Southern California Marine Institute
The Southern California Marine Institute (SCMI) is a multi-campus research facility and non-profit oceanographic institution headquartered in Terminal Island, California. History. In the late 1960s, marine scientists working at six campuses of the CSU system in the Los Angeles basin (Dominguez Hills, Fullerton, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Northridge, and Cal Poly Pomona) proposed the formation of an institute that would provide the advancement of marine programs. It was until 1971, when the university system decided to purchase the naval vessel R/V Nautilus for that specific purpose. In 1972, the creation of the Southern  California Ocean Studies Consortium (SCOSC) was approved by the Trustees and the Presidents of the founding campuses and the operation of the R/V Nautilus floating marine laboratory began. The University of California Los Angeles is in partnership with the Institute, thereby increasing marine research in Los Angeles, and providing educational opportunities for its students. Membership. The eleven institutions in the Southern California Marine Institute consortium are: Research vessels. SCMI operates a fleet of two research vessels, the 76-foot R/V "Yellowfin" and the 64-foot R/V "Sea Watch".