Fieldwork Friday 🦈 For the Global Shark Movement Project, scientists from the Marine Biological Association and partners spent long days at sea attaching satellite tags to whale sharks.

📈 🌊 New marine data published!!🌊 📈 Discover our latest published datasets with 5 new datasets from the 2025 Environment Agency data for the UK marine strategy's Article 8 biodiversity assessment, accessible through the MEDIN portal now! 🌍https://portal.medin.org.uk/portal/start.php 🔍 #MarineData

Sabellaria alveolata at both Crackington Haven & Hartland Quay MarClim sites. Always a joy to see this Priority Habitat @thembauk.bsky.social

“Eating Anything in Their Path” – that’s how The New York Times recently described the surge of octopus sightings in the English Channel. But how significant is this so-called octopus bloom? What’s fact, what’s myth – and what does it really mean for our seas?

Calling all ocean-inspired artists! - We’re launching our festive Ocean Art Card Competition. We’re inviting you to dive into the wonders of our science – celebrating ocean biology, the hidden marine microbiome, and the beauty of coastal ecology. Enter here - www.mba.ac.uk/art-competit...

Must reads for Future Marine Biologists… Spring Tides — Fiona Gell Into the Great Wide Ocean — Sönke Johnsen How Life Works — Philip Ball The Marine Biologist includes book reviews and recommendation's — one of the many benefits of joining - www.mba.ac.uk/our-membersh...

The star of the show this #MicroscopyMonday is Noctiluca scintillans — a giant among plankton! At up to 2 mm across, visible to the naked eye. Around UK and European coasts, it sometimes forms blooms that appear pinkish-red or orange, creating the phenomenon known as “red tides.”

Student Bursary in Action 🌊 This August, Anna Jansson attended the Visual Neuroscience Advanced Research Training Course at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, supported by the MBA Student Bursary. @annaneuro.bsky.social

This week, Christine Wood and John Bishop provided training in the identification of non-native marine species to the dive team of @naturalengland.bsky.social #NaturalEngland #InvasiveSpecies #MBA #MarineBiologicalInvasive #MarineBiologicalAssocation

landmark High Seas Treaty to become international law The Marine Biological Association welcomes the imminent entry into force of the High Seas Treaty — a historic, legally binding agreement to protect marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction.

The Marine Biological Association welcomes the historic ratification of the High Seas Treaty – a landmark international agreement that will transform ocean governance and biodiversity protection.

Could the sudden octopus invasion change the future of English fisheries? An unexpected surge in common octopus numbers is causing ripples across the English Channel. While some fishermen see it as a short-term boon, others face significant drops in their traditional catches.

Us eagerly awaiting the seal reveal this week… Photo Jeff Hester / Ocean Image Bank

The Octopus Survey 🚨 Fishermen across the Southwest are reporting more and more octopus turning up in pots, traps, and on deck this year. We need your insight before the survey closes! 👉 Take the survey now before it closes - survey.alchemer.eu/s3/90884550/...

🔬 We’re Hiring! Become the next MBA Postdoctoral Career Development Fellow Are you ready to take the next step in your research career and lead the way in marine biology? Find out more 👉 mymba.mba.ac.uk/job/postdoct... 📅 Apply by 15 October 2025 #MarineBiology #MarineScience #AcademicJobs

🌊 Last week we were delighted to host Aditya, Benjamin, Nichole, Sarah and many others who travelled down to Plymouth for the Advances in Coccolithophore Research meeting here at the Marine Biological Association.

We’re delighted to announce that Dr Alice Horton has been awarded a prestigious UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship and will soon be joining us at the Marine Biological Association!

Rays of Hope For centuries, we’ve treated the ocean as an endless bounty. Overfishing and industrial expansion have pushed sharks, rays, and their relatives (chondrichthyans) to the brink. Slow growth rates, late maturity, and targeted fishing have them vulnerable. The good news? ...

Scientists from Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) have uncovered a brand-new marine tardigrade, also known as a “water bear” along the shores of Labuan. Officially named Batillipes malaysianus in honour of Malaysia, this is the first new marine water bear recorded in the country in over 50 years.

Turn your ambition into action! ⭐🌎 MBA student bursaries provide direct support for students and postgraduates in marine biology, helping you take your next step toward shaping the future of our oceans. Apply here ➡️ buff.ly/3TuxcPm Become a Student Member for £25 per year ➡️ buff.ly/4cuvdDT

Studying Marine Biology? Join us and be part of a global network of students, scientists, and ocean advocates. £25/year, Student Members get: • Bulletins; news, events & opportunities • Access to marine library • Mentoring opportunities • The Journal of the MBA • Exclusive training and bursaries

Out on the MBA RV Sepia — guess what we spotted? 👀 While filming for the CPR (Continuous Plankton Recorder) survey, we were treated to a spectacular display by a pod of Risso's Dolphins. Happy World Dolphin Day! #RissosDolphins #WorldDolphinDay #MarineLife #OceanScience #MBAScience

The Great British Beach Clean is back! 🐚This nationwide event brings thousands together to clean up beaches and collect vital data on marine litter. In 2024, over 764,000 pieces of litter were removed by volunteers. Support cleaner beaches, healthier oceans, and stronger environmental action.

#Fishermen of Devon & Cornwall - have higher numbers of #octopus affected your catch? The MBA and partners are gathering your experiences on the impact - positive and negative. Take part in our survey, which will guide future support. bit.ly/3V2lVbR Image c. South Devon and Channel Fishermen Ltd.

Last few days for booking your online tickets! Join leading coccolithophore scientists online at Advances in Coccolithophore Research 2025, 9-11 September. Full schedule including speakers and talks available - buff.ly/oaMjqZB ➡️ Book your ticket by Friday 5 September.

Our next round of student bursaries is now open! ⭐🌎 MBA student bursaries have helped turn ambition into action—removing financial barriers & unlocking access to global events, groundbreaking research, & career-shaping connections. 🗓️ Deadline: 31st October 2025 at 12pm Apply here ➡️ buff.ly/3TuxcPm

🧪How do marine phytoplankton cope with shortage of two vital nutrients? New research @thembauk.bsky.social @exetermarine.bsky.social reveals a hierarchy in nutrient stress responses to nitrogen and phosphorus co-limitation of marine diatoms🧬 Read the paper: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/... #diatoms

The Marine Biologist magazine - Call for content! We're looking for contributions for the January 2026 issue of the magazine of the marine biological community. The theme is 'Small-scale fisheries', but we're willing to consider content on any marine science-related subject. 🌊 #TheMarineBiologist

#OTD in 1876 Marie Victoire Lebour was born. Marie Lebour was based @thembauk.bsky.social for much of her caeer, which primarily focused on planktonic larvae and other microplantkon. We are privileged to have her personal library and research material in the library and archive. 📷UM158

🔬 Meet Sertularella gayi (S.gayi) – a striking yellow colonial hydroid (relative of 🪼). The sample, collected by MBA RV Sepia, has become the 2,000th species sequenced in the the Darwin Tree of Life genome project! sangerinstitute.bsky.social Image c. Bernard Picton #Genomics #MarineScience

The July issue of #TheMarineBiologist is out now! We explore the 'octopus bloom''; a rare habitat of glass sponges; inshore fishing regulation as well as the latest developments in marine biology research and news from the MBA. Become a member and get exclusive access bit.ly/4onqdb4 #MarineBiology

Congratulations to DASSH Data Manager Chloe Figueroa Ashforth, who has been appointed as the new Co-chair of the Marine Environmental Data and Information Network (MEDIN) Communications Working Group. bit.ly/4muFF3q #MarineData #MarineBiodiversity #OceanBiodiversity

Happy #CycleToWorkDay! Our staff are often to be found cycling in - Head of Engagement Maya Plass sums up the unique charms of cycling in the Southwest: "Cycling to work is the best start to the day - especially when the only traffic is random sheep or Dartmoor ponies!" #CommuteByBike

🌊🔍 Join @therockpoolproject.bsky.social for an August BioBlitz! 🗓️ Sat 9 Aug | ⏰ 11:30–2 📍 Castle Beach, Falmouth & Mount Batten, Plymouth Explore rockpools, spot sea creatures & join the #BigRockPoolChallenge! 🦀🐚🐟 All ages welcome - bring wellies! 🔗 buff.ly/r8sCIoG @thembauk.bsky.social

WHAT DECADES OF DATA ON PLANKTON POPULATIONS ARE TELLING US ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE fishfocus.co.uk/what-decades...

The delicate Feather Star (Antedon bifida) isn’t just a marvel of marine biology - it’s a living fireworks display, coming in a stunning array of colours from fiery oranges to deep purples. Donate today to help us to protect these ocean treasures: mba.ac.uk/donate #NationalMarineWeek #OceanScience

It's time to talk about Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). "These are places where nature comes first. You can look, but you can't touch, and you can't take." On #MarineProtectedAreasDay, we’re taking a deep dive into what makes MPAs effective on The Marine Biologist podcast. Listen now bit.ly/4l2lmcr

This #NationalMarineWeek, take a closer look at the miniscule but mighty copepod. These tiny, shrimp-like crustaceans are found in nearly every aquatic environment on Earth. One of the most abundant animals on the planet, they play a critical role in the aquatic food chain.

Thank you Dr Matthew Bunce for a lovely review of Spring Tides in The Marine Biologist, the @thembauk.bsky.social magazine. It is wonderful to see Spring Tides alongside exciting stories of marine discovery. Do have a read if you're interested in Irish Sea marine life, #MPAs or the Isle of Man! 🦈🪸📚

🌊 🐟 Welcome back to Sea Spectacles! 🪼 🫧 This month’s star is the spotted ray - a graceful glider of the deep, cloaked in nature’s polka dots! ✨ Did you know their unique patterns help them blend seamlessly into the ocean floor? @thembauk.bsky.social #SeaSpectacles #SpottedRay #MarineBiodiversity

This #NationalMarineWeek, discover kelp — a vital, vanishing habitat that stores carbon, shelters wildlife & protects our coasts. MBA’s work with #GreenGravel project aims to restore these underwater forests. 💙 Join us: buff.ly/EmadYTs 🔗 Learn more: buff.ly/UE3ggJr

🌍 James Lovelock - Gaia visionary, inventor, former MBA President - helped shape how we see Earth & ocean as one system. For #NationalMarineWeek, we honour his legacy & MBA connection.💡 “The Earth is more than just a home—it’s a living system.” mymba.mba.ac.uk/resource/a-t... #JamesLovelock #Gaia

On #WorldWhaleAndDolphinDay, we spotlight these intelligent, social, and emotionally complex animals. At the Marine Biological Association, we’re proud to support the science that protects our blue planet. Explore the science behind orca interactions with sailing yachts ➡️ buff.ly/1FXcTXl

Study - how marine heatwaves are reshaping the shape & carbon content of #phytoplankton in NE Pacific. Elongated cells dominate during warming, likely altering the carbon pump. Long-term #CPRsurvey data is critical to understanding #climatechange impacts at microbial scales. doi.org/10.1002/lno....

🧪 July’s #TheMarineBiologist is out! Featuring: 🔹 Glass sponge cities of the deep: Dr Angela Stevenson 🔹 Fisheries policy: small-scale regulation vs large-scale impact 🔹 The spread of octopus...Join our Community for this and more:

🌊 Just published: The State of South-West Seas in 2024 report🪸 From spiny lobster resurgence to pink “Barbieland” maerl beds, the South-West Marine Ecosystems Report reveals how climate, species, and human impact are shaping our coastlines. www.mba.ac.uk/the-marine-b... #SouthWestSeas #OceanScience

This was a #TrickyTaxonThursday for us as we couldn't find an image in our print collection. We did find illustrations of two other species, formerly identified as being within the genus Ammothea, in the expedition reports of the Norwegian North-Atlantic expedition 1876-1878. Better luck next week!

🌊🐚 Join us for the Community BioBlitz Festival 2025! We are excited to gather together from 19-20 September, for a jam-packed 24 hours of wildlife recording and celebrating our stunning coastline in the UK. 📍 Porthpean Outdoor Education Centre, Cornwall 👉 Sign up online today! buff.ly/xx4ZLA9

‘Blue foods’ are foods derived from aquatic organisms. A new paper co-authored by the MBA's Senior Research Fellow Dr Bryce Stewart explores the benefits of developing a blue foods strategy at a national level (Image c. Keith Hiscock) #BlueFoods #BlueFoodSystems #SustainableSeafood bit.ly/3THdhyT

🔬 We're Hiring: Become the next MBA Anne Warner Research Fellow You’ll be at the forefront of groundbreaking research, leading a team of scientists to unlock new insights in the realms of cell and molecular biology. Apply by 17th September 2025 mymba.mba.ac.uk/job/mba-anne...