HISTORY

The Port Royal Marine Laboratory was founded in 1955 by Professor of Zoology, Dr. David Steven and was then sited at the Old Naval Dockyard, Port Royal. The present facility was built five years later by monies given to the University by the Commonwealth Development Welfare Fund. Further expansion between 1962-1964 saw the creation of the present research facility.

LOCATION

The Laboratory is ideally situated at the end of the Palisadoes Tombolo (Figure 1) and within easy reach of a number of habitats and interesting research areas.  The Port Royal Cays and the Hellshire coast provide coral reef, seagrass and mangrove habitats in relatively pristine conditions.  The Kingston Harbour and the Port Royal Mangrove area has mangrove forests and lagoons and seagrass habitats in areas of high productivity.  The water column of these areas also provide opportunity for study of planktonic communities, fisheries etc.

THE  PLANT

The Port Royal marine Laboratory covers an area of 0.5 acres and a floor area of 416 m².  This includes 6 laboratories and an aquaculture facility of ~ 186 m² area, built in 1990; a gift from European Economic Union.   The laboratory has two large concrete docks and a small wooden dock all of which are in excellent condition.  There is a 4 m wide slipway for removing small boats.
 

BOATS

The Laboratory has 4 boats (Plates 2 – 5) which carry the necessary safety equipment including a 25 w VHF Marine radio, 5 w handheld radios (X3)

LABORATORY FACILITIES:

The laboratory boasts a Wet lab with seating for ~ 30 students equipped with 8, 0.5m² fibreglass seawater tanks with running seawater.  A reading room (dry lab) with seating for 15 students.- Marine research reprints, field guides.  In addition there are 4 other research labs which can accommodate small groups of researchers (4-6).  We can provide miscellaneous laboratory equipment.  E.g. dissecting microscopes, balances, drying oven.

PRML is not a resident facility, however there are 2 small dormitories which together can accommodate 5 persons for a short time.  Researchers can make arrangements to stay at the Morgan’s Harbour Hotel which is in walking distance of the Laboratory.
 

PERSONNEL:

The PRML provides boatmen for transporting researchers to sites and assisting researchers while work is being conducted from the boat or in the water.  Special arrangements have to be made for technical assistance outside of that involving the above.  The activities of the boatmen and scheduling are coordinated by the scientific officer Mr. Marlon Hibbert.
 

FEE STRUCTURE

Bench fees secure use of a reasonable amount of both wet and dry laboratory space (including space in the Hatchery), the use of laboratory equipment and having continuous running seawater for experiments.  Fees are quoted in US$.

Prepared by M. Webber(Coordinator), Oct. 2003