Mongabay just published an article on how researchers have discovered 3 new species, including a blood red-coloured branching coral in a protected area off the coast of Panama. 

The species Thesea dalioi is 1 of 2 species found in the Eastern Pacific Ocean and 1 of 27 species in the coral group. The species was named after Ray Dalio, a US philanthropist who funded the research and made it possible for the species to be discovered. 

It's important to provide funding to research similar to this so that we have an opportunity to discover new species. Any new species, especially those with regenerative properties, can be useful in the biomedical markets to help find cures for various human diseases. 

What do you think of the species? Let me know in the Facebook Group. 

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It's been a while since I've done an episode where I told you the purpose of this podcast and why I recently made the business, Speak Up For Blue Media and Communications Inc., real! 

I also wanted to do this because there are many new users as of late and I wanted to make sure that all of you know what Speak Up For Blue (SUFB) is about and why I made it a business. 

You also find out where I want to take this business in the future. 

If you have any questions about the me, the podcasts or the company, feel free to connect with me via email (andrew(at)speakupforblue.com). 

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Japan has hunted whales in the South Pacific Ocean for decades killing hundreds of whales each year under the "scientific purpose" tag. We all know the tag is not true, but no country can do anything about the loophole in the International Whaling Commission's (IWC) policy. 

However, after the latest vote of maintaining a moratorium on whaling, Japan threatened to leave the IWC. If they leave, they will want to start whaling in full force, but will there finally be legal action to take on Japan's whaling efforts? Some people in Australia think so and are pressuring their government to try and stop Japanese whaling whether or not Japan remains part of the IWC. 

Find out how by listening to the podcast.

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Two people were bitten by sharks in Australia within a 24 hour period. I don't even know what the chances of having a shark bite within the same bay in 24 hours are; however, the right thing to do is not kill sharks. We know it doesn't reduce the incidents of shark bites. Politicians think that it helps solve the problem. 

Take a listen to the episode and let me know what you think in the Facebook Group.

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There are so many marine parks that hold marine mammals in captivity in Asia. It's ridiculous!!! It seems that the marine mammal theme park in Asian countries is thriving, except maybe it has hit a bit of a downturn. A marine park just outside Tokyo, Japan closed its doors due to low attendance. The problem is that the owners LEFT THE ANIMALS AT THE PARK!!!!

Fish, penguins and a lone dolphin named Honey was left behind with only a few people to take care of there well being. This is just a small problem with the lack of accountability of these types of theme parks. 

The Rick O'Barry Dolphin Project team was allowed to visit the dolphin to check on its well being. The team reported that the dolphin was in water that was below standard and that it didn't swim around the entire 2 hours of the visit. 

How can anyone leave an animal abandoned like that is beyond me!!!

You know how I feel, now let me know your thoughts in the Facebook Group.

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I took part in a discussion in a different Facebook Group that had to do with growing a Social Enterprise. The discussion was a question regarding Dead Zones in the Ocean. The question came up after I introduced myself in the group as a Marine Ecologist to which I usually get a reply regarding a question about the Ocean.

The question of what is a Dead Zone in the Ocean was quickly followed up by someone saying they didn't think Scientists new the cause of the dead zone. As a Marine Ecologist, I had to step in. I told the person what they were, how they were caused and what we can do to decrease the spatial extent of these dead zones. 

I decided to reiterate what I wrote in the discussion here, on the podcast in case you hadn't heard of them either. 

Listen to the episode and let me know in the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group whether you have heard of dead zones.

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PETA is spending some energy on a small Lobster Shell Company in New Brunswick, Canada as the company was in the news due to the smell coming from the plant. The smell was bothering neighbours. The company has since worked on rectifying the issue, but PETA has a permanent solution for the plant. You won't get a smell if you stop killing lobsters and other shellfish.

However, the are some problems with that way of thinking. Firstly, the people who work at the plant or even in the shellfish industry would be out of work. How would they earn a living when they are only trained as fishers and fishing has been in their family for generations. Secondly, the company recycles the unused shells of lobsters, crabs and shrimp to grind them into a powder for export to asian markets for the bio-medical industry and fertilizer. The process uses the wasted parts of the shellfish, which is great because now the entire animal is put to great use. 

PETA wants all people to convert to a vegan diet as it will keep animals alive; however, they lose credibility when they equate lobsters as people. Their campaigns are aggressive and show no compassion for the fisher, in this case. It's all or nothing for PETA and that isn't how conservation works. 

Take a listen to the podcast and let me know in the Facebook Group if you agree/disagree with me.  

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The Trump administration is holding a set of public listening meeting between August 31st and November on the topic of allowing commercial fishing in Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). You might be asking "why would anyone allow commercial fishing in MPAs that are probably designed to protect habitats from overfishing?" And you are completely right. There really is no reason for this type of deregulation.

The reason the Trump administration is using is because of the country's seafood trade deficit. The Seafood trade is measured based on the value of the country's exports vs the country's imports. 

I take the time to run through why Dr. Martin Smith form Duke University says the US should have a Seafood Trade deficit.

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There is a BIG problem in the Marine Science and Conservation field and it goes with how the science and research is shared. Science in itself is supposed to be freely shared amongst the public; however, that is not the case. Journals hold the vital research methodologies and results behind a paywall that is only available to people who can afford the annual access of a set of journals that could equal upwards of $5 million.

Over a number of episodes, I will be speaking with today's guest, Nick Wehner from OCTO (Open Communications For The Ocean) about the ins and outs of the journal field that holds one of the biggest problems in sharing information.

Enjoy the Podcast!!!

Check out MarXiv that allows authors to share their pre-print papers in Marine Science and Conservation.

MarXiv Twitter

OCTO Twitter

If you have a view on this issue, let me know what you have to say in the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group.

The Southern Resident Orca population is a terrible shape. The Orca known as J50 has recently disappeared causing concern for scientists, conservationists and advocates in Canada and the US. There are now only 74 Orcas left in that population. 

The major contributing factors to the situation with the Orca population are the lack of chinook salmon and the increase of ship traffic along the West Coast of North America causes risk of ship strikes and underwater noise.

There are a number of organizations that do not think the Canadian Government is doing enough to protect the Orcas, so they decided to sue them. 

I discuss what they want the Government to do and why during this episode.

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Do you think the organizations should sue the government for the action that is rarely used? Let me know in the Facebook Group.

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Overfishing is putting a dent in the oceans seafood supply; however, it is difficult to quantify what damage has been done. Scientists are trying to determine the damage from overfishing by trying to determine the amount of the ocean we are fishing. There are a couple of labs that used a global fishing dataset to assess the amount of ocean is taken up by fishing. The two labs have come to very different conclusions based on one particular difference in the analysis. 

I cover the difference and discuss the ramifications of those differences for managing the future of our ocean's fish stocks.

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Let me know in the Facebook Group which method you think is correct.

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A juvenile Tiger Shark was caught off the coast of Nova Scotia surprising researchers and the public. Some commenters were worried about the fact that tiger sharks may be present in Canadian waters. However, it doesn't seem likely that Tiger Sharks will be plentiful in the cool, temperate waters of Canada. Not yet anyway.

I take time during the episode to explain two possibilities as to why a tiger shark might be present in temperature waters. 

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Let me know what you thought of the show in the Facebook Group. I like explaining some Ocean process and think I might do more in the future.

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A student was bitten by a shark in the shallow waters off a popular beach in Cape Cod. The student, from Brazil, was boogie boarding with his girlfriend's brother when the shark bit him. He lost his leg and later died of his wounds at the hospital. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends during this tragic time.

During this episode, I comment on the way the news depicts the event and go over how to avoid get bitten.

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Do you have any tips on how you can avoid a shark bite that I didn't cover here? Let me know in the Facebook Group.

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Hurricane Florence came through North Carolina, South Carolina and parts of Virginia whirling 105 mph winds and ocean waves recorded as high as 80 feet. Rains, winds and floods have taken the lives of 17 people in the states and causing an estimated $22 Billion. The hurricane is moving north towards New York and New Jersey after it moved back out to sea where it is now classified as a Category 2.

Now we discuss getting people safe and looking to the future on how to put people in office that will provide regulations to help their state adapt to climate change safely.

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Flooding Areas Update

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Do you live in a hurricane state? Let me know in the Facebook Group what your thoughts are on the damage and the lack of management in certain states.

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The second portion of my conversation with Dr. Austin Gallagher goes a bit deeper into what behaviour is expected and required for Oceanpreneurs. 

Remember, these tips are based on our experience. You may have different experiences based on your entrepreneurial path. We would love to here what your tips would be in our Facebook Group.

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I have had the opportunity in life to pursue a business idea that I feel will leave a legacy in Marine Science and Conservation. I wanted to do it because I felt that the ideas that I had could not be done with any other organization, government department or company as I have a vision as to how it would move forward. I became an Oceanpreneur and I am not the only one out there.

There are more people everyday seeking a way to innovate and create an new path to conduct Marine Science and Conservation. Dr. Austin Gallagher is one of those people and he contacted me last week with an idea for a show. The idea was to offer 10 tips for Oceanpreneurs as a way to share our experiences and lessons learned over our careers. 

This episode consists of tips 1-5 (the show is longer than our regular intervals...sorry, but we had a lot to say) and tomorrow's episode will consist of tips 6-10. 

If you are, or thinking about becoming an Oceanpreneur, listen to this episode and let us know what you think in the Facebook Group.

Austin's Information:

Website: Beneath The Waves

Twitter

Instagram

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Consider joining the Patreon Community to support our show and check out what we are doing with Speak Up For Blue, after all, I am a self proclaimed Oceanpreneur. 

Coral Reefs all over the world have been plagued by increasing temperatures due to Climate Change over the past 100 or so years. Researchers, conservationists and the rest of the world are concerned about the well being of one of the most diverse habitats in the world. 

Coral Reef habitats have been around for millions of years as they build their skeleton with symbiotic algae called zooxanthellae, which are microscopic algae that conduct photosynthesis in the coral skeleton and whose byproducts allow the coral to build it's skeleton. 

Increasing temperatures in the Ocean cause the zooxanthellae to leave the coral as the temperatures are too warm. The result is a white coloured coral that could die if the algae does not come back to the coral. The term for this process is known as coral bleaching. 

Bleaching is occurring everywhere and as long as temperatures continue to rise, bleaching will not stop; however, there may be a solution that lies in the diversity of the zooxanthellae.

Many of the species that we know today have a narrow temperature range, but there are some species that tolerate higher temperatures. These species could carry some corals into the new temperature ranges that we are seeing today.

Check out the episode for more information on this topic and let me know what you think in the Facebook Group.

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The California Governor has signed the bill to halt the Federal Oil and Gas expansion. The Bill is in response to the Trump Administration's heavy push to expand fossil fuel development to drill in every ocean surrounding the US. 

The governors of the Western States have protested the expansion, especially California where they have suffered through 2 oil spills since 1969. The people of California do not forget the economic troubles they had after the Santa Barbara spills. The governor of California does not want to put his citizens through that ordeal again.

So California has made a stand. Will it be enough? Let me know what you think in the Facebook Group.

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A crazy story emerged out of Kuwait recently where a fish market was shutdown because it pasted googly eyes on its fish that it was selling. I am not lying...this actually happened. Insane...right?!?!

Sharkwater was responsible for the inspiration of thousands of people to become shark advocates, film makers and conservationists. The movie exposed the lucrative and destructive industry of shark finning. 

Rob Stewart's new movie, called Sharkwater Extinction, was released by the his family and friends after the director/film maker passed away in a diving accident. The movie is designed to inspire more people to work to protect sharks. 

I had the opportunity to attend the Movie Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (Tiff). Angelo Villagomez invited me to attend the movie with him as he received an invitation from Rob's family (Angelo was close to Rob). 

I wanted to share my thoughts with you on the movie during this episode.

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Let me know in the Facebook Group if you plan on attending the movie when it's released.

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The New Zealand Government realized that its Department of Conservation's Wildlife Act does not have the authority to provide permits to dive operations that offer Shark Cage Diving Tours as it goes against the Wildlife Act. A court of Appeals recently ruled that the Wildlife Act has the authority to manage whether animals can live or die based on a permitting system, but not as a tourism focus.

The decision arose as the Paua Industry sued the government for giving permits to Shark Dive Tour Operators as they claimed it caused the sharks to get used to approaching humans for food (conditioned to approach the cage).

I feel bad for the operators as it will hit their income hard; however, managing the Ocean needs to include all stakeholders. The Stakeholders are users that may have a conflict with one another. 

I talk more about this during the episode. Have a listen and let me know what you think about in the Facebook Group.

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The Great Barrier Reef Foundation recently received a whopping $443.3 million to help the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) adapt to climate change. 

Climate Change has taking its toll on the GBR destroying close to 90% of the reef through mass bleaching events. The Australian government trying to protect the reef by investing in its protection. However, there are some critics that believe the GBR Foundation is not capable or qualified to use/distribute the money.

Dr. Peter J. Mumby, who is an esteemed expert in Coral Reef Management in the face of climate change, was recently appointed as part-time chief scientist. He wrote an article in The Conversation, where he justifies why the foundation is well suited for this project.

Take a listen to the podcast as I discuss his reasons and why I feel better that Dr. Mumby is involved in this project.

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Did Peter Mumby make you feel better about the fact that the Great Barrier Reef is in charge of the money? Share your thoughts in the Facebook Group.

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How do you get rid of an invasive species (lionfish) that has reeked havoc on coral reefs along the east coast of the US and in the Caribbean? You build a killer robot of course!!! 

Students from the Worecester Polytechnic Institute (WPI)have creator an autonomous underwater vehicle that can identify lionfish, spear them and float the fish to the Ocean surface. Pretty cool, right? 

Check out the podcast to find out how it's done.

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Do you think the robot will help eliminate invasive lionfish? Let me know in the Facebook Group.

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When 100 seals were found in August (2018), researchers were concerned that there is something in the water that is causing the mass die off. The data shows that this is an above average mortality rate, which is normally 38 (10-year average). Unfortunately, researchers still don't know the cause. 

Susan Shaw a marine mammal biologist that specializes in contamination hypothesizes that the die off is due to PCBs in the water. 

More information is in the episode...take a listen.

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Let me know what you think is causing the mass die off of seals. Go to the Facebook Group.

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The High Seas take up most of the Oceans, but they are not governed by any one entity. The lack of governance opens the High Seas to plundering of fish and allowing more pollution that is unregulated. 

There is a meeting taking place this week at the UN in New York City this week with the goal for countries to sign a treaty to protect the high seas and manage its resources better. Not all countries are interested though. It could be a tough sell.

Check out the episode and let me know in the Facebook Group whether you think all of the countries will sign on to the treaty.

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It's my 40th Birthday!!! I don't normally say much about my birthday, but since this is my 40th...it's a big deal.

As I get older, I want to make sure that I take care of my health to avoid any health problems in the future. I am also more aware about the types of food that eat to make sure they are sustainable. 

Ensuring food is sustainable is not easy. In this episode, I talk about an article in the Guardian that discusses some of the common misconceptions in the health & sustainability food industry.

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Want to be more sustainable? Order a Speak Up For Blue Travel Mug from our store. Click Here.

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How do you makes sure you live sustainably? Let me know if the Facebook Group.

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The fight against Climate Change can be a difficult battle, at least when you look at it from the Canadian Government's perspective. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been trying to get a pipeline approved that will run from the tar sands in Alberta to the coastline in British Columbia. However, the Canadian courts have a different viewpoint. 

The court ruled that the approval process for the pipeline expansion was flawed in that in did not consider increased shipping traffic in the environmental assessment and the government did not consult properly with Indigenous people.

It's a complicated story, so I explain it in this episode.

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Let me know what side you fall on in the Facebook Group.

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Kelp habitat is one of the riches and most diverse habitats in the Ocean. It's why most governments will do their best to protect them. Scotland is one of those countries. It anyone in Scotland wants to get a permit to use kelp in their business, they would only be able to cut the tops to allow for regrowth. That makes sense...it's sustainable.

However, there is a company called Marine Biopolymers, a biochemical company, that would like to dredge swaths of kelp beds for its own use. Not very sustainable. 

I don't really understand why the company would choose to dredge the kelp forests when they could farm it. 

Check out the episode to find out more.

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A collaboration of researchers and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute discovered an 85 linear mile swath of deep sea Coral Reef off the Atlantic Coast of the US. The discovery comes after the Okeanos had mapped a number of deep sea mounds. 

The coral reefs can house a diverse array of species and attract predators such as the swordfish that was observed by Woods Hole's ROV, Alvin. The reef could become a protected area as it would be important for fisheries and it would prevent oil and gas develop that is earmarked for the Atlantic Ocean.

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Do you think the deep sea coral reef will become a protected area? Let us know in the Facebook Group (it's free to join!!!).

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A huge Marine Conservation win today as the State of California passed a law that would ban the use of drift gillnets for the swordfish licenses in state waters. There are less than 20 swordfish permits in the state and compensation will be offered to those who retire their nets and/or permits early. 

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Tell us your thoughts on this huge win in our Facebook Group.

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