How To Protect The Ocean

Science education can be tough if teachers rely only on themselves and textbooks. It can be really boring for 13 year-olds to get inspired by science and picture themselves as future scientists of the world. Don't worry, there is a solution. Patrick Goff goes above and beyond the textbook to bring his class real scientists to his students via webcam. I invited Patrick on the podcast to tell us how he does it so other teachers can do the same thing. Enjoy the podcast! Did you like this episode? Please consider supporting the show on my Patreon page: http://www.speakupforblue.com/patreon

Marine Protected Areas are a big tool in the Ocean Conservation toolbox because they work. It has taken some time for them to catch on, but if they are created in the right way where they bring in stakeholders at the beginning of the process and it is science based, then they can do well. These types of protected areas have been documented well in the scientific literature. It seems as though more and more protected areas are being designated every month. Since September, one US Marine Monument in Hawaii was expanded to 4 times its original size, another has been created in the Atlantic Ocean (the size of Connecticut), the Ross Sea has been declared an MPA, and now the Philippines and Canada declared MPAs. I talk about how these last 2 MPAs got designated and where each country is going with Marine Conservation in the future. Enjoy the podcast!

Marine Science and Conservation Careers is what we've been talking about for the past month and a half. I've heard some great feedback from people who are currently seeking out a career, so I am glad I've been able to help out. This episode is all about the different options you have for your career. Do you want a career where you work a 9-5? Well, I go into the different sectors (non-profit, government, and private environmental consulting) based on my own personal experiences. Do you want a career where you work for yourself? I talk about that as well because I am preparing to do the same thing. I think this episode is a great way to sum up what I talked about in this series and what you can do in the future. Enjoy the podcast! Are you looking to change the way you eat for a better health and environment? Start using Arbonne nutrition and health care products that are all natural and environmentally friendly. I use them all the time and their nutrition line has transformed the way I eat and my health. Email me today, [email protected] to find out how you can transform your health. Looking to transform your health and wellness using Arbonne products? Learn about our starter package to get you living for a better Ocean by contacting me at [email protected].

Ocean Talk Friday is usually about two people (myself and Nathan Johnson) talking about 4 to 5 articles covering Ocean News that we think you should know about; however, Nathan was a bit busy this week and I decided to switch things up. I wanted to continue covering the theme of grassroots marine conservation since I think it is going to become one of the focuses on Speak Up For Blue. Here are 3 American Grassroots Conservation Projects I covered in this episode (I will cover more international projects as I find them: please email me if you have a project in mind - [email protected]). 1) Save Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge; 2) How you can ensure Climate Change remains a priority for the new US federal administration; and, 3) Stop Killing Fish by stop fertilizing so much! Enjoy the podcast!

I was feeling sick to my stomach last Tuesday after I realized that Donald Trump had been elected the next President of the United States. I was worried about basic Human Rights in my neighbouring country and I was also worried about the stance the President-Elect has taken on Climate Change. He clearly does not "believe" Climate Change is a human related issue and that is dangerous thinking. A major part of his platform is to undo much of President Obama's Executive Orders, which include protection of marine habitats in the Atlantic Ocean and off the coast of Hawai'i. Whether he will be able to undo this work is anyone's guess; however, the possibility is there. In addition, Obama used an Executive Order to establish the National Ocean Council to handle marine conservation projects and made it easy for today's guest, Dr. Rob Moir, to work with government to help establish protected areas and conservation action. Dr. Rob Moir is the founder and Executive Director of the Ocean River Institute, which is a non-profit organization that works with its constituents and organizational partners to work towards conservation goals. In essence, Rob takes stories from individuals about what is important to them about the ocean, compiles those stories and brings them to politicians such as Senators and House Members on the federal level to bring conservation action. It's not easy, but Rob has managed to build quite the relationship with many federal politicians (Republicans and Democrats). Rob also works at grassroots levels to effect change within the community. During the interview, Rob talks about how he went to Florida to talk to County committees to show them how a few changes that homeowners can take to manage their yard such as refrain from fertilizing their lawn during the summer can change the algae blooms along the ocean coast. His work has been extremely successful within most counties in Florida and the counties who don't follow these practices can look at the examples set by neighbouring counties. Rob is currently focused on protecting the status of the Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge from getting stripped of its protection status due to pressure from the big sugar industries who are dumping dirty water in the refuge and is getting fined heavily for doing so. Getting rid of the Refuge status would allow the sugar companies to continue to dump their dirty water in the Refuge boundaries and ruin the diverse wildlife in the area. You can get more information and learn how you can take action by going to Ocean River's website. During the interview, Rob and I discussed how grassroots marine conservation will be the way to go under the next government administration and reminded ourselves that grassroots conservation has always been a great way to create conservation change and it will continue to be that way not matter who is running any country. I want you to listen to the podcast and understand that there is still hope to protect the ocean in the US and around the world. We will need to fight harder, but our passion will show us the way. Speak Up for Blue is going to take the call to action and help lead you towards some grassroots projects that you can support and participate. Enjoy the podcast! Are you looking to change the way you eat for a better health and environment? Start using Arbonne nutrition and health care products that are all natural and environmentally friendly. I use them all the time and their nutrition line has transformed the way I eat and my health. Email me today, [email protected] to find out how you can transform your health. Looking to transform your health and wellness using Arbonne products? Learn about our starter package to get you living for a better Ocean by contacting me at [email protected].

Conservation is about people. It Starts with people. It ends with people. Democratic governments cannot stop the people. Those words may not be that profound, but they are true. A change in government is the US means that ocean conservation is going to become harder to do when compared to the last administration if Trump and his administration plan to do what they said they were going to do. There are also questions as to will he be able to completely ignore climate change even though he doesn't "Believe in it." Time will tell, I guess. The fact remains that if we want to continue to work towards protecting the Oceans, then we will have to do it at the grassroots level and build enough momentum from the bottom to rise to the top where politicians will have no choice but to listen to the majority. I discuss how we can really build grassroots movements by not reinventing the wheel and using the resources that are available to us and partnering with some great organizations to create change from within. Speak Up For Blue will also be creating a tight nit grassroots community that will focus on changing things not only at the government level, but also and the community level. Enjoy the podcast! Are you looking to change the way you eat for a better health and environment? Start using Arbonne nutrition and health care products that are all natural and environmentally friendly. I use them all the time and their nutrition line has transformed the way I eat and my health. Email me today, [email protected] to find out how you can transform your health. Looking to transform your health and wellness using Arbonne products? Learn about our starter package to get you living for a better Ocean by contacting me at [email protected].

Continuing with helping you get a job to help you build your career in Marine Science and Conservation, I talk about The Interview today. The Interview is a way for the hiring manager and other committee members to get to know you and evaluate whether you would be a right "fit" for the workplace. In today's episode, I talk about how to prepare for an interview, what your attitude should be during the interview and how it can help you get a job and how you should follow up. Enjoy the podcast! Are you looking to change the way you eat for a better health and environment? Start using Arbonne nutrition and health care products that are all natural and environmentally friendly. I use them all the time and their nutrition line has transformed the way I eat and my health. Email me today, [email protected] to find out how you can transform your health. Looking to transform your health and wellness using Arbonne products? Learn about our starter package to get you living for a better Ocean by contacting me at [email protected].

The election really threw everyone, or most people for a loop, especially the Marine Science and Conservation community. The President-Elect, Donald Trump, has been determined about denying climate change and reducing environmental government departments such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Department of Environment (DOE), and the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The reduction in government resources to adequately deal with Ocean issues such as Climate Change, Over fishing, Ocean Mining, Plastic Pollution, etc., will mean that there will have to be grassroots movements to ensure the federal government will honour what is important to their constituents. It will require strategic planning to ensure your environmental values (similar to your country's values) are upheld. For the next four years, Speak Up For Blue will do our best to provide you with the guidance required to effectively get your environmental values heard by the current administration.

The US Election is over...FINALLY!!! Here are some stories you might have missed while you were bombarded with election news: 1) Canada announces Ocean Protection Plan; 2) Too many puffins die due to warming of oceans; and, 3) SeaWorld loses more money and decides to cut more costs to please investors. Enjoy the podcast!

The Ross Sea MPA has forced me to reflect on how regulators and policy makers who are in charge of managing the Ocean through Marine Protected Areas, Quotas and other regulatory tools manage Ocean Users. Ocean Users are not used to being managed. They could generally do whatever they want as long as they show the government that they could contribute to the economy in the short or long term; however, recent events (BP Oil Spill) have driven governments to manage all Ocean Users as some can affect others, including the environment (as an Ocean User per say). I try to provide you with some examples on how Ocean Users are being or have been managed, but I would really like to here what you have to say about this subject matter. Email me [email protected] to let me know how you think we should manage Ocean Users.

The sole purpose of a job application is to get to the next step in the job-getting process. There are hundreds, sometimes thousands, of applicants and you have to set your aside apart from the pack. So what do you do? You make sure that you have the best application out there and you ensure the human resource person and/or hiring manager are not forced to make any assumptions on whether you qualify for the position. For example, if you are applying to a position where you will be trawling and are required to identify species and record length and weight, then don't just say that you have experience with trawling, you should elaborate that you are able to identify fish species and some invertebrates (if you have the experience of course, never lie on your application!!!). In this bonus episode, I teach you how to right the perfect resume that will force the person reading it to add you to the interview pile. Enjoy the podcast! Are you looking to change the way you eat for a better health and environment? Start using Arbonne nutrition and health care products that are all natural and environmentally friendly. I use them all the time and their nutrition line has transformed the way I eat and my health. Email me today, [email protected] to find out how you can transform your health. Looking to transform your health and wellness using Arbonne products? Learn about our starter package to get you living for a better Ocean by contacting me at [email protected].

Nathan Johnson and I are back at it again on Ocean Talk Friday where we talk about the latest news and updates in Marine Science and Conservation. On the show today, we discuss: 1) National Science Fund planning for Ocean Science's future; 2) Rhode Island creates the first marine plan; 3) Australian government cuts 42 marine protected areas from plans; and, 4) An amphipod is found to wear an invisibility cloak. Enjoy the podcast! Are you looking to change the way you eat for a better health and environment? Start using Arbonne nutrition and health care products that are all natural and environmentally friendly. I use them all the time and their nutrition line has transformed the way I eat and my health. Email me today, [email protected] to find out how you can transform your health. Looking to transform your health and wellness using Arbonne products? Learn about our starter package to get you living for a better Ocean by contacting me at [email protected].

Imagine spending the last ten years (really the first 10 years) of your career trying to get a piece of Ocean protected that is managed by 24 countries with a treaty that was written in 1959. There are countries who can't win the argument to establish Marine Protected Areas within their own country, let alone getting 23 other countries to agree to your propositions. That is what happened to Cassandra Brooks with Ross Sea MPA. Cassandra followed the MPA process from every aspect possible starting as a Fisheries Biologist to a Science and Conservation Communicator then to studying a PhD in Marine Policy where she was able to sit in the MPA planning meetings during the last part of the process. Listen to the podcast to find out how she found the process and the evolution of her career. Enjoy the podcast! Are you looking to change the way you eat for a better health and environment? Start using Arbonne nutrition and health care products that are all natural and environmentally friendly. I use them all the time and their nutrition line has transformed the way I eat and my health. Email me today, [email protected] to find out how you can transform your health. Looking to transform your health and wellness using Arbonne products? Learn about our starter package to get you living for a better Ocean by contacting me at [email protected].

I found something quite interesting when I started to communicate Marine Science and Ocean Conservation to build an audience that wanted to live for a better Ocean. People didn't like to hear the doom and gloom that I was telling them related to all of the Ocean Issues. A friend of mine said she liked watching the videos I made on my You Tube channel, but she had to stop because it was depressing her. My message was having the opposite effect of its purpose. I was making people give up hope rather than inspiring them to do something about the problems that plagued the Ocean. I had to change my tone and my message quickly. I did some research on what people were sharing on social media in relation to the Ocean. Most of the content was fun facts or a specific event that happened. For example, there was one video of a seal hitching a ride on a humpback whale to avoid being hunted by an orca that was following the humpback whale. The video was in relation to a study that found humpback whales often helped other species from harm. A great message identifying compassion in marine mammals that is quite unique in the Ocean. We need more of these messages to inspire people to fall in love with the Ocean again and want to protect it. Enjoy the podcast! Are you looking to change the way you eat for a better health and environment? Start using Arbonne nutrition and health care products that are all natural and environmentally friendly. I use them all the time and their nutrition line has transformed the way I eat and my health. Email me today, [email protected] to find out how you can transform your health. Looking to transform your health and wellness using Arbonne products? Learn about our starter package to get you living for a better Ocean by contacting me at [email protected].

When I first started writing cover letters for the jobs that I wanted, I made them less than one page and they consisted of introducing myself and telling the person to which I was sending my application that my resume was attached. I had no idea that it was the wrong way of writing a cover letter. It wasn't until a friend showed me how to write a proper cover letter that I was able to get interviews from my applications. The conversion was quite amazing. I applied to less jobs during the year (4 jobs) and got 3 interviews, which is better than the previous record of 1 in 400. Unfortunately, it was 6 years until I discovered how to write a proper cover letter and resume (I will discuss resumes next week) that I was able to focus my career path because I could finally get closer to the jobs I wanted. This style of writing cover letters is quite a bit of work, but your chances of getting the interview are much higher. Take a listen to the episode to find out how to write the proper cover letter for Marine Science and Conservation. Are you looking to change the way you eat for a better health and environment? Start using Arbonne nutrition and health care products that are all natural and environmentally friendly. I use them all the time and their nutrition line has transformed the way I eat and my health. Email me today, [email protected] to find out how you can transform your health. Looking to transform your health and wellness using Arbonne products? Learn about our starter package to get you living for a better Ocean by contacting me at [email protected].

Ocean Talk Friday is a fun tradition that Nathan and I started and we continue to have fun with it. We hope that you guys enjoy it too. After a brief update on our Marine Conservation Fantasy Football Pool, we talk about the following articles: 1) Insurance companies find wetlands could have saved $625 million in damage; 2) A brewing company made a beer to help study stellar sea lions; 3) Fish are drunk off CO2 and swimming into predators; and, 4) Whaling countries rallying to block South Atlantic Whale Sanctuary. Are you looking to change the way you eat for a better health and environment? Start using Arbonne nutrition and health care products that are all natural and environmentally friendly. I use them all the time and their nutrition line has transformed the way I eat and my health. Email me today, [email protected] to find out how you can transform your health. Looking to transform your health and wellness using Arbonne products? Learn about our starter package to get you living for a better Ocean by contacting me at [email protected].

In my Interview Wednesday episode today, I speak with Reggie Domingo; Founder of The Nakawe Project, also known as the WE Project. The Nakawe Project is involved in all sorts of Marine Science and Conservation projects in Costa Rica, Central America, and around the world. I first heard of The Nakawe Project when they were involved with the CITES project in getting the Silky and Thresher Sharks protected under the CITES agreement. Take a listen to the podcast for more details. Today's Resource: http://simplystraws.com/ Simply Straws Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/362703480/simply-straws-presents-the-perfect-mason-jar-lid Are you looking to change the way you eat for a better health and environment? Start using Arbonne nutrition and health care products that are all natural and environmentally friendly. I use them all the time and their nutrition line has transformed the way I eat and my health. Email me today, [email protected] to find out how you can transform your health. Looking to transform your health and wellness using Arbonne products? Learn about our starter package to get you living for a better Ocean by contacting me at [email protected].

There are many battles in Marine Science and Conservation. If you speak to anyone who has been working in this field for over 20 years you will get much cynicism. It's probably due to the experience they have build over their careers. There is a good chance they didn't always with to protect the Ocean or it's species. It doesn't matter if they are working on government, non-profit or private sector, they lost some battles. But after all is said and done, they never gave up hope. It's why they are still working to protect the Ocean. They have hope! Hope to win that one small/big battle that they have worked on. They love the feeling they get when they ARE able the protect the ocean. It makes it a pretty good day, week, month, or even year! Even after losing so many fights in the past. I linked up with some people who want to save the Vaquita, a small marine mammal that is endemic to the Sea of Cortez, and is critically endangered. There are estimated 60 or less left in the world. However, I chose this project because I have hope that we can save this marine mammal if we get together and protect it. There is a lot of work ahead of us here at Speak Up For Blue, but we are ready to take on saving the Vaquita because we have hope! Take a listen to the podcast for more details. Are you looking to change the way you eat for a better health and environment? Start using Arbonne nutrition and health care products that are all natural and environmentally friendly. I use them all the time and their nutrition line has transformed the way I eat and my health. Email me today, [email protected] to find out how you can transform your health. Looking to transform your health and wellness using Arbonne products? Learn about our starter package to get you living for a better Ocean by contacting me at [email protected].

When I first started my career in Marine Science and Conservation, I searched for jobs everyday for 8 hours a day. No lie, I would check the same sites over and over again. It sucked. There were so many times were I wouldn't see new jobs and then I would lose hope. I got pretty emotional and angry. I was obsessed with getting a job. I would dream about it. Until one day, I figured something out. I didn't want half of the jobs that I saw, but I was applying to all of them. I thought to myself, why in the hell would I apply for them. Why wouldn't I to everything that I could to get the jobs I wanted instead of doing a poor job in applying to jobs I didn't want. So I implemented 5 strategies to help me build my career and I continue to do so today: 1) Becoming an influencer in your field; 2) Keeping updated on the news, research, and happenings in your career path field; 3) Building Your Network; 4) Building Your Experience; and, 5) Get certifications pertaining to your field. Take a listen to the episode for more description on each of the 5 strategies I still use today to build my career. Are you looking to change the way you eat for a better health and environment? Start using Arbonne nutrition and health care products that are all natural and environmentally friendly. I use them all the time and their nutrition line has transformed the way I eat and my health. Email me today, [email protected] to find out how you can transform your health. Looking to transform your health and wellness using Arbonne products? Learn about our starter package to get you living for a better Ocean by contacting me at [email protected].

It's Ocean Talk Friday again where Nathan and I get together and chat about 4 very important articles of the week...at least...to us. This week we talk about some great articles and we talk about our big Fantasy Football wins this week in our Marine Conservation Football Fantasy League. Here are the stories that we discussed this week: 1) Vogue lists 8 luxury hotels that are carbon neutral and help marine conservation; 2) Russia hosts a 24 member country delegation to vote on 2 Antarctic Protected Areas; 3) The Ocean absorbs more heat than we thought, but we are not out of the woods; and, 4) The Great Barrier Reef is not dead! Are you looking to change the way you eat for a better health and environment? Start using Arbonne nutrition and health care products that are all natural and environmentally friendly. I use them all the time and their nutrition line has transformed the way I eat and my health. Email me today, [email protected] to find out how you can transform your health. Looking to transform your health and wellness using Arbonne products? Learn about our starter package to get you living for a better Ocean by contacting me at [email protected].

A tug boat was pushing a fuel barge in British Columbia near Great Bear Forest when it ran aground and sank in 9 metres of water. The diesel fuel (over 200,000 GA worth) spilled into the coastal ocean from the tug boat and spread quickly. The nearby First Nations group of Bella Bella are working tirelessly to stop the diesel fuel from reaching the coast; however, 3 beaches have already been closed due to contamination. The clam bed, on which the tribe relies to get them through the winter will not be harvested due to contamination from the diesel fuel. The effects of this spill is devastating for the short term and may have longer term effects; however, this spill is considered small. It had a massive impact on a remote community that can only be accessed either by boat or plane. This was 1 boat and a relatively small one at that. Luckily, the fuel barge was empty or else this incident would have been worse. The Bella Bella community are frustrated by the lack of spill response by the provincial and federal government. Meanwhile, the provincial government is pointing the finger at the federal government. Both levels of government are in favour of adding a pipeline to the province to ship oil and gas to Asian markets. The real questions here are: 1) What is the spill response procedure? 2) What will happen when the pipeline is implemented and running (more shipping); and, 3) Is there a plan for environmental emergencies in the future and when will it be implemented. Are you looking to change the way you eat for a better health and environment? Start using Arbonne nutrition and health care products that are all natural and environmentally friendly. I use them all the time and their nutrition line has transformed the way I eat and my health. Email me today, [email protected] to find out how you can transform your health. Looking to transform your health and wellness using Arbonne products? Learn about our starter package to get you living for a better Ocean by contacting me at [email protected].

SCUBA Divers love encountering sharks on more than one of their dives. Diving with sharks is an exhilarating experience, I know from personal experience. However, as a couple of videos that are circulating the web show, diving with sharks in a cage may not be as safe as you might expect. Shark diving occurs all over the world without incidents, so why did the events in the video happen. Was it just by chance or did something happen that caused the shark to enter the cage. Unfortunately, it was the latter. The Shark diving company that was running the show that day was doing something that was against the guidelines of shark cage diving. The cage had the bait bag (chum) tied to it, which caused the shark to get an up close and personal to the cage, a little more than expected. The chum should not have been attached to the cage, but it should have been floating out a certain distance from the cage. I chat more about this in the episode and what you should do to protect yourself future danger and enjoy the experience. Take a listen to this episode to find out how. Are you looking to change the way you eat for a better health and environment? Start using Arbonne nutrition and health care products that are all natural and environmentally friendly. I use them all the time and their nutrition line has transformed the way I eat and my health. Email me today, [email protected] to find out how you can transform your health. Looking to transform your health and wellness using Arbonne products? Learn about our starter package to get you living for a better Ocean by contacting me at [email protected].

Attaining a sustainable marine science and conservation career is not easy. It takes focus, patience, and hard work. The first episode of this series gives you a breakdown on how to create goals for your career by setting your path. Now you need to start your journey down your path. Where do you begin? As a recent graduate or someone who is shifting career, you probably don't have much experience in the career path field, which means your chances of getting a job is low. So this episode is dedicated to helping you gain experience through volunteering. Volunteering has its ups and downs. On one hand you can gain quite a bit of experience quickly. On the other hand, you may have to pay money to go far away to get that experience. Is there are problem with that...nope! If you can afford it, go because it's a great adventure and you do get some great experience even if it is short lived, but not everyone can afford to go away. They have to search for alternative methods of volunteering. This episode will detail some steps you can take to acquire some great experience without having to pay money. This is important so remember, take notes! Are you looking to change the way you eat for a better health and environment? Start using Arbonne nutrition and health care products that are all natural and environmentally friendly. I use them all the time and their nutrition line has transformed the way I eat and my health. Email me today, [email protected] to find out how you can transform your health. Looking to transform your health and wellness using Arbonne products? Learn about our starter package to get you living for a better Ocean by contacting me at [email protected].

Nathan Johnson and I co-host Ocean Talk Friday again to discuss this past week's important articles. I love doing these episodes because Nathan and I get to chat about all things Ocean. The best thing about talking about these Ocean articles is to get the ideas flowing and hopefully come up with solutions as a community. So thanks for listening! Here are the articles: 1) We revisit a new aquaculture techniques that will benefit the Ocean and contribute to reducing climate change; 2) Some people think that Canada can become an Ocean Economy super power; 3) Seagrass is important and some people want you to know about it; and, 4) China is building islands for military bases and could be destroying the environment. Are you looking to change the way you eat for a better health and environment? Start using Arbonne nutrition and health care products that are all natural and environmentally friendly. I use them all the time and their nutrition line has transformed the way I eat and my health. Email me today, [email protected] to find out how you can transform your health. Looking to transform your health and wellness using Arbonne products? Learn about our starter package to get you living for a better Ocean by contacting me at [email protected].

Have you ever wondered the state of all of the Oceans? We often here stories, articles and research coming from all parts of the Ocean (Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Arctic Ocean, Antarctic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, Labrador Sea, etc.); however, it's rare to hear about the Red Sea. Well, I am pleased to say that we are now going to talk about the Red Sea tanks to Matt Tietbohl, who is doing his Masters Thesis at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST). Matt is originally from a small town outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania growing up in the outdoors surrounded by lush forests and lakes/rivers where he would explore the wild searching for new creatures under rocks and in crevices. Fast forward to high school where he took a trip in his Junior year to Jamaica on a school trip to explore the Ocean for the first time, followed by a second trip giving you Matt, the young man who now wanted to become a Marine Biologist. His undergraduate experience did not expose him to much Marine Biology; however, one course gave him an assignment that would change his outlook on Marine Biology and life in general. Matt had to review a journal article and present his findings to the class. His paper? A study from KAUST. Matt came across this person's name when searching for something to do in the year he wanted to take off from school before doing graduate school. He contacted the chief scientist of the lab about an internship and ended up doing a Masters degree (funny how things can change with a phone call). Now Matt lives in Saudi Arabia surrounded by the culture of his host country as well as international students from all over the world. Matt's thesis is on tracking the types of algae and plant matter herbivores, who live on reefs, eat to identify functional diversity to direct future management of Red Sea Coral Reefs. Listen to the podcast to find out more about Matt's research and life at KAUST. Are you looking to change the way you eat for a better health and environment? Start using Arbonne nutrition and health care products that are all natural and environmentally friendly. I use them all the time and their nutrition line has transformed the way I eat and my health. Email me today, [email protected] to find out how you can transform your health. Looking to transform your health and wellness using Arbonne products? Learn about our starter package to get you living for a better Ocean by contacting me at [email protected].

How important are the upcoming US Election for Marine Science and Conservation? Does your vote really count? Does it matter who is President or Senator in regards to policies for the Oceans? If you want the answer, maybe you should ask Dr. Chris Lowe who stated on a previous podcast that the combination of a number of laws and regulations allowed the increase in white shark populations and sea lion population (which are related) along the coast of California. The current presidential race seems to focus more on attacks than on proposed plans and policies. There has never been a more divisive election than the current one due to the attacks on each candidate. There are so many attacks that it is easy to lose focus on why people vote in the first place: to determine who will take the country in the right direction. The direction really depends on which way the majority of the voters want the country to go. It is not based on, which candidate can attack the other the best. When you vote for your next president and senator representing your state/territory, you should focus on the candidate that proposes the policies you feel will take the country in the right direction. Are you looking to change the way you eat for a better health and environment? Start using Arbonne nutrition and health care products that are all natural and environmentally friendly. I use them all the time and their nutrition line has transformed the way I eat and my health. Email me today, [email protected] to find out how you can transform your health.

Welcome back to another Ocean Talk Friday. Nathan Johnson and I are back at it again to discuss this week's important stories on the Speak UP For Blue Podcast. Here are the stories for today: 1) International web database for Marine Cave studies; 2) CITES protects three sharks under Appendix II and what it means; 3) Community-led marine reserve experiences great success; and, 4) Waste reduction campaign with major corporations. Do you want to work in a career in Marine Conservation Connect with me [email protected] You can also connect with me to find out how you can live for a better Ocean by using Arbonne health and wellness products that are healthy for you and the Ocean. Contact me [email protected] You can also support this podcast by contribution to our Patreon Campaign Enjoy this Ocean Talk Friday Episode!

Imagine that you apply for a job and when the hiring manager comes across your name, she/he already knows who you are because you worked hard at becoming an influencer within your niched within Marine Conservation and you did one hell of a job. Many of your colleagues will apply to jobs and expect to hear back from an interview. If they qualify for the position and they demonstrate it on their application, then they will be able to further compete with others for the position. However, what happens after that point in the application process. You might have to write a test or attend an interview with everyone else who qualifies based on the same criteria. What can you do to set yourself apart from the rest of the crowd? Become and influencer. If you are known within the public domain for your career interest, then you have impact power. If you have publications within scientific journals, then you have impact power. This means that not only can you do the work, but you can make that your project results reach more people because you have impact. I cover how you can become an influencer in today's social and tech savvy world that will help your career. Do you want to work in a career in Marine Conservation Connect with me [email protected] You can also connect with me to find out how you can live for a better Ocean by using Arbonne health and wellness products that are healthy for you and the Ocean. Contact me [email protected] You can also support this podcast by contribution to our Patreon Campaign Enjoy this Saturday Bonus Episode!

Today is a the launch of a new bonus series that I will be providing on the Speak Up For Blue Podcast. I wanted to provide you with the best information I could on starting and maintaining a career in Marine Science and Conservation as that is part of the mission of Speak Up For Blue: Empower people to live for a better Ocean! These bonus episodes will normally be on published on Saturdays, but I decided that I would launch this episode today to peek your interest. The first episode of this Marine Science and Conservation Careers series deals with what I think is the most important aspect of launching your career. You need to PLAN out your career. Here are the steps you need to take to plan your strategy: 1) Pick 1 or 2 career interests; 2) Research the types of jobs people working in your interest filed hold; 3) Figure out what job title you want to do 15-20 years from now; 4) Learn the skills and experience of the people who work the job you want in the future; 5) Reverse engineer your career path focusing on getting jobs where you can attain the skills and experience you will need to get the job in the future; and, 6) Execute that plan. Do you want to work in a career in Marine Conservation Connect with me [email protected] You can also connect with me to find out how you can live for a better Ocean by using Arbonne health and wellness products that are healthy for you and the Ocean. Contact me [email protected] You can also support this podcast by contribution to our Patreon Campaign Enjoy this Career Building Episode!

The Ocean is in trouble. There is no doubt about that.However, there are ways that we can fix it. And it starts with us! There are a number of things that you can do to live for a better Ocean. It starts at home and we've discussed it on the podcast many times. I figured since some of you have been loyal listeners to the Speak Up For Blue podcast for the past year and a bit and have changed the way you lived at home to an Ocean conscious life, then you might be ready to step up your Marine Conservation game and make more of a commitment to protecting the Ocean. If you are still changing things at home, no worries. Listen to this podcast for the future. You might just get motivated (#MotivationMondays) In this Episode, I present 4 steps to better protect the Ocean: Step 1: Learn About an Ocean Issue Step 2: React properly to the Ocean Issue Step 3: Find out who is working on the solution to the Ocean Issue Step 4: Get involved with those who are working on a solution to the Ocean Issue Do you want to work in a career in Marine Conservation Connect with me [email protected] You can also connect with me to find out how you can live for a better Ocean by using Arbonne health and wellness products that are healthy for you and the Ocean. Contact me [email protected] You can also support this podcast by contribution to our Patreon Campaign Enjoy this Motivation Monday Episode!

Nathan and I are back together again to chat about some of the most interesting stories this week. Here are the stories that we discussed: 1) California will be giving out minor tickets for MPA boundary layers; 2) Ocean fronts attract seabirds looking for food and that can help manage coastal seabirds; 3) Philanthropy is focusing on Ocean Conservation (Yay!); and, 4) A researcher discovered how deep-sea bacteria can reduce climate change effects. Do you want to work in a career in Marine Conservation Connect with me [email protected] You can also connect with me to find out how you can live for a better Ocean by using Arbonne health and wellness products that are healthy for you and the Ocean. Contact me [email protected] You can also support this podcast by contribution to our Patreon Campaign Enjoy this week's Ocean Talk Friday

When you think of using satellite imagery for anything, one tends to think of spies using imagery to gather information on ones enemy to get the upper hand; however, that is not the case for Dr. Michelle LaRue. In fact, Michelle des quite the opposite. She studies emperor penguins and Wedell seals in the Antarctic through the eyes of Satellite Imagery to gather information and learn how the animals' population moves across large scales and counts the number of colonies by monitoring the patches of guano stains (yes, penguin poop!). In contrast to spies, Michelle loves to share her research. Michelle is an active science communicator on Twitter and on Facebook where she posts contest such as "Cougar or Not?" every Friday via her Twitter feed. She also engages other social media users who tend to post "not so appropriate things" about women in science to raise more awareness that women should be treated equal in science and the workplace. Michelle is pushing the boundaries of science by studying population dynamics of iconic species through satellite imagery. As a fellow GIS (digital mapping) and Remote Sensing ecologist, I am highly envious of her work because she gets to study the species that many people want to study from Minnesota! She still takes the odd trip to Antarctica, but for most of the year, she lives in Minnesota where she watches penguin and seals go about their activities throughout the year and answers some basic, but important questions that will help better manage each species. Do you want to work in a career in Marine Conservation like Michelle Connect with me [email protected] You can also connect with me to find out how you can live for a better Ocean by using Arbonne health and wellness products that are healthy for you and the Ocean. Contact me [email protected] You can also support this podcast by contribution to our Patreon Campaign Enjoy the podcast with Dr. Michelle LaRue

This show has grown immensely over the past month and a half. Ever since I attended the International Marine Conservation Congress and this podcast got accepted on iHeart Radio. the growth has come with many benefits. 1) The growth of this community - I can only measure downloads to see how the podcast has grown. Since August, the podcast has doubled in daily downloads and sometimes tripled. I am quite excited about this as this is one part of the community growth: reach more people! 2) The interaction with you and the rest of the Speak Up For Blue Community - Over the past 2-3 weeks, I've asked you to schedule a call with me to find out how you can pursue a career in Marine Conservation. And many of you responded. This response has gotten me crazy excited!!! I actually get to chat with anyone who wants to chat with me about the Ocean. It's the true community feel. When people start a podcast, they want to get as many people to listen to it as possible. However, the true measure of building a community is the interaction you get from your audience. And this is what I am glad to say is starting to come to fruition. I want to continue to build that community and you can help. Email me to chat about the Ocean and the ways that we can reduce our impact on the Ocean [email protected]. Are you ready to pivot to a more meaningful career? Do you want to talk about how you can pursue a career in Marine Conservation? Send me an email and let's chat. [email protected] Because I want to talk to you! Instagram: @speakupforblue Snapchat: @speakupforblue SUFB Podcast: http://www.speakupforblue.com/podcast Support our podcast: http://www.speakupforblue.com/patreon SUFB Website: http://www.speakupforblue.com 10 Ocean Tips to Conserve the Ocean: http://www.speakupforblue.com/wordpress/sufb_optinpdf

The US presidential election is less than a couple of months away and we haven't heard any of the candidates talk about their positions on science, especially Climate Change and Ocean Health. This past week, we found out that a website called ScienceDebate.org asked the 4 candidates what their positions were on 20 specific areas in science. Each candidate answered on every theme and they are written out on the website. Today, Nathan and I go over two positions: Climate Change and Ocean Health. We wanted to cover more themes; however, we ran out of time. So we did the best we could. Take a listen and let us know what you think. Are you ready to pivot to a more meaningful career? Do you want to talk about how you can pursue a career in Marine Conservation? Send me an email and let's chat. [email protected] Because I want to talk to you! Join the Arbonne Blue Team http://www.speakupforblue.com/teamblue Instagram: @speakupforblue Snapchat: @speakupforblue SUFB Podcast: http://www.speakupforblue.com/podcast SUFB Website: http://www.speakupforblue.com 10 Ocean Tips to Conserve the Ocean: http://www.speakupforblue.com/wordpress/sufb_optinpdf

Richard Lilley and his co-founders, Benjamin Jones and Dr. Richard Unsworth, are working their butts off to make sure that you and I are talking about seagrass. I hope this interview will not only teach you about seagrass, but tell you about how much trouble they are in and why we need to ensure seagrass habitats are protected around the world. The three scientists and co-founders created Project Seagrass as a way to facility education, research, and campaigns to protect seagrass habitats around the world. They are fairly effective at it too. Project Seagrass is everywhere: on social media; putting on conferences; and, leading in cutting edge research and conservation projects around the world. I had the pleasure of sitting down with Richard to discuss why seagrass habitats are so important and what they are doing about it. Take a listen to the interview to find out. Are you ready to pivot to a more meaningful career? Do you want to talk about how you can pursue a career in Marine Conservation? Send me an email and let's chat. [email protected] Because I want to talk to you! Join the Arbonne Blue Team http://www.speakupforblue.com/teamblue Instagram: @speakupforblue Snapchat: @speakupforblue SUFB Podcast: http://www.speakupforblue.com/podcast SUFB Website: http://www.speakupforblue.com 10 Ocean Tips to Conserve the Ocean: http://www.speakupforblue.com/wordpress/sufb_optinpdf

Marine Conservation saw a couple of great government moves at the end of last week. Orca Captive Breeding and Shows Banned in California The state of California passed a law banning captive breeding of orcas as well as orca shows. This essentially puts a nail in the coffin to orca shows and breeding at Marine Mammal Parks such as SeaWorld in California and could pave the way for other states such as Florida and Texas to pass similar laws, which would completely get rid of shows and breeding programs for each of SeaWorld's location. The ban forces SeaWorld to change the way it displays orcas from an entertainment attraction to more of an education attraction and it could start the process in releasing orcas to Sea Side Marine Mammal Sanctuaries. However, SeaWorld continues to state that releasing captive bred orcas into the sea where they would be exposed to potential oil spills and other types of pollution would harm the orcas. Dr. Naomi Rose from the Animal Welfare Institute stated on The Speak Up For Blue Episode 190 that SeaWorld's position is not scientifically correct and has been disproven by the release of the orca Keiko (Take a listen to the episode for more information on Keiko). SeaWorld announced in March 2016 that it would halt the breeding program and in January earlier that year said it would stop its orca shows. The California law ensures that SeaWorld will not go back on its word. President Obama Announces 1st Atlantic Marine Monument The President was in the news a couple of weeks ago as he announced the expansion of the Hawaii National Marine Monument and last week he announced the establishment of the 1st Marine Monument in the Atlantic Ocean on the coast of New England. The Monument with protect a series of Deep Sea Seamounts and Canyons that provide great biodiversity for the area. The Monument will ensure the protection of biodiversity of the area and protect fisheries sustainability; however, the fishing industry does not believe the Monument takes into account the loss of income it will have on the fishing industry. The declaration of this Monument continues to show that this President values the Ocean and its resources as well as the need for its protection. Are you ready to pivot to a more meaningful career? Do you want to talk about how you can pursue a career in Marine Conservation? Send me an email and let's chat. [email protected] Because I want to talk to you! Join the Arbonne Blue Team http://www.speakupforblue.com/teamblue Instagram: @speakupforblue Snapchat: @speakupforblue SUFB Podcast: http://www.speakupforblue.com/podcast SUFB Website: http://www.speakupforblue.com 10 Ocean Tips to Conserve the Ocean: http://www.speakupforblue.com/wordpress/sufb_optinpdf

Nathan and I are back again this week with a FULL episode of Ocean Talk Friday. Last week we only got to cover 2 stories due to a bad Skype connection (podcasting problems), but this week we were able to really bring it this week! Today's stories include: 1) How do Shark Teeth bite (talking about adaptation); 2) Do Ocean Acidification Laboratory Studies provide the same results as field studies (hint: no); 3) The Billion Oyster Program in New York City; 4) We are only starting to protect the Ocean; 5) Millennials are the future of our oceans? As usual, Nathan and I dive into the articles to translate what it means to Marine Science and Conservation. Are you ready to pivot to a more meaningful career? Do you want to talk about how you can pursue a career in Marine Conservation? Send me an email and let's chat. [email protected] Because I want to talk to you! Join the Arbonne Blue Team http://www.speakupforblue.com/teamblue Instagram: @speakupforblue Snapchat: @speakupforblue SUFB Podcast: http://www.speakupforblue.com/podcast SUFB Website: http://www.speakupforblue.com 10 Ocean Tips to Conserve the Ocean: http://www.speakupforblue.com/wordpress/sufb_optinpdf

Travis Nielsen is our guest today on Interview Wednesday. He is a marine scientist and the person who was responsible for managing the logistics at the International Marine Conservation Congress in St. John's, Newfoundland. Essentially, he made sure that everyone enjoyed themselves at the conference by everything running well. And I must say that he is damn good at his job. I met Travis at the IMCC4 and we got along great! So much so that we chatted about him coming on the very podcast to discuss what he did and how he got here. And he left a little surprise for me and you for when we recorded the podcast (You will have to listen to the podcast to find out what that surprise is!). I really enjoyed hearing the story of how Travis got to where he is because is describes the path that many have taken and are currently taking. It's a long a winding path, which requires you to adapt to professional and personal situations that may influence your decisions at any point in time. It's about taking risks to see what is behind door number 1 and then taking door number 2 after realizing that door number 1 wasn't for you. Gary Vaynerchuk, a marketing guru and celebrity, always tells people that you will need to be able to pivot multiple times throughout your career to maintain your job or to follow your passions to a meaningful career. Travis has done what Gary says and will continue to do it throughout his career because he has been doing it since he graduated High School. Are you ready to pivot to a more meaningful career? Do you want to talk about how you can pursue a career in Marine Conservation? Send me an email and let's chat. [email protected] Because I want to talk to you! Join the Arbonne Blue Team http://www.speakupforblue.com/teamblue Instagram: @speakupforblue Snapchat: @speakupforblue SUFB Podcast: http://www.speakupforblue.com/podcast SUFB Website: http://www.speakupforblue.com 10 Ocean Tips to Conserve the Ocean: http://www.speakupforblue.com/wordpress/sufb_optinpdf

Marine Conservation is a very rewarding career and you will recall that I've said this before; however, this is not an easy field in which we work. You will soon find out that the environment is not always the top priority for governments or businesses to act unless it causes severe and consistent economic damage to the point where the cost outweighs the amount of money that someone can gain from it. Combatting this sort of stigma requires protest, which in itself can be done in many ways. Protests have been used to make governments and/or the public aware that a particular group of people, or a person, would like something to change or stop something for changing. Protests can be conducted peacefully and others can be conducted violently. Each type is designed to create awareness and stop something from happening. Sea Shepherd Society protests are done by any means necessary. Their protests are more aggressive than others. Not everyone, including me, agrees with their methods, but they are effective (do an internet search on Japanese Whaling over the past 5 years and you will notice Sea Shepherd is consistently interrupting their catches every year by ramming into whaling boats and getting in their way). Scientists from across Canada marched in Ottawa (the capital) to protest the attempt of the conservative Canadian government to silence its scientists. The march was peaceful and gained national media coverage bringing light to a problem affecting the environment. Not all protests are for the environment. Recently, NFL' San Francisco 49er Quarterback, Colin Kaepernick, sat down during the American National anthem to protest the violence of police against minorities and the lack of action that would reduce and eventually eliminate the issue. Colin got criticized for the method in which he protested as many said that he was disrespecting the flag and the people who fought under the flag to protect his freedom. He was called spoiled, a coward among other things. Some of the media even said that he wasn't "black" enough to realize the issue that was happening and shouldn't be leading the cause in the NFL. However, Colin was leading a movement that would turn into others sitting, kneeling, and interlocking arms as a team. The protest spread across the NFL, one of America's biggest sports, and other sports spanning various ethnicities too. the protest went from criticizing Colin for his actions to many more people discussing the issue he was protesting in the first place. An issue that may not be solved in one day or over many years, but is now being discussed again through Colin's actions. Colin also pledged $1 million dollars to various charities that were working on the issues at hand and other athletes pledged undisclosed amounts in support. One quarterback's actions has led to a conservation continuing and some important work being supported. It started with one person and led to action. In another recent protest, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe conducted the largest protest in First Nation history to stop the construction of a pipeline north of there land. They were concerned about the contamination of their land and drinking water through future spills that may take place. They sued the Army Corp of Engineers, which was overseeing the construction to stop the action entirely until a proper assessment was conducted and the assessment methods were done properly. First Nations going up against the government is not an easy fight; however, the protest caused a temporary halting of construction until the court decided what to do. The court eventually decided to let the construction happen; however, President Obama gave an executive order to stop all construction until further notice. Do you think the President would have known about this situation had it not been for the protests? I think not. The point of this episode is to begin to lead for Marine Conservation. You don't have to protest for everything, but you don't have to wait for a group of people to support you to create change. In fact, Marine Conservation often starts with a leader inspiring people to create change. Just look at Dr. Sylvia Earle, who continues to inspire other Marine Scientists and Conservationists around the world through her work. Become a leader for the Ocean and Speak Up For Blue! Do you want to talk about how you can pursue a career in Marine Conservation? Send me an email and let's chat. [email protected] Because I want to talk to you! Join the Arbonne Blue Team http://www.speakupforblue.com/teamblue Instagram: @speakupforblue Snapchat: @speakupforblue SUFB Podcast: http://www.speakupforblue.com/podcast SUFB Website: http://www.speakupforblue.com 10 Ocean Tips to Conserve the Ocean: http://www.speakupforblue.com/wordpress/sufb_optinpdf

Nathan Johnson and I got together again to discuss (while fighting a bad Skype connection) some Ocean articles that we read over the past week. We were able to discuss 2 articles in particular: 1) Why the expansion of the Hawaiian National Marine Monument was just the beginning; and, 2) President Obama has a Hawaiian fish named after him. Here are some articles that we didn't get to during the show that might be interesting: 1) Climate change is inhibiting the Ocean to protect us; and, 2) Oregon bans fishing for forage fish to increase their predator populations. Do you want to talk about how you can pursue a career in Marine Conservation? Send me an email and let's chat. [email protected] Because I want to talk to you! Join the Arbonne Blue Team http://www.speakupforblue.com/teamblue Instagram: @speakupforblue Snapchat: @speakupforblue SUFB Podcast: http://www.speakupforblue.com/podcast SUFB Website: http://www.speakupforblue.com 10 Ocean Tips to Conserve the Ocean: http://www.speakupforblue.com/wordpress/sufb_optinpdf

Dr. Brett Favaro is not only a researcher at the Marine Institute at Memorial University, but he was the co-chair of the International Marine Conservation Congress (IMCC 2016) in St. John's, Newfoundland this past August. If you haven't figured it out yet, the IMCC 2016 was a bit life changing for me. Brett was kind enough to take time off his busy schedule at the IMCC to chat with me about the purpose of the conference as well as his research. Planning and overseeing a conference as big as IMCC is not easy. Not.One.Bit! It's busy and chaotic at the slowest time. Brett and his team did a great job in planning the entire conference as well as the Oceans Online afterward. It was great to chat with him about the conference at how it met its purpose. The research led by Brett on researching various ways to create sustainable fishing gear is quite interesting as well. He talks about Cod Pod nets that he is currently field testing for efficiency and safety with local fishing communities. Fisher people are often found to be the villains in the story due to over fishing; however, many fishing communities are very concerned about the environment and they have witnessed the changes the Oceans have undergone over the past decades. Collaborations are important when trying to find sustainable fishing solutions and that is what Brett and his team are doing. Brett talks about how he builds relationships with the fishing community by sharing a meal and chatting to them about everyday life. It builds respect, trust and friendship, which makes working together much easier. The community is involved in many steps of the process of the research that will help them catch more cod while avoiding bycatch. We often dismiss the work conducted by the fishing community because of their bad reputation, but the fact is, they are trying to protect the Ocean so they can live off of it and enjoy life like every body else. Do you want to talk about how you can pursue a career in Marine Conservation? Send me an email and let's chat. [email protected] Because I want to talk to you! Join the Arbonne Blue Team http://www.speakupforblue.com/teamblue Instagram: @speakupforblue Snapchat: @speakupforblue SUFB Podcast: http://www.speakupforblue.com/podcast SUFB Website: http://www.speakupforblue.com 10 Ocean Tips to Conserve the Ocean: http://www.speakupforblue.com/wordpress/sufb_optinpdf

I am pleased to announce that Ocean Talk Friday is back after a 3 week hiatus. Nathan and I got back together to discuss the latest and important topics covered in the news. Today we discussed the following topics: 1) The Hawaii National Monument expansion; 2) The economy of marine conservation; 3) Seamounts are vulnerable and we need to do something about it; 4) What to do when poverty meets marine conservation; and, 5) A celebrity donated their yatch to a marine conservation organization. Listen to the podcast to find out who the celebrity is. Do you want to talk about how you can pursue a career in Marine Conservation? Send me an email and let's chat. [email protected] Because I want to talk to you! Join the Arbonne Blue Team http://www.speakupforblue.com/teamblue Instagram: @speakupforblue Snapchat: @speakupforblue SUFB Podcast: http://www.speakupforblue.com/podcast SUFB Website: http://www.speakupforblue.com 10 Ocean Tips to Conserve the Ocean: http://www.speakupforblue.com/wordpress/sufb_optinpdf

Interview Wednesday's continues with the International Marine Conservation Congress Series where I had the chance to interview a number of people who are involved in Marine Science and Conservation. We had the chance to interview Dr. Asha DeVos from Sri Lanka for a second time at the conference to tell her story of how she became a Marine Biologist; what she thinks of the field; and, how she thinks people should approach getting into the field of Marine Conservation. All in all this was a great interview. Not just because it was our 200th episode (thanks for listening by the way); not just because Asha is an amazing person to interview because of her story, her optimistic attitude, and her outgoing personality; but, because this interview was a collaborative effort between Speak Up For Blue and the IMCCs Ocean Optimism Team Marriane Teoh and Liza Hoos. Ocean Optimism (#OceanOptimism) is an initiative that started from IMCC 3 in Scotland where members decided that they wanted to focus on communicating more positive stories to show that there is still hope for the Ocean and focus less on the "doom and gloom" style of communication because the public can't handle it after a while. Marianne and I worked together at the conference to interview a few guests together to maximize time and get the guests to discuss different stories about their experiences including the negative and the positive. The interview was conducted by Speak Up For Blue's Nathan Johnson and Marianne Teoh to get Asha's story out there in the podcast world. I was conducting a workshop during this time at the conference so I put my trust in these great people who did an amazing job! Asha is an inspiration to all Marine Conservationists and is educating people to build a Marine Conservation literacy to live for a better ocean (sound familiar? Hint: it's what we are trying to do here at Speak Up For Blue!). Listen to Dr. Asha DeVos talk about her career, her Ocean Optimism, and how she thinks we can be more effective in Marine Conservation. Do you want to talk about how you can pursue a career in Marine Conservation? Send me an email and let's chat. [email protected] Because I want to talk to you! Join the Arbonne Blue Team http://www.speakupforblue.com/teamblue Instagram: @speakupforblue Snapchat: @speakupforblue SUFB Podcast: http://www.speakupforblue.com/podcast SUFB Website: http://www.speakupforblue.com 10 Ocean Tips to Conserve the Ocean: http://www.speakupforblue.com/wordpress/sufb_optinpdf

Over the past few months, I have had the opportunity to chat with a number of people inquiring over switching their career to one in Marine Science and Conservation. Usually, the people are ranging in age between 30-50 and working in a business/finance field and they just don't find that the their career offers anything of meaning in their lives. They tend to be searching for something where they can create a positive change in the world. These are the people I love to talk to because I know they can offer the Marine Science and Conservation field a great advantage with their unique skills set. Some of you might know that I focus part of Speak Up For Blue on helping people attain a career in Marine Science and Conservation. Most of the people that I help are young, recent graduates who don't know where to begin in their search for a job, let alone building their career. They are also great people to talk to and help as many of them have science backgrounds and looking to do research, monitoring, ect. However, the people between the ages of 30-50 who are switching their careers from business/finance are a key player in Marine Science and Conservation field. I like these people because they provide a unique set of skills and a different mindset on how to approach and project. They are similar to the young science graduates in that they don't know where to begin searching for a career and often think that they have to go back to school to become a marine biologist. This thought process tends to impede people from thinking of switching careers. This is the time where I step in. I always tell people that they don't need to be a scientist to be effective in Marine Science and Conservation. It takes a lot of time and money to invest in becoming a marine scientist. There are enough marine scientists in the world. What you need is to figure out how your skill set that you offer will help the field. If you search the high level positions in non-profit organizations you will find that the Executive Directors, Program Managers and all of the other high level positions, you will find that they consist of lawyers, business people, entrepreneurs, financial people, etc. Those high level positions are attainable and your skill set may fit the description. If you are searching for a Marine Science and Conservation and you are between the ages of 30-50 years old and you are in a different field, then email me at: [email protected] Because I want to talk to you! Tune into the episode to find out more information. Join the Arbonne Blue Team http://www.speakupforblue.com/teamblue Instagram: @speakupforblue Snapchat: @speakupforblue SUFB Podcast: http://www.speakupforblue.com/podcast SUFB Website: http://www.speakupforblue.com 10 Ocean Tips to Conserve the Ocean: http://www.speakupforblue.com/wordpress/sufb_optinpdf

Marine Education is a way of building resilient Oceans for the future. You would think that anyone living along an Ocean's coast would know more about the Ocean than someone who lived inland; however, that is not always the case. There are cultural stigmas that often exist within coastal communities. For instance, Nikita Shiel-Rolle, a marine biologist in the Bahamas, said that many Bahamians cannot swim even though they live close to the shore. I sat down with Nikita at the International Marine Conservation Congress in St. John's, Newfoundland earlier this month to discuss how she is breaking stigmas and barriers by empowering local school kids through marine education and exploration of the shores by which they are growing up. Nikita's story is a great one where she speaks about leaving her country to come to Canada for school as her parents' number one focus was on education. She had to come to Canada to get her education, but now she has come home to teach the next provides the chance for the next generation to become inspired through exploring their beautiful shores and become marine stewards of the future. She has not only provided the above, but she has also shown her students the wonders of learning science and math, which is translating into increased success in schools to which the graduation rate will increase from 50%. Enjoy getting to know Nikita, who by the way is just an AMAZING person! Check out the Young Marine Explorer's Website: http://www.ymebahamas.org/index.html Learn more about Nikita Shiel-Rolle: http://www.shielrolle.com/blog.html Join the Arbonne Blue Team http://www.speakupforblue.com/teamblue Instagram: @speakupforblue Snapchat: @speakupforblue SUFB Podcast: http://www.speakupforblue.com/podcast SUFB Website: http://www.speakupforblue.com 10 Ocean Tips to Conserve the Ocean: http://www.speakupforblue.com/wordpress/sufb_optinpdf

The current model for marine conservation funding is flawed because scientists and conservationists cannot fund for their infrastructure anymore. They can only fund based on projects and results. As usual, some organizations took advantage of the old funding model and results were not received by the foundations so everyone now suffers. Project based funding coupled with more organizations seeking funding impedes everyone from sharing money and only certain organizations, government departments and academics get funded well. Individuals and organizations are searching for ways by which they can raise funds to follow their passions and protect the ocean the best way they know how. These ways many not fit with missions for many organizations, so they tend not to get funded by foundations and other grantees. The individuals and organizations are turning to the web to raise funds through crowdfunding. I cover a few examples of crowdsource funding initiatives by some individuals to help get their campaigns out there (and hopefully their work will get you to contribute) and raise awareness that crowdsourcing is a great funding opportunity for many people and organizations within the Marine Conservation Field. I discuss the following campaigns: Andrew David Thaler - https://www.patreon.com/andrew-thaler Wallace J. Nichols - https://www.patreon.com/wallacejnichols David Shiffman - https://experiment.com/projects/what-are-the-feeding-habits-of-threatened-sharks Craig McClain - https://experiment.com/projects/wood-is-it-what-s-for-dinner Susan R. Eaton - https://www.gofundme.com/susanreaton Join the Arbonne Blue Team http://www.speakupforblue.com/teamblue Instagram: @speakupforblue Snapchat: @speakupforblue SUFB Podcast: http://www.speakupforblue.com/podcast SUFB Website: http://www.speakupforblue.com 10 Ocean Tips to Conserve the Ocean: http://www.speakupforblue.com/wordpress/sufb_optinpdf

In the absence of an Ocean Talk Friday, I picked 2 stories that cover some of our favorite topics (Climate Change and Sharks) to discuss. The first story is about how the US is still divisive on the issue of climate change (ugh!). I talk about the frustrations of hearing arguments against climate change based on a belief system as opposed to adapting to its consequences and reducing our climate change impact. The second story is about the age of the Greenland Shark. It's old! How old? Well, it's older than Canada and the US! That's old. In fact, it's now considered the oldest vertebrate. Crazy! I talk about how cool it is to find out the age and how the age will dictate management of this species in the face of mounting pressure due to non other than climate change. Listen to the podcast for more details on both stories. Join the Arbonne Blue Team http://www.speakupforblue.com/teamblue Instagram: @speakupforblue SUFB Podcast: http://www.speakupforblue.com/podcast SUFB Website: http://www.speakupforblue.com 10 Ocean Tips to Conserve the Ocean: http://www.speakupforblue.com/wordpress/sufb_optinpdf

I had the chance to sit down with Dr. Easkey Britton during the International Marine Conservation Congress at the beginning of August for a 1 one 1 interview to discuss all the cool things that she is doing around the world. Easkey describes how a surfing trip to Iran (yes, Iran!) changed the lives of many young Iranians by introducing them to surfing and bringing them together as a community. Surfing was introduced to the community in 2010 and Easkey has gone back for a purposeful visit ever since. The community now surfs and takes care of their connected Ocean. Surfing also brought Easkey to Papua New Guinea to help build a surfing community and bring together local people. This community is growing stronger everyday by tackling a major issue in the Island Nation of domestic violence. The community painted the tip of their surf boards to show solidarity within their own community as well as show the abusers that their tyranny will not be tolerated. Easkey is a person who is dedicated to facilitating social and environmental change through surfing and building close ties to communities. Join the Arbonne Blue Team http://www.speakupforblue.com/teamblue Instagram: @speakupforblue SUFB Podcast: http://www.speakupforblue.com/podcast SUFB Website: http://www.speakupforblue.com 10 Ocean Tips to Conserve the Ocean: http://www.speakupforblue.com/wordpress/sufb_optinpdf

The Marine Conservation community is large and represented from all parts of the Earth. More and more people are entering this wonderful community every day, but they aren't sure how they can help protect the Ocean to the point that they might give up because the problems are too big and they don't think they can bring about change. Well, I can't have that! So I decided to list these 7 ways that you can help conserve the Ocean to prevent you from being too overwhelmed. There are many other ways that you can help conserve the Ocean, but I feel that these are good beginner steps to getting what you want and feeling good about what you are doing. Don't Panic, take a breath I get many messages from the Speak Up For Blue Podcast audience members after they listen to a show where I describe an issue and send me an email saying that they can't believe we, as humans, can be so stupid to treat our Oceans the way they do. They are angry and shocked and want to yell at the world! I promptly reply for then to not panic and take a breath. They don't want to approach people who are doing something to contribute to an Ocean issue aggressively and make that person angry for being called out. This attitude will not change the way people act in their lives or towards the ocean. Marine Conservation should be conducted in a positive way and provide the chance for people to change their habits. People contribute to Ocean issues without realizing they are doing anything wrong. You and I may be doing something that contributes to the problem every day, but we are unaware. For example, I did an interview with Stu Landesberg, CEO of the Grove Collaborative (formerly epantry), who sold certified eco-friendly cleaning supplies online. He described to me the way products on a store shelf differ from products sent via online purchases. The former has to compete on a shelf with other similar products and they have to last a certain time period on the shelf. The products are often sold in large, bright plastic containers that are not easily recyclable. They also contain chemicals that act as preservatives to ensure the product doesn't spoil on the shelf. Those chemicals may not be as good for you as you thought (you would be surprised). The point is we live in a world where we waste and consume products that are not good for us or the environment, including the Oceans. It's good to understand the issues, but don't get too caught up in the anger and use that anger to change behaviour for conservation. Think Globally, act locally Think Globally, act locally is a term you probably heard bused by many environmentalists around the world. It's such a cat phrase that often people use it in jokes, but the statement is so very true especially in Ocean Conservation. After you finish panicking, it's good to take note of the major Ocean issues that we are facing: Plastic Pollution, Climate Change, Overfishing, Water Quality and Coastal Development are just a few of the major issues we not only face, but cause. Each issue is widespread enough that the consequences extend across the Ocean having a Global impact. Breakdown the problem by thinking how you can act locally that will remedy this problem. For example, decreasing overfishing will require you to eat seafood more sustainably and responsibly to avoid fish that are overfished. The Seafood Watch program will allow you to eat seafood with a conscious as the program is updated frequently to allow you to create informed decisions on your meals. I use my Seafood Watch App for my iPhone to ask the waiter or retailer whether the seafood was caught sustainably. If they don't know, then I tell them that I don't want the seafood because they don't know how it was caught. Start at home It's always good to start conservation at home as there are so many things that we can conserve including energy, water, plastic, and cleaning supplies covering four of the major issues I mention above. Each conservation action requires a change in behaviour by you and your family, but they don't require a ton of changes. You can even start slowly by reducing the amount of plastic bags used in your home or eliminate plastic utensils from your house. You can buy a digital thermostat to control your heat/air conditioning by setting it at different temps throughout the day to save on energy. Starting your conservation efforts are small but significant changes that can really reduce your Ocean Issue footprint. It just takes a little time to get used to some of the changes, but once you are in the full swing of things you feel better about yourself. Become a leader in your community Your leadership at home can transfer into your community through actions. It is easy to show others that you care about the state of the environment in your community whether you live by the coast or inland. Debris and plastic pollution is quite hi in the spring after the snow melts. This past spring, my wife and two daughters went out to clean a port

Marine conservation is a wide ranging field in which people all over the world, from various cultural, professional and religious backgrounds take part. Why? It's because they have a great passion for conserving the Ocean. Regardless of the passion, the field is huge and it can be difficult to find a way that you can "fit in" to the field to make a significant impact in the area you specialize let along in the marine conservation field in general. I still struggle with finding the way I can have a positive influence and build a legacy for my daughters and their generation to continue to build on it and live for a better Ocean. With that said, I feel as though I am close to following that path (after 15 years of searching!) after attending the International Marine Conservation Congress (IMCC4). I was excited to attend the IMMC4 conference because I attended IMCC2 four years ago and met some wonderful people. Two and a half years ago, I attended another conference called the Oceans Online Conference, which focused on communication Marine Science and Conservation to the public. Many of the people at IMCC2 where at Oceans Online and I formed some great business relationships and friendships. The people are the main reason I go to Marine Conservation Conferences. It therefore made sense to me to go to IMCC4 where Oceans Online was going to be held in the same place by IMCC4. This was going to be fun. Working as a Marine Conservationist and Scientist in Ontario gets a bit lonely at times, so I jump on any opportunity to meet with friends and colleagues and I look forward to meeting new people to forge new relationships…and I met some amazing people. The people that I met were so amazing that I decided to record a podcast and this accompanying blog post about meeting them and how the people inspired me to venture down a path where I can really have a positive influence in the Marine Conservation field. Here are 4 women who helped further inspire me to follow my passion. I must note that all 4 people are women and 3 of the 4 women were plenary speakers (I also think the other woman could have easily been a plenary speaker!). Dr. Asha de Vos , Marine Mammologist with a Focus on Blue Whale Distribution and Human Impacts I had the chance to hang out with Asha during the conference even though I missed her plenary talk as I arrived the night she spoke (she spoke earlier in the evening). I was told by colleagues that very night and throughout the conference that here plenary was "life changing" (so were the other plenary talks). Asha is from Sri Lanka and has her PhD in Marine Biology. It's not fair to rewrite her entire journey when you can find it on her website; however, I will say that this woman is awesome! Her passion for understanding the distribution and health of a large blue whale population brought her to deal with the Sri Lankan government to reroute shipping lanes in order to avoid ship strikes on whales. The ships were sailing in and out of one of the largest ports in the world and Asha was ready to work with them to protect the environment and promote tourism opportunities to view blue whales (the largest animal on the planet!). Working with government and trying to reroute shipping lanes took her down a challenging path including death threats because people thought she was trying to shut the port down (which was not true); discrimination; and, sexism. Regardless of the challenges, Asha says she continues to work to understand and protect the iconic blue whale species because we have to protect them, there is no other way around it! Nikita Sheil-Rolle, Marine Biologist working with students to educate them on the Ocean and solving social problems in the meantime. Nikita sat down with me for an interview on the podcast (the interview will be posted within the next couple of weeks) to discuss how she has transformed the lives of Bahamian school children through a marine education program. Nikita made me aware that the current graduation rate of Bahamian school children was 50%; therefore, she decided to incorporate parts of the school children's curriculum into her program to get them excited about learning about the Ocean and the subjects in school. The program is for 2 hours 3 days a week after school and 4 hours of Saturday. Since the programs start, crime in the local area has decreased significantly. In fact, Nikita recently won an award for Youth Development in the Bahamas for her tremendous work with school children. As you can see, Nikita has transformed the lives of children in a positive way creating a generation of marine stewards to take care of the ocean. Dr. Easkey Britton, Former Pro Surfer, Social Entrepreneur, and Marine Scientist building social change and marine awareness and protection through surfing. Easkey was a plenary speaker at the end of the conference highlighting her accomplishments that she and her teams have accomplished over the past number of years. I also sat down with Eas