Today's Ocean Talk Friday includes these stories:

1) Half of Americans Don't Think Climate Change Is Affecting Them;
2) Tabasco Losing Important Land;
3) Sea Turtles Can Use Flippers For More Than Swimming

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I am very happy to be discussing Harbour Seal behaviour with my new friend Shea Steingass who has the pleasure in conducting these captivating animals. She discusses how she uses stable isotope analysis using Harbour Seal whiskers. She also talks about the interesting way that she and her colleagues capture the seals to collect the information.

Shea is going to be a superstar in this field and I can't wait to have her on again to see what she is up to next. 

Follow her on Twitter to see what she does next

And ask her questions about her research in our Facebook Group.

Do you know we launched more Ocean Related Podcasts?

Subscribe to Marine Conservation Happy Hour and ConCiencia Azul

Today, I am talking about something really special to me and the conservation community at large. The Jairo Mora Sandoval Bravery Award is given to a person who demonstrates bravery in the face of danger while conserving the Ocean. The award is named after Jairo, who was brutally murdered after trying to protect sea turtles from poachers. 

At the moment, the award is given to a recipient every two years at the International Marine Conservation Congress by the Society of Conservation Biology (SCB).

SCB Needs Your Help

SCB would like to increase the number of recipients that receive the award, so they are getting ready to launch a crowdfunding campaign that will help them support more than one person. 

Please consider taking a picture of yourself holding a sign saying "I AM JAIRO" in your LANGUAGE.

Here are the links where you could post the picture:

Twitter Campaign 

Facebook Campaign 

Today's Ocean Talk Friday has me breaking down the everything that happened at OceanDotComm 2018. As many of you know, I spent a week at LUMCON (Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium) with over 40 other people who have experience in Science Communication (SciComm) to tell the stories of Coastal Optimism in Southern Louisiana as they face rapid coastal loss due to a number of different factors including sea level rise, coastal degradation, diversion of the Mississippi River and the intrusion of the Oil and Gas industry. 

I talk about my overall experience about the conference and I highlight some of the products that were created in 4-5 days.

Shea and I sit down to decompress and discuss the past four days at OceanDotComm 2018. We chat about we loved the challenge on taking on the Southern Louisiana Coastal Optimism project and incorporating it into the podcast. We also discuss how Shea was psyched to work on the podcast with me...I think she did a pretty great job don't you?!

We also get into how impressed we were with all of the people we interviewed and we are very optimistic that the people of Southern Louisiana will be able to adapt to their changing coastline!

Patty Ferguson joins Shea on the podcast to discuss how the Pointe-Au-Chien Tribe is fighting to protect their land against coastal loss and for their tight to be federally recognized as a tribe. The federal recognition would help the tribe in their legal battles with oil and gas companies who cut up their land by creating canals and say that the tribe are trespassing. The battles add to the complications of the land as coastal loss from sea level rise and habitat degradation are becoming very difficult for the tribe to conserve their land and their culture.

Beth Guidry joins Shea on the podcast to discuss how she is dealing with the rapid coastal loss as an educator in Southern Louisiana. Beth tells Shea how her student's lives have changed based on the changes to the landscape. She also gives her perspective on the changes she has seen as someone who grew up in the region and her hope that she sees in the children she teaches.

Dr. Solomon David joins me on the podcast to discuss his recent migration from Michigan to Southern Louisiana, where he is an Associate Professor at Nichols State University teaching and studying aquatic fisheries science. He is THE gar scientist!!!

Solomon tells us why he is interested in studying fisheries science in the region as well as his experience living in Southern Louisiana for less than a year. 

Murt Conover joins Shea on the podcast to discuss why Murt settled in Southern Louisiana for 20 years after she had lived in 32 states previously. There is something about this area that entices people to stay here for long periods of time and it's not just work. People, like Murt, fall in love with the area. Murt now works as an Educator at LUMCON to educate students on the wonders and science of the complex habitats that make up Southern Louisiana.

Arlanda Williams joins me on the podcast to discuss how local politics plays a role in protecting the people of Southern Louisiana. Arlanda serves as Vice Chair of the Terrebonne Parrish Council and is also a PhD candidate. I am going to tell you that this woman in AMAZING! 

Arlanda breaks down the process of how the Parrish residences voted to raise the sales tax by 1 cent to help pay for a Levee that would protect vulnerable areas. This is not a normal occurrence where people would vote to raise any tax; however, the money comes down to saving their livelihoods.  

Dr. Melissa Baustian joins Shea on this episode of the season to tell us about the diverse coastal habitats within the Southern Louisiana Region to give us a sense of the changes that have occurred over the past century. You will notice that Climate Change and Sea Level Rise is not the only problem within this region, other problems such as the creation of canals and habitat degradation compound the overall problem of coastal loss.

Shea also asks Melissa, who is a resident of the area, about her optimism in the region as a scientist and a resident.

I am very pleased to introduce Shea Steingass to you as we collaborate to create a overall narrative of Coastal Optimism through a series of interviews with various members of the community in Southern Louisiana. All of the people we interviewed live in Southern Louisiana for varying periods of time. 

Shea and I discuss how we approached this season and what we wanted to present to you about the great people that we interviewed.

Shea will be hosting several of the podcasts this season and does a fantastic job!

Dr. Craig McClain is into Science Communication and when I say he is into SciComm, this is the man who created Deep Sea News, one of the first marine science blogs. Creating innovative science products is not new to Craig, so when he contacted me about OceanDotComm 2108 and asked me to apply to come to LUMCON, I couldn't say no because I knew this event would be huge even though I didn't know what the event would entail as it was a mystery. Craig and his wonderful staff kept it a mystery from all of the other SciComm Experts. He did it for a reason.

Take a listen to find out why Craig kept the SciComm theme a mystery and why he chose the theme he did. 

OceanDotComm18 is a new event that brings together 50 science communicators all walks of life and professions to discuss one single topic. There are many forms of science communication products that will be published by the end of the 5 day event. Of course, I decided to use Speak Up For Blue's platform to collaborate with Shea Steingass, a PhD candidate for Oregon State University, to develop a series of short interviews to reveal the resilience and optimism of the local residence from the Southern Louisiana region.

Alain Clavette, a CBC Radio host and avid birder, joins me on the podcast today to talk all about seabirds. We don't talk a lot about seabirds on this podcast because I don't know much about them; however, Alain does know about them and he passionately talks with me about his excursions with other birders on the Bay of Fundy to search for pelagic birds.

Enjoy the Podcast!!!

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On today's Ocean Update Episode I chat about why 1000s of starfish wash ashore dead along the UK coastline; why the Trump Administration is trying to silence scientists that want to alert the public about dramatic decreases in glacial coverage; and, I highlight two Emperor Penguins that have fun with a camera in the Antarctic. 

Enjoy the Podcast!!!

If you are interested in creating a podcast for your conservation organization or social enterprise, but are worried that it might be too difficult, take the Podcast for the Environmental Communication Course at Duke University's Executive Education Program. Click here to register.

Are you looking to start off your Marine Science and Conservation Career, but don't know where to begin or it hasn't gone the way you expected to? Join us on our next Marine Conservation Career Q&A. All you need to do is contribute at least $1/month to our Patreon Campaign to attend:Contribute to our Patreon Campaign

Don't forget to join our Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group to join like-minded individuals who are all about living for a better Ocean. Join our Facebook Group for the Podcast.

Dr. Lyne Morissette joins me on the podcast today for another episode of Ocean Talk Friday. We sit down to chat about Sea Level Rise in San Francisco Bay as well as how much of the land is sinking exacerbating the effect of salt water creeping onto land. We also get philosophical by answering two questions: 1) Should Seafood Corporations be responsible for funding conservation programs for fisheries and the habitats that they affect with their practices; and 2) Should marine scientists and conservationists become vegans and fly less to lead by example?

Enjoy the Podcast!!!

If you are interested in creating a podcast for your conservation organization or social enterprise, but are worried that it might be too difficult, take the Podcast for the Environmental Communication Course at Duke University's Executive Education Program. Click here to register.

Are you looking to start off your Marine Science and Conservation Career, but don't know where to begin or it hasn't gone the way you expected to? Join us on our next Marine Conservation Career Q&A. All you need to do is contribute at least $1/month to our Patreon Campaign to attend:Contribute to our Patreon Campaign

Don't forget to join our Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group to join like-minded individuals who are all about living for a better Ocean. Join our Facebook Group for the Podcast.

No interview today (my apologies). Instead I cover some news items including a diver's video of underwater trash goes vital; an Indian natural wastewater treatment system treats 198 million gallons of water; and, Canada confirms commitment to Paris Climate Accord Agreement even though they are upping their greenhouse gas emissions.

Enjoy the Podcast!!!

If you are interested in creating a podcast for your conservation organization or social enterprise, but are worried that it might be too difficult, take the Podcast for the Environmental Communication Course at Duke University's Executive Education Program. Click here to register.

Are you looking to start off your Marine Science and Conservation Career, but don't know where to begin or it hasn't gone the way you expected to? Join us on our next Marine Conservation Career Q&A. All you need to do is contribute at least $1/month to our Patreon Campaign to attend:Contribute to our Patreon Campaign

Don't forget to join our Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group to join like-minded individuals who are all about living for a better Ocean. Join our Facebook Group for the Podcast.

I dive into what I like to Call the Climate Change Effect, which I define as how the world is adapting, or not adapting to climate change. I look at two real world examples covered in the Atlantic and the Verge to help you understand that the world is changing now and we are all affected. This episode is not meant to depress you, but it is meant to inspire you to take action at home and in your community.

Enjoy the Podcast!!!

If you are interested in creating a podcast for your conservation organization or social enterprise, but are worried that it might be too difficult, take the Podcast for the Environmental Communication Course at Duke University's Executive Education Program. Click here to register.

Are you looking to start off your Marine Science and Conservation Career, but don't know where to begin or it hasn't gone the way you expected to? Join us on our next Marine Conservation Career Q&A. All you need to do is contribute at least $1/month to our Patreon Campaign to attend:Contribute to our Patreon Campaign

Don't forget to join our Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group to join like-minded individuals who are all about living for a better Ocean. Join our Facebook Group for the Podcast.

This is a motivational rant to inspire you to get moving on your science communication efforts. The world needs more people to inspire the public to do better. Publications are just a tiny portion of SciComm since most people don't read journal articles due to accessibility and...well, they just aren't interested. Online communication is the new platform to reach millions of people. So build your online presence, get your message out and change the world!!!

Enjoy the Podcast!!! 

If you are interested in creating a podcast for your conservation organization or social enterprise, but are worried that it might be too difficult, take the Podcast for the Environmental Communication Course at Duke University's Executive Education Program. Click here to register.

Are you looking to start off your Marine Science and Conservation Career, but don't know where to begin or it hasn't gone the way you expected to? Join us on our next Marine Conservation Career Q&A. All you need to do is contribute at least $1/month to our Patreon Campaign to attend:Contribute to our Patreon Campaign

Don't forget to join our Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group to join like-minded individuals who are all about living for a better Ocean. Join our Facebook Group for the Podcast.