海南热带海洋学院崖州湾创新研究院（简称“创新院”）成立于2021年9月，是经海南省人民政府批准设立、由海南热带海洋学院与三亚崖州湾科技城管理局共建、具有独立法人资格的新型事业单位。创新院立足海南自由贸易港建设需求和学校高水平应用型海洋大学建设导向，依托崖州湾科技城科教、政策、产业优势和海南热带海洋学院学科、科研、人才优势，重点围绕水产南繁、热带海洋生态与蓝碳、深海探测与材料装备等主攻方向，开展理论创新、技术研发、成果转化和人才培养，是海南热带海洋学院高水平应用型海洋大学建设的重要组成部分，是支撑服务国家战略需求和地方经济社会发展的重要基地。

创新院下设水产南繁种质创新中心、热带海洋生态与蓝碳中心、深海探测与装备中心、智能应用场与数字南海中心等4个科研中心，中心下设7个科研团队，现有科研人员和管理人员103名，其中海南省领军人才8人，泰山产业领军人才1人，海南省拔尖人才22人，其他高层次人才72人。自成立以来，共获批和立项各级各类科研项目71项，科研经费近5512万元；发表高水平论文100篇，其中SCI收录40篇；专利30件，其中发明专利15项。科研人员获得海南省教学成果一等奖、省科技进步二等奖。

创新院充分凸显“热带”“海洋”特色，发挥自身优势，在水产养殖、海洋资源调查、渔业保护、乡村振兴、生态文明建设等领域广泛开展省市级产业规划编制、项目论证、环境影响评价、生态调查监测、生态修复维护、增值放流等社会服务，与国家海洋环境监测中心、海南省农业农村厅、海南国家公园研究院等近20家单位开展合作，服务范围遍及海南沿海各市县，并逐步向省外拓展，有效发挥了本土优势科研力量的示范引领作用，产生了重要的社会效益和经济效益。（更新于2023年12月）

Yazhou Bay Innovation Institute (The Innovation Institute, or YBII) of Hainan Tropical Ocean University was established in September 2021. It is a new type of institution with an independent juridical person, approved by the Government of Hainan Province and jointly established by Hainan Tropical Ocean University and Sanya Yachzhou Bay Science and Technology City. The Innovation Institute is based on the needs of Hainan Free Trade Port construction and the high-level application-oriented marine university construction. It relies on the scientific, educational, policies, and industrial advantages of Yachzhou Bay Science and Technology City and the disciplinary, scientific research, and talent advantages of Hainan Tropical Ocean University. It focuses on the main research directions of southern aquaculture breeding , tropical marine ecology and blue carbon sink, deep-sea exploration and R&D of material equipment. The Innovation Institute carries out theoretical innovation, technology research and development, technology achievement transformation, and talent cultivation. It is an important part of the construction of a high-level application-oriented marine university in Hainan Tropical Ocean University and a key base for supporting national strategic needs and local economic and social development.

The Innovation Institute consists of four research centers: the Aquaculture Breeding Germplasm Innovation Center, the Tropical Marine Ecology and Blue Carbon Center, the Deep-Sea Exploration and Equipment Center, and the Intelligent Application and Digital South China Sea Center. There are seven research teams under these centers, with a total of 103 researchers and management staff, including 8 leading talents in Hainan Province, 1 leading talent in the Taishan Industry, 22 top talents in Hainan Province, and 72 other high-level talents. Since Innovation Institute establishment, a total of 71 research projects at various levels have been approved and funded, with research funding of nearly 55.12 million yuan. They have published 100 high-level papers, including 40 SCI papers, and obtained 30 patents, including 15 invention patents. Some researchers receive award of the first prize for teaching achievements in Hainan Province and the second prize for scientific and technological progress in the province.

The Innovation Institute fully highlights the characteristics of "tropical" and "ocean," and leverages its own advantages to engage in a wide range of social services in fields such as aquaculture, marine resource investigation, fishery protection, rural revitalization, and ecological civilization construction. These services include provincial and municipal-level industrial planning, project demonstration, environmental impact assessment, ecological investigation and monitoring, ecological restoration and maintenance, and value-added release. The Innovation Institute cooperates with nearly 20 partners, its services cover various cities along the coast of Hainan, and gradually expand beyond the province, effectively demonstrating the leading role of local superior research strength and generating significant social and economic benefits.