Please contact Dr Si芒n Rees or any of the team members if you have an enquiry. For more information please see
Marine Social Science Research Unit
An inter and transdisciplinary team, part of the Marine Conservation Research Group

Please contact Dr Si芒n Rees or any of the team members if you have an enquiry. For more information please see
OOH research seeks to bridge current disconnections in law, science and policy and integrate governance frameworks to balance multiple ocean uses with conservation. NERC GCRF (NE/S008950/1)
Stronger Shores is one of 25 projects in England that is being progressed under the Environment Agency鈥檚 Flood and Coastal Resilience Innovation Programme (FCRIP)
Seeking to evaluate the investment case for a pilot seagrass restoration project, with a focus on carbon as the primary source of revenue
Transformative ocean governance (TOG) is an innovative approach to managing the world's oceans that aims to balance economic development with environmental sustainability, social equity, and cultural values.
Working with partners in the Maldives to promote gender equity in recreational ocean access for wider ocean stewardship.
Projecting the impacts of climate change on plankton ecological indicators and quantifying ecosystem service losses.
Working alongside Defra and the MMO to explore the evidence-base and potential to apply a Natural Capital Approach to Fisheries Management Plans.
Aiming to improve understanding of the ecosystem service benefits and impacts provisioned by kelp aquaculture in the UK
This project aims to develop methodology to enable the biodiversity credit market for the restoration and protection of subtidal seagrass beds
The conclusion of the FISH INTEL project was marked with a conference at the University attended by many of its key stakeholders
The Stronger Shores initiative will explore the most effective ways to use the power of nature to restore the ocean鈥檚 health
A new Guide to Lionfish Management in the Mediterranean features a series of recommendations to manage populations
The 抖阴短视频 has played a key role in the region being recognised for the quality of its waves and its thriving blue economy
Researchers will play a significant role in a new 拢1.37million project led by the North Devon UNESCO Biosphere
锘縆leitou P., Hall-Spencer J.M., Rees S.E., Kletou, D. (2022) Guide to lionfish management in the Mediterranean. 抖阴短视频, 62 pp. doi.org/10.24382/KYCK-J558
Kleitou, P., Hall-Spencer, J. M., Savva, I., Kletou, D., Hadjistylli, M., Azzurro, E., . . . Rees, S. E. (2021). The Case of Lionfish (Pterois miles) in the Mediterranean Sea Demonstrates Limitations in EU Legislation to Address Marine Biological Invasions. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, 9(3), 325. .
Rees, S. E., Ashley, M., Evans, L., Mangi, S., Sheehan, E. V., Mullier, T., . . . Attrill, M. J. (2021). An evaluation of the social and economic impact of a Marine Protected Area on commercial fisheries. Fisheries Research, 235, 105819. .
Niner, H. J. and Randalls, S. (2021) 鈥楪ood enough for governance? Audit and marine biodiversity offsetting in Australia鈥, Geoforum. Elsevier Ltd, 120 (January), pp. 38鈥45. .
Niner, H. J. and Wassermann, S. N. (2021) 鈥楤etter for Whom? Levelling the Injustices of International Conferences by Moving Online鈥, Frontiers in Marine Science, 8 (February). .
Kleitou, P., Crocetta, F., Giakoumi, S., Giovos, I., Hall-Spencer, J. M., Kalogirou, S., . . . Rees, S. (2021). Fishery reforms for the management of non-indigenous species. Journal of Environmental Management, 111690. .
Niner, H. J., Jones, P. J. S., Milligan, B. and Styan, C. (2021). Exploring the practical implementation of marine biodiversity offsetting in Australia. Journal of Environmental Management, 295. doi: .
Stafford, R., Ashley, M., Clavey, L., Esteves, L.S., Hicks, N., Jones, A., Leonard, P., Luisetti, T., Martin, A., Parker, R., Rees, S., Schratzberger, M. & Unsworth, R. (2021) Marine and Coastal Systems. Nature based Solutions for Climate Change in the UK. British Ecological Society, London, UK.
Snow, B., Erinosh, B., Lajaunie, C., McGarr, D., Morgera, E., Niner, H., Hills, J., Howell, K., Sink, K., Merilainen, L., Lombard, M., Wahome, M., Mazzega, P., Wynberg, R., Febrica, S., Rees, S., Jeffrey, S., Pereira, T. & Sauer, W. (2021) How to enable transformative science during the International Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. A policy brief from the One Ocean Hub, UKRI.
Rees, S. E., Sheehan, E. V., Stewart, B. D., Clark, R., Appleby, T., Attrill, M. J., . . . Solandt, J. -L. (2020). Emerging themes to support ambitious UK marine biodiversity conservation. Marine Policy, 103864. .
Peyton, J. M., Martinou, A. F., Adriaens, T., Chartosia, N., Karachle, P. K., Rabitsch, W., ...Hall-Spencer, J. M. ... Kleitou, P. ... & Roy, H. E. (2020). Horizon scanning to predict and prioritize invasive alien species with the potential to threaten human health and economies on Cyprus. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 8, 284.
Niner, H. J. et al. (2020) 鈥楾he pandemic push: can COVID鈥19 reinvent conferences to models rooted in sustainability, equitability and inclusion?鈥, Socio-Ecological Practice Research. Springer Singapore, 2, pp. 253鈥256. .
Hooper, T., Ashley, M., Mullier, T. and Rees, S. 2020. North Devon Marine Natural Capital Plan. Sustainability Assessment. February 2020. Report prepared for the North Devon Biosphere Reserve as part of the South West Partnership for the Environment and Economic Prosperity (SWEEP) and the Marine Pioneer programme.
Kleitou, P., Savva, I., Kletou, D., Antoniou, C., Chartosia, N., Christodoulides, Y., Christou, M., Hadjioannou, L., Hadjistylli, M., Hall-Spencer, J.M., Jimenez, C., Rees, S.E. 2020. Risk Assessment for the lionfish Pterois miles (Bennett, 1828) Prepared for the European Union in the framework of the EU LIFE project LIFE16 NAT/CY/000832.
Fisher, A., McGrath, E., Rees, S.E. 2020 - Perceptions of Green and Blue Space in Plymouth: baseline findings from the Plymouth City Survey 2020. A report for the Green Minds project by research staff at the 抖阴短视频. pp24.
Ashley, M., Rees, S., Mullier, T., Reed, B., Cartwright, A., Holmes, L., Sheehan, E., 2020. Isles of Scilly Natural Capital Asset and Risk Register to Inform Management of Isles of Scilly Fisheries Resources. A report by research staff the Marine Institute at the 抖阴短视频.
Selby, I., Rees, S.E., Lowther, J., Niner, H., Williams, M. 2020. Marine Institute Consultation Response to the South West Marine Plan. Pp8.
Rees, S.E. 2020 UN Decade of the Ocean consultation response.
Morgera, E., Rees, S.E., Febrica, S. 2020 Written Submission to the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee Biodiversity and Ecosystems. Pp14.
Johnson, D. E., Rees, S. E., Diz, D., Jones, P. J. S., Roberts, C., & Barrio Froj谩n, C. (2019). Securing effective and equitable coverage of marine protected areas: The UK's progress towards achieving Convention on Biological Diversity commitments and lessons learned for the way forward. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 29(S2), 181-194. .
Parry-Wilson, H. M., Rees, S. E., Leather, H., Cole, R., Rugg, C., & Attrill, M. J. (2019). Assessing behavioural and social responses to an eco-mooring trial for Zostera marina conservation management in Torbay, Southwest England. Ocean and Coastal Management, 180, 104906. .
Kleitou, P., Savva, I., Kletou, D., Hall-Spencer, J., Antoniou, C., Christodoulides, Y., . . . Rees, S. (2019). Invasive lionfish in the Mediterranean: Low public awareness yet high stakeholder concerns. Marine Policy. .
Pittman, S., Rodwell, L., Shellock, R., Williams, M., Attrill, M., Bedford, J., . . . Rees, S. (2019). Marine parks for coastal cities: A concept for enhanced community well-being, prosperity and sustainable city living. Marine Policy. .
Hooper, T., B枚rger, T., Langmead, O., Marcone, O., Rees, S. E., Rendon, O., . . . Austen, M. (2019). Applying the natural capital approach to decision making for the marine environment. Ecosystem Services, 38, 100947. .
Brennan, C., Ashley, M.C., Molloy, O. (2019) A Systems Dynamics Approach to Increasing Ocean Literacy. Frontiers in Marine Science.
Ashley, M.C., Phal, S., Glegg, G., Fletcher, S. (2019). A Change of Mind: Applying Social and Behavioural Research Methods to the Assessment of the Effectiveness of Ocean Literacy Initiatives. Frontiers in Marine Science .
Rees, S.E., Ashley, M., Cameron, A. 2019. North Devon Marine Pioneer Report 2: A Natural Capital Asset and Risk Register. A SWEEP/WWF-UK report.
Rees, S.E., Hooper, T., Heard, J., Lockett, J. 2019. Natural Capital Assessment Tools for the North Devon Marine Pioneer (Phase 1). SWEEP project 002 鈥 End of Phase one report.
Ashley, M.C., Assessment of effectiveness of ocean literacy tools. A presentation at Ocean Dialogues conference, Brussels, March 2019.
Molloy, O., Ashley, M., et al. ResponSEAble Deliverable 5.10 A Practical Guide to the Development of Ocean Literacy Materials and Products. 2019.
Elliott, L. R., White, M. P., Grellier, J., Rees, S. E., Waters, R. D., & Fleming, L. E. (2018). Recreational visits to marine and coastal environments in England: Where, what, who, why, and when?. Marine Policy. .
Davis, K. J., Binner, A., Bell, A., Day, B., Poate, T., Rees, S., . . . Bateman, I. (2018). A generalisable integrated natural capital methodology for targeting investment in coastal defence. Journal of Environmental Economics and Policy, 8(4), 429-446. .
Rees, S. E. (2018). Mainstreaming marine biodiversity into the SDGs: The role of other effective area-based conservation measures (SDG 14.5). Marine Policy. .
Rees, S. E., Pittman, S. J., Foster, N., Langmead, O., Griffiths, C., Fletcher, S., . . . Attrill, M. (2018). Bridging the divide: Social-ecological coherence in Marine Protected Area network design. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems. .
Rees, S., Ashley, M., & Cameron, A. (2018). North Devon Marine Pioneer, links between the ecosystem and ecosystem services in the North Devon Marine Pioneer.
Tillin, H.M., Langmead, O., Hodgson, B., Luff, A, Rees, S., Hooper, T., Frost, M. 2018. Feasibility study for a Marine Natural Capital Asset Index for Scotland. Scottish Natural Heritage Research Report No. 1071.
La Bianca, Giulia., Hodgson, Ben., Erni-Cassola, Gabriel., Tillin, Heidi., Howell, Kerry., Rees S.E. 2018. A report for Ascension Islands-Natural Capital Assessment. South Atlantic Environmental Research Institute (SAERI). 81pp.
Hooper, T., Langmead, O., Marcone, O., Rees, S., Rendon, O., B枚rger, T., Beaumont, N., Attrill, M. and Austen, M. 2018. Application of the natural capital approach to the marine environment to aid decision-making. Report prepared for the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (project code ME5115).
Ashley, M., Rees, S.E., Cameron, A. 2018. North Devon Marine Pioneer Ecosystem Services Assessment Part 1: State of the art report of the links between ecosystem and ecosystem services in the North Devon Marine Pioneer. A report to WWF-UK by research staff the Marine Institute at 抖阴短视频.
Higgs, N., Thompson, R., Hutchinson, T., Hall-Spencer, J., McQuatters-Gollop, A., Embling, C., Rees, S., Sheehan, E. and Selby, I., (2018). Sustainable Seas Inquiry: Written Evidence from the 抖阴短视频 Marine Institute. 抖阴短视频 Marine Institute, Plymouth, UK, pp. 12.
Molloy, O., Ashley, M., Croosman, C., Glegg, G., Phal., S. (2018) A Framework for the Assessment of the Effectiveness of Ocean Literacy Initiatives in European Association of Geographers, Koutsopoulos, K.C., de Miguel Gonzalez, R.P, Schmeinck, D. Ocean Literacy: 21st Century Challenges. Key Challenges in Geography Series. Springer 2019 (in review).
Ashley, M., Austen, M., Rodwell, L., Mangi, S., Co-locating offshore wind farms and marine protected areas: a UK perspective, in Yates. C., and Bradshaw, C., (eds.) Offshore Energy and Marine Spatial Planning Taylor and Francis Ltd (2018).
Hooper, T., Austen, M., Ashley, M., Co-location of offshore wind farms and decapod fisheries in the UK in Yates. C., and Bradshaw, C., (eds.) Offshore Energy and Marine Spatial Planning Taylor and Francis Ltd (2018).
Rees, S. E., Foster, N. L., Langmead, O., Pittman, S., & Johnson, D. E. (2017). Defining the qualitative elements of Aichi Biodiversity Target 11 with regard to the marine and coastal environment in order to strengthen global efforts for marine biodiversity conservation outlined in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 14. Marine Policy. .
Foster, N. L., Rees, S., Langmead, O., Griffiths, C., Oates, J., & Attrill, M. (2017). Assessing the ecological coherence of a marine protected area network in the Celtic Seas. Ecosphere, 8(2). .
Rees, S., Hall-Spencer, J., Savva, I., Antoniou, C., Kleitou, P., Christodoulides, Y., Chartosia, N., Hadjioannou, L., Jimenez, C., Petrou, A., Demetriou, A., Sfendourakis, S., Kletou, D. 2017. Stakeholder Consultation and Baseline Assessment of Social Awareness on Marine Invasive Species in the Mediterranean. Preparatory Action A.1. A Report for EU LIFE Nature and Biodiversity. Preventing a LIONfish invasion in the MEDiterranean through early response and targeted REmoval (RELIONMED-LIFE) - LIFE16 NAT/CY/000832.
Rees S., Clingham E, Rodwell L., Glegg G., and Collins M. 2016. Marine Ecosystem Services of St Helena. Part 2: Ecosystem Service Valuations, Future Development Thresholds and Management. A report for the Environment and Natural Resources Directorate, St Helena Government by Marine Institute Plymouth University. pp 70.
Rees S., Fletcher S., Clingham E., 2016. Marine Ecosystem Services Assessment of St Helena. A report for the Environment and Natural Resources Directorate, St Helena Government by the Centre for Marine and Coastal Policy Research, Plymouth University. pp 22.
Rees, S.E., Ashley, M., Evans, L., Mangi, S., Rodwell, L., Attrill, M., Langmead, O., Sheehan, E., Rees, A. 2016. An evaluation framework to determine the impact of the Lyme Bay Marine Protected Area and the activities of the Lyme Bay Consultative Committee on ecosystem services and human wellbeing. A report to the Blue Marine Foundation by research staff the Marine Institute at Plymouth University, Exeter University and Cefas. Pp139.
Rees S.E., Foster N.L., Langmead O., Pittman S., Johnson D.E. 2016. Defining the qualitative elements of Aichi Biodiversity Target 11 with regard to the marine and coastal environment. A report to the Convention on Biological Diversity expert meeting complied by the Marine Institute at Plymouth University, UK. pp. 55.
Hooper, T., Langmead, O., Ashley, M., (2016) Ecosystem services in Marine Environmental Impact Assessment: tools to support marine planning at project and strategic scales. In Geneletti, D., (ed.) Handbook on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in Impact Assessment. Research Handbooks on Impact Assessment Series Edward Elgar Publishing, Cambridge, 2016.
Ecosystem Based Fisheries Management (EBFM) programme with the aim of enhancing the condition and quality of essential habitats, as well as enabling activities to function in a sustainable way. INTERREG Channel.
The South West Partnership for Environment & Economic Prosperity -developing natural capital assessment tools and approaches for integrated decision-making and environmental progress assessments. NERC NE/P011217/1.
Assessing and enhancing ecosystem services provided by diadromous 铿乻h in a climate change context (DiadES). INTERREG Atlantic Arc.
Preventing a LIONfish invasion in the MEDiterranean through early response and targeted Removal. LIFE+ Nature and Biodiversity 2016. LIFE16 NAT/CY/000832.
Connecting city residents though an immersive living arts piece, focussing on Seagrass, based at the National Marine Aquarium (NMA), with accessible and highly visible satellite installations around the City.
Blue Biosphere is a net-zero economic development program collaborating across Torridge and North Devon (TND) to stimulate marine & catchment jobs & raise social mobility.
Transforming Plymouth City Council鈥檚 management of green and blue resources and infrastructure for a vibrant and healthy city. To include baseline assessments of the UKs first National Marine Park. ERDF
Identifying data sets that could be used to evaluate the interaction between the declaration of the Plymouth Sound National Marine Park with the intended (and potential) ecological, economic and social outcomes.