Beneath the Surface

In this episode I speak to Matt Bell, a second year marine biology and oceanography student at Plymouth University who is embarking on the #Lastpole expedition to collect crucial climate change data that can be used by scientists globally. We discuss his expedition to the Northern Pole of Inaccessibility, funding, diving and his time at university during Covid times.

To keep up to date with Matt’s expedition:

Instagram: @Ice_warrior_matt

For this final episode, I am interviewing John Spicer. John is a professor at the University of Plymouth and is a world-renowned expert on the effects of climate change on marine organisms. His research focuses on marine organisms and how they adapt to climate change, looking at the effect on ocean acidification, hypoxia (low oxygen) and rising temperatures. John has contributed a substantial wealth of knowledge to the field over three decades, with more than 180 research papers, multiple academic books, writing for popular culture, and advising national and international policymakers.

But John has also been one of my lecturers at university, and has been one of the most influential and inspirational people I have listened to and learnt from during my degree. My first encounter with him was 4 years ago, when I first started uni when he was giving us lectures on global biodiversity and threats facing it. 

I couldn't do an episode with John, as he played such an important role in my journey in Plymouth, and is so appreciated among students. So here we are, for the final episode of the series, John and I, talking about biodiversity.

In this episode, John explains what biodiversity is, what are the main threats affecting it, and what we can do to alleviate our impact on biodiversity.  John highlights the importance of living a considerate life, and asking ourselves not "can we do it" anymore, but "do we want to do it" when it comes to changing our way of life. 

Take a deep breath and join us for this inspiring conversation, talking about human nature, religion and faith, interconnection of living organisms and our place within the ecosystem that is the Earth. 

Thanks for listening 🌎🙏🏼🦐🌱💙💚 

More information about John:

In this new episode, I'm chatting with Clare Embling. Clare is an associate professor in marine ecology at the University of Plymouth. Her research focuses on the ecology and conservation of marine vertebrates (marine mammals, seabirds and fish), habitat modelling, bioacoustics, and human impacts on marine species (e.g. impacts of increasing noise in the sea) and she is the leader of the Marine Vertebrates Research Unit at the University.

Clare has been one of my lecturers, and I particularly enjoyed one of the last modules I did with her on the ecology and conservation of large marine vertebrates. Clare is extremely passionate, enthusiastic and knowledgeable about the world of marine vertebrates, especially marine mammals. 

In this episode, we talk about the different species of cetaceans found in British/Plymouth waters, the threats they're facing, what conservation actions should be taken but Clare also shares with us some important and inspiring moments of her career and life. This conversation is filled with inspiration, advice, knowledge & joy. 

I hope this episode makes you smile - it surely did when I was recording and editing it. 

Thanks for listening! 🐬🐋⛵🎶🎧🎣

More about Clare & her work: 

There are multiple ways to engage people with the ocean... and art is one of them. 

In this episode, meet Debby Mason. Debby a is printmaker for over 25 years, specialising in etchings and mezzotints. She mainly draws fish, or marine creatures. She spends hours, observing them, and trying to mimic patterns, textures, colours and shapes; transcribing their characters and personalities.  

There are different ways to look at marine life. You can look at marine organisms, through the eyes of a biologist, to understand how things are and how they work. But Debby invites us to look at marine life with a new look, the ones of an artist, in awe when facing the plethora of colours, shapes and behaviours these organisms show. 

In this conversation with Debby, I felt like I was in my childhood again. It warmed my heart to listen to Debby talking about marine organisms. The way she tells us about her encounters with marine life, how she describes what they look like or how they act underwater ... it is like listening to a tale about the underwater world. 

Listen to this episode to hear about Debby's work, her inspirations, how we can use art to raise awareness about the underwater world and the threats it is facing, and much more... 

Thanks for listening! 🎨🖌️🐠👩🏻‍🎨🌏

More about Debby's work: 

In this new episode, meet Oliver, from Sail Britain and listen to our conversation that I had the pleasure to record on Merlin... 

Oliver is a sailor, an environmentalist, and is passionate about people. So Oliver takes people on board of his boat for a week at sea, to experience the ocean & learn about marine conservation. 

For him, bringing people together, from multiple backgrounds, on a sailing boat, is pure joy. Over half of the year, Sail Britain organises weeks at sea, with each week having a theme, where people can come on board, get some experience of sailing but more importantly, talk about the ocean. The people on board are sometimes marine biologists, artists, social scientists, video makers ... each week is multi-disciplinary and makes the journey diverse and creative. 

I have had the opportunity to meet Oliver a couple of times, and each time our conversations around the saloon table of Merlin have been rich, deep and inspiring. This time, I have recorded a part of our conversation, and decided to share it on the podcast, where more people can get inspired by it. 

We both believe that people need to experience the ocean for them to care about it and to protect it. And it's exactly what Sail Britain is about. 

Listen to this episode to learn about Sail Britain & about how we can bring people together to experience the ocean ! 

More information about Sail Britain & Oliver:

How could I do a podcast about the ocean in Plymouth and not make an episode about fishing? 

Plymouth is the second biggest fish market in England, but still, not many people are aware of how they can eat fish sustainably in Plymouth. 

Well, I've got the answer for you: Sole of Discretion. In this episode, I talk with Caroline, the founder of Sole of Discretion, a community interest company  based in Plymouth. It is basically a fish monger... but it's not like your usual fish monger. Sole of Discretion works directly with small-scale fishermen, that catch fish locally, and with gear that has a low impact on marine ecosystems. 

The protection of the marine environment is at the heart of this local company, while also contributing to the livelihood of small scale fishers and their communities. Fishing and overexploitation of certain marine species is probably the biggest threat to the marine world. But as consumers, or just as people interested in the sea, it is really easy to feel lost and confused when it comes to making the right choice. 

So in this episode, Caroline and I talk about how Sole of Discretion works, why we need to think LOCAL but also SMALL SCALE, we compare being vegan and eating locally caught fish from an environmental perspective, we talk about Seaspiracy and many other things... 

I hope this episode gives you a better understanding of how the fishing industry works, the damage it can have on marine ecosystems, and what we can do as consumers to help this industry to shift to a more sustainable way of functioning. Whether you are vegan, vegetarian, omnivorous, pescatarian... this episode will hopefully make you think about HOW and WHY you do it. 

Thanks for listening and please drop a line if you want to chat about it! 

More info about Caroline & Sole of Discretion:

In this new episode, David Sims is joining me to talk about some of his research. David is a marine ecologist based at the Marine Biological Association in Plymouth. His research focuses on movement ecology and conservation of marine top predators, specifically sharks, skates and rays. His research focuses on the behavioural ecology of pelagic shark movements and spatial distributions, the environmental constraints, and the consequences of anthropogenic impacts. 

David is part of the Global Shark Movement project, a movement about movement... with more than 150 sharks biologists from 26 countries and regrouping more than 100 institutions, David and colleagues all around the world study the movement of sharks across the globe in order to assess the spatial overlap between the distribution of sharks with areas of high anthropogenic pressures (e.g. fisheries, shipping routes). 

In this episode, David tells us about two major threats shark populations are facing globally: fisheries & climate change, and how these two might act in synergy, increasing the pressure on shark populations already greatly reduced and endangered. David also tells us about local sharks found in Plymouth, some of his memories diving in Plymouth sound with incredible creatures, and the early findings he made on basking sharks, back in the days where almost nothing was known about this species. 

If you're interested in sharks, want to know more about them, their biology and movement, the way they are being affected by fisheries and how climate change will exacerbate this, or want to listen to the great discoveries David has made on basking sharks... there's something for you to bite! 

Hope you enjoy listening to this!! 

🦈🐟⛴️🎣🌍

And if you want to know more about David's work: 

My new guest speaker is ... Abigail McQuatters-Gollop! She is a marine conservation ecologist based at the University of Plymouth. Her research focuses on the integration of scientific results into policy-making at national and international levels. From researching the impacts of climate change, or nutrient pollution on marine ecosystems, to actively working hand in hand with policy makers at DEFRA or outside of the UK, Abigail focuses her work directly based on policy needs to inform and support effective marine management and conservation. 

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In this episode we talk about the impacts of climate change on plankton communities, and what it means for the whole food web and marine systems, but also for us humans. Abigail tells us about the importance of working with policy makers and how building a strong relationship is the most effective way to implement strong and effective policy. We also touch on  Brexit and what it means for the fishing industry & fishermen and how it will impact the way we manage and protect our marine environment in the UK. 

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If you're interested in policy making, trying to make a difference with your research, understanding how the impacts on plankton reflects the impact on whole marine ecosystems, or what Brexit means for marine conservation, you'll probably find something to bite here!... 

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Here's an insight into Abigail's work and an inspiring way of seeing marine conversation, science & policy holding hands. 

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Thanks for listening!

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If you want to know more about Abigail's work: 

My new guest speaker (and the last of 2020) is Paul Naylor.

I couldn't talk about marine biology in Plymouth without doing an episode with Paul... He is such a legend here, and has been an amazing inspiration for so many people (including me).

Paul is a marine biologist, underwater photographer and filmmaker... He has now retired from the Environmental Agency & dedicates all of his time to his passion: telling people about the local marine life. Through his photos, films, books, conferences etc., Paul is constantly inspiring people with stories from beneath the surface. When he is not talking or showing images, Paul is found underwater, exploring cracks and crevices, saying hello to his friends the blennies and all the other wonderful creatures he's amazed by.

In this episode, we talk about his career path, his projects and how he's showcasing the beauty of British marine life to the general public. After so many hours spent underwater at his regular sites, Paul has managed to get to know some of the creatures really well… and has some incredible stories to share with us.

If you have an interest in underwater photography, diving, or if you’re curious about the social life of fishes or just want to know more about what’s found underwater in England… this episode is for you!!!

Thanks for listening!

🐠🤿📷🐚🌊🎥

If you've got any feedback, comments, recommendations or questions, let me know !

If you want to  know more about Paul and his work:

Instagram: @paulnaylormarinephoto

My new guest speaker is Louise Firth. 

Louise is a researcher and lecturer based at the University of Plymouth.  She is a marine ecologist who works in both natural and artificial coastal environments. She is interested in the relationship between humans and coastal ecosystems (Marine Community Ecology) and how this relationship has changed over time (Historical Ecology). She is particularly interested in developing novel ways of making space for nature in human-dominated environments, (Eco-Engineering). 

In this episode, we'll be talking about the different topics Louise is interested and busy working on ... eco-engineering, historical ecology, how cool limpets are... Louise also talks about her career path and gives some wonderful words of advice for future marine scientists... 

If you want to know more about how we can bring nature back into human-dominated environments, or want to know more about limpets and what they are, or just want to have an insight into the life of a marine ecologist... here's an episode for you! 

Thanks for listening!

🐚🏢🚢🛠️🐟🌿

If you've got any feedback, comments, recommendations or questions, let me know !

If you want to  know more about Louise and her work:

Twitter: @Louise_Firth_IE

My new guest speaker is Dan Smale. Dan is a researcher based at the Marine Biological Association, in Plymouth. He is a marine ecologist with broad research interests and a particular focus on understanding how global environmental change is influencing the structure and functioning of coastal marine ecosystems, especially kelp forests. 

His journey started in Plymouth where he studied his undergraduate degree in marine biology, before doing his postgrad degrees in Antartica & Western Australia. He is now back to Plymouth and leads the Smale Group at the MBA. 

In this episode, we'll be talking about kelp forests... what they are, where you find them, why they are important, how climate change is impacting these systems, what their role is regarding  "blue carbon" etc. ... Dan also talks about his journey and gives advice for future marine scientists! 

Whether you're already a fan of kelp, or just want to know more about these systems, or want to get an insight into the life of a marine ecologist, here's an episode for you! 

Thanks for listening!

🌿🤿🌏🔥👨🏻‍🔬🌱

If you've got any feedback, comments, recommendations or questions, let me know !

If you want to  know more about Dan and his work: 

My new guest speaker is Nadia Frontier. Nadia was a student in Plymouth, and graduated from Marine Biology & Coastal Ecology in 2019.  She is now working as the Marine Biologist at the Rothera Research Station in Antarctica, with the British Antarctic Survey. 

I met Nadia during my degree, and she has been a real source of inspiration to me since then. She is really motivated and so enthusiastic about everything, and I hope you will get some inspiration from  listening to her in this episode. 

Nadia talks about her career path, from being a student at the University of Plymouth to working at the Marine Biological Association, to being diving in Antarctica to conduct research with the British Antarctic Survey. 

She also talks about the importance of volunteering and getting experience while  doing a degree, what she thinks about the course content and lecturers... and as always, we talk a bit about diving in Plymouth! 

Whether you're thinking of studying marine biology, pursuing a career in marine research,  dreaming of going to Antarctica or just want a good dose of inspiration... here's an episode for you! 

Thanks for listening!

❄️👩🏻‍🎓🤿🇦🇶🐧🌱

If you've got any feedback, comments, recommendations or questions, let me know in the comments or by directly contacting me.

If you want to  know more about Nadia and her journey in Antarctica:  

My second guest speaker is Mark Parry. Mark grew up & studied in Plymouth; he is still living here and is now working with the Ocean Conservation Trust, the NGO that runs the National Marine Aquarium. In this episode we talk about his career path from working in the surfing industry to working in marine conservation, his connection to the marine environment but also about the amazing project he is involved in: restoring seagrass meadows in Plymouth. If you want to know more about why seagrass is important, what is being done to protect & restore underwater meadows ... here's an episode for you! 

Thanks for listening!

🌱🌊🏄🏻‍♂️🐙🤿

If you've got any feedback, comments, recommendations or questions, let me know in the comments or by directly contacting me.

If you want to contact Mark or know more about the seagrass restoration project: 

My first guest speaker is Georgie Bull. She is a student in Marine Biology & Coastal Ecology at the University of Plymouth and she is also an amazing photographer and diver. She's actually just won the British and Irish Underwater Photography Championship this year. In this episode we talk about diving, underwater photography, science communication, career options, our course and much more... 

Thanks for listening! 

🎙️👩🏼‍🎓🤿📷🌱

If you've got any feedback, comments, recommendations or questions, let me know in the comments or by directly contacting me.

If you want to contact Georgie and see her photos:

Hello, and welcome to Plymouth Beneath the Surface!! 

My name is Louise-Océane and I'll be your host for the next few episodes. 

I am a student in Marine Biology & Coastal Ecology at the University of Plymouth, and I am really excited to be launching this podcast. 

Plymouth Beneath the Surface is here to show you the diversity of local ocean-related stories, which will give you an insight into what's going on in the field of marine biology & conservation, here in Plymouth. You'll meet students, researchers, citizens, NGOs. We'll be exploring career choices (diving, photography, scientific research ....), marine conservation & restoration initiatives as well as exploring the underwater life of Plymouth. 

Hopefully all these ocean stories will inspire you as much as they inspire me. 

If you've got any feedback, comments, recommendations or questions, let me know in the comments or by directly contacting me.

Thanks for listening! 

You can find me here: