Join the Suffolk Cambridge Society at the Guildhall, for a talk with Prof Stuart Rogers - Protecting and exploring the marine enviroment: Have we got the balance right?

Stuart is the former Chief Scientist at Cefas (the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science), an Executive Agency of Defra. He spent his career at Cefas where he tackled some of the biggest challenges facing the world’s ocean and society including food security, climate change, nature loss and pollution. His achievements include advising on UK policy and EU Directives necessary to achieve good environmental status, and in developing the first UK Marine Strategy in 2015. In 2020 he led advisers in the complex EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement fisheries negotiations, and provided scientific leadership during the establishment of the UK’s Overseas Territory Blue Belt Programme in 2016. By 2020 this had designated over 4.3million sqkm of Marine Protected Areas.

The talk will give an introduction to Cefas, describe early discoveries in UK fisheries and oceanography, and give an overview of research highlights. The talk will address how to achieve sustainable development of our seas and ocean, and will explain how and why decisions are made to protect our seas, and to exploit goods and services for societal gain.