The National Institute of Marine Sciences and Technology (INSTM) is a public research institution. It dates back to 1924 when it was founded as the Salambo Oceanographic Station (SOS) and consisted of a research laboratory, a public museum, a library, and a reference collection gathering the different marine species. After Independence (1956), the former name SOS was changed to National Scientific and Technical Institute for Oceanography and Fisheries “INSTOP”. This period was been characterized by the creation of the La Goulette and Sfax annexes and the increasing number of research programs.

In 1992, the INSTOP was transferred from the supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture to that of the State Secretariat for Scientific Research and Technology. Since then, the institute name has changed again to become the National Institute of Marine, Sciences and Technologies.