How To Protect The Ocean

Pacific White-Sided Dolphins have been observed swimming with Orcas during monitoring studies using drones. It's an interesting observation that has resulted in researchers asking the question: Why Do Dolphins Swim with Orcas? You may think that dolphins swimming with Orcas is normal and it is in a way; however, you must consider the fact that some Orcas prey on dolphins. Yet, dolphins continue to swim with Orcas. So why does this happen? Take a listen to the episode to find out and share your thoughts in our Facebook Group (it's free to join): 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.

Approximately 17 Orcas have died in Hudson's Bay over the past few years because they got stuck in the bay by the ice. The marine mammals went into the bay during the winter months when there was no ice present (during a period of warming) to stalk belugas and narwhals; however, the ice came back and the animals got stuck in the bay without food cause the animals to starve to death. The local Orca population is estimated have around 70 individuals, which means any number of deaths could be a huge hit to the population for these long-lived whales. Take a listen to the episode for more details on the story. Do you think more species will endure hardship as they move to Northing habitats as they adapt to Climate Change? 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.

Imagine you are a local rock lobster fisher that relies on the sale of your catches to support your family. There are only 2000 fishers within the community, so it's relatively small. Now, the state government decides it is going to take 17% of the fishery to provide funds for the local community. How would you feel about that? This situation is happening in Western Australia right now. Listen to the episode and 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.

A long term great white shark survey conducted in False Bay, South Africa . has found that there has been a sharp decrease in Great White Sharks in 2017 and 2018. Those two years resulted in zero sightings of the once dominant shark species in the area. So what happens to a marine ecosystem when an apex predator disappears? Dr. Neil Hammershlag (University of Miami) and Chris Fallows (Apex Shark Expeditions) wrote a paper on the subject that was recently published in Scientific Reports. The authors found a drastic increase in sightings of seven gill sharks (120 sightings) when Great White Sharks weren't present. The seven gill sharks normally occur 18 km away hidden in the kelp forests away from their predator, the great white shark. Now that the whites are gone, the seven gills are ready to take over. Take a listen to the details in the episode. What did you think about the great whites disappearing? 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.

I have the pleasure of having a great discussion with Danni Washington about sustainable clothing and for the need for people to rethink the way they look at fashion as it affects the Ocean. Danni is a Marine Biologist who is originally from Miami, but travels around the world to discuss Marine Conservation and support ecotourism and sustainable brands. She is THE definition of an Oceanpreneur. Danni and I discuss a clothing brand of which she is a spokesperson as it embodies some great things that she spreads: Women empowerment (and representation in STEM) and sustainability. Take a listen to the episode to find out more about the brand, Round + Square, and how Danni is bringing an ocean focus to the brands sustainability conversation. Find Out More About Danni Washington: Website - https://www.danniwashington.com/ TV Host - https://www.xplorationstation.com/show/Xploration-Nature-Knows-Best Her Non-Profit - https://bigblueandyou.org/ Sea Youth Rise Up - http://seayouthriseup.org/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/danniwashington/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/danniwashington Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/danniwashingtonTV/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/danniwashington/ Round + Square - https://roundplussquare.com/ Do you have any questions about the brand or about Danni? Share them 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.

Florida loves to fish! They love to fish for sharks from the beach. It's quite popular to fish for sharks from the beach in many parts of Florida. The fishing practice is a bit controversial as many anglers have been taking selfies with the sharks they catch. Why is that so controversial? The fishers are excited about what they caught. They followed the rules, for the most part; however, the act of taking a selfie many not be allowed anymore because it is not good for the shark. The big problem with taking a photo with sharks on the beach is that the anglers will drag the sharks out of the water and hold them there for the perfect shot. sharks need water to breathe; therefore, holding the shark out of the water is torturing them. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has taken the advice by various shark scientists, policy makers and the conservation community and are getting ready to accept and implement rules of no photography of sharks after the catch. Take a listen to the episode for my thoughts on the matter and the challenges that come with this type of rule. Note: Click here to listen to Dr. David Shiffman speak on why the rules are so important. Do you think this new rule will be easy to implement? 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.

Dr. Andrew Wright joins us on a special episode today as we recorded this interview about his field work in Antarctica while he was still in ANTARCTICA!!!! Andrew is working with on a team of scientists to gather information on fish-eating Orcas that frequent the Ross Sea as part of a monitoring program for the Ross Sea MPA. Andrew and I discuss the field work that involved great encounters with Orcas, Emperor Penguins and Seals, but we also discussed the challenges that the team faced while working in such a tough environment. Take a listen to find out about Andrew's experience in Antarctica and what an Orca gave the principle investigator. Do you have questions for Andrew? Ask them 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.

I am pleased to have Dr. Edward Hind-Ozan back on the podcast to do discuss "What Is Happening In Marine Social Science This Week?" It's a weekly segment where Edd brings us articles that he and I discuss where we focus on people and their interaction with the Ocean. On today's segment, Edd and I discuss a paper by Dr. Angela Dean on how conservation messaging should be different for different groups of people when trying to change a behaviour around the Ocean. It reaffirms the thought process that conservation messaging should not be the same for everyone as everyone has different values. Listen to the episode and let Edd and I know your thoughts on conservation messaging 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.

Dolphinariums in North America are thriving. I just came back from a trip the Caribbean where I saw advertisements for "swimming with dolphin" experiences. People flock to these tourism attractions because dolphins are such an iconic species that everyone loves (except some don't). We see advertisements for dolphinariums all of the time, but we rarely think about the effect of the facilities on the animals. Dolphins tend to perform and interact with humans most days of the week. The frequent interactions are stressful on the dolphins, where the stress could lead to infections or diseases as the immune system is weakened due to stress (just like in humans). Stress is difficult to noticed and often goes undiagnosed, especially when the animals are the main attraction. Tourists often don't realize the stress the animals are under and rarely speak about concern for their health until an animal, or in today's case, 4 animals die at 1 facility. Dolphinaris Arizona, a dolphinarium in the desert that opened in 2016, has had 4 dolphin deaths at their facility. Some "experts" are chalking it up as sad while real experts are worried about the stress on the animals. Listen to the episode to find out how two of the dolphins died and why the facility is temporarily closed. Also find out why experts say the dolphins at this facility were stressed. Do you think the Dolphinarium should reopen? 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.

The short answer is, yes, they are. The long answer is that it depends on other factors, which I will get to soon. A recent article authored by Terry Hughes, a very well-known coral reef scientist, proposed that widely used sunscreens with oxybenzone and octinoxate are not that bad for coral reefs as previously reported by scientific studies. Terry's reasoning is because it doesn't represent realistic scenarios. Terry's article "deeply disappointed" many people in the coral reef community because they say the studies address realistic conditions and conclude sunscreens are indeed bad for coral reefs (and bad for humans as the chemicals are carcinogenic). There is no doubt that other factors such as climate change and destructive fishing practices threaten reefs on a global scale; however, there are scenarios where sunscreens can threaten coral reef health at a local level in high tourist traffic areas. Listen to the episode to find out why I believe it is important for people to use "reef safe" sunscreen. Do you share my thought? Share your opinion 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.

The time of marine mammals in captivity is slowly dwindling. We are seeing people speak volumes with their wallets and actions as they deliberately leave out Sea World and other marine mammal entertainment facilities off of their family excursions thanks to the movie such as Blackfish and the decades of advocacy and science worked to show that marine mammal captivity is bad for their health. Organizations are now searching for sites they call Whale Seaside sanctuaries as the future home for the retired marine mammals such as orcas, beluga whales, dolphins and more. The next Seaside sanctuary could be located in Nova Scotia according to Change for Animals Foundation. The organization and their partners are currently holding meetings in various towns along the Atlantic Shore. The sanctuary could provide great economic benefits for the neighboring communities as it would bring jobs to the area as well as the purchase of tons of frozen fish. This Whale Seaside Sanctuary is targeted for Beluga Whales. Share your thoughts on Whale Seaside Sanctuaries in Nova Scotia 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.

Elephant Seals at Point Reyes National Park decided to take over a beach during the US Government Shutdown when the staff was a third of its regular size. Now the beach is closed down along with some access roads due to the new Elephant Seal pups that were born during the take over time. The Park staff are ensuring the pups and mother seals are protected during a vulnerable stage of the population's life cycle in order to have a healthy class of pups for this year. Park staff use non-invasive techniques to stop the Elephant Seals from taking over the beach when there is a full staff present; however, the shutdown forced the staff to be one third of its normal size leaving access to the beach for the Elephant Seals. Now the park staff will wait until April for the pups to wean off their mothers and head to the ocean to forage for themselves before the beach opens up to the public. Listen to the episode for more details. Do you think the Park Staff handled the situation correctly? 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.

Ban Straws. Ban Plastic Straws. The movement to ban single-use plastics is growing. There are still many issues; however, the movement is starting to tackle some of these issues. New Zealand seems to be leading the pack. New Zealand has rolled out a Plastic Packaging Declaration that grocery stores seem to like. Foodstuffs, a grocery store, has signed on to the declaration with glowing results. Reports state that fruits and vegetable sales in plastic free stores show a 300% increase. The country's efforts to go plastic free will continue as the pledge requires stores to be plastic free or package their fruits and vegetables in material that can be recyclable or compostable by 2025. The system is not perfect, as I highlight in this episode, but it is a great step forward in the plastic-free movement. Share your thoughts on the Plastic-Free Movement in the Facebook Group: http://www.speeakupforblue.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.

Dr. David Ebert (@lostsharkguy) joins me on the podcast today to discuss why scientists go to fish markets. He has been going to fish markets all over the world building relationships with fishers on what, where and when they catch fish (mostly sharks). David has many reasons to go to a fish market rather than catching the fish himself. Listen to the episode to find out what those reasons are. Would You Go To Fish Markets to do Marine Conservation Research? 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.

Zero waste stores are slowly popping up in places such as New York City, USA, Vancouver, Canada and now Devon, UK. These Mom & Pop stores are serving customers that tend to search for a more eco-friendly option in their local grocery story. Apparently business is booming for these shops as the owners of the shop in Devon say they are getting people that are not considered traditionally eco-friendly. A recent article in the Guardian asks the question: Why Aren't Major Grocery Chains offering a zero-waste option? Their customers are wondering the same thing. They wonder why a grocery store that is based on offering a number of product options do not offer a zero waste option. Instead, some grocery stores offer products such as clementines that are already peeled in a plastic container, individually. Does that really make sense? Not to me it doesn't. Listen to the episode to get the full details. Would you buy from a zero-waste shop? 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.

A listener requested that I discuss Marine Career topics so I decided to look at some Facebook Groups for some insight on what advice new graduates and early career conservationists were seeking. I am a part of Marine Biologists Network and Job Postings Facebook Group where many of the members seek career advice on a daily basis. Many of the questions involve seeking out graduate work. Some people ask for advice on schools and others ask for advice on topics. My biggest response is to tell them that their grad work should provide them with the experience and skills that will help them in their career. Check out my advice by listening to this episode. Do you agree with my advice? Do you have something 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.

Dr. Edd Hind-Ozan joins me today to discuss the US Shutdown on his weekly segment called "This Week In Marine Social Science." The shutdown is happening in the US because the US Federal Government cannot agree on how to fund the government; therefore, 800,000 federal employees do not get paid during the shutdown. The bad part is that people have to worry about paying their bills. The other bad part is that people can't use government services such as museums that are federally operated. The Smithsonian-Marine Section is a place where people go to relax according to a new article. The closure could cause people to have the blues because it's not open. Edd and I discuss the problems this could have on the mental health of people affected and not affected by the shutdown. What government services do you miss during the shutdown? 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.

Nick Wehner joins me on the podcast to discuss Open Access papers and the challenge of getting more authors to upload their papers to Open Access databases such as MarXiv for Marine Conservation papers. Nick and I discuss the comparison of success rates of authors agreeing to share their papers in open access databases via email. You will be surprised at the rate! We also talk about a weird thing that Pay Wall companies do with citation. Find out more by listening to the episode. Do you have concerns about sharing your papers on Open Access Databases such as MarXiv? Share your thoughts 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.

Florida Governor, Ron Desantis (Republican), took over the office at the beginning of 2019. Many Floridians and onlookers were afraid of the governor's dismissal of Climate Change during his campaign; however, his new policies to protect water quality has surprised many critics. Desantis has earmarked 2.5 billions dollars for water quality monitoring programs throughout the state, establish a resiliency office, establish a task force to take on the blue-green algae problem, and a 17,000-acre everglades reservoir in farm fields south of Lake Okeechobee. More details on the episode. Do you like what the Governor is doing? Do you think it's all smoke and mirrors? 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.

Brooke Tully joins the podcast for her segment of "What's Happening In Conservation Marketing This Week?" On today's episode, Brooke and I explore the notion that people don't change because why should they?! Everyone is being asked so much these days from being asked to be healthier to buying eco-friendly products to save the planet. There are some people who are tired of being asked to change all of the time. Why should they change? Brooke has some answers. Check out the episode for Brooke's solutions. Why do you change your behaviour? Or better yet, why don't you change your behaviour? 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.

As I consumed myself with the issue I discussed on the previous episode regarding Ocean Ramsay Swimming with Sharks and the controversy that it caused throughout the internet, I witnessed the attack on science by her followers. Many of Ramsay's supporters questioning the value of science in conservation as compared to science contributions. Attacking science has become normal; however, it must stop. I discuss how Marine Conservation is a field that includes scientists and conservationists in this episode. Both parties must work together, but they must do things the proper way. It seems that swimming with sharks and touching them has brought a divide among scientists and activists. What are your thoughts on the matter? Share them 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.

Ocean Ramsay is an Advocate known for free diving with iconic Ocean Animals such as sharks. Her uniqueness is that she touches the sharks in her pictures and images. The point of touching the sharks is to show that they are gentle animals and not the "human-killing" machines in the movies. There is a recent viral set of videos of Ocean Ramsay swimming and laying her hand gently on a massive Great White Shark that was feeding on a whale carcass. The first video shows Ocean Ramsay swimming by herself with the shark making it seem very peaceful. However, the second video was a behind-the-scenes look at reality. There were numerous people swimming around the shark making it swim quite hectic. Nothing bad happened to the shark or the people around it. Scientists like myself, David Shiffman and many others spoke out about the video because of the touching of the shark. There is a saying among divers that you should not touch underwater life unless you have. In fact, PADI teaches the same lesson in there Beginner Open Water SCUBA Certification Course. Touching animals while swimming is a controversial topic. Some people say it is better than tagging sharks because touching does not hurt them. Firstly, that saying is not true. Secondly, tagging provides valuable information that led to the protection of hammerhead sharks in Florida State waters. What side of the issue to you lean on? 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.

The Ocean Cleanup Project has gone through some growing pains over the past couple of weeks including having to tow the device into port because it broke apart at sea. The critics have come out in droves all over the internet to point out that the Ocean Cleanup Project has dismissed scientific peer reviewed criticism. A new criticism has been put forth and Boyan Slat responded positively while at the same time calling the past criticisms "emotive critiques." The problem with this reaction by Boyan is that the two previous criticisms were written by two women. Was Boyan referring to emotive because they were women? John Davis and I discuss the backlash and the criticisms of the project and why it's not helping the case of the Ocean Cleanup Project. Marine Debris Listserv: https://marinedebris.openchannels.org/ Take a listen and 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.

Have you ever tried to change, but little things got in the way. For example, one of my New Year's Resolutions for 2019 was to eat less meat (only 3 times per week). So far, it hasn't gone so well because I haven't planned my meals. When I am hungry, I want to eat everything that is in front of me, so I pick the first thing I see. I won't meet my resolution if I don't change. I need to plan my meals ahead of time to ensure that I know exactly what I am eating everyday and before every meal. I can't let planning become a little hassle that will prevent me from changing. Brooke Tully is here to discuss the Little Hassles in our ongoing segment of why people don't do things on "What Is Happening In Conservation Marketing Today?" Listen to what she has to say about how conservationists can get people to change without worrying about the hassles. Take a listen and 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.

The Dzawada'enuxw First Nation has filed suits against the Provincial Government (2 suits) and the Federal Government for allowing 10 aquaculture farms in their area that they say infringe on their Aboriginal Rights. The First Nation fishes for eulachon and Pacific Wild Salmon to trade with other Indigenous tribes in the area for goods. The farms will harm an already declining populations of both wild species upon which they depend. Take a listen and 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.

Ken Balcomb, founding Director of the Centre For Whale Research, and his team have spotted a new Orca Calf on the Eastern end of the Juan de Fuca. This is the first calf since last year after a mother was seen floating her newborn dead calf for 17 days. Ken is cautiously optimistic of the calf as he gauges the Orca's chances at about 50% survival due to low salmon populations, increased underwater noise and bioaccumulation of toxins due to plastic ingestion as well as those found in salmon that the animal can find to eat. Take a listen and 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.

Have you ever heard of a fatberg? It could be one of the most disgusting things that I have ever seen. A Fatberg is what you get when you combine frozen oil, fats and wet wipes. There is a large Fatberg in a coastal town in the UK that is 64 metres long and it's clogging up the sewers. It will take 8 weeks to break it up, according to local authorities. This episode is to reinforce the notion that we need to be weary of what we put down our drains. Take a listen and 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.

Indonesia has been aggressively fighting illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing domestically since 2014. It has gone as far as sinking foreign vessels that were illegally fishing in Indonesian waters using Navy Forces. The result has been an increase in fish abundance domestically to support its artisanal-based fisheries industry, but there is still more work to be done. The country is calling for the UN to include Fishing Crimes as part of the Palermo Treaty, which would put it in the same class as human trafficking and other illegal crimes that require international cooperation. Companies that profit from IUU fishing activities never reside in Indonesia. They are located in other countries; therefore, enforcement is often difficult. It's amazing how far a country has to go to fight IUU fishing activities. Take a listen and 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.

Over 5000 people were treated for stings from an armada of bluebottle jellyfish last weekend along the Gold and Sunshine Coasts in Queensland, Australia. This totals over 22,000 people stung in the past 5 weeks by the jellyfish colonies. The average number of people treated for jellyfish stings is between 25,000 and 45,000...for all of Australia!!! Authorities say they have never seen anything like these numbers in the past. Last year during the same 5 week period, just over 6,000 people were treated for stings. Take a listen to find out why these jellyfish are being washed up on the beaches and what you can do to prevent getting stung. Take a listen and 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.

Brooke Tully is back again with a great segment of "What's Happening in Conservation Marketing." We continue to discuss why people don't do things. We focused this episode on people don't change their behaviours because they can't. Brooke brings up the fact that people are often asked to change behaviours that may be too expensive and/or not accessible to them. I notice this quite a bit in the Marine Conservation field. However, Brooke has a solution. Take a listen and 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.

As we start the New Year, it's always good to go over how we can make better choices for the Ocean. The Guardian put out an article on 10 Ways You Can Reduce Our Plastic Use In 2019 and I thought it would be good to run through them. Some ways are easier than others. You might also find that you are doing some of the reductions already, but we can always do more. Have a listen and share your thoughts in the Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com 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.

Ken Balcomb is THE research expert on Southern Resident Orca Population in the Salish Sea area. Ken has predicted two deaths by summer 2019 based on the state of J17 (female, 42 years-old) and J25 (male, 27 years-old). He says both individuals look skinny compared to recent years and J25 is exhibiting "peanut head", which is a sign of malnutrition as the head is smaller than the rest of the body. J17 is the grandmother of the calf that was born last summer (2018) and died a half an hour later. It's mother carried her dead calf for 17 days making international news. Ken suggests J17 probably underwent significant stress watching her daughter grieve her newborn loss for so long. Coupled with lack of food (chinook salmon), the grieving could have made survival difficult for J17. The Southern Resident Orca population has dwindled to 74 individuals and may lose two or more this year due to a lack of food. Chinook Salmon populations have also declined due to damns blocking rivers, which serve as reproductive habitats for the salmon populations. Canadian and US governments refuse to make hydro companies remove damns that are not in use anymore to help save the salmon populations within the Salish Sea. Instead, the US government recently approved a bill that will allow the culling of 1000 sea lions as they say the pinnipeds are responsible for the decline in salmon populations in the area. Listen to the episode to get the full details and find out how the lack of food is changing the Orca population's behaviour. Share Your Thoughts On The Movie 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.

There are projects that are happening all over the world with the purpose of trying to either clean up the Ocean of plastic pollution or prevent it from getting into the Ocean. The Ocean Clean Up Projects Hits Another Snag The 2000-foot Ocean Clean Up device has broken up into two sections in the Pacific Ocean Gyre. A 60-foot section broke off at one end of the large device in the rough weather in the area. This is the second reported setback the Ocean Clean Up Project has publicly reported. The device will be brought back to port to get fixed before it goes back out. The Project predicted the device would clean up 50 tons of plastic per year until the 80,000 tons of plastic in the Gyre was cleaned up. According to Boyant Slat, the CEO, the device collected 4,400 lbs of debris since arriving at the Gyre. Man Assaults Woman After Asking For a Straw At McDonald's A viral video of a man grabbing a female McDonald's employee in St. Petersburg, Florida is making its rounds on the web. The man reportedly got mad after asking for a plastic straw. McDonald's new policy is to keep the plastic straws behind the counter in an effort to reduce the amount of straws used at their locations. It is not apparent whether the man was mad specifically about the straws or with something else. The woman defended herself by striking the man repeatedly until the man let go of her. He is now being charged with assault. The employee is not being charged at this time and is being praised online for defending herself so well. Share Your Thoughts On This Episode 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.

Dr. Edward Hind-Ozan joins me on this episode for his segment called "What's Happening In Marine Social Science This Week?" This week's topic looks at the intersection between Marine Biology and Marine Social Science. We discuss a study where researchers studies the effects of toxins from microplastics on periwinkles and their inability to hide from predators. Ed highlights the fact that the study shows the importance of understanding marine biology to realize the conflict humans are having on the Ocean. Listen to the podcast for more details and while Marine Biology and Marine Social Science need to crosspaths more. Share Your Thoughts On This Episode 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.

Aquaman is a great movie to watch when you are a Marine Biologist. To be perfectly honest, as a marine biologist, I wish I had some of Aquaman's powers to I can swim through the Ocean without coming up for air, but I digress. I was happy to take my oldest daughter to see Aquaman in hopes to be entertained. The movie did not disappoint. I was quite happy with the way the movie addressed some pressing conservation issues. Take a listen to the episode to find out which issues Aquaman covered. Share Your Thoughts On The Movie 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.

The opening of the Northwest Passage due to melting ice from climate change provides an opportunity to businesses to use the shipping lane as a way to ship products to the Arctic for various business needs. It could be a great way for the local community to get their goods delivered to them when the shipping lane is open; however, whether the local communities will get priority over big business is another question. The local communities did not get priority over the mining companies this past fall as shipping needs were met; however, the local communities failed to get their shipping needs met due to poor ice conditions. The shipping company did not plan their shipment accordingly and delayed the delivery, which the trip eventually failed due to the shipping lans being blocked by ice. I make my opinion known in this episode about how local communities are getting left out of opportunities over big business that only leave short term economic benefits in exchange for large profits. Share Your Thoughts On This Episode 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.

The Conservation community is feeling optimistic after a Northern Right Whale Calf was spotted in the warm waters of the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of St. John's River along the border of Florida and Georgia. This is great news as this is the first time a Northern Right Whale calf has been spotted in over a year. A Promising 2018 After A Tough 2017 There were 17 deaths in 2017 (12 in Canada and 5 in the US) due to fishing gear entanglement or ship strikes. Those are not great numbers for the Endangered population as there are an estimated 411 individuals remaining with less than 100 reproductive females. This past year was better as there were no recorded deaths Northern Right Whales meaning management measures in Canada's Gulf of St. Lawrence are working. Not Out Of The Woods Yet The evidence this new calf brings to the conservation community is terrific; however, the species is not out of the woods yet. Northern Right Whales used to have approximately 20 or more calves per season; therefore, one calf does not show a sustainable population. The fact remains that the Northern Right Whale population is still prone to ship strikes, fishing gear entanglement and now a new pressure has been thrusted upon them: oil and gas exploration. The US Government recently approved exploration within the US EEZ that is within the migration route of the Northern Right Whale Migration Route. Oil and Gas exploration includes the use of seismic instrumentation to detect oil pockets below ground at the bottom of the continental shelf. The noise emitted by the seismic surveys are harmful to the hearing of many whales, which can affect their hearing. Whales rely on their hearing to listen for instructions from the rest of their pods communicating with them for detecting food, danger and other important social cues. The conservation community is optimistic by this new calf; however, we know that there is still a long way to go to improve the population. Enjoy the Podcast!!! Share Your New Year's Resolutions To Live For A Better Ocean 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.

As we get ready for 2019, I look back at my life in 2018 and reflect on how well I lived for a better Ocean. There were some things that I did that really helped me reduce my impact on the Ocean and there were other things that I realized that I was having a greater impact on the Ocean. So, this episode is dedicated to announcing my resolutions for 2019 to Live For A Better Ocean. Here they are: 1) Eat meat 3 times per week only; 2) Use less single-use plastic; 3) Buy more eco-friendly products; and, 4) Launch a hands-on Ocean Conservation Project. Lofty goals, but I am psyched to get started. Share Your New Year's Resolutions To Live For A Better Ocean 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/holiday.

It's been 8 days since the US government shutdown due to immigration/funding for the border wall. This shutdown marks the 3rd instance in 2018 and closes off the year where civil servants are not working to help protect the Ocean. US Government Shutdown Affects Civil Servants The first half of today's episode is a rant from me about how the Civil Servants are the people who suffer the most within the government during a shutdown. Politicians still get paid; however, my understanding is that non-essential civil servants do not. As a former Canadian Civil Servant, I know for a fact that people under-appreciate the work conducted by non-partisan employees of the government. Imagine being temporarily laid off for an indeterminate amount of time while rich people argue about money during the holiday season. This is not something that should happen. Job Tip: Use Technology To Make It Easier For The Hiring Manager I had a thought the other day about how job seekers can grab the attention of the hiring manager: Just make life easier for them. As I learn the benefits of audio and podcasting, I discuss the ways audio applications can make life easier for hiring managers. Enjoy the Podcast!!! Share your thoughts in the Facebook Group about this episode: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group Take advantage of our Sponsor's, Grove Collaborative, holiday deal for eco-friendly products: http://www.speakupforblue.com/holiday.

New Years is around the corner, which means that many of you are planning out their New Year's Resolutions for 2019. My question to you is: Do you stick with your New Year's Resolution? Our resolutions are about change. Change can be difficult. Why is it so difficult to change our ways. I asked Brooke Tully who has a series of blog posts about "Why People Don't Do Things!" The first part of this four part series is the Status Quo Bias, a behavioural change theory that explains why we have such trouble changing our habits. Take a listen then read more on this subject on Brooke's Website. Enjoy the Podcast!!! Link to Registration (Ends Jan 15th): http://www.speakupforblue.com/makingmoves Share your thoughts in the Facebook Group about this episode: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group Take advantage of our Sponsor's, Grove Collaborative, holiday deal for eco-friendly products: http://www.speakupforblue.com/holiday.

Honduras fishers are experiencing decompression sickness after diving for lobsters that are now found in deeper waters due to overfishing. Over 47% of fishers have been affected from the bends as ignore the rules of scuba diving to provide for their families. The fishers dive more than twice a day and ascend faster the than prescribed rate to get back down to collect more lobsters. Many of the divers go back to fishing in the same way because out of necessity to provide for their families in the impoverished Caribbean Nation. This story stresses the importance of considering ow sustainable fishing can affect the well being of impoverished coastal communities. Share your thoughts in our Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group Take advantage of our Sponsor's, Grove Collaborative, holiday deal for eco-friendly products: http://www.speakupforblue.com/holiday.

Japan has a long history of commercial whaling that dates back before the World Wars, so it is not surprising that the country wants to continue to whale. The government have gone to great lakes to overturn the International Whaling Commission's (IWC) ban on commercial whaling since it was implemented in 1987 as it threatened to pull out of the IWC multiple times. A few days ago, Japan made good on its promise and announced that it will leave the IWC as a member on June 30th, 2019. Southern Ocean Whaling Will Stop The country also announced that it will cease all commercial whaling activity in the Southern Ocean after 30 years of hunting under "scientific research." The whaling fleet finds it too expensive to keep hunting in the Southern Ocean. Whaling Within Its Ocean Borders Japan will continue its commercial whaling practices within its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). A spokesperson stated that the country will abide by IWC practices and calculations for a sustainable whale populations. Some Environmental Groups Think This Is Positive Sea Shepherd Society are pleased with Japan's decision because now Japan will be exposed for illegally whaling and the International Whaling Commission can put pressure on them; however, I don't think this will matter much. There is an interesting article they wrote on their blog about the 8 positive things that come out of Japan's withdrawal from the IWC. Share your thoughts in our Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group Take advantage of our Sponsor's, Grove Collaborative, holiday deal for eco-friendly products: http://www.speakupforblue.com/holiday.

Sharks are terrific predators, so much so, they have been found to eat their siblings while still in the womb. Researchers at the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium in Motobu, Japan, used an underwater ultrasound to see nurse shark pups jumping in and out of their respective uterus in the mother. Share your thoughts in our Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group Take advantage of our Sponsor's, Grove Collaborative, holiday deal for eco-friendly products: http://www.speakupforblue.com/holiday.

As we wind down 2018 and gear up for 2019, we look back at the Ocean stories that dominated headlines. Some of those stories were "doom and gloom" stories, while others were good news stories. In today's episode, I highlight the year's 8 Ocean Good News stories identified by Oceana Canada to start reviewing the stories that may not have made big news world wide, but were definitely news worthy. Do you have some good news stories that I missed? Share them in the Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group Take advantage of our Sponsor's, Grove Collaborative, holiday deal for eco-friendly products: http://www.speakupforblue.com/holiday.

NOAA released a new report that stated the number of incidences of whale entanglement in US waters for 2016 and 2017. The results of the report show there was not an overall change in reported whale entanglements between the years; however, certain areas showed an increase while others decreased. I go through the important parts of the report as highlighted in a Mongabay article with a focus on what the future looks like for whale entanglements. Share your thoughts in our Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group Take advantage of our Sponsor's, Grove Collaborative, holiday deal for eco-friendly products: http://www.speakupforblue.com/holiday.

Brooke Tully joins me on the podcast today for another edition of "What's Happening in Conservation Marketing This Week?" This time, Brooke describes her new online workshop that she created to help make conservation movements more effective using marketing techniques that follow traditional and digital marketing practices. Brooke and I provide some examples of effective Conservation Marketing that only scratch the surface of the material that you will be hearing. You can find the registration for the Online 6-Weeks Workshop here. Note: I do not make any money on this workshop. Enjoy the Podcast!!! Link to Registration (Ends Jan 15th): http://www.speakupforblue.com/makingmoves Share your thoughts in the Facebook Group about this episode: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group Take advantage of our Sponsor's, Grove Collaborative, holiday deal for eco-friendly products: http://www.speakupforblue.com/holiday.

The Ocean Clean Up Project was deployed in September with much anticipation of the world. The goal: Clean up the Pacific Garbage Patch. A lofty goal surrounded with a lot of controversy from the science and conservation fields; however, many media outlets were promoting the heck out of the project as a feel good project. I have been very critical of the program relating to various criticism shared by the Marine Science and Conservation community. The Clean Up Project device reached the Great Pacific Garbage Patch recently; however, it has not cleaned up anything. The device is not working the way it should. It is not moving fast enough to pick up the trash in the water. Boyan Slant released a statement saying that his team is working on the problem. There may be some good that comes out of this project, which I discuss in this episode. Check it out. Share your thoughts in the Facebook Group about this episode: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group Take advantage of our Sponsor's, Grove Collaborative, holiday deal for eco-friendly products: http://www.speakupforblue.com/holiday.

There are a few things I wanted to discuss today: Grove Announcement Last week I got an email from a listener, who loved the products she got from the Grove after hearing the link on my show; however, she was not happy about the packaging used. I emailed the customer support person that I deal with for my affiliate account. My contact got back to me within a day and said that the extra packaging was a mistake and should never had happened. This is great news as the products are eco-friendly and they are committed to better packaging. I will resume the ads for the Grove on the show tomorrow. Zinke Out As Secretary Of The Interior Ryan Zinke has stepped down as Secretary of the Interior after numerous scandals regarding his personal spending choices. Zinke has been responsible for many negative changes to the National Park Service and US Fisheries and Wildlife (neither of the bureaus have had director spots filled since the Trump administration began their reign). Zinke's replacement is David Bernhardt, who was a fossil fuel lobbyist before he was Deputy Secretary for the Department of Interior. There is not much change in the style of the Secretaries. Orcas Swim With Woman Swimmer This story sounds made up, but it happened. Drone footage of a woman in New Zealand has gone viral after it showed a small pod of Orcas swimming with the woman. A pretty fantastic story, but also don't swim with Orcas on purpose, let them come up to you. Share your thoughts on this episode in our Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group Enjoy the Podcast!!!

I've had my Patreon campaign active for a few years now to help support the show. So far, I've been able to raise enough money to help support the show through upgrading my podcast equipment (microphones, receivers, recorder, cables and computer). It's been wonderful so far; however, I feel that Patreon can be used for a greater purpose and it can contribute to Speak Up For Blue's Social and Environmental mission. I propose what change I would like to make, but I need your help. I need your feedback on this matter as I would like this effort to be driven my the Speak Up For Blue Community. Let me know your thoughts in the Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group Enjoy the Podcast!!!

It's the holiday season and you are likely in the thick of things with everything that has to do with the holidays. There are celebrations, food, gifts and for some of you, Christmas Trees. It's a great time of year to spend with your family and friends. However, there is a problem with each of the ways we celebrate our holidays. the problem lies with the amount of plastic that we use over the holidays. In this podcast, John Davis and I discuss the amount of waste that can be avoided over the next few weeks, including: 1) Christmas Trees; 2) Holiday Parties; and, 3) Holiday Gifts. Enjoy the Podcast!!! What is your strategy to avoid plastics during the holiday season? Let me know in the Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com.