SCB Marine Program

Logo for IMCC8

Join 800+ ocean conservationists in Edinburgh, Nov 13-17, 2026 to Make Marine Science Matter.

Submit symposia, workshops, focus groups, art & conservation projects + nominate plenary speakers by March 6.

Details: conbio.org/mini-sites/i...

The SCB Marine Program @scbmarine.bsky.social is excited to announce two #funding opportunities to support #marine science education, research, policy, and Indigenous-led marine #conservation!
Learn more and apply by Jan 15th: scbmarineprogram.org/resources/
🌍🦑🦈

Indigenous grants (up to $5k) support community-led projects advancing marine stewardship, cultural preservation, and traditional ecological knowledge transfer.

Questions? Email scbmarinecomms@gmail.com with 'MarineGrants2025' in subject line

Education grants support teaching marine conservation, research grants fund scientific capacity building, and policy grants strengthen evidence-based management.
All SCB Marine members eligible to apply. Priority to first-time applicants! 🐠

a turquoise ocean with a small island in the background Alt: a turquoise ocean with a small island in the background

Applications now open for SCB Marine grants! 💙🌊

📚 Education, Research & Policy Grants: $1,000-$1,500
🪶 Indigenous Conservation & Cultural Preservation: up to $5,000
Deadline: Jan 15, 2026

Details: scbmarineprogram.org/resources/

#OceanConservation #MarineScience

SCB Marine Logo

Ready to make a big splash for ocean conservation science?

🌊 Join SCB Marine's Board! 🌊

We have 3 volunteer positions and 1 paid role open:
- Science Officer
- Education Officer
- Secretary
- Admin Coordinator

Learn more here: conbio.informz.net/InformzDataS...

Deadline: Dec 15

Poster of our New Webinar

🌊 New SCB Marine webinar series - "Navigating Marine Conservation Careers" kicks off w/ amazing speakers:

Dr. David Obura (CORDIO East Africa) & Dr. Austin Allen (Dolphin Quest)

Come learn about marine conservation careers!

us02web.zoom.us/meeting/regi...

#MarineConservation #OceanScience

Thank you, Mel, for your friendship, your passion, your professionalism, and your incredible contributions to marine science. Your departure leaves a huge void, but your legacy will continue to inspire future generations of researchers.

Rest in peace, dear friend. We love you so much. 💙🐋

Those who knew Mel remember her tireless work ethic, her commitment to protecting marine environments, and especially the way she affectionately called the orcas "her girls."

Her smile and enthusiasm were infectious, inspiring everyone around her to care more deeply about ocean conservation.

Her passion led her to the Strait of Gibraltar, where she spent years working with Iberian orcas and making significant contributions to cetacean conservation research.

She completed her doctorate on porpoise acoustics and continued her research at the University of Aarhus in Denmark.

Dr. Mel Consentino

We're heartbroken to share that Dr. Mel Consentino, former Treasurer of SCB MARINE, has passed away.
Born in Argentina with a passion for orcas that would define her life's work, Mel dedicated herself to marine conservation in the most meaningful way. 🐋

Dr. David Shiffman in a shark costume at IMCC7, looking awesome.

🚨 ATTENTION 🚨

Interested in submitting to the IMCC7 proceedings but didn't receive an email from Science Officer David Shiffman (@whysharksmatter.bsky.social )? Get in touch with him immediately, the deadline to apply is 3/31

- You can also contact him at Whysharksmatter @ gmail dot com

Angelo with his title slide

It’s almost time for @taotaotasi.bsky.social ‘s plenaey at #IMCC7 - and I assure you, you are not prepared for what he selected as his walk up music 😂

Last day of #IMCC7 - Angelo Villagomez discussing how we need to evolve beyond 30x30 and develop a better paradigm for our relationships to nature. 🦑

“You’re not going to achieve durable lasting conservation in my community if you don’t involve my community.” - @taotaotasi.bsky.social in his #IMCC7 plenary

@taotaotasi.bsky.social kicks off today's #IMCC7 by highlighting how the wealthier nations with overseas EEZ's (legacy of colonialism) tend to favour putting large marine protected areas (MPAs) in those overseas areas rather than in their "local" waters.



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Into the final day at #IMCC7 and feeling inspired by the amazing talks from all the plenary speakers!

Who's ready for a conservation success story from the Great Barrier Reef? Simon Miller (Australian Marine Conservation Society - AMCS) tells us about gillnet fishing reforms

#IMCC7
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Did you love IMCC7? Want to help us plan IMCC8? Please come to our info meeting today at 5:45 in Hall 9! We promise it won’t take long and you’ll have time to get ready for the closing celebration. Decisions are made by those who show up, so please show up! #IMCC7

Allie Durdall (University of the Virgin Islands-CMES) shares the story of U.S. Virgin Islands marine debris removal and the community that powers it

#IMCC7
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Emma Algotsson (Catchgreen) talks about piloting Catchgreen biodegradable fishing gear at #IMCC7

70% of marine animal entanglement involves lost, abandoned, and discarded fishing gear.

The gear uses a biodegradable polymer that can be broken down by marine microbes


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Best slide of #imcc7?

Katy Dalton (Conservation International) talks about state governance solutions to protect human rights at sea & jurisdictional complexities

Fisheries can't exist without people, but most management frameworks for fisheries have little to no mention of human rights

#IMCC7
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Housseni Houssoyni tells us about co-management of the Comoros Marine Protected Areas

There's lots of actors involved - MPA village communities, economic operators, science, law enforcement and more.

Yes - it's complicated!

#IMCC7
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Guinness record for largest volunteer conservation science network

Despite being part of two IUCN species survival commission specialist groups, I didn’t know this neat fact: #IMCC7

Learning more about the work of the IUCN Species Specialist Groups and the thousands of expert volunteers that support the work. #IMCC7

Need to vision for a range of ecological elements: distribution, composition, structure, function

The money will run out if we accept a business as usual, instead we need to invest in direct response

Nicola van Wilgen gives a barnstormer of a talk urging us to focus on direct adaptation and thinking ambitiously when visioning the future #IMCC7

Posing with my title slide

Ready for my #IMCC7 rant!

Standing room only for the last Lenfest/Center for American Progress side event on Building diverse knowledge and partnerships - #IMCC7 🦑

What an inspiring talk by Dr. @amandavincent.bsky.social about the role of IUCN SSC in marine conservation!
#IMCC7 @iucnseahorse.bsky.social