This has been an interesting week for Climate Change in Canada. The Federal Government roled out the Carbon Tax for Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and New Brunswick, then the government released a report that Canada was warming more than what we initially thought, and then the Environment Commissioner came out with a scathing report saying that the government was not doing enough about reducing Climate Change.

I posted a number of these articles on social media and I read the comments on my posts as well as others. I was very surprised to see the lack of support for anything that was proposed to reduce Climate Change from people in my friends' network as well as many others that were not in my network. 

How do we reach those people and what message do we give them to help us? Share your thoughts in the Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean.

Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

I am very happy to present this interview I had with Erica Moulton, Director of STEM at St. Petersburg College and fellow Oceanpreneur. We chat about all her projects that she has on the go because they each contribute to Marine Conservation in different ways. 

Erica's Director position at the college offers students a chance to get a feel for the hands-on work it will take for various jobs in STEM so there are no surprises in the future after the students graduate. Students get a taste for the field during their time at the college.

Erica's for-profit business sells kits to schools and other groups to build their very own PVC Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV). People of all ages have a chance to learn how to use technology for underwater exploration and learn to troubleshoot problems that arise in the field.

Erica's Center For Ocean Exploration is a Citizen Science program that works with the community to help clean up beads in Local Bays after a parade where plastic beads are given out to people for free. The beads end up in the bay from improper disposal. 

As you can see, Erica is a rockstar Oceanpreneur who is very busy. During the Interview, Erica discusses how she doesn't watch TV so these ventures keep her busy. 

Did you ever want to become an Oceanpreneur? Share your thoughts in the Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean.

Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

Maxime Ducker, the founder of OurGoodBrands.com, joins me on the podcast to discuss her work profiling and promoting great brands that do social and environmental good. 

Maxime provides us with information on Social Enterprise trends in the social impact sectors. We discuss 4Oceans, the Fashion Sector, and the Zero Waste Living sector.

Consider visiting OurGoodBrands.com to find out more about trends in the social enterprise sectors that could help you live for a better Ocean.

Do you have a specific social good brand that you love? Share your thoughts in the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean.

Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

I published an episode on herring fishers in British Columbia that were harassing sea lions, who were also catching herring. the trouble was, the herring were being caught by sea lions while in the fisher's gill nets. I asked the question "Who has priority over the herring?"

I felt bad for both sides of the issue (the fishers and the sea lions), but as a conservationist, I tended to side with the sea lions. To get a feel for how fishers thought about the issue, I asked some recreational fishermen in the Fish Nerds Podcast group last week. I was happy to find that I got responses!

Check out the episode for the responses and let me know what you thought of them in the Speak Up For Blue Ocean Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean.

Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

Canada has finally implemented its Carbon tax for the remaining provinces who hadn't yet implemented the Federally mandated program. The Provinces had a chance to implement their own carbon tax; however, Conservative leadership in the provinces of Ontario, Manitoba, New Brunswick, and Saskatchewan refused to abide by the plan. Therefore, the Federal government instituted its own Carbon Tax for the provinces. 

There are many people in Canada who hate paying taxes and have many reasons for opposing the tax. All in all, people don't think it's going to work and/or they don't trust the governments to manage the money.

I go through the top 10 myths of the Carbon Tax for Canadians and provide the true facts proving each myth wrong. 

Do you agree with the Carbon Tax? Share your thoughts in the Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean.

Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

A new article in Think Progress has reported that Renewable Energy, such as solar and wind, are becoming more competitive than coal and natural gas as prices for batteries (for energy storage) and manufacturing parts drop. 

The article comes at a time when the President of the United States mocked wind energy at a recent rally. We all know that the President backs fossil fuel energy as many of the Republic Donors are from the industry. 

The point of this episode is to let you know that even though some people are repeating old rhetoric about Renewable Energy sources, it doesn't mean people aren't moving full steam ahead on making the energy market more efficient. 

What do you think of Renewable Energy? Share your thoughts in the Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean.

Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez has been shaking up Congress on many levels including calling out banks who support fossil fuels, calling out crooked business people making shaded deals, and backing the Green New Deal. 

The Republicans have decided to attack the Green New Deal and anyone who is trying to address Climate Change and tagging them as "The Elite Left." You would think that this rhetoric should be ignored as it is the furthest from the truth; however, the rhetoric travels and becomes part of the conversation in these times that can sink any deal including the Green New Deal. AOC is not having it and she decided to meet her critics head-on.

I add a bit of commentary and play AOC's rant in this episode because I think it's important to hear. Not just as people on the right or the left of the political spectrum, but as human beings and realize the lives that can be saved by addressing Climate Change.

Source of Clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9F9NDWshLs&t=300s

What did you think of AOC's comments? Let me know in the Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean.

Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

This is a listener request episode, where Alexandra Avila emailed me to ask me how the size of Marine Protected Areas (MPA) was determined for nearshore fisheries. Of course, the size of an MPA varies from place to place and fish to fish (some times the MPA is protecting several different species). Therefore, you will really need to listen to the episode to hear my answer. 

Do you have anything to add? Share your thoughts in the Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean.

Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

Ocean Optimism is always good to have when trying to do Marine Conservation; however, the optimism is quickly dissipating with the Vaquita in the Sea of Cortez, Mexico. 

As you may know, the small porpoise that is known as the Vaquita is closer to extinction every day because of the fishery of another endangered species called the totoaba, which is fished for its swim bladder and shipped to Asia for "medicinal" purposes. 

There may be a slight chance in their recovery as researchers may have been mistaken regarding the frequency of births among the vaquita population as there may have been a mistake in estimating the number of times a sexually mature female will reproduce. It used to be every 2 years and now it may be every year. 

Do you think reproducing once a year will help with the recovery of the Vaquita? Share your thoughts in the Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean.

We are always asked by Marine Conservation organizations for their support for the work that they do. The organizations often ask us for money to help fund their work, but there are other ways in which we can support organizations without having to fork over our hard-earned money that we may not be able to donate. 

In this episode, I discuss the Marine Conservation Organizations that I love and how I support them. I take my time in supporting them. I get to know the organizations via social media or when I meet someone who works for the organization. I use a variety of different support methods that range from share posts/reports to serving on the board of directors.

Who do you support and how do you support them? Share your strategies in the Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean.

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are a great tool in the Conservation toolbelt as they have, do, and continue to protect fisheries and biodiversity all over the world; however, MPAs do not protect certain species from other human disturbances such water pollution and climate change. 

A new Mongabay article covered a paper that was authored by John Bruno and a team of scientists that reviewed 18 peer-reviewed articles that studied the recovery of reef-building corals within MPAs compared to the corals outside MPAs. The researchers found that there was no difference in health because Climate Change played a more important role in affecting the corals' health. 

It's important to know that MPAs can help protect species, habitats, and special ocean environments (spawning and nursery habitats), but it can't protect everything. I discuss why that is during this episode. 

Take a listen to find out why.  

Do you like Marine Protected Areas? Share your thoughts in this article and MPAs in our Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean.

Buying seafood is a difficult process these days, especially if you would like to buy sustainably caught seafood. There are so many things to take into account such as farmed vs wild caught, how the seafood was caught, where it was caught, and who caught it.

Then, when you finally think you have everything solved with apps such as Seafood Watch and programs such as Ocean Wise, you find out that the seafood you bought has a 48% chance (in Canadian cities) that it may not be the seafood you thought you were buying, or as it was advertised. In other words, seafood fraud is a big problem. 

So how do you buy seafood that solves all of the problems highlighted above? So search for the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) label. MSC works with 400 fisheries around the world throughout the entire supply chain to ensure its 30,000 products that carry the MSC label are sustainable.

Lucy Erickson, the Science Communications Manager for MSC, joins me on the podcast to discuss how the MSC program works and to give us hope in fisheries for the future. 

Do you buy MSC products? Share your experiences in the Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. 

Links Associated With MSC:

https://www.msc.org/

https://www.msc.org/en-us/

MSC Fisheries Standards: https://www.msc.org/standards-and-certification/developing-our-standards/the-fisheries-standard-review

Avoid Being Duped By Seafood Fraud:

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2196872-a-third-of-fish-sold-is-mislabelled-heres-how-to-avoid-being-duped/#.XJUJXBM9tkw.twitter

Nick Wehner joins me on the podcast today to discuss some huge news from the ongoing world of Pay Wall Journals vs Open Access Journals. The University of California has officially ended its contract with the publisher Elsevier, which was worth $11 million. UC said it was ending the contract to continue its pursuit of more available Open Access documents. 

A whopping 70% of Marine Conservation Managers do not have access to scientific journals that can provide the managers with informed decisions based on the most recent science and conservation studies. The expense for the yearly subscriptions for the journals is way out of the budget for most managers, small universities, and some state/provincial governments.

Controlling access to the information in the journals defeats the purpose of science, which is to share data with the world. The paywall journals make hundreds of millions of dollars per year on subscriptions to scientific studies without paying the scientists who pay to produce the material.

Do you think the UC deal will affect the paywall journal business model in the near future? Share your thoughts in the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean.  

Florida is thinking of banning plastic straws in the state, but not before a 5-year study to see how it would impact the people of Florida. You are probably wondering why Florida would wait for 5 years, or you might be rolling your eyes saying "Oh Florida!!!"

However, I don't necessarily disagree with the State government on this matter. Banning plastic straws altogether could be bad for people with disabilities, who cannot use alternatives such as metal or paper straws. An all-out ban on plastic straws could exclude people with disabilities; therefore, it makes sense do a study. 

I think we all need to realize that governments move slowly for a reason: They have to get it right. If the state government is going to pass a bill, the state can't just amend it easily if they make a mistake. A 5-year study may seem like a long time, but it takes time to do science right. 

I just hope that any exceptions will be found quickly and we can see a 90% ban come into place soon.

Do you think the Florida government is doing the right thing? Share your thoughts in the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. 

Have you ever wondered why Mako sharks swim so fast through the water? Well, researchers have found out how they are able to handle the resistance of a medium such as salt water. It all comes down to their denticles. 

Mako sharks have flexible denticles that move to lower the resistance of water in places that will offer the most resistance (the gills) where flow separation exists. Flow separation is where water passes over a structure quickly and then slow down to form tiny eddies. The flexibility in the denticles offers less resistance and takes away the flow separation allowing the shark to continue to gain speed through the water. 

Researchers have already used this technology in making swimsuits and now they are looking towards the skies to make helicopters more efficient. 

Find out how by listening to the episode. 

What other application do you think could work for the denticles? Share your thoughts in the Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. 

There was a National Geographic article that came out a couple of weeks ago claiming their research team found a "New" type of Orca in the subantarctic (coastal Antarctica). 

The "New" ecotype of orca is called Type D and it has clear morphological differences as the eyepatch is larger, the dorsal fin is longer and more narrow, and the animal is shorter than other Orcas. 

Unfortunately, their claims that the species is new are false. Researchers have known about the Ecotype D Orca since 1904.

It is great that the team of scientists and explorers were able to get underwater video as well as a tissue sample for DNA analysis. Scientists might be able to figure out whether the ecotypes are genetically difference, which would mean there may be a new species.

What are your thoughts on the article? Share your thoughts in the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. 

Greta Thundberg, a 16-year-old girl, was the inspiration for the global student strike against climate change that occurred last Friday, March 15th during what she calls #FridaysForTheFuture. 

Greta started protesting against climate change after she saw inaction from politicians, engineers, professionals, and even her own parents in August 2018. She missed school for 3 weeks to protest in front of the Swedish Parliament, where she started to inspired students and adults alike. Her protests caught the attention of major news agencies in Sweden, which led to her protests having a bigger reach. 

Earlier this year, Greta spoke to a panel of international leaders at COP18 telling them that they need to take more action on Climate Change. 

Her leadership has inspired her generation on a global scale. 

I discuss the impact she will have on her generation and try to squash criticisms of her and other youth action takers by people who are always coming up with excuses.  

Do you think Greta is an inspiration? Share your thoughts in the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. 

One week ago today, more than 150 people died tragically in a plane crash in Ethiopia. Several young and bright scientists were among those who died in the crash as they were on their way to a United Nations of the Environment Conference in Kenya. 

Today, I read their names so that we can remember who they were and what they did for conservation.

Illegal fishing is a big problem in the Ocean. It's a problem because the ships can be hard to find and marine conservations may not know a lot of distribution information of the fish being illegally caught. Fishers tend to know where the best fish aggregation sites are. Illegal fishers do to and they won't tell anyone where these sites are. Tools are necessary to find these sites where illegal fishing can occur.

A team of scientists may have inadvertently found a way to detect where these sites may be by using telemetry tags. A long-term study that involved tagging sharks in the Chagos Sea Marine Sanctuary may have stumbled upon illegal fishing within the protected area.

The telemetry tags track individual sharks within a certain area and will identify the places the sharks like to go within the protected area. The tags will stop working once they are taken out of the water and log the last location it was in the water. As a tagged shark is illegally caught, the researchers will know exactly where it was caught.

Unfortunately, enforcement authorities cannot catch the illegal fishers in real time; however, they can study the trends and identify hot spots for illegal fishing. The hot spots can turn into a focus for enforcement or better management implementation.

Do you think telemetry tags are a good tool to fight illegal fishing? Share your thoughts in our Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://wwwspeakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. 

Oil spills happen. As we have seen over the past couple of episodes, oil spills can happen anywhere and sometimes governments facilitate the process by not protecting their citizens. Unfortunately, oil spills can have a drastic negative influence on small communities such as Renell Island, a small island within the chain of the Solomon Islands. 

A tank carrying 700 tonnes of oil was ashore during a cyclone and spilled at least 80 tonnes of oil over a reef and coastline just off of Rennell Island. The oil turned the water black, poisoned the fish, killed the corals, contaminated the spring water (where the communities get their drinking water), and cut the island's food supply to those communities (they depend on fish, but know need to collect food from the Government to eat. 

This is just one example of how oil can have negative impacts on coastal communities. Perhaps we should remember that you don't have to be in the Solomon Islands to get affected by oil spills. 

What are your thoughts on this oils spill? Share them in the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean.

The Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf of Mexico was one of the worst oils spill disasters in US History. The Obama administration wrote specific regulations in response to prevent another disaster from happening again. 

Since 2016, the Trump administration has given out many waivers to those regulations as oil companies have stated the regulations will slow their process down. The waivers mean that a disaster like the Deepwater Horizon can happen again at any moment. 

I rant in this episode because it doesn't make sense to provide waivers to regulations that will save lives and protect the US economy along coastal states. 

Do you agree with me about the waivers? Share your thoughts in the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. 

Husky Oil Company was responsible for an Oil Spill of 250,000 Litres off the Coast of St. John's, Newfoundland last November (2018). The slick was 21 km long and 8 km wide; however, the media relations people for the company did not make the dimensions of the slick available for the public. Why didn't they make it available? Perhaps it was because the public has difficulty picturing how much Ocean a 250,000 Litre oil spill would cover. 

Academics from Memorial University would like to see more research by Husky and the Provincial/Federal governments to understand how an oil spill will behave in a cold water ocean environment. 

Share your thoughts on this episode in the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakpuforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. 

Dr. Edward Hind-Ozan shared a great article that really got our Speak Up For Blue Group thinking about the prioritization of finding Ocean Solutions. The article discusses how there seems to be a heavy push in funding and policy for plastic pollution, but little support for Climate Change, which has been deemed a number one priority for many governments. 

Plastic pollution is an interesting issue to tackle. It's tangible; the solutions are measurable; and people can get behind the idea of plastic bans for straws, water bottles, and plastic bags. However, Climate Change is a harder thing to tackle and it costs a lot of money.

Do you think plastic pollution is the low hanging fruit?

Share your thoughts in the Facebook Grou: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. 

A video of a fisherman throwing a bear bomb into a pod of sea lions out in the ocean went viral on the web recently. The fisherman laughed about the incident confirming his distaste for the pinnipeds. He's not the only fisherman who finds the sea lions pests. Others have been complaining about sea lions eating their herring catch right out of their nets often damaging their fishing gear. 

There seems to be a notion that the sea lion and seal population is out of control; however, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, as well as other experts from the Vancouver Aquarium, disagree. The population hovers around 105,000 individuals and has been stable since 1999. The sea lion population is one-third of that of the seal population. The experts say the population is in line with the historical population before the Europeans came to North America and began hunting them to near decimation.

So there is no validity to the perception that the population is growing out of control. The question that needs to be answered is who has the priority for eating the fish, humans or pinnipeds (seals, sea lions)?

Share your thoughts in the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. 

I got the chance to sit down with John Davis to discuss how funding for projects for fighting marine plastic pollution is shifting from a non-profit model to a for-profit model. The shift comes with companies and venture capitalists that have identified a number of opportunities to make money off of harnessing ocean plastic pollution to make a profit and an impact. 

John and I dive into how the funding was distributed in the past and how many of the original organizations are being left out of the funding for a new model. 

Do these organizations that fight marine plastic pollution need to evolve with the times to survive and build on their legacy? Share your thoughts in the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Links From This Episode:

OCTO (Open Communications For The Oceans)

Marine Debris Listserv

We all know that the Vaquita, a small porpoise endemic to the Sea of Cortez, is nearly extinct; however, there are many organizations that are still fighting to keep the Vaquita from going extinct. 

The Vaquita population is in trouble because they keep getting killed from illegal fishing practices in the Sea of Cortez by fishers who are trying to catch another endangered species called Totoaba. Asian countries are seeking out these fish for their swim bladders in which they think has healing properties (it has never been medically proven). 

The people working to protect the Totoaba and the Vaquita are having a hard time stopping the fishers from catching an illegal, but high priced fish. Some organizations have moved to stop the middle people from arranging the shipments of Totoaba swim bladders to China from Mexico. And it's working!

A new commentary on Mongabay news by Andrea Crosta, Executive Director and Co-Founder of the international illegal trade watchdog group, Elephant Action League, describes how her organization and partners have infiltrated some operations that conduct illegal operations to provide information to the proper authorities to make arrests. 

Check out the rest of the details by listening to the podcast. 

Do you think organizations should help provide intelligence on illegal operations that could lead to an arrest? Share your thoughts in the Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. 

A number of episodes ago, I discussed an article that showed an increase in sales at thrift stores in the UK. I admitted to you that I had never bought 2nd hand clothes before and I couldn't even tell you how the process works. 

I received a number of messages after that episode from the audience telling me about their experiences in shopping 2nd hand and how they did it almost exclusively. 

Jackie Lang was one of those people who reached out, so I asked her to be on the show to discuss her experience with buying clothes from thrift stores.

Enjoy the episode and let me know whether you shop at thrift stores. Share your experiences in the Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. 

Plastic pollution is a big problem in all parts of the world, especially in harbors and coastal areas where rivers empty into the ocean. There are teams of people who are trying to figure out how to clean up the plastic and debris in the Oceans and there are others that are trying to keep the human population from using more single-use plastic. 

A Dutch Environmental Company called RanMarine has developed a drone that will float on the surface of the water that will "eat" plastic. The drone is called the WasteShark. The WasteShark is designed after the whale shark as it swallows everything in its path when it opens its mouth. The drone can "eat" up to 60kg off of one charge of 8 hours.

Take a listen to the episode and let me know what you think about the WasteShark in our Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. 

The Great White Shark is a mysterious animal. Feared by many and respected by all for their status as an apex predator. The shark has been around for hundreds of millions of years, where it has evolved many times to survive. Scientists have been wondering how a primitive shark could survive for so long without being wiped out. The answer may be in their DNA. 

A team of researchers has been able to crack the code of the Great White Shark DNA and they discovered 2 things.

Take a listen to the episode to find out what those important things are.

Share your thoughts on the breakthrough in our Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. 

Resources: https://earthsky.org/earth/great-white-shark-genome-decoded

There are a couple of videos that I came across on the internet today that really got me on a rant that I recorded for today's podcast.

The first video is of a child near a shoreline feeding a stingray shrimp. The child pets the animal and even lifts up the front par to of the stingray to slid food towards its mouth on the underside. All of this is going on while the parents hand the child more shrimp to feed the stingray.

The second video is of a boy who wants to become the next Steve Irwin. The video is of the boy walking along an estuary when he comes across a few stingrays. He takes the stingrays OUT OF THE WATER to show the camera and speak to the audience to show the animal's features. Taking the animal out of the water is taking away its oxygen supply. 

The boy ends up finding a stingray that is giving birth. He pulls the animal out of the water, discovers the babies, and proceeds to pull all of the babies out of the mother by their tails.

In both of these situations, there are parents that are helping these kids touch the animals. 

It's time for parents and adults to teach kids to be kind to animals and leave them alone!!!

Do you teach your kids not to touch animals in the wild? Share your thoughts in the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: https://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. 

Imagine a world where your products are not made of microplastics, but some alternative compound derived from squid teeth. Crazy, right? Well, the idea may not be so far fetched. 

Melik Demirel, director of Penn State’s Center for Research on Advanced Fiber Technologies, has discovered a way to use the proteins from squid ring teeth (the serrated rings along squid tentacles) as a way to create an alternative to microplastics. 

The proteins can be grown in a lab via E. coli; therefore, there is no need to harvest already dwindling species of squid to make the products at a larger scale. 

The proteins are tough and have regenerative properties that can make clothing more durable and sustainable. 

A life without microplastics may be closer than we think. Share your thoughts in the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: https://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean.  

A few episodes ago I spoke about how some Non-profit organizations were taking advantage of early career scientists/conservationists by asking them to work for free on what should be paid positions.

This episode I list alternative ways to work in Marine Conservation without going the traditional 9-5 route. 

I would love your feedback on this episode and if you would ever consider following an alternative career path in Marine Conservation. Share your thoughts in the Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean.  

Marauder Robotics is currently developing (and about to test) an underwater robot that will hunt for sea urchins in hopes to curtail their predation and destruction of kelp beds in different parts of the world. 

I learned about food web dynamics in University where the professors used sea otter-urchin-kelp bed dynamics as an example. Don't worry, I give you a short explanation in this episode. 

Do you think we should be using underwater robots to balance ecological issues that we probably caused in the first place? Listen to the episode and let me know what you think in the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean.  

I had the pleasure of attending OceanWise's Chowder Chowdown event in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in the Distillery District last night. It was a fantastic time catching up with friends and enjoying great sustainable food. 

The OceanWise program is designed to support and highlight restaurants/chefs that follow sustainable seafood practices. I spoke with some people at the event who mentioned that there was a definite difference in sustainable seafood practice between independent restaurants and franchise restaurants.  

There is still plenty of work to do to get more sustainable in the future, but programs such as OceanWise will help consumers and restaurants achieve them faster.

Do you follow a program similar to OceanWise? Share it in the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean.  

The Capelin Fishing community in Newfoundland and Labrador is concerned that the stock has declined to a point where their livelihoods are in trouble. The fishing community has observed Capelin spawning later in the summer than normal and the individuals that are spawning are smaller than normal. 

Fisheries and Oceans Canada scientists are not too concerned about the low numbers of capelin as the stock has gone lower in the recent past and has rebounded. Capelin are prey to cod, turbot, salmon, whales, and seabirds; therefore, their numbers are related to the number of predators. Capelin numbers fell to an all-time low right before the cod stocks collapsed in the late 1990s and it took them over a decade to recover. Cod and turbot stocks are doing better, which could lead to a decrease in capelin numbers in the short term.

The big question for this story is how do you manage a fishery, where the fish are being eaten by natural predators rather than humans. Let me know what you think of this situation in the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean.   

I happened to be tagged in a post in the Marine Biology Network and Job Postings Facebook Group last night that became riddled with comments from a variety of people. The post was an ad for an "internship" with the job requirements designed for a paid position for somebody with 5-10 of experience. 

I go on an almost 20-minute rant on how organizations need to stop taking advantage of experience-hungry early career marine conservationists and ask them to work for free in a position that requires them to work what would normally be considered 5 positions. 

Check out my rant and visit the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group if you want to see the job posting: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. 

We all know fisheries can have a negative effect on other animals as the gear tends to trap the animals, which can lead to injuries and even death. Researchers in France are witnessing the same effect, but at a larger scale as 600 dolphins washed up dead along a beach in France. Researchers believe there are more dolphins dead that sunk to the bottom of the ocean as well.

The dolphins had injuries, missing appendages and scaring along their bodies from fishing gear. 

Listen to the episode to find out how the dolphins get trapped and what solutions are being proposed to stop the deaths.

Do you think the proposed solutions are going to work? Share your ideas in the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. 

Illegal fisheries is a huge problem and the story that you are about to listen to will highlight why it is so difficult to stop. This episode has the components of a great movie with crime syndicates, high seas chases, fraud, and computer hacking. 

Let me know what you think about this story in the Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. 

Dr. Edward Hind-Ozan is back again for his segment "What's Going On In Marine Social Science This Week." Today, Edd and I discuss a participatory study of Indigenous communities within the Salish Sea. 

The study involves two marine social scientists who participate in a large community canoe trip to bring together the youth and elders of the communities as they connect with their culture through nature. 

Take a listen to find out how the event was designed to bring communities together by the sea. 

Share your thoughts on this episode in the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. 

There are many people out there that are posting about how they can't find a job in Marine Conservation. Finding a job in this field is probably the toughest thing out there for aspiring Marine Conservationists. There are more people graduating with similar degrees, but job availability doesn't seem to grow in the same way. This problem is why I feel that applicants need to be unique and provide their prospective employers with something the employers need (perhaps that they never thought they needed). 

Uniques skill sets, experiences, social media profiles could be what gets you that first job or it could reinvent your career (like it did mine). 

I am not saying that the strategy I present here will work for everyone, but it will work for some. It will work for the people that will put in the work to build something special, something unique.

Let me know what you have to say about the strategy that I propose in the episode. Share your thoughts in the Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. 

Danielle Eubank is an artist that is preparing to go to the Antarctic to paint the Ocean as part of her almost 2-decade long project called 1 Artist 5 Oceans. She paints the Oceans with a mission to connect her audience to the Ocean as they may not have had the chance to connect with it in other ways. 

Danielle is a prime example of how we need to connect with target audiences with messages that are meaningful. Her paintings inspire people to think about the Ocean in ways science and conservation haven't, which is a huge benefit to Ocean Health. 

Listen in on my conversation with Danielle to find out what an artist does to prepare to go to the Antarctic to paint the ocean!

Do you create art for Marine Conservation? Share your thoughts and work (if you can) in the Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. 

Danielle Eubank's List:

Website: https://www.danielleeubankart.com/

Twitter

Instagram

There is an increase in the number of people who are buying and/or exchanging 2nd hand clothing. A recent article in the Guardian highlighted a few women who buy, alter and sell used clothing to spread the awareness that we need more sustainability in the fashion industry. The method of the message is catching on. Sales in 2nd hand stores in some stores grew 30% over the last year. 

So why don't we wear more 2nd hand clothing? I for one don't. I will tell you why I don't and what I will do to change my ways to try and live for a better ocean.

Would you consider wearing 2nd hand clothing? Share your thoughts in the Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. 

Pacific White-Sided Dolphins have been observed swimming with Orcas during monitoring studies using drones. It's an interesting observation that has resulted in researchers asking the question: Why Do Dolphins Swim with Orcas? 

You may think that dolphins swimming with Orcas is normal and it is in a way; however, you must consider the fact that some Orcas prey on dolphins. Yet, dolphins continue to swim with Orcas. So why does this happen?

Take a listen to the episode to find out and share your thoughts in our Facebook Group (it's free to join): http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. 

Approximately 17 Orcas have died in Hudson's Bay over the past few years because they got stuck in the bay by the ice. The marine mammals went into the bay during the winter months when there was no ice present (during a period of warming) to stalk belugas and narwhals; however, the ice came back and the animals got stuck in the bay without food cause the animals to starve to death. 

The local Orca population is estimated have around 70 individuals, which means any number of deaths could be a huge hit to the population for these long-lived whales. 

Take a listen to the episode for more details on the story.

Do you think more species will endure hardship as they move to Northing habitats as they adapt to Climate Change? Share your thoughts in the Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. 

Imagine you are a local rock lobster fisher that relies on the sale of your catches to support your family. There are only 2000 fishers within the community, so it's relatively small. Now, the state government decides it is going to take 17% of the fishery to provide funds for the local community. 

How would you feel about that? This situation is happening in Western Australia right now. 

Listen to the episode and share your thoughts in the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. 

A long term great white shark survey conducted in False Bay, South Africa . has found that there has been a sharp decrease in Great White Sharks in 2017 and 2018. Those two years resulted in zero sightings of the once dominant shark species in the area. So what happens to a marine ecosystem when an apex predator disappears? 

Dr. Neil Hammershlag (University of Miami) and Chris Fallows (Apex Shark Expeditions) wrote a paper on the subject that was recently published in Scientific Reports. 

The authors found a drastic increase in sightings of seven gill sharks (120 sightings) when Great White Sharks weren't present. The seven gill sharks normally occur 18 km away hidden in the kelp forests away from their predator, the great white shark. Now that the whites are gone, the seven gills are ready to take over. 

Take a listen to the details in the episode. 

What did you think about the great whites disappearing? Share your thoughts in the Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. 

I have the pleasure of having a great discussion with Danni Washington about sustainable clothing and for the need for people to rethink the way they look at fashion as it affects the Ocean.

Danni is a Marine Biologist who is originally from Miami, but travels around the world to discuss Marine Conservation and support ecotourism and sustainable brands. She is THE definition of an Oceanpreneur. 

Danni and I discuss a clothing brand of which she is a spokesperson as it embodies some great things that she spreads: Women empowerment (and representation in STEM) and sustainability. 

Take a listen to the episode to find out more about the brand, Round + Square, and how Danni is bringing an ocean focus to the brands sustainability conversation.

Find Out More About Danni Washington:

Website - https://www.danniwashington.com/
TV Host - https://www.xplorationstation.com/show/Xploration-Nature-Knows-Best
Her Non-Profit - https://bigblueandyou.org/
Sea Youth Rise Up - http://seayouthriseup.org/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/danniwashington/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/danniwashington
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/danniwashingtonTV/
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/danniwashington/

Round + Square - https://roundplussquare.com/

Do you have any questions about the brand or about Danni? Share them in the Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. 

Florida loves to fish! They love to fish for sharks from the beach. It's quite popular to fish for sharks from the beach in many parts of Florida. The fishing practice is a bit controversial as many anglers have been taking selfies with the sharks they catch. 

Why is that so controversial? The fishers are excited about what they caught. They followed the rules, for the most part; however, the act of taking a selfie many not be allowed anymore because it is not good for the shark.

The big problem with taking a photo with sharks on the beach is that the anglers will drag the sharks out of the water and hold them there for the perfect shot. sharks need water to breathe; therefore, holding the shark out of the water is torturing them. 

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has taken the advice by various shark scientists, policy makers and the conservation community and are getting ready to accept and implement rules of no photography of sharks after the catch. 

Take a listen to the episode for my thoughts on the matter and the challenges that come with this type of rule.

Note: Click here to listen to Dr. David Shiffman speak on why the rules are so important.

Do you think this new rule will be easy to implement? Share your thoughts in the Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. 

Dr. Andrew Wright joins us on a special episode today as we recorded this interview about his field work in Antarctica while he was still in ANTARCTICA!!!!

Andrew is working with on a team of scientists to gather information on fish-eating Orcas that frequent the Ross Sea as part of a monitoring program for the Ross Sea MPA. 

Andrew and I discuss the field work that involved great encounters with Orcas, Emperor Penguins and Seals, but we also discussed the challenges that the team faced while working in such a tough environment. 

Take a listen to find out about Andrew's experience in Antarctica and what an Orca gave the principle investigator. 

Do you have questions for Andrew? Ask them in our Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. 

I am pleased to have Dr. Edward Hind-Ozan back on the podcast to do discuss "What Is Happening In Marine Social Science This Week?" It's a weekly segment where Edd brings us articles that he and I discuss where we focus on people and their interaction with the Ocean. 

On today's segment, Edd and I discuss a paper by Dr. Angela Dean on how conservation messaging should be different for different groups of people when trying to change a behaviour around the Ocean. It reaffirms the thought process that conservation messaging should not be the same for everyone as everyone has different values. 

Listen to the episode and let Edd and I know your thoughts on conservation messaging in the Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. 

Dolphinariums in North America are thriving. I just came back from a trip the Caribbean where I saw advertisements for "swimming with dolphin" experiences. People flock to these tourism attractions because dolphins are such an iconic species that everyone loves (except some don't). 

We see advertisements for dolphinariums all of the time, but we rarely think about the effect of the facilities on the animals. Dolphins tend to perform and interact with humans most days of the week. The frequent interactions are stressful on the dolphins, where the stress could lead to infections or diseases as the immune system is weakened due to stress (just like in humans). Stress is difficult to noticed and often goes undiagnosed, especially when the animals are the main attraction.

Tourists often don't realize the stress the animals are under and rarely speak about concern for their health until an animal, or in today's case, 4 animals die at 1 facility.

Dolphinaris Arizona, a dolphinarium in the desert that opened in 2016, has had 4 dolphin deaths at their facility. Some "experts" are chalking it up as sad while real experts are worried about the stress on the animals. 

Listen to the episode to find out how two of the dolphins died and why the facility is temporarily closed. Also find out why experts say the dolphins at this facility were stressed.

Do you think the Dolphinarium should reopen? Share your thoughts in the Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. 

The short answer is, yes, they are. The long answer is that it depends on other factors, which I will get to soon. 

A recent article authored by Terry Hughes, a very well-known coral reef scientist, proposed that widely used sunscreens with oxybenzone and octinoxate are not that bad for coral reefs as previously reported by scientific studies. Terry's reasoning is because it doesn't represent realistic scenarios. 

Terry's article "deeply disappointed" many people in the coral reef community because they say the studies address realistic conditions and conclude sunscreens are indeed bad for coral reefs (and bad for humans as the chemicals are carcinogenic). 

There is no doubt that other factors such as climate change and destructive fishing practices threaten reefs on a global scale; however, there are scenarios where sunscreens can threaten coral reef health at a local level in high tourist traffic areas. 

Listen to the episode to find out why I believe it is important for people to use "reef safe" sunscreen.

Do you share my thought? Share your opinion in our Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. 

The time of marine mammals in captivity is slowly dwindling. We are seeing people speak volumes with their wallets and actions as they deliberately leave out Sea World and other marine mammal entertainment facilities off of their family excursions thanks to the movie such as Blackfish and the decades of advocacy and science worked to show that marine mammal captivity is bad for their health.

Organizations are now searching for sites they call Whale Seaside sanctuaries as the future home for the retired marine mammals such as orcas, beluga whales, dolphins and more. The next Seaside sanctuary could be located in Nova Scotia according to Change for Animals Foundation. The organization and their partners are currently holding meetings in various towns along the Atlantic Shore. 

The sanctuary could provide great economic benefits for the neighboring communities as it would bring jobs to the area as well as the purchase of tons of frozen fish.

This Whale Seaside Sanctuary is targeted for Beluga Whales.

Share your thoughts on Whale Seaside Sanctuaries in Nova Scotia in our Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. 

Elephant Seals at Point Reyes National Park decided to take over a beach during the US Government Shutdown when the staff was a third of its regular size. Now the beach is closed down along with some access roads due to the new Elephant Seal pups that were born during the take over time. 

The Park staff are ensuring the pups and mother seals are protected during a vulnerable stage of the population's life cycle in order to have a healthy class of pups for this year. 

Park staff use non-invasive techniques to stop the Elephant Seals from taking over the beach when there is a full staff present; however, the shutdown forced the staff to be one third of its normal size leaving access to the beach for the Elephant Seals. 

Now the park staff will wait until April for the pups to wean off their mothers and head to the ocean to forage for themselves before the beach opens up to the public. 

Listen to the episode for more details.

Do you think the Park Staff handled the situation correctly? Share your thoughts in the Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean.  

Ban Straws. Ban Plastic Straws. The movement to ban single-use plastics is growing. There are still many issues; however, the movement is starting to tackle some of these issues. New Zealand seems to be leading the pack.

New Zealand has rolled out a Plastic Packaging Declaration that grocery stores seem to like. Foodstuffs, a grocery store, has signed on to the declaration with glowing results. Reports state that fruits and vegetable sales in plastic free stores show a 300% increase. 

The country's efforts to go plastic free will continue as the pledge requires stores to be plastic free or package their fruits and vegetables in material that can be recyclable or compostable by 2025. 

The system is not perfect, as I highlight in this episode, but it is a great step forward in the plastic-free movement. 

Share your thoughts on the Plastic-Free Movement in the Facebook Group: http://www.speeakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean.  

Dr. David Ebert (@lostsharkguy) joins me on the podcast today to discuss why scientists go to fish markets. He has been going to fish markets all over the world building relationships with fishers on what, where and when they catch fish (mostly sharks). 

David has many reasons to go to a fish market rather than catching the fish himself. 

Listen to the episode to find out what those reasons are.

Would You Go To Fish Markets to do Marine Conservation Research? Share your thoughts in the Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. 

Zero waste stores are slowly popping up in places such as New York City, USA, Vancouver, Canada and now Devon, UK. These Mom & Pop stores are serving customers that tend to search for a more eco-friendly option in their local grocery story. Apparently business is booming for these shops as the owners of the shop in Devon say they are getting people that are not considered traditionally eco-friendly.

A recent article in the Guardian asks the question: Why Aren't Major Grocery Chains offering a zero-waste option? Their customers are wondering the same thing. They wonder why a grocery store that is based on offering a number of product options do not offer a zero waste option. Instead, some grocery stores offer products such as clementines that are already peeled in a plastic container, individually. Does that really make sense? Not to me it doesn't.

Listen to the episode to get the full details. 

Would you buy from a zero-waste shop? Share your thoughts in the Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. 

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. 

A listener requested that I discuss Marine Career topics so I decided to look at some Facebook Groups for some insight on what advice new graduates and early career conservationists were seeking. I am a part of Marine Biologists Network and Job Postings Facebook Group where many of the members seek career advice on a daily basis.

Many of the questions involve seeking out graduate work. Some people ask for advice on schools and others ask for advice on topics. 

My biggest response is to tell them that their grad work should provide them with the experience and skills that will help them in their career. 

Check out my advice by listening to this episode.

Do you agree with my advice? Do you have something to add? Share your thoughts in the Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. 

Dr. Edd Hind-Ozan joins me today to discuss the US Shutdown on his weekly segment called "This Week In Marine Social Science." 

The shutdown is happening in the US because the US Federal Government cannot agree on how to fund the government; therefore, 800,000 federal employees do not get paid during the shutdown. 

The bad part is that people have to worry about paying their bills. The other bad part is that people can't use government services such as museums that are federally operated. The Smithsonian-Marine Section is a place where people go to relax according to a new article. The closure could cause people to have the blues because it's not open. 

Edd and I discuss the problems this could have on the mental health of people affected and not affected by the shutdown.

What government services do you miss during the shutdown? Share your thoughts in the Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. 

Nick Wehner joins me on the podcast to discuss Open Access papers and the challenge of getting more authors to upload their papers to Open Access databases such as MarXiv for Marine Conservation papers. 

Nick and I discuss the comparison of success rates of authors agreeing to share their papers in open access databases via email. You will be surprised at the rate!

We also talk about a weird thing that Pay Wall companies do with citation. 

Find out more by listening to the episode.

Do you have concerns about sharing your papers on Open Access Databases such as MarXiv? Share your thoughts in our Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. 

Florida Governor, Ron Desantis (Republican), took over the office at the beginning of 2019. Many Floridians and onlookers were afraid of the governor's dismissal of Climate Change during his campaign; however, his new policies to protect water quality has surprised many critics. 

Desantis has earmarked 2.5 billions dollars for water quality monitoring programs throughout the state, establish a resiliency office, establish a task force to take on the blue-green algae problem, and a 17,000-acre everglades reservoir in farm fields south of Lake Okeechobee. 

More details on the episode.

Do you like what the Governor is doing? Do you think it's all smoke and mirrors? Share your thoughts in the Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. 

Brooke Tully joins the podcast for her segment of "What's Happening In Conservation Marketing This Week?" 

On today's episode, Brooke and I explore the notion that people don't change because why should they?! Everyone is being asked so much these days from being asked to be healthier to buying eco-friendly products to save the planet. There are some people who are tired of being asked to change all of the time. Why should they change? Brooke has some answers. 

Check out the episode for Brooke's solutions. 

Why do you change your behaviour? Or better yet, why don't you change your behaviour? Share your thoughts in the Facebook Group:
http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. 

As I consumed myself with the issue I discussed on the previous episode regarding Ocean Ramsay Swimming with Sharks and the controversy that it caused throughout the internet, I witnessed the attack on science by her followers. Many of Ramsay's supporters questioning the value of science in conservation as compared to science contributions. Attacking science has become normal; however, it must stop.

I discuss how Marine Conservation is a field that includes scientists and conservationists in this episode. Both parties must work together, but they must do things the proper way. It seems that swimming with sharks and touching them has brought a divide among scientists and activists.

What are your thoughts on the matter? Share them in the Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean.  

Ocean Ramsay is an Advocate known for free diving with iconic Ocean Animals such as sharks. Her uniqueness is that she touches the sharks in her pictures and images. The point of touching the sharks is to show that they are gentle animals and not the "human-killing" machines in the movies.

There is a recent viral set of videos of Ocean Ramsay swimming and laying her hand gently on a massive Great White Shark that was feeding on a whale carcass. The first video shows Ocean Ramsay swimming by herself with the shark making it seem very peaceful. However, the second video was a behind-the-scenes look at reality. There were numerous people swimming around the shark making it swim quite hectic. 

Nothing bad happened to the shark or the people around it. 

Scientists like myself, David Shiffman and many others spoke out about the video because of the touching of the shark. There is a saying among divers that you should not touch underwater life unless you have. In fact, PADI teaches the same lesson in there Beginner Open Water SCUBA Certification Course. 

Touching animals while swimming is a controversial topic. Some people say it is better than tagging sharks because touching does not hurt them. Firstly, that saying is not true. Secondly, tagging provides valuable information that led to the protection of hammerhead sharks in Florida State waters. 

What side of the issue to you lean on? Let me know in the Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean. 

The Ocean Cleanup Project has gone through some growing pains over the past couple of weeks including having to tow the device into port because it broke apart at sea.

The critics have come out in droves all over the internet to point out that the Ocean Cleanup Project has dismissed scientific peer reviewed criticism. A new criticism has been put forth and Boyan Slat responded positively while at the same time calling the past criticisms "emotive critiques." The problem with this reaction by Boyan is that the two previous criticisms were written by two women. Was Boyan referring to emotive because they were women?

John Davis and I discuss the backlash and the criticisms of the project and why it's not helping the case of the Ocean Cleanup Project.

Marine Debris Listserv: https://marinedebris.openchannels.org/

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Have you ever tried to change, but little things got in the way. For example, one of my New Year's Resolutions for 2019 was to eat less meat (only 3 times per week). So far, it hasn't gone so well because I haven't planned my meals. When I am hungry, I want to eat everything that is in front of me, so I pick the first thing I see. I won't meet my resolution if I don't change.

I need to plan my meals ahead of time to ensure that I know exactly what I am eating everyday and before every meal. I can't let planning become a little hassle that will prevent me from changing.

Brooke Tully is here to discuss the Little Hassles in our ongoing segment of why people don't do things on "What Is Happening In Conservation Marketing Today?" Listen to what she has to say about how conservationists can get people to change without worrying about the hassles. 

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The Dzawada'enuxw First Nation has filed suits against the Provincial Government (2 suits) and the Federal Government for allowing 10 aquaculture farms in their area that they say infringe on their Aboriginal Rights. 

The First Nation fishes for eulachon and Pacific Wild Salmon to trade with other Indigenous tribes in the area for goods. The farms will harm an already declining populations of both wild species upon which they depend. 

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Ken Balcomb, founding Director of the Centre For Whale Research, and his team have spotted a new Orca Calf on the Eastern end of the Juan de Fuca. This is the first calf since last year after a mother was seen floating her newborn dead calf for 17 days. 

Ken is cautiously optimistic of the calf as he gauges the Orca's chances at about 50% survival due to low salmon populations, increased underwater noise and bioaccumulation of toxins due to plastic ingestion as well as those found in salmon that the animal can find to eat. 

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Have you ever heard of a fatberg? It could be one of the most disgusting things that I have ever seen. A Fatberg is what you get when you combine frozen oil, fats and wet wipes. 

There is a large Fatberg in a coastal town in the UK that is 64 metres long and it's clogging up the sewers. It will take 8 weeks to break it up, according to local authorities. 

This episode is to reinforce the notion that we need to be weary of what we put down our drains. 

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Indonesia has been aggressively fighting illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing domestically since 2014. It has gone as far as sinking foreign vessels that were illegally fishing in Indonesian waters using Navy Forces. The result has been an increase in fish abundance domestically to support its artisanal-based fisheries industry, but there is still more work to be done.

The country is calling for the UN to include Fishing Crimes as part of the Palermo Treaty, which would put it in the same class as human trafficking and other illegal crimes that require international cooperation. Companies that profit from IUU fishing activities never reside in Indonesia. They are located in other countries; therefore, enforcement is often difficult.

It's amazing how far a country has to go to fight IUU fishing activities.

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Over 5000 people were treated for stings from an armada of bluebottle jellyfish last weekend along the Gold and Sunshine Coasts in Queensland, Australia. This totals over 22,000 people stung in the past 5 weeks by the jellyfish colonies. The average number of people treated for jellyfish stings is between 25,000 and 45,000...for all of Australia!!! 

Authorities say they have never seen anything like these numbers in the past. Last year during the same 5 week period, just over 6,000 people were treated for stings. 

Take a listen to find out why these jellyfish are being washed up on the beaches and what you can do to prevent getting stung.

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Brooke Tully is back again with a great segment of "What's Happening in Conservation Marketing." We continue to discuss why people don't do things. We focused this episode on people don't change their behaviours because they can't.

Brooke brings up the fact that people are often asked to change behaviours that may be too expensive and/or not accessible to them. I notice this quite a bit in the Marine Conservation field. However, Brooke has a solution.

Take a listen and share your thoughts in the Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group

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

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Ken Balcomb is THE research expert on Southern Resident Orca Population in the Salish Sea area. Ken has predicted two deaths by summer 2019 based on the state of J17 (female, 42 years-old) and J25 (male, 27 years-old). He says both individuals look skinny compared to recent years and J25 is exhibiting "peanut head", which is a sign of malnutrition as the head is smaller than the rest of the body. 

J17 is the grandmother of the calf that was born last summer (2018) and died a half an hour later. It's mother carried her dead calf for 17 days making international news. Ken suggests J17 probably underwent significant stress watching her daughter grieve her newborn loss for so long. Coupled with lack of food (chinook salmon), the grieving could have made survival difficult for J17.

The Southern Resident Orca population has dwindled to 74 individuals and may lose two or more this year due to a lack of food. Chinook Salmon populations have also declined due to damns blocking rivers, which serve as reproductive habitats for the salmon populations.

Canadian and US governments refuse to make hydro companies remove damns that are not in use anymore to help save the salmon populations within the Salish Sea. Instead, the US government recently approved a bill that will allow the culling of 1000 sea lions as they say the pinnipeds are responsible for the decline in salmon populations in the area.

Listen to the episode to get the full details and find out how the lack of food is changing the Orca population's behaviour.

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There are projects that are happening all over the world with the purpose of trying to either clean up the Ocean of plastic pollution or prevent it from getting into the Ocean.

The Ocean Clean Up Projects Hits Another Snag

The 2000-foot Ocean Clean Up device has broken up into two sections in the Pacific Ocean Gyre. A 60-foot section broke off at one end of the large device in the rough weather in the area. This is the second reported setback the Ocean Clean Up Project has publicly reported. The device will be brought back to port to get fixed before it goes back out.

The Project predicted the device would clean up 50 tons of plastic per year until the 80,000 tons of plastic in the Gyre was cleaned up. According to Boyant Slat, the CEO, the device collected 4,400 lbs of debris since arriving at the Gyre. 

Man Assaults Woman After Asking For a Straw At McDonald's

A viral video of a man grabbing a female McDonald's employee in St. Petersburg, Florida is making its rounds on the web. The man reportedly got mad after asking for a plastic straw. McDonald's new policy is to keep the plastic straws behind the counter in an effort to reduce the amount of straws used at their locations. 

It is not apparent whether the man was mad specifically about the straws or with something else. 

The woman defended herself by striking the man repeatedly until the man let go of her. He is now being charged with assault. The employee is not being charged at this time and is being praised online for defending herself so well.

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Dr. Edward Hind-Ozan joins me on this episode for his segment called "What's Happening In Marine Social Science This Week?" 

This week's topic looks at the intersection between Marine Biology and Marine Social Science. We discuss a study where researchers studies the effects of toxins from microplastics on periwinkles and their inability to hide from predators. Ed highlights the fact that the study shows the importance of understanding marine biology to realize the conflict humans are having on the Ocean.

Listen to the podcast for more details and while Marine Biology and Marine Social Science need to crosspaths more.

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Aquaman is a great movie to watch when you are a Marine Biologist. To be perfectly honest, as a marine biologist, I wish I had some of Aquaman's powers to I can swim through the Ocean without coming up for air, but I digress. 

I was happy to take my oldest daughter to see Aquaman in hopes to be entertained. The movie did not disappoint. I was quite happy with the way the movie addressed some pressing conservation issues. 

Take a listen to the episode to find out which issues Aquaman covered. 

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The opening of the Northwest Passage due to melting ice from climate change provides an opportunity to businesses to use the shipping lane as a way to ship products to the Arctic for various business needs. It could be a great way for the local community to get their goods delivered to them when the shipping lane is open; however, whether the local communities will get priority over big business is another question.

The local communities did not get priority over the mining companies this past fall as shipping needs were met; however, the local communities failed to get their shipping needs met due to poor ice conditions. The shipping company did not plan their shipment accordingly and delayed the delivery, which the trip eventually failed due to the shipping lans being blocked by ice.

I make my opinion known in this episode about how local communities are getting left out of opportunities over big business that only leave short term economic benefits in exchange for large profits.

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The Conservation community is feeling optimistic after a Northern Right Whale Calf was spotted in the warm waters of the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of St. John's River along the border of Florida and Georgia. This is great news as this is the first time a Northern Right Whale calf has been spotted in over a year. 

A Promising 2018 After A Tough 2017

There were 17 deaths in 2017 (12 in Canada and 5 in the US) due to fishing gear entanglement or ship strikes. Those are not great numbers for the Endangered population as there are an estimated 411 individuals remaining with less than 100 reproductive females. 

This past year was better as there were no recorded deaths Northern Right Whales meaning management measures in Canada's Gulf of St. Lawrence are working.

Not Out Of The Woods Yet

The evidence this new calf brings to the conservation community is terrific; however, the species is not out of the woods yet. Northern Right Whales used to have approximately 20 or more calves per season; therefore, one calf does not show a sustainable population.

The fact remains that the Northern Right Whale population is still prone to ship strikes, fishing gear entanglement and now a new pressure has been thrusted upon them: oil and gas exploration. 

The US Government recently approved exploration within the US EEZ that is within the migration route of the Northern Right Whale Migration Route. Oil and Gas exploration includes the use of seismic instrumentation to detect oil pockets below ground at the bottom of the continental shelf. The noise emitted by the seismic surveys are harmful to the hearing of many whales, which can affect their hearing. 

Whales rely on their hearing to listen for instructions from the rest of their pods communicating with them for detecting food, danger and other important social cues. 

The conservation community is optimistic by this new calf; however, we know that there is still a long way to go to improve the population.

Enjoy the Podcast!!!

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