How To Protect The Ocean

I came across an article a few hours ago that talked about a research project that observed how 5 islands within the chain of Solomon Islands were swallowed up by the sea. Luckily, these small islands were not inhabited by humans; however, the study also found 6 more islands had lost swaths of land to the sea where some villages were destroyed and had to move to a different place. They moved from...

My family and I went on an All-Inclusive Vacation to Cuba! Yes, I am Canadian and I can travel to Cuba! I have to admit, I am not a fan of going to an All-Inclusive because of all the bad stuff that is associated with big resorts: The building of the resort often destroys the coastal environment for a pristine landscape that people expect (what they see in a magazine); The waste that happens at th...

I recently heard about an initiative on the radio of the Government of Ontario trying to cut emissions through a very aggressive plan that was to be complete by 2050. they wanted to set up a committee that would over see the "greening" of Ontario from electric cars to zero emission buildings to 80% of the population taking public transit; cycling; or, walking to work. I like some parts of the plan...

I figured it was time that you got to know the co-host of Ocean Talk Friday, Nathan Johnson. He is the guy who has written 99% of the articles of Speak Up for Blue (SUFB) for the past 8 months and has done a great job.  He will now be focusing most of his time on developing the content for the SUFB Digital Magazine to reach more people with an Ocean Conservation message on this different platform....

Today, I decided to pull the curtain back and let you in on the future plans of this company I call Speak Up For Blue (SUFB). I started SUFB without any real plans. In fact, I didn't even know how long I would be spreading Ocean News with an Ocean Conservation Message.  The website turned into a company and there is so much I want to do with SUFB. We will be offering so much content on different p...

Nathan and I get together once again to chat about the important articles of the week. We discuss the following: 1) Glow in the dark shark species; 2) A new UN Ocean Treaty: Do we really need one (Spoiler alert: YES!); 3) Zombie Crabs (Yep...you read that right!); 4) The competitive edge of algae over corals; and, 5) A recycling project to help the Oceans and other charitable causes.   Speak Up Fo...

It's the article you don't want to read. I came across this article and saw three tiny baby Sea Lions in a cage travelling to the Pacific Marine Mammal Centre to get the care they need after being stranded due to malnutrition. The Problem? Their mother's cannot produce the amount of milk necessary to feed them enough to grow the fat they need to survive in the cool waters of the Pacific Ocean. Cli...

The discovery of a long 600 mile long coral reef at the mouth of the Amazon River has really changed the way I think about reefs. Coral reefs are normally found in tropical shallow oceans with a narrow range of habitat parameters including temperature, pH, salinity, and others. They also rely on invertebrate and fish associated species to graze on algae that could over grow on to corals and smothe...

This week's Ocean Talk Friday took place on Skype as our Blab site is having some buggy problems. Hopefully, Blab will be able to solve the problem and we will get last week's recording back. In today's Ocean Talk Friday, Nathan and I discuss the following: 1) The National Aquarium's 48 days of blue; 2) National Geographic's Pristine Ocean Project to Inspire Better Protection of Oceans; 3) Profili...

There are two projects out there that the mainstream media is riding the wave right now and it's claiming that their projects are going to save us form our own wasteful ways. One of the projects is called the Ocean Clean Up Project started by Boyan Slant, a 19-year old boy who says he can clean up the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre in less than 10 years. The other project is called the Seabin and...

SCUBA divers quickly become great Ocean Conservationists because they see, first hand, how the Ocean gets degraded over time as they are in the water. Many divers become strong advocates for conserving specific areas in the Ocean where they love to dive. Others start/participate in Citizen Science projects to help Ocean Scientists better understand the Ocean.  In today's episode, I cover all sorts...

Dr. Stephen Dunbar and PhD student Dustin Baumbach are researching Sea Turtles in Honduras, where 9 years ago, not much was known about these iconic species (Hawksbill and Green Sea Turtles). In addition to their research, Stephen started a non-profit charity to facilitate his work with the local community and brought on other faculty at Loma Linda University that specialized in public health. The...

Enforcement is one of the biggest challenges faced in Ocean Conservation. Policing an Ocean that covers over 70% of the population is nearly impossible. New technology has allowed us to improve of enforcement tactics, but they are by no means perfect. In today's episode, I run through how enforcement is conducted and what we are protecting. I also chat about what some countries are doing to take e...

Nathan and I get together once again to discuss this week’s hot topics. We also have a little fun doing it. Here are the stories for today: NOAA increases science literacy by creating Ocean Conservation printable materials for teachers to use with young school children; The US uses regulatory tool to protect Russian Beluga Whales; Conservation is working for Green Sea Turtles; and, Can we save the...

I count down and describe my favourite Marine Conservation Documentaries. These documentaries have had a profound effect on making the public aware of conservation issues, which created massive changes around the world. Support the Podcast: http://www.speakupforblue.com/patreon Shop for the Ocean: http://www.speakupforblue.com/shop 10 Ocean Tips to Conserve the Ocean: http://www.speakupforblue.com...

Oceana revealed that much of the Seafood Retailers are mislabelling their products causing a mistrust with their customers. This issue adds to an already long list of problems riddled throughout the industry. In today's episode, I go over all of the problems in the Seafood industry and where we sit with eating seafood. Support the Podcast: http://www.speakupforblue.com/patreon Shop for the Ocean:...

Nathan Johnson and I get together on Blab.im to discuss this week's articles that we think are worth talking about. Here are the stories we talked about today: 1) Establishing Local Marine Reserves in New Zealand; 2) The naming of a ship - Boaty McBoatface; 3) Chiton's have eyes...it's true!; and, 4) Where did all the adult whale sharks go? Support the Podcast: http://www.speakupforblue.com/patreo...

Michael Bear, Citizen Science Project director for Ocean Sanctuaries, recently wrote an article on the importance of Citizen Science in Ocean Conservation. The article inspired me o do a podcast episode on the same subject. Nathan and I did some research to find out what has worked in the past and where we should go in the future for more productive Citizen Science projects. Support the Podcast: h...

Nathan and I talk about 4 Ocean Conservation articles that we thought were important: 1) Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation gives $1 million to Seychelles as part of their Blue Bond System; 2) Marine Scientists determine global marine protected areas should be at 30% of ocean area; 3) Remote coral reefs thrive in the face of climate change; and, 4) DNA studies show connectivity of deep sea species among...

I have Roy Mulder, President of the Canada Marine Environment Protection Society and an underwater Videographer/Photographer, on the program to tell us how he and 100-150 SCUBA divers got 30 dive sites protected by the government. He also chats about how others can do the same. Oh, and we talk about Sea World and Roy's work with the World Cetacean Alliance. Support the Podcast: http://www.speakupf...

I decided to switch up the format and frequency of the show. I will be posting 3 times a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) to make room for some other things that will be happening with Speak Up For Blue. Today, I chat about the story of tourists harassing baby seals at Children's Pool Beach in La Holla, California and the need for more people to speak up for animals! Speaking of speaking up. I als...

Nathan Johnson joins me again on Ocean Talk Friday where we hosted another Blab and were joined by some viewers who participated in the show! This week we talked about: 1) A journal article being retracted due to a misunderstanding; 2) Should we start to harvest the deep sea?; 3) There is an international floating science station monitoring melting ice; and, 4) Sea World made a huge announcement,...

Artisanal fishing is an important source of food and income for many developing countries around the world. Today's Research Thursday paper identifies the fact that most research on the subject is conducted by institutions and scientists in Developing Countries. The authors mention that there is a bias towards developed country institutions compared to developing country institutions. I explore th...

Today's episode will inform you about what is happening in Ocean News around the world. Today's topics: 1) Penguin swims 8000km every to visit the man who saved it during an oil spill; 2) February 2016 has NASA scientists in a state of heated panic (find out why!); 3) How you can protect your environment by voting (American elections edition); and, 4) Check out SciAll.org's YouTube Channel (https:...

I always wonder what makes donors give money to Ocean Conservation organizations. I am on the board of directors for 3 different organizations and I am preparing to fundraise for two of them. I've donated some money in the past to various organizations and individuals, but I never know what other people are thinking when they look to donate for Ocean Conservation. I talk about all of this and more...