The Centre for Marine Living Resources & Ecology (CMLRE), located in Kochi, Kerala, is a vital research institute under India's Ministry of Earth Sciences, dedicated to studying marine living resources and ecology. It notably manages and operates the Fishery Oceanographic Research Vessel (FORV) Sagar Sampada, a backbone for its research.

Established in 1998 by upgrading the Sagar Sampada cell, CMLRE was formed to implement the Marine Living Resources Programme, focusing on mapping, optimum utilization, and R&D of marine life. During the 9th and 10th Five-Year Plans (1998-2007), CMLRE coordinated the first systematic studies of marine life along India's shelf and continental slope waters, characterizing diverse organisms and contributing to a scientific study of the 2004 tsunami's impact on marine ecosystems.

Initially serving as a coordinating and fund-granting agency, CMLRE expanded its role during the 11th Plan (2007-2012) to include in-house R&D. Its research now encompasses a wide array of topics, from harmful algal blooms and deep-sea fisheries to isolating bioactive compounds from marine organisms. The Centre's overarching mandate is to develop ecosystem-based management strategies, strengthen marine research, and establish a data centre for information dissemination, including on Southern Ocean Living Resources.