The Marine Biologist Podcast

Hosted by The Marine Biological Association

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Jun 2026

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About the show

The Marine Biologist Podcast brings you conversations about marine life with leading marine biologists. If you are fascinated by the sea and its inhabitants and want to go deeper, this is the podcast for you. Each episode follows up on an article on cutting-edge science, conservation, or education that appeared in the most recent edition of The Marine Biologist magazine. Visit the magazine website: https://www.mba.ac.uk/magazine/ Join the Marine Biological Association: https://www.mba.ac.uk/membership/

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18 recent

June 15, 2026Episode 133 min

Microplastics in a changing environment

Microplastics are present in the water we drink, the food we eat, and the air that we breathe. In this episode we meet Dr Alice Horton, Senior Research Fellow at the Marine Biological Association and an expert in aquatic microplastic pollution. We have been leaking plastic into the environment for the last 60 or so years and the amount entering the ocean is predicted to triple by 2040. But, as Alice explains, we still understand little of the long-term implications for ecosystems and human health. Alice's research at the MBA is specifically focusing on how microplastics interact with the diverse and complex mix of chemical and climate stressors and how different species will respond under changing global environmental conditions.We also discuss what scientists and policy-makers are doing to tackle microplastics and what we as individuals can do to reduce our exposure. MBA Members get exclusive early access to the video episode. Become a Member today to watch the full podcast first and unlock exclusive member-only benefits.mba.ac.uk/membershipText us your comments and feedbackThanks for listening!If you have any questions you can contact us at the Marine Biological Association here.Join the Marine Biological Association and receive four copies a year of The Marine Biologist, our prestigious and beautifully curated magazine. MBA membership comes with a host of other benefits. Follow us on social: www.facebook.com/thembaukwww.instagram.com/thembauk@thembauk.bsky.social

May 13, 2026Episode 41 hr 7 min

Small-scale is beautiful: building relationships for a sustainable inshore fishing fleet

In this episode, we meet social scientist Sarah Coulthard, and fishermen George Lamplough and Bally Philp who discuss issues facing small-scale fishers.Over 30% of global marine catch comes from small-scale fisheries, contributing to global food security, livelihoods, and resilient communities, and yet the UK's highly valued inshore fishing fleet is in decline.Is this "the last chance saloon for the small-scale fishing industry" ?Sarah, Bally, and George explore the reasons for the decline, discuss fishers' lived experiences, fisheries management and public perceptions. They also discuss the priorities for actions to help ensure a viable future for the fleet.The podcast follows on from the special edition of The Marine Biologist magazine which focuses on inshore and small-scale fisheries.Our guests are involved in the Inshore and Small-Scale Fisheries consortium (ISSF), a group which aims to identify the drivers of decline in the UK fleet, identify what can be done to support fishing lives, and support fishers to be active partners in decision-making.Find out about the work of the ISSF Consortium here. See the press release which details the national symposium for inshore and small scale fisheries, held in February 2026 in Newcastle. ISSF_Symposium_Press_Release.pdf - Google DriveText us your comments and feedbackThanks for listening!If you have any questions you can contact us at the Marine Biological Association here.Join the Marine Biological Association and receive four copies a year of The Marine Biologist, our prestigious and beautifully curated magazine. MBA membership comes with a host of other benefits. Follow us on social: www.facebook.com/thembaukwww.instagram.com/thembauk@thembauk.bsky.social

April 24, 2026Episode 137 min

An illusion of protection? Marine Protected Areas with Professor Callum Roberts

"We need to consider what an area of sea is capable of when given real protection."Professor Callum Roberts is a world authority on marine protected areas (MPAs). In this podcast, we talk about marine protected areas both in national waters and the high seas.What needs to change in the UK's current approach to marine protected areas (MPAs), and how can the network support healthy and productive fisheries, producing gains, not just costs for the fishing industry? To have a vision for future seas, we have to look back: this is where the conversation turns to shifting baselines and a fascinating look at the momentous changes that have been wrought on the seabed of the Northeast Atlantic over the past 200 years.We also discuss the growing awareness of seabed carbon and the role of MPAs in supporting climate regulation.Callum is also an author, perhaps best known for The Unnatural History of the Sea (Island Press) which charts the effects of 1,000 years of exploitation on ocean life.See also:convexseascapesurvey.comThe Convex Seascape Survey project is dedicated to filling knowledge gaps on how the ocean and climate are connected, to inform effective action against the climate crisis. Text us your comments and feedbackThanks for listening!If you have any questions you can contact us at the Marine Biological Association here.Join the Marine Biological Association and receive four copies a year of The Marine Biologist, our prestigious and beautifully curated magazine. MBA membership comes with a host of other benefits. Follow us on social: www.facebook.com/thembaukwww.instagram.com/thembauk@thembauk.bsky.social

January 28, 2026Episode 35 min

The latest octopus update with Dr Bryce Stewart

A new report on the 2025 octopus bloom has just been published. Here, Dr Bryce Stewart, Senior Research Fellow at the MBA and and Associate Professor at the University of Plymouth, talks about the causes and consequences (particularly for the fishing industry) of the octopus bloom, and what the future might hold.The report was funded by Defra, Plymouth City Council, Devon County Council. It is led by the Marine Biological Association with partners at Plymouth Marine Laboratory, University of Plymouth and independent consultant Dr Simon Thomas.The new report is available here.Stewart, B.D., Thomas, S., Smyth, T.J., James, M.K., Sullivan, E., Hall, A.E., Osmond, T. and Sheehan, E.V. 2026. Common octopus (Octopus vulgaris) blooms off the Southwest of the UK: History, trends, causes and consequences. Report on Work Package 1: History, causes and consequences of octopus blooms. Marine Biological Association, 104pp.Text us your comments and feedbackThanks for listening!If you have any questions you can contact us at the Marine Biological Association here.Join the Marine Biological Association and receive four copies a year of The Marine Biologist, our prestigious and beautifully curated magazine. MBA membership comes with a host of other benefits. Follow us on social: www.facebook.com/thembaukwww.instagram.com/thembauk@thembauk.bsky.social

January 12, 2026Episode 228 min

Life on the rocks, part 2: The seashore as a window on the ocean

Join us for a fascinating journey through marine science with experimental ecologist Professor Stephen Hawkins.The seashore is most people’s window on the ocean. In this episode, Professor Hawkins reviews the main threats to coastal seas, and asks, how do predictions of impacts on rocky shores hold up a quarter century on?The Marine Biologist podcast goes deeper into topics covered in The Marine Biologist magazine. This episode expands on the article, Looking back looking shoreward, which appeared in the October 2025 edition.Text us your comments and feedbackThanks for listening!If you have any questions you can contact us at the Marine Biological Association here.Join the Marine Biological Association and receive four copies a year of The Marine Biologist, our prestigious and beautifully curated magazine. MBA membership comes with a host of other benefits. Follow us on social: www.facebook.com/thembaukwww.instagram.com/thembauk@thembauk.bsky.social

October 24, 2025Episode 120 min

Life on the rocks, part 1: Six decades of rocky shore ecology with Professor Stephen J. Hawkins.

Podcast Summary (100 words): Join us for Six Decades of Rocky Shore Ecology, a fascinating journey through marine science with experimental ecologist Professor Stephen Hawkins. From his first limpet studies on the Isle of Man to pioneering work on climate change, biodiversity, and eco-engineering, Prof. Hawkins reflects on the evolving story of our coasts. As former Director of the Marine Biological Association, he shares insights into keystone grazers, shifting species, and the power of long-term research. With humour, history, and a deep love for rocky shores, this episode celebrates a lifetime uncovering the hidden dynamics of the intertidal world.Text us your comments and feedbackThanks for listening!If you have any questions you can contact us at the Marine Biological Association here.Join the Marine Biological Association and receive four copies a year of The Marine Biologist, our prestigious and beautifully curated magazine. MBA membership comes with a host of other benefits. Follow us on social: www.facebook.com/thembaukwww.instagram.com/thembauk@thembauk.bsky.social

May 20, 2025Episode 432 min

An interview with Dr Bryce Stewart, scientific consultant on the film Ocean with David Attenborough

In this episode, we’re talking with Dr Bryce Stewart about the power of community-driven marine conservation. Bryce is a Senior Research Fellow at the MBA and Associate Professor at the University of Plymouth. His work on marine protected areas (MPAs) has contributed to world-renowned examples of participatory marine conservation and management, notably around the Isle of Man and the Isle Arran.A productive ocean benefits everyone. Listen in to find out how we can not only have our marine biodiversity but eat it too.For more information about Bryce’s research, visit the MBA website. Become a member of the Marine Biological Association and be part of a global community advocating for the ocean. You'll receive four copies a year of our beautifully produced magazine, The Marine Biologist, and a host of other benefits.For a limited period, you can save 25% on MBA membership. To join, visit www.mba.ac.uk/our-membership/ This offer is valid until the 31st of May, 2025 and applies to the monthly payment option only. Text us your comments and feedbackThanks for listening!If you have any questions you can contact us at the Marine Biological Association here.Join the Marine Biological Association and receive four copies a year of The Marine Biologist, our prestigious and beautifully curated magazine. MBA membership comes with a host of other benefits. Follow us on social: www.facebook.com/thembaukwww.instagram.com/thembauk@thembauk.bsky.social

December 17, 2024Episode 325 min

Communities and turtle conservation in Sierra Leone with Edward Aruna, winner of the Tusk Award for Conservation in Africa

In this episode we are glad to bring you the warmth of West Africa!For his achievements in turtle conservation and with the coastal communities of Sierra Leone, Edward Aruna has won the 2024 Tusk Award for Conservation in Africa. This is a stunning achievement and we are delighted to bring this conversation to you. Edward outlines the many environmental challenges facing Sierra Leone but this small, West African country inhabited by "lovely, welcoming, and peaceful people" is full of promise. By listening to the needs of local people and encouraging them to listen to conservation law, Edward has achieved turtle conservation wins and brought real benefits to numerous coastal communities. His message is: "The environment doesn't need us, but we need the environment", and Edward invites NGOs and volunteers to help in his beautiful country.Listen in: there is much to learn from Edward's patient and sincere approach to his work.Edward Aruna was the 2024 recipient of the The Tusk Award for Conservation in Africa, sponsored by Defender. Established in 2013 in partnership with Ninety One and in conjunction with H.R.H The Prince of Wales, the awards recognise cutting-edge conservation leaders and their positive impacts on wildlife conservation and local communities across Africa. For over a decade, The Tusk Conservation Awards have served as a springboard for these guardians of biodiversity, who have risen to the top of their fields, scaling their work and amplifying conservation impact across the continent.[goog_892001139]www.tuskawards.com@Tusk_orgText us your comments and feedbackThanks for listening!If you have any questions you can contact us at the Marine Biological Association here.Join the Marine Biological Association and receive four copies a year of The Marine Biologist, our prestigious and beautifully curated magazine. MBA membership comes with a host of other benefits. Follow us on social: www.facebook.com/thembaukwww.instagram.com/thembauk@thembauk.bsky.social

July 26, 2024Episode 227 min

Ocean love with Raghda Ezzeldin

We are delighted to welcome Raghda Ezzeldin, record breaking freediver, maths teacher, and ocean activist with OceanLove, a global non-profit ocean conservation initiative.Raghda tells us about her intimate connection with the ocean and putting her passion into action for change.We also cover philosophy, marine life encounters in remote parts of the Red Sea and the OceanLove Innovation awards.We interviewed Raghda and OceanLove founder, Ilco van der Linde, in the April 2024 edition of The Marine Biologist magazine. You can find out more about @Ocean Love @oceanlovenews or on www.oceanlove.news Text us your comments and feedbackThanks for listening!If you have any questions you can contact us at the Marine Biological Association here.Join the Marine Biological Association and receive four copies a year of The Marine Biologist, our prestigious and beautifully curated magazine. MBA membership comes with a host of other benefits. Follow us on social: www.facebook.com/thembaukwww.instagram.com/thembauk@thembauk.bsky.social

March 18, 2024Episode 135 min

Inspiring women: crossing an ocean for the ocean

We are joined in this episode by Noelle Helder, marine ecologist, and member of the four-woman Salty Science rowing team that crossed the Atlantic to make a positive contribution to inclusivity in marine science. Representing three generations of marine scientists, Isabelle Côté, Chantale Begin, Lauren Shea, and Noelle rowed 3,000 miles across the Atlantic in an 8.5 m boat. Noelle describes how she and the team prepared for this epic of endurance, kept their morale high, and worked as a team under the most extreme conditions. They not only won the women's division and came 7th out of 37 boats that finished the race. On the way they endured days of 20-foot waves, encountered sharks, tuna, and flying fish, and tried not to think about the consequences of a marlin strike. Noelle’s description of the sometimes hair-raising journey is refreshingly deadpan – perhaps unsurprising for a self-confessed lover of ‘type II fun’. But beyond testing themselves in the open ocean, the reason the team took on the challenge was to raise support for marine conservation education, and support access for less privileged people to enter careers in marine science. We hope you enjoy this episode as much as Lize and I did.https://saltyscience.org/https://www.worldstoughestrow.com/the-atlantic/Text us your comments and feedbackThanks for listening!If you have any questions you can contact us at the Marine Biological Association here.Join the Marine Biological Association and receive four copies a year of The Marine Biologist, our prestigious and beautifully curated magazine. MBA membership comes with a host of other benefits. Follow us on social: www.facebook.com/thembaukwww.instagram.com/thembauk@thembauk.bsky.social

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