Building a connection to the ocean is crucial to getting people interested in conserving the ocean. Marine theme parks that hold orcas, dolphins, seals, and sea lions are often advertised as ways to build the connection between people and the ocean; however, what cost are we willing to spend on building the connection. 

Marine mammals are not healthy in captivity and it's time that we end this experiment. 

Facebook Group: https://bit.ly/3NmYvsI

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Links:
1) https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969721034550

2) https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0169534721002755

3) https://kwit.app/en/blog/posts/cigarette-butts-the-main-source-of-sea-and-ocean-pollution

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Erin Smith, Chief Sole Officer, joins me on the podcast to discuss her journey navigating the tech world to taking over and growing a thriving social enterprise that cleans up flip flops that are washed up on the beach and pay artisans to create beautiful animal pieces from them.  Buy one of their pieces and use the code SPEAKUP for 15% off. If you spend more than $250, you will receive a bracelet made by Masai women.  Connect with Ocean Sole Africa:
Website: https://oceansoleonline.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oceansole/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/OceanSole1

Facebook Group: https://bit.ly/3NmYvsI

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There were two memes that inspired me to think about how we, as marine biologists, promote our field to aspiring marine biologists. We tell everyone that being a marine biologist is a great profession and brings great adventure, but we leave out some details that may help younger people make a valuable decision as to whether they should pursue their passion. It seems as though we are misleading aspiring marine biologists.

Therefore, this episode was created to help you understand the challenges and how to solve, some of them.

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A recent oil spill that covers 18,000 square meters of the coast of Lima, Peru may result in a fine of $37 million dollars, but is it enough?

The Spanish company (Repsol) involved is not new to these offenses as it is the fourth time an oil spill has occurred in the area.

Oil companies are made of money and they may not be happy about forking over millions of dollars to pay a fine, but they can afford it. 

I think they should be sanctioned where they cannot do business for months or even years as a punishment. They could lose billions of dollars and maybe that would make them put more attention into not spilling oil. 

Link to article: https://bit.ly/36NZRfK

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Pat Shnettler joins me on the podcast to tell me the story of what led him to co-found 12 Tides, a sustainable seafood business that sells nutrient-rich kelp chips to people who want a tasty snack that is ocean safe. 

Buy 12 Tides Kelp chips here:
https://12tides.com/

Connect with 12 Tides:
https://www.instagram.com/12tides/

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Website: https://bit.ly/3fOF3Wf
Instagram: https://bit.ly/3rIaJSG
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Have you ever had someone say to you that they are over the bans on plastic straws or changing their behaviour to help the ocean is too hard? It's a frustrating experience, but it tells us that people are not educated on ocean issues and may not want to be.

However, we need to make sure the right information is out there so that people who want to be educated on the ocean can do their part. 

In this episode, I discuss how we can change our SciComm approach to blend in better on digital platforms and help people live for a better Ocean.

Sign up for the Duke Environmental Communications Certificate Course called: Building and Online Community through Audio Storytelling: https://bit.ly/3ivkHCx

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We often wait too late until we change the bad things we do in society. Climate change is wreaking havoc on our planet and we are still debating on whether it's real. 

Now, a study showed that microplastics are in the human bloodstream so are we going to do something more radical about plastic pollution so this doesn't become a bigger problem than the crisis it already is?

Link to article: https://bit.ly/3iGHWK7

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In this episode, I am going to show you why there is hope for you and your career by offering you one piece of advice that helped me when I was in your position.

Join the Marine Science & Conservation Careers Facebook Group: https://bit.ly/3NmYvsI

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Many scientists love communicating their science to the public and they know that science communication is the key to improving conservation, but when they do SciComm they tend to not be their authentic selves causing their audience to disengage.

Therefore, in order for SciComm to be effective scientists must connect with their audience by being themselves.

In this episode, I provide advice and reasons why you should be yourself and the benefits that go along with it when doing SciComm.

Sign up for the Duke Environmental Communications Certificate Course called: Building and Online Community through Audio Storytelling: https://bit.ly/3ivkHCx

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Mass bleaching is happening more often for longer periods of time every year causing more damage than in previous years and it looks as though coral reefs will change in composition unless something is done to help them adapt, but climate change is not a switch that can be turned on and off.

Therefore, certain adaptations will need to be taken in for the survival of coral reefs as we know them.

In this episode, I am going to tell you about a study that tests whether corals can be trained to tolerate heat.

Link to article: https://bit.ly/3KYI8Ar

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Climate change is rearing its ugly head in many forms, including wildfires, mass coral bleaching, major glaciers and ice sheets melting, and an increase in major storms. the damage of climate change consequences are costing governments billions upon billions of dollars forcing the same governments to develop policies to help curb greenhouse gas emissions.

The governments are also calling on individuals to change the way they behave to also help reduce their footprint. One change is to buy an electric vehicle (EV). 

Buying an EV is not an easy step as there is a ton of misinformation out there, but it is getting easier to buy an EV as they are cheaper and more available (for the most part).

I am now in the market for an EV and in today's episode, I am sharing with you my journey to purchasing my first EV. 

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Angelo Villagomez joins me on the podcast to discuss what Indigenous-led conservation means and how it is important to include it in marine conservation. 

Link for Angelo:
Twitter: https://bit.ly/3tkzerf
Website: https://www.angelovillagomez.com/
Website: https://www.americanprogress.org/

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Dr. Nathan Robinson was part of a sea turtle research team when the team discovered that one of the sea turtles had a straw stuck up its nose. The entire ordeal was recorded and the video went viral on YouTube and contributed to the global ban the plastic straw campaign. The virality of the video changed Nathan's future career as he now focuses on how video can help identify deep-sea creatures and study the behaviour of oceanic animals. 

However, the one thing that doesn't get talked about enough was Nathan's study topic during the research expedition where the viral video was recorded. 

Nathan was studying the animals that would settle and hitch rides on the backs of sea turtles, called epibionts. He continued to study epibionts for the past ten years and recently created a database of studies and information on epibionts from all over the world. 

Nathan recently published a paper on the database and the questions that it answered. He sat down with me to discuss those answers and where he would like the epibiont database to lead other researchers in the future.

Connect with Nathan:
Instagram: https://bit.ly/3q3i6Uz
YouTube: https://bit.ly/3Jme7di

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Website: https://bit.ly/3fOF3Wf
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However, there are certain times where I have an smh (Shake My Head) moment as a small number of people use certain language that will certainly offend a group of people. 

In this episode, I will tell what those comparisons are and why you should avoid using them when speaking about the ocean. 

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Marine science papers can be hard to interpret if you are not a scientist so I decided to take you through how to interpret them and where there could be some room for error.

You may or may not have read a marine science journal article in the past, but there are certain things you need to know before you read them. First off, marine science searches for the truth using the scientific process. The studies can be proven wrong down the road, but the studies go through a rigorous review process before they are published.

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One way to repair these relationships is to conduct a study that incorporates all parties at the same table. The Apoqnmatulti'k project combines Indigenous knowledge, Western science, and local knowledge to gather information about three important marine species in Nova Scotia, Canada. 

Find out why this partnership has become successful.

Mongabay Article: https://bit.ly/3ChnZT7

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I know you were expecting an episode on Marine Science and Conservation today; however, I am quite distracted by the news of the invasion of Ukraine this past week. I don't feel very inspired to podcast after watching the videos online of the war. 

So I decided to take a week off to get my mental health in check so I can come back next week with some great energy and content.

Julie Kuchepatov is seeking to fight gender inequality within the seafood industry. She launched the Conch podcast where she interviews women at various levels of the seafood supply chain to tell their stories and show how women can be successful in the seafood industry. 

I chat with Julie to talk about how she started her organization, Seafood and Gender Equality, and launched her podcast. This is an interview you don't want to miss as Julie is such a great storyteller. 

Connect with Julie:

Website: https://www.seafoodandgenderequality.org/
Podcast: https://www.seafoodandgenderequality.org/theconch
Instagram: @seafood_and_gender_equality
Twitter: @sdg5forseafood

Connect with Speak Up For Blue:
Website: https://bit.ly/3fOF3Wf
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In the last episode, I talked about a citizen science project in the Southern Atlantic Ocean targeted at recreational fishers. I'm sure some of you wanted to join that program because let's face it, it was a fun program that saved sharks.  There are thousands of citizen science projects around the world and there is a good chance that one of those projects is in your area. 

I provide tips on how to choose a citizen science program that is right for you.

Links: 
Citizen Science Association: https://bit.ly/3JDSy82

US Government CitSci Programs: https://bit.ly/3p81tXB

Canadian CitSci Programs: https://bit.ly/3scOwh9

CitSci for Students: https://bit.ly/3t7zcBI

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Sharks in the southern Atlantic ocean are being protected through a citizen science program with sport fishers who regularly target sharks. Why is this a big deal you ask?

Previous to this program, sport fishers were killing the sharks that they caught due to the sharks' bad reputation. A study quantified the number of sharks killed per year as 18 sharks were caught per trip (on average), which equated to 3000 sharks per year (approximately). One sport fisher finally realized the devastation that was happening to the shark population of different species. So he spoke up. 

After many challenges, the sport fisher started a citizen science program over a decade ago, where sport fishers would tag their shark catches and release them instead of killing them. The program now boasts 150 fishers who tagged over 800 sharks. Those 800 sharks are not dead because of these fishers and the citizen science program that exists to protect them.

Link to article: https://bit.ly/33Ab1Tu

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The proposed megaproject is a risk to the local coral reefs for which most tourists come to visits and will further restrict beach access to the local people. 

Olivia and German join me on the podcast to discuss the work they have been doing to stop the megaproject from going forward including proposing an injunction on the start of the project until a trial for a lawsuit on the project can be conducted. 

The lawsuit is against the federal government agencies that are responsible for identifying the environmental, social, and economic risks for their citizens if the project moves forward. 

Here is how you can help:

German's Links:
Website: https://www.ccrrp.org
Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/www.ccrrp.org/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coz_coral_reef_restoration/?hl=en

Pier Activism on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/noalcuartomuelle/
Olivia's Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/askoliviarose/?hl=en

Petition:
https://www.change.org/p/conanp-no-necesitamos-una-4ta-terminal-homeport-para-cruceros-en-la-isla

The Ocean Clean Up Project recently released a video showing a trawl net releasing plastic pollution that it supposedly hauled from the ocean and released on the deck of a shipping vessel. However, there seemed to be some things that did not add up in the video. 

There was no bycatch from the fishing net used to clean up the plastic. The plastic was intact, which is very different than most of the plastic found at sea (microplastic), and the plastic was clean (almost looking brand new). No biofouling was present on the plastics, which is different than most other plastic items found at sea. 

Some scientists and conservationists are calling the video staged. 

What do you think?

Link to video: https://bit.ly/3JvQNJR

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I saw a video today about how the generation known as Generation Z is battling two different lifestyles. There is the progressive lifestyle that is led by the likes of people like Greta Thunberg and there is the excessive lifestyle that is led by the likes of people such as Kylie Jenner. The former lifestyle is worried about the planer while the latter lifestyle is worried about the shallow parts of life (looks and money). 

We all want to think that we are living the progressive lifestyle, but we fall into the excessive lifestyle more than we think, at least I do more often than not. 

I guess the first step is admitting it. The next is to plan how I am going to change and that is going to require a lot of thought as to what type of lifestyle I would like to lead in the future. 

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I invited Sara Marriott, a PhD candidate at the University of Southern Mississippi, and Emily De Sousa, a fisheries scientist and science communicator, to the show to give us an update on Aquaculture in 2022.

Links:
Sara's Twitter: https://bit.ly/3JjRlCM
Emily's Twitter: https://bit.ly/34pwoHL
Emily's TikTok: https://bit.ly/3GTtWXf

Connect with Speak Up For Blue:
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How do you define success? People often consider success as making a certain amount of money, having a family, and/or accomplishing specific goals in life. However, have you ever considered your sustainability as a measurement of success in your life? 

I saw a post on Facebook recently that posed the same question. I never really thought about how well I prioritized being sustainable in my life. It has always been an afterthought.  If I was hungry when I was out, I would just buy whatever was available at the time without searching for sustainable options. I always went for cheap clothing that I bought every 5 years. I want to be sustainable, but I need to change the way I approach it to consider it a measurement of success. 

How are you prioritizing your sustainability success?

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Last week, we saw what really happens at sea with industrialized fishing. 100,000 dead fish were discarded from a net and floating on the ocean taking up 3,000 square meters (32,300 square feet) in size. 

The fish were discarded from the 2nd largest trawling vessel in the world. The FV Margivis can haul in 18,000 tons of fish and process at sea. 

The representatives for the ship explained that a rupture in the trawl net caused the fish to float away. The representatives said they followed EU Law and logged the event as well as reported it to their flag country, Lithuania. 

The Sea Shepherd in France recorded the floating mat of dead fish for the world to see and is pressing the EU to investigate the event to find out if the trawl was actually ruptured. 

Link to articles:
The Guardian: https://bit.ly/335r1Na
BBC: https://bbc.in/3guY4NA

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You just know I had to get the Executive Director, Natasha Tucker, on the podcast to talk about her organization and get the details on the federal government's promise to ban certain single-use plastics in Canada.

Links:
Website: https://bit.ly/35DFOiU
Instagram: https://bit.ly/3AYgj7z
Tweet: https://bit.ly/3B0nE6z
Facebook: https://bit.ly/3HtSY06

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After publishing the episode, an audience member reached out to me on Instagram and shared a website with me that described how a pod of orcas helped whalers in Eden, Australia to hunt large baleen whales such as blue whales in the 19th century.

The whales would herd their blue whale prey into the shallow bay fr the whalers to harpoon them. Once the whale was dead, the whalers would allow a couple of days for the orcas to eat the lips and tongue before the whalers would take the rest of the whale for oil.

Such an amazing story. 

Links to article:
Website: https://bit.ly/3HyctV2

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The scientists observed the hunting events in Bremer Bay (South West Australia) where three orcas lined up along the side of the blue whale and pushed it underwater while two orcas would bite at its head. 

The hunts are part of nature and solidify orcas as THE apex predator of the ocean who has been observed to eat the livers from great white sharks. 

Orcas enjoy swimming in the mouth of the whale to eat its nutrient-rich tongue. 

Links to articles:
Paper: https://bit.ly/3obMOKc
Media Article: https://bit.ly/3GfOgS0

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Rosie Sherwood is an artist who would like more people to understand blue carbon and the role it plays in fighting climate change. She is working with the Plymouth University's Marine Institute as a resident to help the people of Plymouth understand the role seagrass plays in capturing carbon from the atmosphere.

Check out the links below:

A study based in Seychelles found that there some fish species will remain on a reef after the corals have bleached, which could help maintain fisheries and some form of nutrition for humans. 

Coral reefs are at risk from or are bleaching in many parts of the world, which could have negative implications on the fish communities and the human communities that rely on them for food.

The study identified five micronutrients that are found in a diverse array of fish (zinc, iron, calcium, selenium, and omega-3 fatty acids) that live on coral reefs. However, when the reefs bleach, only two micronutrients are commonly found (zinc and iron), which could affect the human population that relies on them.

Link to article: 
Mongabay: https://bit.ly/345ZBqv

Connect with Speak Up For Blue:
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Twitter: https://bit.ly/3rHZxpc  

A Greenpeace research vessel discovered a new colony of Gentoo penguins in Antarctica. It is the only colony that has been detected this far south on the icy continent. It's an important discovery because Gentoo penguins prefer low-lying, rocky areas that have no ice. 

The ice in Antarctica is melting six times faster than it was in the 1970s due to climate change. Melting ice will have an effect on global sea rise, weather patterns, and prey availability (krill). 

Greenpeace and other organizations are calling for the nations of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) to implement a network of Marine Protected Areas in Antarctica to relieve fishing pressure on the habitats. 

Links to articles:
1) Mongabay article: https://bit.ly/3KzSN5l
2) Gentoo Penguins: https://bit.ly/3GXIC8u

Connect with Speak Up For Blue:
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There was a headline on Rollingstone magazine (link below) that mentioned the Doomsday Glacier was on the verge of melting. The headline didn't make me feel good about where we were at on reducing climate change, but it also didn't motivate me to do anything about it because the problem seemed too big. 

Conservation optimism is important when trying to change people's behaviour to live for a better ocean. Optimistic stories can inspire people to do more for the ocean. 

Reading the headline "'the fuse has been blown' and the Doomsday glacier is coming for us all" does not seem to instill inspiration, but more apathy. 

The headline proves that the movie "Don't Look Up!" is less of a satire than it intended. 

Link to article: https://bit.ly/3nJxqVn

Connect with Speak Up For Blue:
Website: https://www.speakupforblue.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/speakupforblue 

Did you ever wonder what happens to your pee and poo after you flush the toilet? I bet you never thought you would read those words on this podcast, but the fact of the matter is our water quality is dependent on how well our sewage treatment plants can stop nasty stuff that we excrete from getting into our waterways, including the ocean.

Mongabay posted a great editorial about how the world is dealing with preventing pharmaceutical waste that we excrete from getting into our water. It doesn't look like we are doing a great job. 

Many places around the world cannot treat their sewage with the basic process let alone afford to implement the technology to treat pharmaceuticals. 

The sludge that does get produced after some sort of treatment gets added as a fertilizer on farmland, which means pharmaceuticals are in our fertilizer that helps produce the food in which we ingest. 

Pharmaceuticals are also affecting fish behaviour and physiology. I discuss two examples of studies that look at how elevated levels of estrogen (from birth control) and behavioural changes from psychiatric medicine affect fish in aquatic systems. 

The technology to treat pharmaceuticals does exist but has not been widely implemented. 

Link to article:
1) Mongabay: https://bit.ly/3IiJg0m
2) Fish paper: https://bit.ly/32faSEu

Connect with Speak Up For Blue:
Website: https://www.speakupforblue.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/speakupforblue

New Zealand is sending rescuers and supplies to help the nearby island but is having trouble communicating with the island.

A volcanic eruption is violent and destructive, but it is also part of the ocean's process to constantly evolve. I discuss the ways that underwater volcanos lead to biodiversity over time. 

Link to articles:
1) Volcano eruption: https://bit.ly/33jYmUP
2) Undersea Volcanos: https://bit.ly/33kttQ6

Connect with Speak Up For Blue:
Website: https://www.speakupforblue.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/speakupforblue

However, are you aware that your coffee pod may not be recyclable even though it says it is on the packaging? Keurig Dr. Pepper Canada claimed that their K-Cups were recyclable all over Canada, but most places outside British Columbia and Quebec would not accept them in their facility. 

K-Cups are made from polypropylene #5, which is rarely recycled in Canada. Keurig Dr. Pepper Canada had to pay $2.3 million in fines and $631 thousand in donations to environmental charitable organizations for misleading consumers. 

The incident begs the question: Are your coffee pods recyclable in your area?

Link to articles:
1) Keurig Dr. Pepper Fined: https://bit.ly/34UaVXn
2) Keurig Dr. Pepper Go Green: https://bit.ly/3I0wWBS
3) Canadian Plastics Defined: https://bit.ly/3KaTn9l

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/speakupforblue

Is visiting the Antarctic on your bucket list? If so, you may want to take the right boat to get there. 

PhD researcher at the University of Cambridge, Arlie McCarthy, wrote a great piece that we should all be talking about regarding invasive species reaching the Antarctic on Conversation.com.

The article describes the difficult path invasive species have had to travel to reach the shores of the Antarctic. The Southern Ocean's currents rotate clockwise around the continent deflecting many of the species. If the invasive species do make it to the coastal area, then they would have to survive the freezing cold temperatures and rough waters. These conditions make it difficult for invasive species to settle. Unless they travel by boat.

Humans visit the continent for a variety of reasons: tourism, research, fishing, and supply researchers. The ships they take to reach the frozen continent provide invasive species with a direct pathway to the coastal area increasing the chance of species survival and colonization. 

Invasive mussels and crabs can pose problems for local species. Mussels can outcompete local species for space by forming mussel beds and altering the habitat. Crabs can be a new threat to local populations as they become new predators. The results can alter the Antarctic coastline as we know it.

There are measures that can be taken to reduce the level of exposure to invasive species. Add a coating to the hull of the boat to ensure animals and plants do not stick to the hull. Exchanging ballast water outside the coastal zone would also help. Preventative measures are helpful, but enforcement will be necessary to ensure success. 

Link to article: https://theconversation.com/antarcticas-unique-ecosystem-is-threatened-by-invasive-species-hitchhiking-on-ships-174640

Connect with Speak Up For Blue:
Website: https://www.speakupforblue.com/
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There was a great conversation happening on TikTok (yes, TikTok) on Dr. Virginia Schutte's account regarding wastefulness and our environment. 

The video series started with Virginia stitching another creator on her comments about being judged for her family using paper plates. Virginia responded by saying that she chooses not to judge anyone on their lifestyle and rather approaches people with love and support to help others understand what conservation is and that not everyone is able to do conservation. 

A number of other comments were generated from the first video and Virginia had great responses to them. I discuss them in this episode and add my own thoughts on conservation and how we and corporations can act to help our blue planet. 

Virginia's TikTok account: https://www.tiktok.com/@vgwschutte

Meteor podcast: https://meteorscicomm.org/

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There is a prediction that says the ocean will have warmer water with less oxygen that will be more conducive to smaller mesopelagic fish. A study was recently published in Science and covered on Mongabay news that provides empirical evidence from 130,000 years ago (where, warmer and less oxygenated waters occurred) that shows the prediction could happen. 

The same conditions that were present 130,000 years ago are predicted to happen in 2100 that will have severe consequences for global fisheries, especially in the Humboldt Current System off the coast of Peru, where the study was conducted. 

The Humboldt Current System is home to one of the most productive waters in the world and accounts for over 15% of the global catch. Warmer, less oxygenated waters could cripple the fisheries as smaller fish will not meet the global food demand. 

Fisheries management methods such as fish quotas and marine protected areas should be employed to reduce the impact of overfishing that can accelerate the process of shifting to a smaller fish dominance. 

Enforcement of the fisheries management policies will also be key in maintaining fish populations. 

Link to article: https://news.mongabay.com/2022/01/warmer-oxygen-poor-waters-threaten-worlds-most-heavily-exploited-fish/

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Another Indus river dolphin was found dead near the Taunsa Barrage (a damn) in the Indus River (Pakistan) bringing the total to three Indus dolphins in the past month found dead. This past dolphin was found in fishing gear, which is the greatest threat to the population that is already limited by the physical barriers of six barrages within the river. 

Non-governmental organizations are trying to pressure the government to enforce policies that regulate the type of fishing gear, material, and mesh size as there has not been any enforcement on the fishing contractors in the area. 

Link to article: https://www.dawn.com/news/1667055

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The people of Cornwall, UK are enjoying the increased number of marine mammal sightings over the past couple of years; however, unfortunately, they are also seeing an increased number of marine mammal strandings. 

New sightings might have to bring about new policies that can change the way people in Cornwall fish and use the ocean in the future. 

Link to article: https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwall-news/good-year-whale-dolphin-sightings-6408638

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Watching Netflix's new movie Don't Look Up made me feel seen as no other movie has before. The movie is a satire on how society reacts to the news of environmental disasters and depicts scientists as whistleblowers that are annoying to society's day-to-day living. 

Many non-scientists felt the frustration and anger of Jennifer Lawrence's character that was a Ph.D. candidate who was passionate about what she had discovered and was angry that no one was trying to stop the destruction of the planet. We feel a similar struggle trying to speak up for climate change. 

There were people who criticized the movie. They complained that it made society out to be dumb and they didn't like that. They thought the writer, Adam McKay, should stick to making movies similar to his other hits, such as Step Brothers.

I think many of the critics are proving the point of the film. 

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A friend recently recommended a podcast to me where the host interviewed Dr. Jane Goodall. Dr. Goodall is a terrific scientist and is known for her studies on great apes where she lived with apes in the wild for many years. 

During the podcast, the host, Jay Shetty, discussed how hope could help fight the war on nature. I've heard from family and friends that they lose hope after hearing the doom and gloom of nature, yet Dr. Goodall suggests that they people can get their optimism back through local actions. 

I talk about how hope should be part of every nature message if we want to end this war on the environment.

Link to podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/jane-goodall-on-winning-the-war-on-nature-how-simple/id1450994021?i=1000538899362

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We need to do many things to reduce Climate Change and there are companies that are working around the clock to help bring renewable energy to the forefront in order to get them online. 

You may notice more windmills in the Ocean or near highways and the acres of land dedicated to solar panels. The latter is the focus of today's episode, solar panels. 

One of the major challenges to adding more solar panels is finding the space to put them. Deserts seem to be a good area, but one company is also looking at floating solar panels to decrease the risk of competing for space, but is adding a number of floating panels good for the habitats underneath the surface of the water?

Link to website: https://www.ciel-et-terre.net/

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The people are fed up with the broken promises of climate action by governments and will eventually resort to violence if the government doesn't clean up its act with the oil and gas industry. Dr. David Suzuki thinks that blowing up pipelines is inevitable if governments continue to ignore the people's wishes of climate action now. 

The speech is getting a lot of heat from conservative-leaning media as they think the words will lead to environmental terrorism. 

What are your thoughts?

Link to article: https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/pipelines-will-be-blown-up-says-david-suzuki-if-leaders-dont-act-on-climate-change

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Deep-sea mining is on the minds of many mining and tech companies as there is a potential to mind the metals that are so badly needed for computer chips that power the very devices you are using to listen to this podcast. However, we are not aware of the ramifications of mining unique areas such as deep-sea hydrothermal vents. 

A PhD candidate in deep-sea biology for Queen's University Belfast, Elin Angharad Thomas, conducted an analysis to assess whether the species that are found in hydrothermal vent habitats would be threatened by deep-sea mining. She used the criteria for the IUCN Red List to determine whether the species would be considered "at risk." 

The results of her analysis revealed that 2/3 of the species analyzed would be considered endangered by deep-sea mining and 20% of the species would be considered critically endangered.

The results of the study make more of a case to avoid deep-sea mining to preserve biodiversity in the deep sea. 

Link to article: https://www.theinertia.com/environment/deep-sea-mining-may-wipe-out-species-we-have-just-discovered/

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NFTs are all the rage in the cryptocurrency world these days. Many artists, digital creators, and even marine organizations are making money using NFTs. However, the way NFTs are processed could have implications for increasing climate change.

NFTs use the Eurythreum cryptocurrency, which is controlled by users (called miners) having to solve complex puzzles to gain tokens. Solving the puzzles take up a lot of energy which emits carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. 

The entire Eurythreum cryptocurrency uses as much electricity as Libya. 

There are ways to reduce the emissions to almost zero by switching the manner in which the currency is controlled. 

Link to articles:
1) https://www.theverge.com/2021/3/15/22328203/nft-cryptoart-ethereum-blockchain-climate-change
2) https://ecotrust.ca/latest/media/blockchain-for-climate-foundation-launches-bitmo-platform-at-cop26/

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The Indonesian government took coal ash off the list of hazardous materials even though there is evidence that there are harmful metals such as mercury and arsenic that can leech into the environment. The coal industry lobby worked with the government to get the removal passed. 

The government followed up with a policy where the fisheries ministry would by bricks made from coal ash and use them as bricks in the foundation for coral transplantation.

I can't make this stuff up!

Link to article: https://news.mongabay.com/2021/12/indonesias-new-plan-for-coal-it-pollutes-land-and-air-so-why-not-the-sea-too/

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There are many designation categories for protected areas in the ocean; however, they are often lumped into one category: Marine Protected Area. Marine Protected Area (MPA) is a term that has a very specific definition that is different from other protected area categories. 

A marine protected area is an area in the ocean where no extractive activities are allowed.

Some parks are called MPAs, but they allow extractive activities so they don't count as an MPA. 

Why is this important? If we want to protect the ocean, then we will need to have MPAs where no extractive activities are permitted to ensure there is protection. Some parks allow trawling to occur. Other parks allow oil and gas exploration and extraction. 

It can be confusing for us all to keep up with the protected area designations, but it's important to know what areas are truly protected. 

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In May 2021, a container ship called the X-Press Pearl caught fire and sank off the coast of Sri Lanka spilling large amounts of toxic chemicals in the form of fuel and a high concentration of microplastic pellets, called nurdles. 

These nurdles can wreak havoc on ocean habitats as they are made from fossil fuel chemicals and break down once in the water. The nurdles are ingested by sea turtles, marine mammals, seabirds, and fish where they can cause choking and/or leech chemicals into the animals' bodies. The spill of nurdles has also caused 20,000 fishers to stop fishing in Sri Lanka. 

The X-Press Pearl spill is a current example that nurdles need to be classified as hazardous materials. Unfortunately, the International Maritime Organization put off addressing the issue until next year opening the way for more spills to occur over the next year. 

Over 230,000 tons of nurdles enter the ocean every year. 

Link to article: https://grist.org/health/nurdles-the-worst-toxic-waste-youve-probably-never-heard-of/

Join the Plastic Pollution Coalition: https://www.plasticpollutioncoalition.org/the-coalition/

Petition against nurdles: https://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/982/791/665/

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New research published in the Journal of Heredity identified 3 new genetically distinctive populations of tiger sharks: one population is in the Indo-Pacific Ocean basin; one is in the Atlantic Ocean basin, and the third is in the waters surrounding the Hawaiin Islands. 

The new populations will no doubt add a call to protect the distinct population keeping in mind that tiger sharks are mass migratory species.

Link to Article: https://news.mongabay.com/2021/11/geneticists-have-identified-new-groups-of-tiger-sharks-to-protect/

https://news.mongabay.com/list/ucsc/

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Polish researchers observed a young female polar bear chasing a reindeer into the ocean, drowning it, and feeding on it. 

The observation in addition to another observation of the same young female feeding on a different reindeer carcass in the same region sparked a wonder as to whether polar bears were altering their diets in the Svalbard region because there was less ice. 

Other researchers disagree with that line of thinking as the bears have been seen feeding on reindeer since the 1950s and 60s on occasion. They think that more people are able to document the observations with phone cameras to post on social media making it seems as though polar bears feeding on reindeer occurs more often than we think.

Link to Article: https://bit.ly/3pcuQat

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Did you ever wonder how well your State is managing your beaches? Your state has a coastline along the ocean or the Great Lakes which can be a dynamic place. Coastlines are always changing, usually slow changes, but they are changing. Your state and local governments are in charge of how your beaches are managed and adapted to any changes that might occur but are they managed well?

There are so many laws and policies that can contribute to the management of beaches that it can be difficult to find a good indicator of how well they are managed. Luckily, there is a great organization and assesses the management of the beaches in each state annually, Surfrider. 

I am joined by Surfrider's Stefani Sekich-Quinn, who manages Surfrider's annual State of the Beach report. Stefanie joins me today to discuss the results of this year's report and reasons we can be hopeful for the future of our beaches...BUT we will have to keep up the pressure. 

Link to the report: https://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/surfrider-foundations-5th-annual-state-of-the-beach-report

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There have been over 1,000 manatees that have died in 2021. Most of the manatees died of starvation due to the lack of seagrass available for food. 

This episode explores why the seagrass disappeared over the past decade and suggests what needs to be done to protect the manatees better. 

Link to article: https://www.ecowatch.com/florida-manatees-starvation-feeding-2655776281.html#toggle-gdpr

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The North Atlantic Right whale's population dipped from 366 to 336 from 2019 to 2020 making it the lowest it has been in 20 years. Whale entanglement is the leading culprit in the North Atlantic Right Whale's mortality off the coast of Maine. Lobster fishing gear tends to be the gear that entangles the whales. 

A court recently ruled on whether the government should implement a 4-month ban on offshore lobster fishing in Maine to protect migrating North Atlantic Right whales that travel through the area. The court ruled against the ban on lobster fishing to protect the $1.4 billion fishing industry citing the data presented by the government was not sufficient enough to show a risk to the whale population in the area. The government is appealing the decision. 

Conservationists are calling for more collaborations between conservations and fishers to help make new technologies safer and more affordable gear (such as lineless lobster traps.

Link to article: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/nov/12/maine-lobster-fishers-fight-conservationists-entangled-whales?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

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This interview with Alifa Haque is a sample of the second episode of season 2 of the Beyond Jaws podcast about the science and conservation actions for wedgefish and guitarfish. 

Alifa is a doctoral candidate at the University of Oxford and is studying shark catches in Bangladesh, her home country. 

In this episode, Alifa tells the story of how she wanted to learn more about the shark fishery in her country after observing how many sharks the fishers catch. Alifa built relationships with the fishers and formed her own citizen science project that had volunteers work with fishers at various sites along the coastline. 

Find out how her data is being used to inform future policy. 

Follow the podcast here:
Website: https://www.speakupforblue.com/show/beyond-jaws/
Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3DnGntm
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3FnQ9MB
Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3ozRFEC

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My co-host for the Beyond Jaws Jaws podcast, Dr. David Ebert, joins me on the podcast today to discuss the new season of our podcast discussing wedgefish and guitarfish science and conservation. Wedgefish and guitarfish are commonly known as rhino rays or shark rays due to their long rostrum and uniquely shaped bodies.  

This season of Beyond Jaws features interviews of shark scientists from all over the world that are studying the life history, ecology, and the conservation of these species. 

Follow the podcast here:
Website: https://www.speakupforblue.com/show/beyond-jaws/
Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3DnGntm
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3FnQ9MB
Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3ozRFEC

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OceanEye, a non-profit organization dedicated to collecting plastic pollution in the Mediterranean Sea to understand the level of pollution, has contributed data and results to international bodies such as the IUCN and UN for their reports. The reports address the plastic pollution problem in the sea that is bordered by 22 countries. 

Each country has its own policies to dispose of its trash; however, some of its waste management systems are not up to par to prevent the trash from entering the Meditteranean Sea. 

Now that there is more data available, governing bodies and non-profit organizations can work with countries to help assess their plastic pollution problem.

Links:
Article: https://news.mongabay.com/2021/11/despite-deals-plans-and-bans-the-mediterranean-is-awash-in-plastic/
OceanEye: https://www.oceaneye.ch/

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Brynn found more hope in local action and less hope in federal announcements. Cities tend to take a more action-based approach to climate change as their problems affect their citizens faster and at a local level. 

I also discuss some criticism I received in an email about a recent episode on the Fore Islands and the dolphin hunt. 

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COP26 is all about the big announcements and Canada definitely made a big one. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that Canada will cap emissions on the oil and gas industry, but the cap won't affect the production of oil and gas. 

Canadian scientist and environmentalist, Dr. David Suzuki, did not attend COP26 this year because he is tired of empty promises. He is happy that the government made the announcement to cap oil and gas emissions, but would hope to see action soon. 

Indigenous groups were divided on the meeting. Some past attendees opted to stay in their communities to implement community action for a better climate while others attended the meeting as they thought it was their duty to represent their communities. 

What do you think of the announcement? Have your say by leaving a voicemail here: https://www.speakupforblue.com/show/speak-up-for-the-ocean-blue/

Links to articles: 
1) https://www.cbc.ca/radio/sunday/the-sunday-magazine-for-october-31-2021-1.6229995/why-david-suzuki-skipped-cop26-and-where-he-sees-glimmers-of-hope-in-climate-action-1.6235757

2) https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/what-on-earth-indigenous-climate-action-cop26-1.6237216

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Good ol' COP26, the Climate Change meeting, is happening again and there were some major announcements made at the meeting by countries such as the US, India, and Canada. I will cover the Canadian announcement in the next episode. 

The announcements sounded great, but what do scientists think about the announcements.

Link to article: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-03034-z

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I received some great questions from some audience members about episode 1230 where I interviewed Dr. Virginia Schutte about the Teamseas campaign and why you might not want to support the campaign, but donate directly to an organization's programs (such as the Ocean Conservancy's Plastic Pollution Program). 

Andrew Lester-Coll asked another great question today. He asked whether it was a good idea for the Ocean Conservancy to team up with the Ocean Clean Up for the #Teamseas campaign.  

Sousa Kalliovski emailed some questions that wondered what happened to the plastic after it was collected from the ocean. Sousa also asked if there are campaigns that focused on not using plastic in the first place. 

Some great questions from our Speak Up For The Ocean Blue podcast community. 

Check out the last episode for more details on the Teamseas controversy:
https://www.speakupforblue.com/show/speak-up-for-the-ocean-blue/sufb-1230-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-teamseas-fundraiser/

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There are many fundraisers that occur throughout the year for the oceans and they are run by various organizations. Most of them have good intentions to help protect the Oceans. Some raise a lot of money and some not so much; however, the organizations to which you donate matter. 

There is a large fundraiser that is going on right now to help raise $30 million dollars that promises to take out 30 million lbs of trash from the Ocean. Two organizations will split the money into two equal parts. One of those organizations is called the Ocean Conservancy and they have a great plastic pollution program; however, the other organization is the controversial Ocean Clean Up. 

If you don't recall, the Ocean Clean Up is an organization that promised to clean up the Pacific Garbage Patch within 5 years of its operation. It not only failed, but it ignored many scientific criticisms and never made their environmental assessment public, but promised that everything was fine. None of their prototypes have worked even though millions of dollars were invested. 

Now the Ocean Clean Up stands to gain a lot of money through a crowdsourcing campaign called Teamseas. The campaign is not talking about the controversy surrounding the Ocean Clean Up Project thereby legitimizing their work in the Ocean. 

Dr. Virginia Schutte was asked to help raise funds for the campaign, but refused to participate due to the Ocean Clean Up being involved. 

Virginia joins me on the show today to discuss why and what you could do to help protect the Ocean. 

Make a donation to the Ocean Conservancy:
https://donate.oceanconservancy.org/page/92465/donate/1

Connect with Dr. Virginia Schutte:
website: https://www.virginiaschutte.com/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@vgwschutte?
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vgwschutte/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/VirginiaSchutte

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Experts say that cause of death was most likely drowning after getting caught in fishing gear; however, there was no mention of fishing gear found with the sea turtles. 

Link to article: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-59077086

I answer a listener voicemail on today's episode. Laura asked if an organization's work, named Coral Vita, is worth supporting. She wanted to know if the work they do is helpful to coral reefs. 

Coral Vita recently won the Earthshot Prize as they were recognized for the coral reef restoration work that they do in the Bahamas. However, not every organization that wins a prize does work that will have a net benefit in the local region that they work. 

Coral Vita is one of those organizations that DO have a net benefit, locally. I discuss why in the podcast.

Link to Coral Vita:
Website: https://www.coralvita.co/ 

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I answer a listener question from a voicemail I received about how people who communicate science can get their message across to their target audiences about Climate Change. 

There is a long history of messaging about climate change and how scientists were late to the game in getting the message out about a topic that is affecting all of us today. 

I discuss why scientists were late to the game to speak out about climate change and how today's social media tools are allowing more scientists to discuss their research and projects easier than ever. 

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I received a question from Josie Greenston who asked me (I am paraphrasing):

Where do I begin with helping with the Ocean? There are so many things that are harming the ocean (climate change, over-fishing, plastic pollution, etc.) that I don't know where to begin helping the Ocean.

Josie asks a great question that I've heard before. I wanted to take this episode to address how people can help the ocean with various levels of available commitment. 

You can choose any one of the options or combine them depending on your interest and commitment level. 

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I see many people profess to go Zero Waste and I think it's great; however, I have trouble relating to them because they are oftentimes at different life stages than I am. They are single or a two-person household, which makes it easier to change their lifestyle choice than it is with a family with kids.  Or it was just one of the many excuses I use to procrastinate more on changing my lifestyle. 

Well, I can't use my family as an excuse anymore because of the Zero Waste Family. They are a family that has dedicated years of their life to live a Zero Waste lifestyle as a family unit. I had the pleasure of interviewing them to help them promote their journey on going Zero Waste and to promote their episode on the new NBC show, Home Sweet Home. 

The premise of the show is to take two different families have them switch homes to live each other's lifestyle and see what it's like to step outside of your life. It's a great concept for a TV show, especially when one family is the Zero Waste Family.

Check out the program on NBC Friday, October 22nd, 2021 @ 8 pm ET/PT. 

Connect with the Zero Waste Family:
Website: https://zerowastefamily.com/
Film: https://zerowastefamily.com/film
Book: https://zerowastefamily.com/book
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/zerowastefamily

Sign up on ZeroWasteFamily.com to get notified when the 2nd edition of the book is available.  

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The Blob, a massive heatwave in the Pacific Ocean raised the average sea surface temperature by 2-4C and changed the distribution of some species. 

The Blob raised the temperature in cooler waters as well as the direction of currents. These changes allowed for species in the south to move north as their habitat was suitable. 

New species could outcompete species that are already found in the northern waters. They could grow and reproduce faster, which will cause some resident species to disappear from the area. 

There will be a Blob 2.0. The question is will the research currently being conducted allow for the prediction of where species will move to and settle next?

Link to article: https://theconversation.com/five-years-after-largest-marine-heatwave-on-record-hit-northern-california-coast-many-warm-water-species-have-stuck-around-168053

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Last episode (Episode 1223), I spoke to Virginia Schutte and Bethann Merkel about their approach to Science Communication that they discuss on their new podcast called Meteor. 

During the interview, I talked about how I just launched Speak Up For The Ocean Blue with minimal planning because I just wanted to start doing the "fun part" of my SciComm. I now realize that I would do things differently if I were to start over today.

I talk about 8 steps I would take if I was going to launch a Sci Comm platform today. 

Connect with Virginia and Bethann:
Website: https://meteorscicomm.org/
Podcast: https://meteorscicomm.org/podcast/
You can find the podcast on your favourite podcast app. 

Connect with Speak Up For Blue:
Website: https://www.speakupforblue.com/
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/speakupforblue

I am a huge advocate for science communication (scicomm). It's important for audiences to understand what science is doing for our society and how we are affecting it. However, scicommers like myself do not have a formal community where I can exchange ideas and experiences with other people who are in a similar position as me...until now!

Virginia Schutte and Bethann Merkel join me on the podcast to talk about their newly launched podcast, called Meteor, that exists to help build a community of practice for Science Communicators. 

The episode is one of my favourite episodes that I have ever recorded for this podcast. If you are a midcareers scicomm person then this is the episode for you.

Connect with Virginia and Bethann:
Website: https://meteorscicomm.org/
Podcast: https://meteorscicomm.org/podcast/
You can find the podcast on your favourite podcast app. 

Connect with Speak Up For Blue:
Website: https://www.speakupforblue.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/speakupforblue 

There was a great article on Mongabay News (link below) that asked the question as to whether marine biologists should work for natural resource companies that would like to mine the deep sea. 

It's a more complicated question than you might think as marine biology is not well funded for governments, non-profit organizations, and academia. There are companies that have a vested interest that would like to utilize marine biologists to characterize the deep-sea habitat for their own purpose. The decision to work with deep-sea mining companies weighs heavily on every marine biologist. Most of us would like to protect the Ocean, but are we doing so when working for companies that are exploiting it. 

On the other hand, it's difficult to find a good-paying job in Marine Biology. Natural Resource companies pay well and the biologists get to work in their field. 

Link to article: https://news.mongabay.com/2021/10/antithetical-to-science-when-deep-sea-research-meets-mining-interests/

Connect with Speak Up For Blue:
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The one thing that I love about doing this podcast is the fact that I can talk to people who have done amazing things in Marine Conservation. Sometimes, people are supported by large organizations/companies that help them get on their way to launching these amazing conservation projects. Other times, the people start the projects on their own and create something really special. 

In today's episode, I speak with Ted Cheeseman who co-founded the site HappyWhale.com, a website that tracks humpback whales that have been identified by photos taken from citizen scientists from all over the Pacific Ocean. There are over 60,000 photos in the database spanning decades. 

Ted discusses:
1) Why he started the site with his co-creator;
2) How he builds relationships with the photographers and the scientists to study the tracks;
3) How Ted started his Ph.D. on tracking humpback whales, and, 4) How he would like to see Happy Whale be used in the future.

Connect with Ted:
Website: https://happywhale.com/home
Help Fund Happy Whale: https://experiment.com/social-whales

Connect with Speak Up For Blue:
Website: https://www.speakupforblue.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/speakupforblue
 

A listener named Sydney Stauffer asked me to create an episode on my thoughts on swim-with-dolphin programs that are held with dolphins in captivity. She heard the episode with Stephanie Stack (e1214) about swim-with-whales in the wild and wanted me to discuss the captivity aspect of swimming with dolphins. 

Sydney was concerned that we don't discuss the captivity programs, especially the smaller companies that we see in tourist destinations such as the Caribbean. Tourists participate in these experiences because they think the animals want to participate, but that is not the case. The captive dolphins do not have a choice. 

A captive dolphin that has to undergo human swimming encounters multiple times per day (10-20 on the small end) is not comfortable interacting with that many humans who do not know how to properly interact with a dolphin. Dolphins can (and have!) get aggressive with humans who pay a lot of money to have a dream-come-true encounter with the cetacean. 

Education is the number one solution in getting people to stop frequenting the swim-with-dolphin encounters. 

Links:
Animal Welfare Institute:
https://awionline.org/content/swim-attractions-dolphin-assisted-therapy

Connect with Speak Up For Blue:
Website: https://www.speakupforblue.com/
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/speakupforblue

Did you hear the Brittany Spears may not be under conservatorship anymore and her father was removed as the head of said conservatorship? Wait...what? You are probably wondering what Brittany Spears has to do with marine conservation. You are right, it really doesn't, but the reason I know what is happening with Brittany Spears is because of a documentary on her that was centred around her conservatorship. 

Documentaries can inspire audiences to support a pop star that is going through something personal or can help shut down orca shows at SeaWorld.  They are powerful tools for storytelling that can turn the tide on many aspects of environmental conservation issues. 

In this episode, I discuss three documentaries that invoked different behavior changes, in good and not-so-good ways.

Connect with Speak Up For Blue:
Website: https://www.speakupforblue.com/
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A study is underway in Mozambique to study the distribution ranges of two species of wedgefishes family (bottlenose wedgefish and bowmouth guitarfish) to help better manage their population. 

The species are considered critically endangered due to the fin-trade industry. The fish are either sought for their fins through catching them individually or as bycatch. The fin-trade can yield more money for the rays' fins that will bring in more revenue for the fishers than the meat from the rest of their body. 

The study employs a new tactic in Mozambique, where it uses acoustic and satellite tags to track the wedgefishes in close and long ranges. 

The results from the study will inform policy to help better protect these fishes in marine protected areas or through quotas (or both!).

Link to article: https://news.mongabay.com/2021/09/new-research-hopes-to-shine-a-light-on-wedgefish-the-pangolin-of-the-ocean/

Link to Beyond Jaws Podcast: https://www.speakupforblue.com/show/beyond-jaws/

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South African penguins are having a tough time with their population numbers. The IUCN lists them as endangered in the Red List due to lack of food from commercial fishing and the fact that their food source may have shifted to different locations due to changing ocean currents from the consequences of climate change. 

So it makes things even worse when 63 Endangered South African penguins were found dead and the culprit was concluded to be bees. The penguins were found to have multiple stings near the eyes and flippers (not covered by feathers). One penguin had 27 bee stings on it. 

Scientists assume that the bees left the nest to defend their hive after something threatened them and the penguins were the first animals the bees met in their flight path. 

Link to article: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-58622482

Connect with Speak Up For Blue:
Website: https://www.speakupforblue.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/speakupforblue

A viral TikTok video has sparked a debate on the app and on Twitter as to whether a woman working on a small ocean vessel should have made a sea lion go back in the water as three orcas were circling her boat.

The sea lion leaped out of the water onto the boat to escape the orcas that were chasing it. It looked comfortable waiting there until the orcas left, but the woman on the boat had other plans. the woman was frightened of the orcas and was clearly worried about what the orcas would do to get access to the sea lion. 

Viewers of the video were contributing to both sides of the question of what they would do in the same situation. 

So I pose the same question to you: Would you help save the sea lion from the orcas?

Connect with Speak Up For Blue:
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Swim-with-whale tour operators are popping up in various places around the world. The idea of getting in the water and swimming with humpback whales nearby can be a dream come true for many people; however, the tour operators are running without any regulations to ensure that the tours are not altering the behavior of the humpback whales. 

The humpback whales that hang out in Hervey Bay, Australia every year do so to rest during their long migration from Australia to Antarctica. The trip requires a ton of energy to move such large bodies that distance in the ocean. Any excess energy used can be detrimental to the migration of the whales. 

Stephanie Stack, Chief Scientist at the Pacific Whale Foundation, and her team studied the humpback whale behavior before, during, and after swim-with-whale tours and whale watching tours occurred in Hervey Bay.  

Stephanie joins me on today's podcast to discuss the results of the study and what next steps need to be taken. 

Connect with Stephanie:
Pacific Whale Foundation: https://www.pacificwhale.org/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/StephanieHStack
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shstack/
Happy Whale: https://happywhale.com/home

Connect with Speak Up For Blue:
Website: https://www.speakupforblue.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/speakupforblue
 

We are entering the 6th mass extinction. When I tell people about the mass extinction, people are not too worried. I don't think they realize that we are already starting to see the effects of the mass extinction and that the planet has gone through this before, but there is one difference. 

The major difference is the fact that the Permian extinction (which occurred approximately 66 million years ago) was caused by volcanic activity while the 6th mass extinction was caused by humans. 

The good news is that we can stop it; however, we need to act now. Voting for political candidates is the best way that you can enact change, but there are other things too. Listen to hear more. 

Link to article: https://www.sciencealert.com/mass-extinction-events-can-turn-freshwater-into-toxic-soup-and-that-s-bad-news-for-today

Connect with Speak Up For Blue:
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The Faroe Islands government has announced that they will review their regulations of the dolphin cull after some whalers and critics thought that the last cull of 1400 white-sided dolphins was too numerous to use all of the meat.  

The current regulations that I mentioned during the last episode raised a number of questions about how quantitative are regulations? How many animals can they take at once? What is the ratio of hunters to animals to ensure a quick hunt of each individual? How much meat is given to each family?

Hopefully, questions such as the ones above will be answered during this review.   

Last episode: https://www.speakupforblue.com/show/speak-up-for-the-ocean-blue/sufb-1211-questions-around-the-legality-of-killing-1400-white-sided-dolphins-in-the-faroe-islands-circulate/

Link to article: https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/faroe-islands-dolphin-follow-1.6179472

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There was a cull of 1400 white-sided dolphins in the Faroe Islands recently has some people wanting to know if it was legal. 

Whaling of pilot whales and other small cetaceans is legal in the Faroe Islands as the local community relies on whale meat as their primary protein source. The small island autonomous territory has been culling whales for centuries. The meat is processed in the open bays and handed out for free to the local community. 

The average catch per year is approximately 800 pilot whales and 250 white-sided dolphins; however, the total number of dolphins killed was 1400 individuals. That is 6 times the normal amount of dolphins and almost twice as many individuals as pilot whales.

There seemed to be a number of questions surrounding the cull of the dolphins including: were there enough killers present, did some boats run over the dolphins,  was all of the meat used, etc. 

You may feel that the cull is inhumane, but I ask you to keep an open mind to some of the questions and understand that these are people on a small island with access to very little natural resources in food other than the oceans. 

I should also mention that I am not for cetacean hunting. I just found this story interesting to look at from a different perspective. 

Link to article: https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/15/europe/faroe-dolphin-killing-record-scli-intl-scn/index.html 

Connect with Speak Up For Blue:
Website: https://www.speakupforblue.com/
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The Canadian federal election is less than a week away before we find out who will lead Canada into a very different world than it was 18 months ago. There are many predominant issues at hand in this election such as the COVID pandemic, the economy, reconciliation with Indigenous communities across Canada, and climate change. 

I am very interested in all of these issues, especially that of how each party running will handle climate change. In this episode, I provide an overview of each of the parties' climate change policies and who I think has the best one. Of course, each party says their policies are the best and do not provide a ton of detail during the election, but as a Canadian citizen, it is up to me and my fellow Canadians to make the decision that best aligns with our values. 

Connect with Speak Up For Blue:
Website: https://www.speakupforblue.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/speakupforblue

Kaitlyn Mitchell is a lawyer for Animal Justice, a non-profit organization that looks out for the welfare of animals in Canada. 

Website: https://animaljustice.ca/

Kaitlyn came highly recommended as someone to interview on the Canadian side of the border that is involved in advocating for the belugas in the transfer from Marineland (Canada) to Mystic Aquarium (US). I covered the original story by interviewing Dr. Naomi Rose (Episode 1197, https://www.speakupforblue.com/show/speak-up-for-the-ocean-blue/sufb-1197-havoc-the-beluga-whale-dies/).

Kaitlyn provides us with an update on the beluga whale transfer as well as how we can make sure that bill S-203 (Canadian Cetacean Captivity Ban) can be made better to avoid needless deaths like that of Havok. 

Kaitlyn also tells us about the dire situation with Kiska, an orca that has been recorded bashing her head against the side of her tank. We discuss what Animal Justice hopes to be done about the orca at Marineland. 

Connect with Animal Justice:
Website: https://animaljustice.ca/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/animaljustice_/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/animaljusticecanada

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Website: https://www.speakupforblue.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/
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All of the talks around protecting 30% of the world's oceans by the year 2030 have really put a focus on the quality of MPAs that exist and that will be designated in the future. MPA design and implementation are unique around the world, especially if a country or region is new to the process. 

Angelo Villagomez and Johnny Briggs join me on the podcast to discuss the new Pew Bertarelli Ocean Legacy MPA Guide that will help ocean practitioners with their MPA process beyond just designating MPAs. The guide also has a focus on how to make the MPAs sustainable through sustainable funding and enforcement. 

Links:

Check out all of our episodes on www.speakupforblue.com

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Every country has a different way of managing its oceans and every region also has its own way of managing its oceans. Various regions can learn from one another and build on each other's successes to implement ocean conservation. 

In today's episode, we complete our three-part series with a guest host, Laure Katz from the Blue Nature Alliance, who speaks to Arthur Tuda from WIOMSA (Western Indian Ocean), Angelique Pouponeau from SeyCCAT (Seychelles), and Joaquin Labougle (Blue Nature Alliance) to share their experiences on regional approaches to ocean conservation. 

You can watch the video podcast here: https://www.bluenaturealliance.org/iucn-wcc-2021-podcast-series

Check out all of our episodes on www.speakupforblue.com

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We are continuing our series in partnership with the Blue Nature Alliance to discuss Marine Conservation and how that will move forward in order to protect 30% of the ocean by 2030. 

Incorporating People, Knowledge, and Networks in Ocean Conservation will be crucial to implement successful marine conservation strategies. 

I am joined by Kate Brown (Global Island Partnership in New Zealand), Coral Pasisi (Tofia Niue from the Island of Niue) and Ginny Farmer (Blue Nature Alliance based in the US) on the podcast to discuss their experiences in marine conservation and how people, knowledge, and networks help in ocean conservation.

Video podcast: https://www.bluenaturealliance.org/iucn-wcc-2021-podcast-series

Check out all of our episodes on www.speakupforblue.com

Want To Talk Oceans? Join the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

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The Blue Nature Alliance is a collaboration among several organizations that would like to help communities around the world to protect 30% of the ocean by 2030. The goal cannot be reached by any single entity, but teaming up with each other can help all of us achieve this goal. 

Getting to 30% ocean protection will take the participation of all ocean users around the world. Social equity will play a large role in designating MPAs; however, it has not been taken into account during many of the past MPA processes. 

Several marine professionals wrote a paper on Social Equity and why it is crucial to the proper designation and implementation of MPAs. 

I speak with Dr. Asha de Vos (Oceanswell), Dr. Ana Spalding (Oregon State University), and Mael Imirizaldu (Blue Nature Alliance) on the role and importance of Social Equity in marine conservation.

Link to article: https://www.bluenaturealliance.org/a-call-to-prioritize-social-equity-in-marine-conservation

Check out all of our episodes on www.speakupforblue.com

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I am listening to a podcast series called White Saviors that is produced by Canadaland. It's a series on the rise and fall of a charity called the We Charity that was founded by two brothers (one of which went to my high school in Toronto, Canada) that wanted to save children from child labor.

The organization got huge and that's where it went wrong. Now the organization is trenched in scandal and an ongoing legal investigation. 

The series made me think of all of the people in marine conservation that start out with a notable mission, but end up on the wrong side of that mission. 

Check out all of our episodes on www.speakupforblue.com

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It's that time of year again for me to provide advice for students and early-career scientists/conservationists as people are going back to school or trying to find their first job. 

Check out all of our episodes on www.speakupforblue.com

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I have been reflecting on the subject of collaboration as I work on a special project for this podcast (the project will be released next week!). Collaboration is a term and major theme of the project; however, over the past 6 years I noticed that people in Marine Science and Conservation are more competitive than they are collaborative. 

Now it could be the way the system is set up in terms of many organizations that have similar missions are competing for the same funding, but I also believe it starts with the people in all fields of marine science and conservation.

People in science podcasting are also acting this way. Some people are worried about the competition and ask why there is more than one podcast on a similar topic. I think it's great for podcasting and marine conservation. Take a listen to the episode to see why.

Check out all of our episodes on www.speakupforblue.com

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Fisheries and Oceans Canada's (DFO) Whale Protection Program has several investigations open of illegal drone activity along the southern shores of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. 

The drones are being flown near marine mammals (whales, seals, and sea lions) causing disturbances and, in some cases, interfering with government activities surrounding whale entanglement. 

DFO has issued a warning to residents in the area that the penalties for breaking the law with illegal drone activity can be severe (mandatory court appearance and a $100,000 fine).

Link to article: https://www.nanaimobulletin.com/news/troubling-trend-of-drones-buzzing-b-c-marine-mammals-leads-to-dfo-warning/

Check out all of our episodes on www.speakupforblue.com

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I speak to Dr. Johann Bell from Conservation International on today's episode to discuss a Climate Justice example in the Pacific Islands. 

Many small islands states in the Pacific received a majority of their revenue from fishing licenses from the distance water fleets of other countries such as the US, China, Korea, Japan, and others. The revenue pays for education and other programs in the Pacific Island nations. However, there is a problem that is being caused by Climate Change.

The change in water temperature is shifting the tuna populations outside of the small island jurisdiction where the other countries could fish for free rather than paying for the licenses. The small island countries would miss out on crucial revenue and the fisheries would not be regulated in the high seas. 

Dr. Johann Bell discusses the solutions for this problem with me during this episode. 

Links from the episode:
1) Article: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-021-00745-z
2) Press Release: https://www.conservation.org/press-releases/2021/07/29/study-warming-waters-threaten-tuna-dependent-economies-in-the-pacific

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COVID caused a lot of disruption in the form of shutdowns, but something that was always available in North America was grocery stores. However, there were some small island states such as Cape Eleuthera that did not know if their food was coming via shipping boats. Luckily it was only temporary. 

During that time, people looked to the sea to provide food without regard for catch limits and quotas. People were searching for food and needed to eat, so catch sizes were not on their minds. 

Dr. Nick Higgs noticed this behaviour and decided to study how many conchs were affected by this temporary food shortage. 

Nick is on the podcast today to discuss his new paper and the results of the study. We also discuss what this could mean for conservation. 

Connect with Dr. Nick Higgs:
1) Website: http://www.ceibahamas.org/