The Life Aquatic

SU CARROLL looks at the work of the Ocean Conservation Trust, the global charity behind the National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth.

- Su Carroll

Plymouth has had an aquarium since 1888 when the Marine Biological Association welcomed visitors to its laboratory in the shadow of the Citadel on the Hoe. It was tiny and dark but had tanks of fascinating fish, crabs and lobsters, an octopus and a grumpy conger eel that used to scare my children on our after-school visits.

In 1998 a much bigger, modern aquarium was opened overlooking Plymouth’s Barbican. The National Marine Aquarium has had nearly three million visitors in the 21 years since and connected with a further five million people online. The aquarium is one of the top Westcountry attractions while the Ocean Conservation Trust has been working away quietly in the background. Now the charity is separating its work from that of the aquarium to move the focus more sharply on to the important projects they are undertaking around the world.

Nicola Bridge, head of conservation, education and communication at the charity, developed her own love of the life aquatic as a child, coming down to Salcombe from Essex for family holidays and discovering the joys of rock-pooling. She’s still happiest in or around the water and loves passing on that passion to others, particularly the young.

“We have a great schools programme and teach about 30,000 students a year and we make sure we interact with every single child for a real quality experience,” she says. “We want them to get connected to the water.