Canada's first marine science laboratory was established in St. Andrews, New Brunswick, at the turn of the twentieth century, under the stewardship of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada.
Huntsman has been providing education and fostering stewardship for marine ecosystems for over a century. It didn’t take long for people to realize that Huntsman’s efforts were making a real difference and that the centre deserved government attention.
And as the interest in marine ecosystem sustainability and awareness grew, so too did our facilities and our importance in the community. Today, Huntsman benefits from modern technologies, but still very much embraces the legacy and procedures established back in 1908. Read on to view some of our milestones.
Due to its prime location in the Bay of Fundy, (what is now named) the St. Andrews Biological Station (SABS) is created.
Dr. Huntsman served as director of (what is now) the Fisheries and Oceans Canada Biological Station in St. Andrews from 1919 to 1944. Dr. Huntsman was one of Canada's most distinguished marine biologists.
A consortium of 20 universities, and several government departments, came together to form the Huntsman Marine Laboratory. From the early beginning came the idea that a completely separate, federally incorporated, non-profit, registered charitable organization should be established to become a "co-operative venture in learning" between governments and universities.
(What is now named) The federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans provided the site at Brandy Cove, consisting of 20 acres of land and two residential buildings (called the Ambridge Estate), which was contiguous with the Biological Station.
The provincial government assisted with the purchase of another 50 acres (the Sir Thomas Tait Estate) including a large home, Anderson House, which now provides accommodation for visiting students. The facility was officially opened in 1970 during the first Annual Meeting, with Dr. Huntsman cutting the ribbon.
A public Aquarium was opened in 1972.
The name was changed to "The Huntsman Marine Science Centre" (Huntsman).
The public Aquarium was torn down in 2010 to allow for a new aquarium facility, which opened in September 2011.