 Plymouth is home to the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom ( MBA ) which conducts research in all areas of the marine sciences . The Plymouth Marine Laboratory is an offshoot of the MBA . Together with the National Marine Aquarium , the Sir Alister Hardy Foundation for Ocean Sciences , Plymouth University 's Marine Institute and the Diving Diseases Research Centre , these marine @-@ related organisations form the Plymouth Marine Sciences Partnership . The Plymouth Marine Laboratory , which focuses on global issues of climate change and sustainability . It monitors the effects of ocean acidity on corals and shellfish and reports the results to the UK government . It also cultivates algae that could be used to make biofuels or in the treatment of waste water by using technology such as photo @-@ bioreactors . It works alongside the Boots Group to investigate the use of algae in skin care protects , taking advantage of the chemicals they contain that adapt to protect themselves from the sun . 
