A tribute to David George: A true pioneer of marine conservation

5 Feb 2025

2 minute read

David George, Chairman of the Marine Conservation Society 1984-1988, sadly passed away at the end of 2024. Here, a collective of David’s esteemed friends and collaborators share his contribution to the Marine Conservation Society.

By Dr Bob Earll, Dr Frances Dipper, Dr Keith Hiscock MBE, Dr Roger Mitchell, Dr Liz Wood, and Chris Wood

He worked with Roger Mitchell (Nature Conservancy Council) to prepare the successful Marine Conservation Society development grant from NCC and with Chris Tydeman (WWF) to secure grants for the Marine Conservation Society’s first conservation staff.

David was a superb photographer who was happy to share his images to benefit the Society in marine life guides and slide sets. Marine Life, a book he and his wife Jennifer published in 1979, covered the world’s marine invertebrates. It was comprehensively illustrated with 1,300 colour photographs and set new standards in identification by providing descriptions of living marine species in their natural habitat.

Marine Life; An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Invertebrates in the Sea, 1979 (Courtesy of Dr Bob Earll)

Credit: Dr Bob Earll

He spent his career as a senior scientist at the British Museum of Natural History and his interest in the Marine Conservation Society marine life guides, bringing the support of many of his museum colleagues along with him, was fundamental to the development of those guides.

He will be remembered by many for his outstanding contributions to marine invertebrate taxonomy, diving science, underwater photography, his life-long support for work on Lundy and being an encouraging mentor. David was a true pioneer of marine conservation in the UK, highly sociable, but always taking his duties very seriously as Chair of the Marine Conservation Society and then suddenly breaking into that great smile.

David George, 1980, Sabah expedition (British Society of Underwater Photographers)

Credit: British Society of Underwater Photographers

About the authors:

Dr Bob Earll: A scientist, marine biologist, conservationist, environmental consultant, event organiser and author. Bob oversaw the development of the Marine Conservation Society until 1992. Since then, he has been an environmental consultant working on many marine conservation projects.

Dr Frances Dipper: A marine biologist, author and lecturer, Frances was on the Underwater Conservation Society council from 1978 to 1983. Her subsequent career as an independent marine biologist, included working with David on several Natural History Museum projects. She is the author of over 20 marine biology books including the recent Seasearch guide to fishes.

Dr Keith Hiscock MBE: Keith is a marine biologist and diver who has played a pivotal role in marine conservation in the UK most notably with the Marine Protected Area programme and the pioneering work on Lundy. He is the author of two major books on marine conservation and many scientific papers and reports.

Dr Roger Mitchell: Roger was the first UK Government Officer to have marine conservation as the main part of his job when he was appointed to the Chief Scientist Team at the Nature Conservancy Council (NCC) in 1975. He was a founder Trustee and Vice-Chair of the Marine Conservation Society.

Chris Wood: Chris worked with David George as Vice Chairman of the Marine Conservation Society from 1984-1988, becoming Chairman from 1988-1992. As an active diving surveyor, he helped develop the Seasearch project and was National Coordinator for Seasearch from 2003 until his retirement in 2016. He is the author or contributor to several marine life identification books including two of the Seasearch guides.

Dr Elizabeth Wood: Liz is a marine biologist specialising in coral reef conservation. She carried out pioneering work for the Marine Conservation Society on the marine aquarium and curio trades in the UK. As the Society’s Coral Reef Conservation Officer from 1991-2012, she was responsible for developing coral reef conservation programmes, including MPA survey and planning in Sabah, Malaysia, where she continues to work as an independent advisor.