New partnership with Natural England to strengthen the future of marine citizen science 

DASSH, the UK Archive for Marine Species and Habitats Data, has begun an exciting new collaboration with Natural England to support the next phase of development of the Marine Citizen Science Network (MCSN).

MBA scientists awarded NERC Urgency Grant to track marine heatwave impacts

The Marine Biological Association (MBA) has been awarded a Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) Urgency Grant to investigate the biological effects of the severe-to-extreme marine heatwave recently recorded in the English Channel, southern North Sea and Bay of Biscay.

Rare Mediterranean sea hare filmed swimming in Devon harbour

A Plymouth fisherman has captured remarkable footage of a large sea hare gliding through the waters of the Barbican, offering a rare glimpse of an unusual marine visitor swimming freely in one of the city’s busiest waterfront settings.

Climate change is permanently reshaping UK coastlines 

New findings from the Marine Climate Change Impacts Partnership (MCCIP) highlight how 25 years of annual monitoring, backed by the long-running MarClim project, are providing unprecedented insight into the impacts of climate change on the UK’s coastal and intertidal habitats.  Long-term observations of rocky shore species are revealing clear, biological responses to a warming marine … Read more

Mystery sea slug found off Lundy could be new undescribed species

A brightly coloured sea slug spotted by a local citizen scientist and diver off Lundy has sparked interest from marine experts. In a potentially significant development, the discovery has attracted the attention of a leading nudibranch specialist who suspects the striking creature may represent a species never before recorded by science. The tiny but striking … Read more

Calling all citizen scientists! Discover Cornwall’s coastal wildlife at the 2026 Community BioBlitz Festival 

Families, local residents, and wildlife enthusiasts are invited to join a fun-filled 24 hours of coastal exploration, wildlife discovery and hands-on activities at The Rock Pool Project’s Community BioBlitz Festival in Cornwall on 29-30 August.

Warming seas drive major changes in Southwest UK marine wildlife, report reveals

Partners in the world of marine research and observation, including the Marine Biological Association (MBA), have highlighted major ecological changes occurring across the region’s waters in the latest State of South-West Seas 2025 report.

Competitive rock pool challenge reveals rare finds and non-native species on UK shores

Thousands of observations of marine wildlife have been recorded during the 2026 National BioBlitz, providing valuable data that will help scientists to monitor changes in biodiversity around the UK coastline.

Kelp forests show resilience to disturbance – but warming seas may slow recovery

Kelp forests along the UK coastline are more resilient to disturbance than previously thought, according to a MBA study recently published in the Journal of Ecology.

UK invited to compete in nationwide rock pooling challenge with prizes up for grabs

Communities across the UK are invited to join in with a nationwide rock pooling competition this spring, with the Big Rock Pool Challenge National BioBlitz 2026. Combining marine species discovery with competitive wildlife recording, the event brings people of all ages and backgrounds together with the common aim of exploring and recording the incredible biodiversity of our coastal shores.