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20 MTR March 2006 The Executive Director of Memorial University's Fisheries and Marine Institute in St. John's has already worked well past closing time. It's evening now and Glen Blackwood, a marine biologist by profession, is still in suit and tie, ready to meet parents of first year students. But he's more than willing to squeeze in some time to talk about the school, and its role in building a flourish- ing marine and ocean technology sector that is making waves in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, and other communities on the province's Avalon Peninsula. "We're the best kept secret in the country," says Blackwood about the Marine Institute, the largest of its kind in North America. Blackwood is not only talking about the Marine Institute, he's referring to the city's under-the-radar status as a hotbed of ocean and marine technology. St. John's has a concentration of some of the most renowned research and development facilities in the world. The National Research Council Institute for Ocean Technology (NRC-IOT) evaluates the design of vessels and offshore structures in its ice tank, towing tank and offshore engineering basin. The IOT's wave tank is used regularly to test yacht designs for Americas Cup syn- dicates. Memorial University's Ocean Sciences Center is a lead- ing Canadian cold oceans research facility. The Marine Institute has a flume tank that looks at how currents affect nets and fishing gear and C-CORE specializes in ice engi- neering and other activities related to natural resource industries. That's just the tip of the iceberg, so to speak. Many of these facilities are one of a kind and cater to an interna- Region Report Ocean Excellence Anchors in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador St. John's, the capital city of Newfoundland and Labrador, boasts a mature and comprehensive concentration of marine technology research and development performers and companies. MTR#2 (17-32).qxd 2/27/2006 1:06 PM Page 20
