Becki is a marine biologist and commercial fisheries consultant based in beautiful Cornwall, UK. She has a scientific interest in sustainable fisheries and is passionate about fishermen-led fisheries management. Becki creates insightful and informative marine and fisheries science resources using her knowledge and shares them here as well as across social media

Becki’s expertise lies in ecosystem and commercial fisheries management, ocean science, commercial fisheries liaison and public engagement. Becki has spoken across various venues and events, such as conferences, festivals, fundraising events, rock pool rambles, and beach cleans. She has extensive knowledge of UK marine habitats, fish ecology, marine surveying, marine regulation and enforcement and can identify 55 species routinely caught by the UK fishing fleet. 

Becki has worked for and represented the Marine Management Organisation, RSPB, Wildlife Trust, and Surfers Against Sewage, raising awareness for ocean and wildlife conservation. During this time, she met thousands of passionate people who wanted to help support the oceans but didn’t know how, as digital resources were limited and often inaccessible to those not science-trained. Here, the idea of ‘An Ocean Warrior’ was born. 

The passion of all those people Becki met, and the drive to use her fisheries and marine science expertise for real change led her to create this space. 

We are thrilled to share that space with you, Ocean Warrior.

We hope you enjoy our content. If you would like to get in touch, please contact us on the contact form or Instagram

Becki Jarvis BSc MSc – Marine Biologist

Becki moved from Nottingham to Hull to undertake her Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Marine and Freshwater Biology. As a ‘mature’ student she had to complete a foundation year, equivalent to completing Chemistry and Biology A levels in a year, before continuing the full degree. After four years of study, Becki graduated with honours.

During her time at Hull, Becki undertook numerous modules, but her favourite were intertidal ecology and fisheries management. After graduating in 2015, her interest in working within British fisheries management was cemented by the BBC series ‘The Fishermen’s Apprentice’, where Monty Halls and fishermen from Cadgwith detailed some of the issues the UK fishing industry faced. This reignited her passion for sustainable, profitable fisheries management, and she knew the field she would work in. 

In 2017, Becki undertook another big move and moved to Cornwall to study for a masters in Applied Marine Science and look for work with the fishing industry. The masters was one of the hardest things to date she has undertaken; managing a full-time job alongside a full-time masters with a fieldwork dissertation was incredibly challenging. Still, she was successful and, in November 2018, graduated with a Master of Science (MSc). 

After six months of job searching post masters degree, Becki accepted a role with the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) as a warranted marine enforcement officer. Within this role, she helped to deliver emerging marine regulations within the Fisheries Act 2020. She directly supported the Cornish fishing industry before, during and after the EU exit, giving her a unique understanding and experience of UK fisheries management.

After four and a half years with the MMO, Becki chose to move on from the role, but not the fishing industry and is now a commercial fisheries consultant, specialising in commercial fisheries liaison and sustainable fisheries management. 

Becki is passionate about highlighting the struggles of the British fishing industry and how they entwine with sustainable fisheries management. She is particularly passionate about making marine science accessible to everyone and believes:

“to save the oceans we must educate, empower and impassion people from all walks of life, from everyday people to fishermen, policymakers and officials.”

becki jarvis

Experience

Becki has worked directly with the fishing industry since 2019 and has an in-depth knowledge of the different fishing gears and techniques used by the commercial fishing fleet. Uniquely experienced and placed, she can offer ways to eat fish sustainably whilst supporting the UK, particularly the Cornish, fishing fleet.

• Extensive experience working directly with the UK fishing industry
• Highly experienced in intertidal surveying
• In-depth knowledge of UK marine ecosystems, marine conservation, fisheries management, regulations and enforcement
• Helped deliver emerging marine regulations within the Fisheries Act 2020 and directly supported the fishing industry in Cornwall, before, during and after the EU exit
• Able to age fish using their scales
• Rescue diver with dives in the UK, Turkey and Cuba
• Extensive experience of public engagement and professional relationship building
  

Plymouth University thesis: Characterisation of microplastics in the coastal nursery areas of Juvenile Flatfish
Hull University thesis: Temporal and spatial variation of 0+ fish assemblage structure in the River Thames: Assessing the impact of altered flow