A bending strain relief assembly that limits the bending strain and radius of an associated marine cable, the BSR assembly comprising: a coupler having a first end and an opposite second end with a longitudinal inner surface that extends from the first end to the second end; a first elongated BSR member having a proximal end and a distal end spaced from the proximal end with an inner arcuate surface that extends between the proximal end and the distal end, the first BSR member dimensioned for attachment to the coupler along a portion of an interface surface along the second end of the coupler and the proximal end of the first BSR member such that the inner arcuate surface is aligned with the longitudinal inner surface of the coupler; and a second elongated BSR member having a proximal end and a distal end spaced from the proximal end with an inner arcuate surface, the second BSR dimensioned for attachment to the coupler along a portion of the interface surface along the second end of the coupler and the proximal end of the second BSR member such that the inner arcuate surface is aligned with the longitudinal inner surface of the coupler; wherein the associated marine cable is configured to be supported within the longitudinal inner surface and the inner arcuate surfaces of the first and second elongated BSR members to limit the bending strain and radius of the cable by varying levels of resistance to bending; and the BSR assembly further comprises at least one elongated stiffness member in each of the first and second elongated BSR members (110, 120) to alter the stiffness of the BSR assembly; characterized in that: the elongated stiffness members (420,720) define a serpentine path. a coupler having a first end and an opposite second end with a longitudinal inner surface that extends from the first end to the second end; a first elongated BSR member having a proximal end and a distal end spaced from the proximal end with an inner arcuate surface that extends between the proximal end and the distal end, the first BSR member dimensioned for attachment to the coupler along a portion of an interface surface along the second end of the coupler and the proximal end of the first BSR member such that the inner arcuate surface is aligned with the longitudinal inner surface of the coupler; and a second elongated BSR member having a proximal end and a distal end spaced from the proximal end with an inner arcuate surface, the second BSR dimensioned for attachment to the coupler along a portion of the interface surface along the second end of the coupler and the proximal end of the second BSR member such that the inner arcuate surface is aligned with the longitudinal inner surface of the coupler; wherein the associated marine cable is configured to be supported within the longitudinal inner surface and the inner arcuate surfaces of the first and second elongated BSR members to limit the bending strain and radius of the cable by varying levels of resistance to bending; and the BSR assembly further comprises at least one elongated stiffness member in each of the first and second elongated BSR members (110, 120) to alter the stiffness of the BSR assembly; the elongated stiffness members (420,720) define a serpentine path.