How To Protect The Ocean

Climate Change is rearing its ugly head as one of its consequences is the rapid heating of the Antarctic Ice Sheets turning them to slush. El Nino changed the wind patterns of the continent so that they could not keep the ice sheets cool as warm water moved in along the coastline. There is a 300,000 square mile slush pile that used to be ice. I discuss what that could mean for our ocean in the fut...

The Shark Week Schedule for 2017 has been announced and there are some shows to which I am looking forward and others that perpetuate sharks as serial killers (which is false!!!). I review some of the synopses of the episodes announced during this episode.  I also go over an infographic released by the Save San Francisco Bay Organization that deals with the problem of cigarette butt littering. One...

This is a special Ocean Talk Friday Episode where I have two colleagues and friends that would like to introduce you to a new podcast we've been working on called Marine Conservation Happy Hour. It's a podcast where we get together after work (virtually, of course) and talk about what's happening in our respective fields over a few drinks. It's something that we've been working on for a while and...

Griffin Carpenter joins me on the podcast to talk about fisheries policy pre and post BREXIT. Yup! I said it! We are going to talk about BREXIT and how it will affect fisheries management for the UK and the European Union. I know there are many things to consider regarding the UK separating from the EU, but for our podcast we deal about Ocean management so we will discuss sustainable fisheries man...

Taking a conversation from the Facebook group to here in the podcast, I talk about why shark researchers catch sharks through a hook and a line. It's a controversial issue that looks at what is best for the overall health of shark populations. In the second half of the show I highlight some great conservation success stories that is hitting the media over the past week. I start by talking about th...

Nathan Johnson joins me again to discuss World Oceans Day; UN Oceans Week Conference; Funding Priorities; The Importance of Ocean Festivals; and, Exploring Easter Island. Enjoy the podcast! Fish Nerds Website Fish Nerds Facebook Group   Support Speak Up For Blue's Efforts to build a platform to raise awareness for Marine Science and Conservation and help you live for a better Ocean. Contribute to...

Have you ever wondered what sustainable really means and how you can eat sustainable seafood? Clay Groves, host of the Fish Nerds Podcast, has an idea. Clay Groves has spent a long time fishing, guiding and cooking fish to understand what it means to eat sustainably. He's judged sustainable seafood competitions and was invited by the Virginia Aquarium to speak on Sustainable Seafood...and podcasti...

Ocean Day is this Thursday, which is a time to reflect on what we can do to help our Oceans. I have a solution and I talk about it during this episode.  I also talk about Cities and States resisting against Trump's decision to pull out of the Paris Accord. How can they do that and still follow the Paris Accord? I will chat about that as well. Finally, I answer a question that was posed to me in th...

It's been a tough couple weeks for the US environment as Trump's budget defunded key coastal programs such as the Coastal Zone Management Program and the Sea Grant Program. He also announced that the US will start the procedure to pull out of the Paris Climate Change Agreement. Nathan Johnson and I talk about the benefits of the CZMP and the Sea Grant programs and what will be lost with the defund...

The Government of Canada recently made some ambitious goals to protect 10% of their coasts by 2020. I speak to Dr. Rodolphe Devillers to discuss the challenges the Canadian Government and other governments face when establishing Marine Protected Areas. Some of the challenges we discuss: 1) Will protected areas only be designated where human activity is absent to implement them faster? 2) Should th...

My family trip to the Grand Cayman was wonderful, but I do have some concerns over the ecotourism on the island and how it might protect the Ocean and its inhabitants. Support Science and Climate Change Science Research by buying our Graphic T-shirts "Science Can't Be Silenced" and "Climate Change is here, it's real, it's time to act." The March for Science is over, but Climate Change Research mus...

I discuss 2 issues that have come up in the past week: 1) Iron Fertilization and  2) How to act around sea lions and other wildlife.   Enjoy the podcast! Support Science and Climate Change Science Research by buying our Graphic T-shirts "Science Can't Be Silenced" and "Climate Change is here, it's real, it's time to act." The March for Science is over, but Climate Change Research must continue so...

Daisy Kendrick was troubled by the fact that her friends were not aware of Ocean issues, so she decided to create marketing campaigns that target where other organizations aren't...the gaming community. Today, you are going to here from someone who is quickly becoming a successful non-profit entrepreneur that is working to change the behaviour of how we use plastic. Enjoy the podcast! Support Scie...

I made a mistake on the Adult Film star getting bitten (or not bitten) by a shark, Preserve Committee in Cape Cod is suspended by Trump and a dolphin is rescued by a stranding network. Enjoy the podcast! Support Science and Climate Change Science Research by buying our Graphic T-shirts "Science Can't Be Silenced" and "Climate Change is here, it's real, it's time to act." The March for Science is o...

Someone in the Speak Up for Blue Podcast Facebook Group asked if there was a difference between US and Canadian Ocean Management. I attempt to explain how the two countries are different and similar. Hopefully, I do a good job. Enjoy the podcast! Support Science and Climate Change Science Research by buying our Graphic T-shirts "Science Can't Be Silenced" and "Climate Change is here, it's real, it...

Dr. Andrew Wright joins me on the podcast to recount a workshop he attended to help protect the Taiwanese White Dolphins. Andrew provides a great description of the importance to workshops to help with species management. The Taiwanese White Dolphin face a number of issues that continue to threaten the status of the population. Workshops, like the one Andrew describes, bring experts and local comm...

Is the increase of Grey Seal Population on Cape Cod causing problems with humans? I was asked to answer a question as to whether the science says Grey Seals are preventing the cod stocks in the Northeast from recovering. I answer this question using a Canadian example. Who Should Lead the Ocean Conservation Movement? Bill Nye has been undergoing heavy criticism from the non-scientific AND the scie...

Dr. Lyne Morissette joins us for this episode of the Ocean Talk Friday to discuss Microplastics is sea salt; Diversity in the Deep Sea; Seismic Surveys starting up in the Atlantic; and, Orcas hunting for shark liver. Enjoy the podcast! Support Science and Climate Change Science Research by buying our Graphic T-shirts "Science Can't Be Silenced" and "Climate Change is here, it's real, it's time to...

Citizen Science is becoming a bigger part of collecting field data that will help inform policy to better protect the Ocean. We are going to find out all about how you can participate to help protect the Ocean. Michael Bear is the Director of Citizen Science for Ocean Sanctuaries, which operates marine citizen science programs in California and will be offering a free course in Marine Citizen Scie...

Social media is a beast to understand all of the different platforms. When to post, how many times, who should you target are all things to consider; however, the point of Social Media is to become social. You want to engage with other people to have valuable discussions that make both your lives better. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. There are time where the other people misinterpret...

Nathan Johnson is back on the podcast to join me on Ocean Talk Friday where we talk about: 1) The Importance of Larvaceans; 2) Marine Conservation and Human Rights; 3) Plastic Free Weekend in Bermuda; and, 4) How Ocean Conservation plays a role in Business. Plus we offer a great tip on how you can spread Ocean Conservation on your own (you don't have to work in the industry for this).  Enjoy the p...

There is a big problem in San Francisco Bay: A number of sharks and other fish are washing ashore dead. Sean van Sommeran is on the front lines making sure each fish is processed and analyzed to find out why.  Sean's organization, The Pelagic Shark Research Foundation, is partnering with the Marine Mammal Center and some researchers who specialize in fish health to help determine why a number of d...

Whales are the focus of today's podcast as they are in the news on the East and West Coast of the United States. Some of the news is good and some of the news is bad. Even the good news is not that great. Here is the breakdown of the episode: 1) 41 Humpback whales washed ashore dead over the past year (average is 14). Scientists are looking into it; 2) Orcas hunt Grey Whale calf like they are supp...

Dr. Lyne Morissette joins me on Ocean Talk Friday to report back on her time at the Earth Optimism Summit, which she said changed her life!!!  The Earth Optimism Summit happened last weekend sandwiching the March for Science in Washington, D.C. Both events were huge successes according to many attendees who were able to do both. Dr. Lyne Morissette, who has been on this podcast numerous times, was...

The March for Science happened last week and it was EPIC! People from all over the world marched to ensure others new that Science was important in the way we make decisions.  My guest today, Dr. Chris Parsons, attended the March in damp and cold Washington, D.C. to show his support for science. He is here to tell you and I what the March was like and where do we go from here. Enjoy the podcast! S...