Nick Brodin, Author at Berwickshire & Northumberland Marine Nature Partnership

A collaboration of more than 20 Scottish and English organisations responsible for managing our local inshore waters.

Are you interested in helping to protect and enhance one of the UK’s most important marine areas? We are currently recruiting for an Assistant Partnership Officer.

As our Assistant Partnership Officer you will be part of a team of two people, working with our Partnership Officer to promote the sustainable use of the sea and estuaries from Tynemouth in England to Fast Castle Head in Scotland. As part of a varied job you will:

Champion the importance of our local marine environment and inshore Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)
Support partnership communications, outreach, and events
Collaborate with a wide range of stakeholders to foster effective joint-working
Assist in developing and delivering citizen science and data-gathering initiatives

Our ideal candidate will combine excellent communication skills with a good understanding of coastal and marine issues. They will be self-motivated, adaptable, collaborative with an ability to develop working relationships with people from a range of backgrounds to deliver environmental outcomes and build ocean literacy.

The post is based at Northumberland County Hall in Morpeth, with flexible options for working from other council sites or from home. Travel across Northumberland, North Tyneside, and Berwickshire is required, including some outdoor work. A full driving licence and access to a car are essential. The post is initially for an 18-month period with the possibility of extension. This is a full-time position but applications on a secondment or part-time basis would be considered for the right applicant.

REQUIREMENTS OF THE JOB

We are looking for someone with:

A degree, apprenticeship or relevant training or experience in the marine or environmental sectors.
Experience in working in partnership to achieve shared conservation objectives or deliver specific projects.
A full driving licence and access to a vehicle that can be used for work purposes.

For more information or to apply then please visit this link

The closing date for applications is the 29th August 2025.

The Coquet to St Mary’s Marine Conservation Zone is a nationally important marine site covering the area from Alnmouth to Whitley Bay. Despite its significance for marine conservation in England, the site has a relatively low profile amongst the general public as much of the spectacular range of sea-life it supports is hidden beneath the waves. To raise the profile of the site, the Berwickshire and Northumberland Marine Nature Partnership have produced a new story map highlighting the range of marine creatures found there ranging from crabs to cold water corals and from octopuses to migratory birds.

The Story Map can be viewed at this link

The Berwickshire and Northumberland Marine Nature Partnership is inviting applications for a new student bursary scheme. The scheme will award small grants of up to £300 for successful applications to help support dissertations undertaken by both undergraduate and post-graduate students. The prime criterion is that the geographical area covered by the dissertation must coincide, either totally or partially, with that of the Berwickshire and Northumberland Marine Nature Partnership (the River Tyne in England to Fast Castle Head in Scotland). The project would have to be on a coastal/marine topic or theme that furthers the knowledge base in the Marine Nature Partnership area.

Further details of the Scheme can be found in this flier

An application form, and details of our research priorities, can be found HERE

The closing date for applications is the 28th April 2025.

We have launched the second of a series of short films aimed at showing how visitors to our coast can responsibly enjoy outdoor recreation while avoiding impacts on the internationally important wildlife found here.

This first film is based on the ‘Dog Walking section’ section of the Wild Recreation Guide which we published in 2022. In the film, Katherine Dunsford from Space for Shorebirds talks how you and your dog can enjoy your visit to the coast while avoiding impacts on the important wildlife found there. Our coast supports internationally important populations of birds and seals throughout the year. Disturbance from people or dogs can have a disproportionately big impact on how well these do and can ultimately affect their survival. Looking out for coastal wildlife and giving it plenty of space is one simple way to help avoid impacts from your visit.

More information about how to safely and responsibly enjoy outdoor recreation while avoiding impacts to coastal wildlife see our Wild Recreation Guide for the Berwickshire, Northumberland and North Tyneside

We are pleased to launch the first of a series of short films aimed at showing how visitors to our coast can responsibly enjoy outdoor recreation while avoiding impacts on the internationally important wildlife found here.

This first film is based on the ‘Be Nature Aware’ section of the Wild Recreation Guide which we published last year. It looks at wildlife disturbance and the signs to watch out for which will tell you that birds or seals are reacting to your presence. The film was made for us by Wild Intrigue and features interviews with Space for Shorebirds and St. Mary’s Island Wildlife Conservation Society.