Octopus bloom off Southwest UK: New report reveals scale, causes and consequences

A new report led by the Marine Biological Association (MBA) in collaboration with Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML), the University of Plymouth and an independent consultant has revealed that a dramatic population bloom of the common octopus (Octopus vulgaris) off the Southwest coast of the UK is having significant effects on fisheries and marine ecosystems.

Pioneering single-cell microelectrode study reveals how diatoms rapidly adapt carbon uptake

Scientists at the Marine Biological Association have used a pioneering technological approach in individual diatom cells to uncover how these microscopic ocean organisms rapidly adjust their carbon uptake strategies to cope with changing conditions in the ocean.

Studentship beneficiary reflects on a transformative summer of hands-on marine research at the MBA

Exeter University student and MBA Student Member, Jasmin Orak, joined the Marine Biological Association (MBA) this summer as a Spooner-Parke Summer Studentship awardee, spending 6 weeks immersed in hands-on marine microbiology research.

A year of global impact and growth: MBA Chief Executive, Professor Willie Wilson, reflects on 2025 

December always brings with it one of the highlights of our calendar, the Annual General Meeting, and with it an invaluable moment to reflect on our science, our community and our impact. Despite what has been an undeniably challenging period for the wider world, the ocean and the academic sector, the MBA has continued to … Read more

MBA researchers reveal climate change threat to kelp forest ecosystems

A new study co-authored by the Marine Biological Association’s Senior Research Fellow Dr Dan Smale, Lankester Research Fellow Professor Stephen J. Hawkins, Postdoctoral Research Assistant Dr Nathan King, and former PhD student Harry Teagle, has revealed how the loss of kelp forests at their southern range edge could dramatically reshape marine ecosystems. Dense patches of … Read more

The Marine Biological Association’s long history of fisheries management research

The release earlier this year of Ocean with David Attenborough, and the accompanying book, Ocean Earth’s Last Wilderness, have served as timely reminders of the vital role the ocean plays in the health and resilience of our planet. MBA researchers, including Senior Research Fellow Dr Bryce Stewart, were actively involved in the making of the film.

Dr Dan Smale awarded Marsh Prize for groundbreaking climate change research

We are proud to announce that Dr Dan Smale, Senior Research Fellow at the Marine Biological Association, has been awarded the Marsh Award for Climate Change Research by the British Ecological Society (BES). This prestigious honour recognises Dan’s exceptional contributions to understanding the ecological impacts of climate change on marine ecosystems. Dan’s research has been … Read more

Pioneering study uses eDNA to reveal intertidal biodiversity across UK shores

A groundbreaking study, part-funded by the Marine Biological Association (MBA), has demonstrated the power of environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding to assess biodiversity in rocky intertidal zones across the UK. This is one of the first multi-scale applications of eDNA in these dynamic coastal environments, spanning a wide latitudinal gradient and offering new insights into how … Read more

From Cornwall to Scotland: The Rock Pool Project expands with seven new UK Hubs

Calling all citizen scientists – one of Britain’s favourite seaside pastimes is going national. The Rock Pool Project has announced the launch of seven new hubs across the UK, bringing its Competitive Rock Pooling events to more coastal communities than ever before. Thanks to support from the ScottishPower Foundation, The National Lottery Heritage Fund, and … Read more

Diatoms reveal survival strategy under nutrient co-limitation 

Scientists at the Marine Biological Association (MBA) and the University of Exeter have discovered how tiny photosynthetic microbes known as phytoplankton prioritise resource use when nutrients are scarce, in a breakthrough that could reshape our understanding of the impacts of nutrient limitation on these important organisms, which form the base of marine food webs.Â