From Plankton to Plate: Exploring Marine Food Chains and the Future of Fish

Join University of Southampton researchers for an evening of talks marking World Fisheries Day, celebrated globally on 21 November each year to highlight the importance of sustainable fish stocks, fair livelihoods, and responsible fishing practices.

From Plankton to Plate follows the journey of ocean life through the marine food chain — from microscopic plankton to fish, whales, and the communities that depend on them. This public event invites you to explore how research across the University is helping to understand, sustain, and manage these vital connections.

Speakers will share new insights into marine ecosystems, aquaculture, and fisheries governance, and how this work supports the transition towards more sustainable seafood systems and thriving coastal livelihoods.

Hosted by the Southampton Marine and Maritime Institute (SMMI), the Future Towns Innovation Hub (FTIH), and the Infrastructure for Port Cities and Coastal Towns (iPACT) Network.

Speakers

Professor Paul Kemp

Director, Future Towns Innovation Hub

Dr Cathy Lucas

Associate Professor in Marine Biology

Plankton: the foundation of marine food webs

Plankton consist of diverse communities of (mostly) microscopic plants (phytoplankton) and animals (zooplankton) that play a vital role in sustaining life in all aquatic environments from lakes, estuaries, coasts, to the open ocean. Phytoplankton form the base of food webs, converting sunlight, carbon dioxide and nutrients into organic biomass that is food for many zooplankton grazers, which in turn are food for predators at higher trophic levels, including jellyfish, fish and whales. This talk will introduce you to the diversity and function of plankton, and how climate change is affecting their role in sustaining fisheries.

Dr Julie Mestre

Research Fellow, School of Ocean and Earth Science

What do whales and humans have in common in Antarctica?

Every year, by the end of summer, whales leave warm breeding waters to migrate towards cold foraging grounds. After fasting and relying on energy stores for many months, they come to Antarctica to feed on krill. Antarctic krill are planktonic shrimp-like animals which constitute the main food source of penguins, seals and whales. But krill is also coveted by humans! For decades, fisheries have been targeting krill, which is used in omega-3 dietary supplements for humans, to feed farmed fish, or to be transformed into pet food. We aim to characterise how whales and fishermen compete for krill in space and time, to inform conservation management.

Avanthika Kamath

PhD Student, Future Towns Innovation Hub

Who is Feeding Whom?
Exploring Fish, Feed, and the Future of Fisheries in Mangaluru.

Fish sustains not only humans but also other fish. As global demand for aquaculture grows, so does the need for artificial feed. This has created a complex interdependence between the capture fisheries and culture fisheries, shaped by ecological, social and economic factors. In this talk, Avanthika Kamath (Avi) shares her insights from her case study in Mangaluru, a coastal city on India’s Westcoast. Her exploration reveals how livelihoods, and global food systems are intertwined in the question: Who is feeding whom?

Dr Sien van der Plank

Senior Research Fellow, School of Geography and Environmental Science

Communities and coasts: reflections of a lifetime of change on the water

Coastal communities are at the forefront of rapid and extreme changes today, but also have decades and generations of experiences responding to past disturbances and opportunities. This talk brings together these memories, experiences, and responses to a lifetime of change, shared by those making a livelihood from the sea. It draws on sixty-three oral history interviews undertaken with those who have lived and worked in the marine environment in four coastal communities in Devon and Cornwall. Hear about the diverse ways in which people are coping and transforming in the face of these changes and challenges.

Imali Manikarachchige

PhD Student, Future Towns Innovation Hub

Fish, fishers, and the big system that connects us: How consumers’ choices matter for sustainable and resilient fisheries socio-ecological systems

Oceans make our planet a habitable place for life. One of many tangible resources the ocean provides is fish, nourishing billions of people and supplying one of the planet’s most essential sources of protein. Fish, fishers, and consumers are all part of a big socio-ecological system that is constantly interacting and trying to stay in equilibrium. However, climate change, marine pollution, rising costs of inputs, and other stressors can shatter this equilibrium and tip the system over, putting food security and livelihoods at risk. Imali talks about how we as consumers can become agents of change through cautious actions to make the global fisheries socio-ecological system sustainable and resilient.

Freya Ivy Palmer

PhD Student, Future Towns Innovation Hub

Beyond the catch: People behind UK seafood

From the nation’s favourite fish and chips to the early morning hauls that make it possible, seafood is deeply woven into UK life. But who are the people behind our catch, and how are they navigating the changing tides of regulation, markets, and the environment? Drawing on first-hand experiences with fishing communities across England, this talk explores the stories, challenges, and resilience of the UK’s fishermen and why their future matters for us all. Join Freya Ivy Palmer as she takes you beyond the catch to reveal the human side of our seafood.

Professor William Powrie

Director, iPACT Network

Infrastructure for Port-cities And Coastal Towns network

iPACT is a network of researchers focusing on how infrastructure can make a difference to the environment and quality of life in coastal communities. The talk will summarise the aims of the network and the outcomes of recent “pilot projects” relating to linkages between coastal communities, businesses and the sea.

Professor Fraser Sturt

Director, Southampton Marine and Maritime Institute