Katy Duke is CEO at The Deep, a charitable public aquarium in Hull, East Yorkshire. Opened in 2002, The Deep operates as an education and conservation charity. In recent years, it has become an international player in marine conservation. Home to sharks, turtles, penguins and the UK’s only green sawfish, The Deep has welcomed more than 8.5 million visitors.
In its first year of operation, The Deep attracted more than 850,000 guests, making the new aquarium busier than ZSL London Zoo. Duke is interested in sustainability and the conservation of aquatic environments. She is an expert in elasmobranch species, and is passionate about increasing science capital and conservation understanding, as well as the importance of public engagement and positive action.
In 2022, The Deep is celebrating its 20th anniversary. “We are extremely proud to have reached our 20th year,” Duke said. “Initially as a regeneration project, helping to put Hull on the map as the most successful Millennium Project and as a conservation and education charity. The Deep Crew have been working on an exciting calendar of events for the year, which we are very much looking forward to sharing with all our visitors. The last few years have been incredibly hard but we are full of enthusiasm and optimism for the next 20 years!”
The Deep is a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) and the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA). Duke is director for BIAZA and sits on BIAZA’s Membership & Licensing Committee.