Community of Arran Seabed Trust

The #Arran Marine Protected Area has brilliant snorkelling spots in just 2-3m of water. #Seagrass and juvenile fish.

To top off a great evening, Don had the privilege of meeting His Majesty King Charles III in a memorable moment that underscored the significance of this landmark documentary launch.

Image credit: Kate Green/2025 Getty Images

While the film offers a sobering reflection on the damage humans have inflicted on marine ecosystems, its core message is one of hope: that with action, the ocean can recover to a richness beyond anything those alive today have seen.

Set to be released on Sir David’s 99th birthday, June 8th, OCEAN promises a breath-taking cinematic journey through our seas, featuring never-before-seen content and a compelling call to action.

Last night, Howard, Don, their long-supportive wives Lesley and Kathleen, and COAST staff members were honoured to attend the global premiere of this ground-breaking film.

Thirty years ago, when @howardlwood.bsky.social and Don MacNeish embarked on a journey to protect Arran's seas, they never imagined it would one day bring them to the blue carpet for the world premiere of #OCEAN, the latest and most powerful documentary by the legendary #SirDavidAttenborough.

YouTube video by Altitude Films OCEAN WITH DAVID ATTENBOROUGH | OFFICIAL TRAILER | GLOBAL CINEMA EVENT FROM MAY 8 | Altitude Films

𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬. 𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝. "Ocean with David Attenborough" - available globally from 8th May.
We're delighted to share that we had the great honour of working with the incredible production teams behind this movie and can't wait for the official release.

The Leopard-spot goby (Thorogobius ephippiatus) is a small, cryptic fish species often seen by divers in the South Arran MPA. It belongs to the Gobiidae family, a diverse group of bottom-dwelling fish. This species is known for its striking pattern of dark spots on a pale body, #Biodiversity #Marine

🌊ONE WEEK TO GO🌊

Join our webinar on Mon 24 to find out more about the urgent need to protect our seas - we'll hear from Jessica Jones at @scotwildlife.bsky.social, Lucy Kay at @arrancoast.bsky.social and Professor James Harrison at @edinburgh-uni.bsky.social.

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bringing-s...

We love our Kelp on the Isle of Arran, it thrives in dense underwater forests around our coast. Kelp ecosystems rank among the most productive on Earth, providing vital habitat for Arrans recovering marine life. #Oceanoptimism #Inshorelimit

🤿 Online talk 🤿Join us for an exciting presentation by Bethany Walsh, unveiling her MSc research on marine recreation around the Isle of Arran.

The talk will be 1 hour with an opportunity for Q&A at the end.
Tickets are FREE but donations welcome. Book your place at: bit.ly/MarineRecreationTalk.

One of our favourite marine animals & always great to spot while diving.
The Curled Octopus is an active predator, feeding mainly on crustaceans, molluscs and other invertebrates as well as fish.
Brilliant at camouflage by changing both its colour and skin texture

The image is split into two underwater scenes comparing the effects of global warming on coral reefs. On the left side, labeled “+1.5°C,” a coral reef is still present but sits on a largely barren rocky surface. The corals are colorful and relatively abundant, though their size is reduced. The text states that “70 to 90% of coral reefs will vanish” at this level of warming. On the right side, labeled “+2°C,” the scene is almost entirely barren, with only a small, bleached fragment of coral remaining on the rock. The text states that “99% of coral reefs will vanish” at this temperature increase.

Every fraction of a degree matters.

Rising temperatures put marine life and coastal ecosystems at risk of irreversible loss.

Urgent #ClimateAction is needed to #SaveOurOcean.

www.un.org/en/climatech...

Pholis gunnellus, found in UK shallow coastal waters Butterfish prefers hiding in crevices or burrowing into the seabed. It's an adaptable and resilient species, capable of surviving in intertidal zones where it can be exposed to fluctuating temperatures and salinity levels. #MPAsWork

Seagrass restoration & conservation Explore how seagrass supports a variety of marine life and serves as one of our best allies in addressing climate change.

Projects like @seawilding.bsky.social and @arrancoast.bsky.social are leading the way in restoring Britain’s vital underwater forests. (2/2)

Learn more about #seagrass 👇

🐚Still time to join our team!🐚

We're looking for a dynamic new member of our core team, responsible for ensuring smooth operations including:
🪸Aquarium husbandry
⚒️General maintenance
💻IT management
☣️Health & safety
⛵Boat operations
🤿SCUBA compressor

Details and apply 👉 www.arrancoast.com/vacancies

Exceedingly grateful to Esri for their support and desire to share our story widely. Esri's world-leading GIS and other storytelling software has helped COAST bring our marine science to life in an accessible way for all.

13,749 people have signed our petition calling for The Scottish Government to take action to recover #ourseas for the sake of coastal communities, sustainable fishers & future generations

Join the call for action 👉 bit.ly/inshorelimit

#InshoreLimit #BringBacktheFish

A living seabed: monitoring maerl in the South Arran MPA Western Scotland’s famous white beaches are made not of coral but of fragments of dead maerl, crushed by the waves and bleached by the sun. Living maerl is a purple-pink hard seaweed that forms spi…

Great to read this blog by NatureScot highlighting the recent research they carried out in the South Arran MPA through chartering RV COAST Explorer.

"Overall, the results are positive, indicating that protection has prevented further deterioration of the maerl habitats around Arran."

🐟Marine Life Discoveries Around Arran🐟
Join us for a fascinating journey beneath the waters of Arran. From unusual species to thriving habitats, we’ll explore the exciting biodiversity revealed through citizen science surveys.
📆 Monday 24th February
⏰ 7pm for 7.30pm
📍 Ormidale Pavilion, Brodick

👥JOIN OUR TEAM🐙

Exciting opportunities to be part of COAST's Operational Team are currently available!

We're recruiting a part-time Facilities Officer and a full-time Outreach and Communications Manager.

Fancy joining our acclaimed charity? Find out more and apply: www.arrancoast.com/vacancies

❗Urgent: We must ensure our inshore fisheries are managed sustainably 🌊

Act now to support responsible fisheries management by responding to the Call for Evidence.

Feather stars or Crinoids have been around for over 500 million years, making them one of the oldest surviving marine animal groups. Fossil records show their ancestors once dominated prehistoric seas. Today, they continue to thrive in the South Arran Marine Protected Area.
@naturescot.bsky.social

More information on Lamlash Bay NTZ & Arran MPAs King Scallops, a summary of research since 2010. You can clearly see why compliance of regulations to stop any fishing activity is so important for the ongoing research. @mairigougeon.bsky.social

The South Arran Marine Protected Area contains tide-swept rock reefs that attract sessile species such as Soft Corals, Anemones Hydroids etc This makes great habitats for a variety of fish such as Ballen Wrasse. @naturescot.bsky.social

King Scallops Pecten, maximus numbers increased by 353% between 2010 & 2022 in the Lamlash No Take Zone.
The recovering complexity of the seabed now gives ideal habitat to Juvenile Cod, Gadus morhua

🌊 Great to meet #OurSeas in Parliament this week. They are an alliance of Scottish organisations, businesses, communities and individuals that support a move to sustainable use of our coastal seas.

Great to see you back in the old haunts! Thanks for representing COAST; what a great evening.

Check out the latest issue of 'The Marine Biologist' - the magazine of the @thembauk.bsky.social Among all the great content is an article by Lucy Kay & I on the @arrancoast.bsky.social success story. If you are not already a member of the MBA, then you clearly need to join! #oceanoptimism 😁🐙🦀🦞🪸🦈

🌊 Dive into Marine Conservation! 🌊
Don't miss your chance to join us as we celebrate 30 years of community-led marine conservation. This season we have a BRAND NEW Marine Research Internship, alongside our highly-competitive Marine Engagement Internship. Apply now: arrancoast.com/vacancies