Class: 640-02/10-02/0006 File No.: 355-02-04-10-0001

2. BASIC CONCEPTS AND FOCUS OF THE SCIENTIFIC ACTIVITIES

2.1. The mission and focus of scientific activity

The mission of the Institute is achieved through:

- research led by new ideas and curiosity,

- professional activities, technological development and cooperation with industry,

- provision and maintenance of oceanographic and fishery services,

- knowledge transfer and education.

Vision of the Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries is to become the National Centre for Marine and Fisheries in the Republic of Croatia, and to become an indispensable element and focal point for oceanographic and fishery research activities related to the Adriatic Sea. Realization of the vision of the Institute involves the creation of human and infrastructural capacity necessary to achieve the mission of the Institute and the implementation of specific objectives, in particular:

- establishment of new research activities based on interdisciplinarity,

- mobility of scientists, outside and inside the Institute,

- strengthening of technical and managerial personnel, and administrative support,

- meeting of strategic infrastructure needs.

The focus of scientific and research activity of the Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries is based on the following assumptions:

- scientific productivity and excellence - an essential component of the Institute as a research center in natural and biotechnical sciences, is the implementation of national and international criteria defining productivity, relevance, visibility and excellence of scientific research. This primarily refers to the publication of scientific and other papers in international “peer-review” journals, which are based on quantified parameters of productivity and excellence to institutions and individuals, but also other products of scientific research, such as reports on the assessment of fish populations in the Adriatic and the possibilities of aquaculture development, as important determinants of the national policy of Croatian, and other items.

- multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research - as scientists Institute included several scientific fields, and performs research covering a wide range of marine sciences (physics, chemistry and marine biology, sedimentology and marine geology, fisheries, aquaculture), through the cooperation of individuals, laboratories and research groups is achieved multidisciplinary research activities, such as product research and development of interdisciplinary research required to solve certain problems that traditional discipline can not be fully resolved.

- research led by new ideas - the Institute is highly multidisciplinary and therefore there is a basis for the development of inventive and innovative research activities, in terms of transfer of knowledge, methodologies and capacity between different scientific fields and branches. Admittedly, such studies require appropriate and systematic research resources that are unfortunately not adequate to the level of either the Institute or the Republic of Croatia, but certain activities and "resourcefulness" in innovative research, already exists in the Institute research, which is identified in the Institute Development Strategy, 2011-2020.

- Monitoring Programs in the Adriatic Sea - one of the important roles of the Institute as a potential national center of marine science; resources and expertise in oceanographic monitoring programs and fishing properties and changes and trends in the Adriatic Sea. Institute is the only one in Croatia performing ongoing research of fish stocks in the Adriatic Sea (projects PELMON, VPA, DemMon, MEDITS, ADRIAMED), toxic shellfish (shellfish toxicity monitoring the breeding areas), and through national programs, "Project Adriatic" and "Pag-Konavle" performs monitoring of oceanographic, environmental and other characteristics of the open sea and coastal waters in most parts of the Croatian coast.

- professional studies, surveys and expertise - making ecological studies, environmental studies, or other studies, and the bottom in the coastal zone (e.g. wastewater discharge, study and expertise to the customer, for a variety of hydro and other objects in the sea, the sea underwater installations, making the pier and other facilities, determine the location of fish farms) is one of the important features of the professional activities of the Institute.

- cooperation and participation in national and international professional agency - Institute as a whole and its individual employees, is participating in various national and international bodies, such as the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC), where the Institute is the National Center for the Republic Croatia; the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM), in which experts of the Institute are involved in making decisions relevant to the Fisheries Policy of Croatian Republic and the International Commission for the Scientific Exploration of the Mediterranean (CIESM) where in the Board of Directors the Institute has always had its Representative. Also, it is important to mention the cooperation and participation of experts of the Institute in national scientific and professional bodies and agencies, such as the National Council for Science and related councils and committees, and the Environmental Protection Agency.

- training and education - the Institute and its researchers participate actively in the implementation of several undergraduate and graduate students in the Republic of Croatia, such as “Biology and ecology of the Sea” and “Marine Fisheries” organized by the University Study Centre for Marine Studies, University of Split, and various courses to more natural and biotechnological studies of various Croatian universities. The Institute also participates in the organization and execution of two post-graduate studies (doctoral studies) and “Applied Marine Sciences” at the University of Split and Dubrovnik, and in collaboration with the Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Zagreb and Rudjer Bošković Institute from Zagreb organize doctoral studies in Oceanology. Institute as a whole has a strong interest in organizing and conducting graduate programs, because it allows the strengthening of human capacity and quality recruitment of young researchers which is necessary for the qualitative development of the Institute. Therefore, the Institute took over the postgraduate studies "Applied Marine Sciences", which allows the acquisition of competencies and skills in marine science, and encourages interdisciplinary research of young scientists. In addition, last year began the Institute participation in the organization and performing of international postgraduate studies “Erasmus Mundus Master of Science in Ecohydrology” where a part of lectures of the fourth semester is held in the Institute.

- popularization of science - a dialogue between scientists and the public, promotion of research at the Institute and informing the public is one of the major determinants of the Institute. The Institute's scientists are often invited as guests in print and other media, even abroad. Popularization of the Institute also takes place through targeted activities, such as the Festival of Science, and similar manifestations.

An interdisciplinary approach to research of the Adriatic is constant throughout the 80-year history of the Institute, of course, in harmony with all the trends in science and the environment in which the Institute has worked. Therefore, the Institute has a tradition, competence and excellence in their work, which is a prerequisite for defining the strategic guidelines for future development of the Institute as a center of excellence in science and marine sciences.