Alumni Spotlights
Emma Armshaw - Marine & Coastal Policy Officer
With world leaders pledging to protect 30% of the ocean by 2030, the spotlight turns to those working on the frontlines of marine conservation. We speak with Emma Armshaw, a graduate of UCC’s MSc in Marine Biology, to talk about her work with Fair Seas and the Sustainable Water Network (SWAN Ireland) and how now more than ever, we must engage in ocean protection efforts.
Emma is the Marine & Coastal Policy Officer at SWAN. She previously worked in the UK Parliament, leading international democracy strengthening projects on inclusive and accountable politics around the world.
What first sparked your interest in marine biology?
I started SCUBA diving in 2002 and have been in love with life under the water ever since. But it was through reading The World is Blue by Dr Sylvia Earle five years ago that I understood the need for urgent ocean conservation, inspiring a career change to play my part in saving the seas. Early in the pandemic, I was able to spend some time in Nohoval Cove and truly valued every moment on the cliffs, in the water or surrounded by the kelp of Ireland's spectacular coast, cementing my conviction to work for the sea - and move to Cork!
How did your degree at UCC help you get to where you are today?
I can’t emphasise enough how vital UCC was for getting here! A decade before enrolling at UCC, I completed a MSc in Global Governance & Public Policy, then began working in the UK Parliament on international democracy-strengthening projects. However, with a growing awareness of the triple planetary crises, I felt the need to transition my work in policy to focus on marine conservation. I wanted to learn the “hard science” aspect of it, but without a Bachelor’s degree in a related field (such as Ecology or Zoology), most postgraduate programmes were closed to me. Then I discovered that UCC offers a Postgraduate Certificate in Marine Biology to a few students a year without a science degree, as a route into the MSc. In 2021, my fellow incoming “PG Certs” had backgrounds as diverse as law and hospitality. I’m not ashamed to say I didn’t even know what a plankton was when I began the course, so it was a very steep learning curve over the two years to finish the MSc - but less than two months after submitting my thesis, I was offered my dream job in marine policy.
Without this unique opportunity offered by UCC, it would not have been possible to gain the necessary background in marine biology to take on this role. I still refer back to my lecture and revision notes when working on policy development now.
Can you tell us about the work you’re doing with Fair Seas and SWAN?
SWAN is a network of 25 of Ireland’s leading environmental NGOs working to protect, enhance and restore Ireland’s water environment. I work closely with our members which have a marine aspect to their work (such as Irish Whale & Dolphin Group and BirdWatch Ireland) on issues affecting Ireland’s seas, such as Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), offshore renewable energy and aquaculture. This involves responding to government consultations, conducting research to develop policy positions and meeting with TDs and MEPs to advocate for our members’ priorities. I am also an environmental representative on the Government's Marine Spatial Planning Advisory Group and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive Technical Working Groups.
As a network, SWAN understands the power of collaboration, and we’re also one of the founding partners of Fair Seas, a campaign group advocating for Ireland to effectively protect 30% of our ocean by 2030.
The goal is for 30% of Ireland’s ocean territory to be fully protected by 2030: What excites you most about this target, and what are the biggest challenges to reaching it?
Ireland has one of the biggest marine areas in the EU - ten times our land mass (as shown on the Marine Institute’s “Real Map of Ireland”). We have a duty to protect this rich area of biodiversity, which is home to 26 species of whales and dolphins, 24 seabird species, 71 species of sharks, rays and skates, and an incredible array of habitats (including deep-sea corals and seagrass) which form a vital role in climate mitigation and carbon sequestration. A network of effectively managed MPAs is necessary for the protection and restoration of these species and habitats which then have a spillover effect that benefits fishers and coastal communities.
“30 x 30” is a global goal, backed up by UN and EU commitments. However, despite the Irish Government formally pledging to reach this target, less than 10% of our maritime area is currently designated as protected and we don’t yet have formal legislation to reach 30% coverage in the next five years. These areas must be more than lines on a map though - local communities must be engaged in participating in their designation and management. We are also calling for Ireland to fulfil the EU commitment of 10% of our waters to be under strict protection.
Any advice for students or graduates who might like to get involved more in marine conservation and advocacy?
- Use your skills! The ocean needs all of us - not just scientists. Whether you’re a filmmaker, programmer, economist, social media whizz, storyteller or policy-developer, your skills can be used for ocean conservation.
- Learn new skills! One of SWAN’s fantastic member organisations is Coastwatch, which equips members of the public with the skills to be citizen scientists and conduct surveys of their local stretch of beach, collecting important data. Contact them to learn more and get a kit, or find other grassroots organisations which support local habitat restoration or biodiversity protection in your area. Take a snorkelling, free-diving or SCUBA course to experience the underwater world firsthand. Through UCC’s SubAqua Club, I was able to dive alongside scallops in Lough Hyne, through the kelp at Oysterhaven, over a shipwreck off Baltimore and with seals near Kinsale - all for the price of petrol.
- Don’t let being land-locked stop you from learning and volunteering. Many charities need desk-based volunteers to do important work like manage their social media, conduct research, write blogs or run webinars. Look for organisations that interest you and reach out to discuss how your skills can support them. And when you do make it to the beach, remember to “take three for the sea”- i.e. pick up three pieces of rubbish to dispose of properly.
- It’s not too late for you to make a change. I was 34 when I left an amazing career and moved countries to start studying something I knew very little about. If that’s too dramatic, there are many other ways to keep learning. Look for free online courses (such as these 3-hour courses from the UN) or subsidised programmes, like the Springboard courses offered to Irish residents. Watching documentaries, like David Attenborough’s new Ocean film or Sylvia Earle’s Mission Blue, is a fantastic way to learn more about our incredible blue planet.
- It’s not too late for the ocean. The world’s seas are in peril, but with coordinated governance, determination from our leaders and demands for action from the public to protect 30% of the world’s seas, the ocean and its biodiversity have the opportunity for recovery.
- Advocate! Use your voice - email your TD to demand action on ocean conservation, follow organisations like SWAN and Fair Seas on social media for actions you can take, and join up others who share your values.