Thirteen new Fellowships were sanctioned during the financial year 1998-99 in addition to 40 continuing ones covering different disciplines like Marine Living Resources, Microbial Diversity in Marine Ecosystem, Geo-Chemical Studies of Estuaries and Shelf, etc.

For promotion of front-ranking research in Ocean Science & Technology and related human resources development, three more Ocean Science & Technology Cells(OSTCs), in addition to the 5 OSTCs set up during 1997-98, were added at:

* Tamil University, Thanjavur - Beach Placers
* Annamalai University, Chidambaram - Marine Biology
* Cochin University of S & T, Kochi - Marine Benthos

In the 5 OSTCs set up in 1997-98 in the areas of Marine Geology and Geophysics; Marine Microbiology; Marine Coastal Ecology - West Coast; Marine Coastal Ecology - East Coast; and Coastal Marine Culture Systems 32 projects are approved for implementation. These OSTCs would eventually develop into Centres of Excellence in their respective fields.