大象传媒

Georgie is 21. She鈥檚 a scuba diver and underwater photographer.

Introduced to fishing by her dad, Georgie made her hobby into a career when she followed her obsession with the ocean all the way to the sea bed.

Marie putting on her scuba gear with an oxygen tank on her back.

Georgie's journey

Georgie鈥檚 dad is a keen pike fisherman and introduced her to wildlife conservation at a young age. As she grew up she became more and more fascinated with the ocean.

Wanting to improve her diving and marine identification skills, Georgie joined a project called Seasearch which encourages divers and snorkelers to record the marine life they see during their underwater adventures. Their findings are used by the Marine Conservation Society to make important management decisions.

Marie putting on her scuba gear with an oxygen tank on her back.
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Why is marine conservation important?

The ocean covers around 71% of the world鈥檚 surface, so knowing what鈥檚 going on beneath the waves is just as important as knowing what鈥檚 going on above ground. And that鈥檚 where marine conservationists come in.

Marine conservationists play a crucial role in keeping our oceans healthy. Through monitoring marine life and underwater ecosystems, they can help us make better environmental choices. They can highlight the impact of plastics on the ocean, for instance, or identify which beaches are and aren鈥檛 safe to swim at.

Their findings can even influence fishing patterns to make them more sustainable, and help protect endangered species or habitats.

Below are some examples of the marvellous marine life that can be glimpsed off the UK coastlines.

A jellyfish
A crab
A starfish
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A similar role to a marine conservationist is an oceanographer. Oceanographers study the seas and oceans.

What to expect if you want to become an oceanographer

  • Oceanographer average salary: 拢14,000 to 拢60,000 per year
  • Oceanographer typical working hours: 39 to 41 hours per week. You may work evenings, weekends and bank holidays.

What qualifications do you need to be an oceanographer?

You could get into this role via a university course. You can study for a degree in oceanography or a related subject, likeocean science, geology or environmental science. Employers are increasingly looking for postgraduate qualifications, like a master's or PhD. They also value experience of working in marine science or oceanography research. You can get experience through studying for a degree that includes a year in industry with a research organisation or a placement or internship in a laboratory or marine research centre.

Sources: LMI for All, National Careers Service

This information is a guide and is constantly changing. Please check the for the latest information and all the qualifications needed.

For careers advice in all parts of the UK visit: , , and .

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