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Sussex Kelp Recovery Project
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Kelp Summit 2025

The Kelp Summit 2025: Progress Beyond Protection is taking place on Wednesday 2nd April 2025 at the Attenborough Centre, University of Sussex, Brighton.

The conference is organised by the Sussex Kelp Recovery Project in collaboration with the Environment Agency, and will bring together scientists, policymakers, practitioners and members of the community to discuss key developments in kelp ecosystem monitoring and marine recovery.

New report published to coincide with the Kelp Summit

The theme of Session 3 is ‘The barriers to kelp recovery and future interventions’. A new report, published by Blue Marine Foundation, covers this topic in detail – read it here.

On the day, we would be delighted if you could use #KelpSummit2025 to share updates on your socials.

Agenda

Session 1: Kelp status and recent trends: global, UK, and regional perspectives. Chair: Henri Brocklebank, Sussex Wildlife Trust

Time Topic Speaker Organisation
10.00am Welcome from the SKRP Chair Henri Brocklebank - Director of Conservation Sussex Wildlife Trust
10.05am Global status of kelp (via video) Aaron Eger - Founder, Programme Director Kelp Forest Alliance
10.20am UK kelp population trends & evidence of natural kelp recovery following a century of large scale industrial pollution Professor Pippa Moore - Professor of Marine Science Newcastle University
10.35am The Nearshore Trawling Byelaw: A Reflection and Update Dr George Balchin - Conservation & Research Manager Sussex IFCA
10.45am Perspectives of the past: Sussex kelp habitats Madi Bowden-Parry - Doctoral Researcher University of Exeter
10.50am The evolution of the Sussex Kelp Recovery Project George Short - Kelp Recovery Coordinator SKRP/Sussex Wildlife Trust
10.55am Panel Q&A
11.10am Break

Session 2: Kelp ecosystem and marine recovery monitoring. Chair: Dr Raymond D. Ward, Queen Mary University London

Time Topic Speaker Organisation
11.40am Introduction Dr Raymond D. Ward - Reader in Environmental Science, Director of Resources and Infrastructure Queen Mary University London
11.45am Overview of SKRP research & monitoring Dr Chris Yesson - Senior Research Fellow Zoological Society of London
11.50am Biodiversity Beyond the Byelaw: Monitoring marine recovery with eDNA & Video Surveys Alice Clark - Doctoral researcher University of Sussex
12.00pm Crab & lobster potting surveys and film Emily Bulled - UK Projects Manager Blue Marine Foundation
12.10pm Muddy Waters and Blues Carbon - Sedimentary storage drivers of Sussex Bay Claude Annels - Doctoral Researcher University of Brighton & Queen Mary University London
12.20pm Monitoring our hidden forests - the Natural Capital and Ecosystem Assessment (NCEA) Programme Erin Lawes - Senior Advisor, Estuaries and Coasts. Keith McGruer - Team Leader, Coastal and Estuarine Assessment Environment Agency
12.35pm Kelp monitoring - an essential fish habitat (NCEA project) Matilda Longstaff - Doctoral Researcher University of Plymouth
12.45pm Stable isotopes in kelp ecosystems (NCEA project) Professor Darren R. Gröcke - Professor in Stable Isotope Geochemistry Durham University
12.55pm Panel Q&A
13.10pm Lunch

Session 3: Barriers to recovery and future interventions. Chair: Sam Fanshawe, Blue Marine Foundation

Time Topic Speaker Organisation
14.10pm Introduction to Barriers and Optimum Conditions for Kelp Growth and Recovery. Sam Fanshawe - Senior UK Projects Manager Blue Marine Foundation
14.20pm Troubled Waters? Kelp Ecotoxicology in Sussex Bay Marianne Glascott - Doctoral Researcher University of Sussex
14.30pm Changes in Laminaria digitata occurrence in southeast England Ian Tittley - Scientific Associate Natural History Museum
14.40pm Learnings from the Great Yorkshire Kelp Project Professor Rodney Forster - Hull Marine Laboratory Lead University of Hull
14.50pm Marine Restoration Potential (MaRePo) Charlotte Johnson - Senior Specialist Marine Natural England
15.00pm Active restoration – UK trials Cat Wilding - Doctoral Researcher Marine Biological Association & University of Newcastle
15.10pm Seaweed Suitability: GIS Modelling of Optimal Cultivation Sites Ethan Clark - Doctoral Researcher Newcastle University
15.20pm Panel Q&A
15.35pm Break

Session 4: Community engagement in seascape recovery. Chair: George Short, Sussex Wildlife Trust

Time Topic Speaker Orgnanisation
16.00pm Introduction George Short - Kelp Recovery Coordinator SKRP/Sussex Wildlife Trust
16.05pm Ocean literacy Dr Lewis White - Seascape Research Lead Sussex Bay
16.10pm Empowering Coastal Communities Ella Garrud - Coastal Communities Officer Sussex Wildlife Trust
16.20pm Sussex Underwater "A window beneath the waves" Eric Smith & Catrine Priestly - Founders Sussex Underwater
16.30pm Introducing BBC1 Our Sea Forest Sarah Cunliffe - Founder & CEO Big Wave Productions
16.35pm Film Screening: BBC1 Our Sea Forest
17.05pm Networking Drinks
Please be advised that timings and speakers are subject to change.

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