The Atlantic Oceanographic Laboratory was founded at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography (BIO, then temporarily renamed Bedford Institute) in 1968. From 1981 to 1987, its main divisions were: Chemical Oceanography, Coastal Oceanography, Metrology and Ocean Circulation.
History
In 1958 the Department of Mines and Technical Surveys opened a regional office for the Canadian Hydrographic Service in Halifax (Ralston building).
In 1961, a Marine Sciences Branch was created under the Department of Mines and Technical Surveys, combining operations of the Canadian Hydrographic Service and marine research programs in physical and geological sciences.
In 1962, the Bedford Institute of Oceanography (BIO) was created and existing staff from the Branch moved to its building, soon joined by new hires. The Branch was the lead agency for BIO and as such owned and operated the BIO buildings and ships. BIO also hosted the Atlantic Oceanographic Group of the Fisheries Board of Canada.
In 1963, both the Branch the the Atlantic Oceanographic Group (under the Fisheries Research Board) at BIO had a Physical Oceanography group. By 1965, it seems physical oceanography was no longer an activity of the Atlantic Oceanographic Group.
In 1968, the Atlantic Oceanographic Laboratory (AOL) was created within the Marine Sciences Branch (then under the Department of Energy, Mines and Resources).
In 1971, the AOL split in two: its Marine Geology and Marine Geophysics components went to form the Atlantic Geoscience Centre of the Geological Survey of Canada (today under Natural Resources Canada, still located at BIO) and its other components remained as AOL at BIO, but were transferred to the then-new Department of Environment (administratively).
The AOL remained under the part of the Department of Environment who became the Department of Fisheries and the Environment in 1976, and who yielded the Department of Fisheries and Oceans in 1979.
Those changes brought about a reorganization that saw hydrographic activities, originally within AOL's scope, transferred to an Atlantic regional branch of the Canadian Hydrographic Service at BIO by 1980.
In 1987 the AOL ceased to exist in name, following administrative changes, its mandate and staff were integrated were transfered to a new branch of BIO.
