanks;
• a room of the basins;
• 3 controlled-temperature rooms;
• 1 greenhouse.

• offices;
• an instrument laboratory;
• a multipurpose room for conferences, courses, meetings;
• a workshop;
• a storage area.

The research staff of the Institut des sciences de la mer de Rimouski (ISMER), as well as scientists from other universities and the private sector, pursue a variety of research studies in the laboratory. In particular, there are several projects underway relating to the aquaculture of salmonids species and marine molluscs, the physiology of marine phytoplankton and marine ecotoxicology - the latter studies being carried out in experimental mesocosms.

The research community of the Institute wishes to make this excellent facility available to others outside the region who may be interested in developing research projects in this estuarine environment. A variety of working arrangements, whether they be in the form of services or joint research projects, can be concluded with private or public organizations. A users committee has been established to examine and suggest the best possible arrangements.

- Le ministère de l'Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l'Alimentation du Québec (MAPAQ),
- Pêches et Océans Canada,
- Québec Océan
- l'Institut national de la recherche agronomique (INRA) (France),
- l'Université Laval,
- l'Université McGill.

All request for services or information should be sent to the manager of the laboratory, Réal Fournier, who will be pleased to provide details of costs and other matters.