BLUEPRINT - New designs for engaging the public in the future of our seas

As an island nation, our seas have played a pivotal role in shaping our culture, health and economy - for millennia a mainstay of the livelihoods, transport and food stocks for vast swathes of the UK population. The past several hundred years have seen changes in the way we work, travel, play and consume - changes that have had profound impacts on our marine environment.

Human health and well-being are directly influenced by marine health; issues such as the invasion of non-native species, climate-change, pollution, overfishing, rising sea levels and ocean acidification all affect the future sustainability of global populations. These research issues have occupied the minds of scientists for decades, with new approaches such as Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) developed as one of many tools to address these impacts.

Despite the wealth of scientific research and developments, public engagement is worryingly low. NERC's recent Public Insight Research survey (March 2017) revealed that less than half of the UK public had seen or heard of these topics, with significantly lower uptake of environmental engagement in urban as opposed to rural areas. The survey also revealed the power of community organisations and broadcast media to overcome this trend. A common thread regarding interest in environmental research is that it increases when it is perceived to directly affect people's lives. Issues around our seas are particularly relevant in light of Brexit - the next two years are a vital time for making the UK public part of this journey.

So how do we make our seas and oceans relevant to us all? By bringing together the scientific and creative industries to share expertise, training, innovation and audiences to enable a step-change in the way we consider, and collaborate with, our environment - sparking a vibrant, nationwide conversation about the future of our seas.

Supported by the National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE), Blueprint brings together nine major UK-leading marine research, engagement, advocacy and environmental arts organisations (Marine Biological Association, King's College London, Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Sir Alister Hardy Foundation for Ocean Science, University of Plymouth Marine Institute, University of Edinburgh, Scottish Association of Marine Science, Incredible Oceans and Invisible Dust). We will consolidate our learning, expertise and training into a 'blueprint' for how to equip researchers with the capacity and skills to engage people in a nation-wide conversation on the future of our seas.

Artists and scientists are natural collaborators; both are explorers and storytellers, seeking out new ways of understanding and communicating the world around them. Artists and creatives can respond to environmental data in ways that can provoke real engagement - they are not 'explainers' of the science, but can find novel, accessible and often media-friendly ways to approach subjects. We will work with skilled media communicators, artists and creatives (led by Incredible Oceans and Invisible Dust) to offer training and inspiration to scientists to ensure they can generate powerful stories and media friendly 'conversation prompts' from their work, to ensure significant press coverage.

Blueprint will emphasise people-relevant activities that are co-produced with cross-sections of local communities (i.e. creating events with local coffee shops, sports clubs, pub chains, transport companies, schools and in other unexpected locations). These will form ongoing relationships, developing new channels for engaging with non-science audiences.

At the same time we will pool our significant audience networks to ensure there is a national media platform for the work to amplify the message to audiences right across the UK - creating a 'megaphone effect' for Blueprint.