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The Marine Biological Association @thembauk.bsky.social · 11h

In 2025, an explosion of common octopus appeared across the southwest coast of England

Dr. Keith Hiscock, MBA, explains what led to this “octopus bloom”, how it connects to long-term changes in our seas, and what it could mean for the future of UK marine life.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=nR2l...

Southwest Octopus Bloom: Behind the Surge with Keith Hiscock, MBE

YouTube video by The Marine Biological Association

www.youtube.com

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Reposted by The Marine Biological Association

Sussex Kelp Recovery Project (SKRP) @sussexkelp.bsky.social · 2d

🌏 Why was the #KelpSummit2025 so important?

Hear from some of our key speakers: Cat Wilding @thembauk.bsky.social, Erin Lawes (Environment Agency), @rodneyforster.bsky.social, @grockesibl.bsky.social & @pippajmoore.bsky.social
To view more from the Summit, visit the link in our bio.

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Reposted by The Marine Biological Association

Nova Mieszkowska @marclim-uk.bsky.social · 2d

Curious about the genome of the beautiful little Onchidella celtica? Now available to read @thembauk.bsky.social wellcomeopenresearch.org/articles/10-...

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The Marine Biological Association @thembauk.bsky.social · 2d

Ellen brings passion and curiosity to everything she does, from troubleshooting experiments to mentoring fellow lab members.

The talk final takes place on 7 October 2025 during the Microbiology Society Executive Committee meeting – we can’t wait to cheer her on!

The Marine Biological Association @thembauk.bsky.social · 2d

Meet Our Early Career Microbiologist of the Year Talk Finalist: Dr Ellen Harrison 🌟

We’re thrilled to share that Dr Ellen Harrison, Postdoctoral Researcher at the Marine Biological Association has been named a finalist for her talk on the influence of nutrient co-limitation on diatom P-sensing🧬✨

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The Marine Biological Association @thembauk.bsky.social · 2d

Did someone say it's take an octopus to work day?

Brilliant photos from @akwildlifefalmouth showing the extent of the octopus surge in the southwest. This Risso's dolphin seemed to be having fun 🐙

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The Marine Biological Association @thembauk.bsky.social · 5d

These gentle giants can be over 10 metres long, yet glide just beneath the surface — making for breathtaking encounters (and challenging fieldwork!).

Each successful tag provided months of movement data, revealing where whale sharks travel, how deep they dive, and what threats they face.

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The Marine Biological Association @thembauk.bsky.social · 5d

Fieldwork Friday 🦈

For the Global Shark Movement Project, scientists from the Marine Biological Association and partners spent long days at sea attaching satellite tags to whale sharks.

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Reposted by The Marine Biological Association

DASSH @dassh-at-the-mba.bsky.social · 12d

📈 🌊 New marine data published!!🌊 📈
Discover our latest published datasets with 5 new datasets from the 2025 Environment Agency data for the UK marine strategy's Article 8 biodiversity assessment,
accessible through the MEDIN portal now! 🌍https://portal.medin.org.uk/portal/start.php 🔍 #MarineData

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Reposted by The Marine Biological Association

Nova Mieszkowska @marclim-uk.bsky.social · 6d

Sabellaria alveolata at both Crackington Haven & Hartland Quay MarClim sites. Always a joy to see this Priority Habitat @thembauk.bsky.social

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The Marine Biological Association @thembauk.bsky.social · 6d

🎥 Next week we’ll be sharing a video with Dr Keith Hiscock, MBE, who will explore the history, rise and fall of octopus populations in the Channel.

Surges like this aren’t unprecedented – similar peaks were recorded in both 1900 and 1950.

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The Marine Biological Association @thembauk.bsky.social · 6d

“Eating Anything in Their Path” – that’s how The New York Times recently described the surge of octopus sightings in the English Channel.

But how significant is this so-called octopus bloom? What’s fact, what’s myth – and what does it really mean for our seas?

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The Marine Biological Association @thembauk.bsky.social · 7d

Take a look back at our newsroom and socials for inspiration from the stories we’ve shared, we've explored a lot in the past year, from microscopic plankton to magnificent megafauna.

The winning design will feature on our special seasonal card.

Deadline: 31st October 2025

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The Marine Biological Association @thembauk.bsky.social · 7d

Calling all ocean-inspired artists! - We’re launching our festive Ocean Art Card Competition.

We’re inviting you to dive into the wonders of our science – celebrating ocean biology, the hidden marine microbiome, and the beauty of coastal ecology.

Enter here - www.mba.ac.uk/art-competit...

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The Marine Biological Association @thembauk.bsky.social · 8d

Must reads for Future Marine Biologists…

Spring Tides — Fiona Gell
Into the Great Wide Ocean — Sönke Johnsen
How Life Works — Philip Ball

The Marine Biologist includes book reviews and recommendation's — one of the many benefits of joining - www.mba.ac.uk/our-membersh...

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The Marine Biological Association @thembauk.bsky.social · 9d

The star of the show this #MicroscopyMonday is Noctiluca scintillans — a giant among plankton! At up to 2 mm across, visible to the naked eye.

Around UK and European coasts, it sometimes forms blooms that appear pinkish-red or orange, creating the phenomenon known as “red tides.”

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The Marine Biological Association @thembauk.bsky.social · 10d

Find our more and apply for your Student Travel Bursary Today 👉
mymba.mba.ac.uk/student-burs...

Student Bursary Application

Apply for one of our student bursaries

mymba.mba.ac.uk

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The Marine Biological Association @thembauk.bsky.social · 10d

💬 “I came away with a deeper understanding of vertebrate vision, invaluable skills, and inspiring new connections. I’m already seeing the impact on my research - and I’m so grateful to the MBA for supporting me at this transitional stage.”

Student Bursary Application

Apply for one of our student bursaries

mymba.mba.ac.uk

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The Marine Biological Association @thembauk.bsky.social · 10d

Just starting her PhD this autumn, Anna took full advantage of the opportunity - gaining hands-on experience with calcium imaging in octopus 🐙, bobtail squid behavioural experiments 🦑, frog retina imaging 🐸, and zebrafish vision studies 🐟.

Student Bursary Application

Apply for one of our student bursaries

mymba.mba.ac.uk

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The Marine Biological Association @thembauk.bsky.social · 10d

Student Bursary in Action 🌊

This August, Anna Jansson attended the Visual Neuroscience Advanced Research Training Course at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, supported by the MBA Student Bursary.

@annaneuro.bsky.social

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The Marine Biological Association @thembauk.bsky.social · 12d

This week, Christine Wood and John Bishop provided training in the identification of non-native marine species to the dive team of @naturalengland.bsky.social

#NaturalEngland #InvasiveSpecies #MBA #MarineBiologicalInvasive #MarineBiologicalAssocation

Invasive species trays Marine Biological Assocation This week, Christine Wood and John Bishop provided training in the identification of non-native marine species to the dive team of @naturalengland.bsky.social

#NaturalEngland #InvasiveSpecies #MBA #MarineBiologicalAssocation

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The Marine Biological Association @thembauk.bsky.social · 13d

Read more about this landmark treaty on our website - www.mba.ac.uk/marine-biolo...

#HighSeasTreaty #OceanConservation #MarineBiodiversity #MBAscience Photo credit Hannes Klostermann / Ocean Image Bank

Marine Biological Association welcomes landmark High Seas Treaty ratification | Marine Biological Association

The Marine Biological Association (MBA) has welcomed the ratification and imminent entry into force of the High Seas Treaty (formally the Agreement on the

www.mba.ac.uk

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The Marine Biological Association @thembauk.bsky.social · 13d

With countries pledging to expand high seas MPAs from 1% to 30% by 2030, the MBA stresses that success depends on robust science, international cooperation, and effective governance.

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The Marine Biological Association @thembauk.bsky.social · 13d

"The ocean is not a distant environmental concern, it is the living pulse of our planet... Protecting biodiversity is a strategic investment in global stability and sustainability.”
Prof. Willie Wilson, MBA Chief Executive

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The Marine Biological Association @thembauk.bsky.social · 13d

After more than 20 years of negotiations, over 60 nations have ratified the Treaty, setting the stage for:

⚖️ Fair sharing of marine genetic resources
🌐 Creation of high seas Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)
📊 Stronger environmental impact assessments
🔬 Capacity-building & technology transfer

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