The CSOL is joined voluntarily by the scientists and technologists in marine and lake sciences. It is a non-profit corporate and a scholarly organization. Affiliated to China Association for Science and Technology(CAST), CSOL plays important roles in developing the nation's marine and lake sciences and technologies. Currently, CSOL has membership of nearly 8,000 people, comprising 15 professional committees, nine local chapters, and four working committees.

The CSOL's mission includes:

(1) To carry out academic exchanges in the relevant disciplines, and to organize scientific research activities in major academic subjects;

(2) To carry out international exchanges in marine and lake fields, and to promote the relationship and friendship among government, local community, and foreign agencies;

(3) To provide professional advice and consultation to policy-makers for national regulative and strategic planning in politics, economics, and science; offer professional evaluation, assessment, or authentification for research programs and academic/technical promotion applications, as well as to review or authorize the standardization and publication of regarding official documents;

(4) To support and motivate scientific and technical people to devote themselves into country's resource exploration and economic development;

(5) To supervise the compilation and publication of three journals: "Chinese Journal of Oceanology and Limnology", "Oceanologia et Limnologia Sinica " (in Chinese), and "Journal of Lake Sciences" (in Chinese), as well as other scientific and technical books;

(6) To popularize and promote scientific and technological theories and methods, especially new ones;

(7) To recommend and reward scientific and technical personnel of excellent performance;

(8) To protect rights and interests of members, transfer views and voices of members, and provide good cares and services to the members;

(9) To offer knowledge-updating and training for members.