How To Protect The Ocean

Good ol' COP26, the Climate Change meeting, is happening again and there were some major announcements made at the meeting by countries such as the US, India, and Canada. I will cover the Canadian announcement in the next episode. The announcements sounded great, but what do scientists think about the announcements. Link to article: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-03034-z Connect with Speak Up For Blue: Website: https://www.speakupforblue.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/speakupforblue

I received some great questions from some audience members about episode 1230 where I interviewed Dr. Virginia Schutte about the Teamseas campaign and why you might not want to support the campaign, but donate directly to an organization's programs (such as the Ocean Conservancy's Plastic Pollution Program). Andrew Lester-Coll asked another great question today. He asked whether it was a good idea for the Ocean Conservancy to team up with the Ocean Clean Up for the #Teamseas campaign. Sousa Kalliovski emailed some questions that wondered what happened to the plastic after it was collected from the ocean. Sousa also asked if there are campaigns that focused on not using plastic in the first place. Some great questions from our Speak Up For The Ocean Blue podcast community. Check out the last episode for more details on the Teamseas controversy: https://www.speakupforblue.com/show/speak-up-for-the-ocean-blue/sufb-1230-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-teamseas-fundraiser/ Connect with Speak Up For Blue: Website: https://www.speakupforblue.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/speakupforblue

There are many fundraisers that occur throughout the year for the oceans and they are run by various organizations. Most of them have good intentions to help protect the Oceans. Some raise a lot of money and some not so much; however, the organizations to which you donate matter. There is a large fundraiser that is going on right now to help raise $30 million dollars that promises to take out 30 million lbs of trash from the Ocean. Two organizations will split the money into two equal parts. One of those organizations is called the Ocean Conservancy and they have a great plastic pollution program; however, the other organization is the controversial Ocean Clean Up. If you don't recall, the Ocean Clean Up is an organization that promised to clean up the Pacific Garbage Patch within 5 years of its operation. It not only failed, but it ignored many scientific criticisms and never made their environmental assessment public, but promised that everything was fine. None of their prototypes have worked even though millions of dollars were invested. Now the Ocean Clean Up stands to gain a lot of money through a crowdsourcing campaign called Teamseas. The campaign is not talking about the controversy surrounding the Ocean Clean Up Project thereby legitimizing their work in the Ocean. Dr. Virginia Schutte was asked to help raise funds for the campaign, but refused to participate due to the Ocean Clean Up being involved. Virginia joins me on the show today to discuss why and what you could do to help protect the Ocean. Make a donation to the Ocean Conservancy: https://donate.oceanconservancy.org/page/92465/donate/1 Connect with Dr. Virginia Schutte: website: https://www.virginiaschutte.com/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@vgwschutte? Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vgwschutte/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/VirginiaSchutte Connect with Speak Up For Blue: Website: https://www.speakupforblue.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/speakupforblue

There was an unfortunate situation along the Pacific Coast when at least 300 Olive Ridley's Sea Turtles washed up dead on the shore. Experts say that cause of death was most likely drowning after getting caught in fishing gear; however, there was no mention of fishing gear found with the sea turtles. Link to article: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-59077086

I answer a listener voicemail on today's episode. Laura asked if an organization's work, named Coral Vita, is worth supporting. She wanted to know if the work they do is helpful to coral reefs. Coral Vita recently won the Earthshot Prize as they were recognized for the coral reef restoration work that they do in the Bahamas. However, not every organization that wins a prize does work that will have a net benefit in the local region that they work. Coral Vita is one of those organizations that DO have a net benefit, locally. I discuss why in the podcast. Link to Coral Vita: Website: https://www.coralvita.co/ Connect with Speak Up For Blue: Website: https://www.speakupforblue.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/speakupforblue

I answer a listener question from a voicemail I received about how people who communicate science can get their message across to their target audiences about Climate Change. There is a long history of messaging about climate change and how scientists were late to the game in getting the message out about a topic that is affecting all of us today. I discuss why scientists were late to the game to speak out about climate change and how today's social media tools are allowing more scientists to discuss their research and projects easier than ever. Connect with Speak Up For Blue: Website: https://www.speakupforblue.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/speakupforblue

I received a question from Josie Greenston who asked me (I am paraphrasing): Where do I begin with helping with the Ocean? There are so many things that are harming the ocean (climate change, over-fishing, plastic pollution, etc.) that I don't know where to begin helping the Ocean. Josie asks a great question that I've heard before. I wanted to take this episode to address how people can help the ocean with various levels of available commitment. You can choose any one of the options or combine them depending on your interest and commitment level. Connect with Speak Up For Blue: Website: https://www.speakupforblue.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/speakupforblue

I see many people profess to go Zero Waste and I think it's great; however, I have trouble relating to them because they are oftentimes at different life stages than I am. They are single or a two-person household, which makes it easier to change their lifestyle choice than it is with a family with kids. Or it was just one of the many excuses I use to procrastinate more on changing my lifestyle. Well, I can't use my family as an excuse anymore because of the Zero Waste Family. They are a family that has dedicated years of their life to live a Zero Waste lifestyle as a family unit. I had the pleasure of interviewing them to help them promote their journey on going Zero Waste and to promote their episode on the new NBC show, Home Sweet Home. The premise of the show is to take two different families have them switch homes to live each other's lifestyle and see what it's like to step outside of your life. It's a great concept for a TV show, especially when one family is the Zero Waste Family. Check out the program on NBC Friday, October 22nd, 2021 @ 8 pm ET/PT. Connect with the Zero Waste Family: Website: https://zerowastefamily.com/ Film: https://zerowastefamily.com/film Book: https://zerowastefamily.com/book YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/zerowastefamily Sign up on ZeroWasteFamily.com to get notified when the 2nd edition of the book is available. Connect with Speak Up For Blue: Website: https://www.speakupforblue.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/speakupforblue

The Blob, a massive heatwave in the Pacific Ocean raised the average sea surface temperature by 2-4C and changed the distribution of some species. The Blob raised the temperature in cooler waters as well as the direction of currents. These changes allowed for species in the south to move north as their habitat was suitable. New species could outcompete species that are already found in the northern waters. They could grow and reproduce faster, which will cause some resident species to disappear from the area. There will be a Blob 2.0. The question is will the research currently being conducted allow for the prediction of where species will move to and settle next? Link to article: https://theconversation.com/five-years-after-largest-marine-heatwave-on-record-hit-northern-california-coast-many-warm-water-species-have-stuck-around-168053 Connect with Speak Up For Blue: Website: https://www.speakupforblue.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/speakupforblue

Last episode (Episode 1223), I spoke to Virginia Schutte and Bethann Merkel about their approach to Science Communication that they discuss on their new podcast called Meteor. During the interview, I talked about how I just launched Speak Up For The Ocean Blue with minimal planning because I just wanted to start doing the "fun part" of my SciComm. I now realize that I would do things differently if I were to start over today. I talk about 8 steps I would take if I was going to launch a Sci Comm platform today. Connect with Virginia and Bethann: Website: https://meteorscicomm.org/ Podcast: https://meteorscicomm.org/podcast/ You can find the podcast on your favourite podcast app. Connect with Speak Up For Blue: Website: https://www.speakupforblue.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/speakupforblue

I am a huge advocate for science communication (scicomm). It's important for audiences to understand what science is doing for our society and how we are affecting it. However, scicommers like myself do not have a formal community where I can exchange ideas and experiences with other people who are in a similar position as me...until now! Virginia Schutte and Bethann Merkel join me on the podcast to talk about their newly launched podcast, called Meteor, that exists to help build a community of practice for Science Communicators. The episode is one of my favourite episodes that I have ever recorded for this podcast. If you are a midcareers scicomm person then this is the episode for you. Connect with Virginia and Bethann: Website: https://meteorscicomm.org/ Podcast: https://meteorscicomm.org/podcast/ You can find the podcast on your favourite podcast app. Connect with Speak Up For Blue: Website: https://www.speakupforblue.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/speakupforblue

There was a great article on Mongabay News (link below) that asked the question as to whether marine biologists should work for natural resource companies that would like to mine the deep sea. It's a more complicated question than you might think as marine biology is not well funded for governments, non-profit organizations, and academia. There are companies that have a vested interest that would like to utilize marine biologists to characterize the deep-sea habitat for their own purpose. The decision to work with deep-sea mining companies weighs heavily on every marine biologist. Most of us would like to protect the Ocean, but are we doing so when working for companies that are exploiting it. On the other hand, it's difficult to find a good-paying job in Marine Biology. Natural Resource companies pay well and the biologists get to work in their field. Link to article: https://news.mongabay.com/2021/10/antithetical-to-science-when-deep-sea-research-meets-mining-interests/ Connect with Speak Up For Blue: Website: https://www.speakupforblue.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/speakupforblue

The one thing that I love about doing this podcast is the fact that I can talk to people who have done amazing things in Marine Conservation. Sometimes, people are supported by large organizations/companies that help them get on their way to launching these amazing conservation projects. Other times, the people start the projects on their own and create something really special. In today's episode, I speak with Ted Cheeseman who co-founded the site HappyWhale.com, a website that tracks humpback whales that have been identified by photos taken from citizen scientists from all over the Pacific Ocean. There are over 60,000 photos in the database spanning decades. Ted discusses: 1) Why he started the site with his co-creator; 2) How he builds relationships with the photographers and the scientists to study the tracks; 3) How Ted started his Ph.D. on tracking humpback whales, and, 4) How he would like to see Happy Whale be used in the future. Connect with Ted: Website: https://happywhale.com/home Help Fund Happy Whale: https://experiment.com/social-whales Connect with Speak Up For Blue: Website: https://www.speakupforblue.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/speakupforblue

A listener named Sydney Stauffer asked me to create an episode on my thoughts on swim-with-dolphin programs that are held with dolphins in captivity. She heard the episode with Stephanie Stack (e1214) about swim-with-whales in the wild and wanted me to discuss the captivity aspect of swimming with dolphins. Sydney was concerned that we don't discuss the captivity programs, especially the smaller companies that we see in tourist destinations such as the Caribbean. Tourists participate in these experiences because they think the animals want to participate, but that is not the case. The captive dolphins do not have a choice. A captive dolphin that has to undergo human swimming encounters multiple times per day (10-20 on the small end) is not comfortable interacting with that many humans who do not know how to properly interact with a dolphin. Dolphins can (and have!) get aggressive with humans who pay a lot of money to have a dream-come-true encounter with the cetacean. Education is the number one solution in getting people to stop frequenting the swim-with-dolphin encounters. Links: Animal Welfare Institute: https://awionline.org/content/swim-attractions-dolphin-assisted-therapy Connect with Speak Up For Blue: Website: https://www.speakupforblue.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/speakupforblue

Did you hear the Brittany Spears may not be under conservatorship anymore and her father was removed as the head of said conservatorship? Wait...what? You are probably wondering what Brittany Spears has to do with marine conservation. You are right, it really doesn't, but the reason I know what is happening with Brittany Spears is because of a documentary on her that was centred around her conservatorship. Documentaries can inspire audiences to support a pop star that is going through something personal or can help shut down orca shows at SeaWorld. They are powerful tools for storytelling that can turn the tide on many aspects of environmental conservation issues. In this episode, I discuss three documentaries that invoked different behavior changes, in good and not-so-good ways. Connect with Speak Up For Blue: Website: https://www.speakupforblue.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/speakupforblue

A study is underway in Mozambique to study the distribution ranges of two species of wedgefishes family (bottlenose wedgefish and bowmouth guitarfish) to help better manage their population. The species are considered critically endangered due to the fin-trade industry. The fish are either sought for their fins through catching them individually or as bycatch. The fin-trade can yield more money for the rays' fins that will bring in more revenue for the fishers than the meat from the rest of their body. The study employs a new tactic in Mozambique, where it uses acoustic and satellite tags to track the wedgefishes in close and long ranges. The results from the study will inform policy to help better protect these fishes in marine protected areas or through quotas (or both!). Link to article: https://news.mongabay.com/2021/09/new-research-hopes-to-shine-a-light-on-wedgefish-the-pangolin-of-the-ocean/ Link to Beyond Jaws Podcast: https://www.speakupforblue.com/show/beyond-jaws/ Connect with Speak Up For Blue: Website: https://www.speakupforblue.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/speakupforblue

South African penguins are having a tough time with their population numbers. The IUCN lists them as endangered in the Red List due to lack of food from commercial fishing and the fact that their food source may have shifted to different locations due to changing ocean currents from the consequences of climate change. So it makes things even worse when 63 Endangered South African penguins were found dead and the culprit was concluded to be bees. The penguins were found to have multiple stings near the eyes and flippers (not covered by feathers). One penguin had 27 bee stings on it. Scientists assume that the bees left the nest to defend their hive after something threatened them and the penguins were the first animals the bees met in their flight path. Link to article: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-58622482 Connect with Speak Up For Blue: Website: https://www.speakupforblue.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/speakupforblue

A viral TikTok video has sparked a debate on the app and on Twitter as to whether a woman working on a small ocean vessel should have made a sea lion go back in the water as three orcas were circling her boat. The sea lion leaped out of the water onto the boat to escape the orcas that were chasing it. It looked comfortable waiting there until the orcas left, but the woman on the boat had other plans. the woman was frightened of the orcas and was clearly worried about what the orcas would do to get access to the sea lion. Viewers of the video were contributing to both sides of the question of what they would do in the same situation. So I pose the same question to you: Would you help save the sea lion from the orcas? Connect with Speak Up For Blue: Website: https://www.speakupforblue.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/speakupforblue

Swim-with-whale tour operators are popping up in various places around the world. The idea of getting in the water and swimming with humpback whales nearby can be a dream come true for many people; however, the tour operators are running without any regulations to ensure that the tours are not altering the behavior of the humpback whales. The humpback whales that hang out in Hervey Bay, Australia every year do so to rest during their long migration from Australia to Antarctica. The trip requires a ton of energy to move such large bodies that distance in the ocean. Any excess energy used can be detrimental to the migration of the whales. Stephanie Stack, Chief Scientist at the Pacific Whale Foundation, and her team studied the humpback whale behavior before, during, and after swim-with-whale tours and whale watching tours occurred in Hervey Bay. Stephanie joins me on today's podcast to discuss the results of the study and what next steps need to be taken. Connect with Stephanie: Pacific Whale Foundation: https://www.pacificwhale.org/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/StephanieHStack Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shstack/ Happy Whale: https://happywhale.com/home Connect with Speak Up For Blue: Website: https://www.speakupforblue.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/speakupforblue

We are entering the 6th mass extinction. When I tell people about the mass extinction, people are not too worried. I don't think they realize that we are already starting to see the effects of the mass extinction and that the planet has gone through this before, but there is one difference. The major difference is the fact that the Permian extinction (which occurred approximately 66 million years ago) was caused by volcanic activity while the 6th mass extinction was caused by humans. The good news is that we can stop it; however, we need to act now. Voting for political candidates is the best way that you can enact change, but there are other things too. Listen to hear more. Link to article: https://www.sciencealert.com/mass-extinction-events-can-turn-freshwater-into-toxic-soup-and-that-s-bad-news-for-today Connect with Speak Up For Blue: Website: https://www.speakupforblue.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/speakupforblue

The Faroe Islands government has announced that they will review their regulations of the dolphin cull after some whalers and critics thought that the last cull of 1400 white-sided dolphins was too numerous to use all of the meat. The current regulations that I mentioned during the last episode raised a number of questions about how quantitative are regulations? How many animals can they take at once? What is the ratio of hunters to animals to ensure a quick hunt of each individual? How much meat is given to each family? Hopefully, questions such as the ones above will be answered during this review. Last episode: https://www.speakupforblue.com/show/speak-up-for-the-ocean-blue/sufb-1211-questions-around-the-legality-of-killing-1400-white-sided-dolphins-in-the-faroe-islands-circulate/ Link to article: https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/faroe-islands-dolphin-follow-1.6179472 Connect with Speak Up For Blue: Website: https://www.speakupforblue.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/speakupforblue

There was a cull of 1400 white-sided dolphins in the Faroe Islands recently has some people wanting to know if it was legal. Whaling of pilot whales and other small cetaceans is legal in the Faroe Islands as the local community relies on whale meat as their primary protein source. The small island autonomous territory has been culling whales for centuries. The meat is processed in the open bays and handed out for free to the local community. The average catch per year is approximately 800 pilot whales and 250 white-sided dolphins; however, the total number of dolphins killed was 1400 individuals. That is 6 times the normal amount of dolphins and almost twice as many individuals as pilot whales. There seemed to be a number of questions surrounding the cull of the dolphins including: were there enough killers present, did some boats run over the dolphins, was all of the meat used, etc. You may feel that the cull is inhumane, but I ask you to keep an open mind to some of the questions and understand that these are people on a small island with access to very little natural resources in food other than the oceans. I should also mention that I am not for cetacean hunting. I just found this story interesting to look at from a different perspective. Link to article: https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/15/europe/faroe-dolphin-killing-record-scli-intl-scn/index.html Connect with Speak Up For Blue: Website: https://www.speakupforblue.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/speakupforblue

The Canadian federal election is less than a week away before we find out who will lead Canada into a very different world than it was 18 months ago. There are many predominant issues at hand in this election such as the COVID pandemic, the economy, reconciliation with Indigenous communities across Canada, and climate change. I am very interested in all of these issues, especially that of how each party running will handle climate change. In this episode, I provide an overview of each of the parties' climate change policies and who I think has the best one. Of course, each party says their policies are the best and do not provide a ton of detail during the election, but as a Canadian citizen, it is up to me and my fellow Canadians to make the decision that best aligns with our values. Connect with Speak Up For Blue: Website: https://www.speakupforblue.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/speakupforblue

Kaitlyn Mitchell is a lawyer for Animal Justice, a non-profit organization that looks out for the welfare of animals in Canada. Website: https://animaljustice.ca/ Kaitlyn came highly recommended as someone to interview on the Canadian side of the border that is involved in advocating for the belugas in the transfer from Marineland (Canada) to Mystic Aquarium (US). I covered the original story by interviewing Dr. Naomi Rose (Episode 1197, https://www.speakupforblue.com/show/speak-up-for-the-ocean-blue/sufb-1197-havoc-the-beluga-whale-dies/). Kaitlyn provides us with an update on the beluga whale transfer as well as how we can make sure that bill S-203 (Canadian Cetacean Captivity Ban) can be made better to avoid needless deaths like that of Havok. Kaitlyn also tells us about the dire situation with Kiska, an orca that has been recorded bashing her head against the side of her tank. We discuss what Animal Justice hopes to be done about the orca at Marineland. Connect with Animal Justice: Website: https://animaljustice.ca/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/animaljustice_/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/animaljusticecanada Connect with Speak Up For Blue: Website: https://www.speakupforblue.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/speakupforblue

All of the talks around protecting 30% of the world's oceans by the year 2030 have really put a focus on the quality of MPAs that exist and that will be designated in the future. MPA design and implementation are unique around the world, especially if a country or region is new to the process. Angelo Villagomez and Johnny Briggs join me on the podcast to discuss the new Pew Bertarelli Ocean Legacy MPA Guide that will help ocean practitioners with their MPA process beyond just designating MPAs. The guide also has a focus on how to make the MPAs sustainable through sustainable funding and enforcement. Links: Check out all of our episodes on www.speakupforblue.com Want To Talk Oceans? Join the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Speak Up For Blue Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Speak Up For Blue Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpeakUpforBlue

Every country has a different way of managing its oceans and every region also has its own way of managing its oceans. Various regions can learn from one another and build on each other's successes to implement ocean conservation. In today's episode, we complete our three-part series with a guest host, Laure Katz from the Blue Nature Alliance, who speaks to Arthur Tuda from WIOMSA (Western Indian Ocean), Angelique Pouponeau from SeyCCAT (Seychelles), and Joaquin Labougle (Blue Nature Alliance) to share their experiences on regional approaches to ocean conservation. You can watch the video podcast here: https://www.bluenaturealliance.org/iucn-wcc-2021-podcast-series Check out all of our episodes on www.speakupforblue.com Want To Talk Oceans? Join the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Speak Up For Blue Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Speak Up For Blue Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpeakUpforBlue

We are continuing our series in partnership with the Blue Nature Alliance to discuss Marine Conservation and how that will move forward in order to protect 30% of the ocean by 2030. Incorporating People, Knowledge, and Networks in Ocean Conservation will be crucial to implement successful marine conservation strategies. I am joined by Kate Brown (Global Island Partnership in New Zealand), Coral Pasisi (Tofia Niue from the Island of Niue) and Ginny Farmer (Blue Nature Alliance based in the US) on the podcast to discuss their experiences in marine conservation and how people, knowledge, and networks help in ocean conservation. Video podcast: https://www.bluenaturealliance.org/iucn-wcc-2021-podcast-series Check out all of our episodes on www.speakupforblue.com Want To Talk Oceans? Join the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Speak Up For Blue Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Speak Up For Blue Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpeakUpforBlue

The Blue Nature Alliance is a collaboration among several organizations that would like to help communities around the world to protect 30% of the ocean by 2030. The goal cannot be reached by any single entity, but teaming up with each other can help all of us achieve this goal. Getting to 30% ocean protection will take the participation of all ocean users around the world. Social equity will play a large role in designating MPAs; however, it has not been taken into account during many of the past MPA processes. Several marine professionals wrote a paper on Social Equity and why it is crucial to the proper designation and implementation of MPAs. I speak with Dr. Asha de Vos (Oceanswell), Dr. Ana Spalding (Oregon State University), and Mael Imirizaldu (Blue Nature Alliance) on the role and importance of Social Equity in marine conservation. Link to article: https://www.bluenaturealliance.org/a-call-to-prioritize-social-equity-in-marine-conservation Check out all of our episodes on www.speakupforblue.com Want To Talk Oceans? Join the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Speak Up For Blue Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Speak Up For Blue Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpeakUpforBlue

I am listening to a podcast series called White Saviors that is produced by Canadaland. It's a series on the rise and fall of a charity called the We Charity that was founded by two brothers (one of which went to my high school in Toronto, Canada) that wanted to save children from child labor. The organization got huge and that's where it went wrong. Now the organization is trenched in scandal and an ongoing legal investigation. The series made me think of all of the people in marine conservation that start out with a notable mission, but end up on the wrong side of that mission. Check out all of our episodes on www.speakupforblue.com Want To Talk Oceans? Join the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Speak Up For Blue Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Speak Up For Blue Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpeakUpforBlue

It's that time of year again for me to provide advice for students and early-career scientists/conservationists as people are going back to school or trying to find their first job. Check out all of our episodes on www.speakupforblue.com Want To Talk Oceans? Join the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Speak Up For Blue Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Speak Up For Blue Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpeakUpforBlue

I have been reflecting on the subject of collaboration as I work on a special project for this podcast (the project will be released next week!). Collaboration is a term and major theme of the project; however, over the past 6 years I noticed that people in Marine Science and Conservation are more competitive than they are collaborative. Now it could be the way the system is set up in terms of many organizations that have similar missions are competing for the same funding, but I also believe it starts with the people in all fields of marine science and conservation. People in science podcasting are also acting this way. Some people are worried about the competition and ask why there is more than one podcast on a similar topic. I think it's great for podcasting and marine conservation. Take a listen to the episode to see why. Check out all of our episodes on www.speakupforblue.com Want To Talk Oceans? Join the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Speak Up For Blue Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Speak Up For Blue Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpeakUpforBlue

Fisheries and Oceans Canada's (DFO) Whale Protection Program has several investigations open of illegal drone activity along the southern shores of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. The drones are being flown near marine mammals (whales, seals, and sea lions) causing disturbances and, in some cases, interfering with government activities surrounding whale entanglement. DFO has issued a warning to residents in the area that the penalties for breaking the law with illegal drone activity can be severe (mandatory court appearance and a $100,000 fine). Link to article: https://www.nanaimobulletin.com/news/troubling-trend-of-drones-buzzing-b-c-marine-mammals-leads-to-dfo-warning/ Check out all of our episodes on www.speakupforblue.com Want To Talk Oceans? Join the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Speak Up For Blue Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Speak Up For Blue Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpeakUpforBlue

I speak to Dr. Johann Bell from Conservation International on today's episode to discuss a Climate Justice example in the Pacific Islands. Many small islands states in the Pacific received a majority of their revenue from fishing licenses from the distance water fleets of other countries such as the US, China, Korea, Japan, and others. The revenue pays for education and other programs in the Pacific Island nations. However, there is a problem that is being caused by Climate Change. The change in water temperature is shifting the tuna populations outside of the small island jurisdiction where the other countries could fish for free rather than paying for the licenses. The small island countries would miss out on crucial revenue and the fisheries would not be regulated in the high seas. Dr. Johann Bell discusses the solutions for this problem with me during this episode. Links from the episode: 1) Article: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-021-00745-z 2) Press Release: https://www.conservation.org/press-releases/2021/07/29/study-warming-waters-threaten-tuna-dependent-economies-in-the-pacific Check out all of our episodes on www.speakupforblue.com Want To Talk Oceans? Join the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Speak Up For Blue Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Speak Up For Blue Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpeakUpforBlue

COVID caused a lot of disruption in the form of shutdowns, but something that was always available in North America was grocery stores. However, there were some small island states such as Cape Eleuthera that did not know if their food was coming via shipping boats. Luckily it was only temporary. During that time, people looked to the sea to provide food without regard for catch limits and quotas. People were searching for food and needed to eat, so catch sizes were not on their minds. Dr. Nick Higgs noticed this behaviour and decided to study how many conchs were affected by this temporary food shortage. Nick is on the podcast today to discuss his new paper and the results of the study. We also discuss what this could mean for conservation. Connect with Dr. Nick Higgs: 1) Website: http://www.ceibahamas.org/

Canada is about to have a federal election in September 20th. The election was called during a time when we are entering the 4th wave of a pandemic; major forest fires are happening on the West Coast (and around the world); and, parts of Canada are flooding (also happening around the world). Some Canadians are not happy that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called for an election, but I am happy. It gives Canadians a chance to evaluate their current government representation on their Climate Action policies and demand that new candidates make a bigger commitment to Climate change policies. The election is a chance where Canadian citizens can ask for change. We hold the power and Climate Change should be at the top of the list. Check out all of our episodes on www.speakupforblue.com Want To Talk Oceans? Join the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Speak Up For Blue Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Speak Up For Blue Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpeakUpforBlue

Dr. Naomi Rose joins me on the podcast with an interesting story that resulted in the death of a recently transferred beluga whale at Mystic Aquarium. The beluga whale named Havoc was transferred from the troublesome Marineland located in Canada. Naomi describes how the process was flawed from the beginning including the fact that Havoc was sick before the transfer and Mystic Aquarium is known for research that showed cetaceans that are sick don't do well with being transferred. This story highlights the problems with processes even though they are in countries that have animal welfare laws that are perceived as effective; however, you will find out that the processes need crucial improvements. Link to article: https://www.treehugger.com/mystic-whale-beluga-whale-death-controversy-5197322 Connect with Dr. Naomi Rose: 1) AWI Website: https://awionline.org/ 2) Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/frdolphinPOV 3) Twitter: https://twitter.com/frdolphinPOV Check out all of our episodes on www.speakupforblue.com Want To Talk Oceans? Join the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Speak Up For Blue Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Speak Up For Blue Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpeakUpforBlue

Trying to buy environmentally beneficial products is not as easy as you would think it is. Companies will always try to save money that may compromise the overall environmental benefit of the product. For example, selling vegan food in a plastic container. Trying to navigate eco-friendly products can also become difficult because there is misleading information published by "experts" that can confuse or make people think twice about buying a product that does not impact the environment. Electric vehicles (EVs) fall within the same category. Buying an electric vehicle is a bit nerve-racking. It's a different type of car. A car that is not familiar to consumers. Any information is difficult to interpret and/or believe. In this episode, I take a listener voicemail from Andres Lester-Coll regarding which is better for the environment: Electric Vehicles or Combustion Vehicles. Check out all of our episodes on www.speakupforblue.com Want To Talk Oceans? Join the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Speak Up For Blue Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Speak Up For Blue Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpeakUpforBlue

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Chad Nelson, CEO of the Surfrider Foundation, to catch up from our last conversation on the changes and growth that the Surfrider Foundation has undergone over the past five years. Chad and I discuss how Surfrider has not only doubled in staff but continues to grow an army of volunteers that represent the foundation well across the US and even into Canada. We also discuss how Surfrider collaborates with other organizations to help get good environmental policies passed at local, state, and federal levels. Connect with Surfrider Foundation: Website: https://www.surfrider.org/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Surfrider Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Surfrider Check out all of our episodes on www.speakupforblue.com Want To Talk Oceans? Join the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Speak Up For Blue Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Speak Up For Blue Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpeakUpforBlue

You would think that we would know more information about whales because they are so big; however, that is not the case. There are many information gaps in what we know about whales, especially whales that leave in extreme climates like the Arctic. Beluga and narwhal whales are especially tricky because they live so far up north and often under the ice. Knowing where they go and why is really important as the Arctic is rapidly changing. We have been able to track the smaller mammals using aerial surveys and drones however, those technologies are expensive and, in the case of the aerial survey, could be dangerous. Bertrand Charry, the co-founder of Whale Seeker, is using satellite imagery to help track these elusive whales and he is my guest on today's podcast to discuss why it's important to track marine mammals from space. He also talks about his career and why he chose to seek the entrepreneurial route to conduct marine science in Canada. Connect with Bertrand and Whale Seeker: Whale Seeker Website: https://www.whaleseeker.com/ Whale Seeker's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whale_seeker/ Connect with Bertrand: Bertrand's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bertrand-charry-8939b860/ Check out all of our episodes on www.speakupforblue.com Want To Talk Oceans? Join the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Speak Up For Blue Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Speak Up For Blue Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpeakUpforBlue

I am a Science Communicator. I use this podcast to communicate marine science to you and other listeners who would like to know more about how to protect the Ocean. My goal is to present accurate and real information so that you and others could learn about Oceans that may not be readily available online. II know many colleagues who communicate science by conducting guest lectures/teachings in K-12 schools. They do it on a volunteer basis in hopes to inspire future scientists of the world. However, it is difficult when other communication platforms such as TV stations say they have a mission to enlighten their audience but create fake documentaries that scare and confuse many people. I describe a situation written to me by a listener who sent me an email (you can contact me here with your questions/comments) on today's email. The listener described a situation that he faced where he attempted to convince a group of students that the megalodon and mermaids were not real despite recent TV programs stating otherwise through fake documentaries. The listener is a professor at Brigham Young University: Twitter: https://twitter.com/OceanEcologist Check out all of our episodes on www.speakupforblue.com Want To Talk Oceans? Join the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Speak Up For Blue Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Speak Up For Blue Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpeakUpforBlue

Ghost nets are discarded nets from fishing vessels that float around in the ocean unmonitored. The nets continue to snag fish, marine mammals, sea turtles, and seabirds that causes needless deaths every year. There are organizations that search for Ghost Nets to retrieve and dispose of them; however, disposing of the plastic nets is not as simple as we think. The nets are often discarded in landfills, but they have the potential to become part of the circular economy. Nina Latinga, the co-founder for Nets For Net Zero, is working to connect companies and organizations that would like to use the nets in their circular economy. She joins me on the podcast to discuss how she came across this venture from a background in the circular fashion industry. Connect with Nets For Net Zero: Website: https://www.netsfornetzero.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/netsfornetzero/ Check out all of our episodes on www.speakupforblue.com Want To Talk Oceans? Join the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Speak Up For Blue Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Speak Up For Blue Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpeakUpforBlue

I had a great listener question that I decided to cover on the podcast because I thought it was an important topic. @harveyperello asked: Why do we ignore ocean solutions when fighting climate change? It's a terrific question! The answer comes down to how the ocean is covered in media. You never hear about great ocean projects such as the ones that plant mangroves to combat climate change (mangroves absorb 50 times more carbon than trees on land), but we do hear about 1 billion trees being planted as a new government program. There are great programs out there, we just don't hear about them. I have some thoughts on why that I share in during this episode. Check out all of our episodes on www.speakupforblue.com Want To Talk Oceans? Join the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Speak Up For Blue Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Speak Up For Blue Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpeakUpforBlue

Discovery's Shark Week is their biggest rating week of the year and is quite the spectacle. The shows aim to inspire people to learn about sharks and understand how they work; however, is the program effective at communicating the right information? A new scientific paper has been published to provide evidence that Shark Week has contained a lot of misinformation over the decades that they have been on TV. They also showed the lack of diversity in the hosts and the lack of experts in many of their programming. Check out all of our episodes on www.speakupforblue.com Want To Talk Oceans? Join the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Speak Up For Blue Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Speak Up For Blue Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpeakUpforBlue

Salmon populations can't stand the heat so they may be removed from many of the waterways that they normally occupy for spawning. Salmon are cold-water species that do not do well in warm water; therefore, freshwater rivers where the salmon spawn are not ideal habitats when they heat up due to climate change. Add human barriers such as culverts, dams, and eroding habitats which impede access to spawning habitats and you get a recipe for disaster. I also should not forget to mention that changes in ocean prey due to ocean temperature rising result in less healthy salmon. Habitat restoration can help cool hot spot areas in rivers and allow more water to be held cooling river water further. Canadian and US governments are working hard to get restoration actions implemented to help wild stocks. Closing salmon fisheries are also in place in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans to provide all of the chances possible for bigger and fitter salmon to spawn. Link to article: https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/salmon-climate-change-1.6114328 Check out all of our episodes on www.speakupforblue.com Want To Talk Oceans? Join the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Speak Up For Blue Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Speak Up For Blue Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpeakUpforBlue

Florida is in a Red Tide event two years after its last red tide event. Hundreds of ocean species are washing up along the shore dead and rotting causing health problems for people with respiratory issues and killing the tourism industry. Red tide events happen when nutrients feed a species of phytoplankton in combination with the right sea temperatures (high temps) and lack of wind. The proliferation of the plankton population is toxic to anything that ingests it including sharks and other fish, marine mammals, sea turtles, and seabirds. There are two things that need to fix this situation: 1) work to reduce climate change (long term); and, 2) reduce the number of nutrients from industry (short term). Link to article: https://au.news.yahoo.com/insane-world-famous-tourist-hotspot-decimated-by-toxic-crisis-054312592.html Check out all of our episodes on www.speakupforblue.com Want To Talk Oceans? Join the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Speak Up For Blue Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Speak Up For Blue Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpeakUpforBlue

There were 841 manatee deaths since January 1st of 2021, which is the largest mass mortality event since 2013 (830 deaths). The deaths were due to a lack of seagrass in their favourite eating spot, Indian Lagoon. Seagrass is a crucial part of the manatee diet and without the presence of the ocean plant, manatees end up starving to death. It's important to maintain good water quality for optimal seagrass health. Unfortunately, water quality along the Florida coastline has been awful over the past decade due to sewage overflow runoff with high nitrogen and phosphorus levels. The higher nutrients create algal blooms that block the sun from getting to the seagrass. When the algal blooms die off, they land on the seagrass resulting in a major die-off of the plants. Government policy on water quality and restoration of seagrasses will help re-establish the important coastal habitat; however, that will require a lot of time and money. Link to article: https://www.livescience.com/manatees-florida-die-off-record.html Check out all of our episodes on www.speakupforblue.com Want To Talk Oceans? Join the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Speak Up For Blue Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Speak Up For Blue Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpeakUpforBlue

This episode is a bit of a rant that I have been thinking about for a while. Over the past few months, I've noticed that media companies (video, audio, and written forms) have been putting out content that either ignores science or drives a wedge between science and the public. The film Seaspiracy told the audience and non-profit organizations that worked to conserve the ocean were actually working to support overfishing. Obviously a false statement; however, much of the audience still quote the movie four months later. The New York Times published an article, where the author conducted their own "study" to determine whether Subway (the sandwich company) used real tuna in their tuna sandwiches. The study was not scientific and the results were inconclusive (stated in the article); however, the headline read "Subway does not use real tuna in their sandwiches." Discovery is releasing a new program during Shark Week this summer (2021): a reality show that is searching for the next shark expert. An expert can be defined in many ways, but this "expert" search is not based on the scientific knowledge each contestant has. It is based on whether or not they can swim with sharks without getting bitten. Now, there are shark diving experts who are amazing and advocate for sharks, but many of them are thought to be scientists who conduct experiments, which can lead to misinformation. Finally, during the 2021 Shark Week, there was an episode that aired with the people for the Jackass franchise. During the show, one of the members were doing a stunt into a body of water where sharks had aggregated. The man fell and got bitten. The rest of the episode was about how traumatized the man was for being bitten; even though, the stunt was not necessary and led to him being bitten. Many media companies are sacrificing science for clicks and views while misleading their audience. I am very concerned as to where Science Communication is directed on large platforms. Check out all of our episodes on www.speakupforblue.com Want To Talk Oceans? Join the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Speak Up For Blue Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Speak Up For Blue Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpeakUpforBlue

A new report written by researchers at the University of British Columbia and supported by Oceana reveals the foreign fisheries subsidies are contributing to overfishing in foreign countries. Countries such as China, Japan, South Korea, Russia, the USA, Thailand, Taiwan, Spain, Indonesia, and Norway will pay up to 35% of their total subsidies to their distant fleets to fish within the jurisdiction of other countries. In some countries, the foreign vessels outfish the domestic fleet two to one. The foreign fleet is often not allowed to fish and contribute to the illegal, unregulated, and unreported fisheries. The best way to find out if your tax dollars are contributing to distant fleet fishing is to speak to your federal elected representative. Link to article: https://news.mongabay.com/2021/07/billions-in-fishing-subsidies-finance-social-ecological-harm-report-finds/ Check out all of our episodes on www.speakupforblue.com Want To Talk Oceans? Join the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Speak Up For Blue Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Speak Up For Blue Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpeakUpforBlue

Fishers have had to adapt to many changes over generations. Some of those changes are natural, but most are human-induced. For one fisher in Alaska, adapting has been part of his entire life. Dune Lankard is an indigenous fisher in Alaska who has had to endure tsunamis, oil spills, the commoditization of the Indigenous way of fishing and life, and now climate change. Dune's latest adaptation to regenerative ocean farming provides a sustainable fishing model that is good for the ocean and his income. Link to article: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/facing-warming-waters-fishermen-are-taking-up-ocean-farming-180978091/ Check out all of our episodes on www.speakupforblue.com Want To Talk Oceans? Join the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Speak Up For Blue Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Speak Up For Blue Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpeakUpforBlue

Dr. David Ebert joins me on the podcast today to discuss four publications that went out in the last 5 weeks that name and describe a new shark species. These new shark species bring Dave's total described species to 50. Dave talks about the process of naming and describing species and describes the four new shark species. A couple of things that Dave is promoting today: 1) A new book: Sharks of the World - A complete guide https://www.amazon.com/Sharks-World-Complete-Guide-Nature/dp/069120599X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3SQ7LPP1WBTVB&dchild=1&keywords=sharks+of+the+world&qid=1626233963&sprefix=Sharks+of+the+world%2Caps%2C165&sr=8-1 2) A new Shark podcast: Beyond Jaws https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-jaws/id1576456233 Check out all of our episodes on www.speakupforblue.com Want To Talk Oceans? Join the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Speak Up For Blue Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Speak Up For Blue Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpeakUpforBlue