How To Protect The Ocean

Dr. Johnny Briggs from the PEW Charitable Trust's Bertarelli Ocean Legacy Program to discuss his work on Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and Other Effective Conservation Measures (OECMs) in the UK and the Overseas Territories. The UK committed to protecting 60% of its coastline using a combination of MPAs and OECMs. Take a listen to determine how PEW and their partners worked on achieving such an ambitious goal. Do you think they will reach their goal? Share your thoughts in the Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

Punta Fuego is a Belizean Radio show that follows a fictitious character named Richie, who is a fisherman trying to stay on the right side of the law and abide by fisheries regulations. The radio show is designed to target fishing villages across the country to bring about the education of fisheries regulations of Marine Protected Areas. The show has made more fishers aware fo regulations and boundaries of the real MPA. Listen to this episode for more information. Do you think there should be more radio shows that target fishers for conservation purposes? Share your thoughts in the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

Dr. Chris Parsons joins me on the podcast again today. This time Chris is discussing the results of a new report on the science of mortality and life expectancy of Marine Mammals in captivity compared to wild. There are many misleading "facts" out there regarding mortality and life expectancy so this report comes at the right time. Listen to Chris discuss the details now and let us know your thoughts in the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

Last week a video surfaced of some boaters in Norway that came upon a Beluga Whale in the wild. the interesting fact about this video was that the Beluga Whale had Russian military straps on it. The internet became outraged that this poor Beluga whale was being used to spy for the Russian government; however, what many people failed to realize was that the US military also has a history of using marine mammals. Dr. Chris Parsons agreed to join me (last minute!!!) to discuss the use of marine mammals in the military along with how they are treated and the protections for the marine mammals. What do you think of the use of marine mammals in the military? Share your thoughts in the Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

Imagine a life where all businesses go about their business with minimal impact on the Ocean and the Planet as a whole. It sounds like a great dream, doesn't it?! According to a recent UN Global Environmental Health Report, we will need to make serious changes faster to reach that dream, or else. The UN Report is a damning one that calls out deleterious human practices that have altered most of the Planet's habitats and put millions of species at risk of extinction as a result. Listen to the episode for more details and how we enact change within our governments. What do you think of the report? Share your thoughts in the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

Dr. Jane Lubchenko, the NOAA Administrator from 2009-2013 while President Obama was in power, called out the Trump Administrations new Nominee for the same position in an Oped in the New York Times. Her reasons? 1) He has no scientific background; and, 2) He has a serious conflict of interest. Tune into the episode to find out more. Share your thoughts on the nominee in our Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

Large Basking Sharks have been spotted off the coast of Southern California. It's important to note that this has not happened in decades, according to this article. There has actually been an increase in sightings of Basking Sharks, which could mean two things: 1) More people are able to identify Basking Sharks and not mistake them for Great White Sharks; and/or, 2) There are more Basking Sharks coming to the coastline. Either one of those possibilities means good news for the Basking Shark population. Find out why by listening to the episode. What are your thoughts on the episode? Share them in the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

The Buzz Phrase on the month has been "Climate Change Emergency." Federal Governments, States/Provincial Governments, and Municipal Governments have declared Climate Change Emergencies all over the world. However, some governments may just be using it as a way to build a positive relationship with their citizens. I discuss 3 articles relating to Climate Change Emergency Declarations and Actions from China, the UK, and my city of Burlington, Ontario in Canada. Take a listen. Do you think the Climate Change Emergency Declarations are an important step for governments to take in the fight against Climate Change? Share your thoughts in the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

There are reports of Grey Whales washing up along the West Coast of the US dead. Necropsies were conducted on 20 individuals and the bodies were found to be emaciated, which means the whales have not been eating properly. This is a concerning situation because Grey Whales feed by scooping up the sediment and eating the crustaceans that lie within it. If there is not enough food within the sediment, then perhaps managers need to look at what is happening to the sediment such as trawling. Trawling can be a destructive practice whereby fishing gear scrapes along the ocean floor to catch bottom-dwelling species in their nets. There is a big need to find a solution to this matter as there is a good chance that it is due to human disturbance. What do you think is causing the Grey Whale deaths? Share your thoughts in the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

You never know what is going to happen when you are working in the Marine Conservation Field. It doesn't matter if you are a scientist, a communicator or a marketer because your job could be gone at any moment. I'm not trying to scare you. I am trying to prepare you for what might happen to your career as it happened to me as well. Working in this field is not secure by any means. You work on temporary contracts, full-time contracts, permanent status, and more options, I'm sure; however, you have to be prepared to apply for jobs as soon as you either quit or lose a job. Keeping your resume updated will help you with getting the next job. In this episode, I talk about the many reasons why you need to keep your resume up to date and how you can do it. Take a listen to the episode to find out. Do you keep your resume updated while you have a job? Share your thoughts in the Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

Indonesia is home to the largest coastline in Asia and one of the most biodiverse areas in the Ocean, including the number of marine mammal species that occupy the coastline and deeper sea either for food, call it home or use the island as a migration area to get to their next location. Unfortunately, the marine mammals don't always swim off into the sunset as they tend to strand quite a bit along the coastline of Indonesia. The citizens that live along the coastline do not always know how to help the stranded marine mammals and if they try to help, they could be doing more harm than good. The Government of Indonesia has been in the process of running trainings and workshops to help empower the local coastal communities to help when a stranding event occurs. Check out the episode for more detail. Would you ever join a Marine Mammal Stranding Organizations? Share your thoughts in the Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

It FINALLY HAPPENED!!! The Canadian Government has upped its Marine Protected Area Standards to exclude some extractive industries from MPA boundaries. Take a listen to the episode to find out more details. Share your thoughts on this monumental decision for Canada and the Ocean in our Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

A new study from researchers at Rutgers University-New Brunswick is out concluding that climate change impacts marine species has twice the impact than on land species. Take a listen to the episode to find out why. What do you do to reduce your impact on Climate Change? Share your strategies in the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

Imagine walking up and down the beach on a peaceful morning enjoying the sunrise with your significant other, or may even your family. You enjoy the calmness that is brought by the gentle waves hitting the sandy shore. As the sun lightens the sky, you quickly realize that there are a number of objects along the beach ahead of you. It's a number of dead dolphins...cue horror movie-like music. This is happening up and down the coast of Peru right now. Over 3,000 dead dolphins have washed ashore and the culprit might be oil and gas exploration. Take a listen to the episode to find out how this happens. Do you think the cause of the dead dolphins is oil and gas exploration? Share your thoughts in the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

Have you ever wondered what marine conservation looks like in Asia, specifically China? I sat down with Marcy Trent Long, who is the host of the podcast Sustainable Asia, to find out what is happening in the environment in China. Take a listen to find out about Marcy's Journey and how she finds ways to communicate environmental issues in China in a country where it can be difficult to communicate in general. Sustainable Asia Podcast Let us know what you think of Marcy's podcast in the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

The Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation and the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science have created a Global Coral Reef map covering 65,000 square kilometers that is available for free to the public. The dataset was collected over a 10-year period as researchers traveled to over 1,000 coral reefs in 15 different countries. I talk about the amount of work that has to go into creating a dataset that uses satellites and field data during this episode. Take a listen. Links: Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine And Atmospheric Science Project Seagrass How do you think the map will be used for conservation? Share your thoughts in the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

I had the wonderful pleasure of sitting down with Janis Searle Jones, the CEO of the Ocean Conservancy, to discuss how the Ocean Conservancy started working to prevent trash (debris and plastics) from entering the Oceans. Their work started with the launch and growth of the International Coastal Clean-Up, which removes 2.5 million pounds of trash every year. Now the Ocean Conservancy has a Trash Free Seas program that works to prevent plastic pollution from entering the Ocean. My discussion with Janis involves how the Ocean Conservancy works in collaboration with other non-profit organizations and the private sector to address plastic pollution and create a more circular economy. Take a listen to the podcast to find out more details about the Ocean Conservancy's Program and how Janis became CEO of the organization. How would you approach the private sector while discussing plastic pollution? Share your thoughts in the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

There is a great article in Hakai Magazine involving the questions as to whether every seal should be rescued. Normally, we think of seal rescues as helping a sea rehabilitate from an injury from fishing gear or being shot by humans; however, in the Netherlands, people are rescuing seal pups when the pups are alone on the beach; however, there is a problem with that process. Sometimes the pups are not abandoned all of the time. Mother seals will leave their pups alone on the beach after a few weeks old to forage for food. They feed the pups the food when they get back. The foraging could take up to 24 hours. So there is a big controversy surrounding the issue of seal rescue in the Netherlands. Listen to the episode to find out more information. Do you agree with rescuing every pup you see "abandoned?" Share your thoughts in the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

Happy Earth Day!!! I am joined by Angelo Villagomez. He is the man who started the #30EarthMonthHeroes to get people to highlight the people who they admire in the fight to conserve our planet, on land and in the sea. Angelo and I discuss why he started the hashtag and some of the results he has observed since April 1st. Check out the hashtag by clicking here: #30EarthMonthHeroes What are you doing for Earth Day? Share your experiences in our Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

Last week the world witnessed a fire that destroyed most of the historic Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France. Two days after the fire was put out, there were $700 million Euros donated by billionaires and governments to restore the cathedral. The question that crossed the minds of many people was: Why can't mobilize the same amount of money for environmental issues such as Climate Change? I rant about this on this episode. Do you agree with me? Share your thoughts in the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

The Great White Shark is a predator there is no doubt about that; however, is it THE apex predator? In other words, is there something else that hunts down the Great White Shark? There is and this animal is the Apex predator of the Ocean. This animal has been known to hunt Great White Sharks off the coast of South Africa and off the West Coast of the United States. Can you guess what this animal is? Listen to the episode and let us know your thoughts in the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

Horseshoe crabs are amazing to see along the beaches from Maine to Florida. We often see them in the touch tanks at public aquariums. They are cool looking with their armored shell and prehistoric look. In fact, they are prehistoric. They have been around for 450 million years with little change in their looks. Humans have found an important use for them as well and that alone fuels the need to protect these prehistoric species. Listen to the episode to find out why. Do you know why horseshoe crabs are not really considered crabs? Share your answers in the Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

Teresa Iglesias, a biologist at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, recently co-authored a paper on whether cuttlefish can dream. Teresa and her team observed Rapid Eye Movement (REM) in cuttlefish during an experiment that also occurs in mammals and other vertebrates. REM in humans is what scientists think leads us to dream. Of course, it is difficult to provide evidence that cuttlefish dream, the possibility of it happening is more real than we might have thought before this study. Link to study: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/cuttlefish-are-dazzling-but-do-they-dream/ What is your favourite species? Share your thoughts in the Speak Up For Blue Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

The Endangered Right Whale population has been through a lot of survival problems since its population started to decline in 2010. There are now an estimated 411 individual whales left and less than 100 breeding females. It's not a good sign. Two years ago, we lost 17 individuals from the population after many of them died in the Gulf of St. Lawrence due to either ship strikes or fishing gear entanglement. Things were not looking good for the population; however, in 2018, we didn't have any reported mortalities and this year we have observed 7 Northern Right Whale Calves in there wintering location around Jacksonville, Florida. You bet researchers and conservationists are keeping a close eye on the mother and calf pairs. Listen to the episode for more details and share your thoughts on what the calves mean for the Northern Right Whale Population in the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

I am joined by Dr. Stacy Baez, who works with the PEW Charitable Trust on their Bertarelli Ocean Legacy Program. Stacy and I discuss the work that PEW does all around the world to support the discussion, strategies, and implementation of Marine Protected Areas. Stacy's job involves traveling to different countries and speaking to governments as well as other stakeholders about the benefits of MPAs and help them to understand how MPAs could help their local situation. Warning: There are times where I speak too much during the interview (I apologize for that). I tend to get excited and sidetracked when discussing MPAs. Dr. Baez answered every question with fantastic answers and I am proud to publish this episode. Share your thoughts on the status of MPAs around the world in our Speak Up for Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Links mentioned during this episode: PEW Bertarelli Ocean Legacy Program Angelo's Post On PEWs Blog Paper: Large Marine Protected Areas - Status Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

Fauna and Flora International has reported that zero leatherback sea turtles nested along the beaches in the Rio Escalente Chacocente Wildlife Reserve this past season. A result that has the scientists at FFI worried about the future of Leatherback Sea Turtles in the Eastern Pacific that once had 30-40 female individuals nest on the same beaches in the 1980s. The rapid decline has been attributed to a boom in turtle and egg poaching during the 80s and 90s as well as adults getting killed in legal and illegal fishing nets. 5-10 individual female turtles nested on the same beaches in 2018. Researches are puzzled as to why the turtles did not return and hope to find ways to get sea turtles back to the beach. Listen to the episode to find out we the female to male sea turtle ration is also worrying marine scientists in this region. Share your thoughts on Sea Turtle Conservation in the Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

We see Marine Protected Areas being designated left, right, and centre. We always hear about the percentage of the area of the Oceans that are being designated. There is a reason for that. It's because of the Convention Of Biological Diversity at the meeting in Aichi, Japan (Target 11) that calls for nations to protect 10% of the Ocean. A recent paper calls out nations for focusing too much on the percentage instead of evaluating the type of biodiversity that is being protected. Check out the episode to listen to the details. Share your thoughts on MPAs near you in the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

We have witnessed many floods around the world lately. It's Spring, so the snow melts in the temperate parts of the world, which causes more water to run. When you add Spring rainfall into the mix, then you get even more water running everywhere. Traditionally, the extra water would flood in areas known as floodplains. The floodplains tend to be natural areas that would get flooded every once and a while, but wouldn't harm anyone...until humans started to develop on them. Find out why governments do not want to help the people who buy or build homes in floodplains by listening to this episode. Share your thoughts on whether you would want to bail people out after they purchased houses on floodplains: http://www.speakupforlbue.com/group. Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

If Anemones and their close relatives, corals, don't have a tough enough time with climate change consequences that cause mass bleaching, they seem to also be dealing with taking in microfibres. Microfibres enter the ocean through "shedding" during the laundry cycle, enter into the sewage treatment system and get into local waterways that will empty into the ocean, eventually. The microfibres could be from nylon, polyester, and polypropylene materials. Take a look and the tags on your clothes and see if these materials are on them. Chance are they are there because they are quite common. Listen to the episode to find out about the study that discovered this possibility. Share your thoughts on how you buy your clothes to prevent microfibres from getting into the Ocean in our Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

I received an email this morning that inspired this episode. I get asked many times how people can change careers to one that is in Marine Conservation. It's not easy and for many, it can be scary. I provide some advice for those of you who want to change your careers to Marine Conservation. I would be more than happy to help you with your career. I also offer coaching services for those who are really ready to go after the career they want. Feel free to ask questions about your career in the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

Belize has doubled the amount of No-Take Marine Protected Areas in its waters to boost biodiversity and protect fisheries from future fishing pressure. The new No-Take MPAs as located in waters that range from 200-3000 metre deep and includes a coral reef complex called the Corona Reef. Corona Reef has been identified as an aggregation area of commercially important finfish species. The MPAs are not under significant fishing pressure at the moment; however, investments have been made to build larger boats and better gear that will handle the new depth range. The MPAs are designed to pro-actively protect the finfish species before the aggregation areas are depleted due to overfishing. The No-Take MPA increase puts Belize at 12% of its coastal and marine waters over the 10% goal outlined in the Convention on Biological Diversity. Do you think this is good forward thinking by the Belizean Government? Share your thoughts in the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

There is nothing better than watching a nature documentary narrated by David Attenborough. The graphics delight my eyes and Attenborough's voice soothes my soul! It's why I was so excited that Netflix released its Original Series called Our Planet (Available Now!). I started watching the series and I was quite surprised to see a graphic scene at the end of the second episode entitled Frozen Planet. One of the final scenes showed Walruses falling off cliffs along the Alaskan shores as they were trying to get back in the water. I don't know Walruses could climb? I definitely didn't know that they can't climb back down. It's a graphic scene that had me wondering. Luckily, there is an article that explains part of the story. I discuss it in this episode. Listen to the episode to find out why these animals fall off cliffs. Did you think the Walrus scene was too graphic? Share your thoughts in the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

For decades the Queensland Government has been authorizing the killing of a list of sharks that may pose harm to bathers along the beautiful beaches of the Great Barrier Marine Park. The Shark population has since decreased due to the ignorant killings. Sharks would be caught on baited drum lines and government contractors would go and shoot the sharks. The Humane Society launched a lawsuit in collaboration with other Marine Conservation Organizations, including Law Organizations to stop the senseless killing. Even the science says killing sharks will not offer better protections against bathers. The courts have ruled in favor of the sharks as they sided with the scientific evidence that proves shark cullings do not work to protect bathers. Drum lines may still be used; however, the sharks will have to be released almost immediately as well as tag all great white sharks, bull sharks, and tiger sharks. Do you agree with the ban on killing sharks? Share your thoughts in the Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast: http://www.speakupforblut.com/group. Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

S-203 is a Bill in Canada that will make marine mammal captivity illegal in Canada. The bill is set to be presented in the House of Common before the House is released for summer. The Vancouver Aquarium and Marineland are the only two facilities that currently hold marine mammals. The current cetaceans in the facilities are grandfathered in; however, they cannot take on any more animals after the bill is implemented. A fine of $200,000 for each violation will be enforced if the facilities do not abide by the new law. Do you agree with the ban? Share your thoughts in the Speak UP For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

Nick Wehner joins me on the podcast today to discuss the use of the p-values in Marine Science studies. Statistical Societies have been telling the science community to be careful of only using the p-values as a way to measure significance as that is not always enough; however, it seems as though the scientific community has not changed its ways in its use of the p-value. What say you? Share your thought in the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Links Associated with this Episode: Open Communications For The Oceans MarXiv American Statistical Association's Statement on p-Values: Context, Process, and Purpose Summary of the Above Article in Nature Impact of Criticism of Null‐Hypothesis Significance Testing on Statistical Reporting Practices in Conservation Biology Improving the transparency of statistical reporting in Conservation Letters Learning more open research methodology Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

This has been an interesting week for Climate Change in Canada. The Federal Government roled out the Carbon Tax for Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and New Brunswick, then the government released a report that Canada was warming more than what we initially thought, and then the Environment Commissioner came out with a scathing report saying that the government was not doing enough about reducing Climate Change. I posted a number of these articles on social media and I read the comments on my posts as well as others. I was very surprised to see the lack of support for anything that was proposed to reduce Climate Change from people in my friends' network as well as many others that were not in my network. How do we reach those people and what message do we give them to help us? Share your thoughts in the Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

I am very happy to present this interview I had with Erica Moulton, Director of STEM at St. Petersburg College and fellow Oceanpreneur. We chat about all her projects that she has on the go because they each contribute to Marine Conservation in different ways. Erica's Director position at the college offers students a chance to get a feel for the hands-on work it will take for various jobs in STEM so there are no surprises in the future after the students graduate. Students get a taste for the field during their time at the college. Erica's for-profit business sells kits to schools and other groups to build their very own PVC Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV). People of all ages have a chance to learn how to use technology for underwater exploration and learn to troubleshoot problems that arise in the field. Erica's Center For Ocean Exploration is a Citizen Science program that works with the community to help clean up beads in Local Bays after a parade where plastic beads are given out to people for free. The beads end up in the bay from improper disposal. As you can see, Erica is a rockstar Oceanpreneur who is very busy. During the Interview, Erica discusses how she doesn't watch TV so these ventures keep her busy. Did you ever want to become an Oceanpreneur? Share your thoughts in the Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

Maxime Ducker, the founder of OurGoodBrands.com, joins me on the podcast to discuss her work profiling and promoting great brands that do social and environmental good. Maxime provides us with information on Social Enterprise trends in the social impact sectors. We discuss 4Oceans, the Fashion Sector, and the Zero Waste Living sector. Consider visiting OurGoodBrands.com to find out more about trends in the social enterprise sectors that could help you live for a better Ocean. Do you have a specific social good brand that you love? Share your thoughts in the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

I published an episode on herring fishers in British Columbia that were harassing sea lions, who were also catching herring. the trouble was, the herring were being caught by sea lions while in the fisher's gill nets. I asked the question "Who has priority over the herring?" I felt bad for both sides of the issue (the fishers and the sea lions), but as a conservationist, I tended to side with the sea lions. To get a feel for how fishers thought about the issue, I asked some recreational fishermen in the Fish Nerds Podcast group last week. I was happy to find that I got responses! Check out the episode for the responses and let me know what you thought of them in the Speak Up For Blue Ocean Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

Canada has finally implemented its Carbon tax for the remaining provinces who hadn't yet implemented the Federally mandated program. The Provinces had a chance to implement their own carbon tax; however, Conservative leadership in the provinces of Ontario, Manitoba, New Brunswick, and Saskatchewan refused to abide by the plan. Therefore, the Federal government instituted its own Carbon Tax for the provinces. There are many people in Canada who hate paying taxes and have many reasons for opposing the tax. All in all, people don't think it's going to work and/or they don't trust the governments to manage the money. I go through the top 10 myths of the Carbon Tax for Canadians and provide the true facts proving each myth wrong. Do you agree with the Carbon Tax? Share your thoughts in the Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

A new article in Think Progress has reported that Renewable Energy, such as solar and wind, are becoming more competitive than coal and natural gas as prices for batteries (for energy storage) and manufacturing parts drop. The article comes at a time when the President of the United States mocked wind energy at a recent rally. We all know that the President backs fossil fuel energy as many of the Republic Donors are from the industry. The point of this episode is to let you know that even though some people are repeating old rhetoric about Renewable Energy sources, it doesn't mean people aren't moving full steam ahead on making the energy market more efficient. What do you think of Renewable Energy? Share your thoughts in the Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez has been shaking up Congress on many levels including calling out banks who support fossil fuels, calling out crooked business people making shaded deals, and backing the Green New Deal. The Republicans have decided to attack the Green New Deal and anyone who is trying to address Climate Change and tagging them as "The Elite Left." You would think that this rhetoric should be ignored as it is the furthest from the truth; however, the rhetoric travels and becomes part of the conversation in these times that can sink any deal including the Green New Deal. AOC is not having it and she decided to meet her critics head-on. I add a bit of commentary and play AOC's rant in this episode because I think it's important to hear. Not just as people on the right or the left of the political spectrum, but as human beings and realize the lives that can be saved by addressing Climate Change. Source of Clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9F9NDWshLs&t=300s What did you think of AOC's comments? Let me know in the Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

This is a listener request episode, where Alexandra Avila emailed me to ask me how the size of Marine Protected Areas (MPA) was determined for nearshore fisheries. Of course, the size of an MPA varies from place to place and fish to fish (some times the MPA is protecting several different species). Therefore, you will really need to listen to the episode to hear my answer. Do you have anything to add? Share your thoughts in the Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

Ocean Optimism is always good to have when trying to do Marine Conservation; however, the optimism is quickly dissipating with the Vaquita in the Sea of Cortez, Mexico. As you may know, the small porpoise that is known as the Vaquita is closer to extinction every day because of the fishery of another endangered species called the totoaba, which is fished for its swim bladder and shipped to Asia for "medicinal" purposes. There may be a slight chance in their recovery as researchers may have been mistaken regarding the frequency of births among the vaquita population as there may have been a mistake in estimating the number of times a sexually mature female will reproduce. It used to be every 2 years and now it may be every year. Do you think reproducing once a year will help with the recovery of the Vaquita? Share your thoughts in the Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean.

We are always asked by Marine Conservation organizations for their support for the work that they do. The organizations often ask us for money to help fund their work, but there are other ways in which we can support organizations without having to fork over our hard-earned money that we may not be able to donate. In this episode, I discuss the Marine Conservation Organizations that I love and how I support them. I take my time in supporting them. I get to know the organizations via social media or when I meet someone who works for the organization. I use a variety of different support methods that range from share posts/reports to serving on the board of directors. Who do you support and how do you support them? Share your strategies in the Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean.

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are a great tool in the Conservation toolbelt as they have, do, and continue to protect fisheries and biodiversity all over the world; however, MPAs do not protect certain species from other human disturbances such water pollution and climate change. A new Mongabay article covered a paper that was authored by John Bruno and a team of scientists that reviewed 18 peer-reviewed articles that studied the recovery of reef-building corals within MPAs compared to the corals outside MPAs. The researchers found that there was no difference in health because Climate Change played a more important role in affecting the corals' health. It's important to know that MPAs can help protect species, habitats, and special ocean environments (spawning and nursery habitats), but it can't protect everything. I discuss why that is during this episode. Take a listen to find out why. Do you like Marine Protected Areas? Share your thoughts in this article and MPAs in our Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean.

Buying seafood is a difficult process these days, especially if you would like to buy sustainably caught seafood. There are so many things to take into account such as farmed vs wild caught, how the seafood was caught, where it was caught, and who caught it. Then, when you finally think you have everything solved with apps such as Seafood Watch and programs such as Ocean Wise, you find out that the seafood you bought has a 48% chance (in Canadian cities) that it may not be the seafood you thought you were buying, or as it was advertised. In other words, seafood fraud is a big problem. So how do you buy seafood that solves all of the problems highlighted above? So search for the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) label. MSC works with 400 fisheries around the world throughout the entire supply chain to ensure its 30,000 products that carry the MSC label are sustainable. Lucy Erickson, the Science Communications Manager for MSC, joins me on the podcast to discuss how the MSC program works and to give us hope in fisheries for the future. Do you buy MSC products? Share your experiences in the Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. Links Associated With MSC: https://www.msc.org/ https://www.msc.org/en-us/ MSC Fisheries Standards: https://www.msc.org/standards-and-certification/developing-our-standards/the-fisheries-standard-review Avoid Being Duped By Seafood Fraud: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2196872-a-third-of-fish-sold-is-mislabelled-heres-how-to-avoid-being-duped/#.XJUJXBM9tkw.twitter

Nick Wehner joins me on the podcast today to discuss some huge news from the ongoing world of Pay Wall Journals vs Open Access Journals. The University of California has officially ended its contract with the publisher Elsevier, which was worth $11 million. UC said it was ending the contract to continue its pursuit of more available Open Access documents. A whopping 70% of Marine Conservation Managers do not have access to scientific journals that can provide the managers with informed decisions based on the most recent science and conservation studies. The expense for the yearly subscriptions for the journals is way out of the budget for most managers, small universities, and some state/provincial governments. Controlling access to the information in the journals defeats the purpose of science, which is to share data with the world. The paywall journals make hundreds of millions of dollars per year on subscriptions to scientific studies without paying the scientists who pay to produce the material. Do you think the UC deal will affect the paywall journal business model in the near future? Share your thoughts in the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean.

Florida is thinking of banning plastic straws in the state, but not before a 5-year study to see how it would impact the people of Florida. You are probably wondering why Florida would wait for 5 years, or you might be rolling your eyes saying "Oh Florida!!!" However, I don't necessarily disagree with the State government on this matter. Banning plastic straws altogether could be bad for people with disabilities, who cannot use alternatives such as metal or paper straws. An all-out ban on plastic straws could exclude people with disabilities; therefore, it makes sense do a study. I think we all need to realize that governments move slowly for a reason: They have to get it right. If the state government is going to pass a bill, the state can't just amend it easily if they make a mistake. A 5-year study may seem like a long time, but it takes time to do science right. I just hope that any exceptions will be found quickly and we can see a 90% ban come into place soon. Do you think the Florida government is doing the right thing? Share your thoughts in the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean.

Have you ever wondered why Mako sharks swim so fast through the water? Well, researchers have found out how they are able to handle the resistance of a medium such as salt water. It all comes down to their denticles. Mako sharks have flexible denticles that move to lower the resistance of water in places that will offer the most resistance (the gills) where flow separation exists. Flow separation is where water passes over a structure quickly and then slow down to form tiny eddies. The flexibility in the denticles offers less resistance and takes away the flow separation allowing the shark to continue to gain speed through the water. Researchers have already used this technology in making swimsuits and now they are looking towards the skies to make helicopters more efficient. Find out how by listening to the episode. What other application do you think could work for the denticles? Share your thoughts in the Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean.