The Blue Fish Radio Show

Since the Gulf of Mexico oil disaster in 2010, ongoing findings and research are delivering a clearer understanding of what such spills mean for the long term health of affected ecosystems. The oil disaster’s negative effects are increasingly clear, present and far from resolved, but with $16 billion set aside to address ecosystem restoration, the verdict is still out on whether it’s possible to a...

Canada’s Rob Stewart, creator of the award-winning documentary “Sharkwater”, perished while diving off Florida’s coast two years ago today. Dr Chris Harvey Clark, one of Canada’s leading experts on cold water sharks, was a frequent collaborator of Rob’s. Dr. Harvey Clark joins Lawrence Gunther on this episode of Blue Fish Radio to explore the mysterious world of cold water sharks along Canada’s ea...

Dr. Chris Harvey Clark is a leading expert and frequent contributor to numerous research studies, TV shows and documentaries, including our own feature-length documentary “What Lies Below” now airing on CBC Documentary Channel. We ask Chris what he thinks is fueling the hyper-abundance of Lobster and Gray Seals now found along Canada’s east coast, and why marine species are transitioning north int...

Watershed Watch is devoted to addressing issues impacting wild salmon stocks throughout British Columbia. Whether it’s to improve conditions for struggling southern BC Chinook salmon stocks to help feed resident Killer Whales, or to ensure indigenous fishers and recreational anglers can continue to catch salmon to feed their families and sustain their coastal communities, the organization and its...

John Peach is the Upper St. Lawrence Riverkeeper, Executive Director of Save The River, and this week’s guest on Blue Fish Radio. Listen this week as John lays out his plans to engage the U.S. and New York state governments to fund the proposed $778 million to establish innovative technologies developed to prevent Asian Carp from entering the Great Lakes, while still allowing ships to transit betw...

Dr. Chris Harvey-Clark is the Director of Animal Care at Dalhousie University in Halifax Nova Scotia. He’s a marine biologist by training, a veterinarian, author, cinematographer, sculptor, and a popular guest on numerous TV shows and documentaries. This week on Blue Fish Radio Dr. Harvey Clark shares with host Lawrence Gunther his work on rescuing cold-shocked sea turtles along Canada’s east coas...

Peter Bowman is the associate producer and co-host of Fish’n Canada going on 28 years, and was inducted into the Canadian Fishing Hall of Fame in 2012. Pete’s probably fished more of Canada’s lakes and rivers than anyone walking – live or dead. He’s figured out not only how to catch just about anything that swims, but how to do it in a way that ensures the next angler can do the same – playing it...

Over 33 years of co-hosting Fish’n Canada with Pete Bowman at his side for the last 28, and as the host of Outdoor Journal Radio, Angelo Viola has witnessed a remarkable progress in the way we fish. He firmly believes that the fishing ethic Canadians practice has contributed to making Canada a world class eco-tourism destination. Angelo is also a believer in the one-health view of life. On this ep...

Giant killer Rick McGowan took his 30-year fight with a billionaire owner of the massive 250,000 acre B.C. Douglas Lake ranch all the way to the BC Supreme Court, and won! It confirms the public’s right to access public water located on private land and, who controls the public roads that cross these private spaces. Thank you Rick and all those who stood behind him over the years – especially his...

Dr. Andrew Trites is the director of the University of British Columbia's Marine Mammal Research Unit, and is one of Canada’s top scientists researching Killer Whale and seal populations along Canada’s west coast. Dr. Trites is one of a number of scientists trying to get to the bottom of why southern resident Killer Whales are thinner than their resident cousins to the north, who are thriving. He’...

What buffalo once meant to the First Nations people of the Plains, salmon are to the people of the Pacific Northwest. Working hard to identify why Chinook or King salmon are struggling along North America’s west coast has fish ecologists scrambling. Link to hear Dr Peter Westley from the University of Alaska explain why Alaskan Chinook numbers are down, at the same time Sockeye, Pink and Chum numb...

Dianne Saxe could very well be Ontario’s last Environmental Commissioner due to recently announced budget cuts. Commissioner Saxe is this week’s guest on Blue Fish Radio, and speaks with Lawrence Gunther about water pollution, the loss of wetlands, threats to wildlife, and how each of us can voice our concerns and suggestions on what needs to be done to conserve Ontario’s wildlife, wetlands, and t...

Surprisingly, there isn’t a lot of credible research on the topic of fish pain, but that doesn’t stop people from speculating. Dr. Steven Cooke is Canada’s Research Chair in Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology, and knows a thing or two about fish. Link to hear what Dr. Cooke has to say about how and when fish feel pain on this episode of Blue Fish Radio.

New Brunswicker Jeff Wilson is a citizen scientist and steward of the Miramichi River’s rebounding Striped bass fish stock. He’s also the Co-host of the Miramichi Striper Cup, an annual catch&release tournament that attracts over 2,000 participants. Striped bass are a native fish species that have been commercially fished to near oblivion along the Atlantic coast on several occasions, but due to c...

In 2008 Minnesota declared the southern portion of Lake of the Woods polluted. Mr. Todd Sellers, Executive Director, Lake of the Woods Water Sustainability Foundation, has always lived and fished in the area, and wants to make sure future generations will also experience the world-class fishery that serves as the single greatest draw for tourists and cottagers. Listen to this episode of Blue fish...

Mark Hambrook is the President of the Miramichi Salmon Association. He’s personally witnessed the decline of Atlantic salmon and now the explosive return of Striped Bass. To help restore balance, New Brunswick’s recreational anglers supported the Eel Ground First Nations community to secure the rights to harvest Striped Bass commercially. The goal is that by working together, everyone benefits fro...

Carroll Randall, outdoor writer for the Halifax Chronicle Herald, trains and certifies fishing guides and has led numerous conservation initiatives over the years. Who better to shed light on the changes Canada’s east coast recreational fisheries are under-going, and what it means for the future of fish and fishing. Link to hear Carroll share decades of knowledge about Atlantic Salmon and now Stri...

One of Canada’s greatest explorers Geoff Green has travelled to the Arctic and Antarctic over 130 times. He “shares the love” and so far has provided 3,000 youth from 52 countries with life-altering polar experiences through his Students on Ice initiative. If that wasn’t enough, in 2017, Geoff led the C3 expedition aboard a Canadian Coastguard vessel that set off from Toronto to explore all three...

Dr. Eva Enders is one of over 17 fish biologists working out of Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s Freshwater Institute located in Winnipeg Manitoba, along with numerous other technicians and scientists. The Institute currently tracks over 750 fish from six species of freshwater fish throughout Manitoba’s Red River, Lake Winnipeg and so much more using advanced telemetry technology. Understanding just...

Dr. Scott Forbes at the University of Winnipeg is following the plight of the Walleye, Sauger and Whitefish in Lake Winnipeg. He’s raising alarm bells about the state of the lake’s fish stocks. The lake itself is facing numerous issues that go beyond a commercial fishery that many claim to be one of the poorest managed fisheries in the world, which is a problem because it’s also the second largest...

Gord Pyzer is Canada’s most award winning outdoor author, inductee into numerous halls of fame, a radio and TV host, and the fishing editor for Outdoor Canada Magazine. He also served as a biologist in Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry for over 30 years. Gord has news about the state of Canada’s world-class Walleye fishery on Lake Winnipeg that needs to be heard. Listen to Gord...

There are five species of Sawfish around the world, and all are now considered endangered. Only the Smalltooth Sawfish can still be found along Florida’s coastlines and backcountry, but don’t let their name fool you. The Smalltooth Sawfish measures up to five meters in length, can weigh as much as 400 kilos, and it’s bill or rostrum can measure over a meter in length. We may have turned the corner...

You can point to a wide range of issues impacting wild salmon stocks along Canada’s west coast and beyond, and in many ways we all shoulder the blame. Restoring wild salmon stocks is also going to take a group effort, says Greg Knox, CEO of the Skeena Wild Conservation Trust. And yet, Gitxsan First nations chiefs have taken a different approach and are now demanding all forms of salmon fishing be...

Frank Sargeant is an outdoor writer with numerous awards, and currently serves as the Editor of the daily “Fishing Wire” news letter. He recently wrote a three-part editorial on climate change. It’s a well-balanced no-nonsense call to action that everyone in the outdoor industry and who considers themselves to be an outdoor enthusiast needs to read. Link to hear Frank Sargent and Lawrence Gunther...

Courtney Quirin is a documentary filmmaker and journalist who has worked in New Zealand, Ethiopia, and now Canada where she just filmed her second documentary. Her new film “Guardian” reveals the life and dedication of those who choose to spend their lives following and counting wild salmon on behalf of Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans. Their love of wild salmon and willingness to endur...