Journal of the Marine Biological Association

Give the Ocean some Love this Valentine’s Day 💙

Here’s an easy, feel-good way to support our ocean, without it costing you a penny extra.
You can raise free donations for the Marine Biological Association every time you shop online with #easyfundraising.

Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement becomes UK Law after receiving Royal Assent.

“This is a story of collaboration of over 20 years between policy makers, lawmakers and the scientific community. Working together to safeguard marine biodiversity in the high seas."

@aliceahorton.bsky.social on the women who inspired her

Discover more about the Women in Science at the MBA - www.mba.ac.uk/celebrating-...

#WomenInScience #WomenInConservation #InternationalDayOfWomenAndGirlsInScience

We’re proud to celebrate the pioneering women whose work has shaped science at the MBA and beyond.

Discover their legacy and impact 👉 https://www.mba.ac.uk/celebrating-the-legacy-of-pioneering-women-in-science-at-the-mba/

 #InternationalDayOfWomenAndGirlsInScience

"This year, countries can turn that momentum into action on offshore renewables, decarbonising ships, ports and investing in nature-based solutions. If leaders step up, COP31 could be the moment the ocean truly turns a corner."

 Dr Tom Pickerell, FMBA

Welcome to the January 2026 edition of The Marine Biologist.

Underlining the interconnectedness between land, people, and sea, this edition focuses on small-scale fishing. This is a tough but deeply valued way of life that faces mounting pressures.

The seashore is most people’s window on the ocean. Professor Hawkins looks at the threats to coastal seas & asks how do predictions of impacts on rocky shores hold up a quarter century on?

Life on the Rocks with Professor Stephen J. Hawkins 👉 mba.ac.uk/podcast

#TheMarineBiologist  #FieldWorkFriday

YouTube video by The Marine Biological Association Destination for marine science

With cutting-edge facilities like our laboratories, research vessel and seawater research aquarium, the MBA is a destination for discovery.

Together, we drive innovation for the health of our ocean.

www.youtube.com/shorts/Rcfe9...

and a few more... 

 find out more and apply on our website 👉 www.mba.ac.uk/phd-opportunities/

PhDs You Should Definitely Apply for This Winter ❄️...

We are seeking a Survey Manager to lead the operational delivery of the Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR) Survey—the longest-running marine biological time series in the world. 

Apply by 18th January 2026 
🔗 mymba.mba.ac.uk/job/survey-operations-manager-continuous-plankton-recorder-survey.html

New PhD opportunity - which I'm delighted to be co-supervising! 'From Catch to Kitchen: Learning from Recreational Anglers to Diversify UK Seafood Choices' www.findaphd.com/phds/project... #phd #seafood #angling #fisheries #recreationalfishing #sustainability @thembauk.bsky.social Please share!

Winter Must-Reads from the National Marine Biological Library

☀️ The Last Sunset in the West – Natalie Sanders
🐚 Beautiful Shells – Mark Carnall
🦑 Curious Creatures on Our Shores – Chris Thorogood

👉 mba.ac.uk/winter-must-reads-from-the-national-marine-biological-library/

Day 1️⃣9️⃣ School’s out for the holidays!

Artwork by Alina Hussey

#FestiveOceanArt

Benefits and impacts of use of light in UK fisheries and their wider effect on the marine environment Applications are invited for three 3.5 year PhD studentships: Benefits and impacts of use of light in UK fisheries and their wider effect on the marine...

PhD opportunity! "Benefits & impacts of use of light in UK #fisheries & their wider effect on the marine environment" (aka #scallopdiscos!) Supervision by me @thembauk.bsky.social Tom Davies @plymbiomarsci.bsky.social Tim Smyth @pml.ac.uk @fishtekmarine.bsky.social www.plymouth.ac.uk/study/resear...

Deep-Sea Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems: Ecology, Function and Management Applications are invited for a 3.5 years PhD studentship: Deep-Sea Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems: Ecology, Function and Management. The studentship will...

PhD opportunity! "Deep-Sea Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems: Ecology, Function and Management". Do cutting edge research on the deep sea under supervision from Prof Kerry Howell @pml.ac.uk, Dr Angela Stevenson @plymbiomarsci.bsky.social & me @thembauk.bsky.social www.plymouth.ac.uk/study/resear...

Join MBA Senior Research Fellow Dr Clare Ostle at The Royal Society for: Warming-driven Shifts in North Atlantic Plankton

📅 Monday 8th December | 🕑 14:15 – 14:45
📍 The Royal Society | Free to attend in person or online

👉 royalsociety.org/science-events-and-lectures/2025/12/marine-biodiversity/

Fascinating @thembauk.bsky.social annual science lecture by @peterhox.bsky.social today: "Why sequence the genome of every species?" based on his thought provoking recent review in our journal www.cambridge.org/core/journal...

Why sequence every genome? Don't miss this special talk - TOMORROW Tuesday December 2nd based on the article of the same name which was recently published in our journal www.cambridge.org/core/journal... It's not too late to register and tune in online @thembauk.bsky.social

DASSH has been running for 20 years. In 2005 people sometimes sent us their data on floppy disks… we've come a long way since then.

Find out more about DASSH here - www.dassh.ac.uk

Exciting SWBio PhD opportunity to study cell signalling in marine diatoms during heat stress. Deadline 3rd December 2025 @swbiodtp.bsky.social @kehelliwell.bsky.social @thembauk.bsky.social @exetermarine.bsky.social

PhD Opportunity: Advancing Plankton Imaging & Machine Learning to Transform Marine Biodiversity Monitoring

This PhD offers a rare opportunity to shape the future of ocean biodiversity monitoring.

#PhDOpportunity #MarineScience

Links below 👇

Willa’s PhD research looks at camouflage and cognition in cephalopods. Recently, she has been focusing on lateralisation, the idea that different halves of the brain specialise in different tasks. This is common in many animals, including humans, where we show preferences like writing with one hand.

A huge thank you to everyone who entered our festive Ocean Art Card Competition! Over 700 entries!

The winner will be announced on Wednesday 11th November - stay tuned!

#OceanArt #MBAMembers #MarineBiology #OceanScience #MBAScience

Along California’s coast, sea otters are quietly reshaping ecosystems - controlling crabs that once damaged eelgrass beds, allowing meadows to thrive. Offshore, in the kelp forests of Monterey Bay, otters feast on purple urchins, helping these underwater forests recover after years of decline.

'We have an exciting, yet challenging decade ahead as we chart a course that will mark 150 years of scientific integrity and excellence at the Marine Biological Association.'

Dr Gill Rider CB, President MBA

Find out more - www.mba.ac.uk/about-us/our...

New research has revealed a strong recovery of Southern Rock Lobster populations inside two South Australian marine park sanctuary zones.

Read more in the Journal of the Marine Biological Association -
statics.teams.cdn.office.net/evergreen-as...

South Australian reef productivity showcased in Southern Rock #Lobster study, by Adrian Linnane, is the latest Paper of the Month from @journalofthemba.bsky.social
📚 cup.org/3LnI5Uw

#marinebiology #JMBA

Another excellent and important paper in our journal. Why not consider publishing your next piece of research with us 🐟 🪸🦈🐚

Combining long-term ecological monitoring with AI-analysis and field experiments to model biodiversity responses to climate change at University of Southampton on FindAPhD.com PhD Project - Combining long-term ecological monitoring with AI-analysis and field experiments to model biodiversity responses to climate change at University of Southampton, listed on FindAPhD.com

If AI & intertidal ecology tick your boxes, apply for the PhD with myself, Baihua Li & Jonathan Millet at Loughborough University and the Marine Biological Association. A transdiscipinary opportunity combining fieldwork & AI. @thembauk.bsky.social www.findaphd.com/phds/project...