Dalian Ocean University is a university jointly established by the State Oceanic Administration and the People's Government of Liaoning Province. The first batch of pilot universities for the reform of the national education and training plan for outstanding talents in agriculture and forestry was originally one of the four fisheries universities directly under the Ministry of Agriculture. It is the only multi-disciplinary institution of higher learning in the north of China, which is characterized by the discipline of marine fisheries and has the coordinated development of industry, agriculture, science, management, literature, law, economics and art.

Dalian Ocean University was formerly the Northeast Fisheries Technical School founded by 1952. 1978 was upgraded to Dalian Fisheries College, and it was renamed Dalian Ocean University in March of October. The school was originally a college directly under the Ministry of Agriculture, and was placed under the management of Liaoning Province by the Ministry of Agriculture in 2000. On March 20 10, the People's Government of Liaoning Province and the State Oceanic Administration signed an agreement to jointly build Dalian Ocean University.

As of May 20 18, the school has three campuses, namely Huanghai Campus, Bohai Campus and Wafangdian Campus, covering an area of 800,000 square meters, with a sea area of 670,000 square meters for teaching and research and a total construction area of 400,000 square meters. The school now has 19 colleges and 1 teaching department. Faculty 1220, full-time students 14000.