As the iconic film Jaws marks its 50th anniversary this week, MBA Senior Research Fellow and Professor of Marine Ecology at the University of Southampton, Professor David Sims, has published a compelling article in The Conversation that examines the film’s lasting impact on sharks and how science is helping them recover. In his article titled Jaws helped … Read more
Populations of animals and plants – even those separated by thousands of miles – can fluctuate in synchrony, driven by shared environmental influences. This striking phenomenon, known as spatial synchrony, is the subject of a new synthesis study published in Ecology Letters, led by researchers at the University of Kansas and co-authored by Dr Lawrence … Read more
Hidden but vulnerable marine treasure discovered in collaboration between the Marine Biological Association, Silverback Films and Open Planet Studios. In an extraordinary moment of chance during the production of Ocean with David Attenborough, a vibrant and exceptionally well-preserved pink sea fan reef has been discovered off the southwest coast of England. The find, described as … Read more
A team of international scientists has tracked over 100 marine megafauna species, identifying the most critical locations in our global ocean for better marine conservation efforts, according to new research published in Science.
The Marine Biological Association (MBA) is proud to celebrate the outstanding success of its postgraduate students, who secured an impressive five awards at the Annual PlyMSEF2025 Postgraduate Student Conference held at Plymouth Marine Laboratory. The conference, organised by the Plymouth Marine Science and Education Foundation (PlyMSEF), brought together early-career researchers from five leading marine institutions … Read more
Senior Research Fellow Dr Bryce Stewart and the Marine Biological Association’s (MBA) research vessel ‘Sepia’ played a vital role in helping to create key sequences in the film and ensuring its scientific accuracy. Dr Bryce Stewart, Senior Research Fellow for Fisheries and Conservation at the Marine Biological Association (MBA) and Associate Professor at the University … Read more
A major new study co-authored by the Marine Biological Association (MBA) has issued a stark warning that the UK is at serious risk of losing the wide-reaching benefits of its sustainable fisheries unless urgent action is taken. The paper, Recognising and Protecting the National Benefit of Sustainable Fisheries in the UK, highlights the deepening decline … Read more
Plankton may be among the smallest creatures in the ocean, but their significance is anything but small. These microscopic organisms, from tiny fish larvae to single-celled algae, hold key insights into the health of our ocean and the broader impacts of climate change. Through the Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR) Survey, a collaboration led by the … Read more
New research from the Marine Biological Association (MBA) aims to shed light on one of the greatest mysteries of the natural world – where do sharks go to give birth? Sharks have inhabited the world’s ocean for over 400 million years, surviving mass extinctions and shaping marine ecosystems. However, little is known about their reproductive … Read more
Since its founding in 1884, the Marine Biological Association has been home to many pioneering female scientists who have made groundbreaking contributions to the scientific community. The MBA takes great pride in its diverse team of female scientists, whose contributions continue to shape the future of marine research. “I am thrilled to follow in the … Read more
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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.