The 2015 South West Marine Ecosystems Meeting (SWME) meeting took place today. Thanks for inviting us to be a part of the event and provide a talk to the attendees. Thank you also for all your winderful feedback and interest in the project so far.

The aim of the event was;

Networking  To provide a networking opportunity for a wide cross section of people  to meet and exchange views on south-west marine ecosystems; this would include active support for volunteer observations and schemes (citizen science), marine science and research interests, managers and a range of sea users including nature conservation, fishing, tourism etc.

To assess the annual events – ecological and oceanographic - of the previous year that have affected the south west marine ecosystems – making the linkages between environmental and biological phenomena e.g. SST on plankton or mackerel and cetaceans. We will be asking delegates to contribute their observations on 2014.

Ecology of marine species   To explore research studies that throw particular light on aspects of ecology of marine species, planktonic, benthic and ‘mobile’ species (fish, birds, mammals, turtles)  and the ecosystem that supports them and to understand the status of populations of marine species in the south west and how they are responding to environmental and anthropogenic pressures

Management and southwest marine ecosystems  To understand the linkages between science to managing human activities the marine environment with a view to supporting and promoting the health of southwest marine ecosystems