1920’	Marine research began in Xiamen
1946	the first Department of Oceanography and Institute of Marine Research in China
1995	MEL (Lab of Marine Environmental and Ecological Sciences) was founded by the State Education Commission
1999	MEL was approved by the Ministry of Education
2000	MEL was endorsed jointly by Ministry of Education and Fujian Provincial Government
2005	MEL was promoted to the “State Key Lab of Marine Environmental Science”, supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST)
2010	MEL categorized as an excellent state key laboratory during a nation-wide review sponsored by the MOST
2015	MEL categorized as an excellent state key laboratory  for the second time during a nation-wide review sponsored by the MOST