The Speak Up For Blue Podcast

Indigenous conservation success may not be the same for Western scientists and conservationists, yet we often approach conservation in Indigenous communities with our own preconceived notions of conservation success.  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/ Connect with Speak Up For Blue: Website: https://bit.ly/3fOF3Wf Instagram: https://bit.ly/3rIaJSG Twitter: https://bit.ly/3rHZxpc 

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 epib

Science communication is an important part of marine conservation. I dedicated my career to SciComm because I feel that telling the public of what is happening to the Ocean is crucial to changing behaviours to live for a better ocean.  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.  Connect with Speak Up For Blue: Website: https://bit.ly/3fOF3Wf Instagram: https://bit.ly/3rIaJSG Twitter: https://bit.ly/3rHZxpc 

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. Connect with Speak Up For Blue: Website: https://bit.ly/3fOF3Wf Instagram: https://bit.ly/3rIaJSG Twitter: https://bit.ly/3rHZxpc 

The relationship between Indigenous people and the government of Canada is terrible. the relationship with Indigenous people and commercial fishers is also terrible, especially over the past couple of years when the Mi'kmaq nation started up fishing in Nova Scotia.  There has definitely been a need to repair the relationships which will take time and a lot of effort.  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 Connect with Speak Up For Blue: Website: https://bit.ly/3fOF3Wf Instagram: https://bit.ly/3rIaJSG Twitter: https://bit.ly/3rHZxpc 

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 Instagram: https://bit.ly/3rIaJSG Twitter: https://bit.ly/3rHZxpc 

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 Connect with Speak Up For Blue: Website: https://bit.ly/3fOF3Wf Instagram: https://bit.ly/3rIaJSG Twitter: https://bit.ly/3rHZxpc 

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 Connect with Speak Up For Blue: Website: 

A megaproject is proposed to move forward to build an 800 metre long pier for the island of Cozumel to accommodate four more cruise lines per day (in addition to the current 3 cruise lines per day). The pier will also be designated as a home port leading to a series of condos that will be built for cruise staff. 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.ccr

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 Connect with Speak Up For Blue: Website: https://bit.ly/3fOF3Wf Instagram: https://bit.ly/3rIaJSG Twitter: https://bit.ly/3rHZxpc 

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.  Connect with Speak Up For Blue: Website: https://bit.ly/3fOF3Wf Instagram: https://bit.ly/3rIaJSG Twitter: https://bit.ly/3rHZxpc 

Are you wondering whether you should eat aquacultured seafood products? People seem to be down on aquaculture stating that there are many environmental issues. They aren't wrong as issues such as feed for the animals, risk of invasive introductions on species, and disease have come up in the past. I wanted to know whether those issues have been addressed? Are we seeing an improvement in aquaculture? 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: Website: https://bit.ly/3fOF3Wf Instagram: https://bit.ly/3rIaJSG Twitter: https://bit.ly/3rHZxpc 

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? Connect with Speak Up For Blue: Website: https://bit.ly/3fOF3Wf Instagram: https://bit.ly/3rIaJSG Twitter: https://bit.ly/3rHZxpc 

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 Connect with Speak Up For Blue: Website: https://bit.ly/3fOF3Wf Instagram: https://bit.ly/3rIaJSG Twitter: https://bit.ly/3rHZxpc 

I found out about an organization in Canada that works with students, teachers, and volunteers to clean up plastics along beaches and wetlands and help reduce the amount of single-use plastics in Canada.  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 Connect with Speak Up For Blue: Website: https://bit.ly/3fOF3Wf Instagram: https://bit.ly/3rIaJSG Twitter: https://bit.ly/3rHZxpc 

In the last episode, I talked about the strategies, that were observed by marine mammal researchers, of orcas demonstrated to hunt blue whales in NSW, Australia.  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 Connect with Speak Up For Blue: Website: https://bit.ly/3fOF3Wf Instagram: https://bit.ly/3rIaJSG Twitter: https://bit.ly/3rHZxpc 

Scientists recently observed three separate hunting events of orcas against blue whales. Two hunting events were in 2019 (16 days apart) and the last event was in 2021. The first event was on a healthy individual.  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 Connect with Speak Up For Blue: Website: https://bit.ly/3fOF3Wf Instagram: https://bit.ly/3rIaJSG Twitter: https://bit.ly/3rHZxpc  

Blue carbon could possibly be a term that is the least known in conservation by the public. It's an important term that has many positive outcomes for the ocean and our planet.  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: Website: https://www.rosiesherwood.com/ Substack: https://anomadicrose.substack.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rosie.sherwood/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosie__sherwood Press release about the project: https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/news/blue-carbon-artist-in-residence-aims-to-strengthen-links-between-city-and-sea   Connect with Speak Up For Blue: Website: https://bit.ly/3fOF3Wf Instagram: https://bit.ly/3rIaJSG Twitter: https://bit.ly/3rHZxpc  

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: Website: https://bit.ly/3fOF3Wf Instagram: https://bit.ly/3rIaJSG Twitter: https://bit.ly/3rHZxpc