In 1942, the University of Padova opened the Hydobiological Station, at San Domenico Island in Chioggia. Umberto D’Ancona, a pioneer of research on the ecosystems of the Venetian Lagoon and Northern Adriatic Sea, on natural stocks of commercial valuable species, on the reproductive biology of several teleost fish and the aquaculture raising of commercially valuable species, oversaw this opening. This marine station is now named after him. Since its foundation, many researches on marine and lagoon species have taken place in the Hydrobiological Station. These studies have expanded the knowledge on the biology, ecology and genetics of local organisms and, especially in recent years, they contributed to the setup of management strategies for a sustainable fishery. The Hydrobiological Station is an integral part of the Department of Biology of the University of Padova and the current supervisor is Dr. Laura Airoldi.