Vermilion Sea Field Station

  • Vermilion Sea Field Station (VSFS) is a long-standing hub for marine and coastal field science located in Bahía de los Ángeles, Baja California, Mexico. In continuous use since 1974, VSFS hosts university field courses, research projects, and community-science programs focused on the rich biodiversity of the Gulf of California, including whale sharks, seabirds, sea turtles, and desert ecosystems. The station also supports Aventureros, a year-round local youth program that integrates science, leadership, and conservation. Facilities are simple and rustic but well-suited for immersive, hands-on learning in a small fishing community on the edge of a biosphere reserve.

  • Latin America
  • Mexico
  • Bahia de los Angeles
  • BC
  • 22980
  • 28
  • 113
  • info@vermilionseainstitute.org
  • https://vermilionseainstitute.org/
  • 1974
  • Heidi Malizia
  • heidi@vermilionseainstitute.org
  • Director of Programs
  • Meghann McDonald
  • mmcdonald@vermilionseainstitute.org
  • Meghann McDonald
  • mmcdonald@vermilionseainstitute.org
  • 1-100
  • Other
  • Yes
  • 3-5
  • 6-10
  • 21-50
  • 26-50
  • On Grid
  • 0-20 minutes
  • Onsite public programs
  • Terrestrial
  • Intertidal - salt marsh, pelagic, benthic, abyssal
  • Desert
  • 0-100 meters
  • 751-1500 meters
  • B (arid)
  • Rural
  • Yes
  • Yes
  • 40
  • 20
  • 40
Year Founded
1974
Year Joined OBFS
Size of Field Station (hectares)
1-100
FSML Web Address
https://vermilionseainstitute.org/

Private nonprofit organization?
Yes
Universities affiliated / Parent Organization
No
Federal, state, or local governmental partners?
Other:
Member of the Virtual Field
No

Additional Information

Private nonprofit organization?
Names of Universities affilated
0
Federal, state, or local governmental partners?
Other
Name of partner
Tribal partners/users
No
MSI/HBCU users
Yes
Community College users
Member of the Virtual Field
No

Visiting a FS/ML

Open to the Public
Yes
Year round staff
3-5
Seasonal staff
6-10
Overnight housing facilities/# of beds
21-50
Distance to emergency services
0-20 minutes
Library
Yes
Hiking trails
Internship employment
Yes

Environmental Information

Biomes
Intertidal - rocky, Intertidal - sandy, and Intertidal - salt marsh, pelagic, benthic, abyssal
Minimum Elevation
0-100 meters
Maximum Elevation
751-1500 meters
Köppen climate classification
B (arid)
Freshwater habitats
No
Urban or rural
Agricultural fields
No

Research

REU host station
No
Dry lab space
Yes
Wet Lab space
Research vessels available
Yes
GIS capacity on site
Long term data sets
Yes
On site herbarium or voucher species
Formal Data Management Plan
Mesocosms, plots, stream diversions, or other sets ups for outdoor manipulative experiments
Yes
Date Joined OBFS
February 16, 2026