The Faculty of Biosciences and Aquaculture (FBA) research station at Mørkvedbukta is idyllically located just ten minutes from the center of Bodø and a 15‑minute walk from the Nord University campus. Here, at the meeting point between fjord, coastal nature, and modern research, an active academic and research environment has been established, attracting students, researchers, and partners from both Norway and abroad.
A modern center for research and education
Mørkvedbukta Research Station was established as a field station in 1988 and has since developed into a full‑scale, modern research facility. Today, the station includes offices, classrooms, laboratories, experimental halls, and a dedicated base for research vessels—everything designed for advanced research and hands‑on learning.
Both internal and external clients can carry out projects and experiments to a high standard. The station offers flexible solutions for both short‑term and long‑term studies, with a strong emphasis on quality, safety, and professional support.
Practical teaching and academic development
Several of FBA’s study programs use the research station as an integrated part of their teaching. Students gain practical experience in areas such as fieldwork, aquaculture and fish husbandry, laboratory analysis, and experimental research.
Through close contact with researchers and technical staff, students gain insight into how science is conducted in practice. The dynamic and international environment also provides excellent opportunities for collaboration, learning, and academic development across disciplines.
Facilities for the research of the future
The research station is equipped to meet a wide range of experimental needs. It includes:
- Experimental halls with access to both seawater and freshwater
- RAS facilities (recirculating aquaculture systems) for controlled experiments
- Tanks and aquaria adapted to various temperature and water‑quality requirements
- Licenses to keep most relevant species of fish, shellfish, and benthic organisms
- Modern laboratories for microalgae, ecology, cell biology, chemical analyses, and more
A wide variety of fish species is always available for teaching and experiments—from early life stages to larger individuals.
The short distance to campus also makes it easy to combine experimental work at the station with activities in FBA’s state‑of‑the‑art laboratories on the university grounds.
A growing academic environment
With its unique location, extensive infrastructure, and strong academic community, Mørkvedbukta Research Station is an attractive place for collaboration, research, and education. Students, researchers, industry partners, and international collaborators come together here to develop new knowledge in biology, aquaculture, and environmental sciences—directly connected to the natural environment that forms the basis of the research.
The different research groups are conducting many projects every year. In 2014, 20 experiments were completed distributed on master's theses, projects in co-operation with the industry and larger research projects with both national and international participation and funding. In addition to experiments on unconventional feed components, intestinal health, stress and welfare on salmon in seawater, there has been an increasing activity on early stages of salmon in fresh water. The experiments have also included spotted wolffish and lumpfish as new commercial farmed species and the use of zebrafish as model species.
The staff at Mørkvedbukta research station holds a high, varied and relevant biological and technical expertise, and they support the scientific staff in solving most challenges. The staff also have extensive knowledge about a variety of aquatic organisms and water technical infrastructure.
The research station maintains an active research- and competence environment, where our internal and external clients get to carry out their projects and analyses with high standards. The environment is dynamic and international, which in turn builds a solid foundation for exchange and development of knowledge in different fields of marine sciences.
Tanteyen 2
Tanteyen 2 is a modern and functional research and teaching vessel, developed to meet the university’s needs in coastal research, fieldwork, and education. The vessel combines advanced technical equipment with a high degree of flexibility, safety, and environmental consideration.
General specifications:
- Total length: 14.7 metres, built in composite material
- Beam: 3.7 metres
- Draught: 0.80 metres – well suited for coastal waters
- Certified for limited coastal operations
- Capacity: 15 persons, with seating for 8
- Sleeping and rest facilities for up to 3 persons in separate cabins
- Fully equipped kitchen and sanitary facilities
- Lightweight (without passengers, fuel, freshwater, or cargo): 12,260 kg
Propulsion and manoeuvring:
- Two engines with dynamic positioning system (DP)
Energy, operation, and comfort:
- Tank capacity: 1,100 litres of diesel, plus tanks for freshwater, hot water, and blackwater
- Heating systems adapted to northern Norwegian conditions
- 12 kW diesel generator
- Extensive battery system for stable and energy‑efficient operation
Research and field equipment:
- Two hydraulic winches: hydrographic winch (900 m wire) and winch with signal cable (600 m)
- A‑frame and deck crane powered by an electric power pack
- Nortek vessel‑mounted current profiler (500 kHz)
At the end of 2014, new facilities specifically designed for marine biological research were completed at the Mørkvedbukta Research Station. The facilities are primarily tailored to the needs of the Marine Ecology research group, but they also complement existing facilities in the same building, such as the feed laboratory and the teaching laboratory. The new additions include a laboratory (32 m²), an instrument room/lab (15 m²), a washroom/glass storage area, and a general storage room. The laboratories are equipped with fume cupboards and ventilated chemical and fire‑safety cabinets, as well as articulated extraction arms at each workstation. Additional equipment will include, among other things, stereo microscopes with cameras, a plankton scanner, and drying cabinets.
The facilities are located directly adjacent to the field station’s reception area, which is a wet room adapted for receiving marine samples. From here, it is only about 50 metres to the station’s quay facilities, making the location ideal for the rapid and efficient processing of samples collected during field cruises. This will help ensure the high quality of the research carried out.
