The Marine Biological Association (MBA) recently welcomed a group of students from the University of Essex to Plymouth for a day of immersive fieldwork, lab exploration, and rocky shore discovery in an experience that they variously described as “inspiring”, “eye‑opening”, and “transformative” for their ambitions to pursue a career in marine science.
A new marine licence has been approved for an innovative project aiming to revive British kelp beds. This is the first time the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) have granted a marine licence for kelp restoration activities in the UK. Kelp forests are vital to marine ecosystems providing habitat, food, and breeding grounds for marine species, … Read more
The Marine Biological Association (MBA) welcomes the news that the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement has now become UK law, having received Royal Assent. This marks the completion of the UK legislative process required to ratify and implement the landmark High Seas Treaty.
For more than a century, women at the Marine Biological Association (MBA) have shaped the global understanding of life in the ocean. From the early 1900s – when women in science faced significant social and institutional barriers – to the present day, these researchers have driven discovery, advanced methods, and built the foundations of modern marine biology. This International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we celebrate the achievements of our female scientists past and present.
A very unusual marine discovery has been made at Plymouth’s Mount Batten Beach during The Rock Pool Project’s monthly BioBlitz Battle. Two keen young rock poolers taking part in the citizen science event found specimens of the depilatory sea hare (Aplysia depilans), a species usually only seen in the Mediterranean and East Atlantic.
A new study co-authored by the Marine Biological Association’s Senior Research Fellow Dr Dan Smale, Lankester Research Fellow Professor Stephen J. Hawkins, Postdoctoral Research Assistant Dr Nathan King, and former PhD student Harry Teagle, has revealed how the loss of kelp forests at their southern range edge could dramatically reshape marine ecosystems. Dense patches of … Read more
Earth’s natural defences are losing strength as temperatures rise, major new report warns. The planet’s natural carbon sinks – the ocean, forests and soils – are reaching their limits, absorbing less carbon than expected and risking a major setback to global climate targets, according to a major new report launched today ahead of COP30. The … Read more
We are proud to announce that Dr Dan Smale, Senior Research Fellow at the Marine Biological Association, has been awarded the Marsh Award for Climate Change Research by the British Ecological Society (BES). This prestigious honour recognises Dan’s exceptional contributions to understanding the ecological impacts of climate change on marine ecosystems. Dan’s research has been … Read more
A groundbreaking study, part-funded by the Marine Biological Association (MBA), has demonstrated the power of environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding to assess biodiversity in rocky intertidal zones across the UK. This is one of the first multi-scale applications of eDNA in these dynamic coastal environments, spanning a wide latitudinal gradient and offering new insights into how … Read more
Calling all citizen scientists – one of Britain’s favourite seaside pastimes is going national. The Rock Pool Project has announced the launch of seven new hubs across the UK, bringing its Competitive Rock Pooling events to more coastal communities than ever before. Thanks to support from the ScottishPower Foundation, The National Lottery Heritage Fund, and … Read more
The Marine Biological Association
The Laboratory,
Citadel Hill Plymouth,
Devon
PL1 2PB, UK
The Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom is a registered charity in England and Wales (1155893), and is a company limited by Royal Charter (RC000865). The Marine Biological Association conducts, promotes and supports scientific research into all aspects of life in the sea.