PLYMOUTH MARINE LABORATORY
PML undertakes scientifically excellent research that generates greater understanding of the marine environment, the threats it faces, and its relationship with society. PML uses this greater understanding to effect demonstrable change in the way in which the marine environment is appreciated, managed, protected and valued. PML activities are aimed at supporting a sustainable ocean for society.
Latest income
£16.4m
Latest spending
£17.2m
Registered
2002
Accounts read
FY2025
Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts
The accounts state that the charity reported a net loss for the year of £858k, reducing total unrestricted funds to £7,552k. The trustees confirm that the charity's reserves policy target of six months' expenditure has been met, supported by a strong cash position and significant signed contracts.
What the accounts disclose
Reserves policy: six months' expenditure (held: £7.6m)
“The policy provides for the maintenance of general reserves (under unrestricted funds) at a level equivalent to at least six months’ expenditure”
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: NERC
“NERC and PML agreed to an observer attending PML Board meetings and this arrangement has been in place since March 2021.”
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
In the news
- UK Parliamentarians Join Plymouth Marine Laboratory to Explore Ocean Science and Policy
- Nautilus team looks ahead after visit to Plymouth Marine Laboratory
- South West a growing marine 'powerhouse' as Exeter and Plymouth Marine Laboratory celebrate honorary appointments
- UK’s Plymouth Marine Laboratory to develop long-range autonomous research vessel
- AutoNaut USV Selected by Plymouth Marine Laboratory - hydro-international.com
- Plymouth Marine Laboratory gets 'funky' £5.4m make-over - business-live.co.uk
Leadership, per the charity’s website
- Prof. Icarus Allen — Chief Executive
- Prof. Tim Smyth — Director of Science
Property (HM Land Registry)
Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/03/2025)
Total income
£16.4m
Total spending
£17.2m
Cost of raising funds
£860k
Reserves (reported)
£7.6m
Employees
179
Trustees
- Daniel Crockett
- Dr Beverley Anne Mackenzie
- Dr Jyotika Itee Virmani
- Dr Michaela Schratzberger
- Dr Veronique Garcon
- Kerin Jean Sequeira
- Mark James Butcher
- Nick Buckland
- Nigel John Godefroy
- Professor Richard Garth James Bellerby
- Timothy Paul Allen
Income and spending
| Financial year end | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
| 31/03/2025 | £16.4m | £17.2m |
| 31/03/2024 | £15.7m | £16.1m |
| 31/03/2023 | £14.0m | £14.0m |
| 31/03/2022 | £15.0m | £14.6m |
| 31/03/2021 | £14.3m | £13.6m |
Common questions
Is PLYMOUTH MARINE LABORATORY financially healthy?
Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity reported a net loss for the year of £858k, reducing total unrestricted funds to £7,552k. The trustees confirm that the charity's reserves policy target of six months' expenditure has been met, supported by a strong cash position and significant signed contracts. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by PKF Francis Clark.
Who funds PLYMOUTH MARINE LABORATORY?
Funders whose own accounts filings name PLYMOUTH MARINE LABORATORY as a grant recipient include THE KIRBY LAING FOUNDATION, PARTNERSHIP FOR OBSERVATION OF THE GLOBAL OCEAN, THE DAIWA ANGLO-JAPANESE FOUNDATION.
Known funders
| Funder | Year | Amount | Purpose (as stated by the funder) |
|---|---|---|---|
| THE KIRBY LAING FOUNDATION | FY2021 | £20k | |
| PARTNERSHIP FOR OBSERVATION OF THE GLOBAL OCEAN | FY2024 | £10k | Action for Sustainable Ocean Acidification Research (ASOAR) and COLLECT project costs |
| PARTNERSHIP FOR OBSERVATION OF THE GLOBAL OCEAN | FY2023 | £10k | Participants travel and subsistence costs for Action for Sustainable Ocean Acidification Research (ASOAR) |
| THE DAIWA ANGLO-JAPANESE FOUNDATION | FY2025 | £4k | Support for travel to Tokyo by two Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML) staff (Professor Stephen Widdicombe - PML's Director of Science and Deputy Chief Executive, |
| PARTNERSHIP FOR OBSERVATION OF THE GLOBAL OCEAN | FY2025 | £0 | participants travel and subsistence costs for Action for Sustainable Ocean Acidification Research (ASOAR) and project costs in relation to Citizen Observation o |
Government & lottery funding
| Funder | Date | Amount | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK government | 18/09/2024 | £535k | Synchronising Earth Observation and Modelling Frameworks Towards a Digital Twin Ocean (SyncED-Ocean) |
| UK government | 29/08/2024 | £39k | Creating a ground-truth in-water ocean data monitoring solution that will fact-check weather data for smart shipping route selection. |
| UK government | 06/08/2024 | £218k | Closing the budget in marine atmospheric Oxidative Capacity through the quantification of Oceanic VOC emissions (COCO-VOC) |
| UK government | 17/04/2024 | £41k | Carbon sequestration in BLUe EcoSystems - C-BLUES |
| UK government | 03/04/2024 | £28k | Open Access Block Award 2024 - Plymouth Marine Laboratory |
| UK government | 01/04/2024 | £179k | DPLUS213: Building baseline knowledge of mesophotic ecosystems in Ascension Island MPA |
| UK government | 22/01/2024 | £11k | Aquatic Pollution from Light and Anthropogenic Noise: management of impacts on biodiversity |
| UK government | 22/01/2024 | £59k | Land-Sea interface: Lets observe together! |
| UK government | 22/01/2024 | £63k | Aquatic Pollution from Light and Anthropogenic Noise: management of impacts on biodiversity |
| UK government | 22/01/2024 | £18k | Restoration of deep-sea habitats to rebuild European Seas |
| UK government | 30/10/2023 | £91k | Impacts of bottom trawling on seabed carbon storage |
| UK government | 25/09/2023 | £44k | CoccolitHophore controls on ocean ALKalinitY (CHALKY) |
| UK government | 25/09/2023 | £9k | CoccolitHophore controls on ocean ALKalinitY (CHALKY) |
| UK government | 05/07/2023 | £236k | EO4AgroClimate: VISualisation and Assessment of water quality using an Open Data Cube FOR the weStern English chAnnel - Vis4Sea. |
| UK government | 02/06/2023 | £82k | Promoting ocean and water literacy in school communities |
| UK government | 02/06/2023 | £178k | Promoting ocean and water literacy in school communities |
| UK government | 24/04/2023 | £27k | Open Access Block Award 2023 - Plymouth Marine Laboratory |
| UK government | 01/03/2023 | £135k | ConstrAining the Role of sulfur in the Earth System (CARES) |
| UK government | 01/03/2023 | £27k | ConstrAining the Role of sulfur in the Earth System (CARES) |
| UK government | 03/02/2023 | £52k | Euro GO-SHIP: developing a Research Infrastructure concept to support European hydrography |
| UK government | 03/02/2023 | £49k | Euro GO-SHIP: developing a Research Infrastructure concept to support European hydrography |
| UK government | 24/01/2023 | £118k | Advancing understanding of Cumulative Impacts on European marine biodiversity, ecosystem functions and services for human wellbeing |
| UK government | 24/01/2023 | £57k | Advancing understanding of Cumulative Impacts on European marine biodiversity, ecosystem functions and services for human wellbeing |
| UK government | 24/01/2023 | £33k | RESTORATION OF THE DANUBE RIVER BASIN WATERS FOR ECOSYSTEMS AND PEOPLE FROM MOUNTAINS TO COAST |
| UK government | 24/01/2023 | £17k | RESTORATION OF THE DANUBE RIVER BASIN WATERS FOR ECOSYSTEMS AND PEOPLE FROM MOUNTAINS TO COAST |
Funders of similar charities
| Funder | Similar charities funded | Amount to them |
|---|---|---|
| JOHN ELLERMAN FOUNDATION | 2 | £549k |
| THE CONSTANCE TRAVIS CHARITABLE TRUST | 2 | £340k |
| RUTH SMART FOUNDATION | 2 | £35k |
| CHAPMAN CHARITABLE TRUST | 2 | £11k |
| JOHN SWIRE 1989 CHARITABLE TRUST | 2 | £8k |
| Evelyn Partners Charitable Trust | 2 | £1k |
| THE REED FOUNDATION | 1 | — |
| SOCIETE GENERALE UK FOUNDATION | 1 | £650k |
Charities like this
- MALDIVES WHALE SHARK RESEARCH PROGRAMME LIMITED
- PARTNERSHIP FOR OBSERVATION OF THE GLOBAL OCEAN
- ROTHAMSTED RESEARCH LIMITED
- PLYMOUTH HOSPITALS GENERAL CHARITY AND OTHER RELATED CHARITIES
- BRITISH DIVERS MARINE LIFE RESCUE
- EMIH LIMITED
Side by side with its peers
| Charity | Income | Top pay band | Staff >£60k | Reserves vs policy | Fundraising cost | Going concern |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PLYMOUTH MARINE LABORATORY | £16.4m | — | — | above | — | no doubt |
| MALDIVES WHALE SHARK RESEARCH PROGRAMME LIMITED | £250k | — | 0 | unclear | — | no doubt |
| PARTNERSHIP FOR OBSERVATION OF THE GLOBAL OCEAN | £780k | — | 0 | unclear | — | no doubt |
| ROTHAMSTED RESEARCH LIMITED | £29.3m | — | — | above | — | material uncertainty |
| PLYMOUTH HOSPITALS GENERAL CHARITY AND OTHER RELATED CHARITIES | £1.0m | — | 0 | above | — | no doubt |
| BRITISH DIVERS MARINE LIFE RESCUE | £446k | — | 0 | below | — | no doubt |