UK Marine Life Moving North

A new Cefas study shows how climate change is shifting the distribution of UK marine species.

Researchers looked at 19 threatened or declining species and found many are moving north as sea temperatures rise.

Species like basking sharks, spurdog, and thornback ray may gain new habitats, while seabed dwellers such as sea pens could lose up to 40% of theirs by the end of the century.

The study highlights the need for adaptive management to help species thrive in a changing ocean.

To read the full report visit:

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00227-025-04672-x

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UK Marine Life Moving North - created a 17 September 2025