Institute of Fisheries and Marine Ecology (IFME) was founded in Berdyansk in 1975, as the Berdyansk Office of the Research Institute Of The Azov Sea Fishery Problems (AzNIIRKH, in Rostov-on-Don). In 1991 on a base of Berdyansk Office of AzNIIRKH was created the Ukrainian Azov Research Fishery Station (UkrAzNIRS), which later, in 1996, was included as the Azov Branch to Southern Research Institute of Marine Fishery and Oceanography (YugNIRO).

In 2003 on the base of the Azov Branch of YugNIRO, by the decision of the Department for Fisheries of Ukraine, "Azov centre YugNIRO" was reorganised to status of independent state enterprise. That, from one side, was recognition of successes, high multifunctionness and modern scientific potential of the institution, and from other side gave new possibilities for expansion of spectrum of researches, searching of new forms of collaboration, both with domestic and with foreign partners.

December 7, 2010, Order of the State Committee for Fisheries of Ukraine № 544, in the town of Berdyansk established the Institute of Fisheries and Marine Ecology (IFME).

IFME was passed a way to status of one of leading scientific fishery research organizations on the basin of the Azov Sea.

Representatives of IFME participated in all sessions of the Ukrainian-Russian Commission for Fisheries in the Azov Sea (exactly this intergovernmental organ determines from 1993 year the joint ukrainian-russian policy for fisheries on the Azov Sea basin).

IFME takes part in working of national scientific organ of international convention CITES in Ukraine on the sturgeon fish species (the head institute YugNIRO, Kerch).

In IFME was created the laboratory of sturgeon pisciculture which is unique in Ukraine.

The spectrum of researches of the AzYugNIRO grows constantly, and now it includes these science directions:

• forecasting researches of water living resources of the Azov Sea;
• complex fish researches of the rivers, lakes and storage pools;
• artificial reproduction of natural fish populations en the Azov Sea basin;
• scientific developments in area of building of multifunction reefs in Azov Sea;
• researches in area of mathematical modelling of ecosystems of the Azov Sea basin;
• genetic researches;
• other.

Publications of specialists of IFME appear constantly in the leading special editions as "Fisheries of Ukraine", "Hydrobiological Journal", "Vestnik Zoologii", "Journal of Ichthyology» and other. Last years two monographs of AzYugNIRO are published: unique "Key-book of fishes of the Azov Sea" (authors - O. Diripasko, L. Izergin, E. Yanovsky and K. Demianenko) and book of E. Yanovsky "Fish of the Azov Sea". From the most representative successes for all period of activity of IFME it is possible to mark success of works which were conducted from 1978 year concerning acclimatization of haarder (Liza haematocheilus (Timminck et Schlegel, 1845)) in the Azov Sea basin. It is also possible to mention about the leading role of IFME in opening for the Ukrainian fishermens of commercial catch of pike perch (Sander lucioperca (Linnaeus, 1758)) and gobies (Gobiidae family). IFME worked for preparation of biological ground for prohibition of commercial fish catching of sturgeon fish in the Azov Sea basin.