Extraordinary commitment to marine conservation

YOU won't find many people who've looked into the eyes of a dying whale and stayed to bear witness. Chris Berry has. And it's moments like these that fuel his extraordinary commitment to marine life rescue a cause that, for him, is far more than just a volunteer role.

- LEWIS CLARKE

From dramatic dolphin rescues in gale-force winds to campaigning against plastic toys that silently kill seals, Chris has become a relentless force for marine conservation in the UK. As the Devon Area Coordinator for British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR), he's part medic, part mentor, part advocate - and wholly driven by purpose.

Chris Berry's journey into marine rescue wasn't born out of childhood fantasy or academic ambition. It began, rather humbly, with a scuba diving qualification.

"I was completing my Master Scuba Diver qualification in Exmouth when I saw an advert for a BDMLR course," he recalls.

That one small decision to attend changed the course of his life.

"It seemed an amazing opportunity to make a difference helping these intelligent animals that, whilst living in the sea, do more to support their environment to capture carbon and produce oxygen than trees."

Chris became a marine mammal medic in 2007, took on the role of assistant coordinator in 2016, and by August 2020, was overseeing all of Devon as area coordinator a role that's entirely voluntary but demands the commitment of a full-time job.

"It involves some dramatic rescues, yes," he says, "but also supporting a team of hundreds of medics, ensuring quality of training, fund-raising, community engagement, campaign work the list goes on."

And he's not exaggerating. From running training courses across counties, collaborating with police and councils, to speaking on national television, Chris's reach is as vast as Devon's twin coastlines.

Of all the stories Chris could tell, there's one that never fades a rescue mission that pushed every limit of his team's strength and spirit.