The Speak Up For Blue Podcast

Judging from the title, you probably think that I am going crazy. Of course, banning bottom trawling will improve the ocean. But you will be surprised when I tell you that there haven't been many studies that provide evidence of recovery.  Listen to the episode to find out why! Want To Talk Oceans? Join the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Speak Up For Blue Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Speak Up For Blue Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpeakUpforBlue

BREAKING NEWS: The Allen Coral Atlas released a new tool that will monitor Coral Reef Bleaching in near real-time so that marine managers can take action steps to better monitor and manage their coral reefs.  I speak with Dr. Greg Asner, Arizona State University's Director of the Center for Global Discovery and Conservation Science about how the Allen Coral Atlas got started, who was involved, and how the tool has evolved into a multi-product tool that is used by numerous scientists, conservationists, and managers from all over the world.  Listen in to the conversation I have to find out how this global partnership works while people are located around the world.  Try the Bleaching tool on Allen Coral Atlas: https://allencoralatlas.org/ Want To Talk Oceans? Join the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Speak Up For Blue Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Speak Up For Blue Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpeakUpforBlue

A new study revealed a potential favourite nursing habitat for Green Sea Turtles that hatch near the Gulf Stream. The area is filled with algae that many tourists hate and call "Seaweed", but it plays a crucial role in providing Green Sea Turtles with food and shelter during some of the most vulnerable years of their lives. Want To Talk Oceans? Join the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Speak Up For Blue Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Speak Up For Blue Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpeakUpforBlue  

Clay Groves, the host of the Fish Nerds Podcast, joins me in the podcast today for Ocean Talk Friday. If you are new to Ocean Talk Friday, it's where Clay and I each chose an Ocean article to discuss on the episode without telling the other person what their article is about. We describe the article and get each other's take on it.  Clay's article was about the Florida Man who was charged for taking a picture with a tiger shark that was dragged from saltwater to freshwater (not good for the shark) and held it out of water for long periods of time. My article was about whether protecting 30% of the Ocean by 2030 was achievable.  Want To Talk Oceans? Join the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Speak Up For Blue Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Speak Up For Blue Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpeakUpforBlue

How can seafood consumers truly buy sustainable seafood? The first step is to decrease the number of middle people in the supply chain so that most of the money spent can support the smaller-scale fishers who do most of the work and follow the regulations for responsible fisheries.  Sitka Salmon Shares is an Alsakan Seafood business that flips the current fisheries model on its head and provides a better alternative to seafood consumers.  Nic Mink is the co-founder of Sitka Salmon Shares and he joins me on the podcast today to discuss how he started the business and how he overcame challenges to provide a responsible and diverse array of species.  Links: https://sitkasalmonshares.com/ Want To Talk Oceans? Join the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Speak Up For Blue Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Speak Up For Blue Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpeakUpforBlue

The Australian Sea Lion population has been declining for the past few decades. So much so that a Scientific Committee recommended the sea lions be upgraded to Endangered from their Threatened status.  The upgrade in status will afford more protections and more funds to help monitor the populations and help better determine and monitor the recovery plan.  The population is being hit by an increase in mercury levels, sea-level rise, and fishing pressure.  The new protections have included protecting a large area from bottom gillnet fishing in the same place where the sea lions forage.  Link to Article: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/may/04/population-of-australias-only-unique-seal-has-fallen-by-60-study-finds?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other Want To Talk Oceans? Join the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Speak Up For Blue Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Speak Up For Blue Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpeakUpforBlue

The past two episodes have focused on Blue Carbon Habitats such as mangroves, seagrass meadows, salt marshes, and kelp forests and their importance for sequestering carbon and reducing Climate Change.  In this episode, I discuss why we don't discuss Blue Carbon habitats when we talk about conservation and how you can get involved in more Blue Carbon projects.  Want To Talk Oceans? Join the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Speak Up For Blue Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Speak Up For Blue Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpeakUpforBlue  

Blue Carbon habitats can sequester more carbon than the Amazon Forests. Mangroves, Seagrass Meadows, Salt Marshes, and Kelp Forests are all considered Blue Carbon habitats and play a large role in reducing the effects of Climate Change.  Unfortunately, Blue Carbon habitats have been destroyed due to development priorities along the coastline. Restoring the habitats can be expensive, but is considered necessary if we want to significantly reduce Climate Change. WILDCOAST has been working for over 10 years on a Blue Carbon Program that includes a Mangrove restoration initiative, where the staff work in collaboration with local communities along the Pacific Coast in Mexico and Southern California to protect existing Blue Carbon habitats and restore those that were gone.  Join The Virtual Happy Hour to find out how you could get involved in projects such as these on Tuesday, May 25th at 5-6pm PST: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/natural-climate-solutions-virtual-happy-hour-tickets-152932048875?sm_guid=NDAzNDcxfDExM

The common practice when discussing the reduction of Climate Change is to mention trees that sequester carbon through photosynthesis. There are additional ways to sequester carbon that often get ignored, which is to look under the ocean's surface.  Seagrass, mangroves, salt marshes, and kelp forests all play an important role in sequestering carbon and do it way more than trees (and faster). These habitats are also known as Blue Carbon. Countries are using Blue Carbon strategies to help sequester more carbon. The UK is using it to revitalize Plymouth Sound by planting seagrass seedlings that will make up 4 hectares of underwater habitat. The restoration project will include more than just Blue Carbon benefits, it will also include benefits such as nursery habitat and will solidify the sediment.  Link to Article: https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/natural-england-ocean-marine-conservation-society-b930947.html?fbclid=IwAR1tfzyfxpXLxBS-1JVgoc_Fs-qn9EueYQJ0HcQkQtPb1QomkFe1FDYAMSQ Want To Talk Oceans? Join the Sp

A recent study found that using Amoxycillin can help with curing lesions on stony corals; however, it does not yet cure the coral from getting lesions again. More research on the dosage will need to be done to find the right application. Link to Article: https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/antibiotic-amoxicillin-successfully-treats-disease-infected-coral/ Want To Talk Oceans? Join the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Speak Up For Blue Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Speak Up For Blue Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpeakUpforBlue

Cryptocurrencies are making a real splash across the world as artists are making millions of dollars to sell digital art and experiences that millionaires and even billionaires are buying like there is no tomorrow. The question is: Is there a place for marine conservation organizations to help with their fundraising. Dr. Austin Gallagher thinks so.  Austin is the Chief Scientist for Beneath the Waves, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting ocean health and using science and technology to catalyze ocean policy. Austin is also a social entrepreneur and uses innovative ways to raise funds in order for the organization to conduct its work.  Beneath the Waves recently dabbled in the NFT market to create experiences that would help fund their work and create opportunities for people to get involved that went beyond traditional means of funding.  Dr. Gallagher tells us about the experience and how they made tens of thousands of dollars selling a marine biology experience-type NFT.  You can check out their

Seasipracy got me thinking of the effects of past conservation documentaries on the conservation of iconic species such as sharks, dolphins, orcas, and sea turtles with respect to their issues of finning, captivity, and plastic pollution, respectively.  However, the recent release and reaction of the public and the scientific community of Seaspiracy led me to think about ways that science communicators should react to controversial conservation documentaries no matter how they are made.  Listen to the episode and let me know what you think.  Want To Talk Oceans? Join the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Speak Up For Blue Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Speak Up For Blue Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpeakUpforBlue

Clay Groves, host of the Fish Nerds podcast, joins me for another Ocean Talk Friday to discuss a couple of stories: 1) How To Give A Proper Burial At Sea: 2) Why The Maldives' Government Wanted Considered To Lift The Ban On Shark Fishing. Link to Article: https://news.mongabay.com/list/oceans/  

A major partnership launched today has a goal of protecting 18 million square kilometers around the world. The partnership is called the Blue Nature Alliance and its goal is to team up with communities in Fiji, Antarctica's Southern Ocean, and Tristan da Cunha. The Blue Nature Alliance is a collaboration led by Conservation International, the Pew Charitable Trusts, the Global Environment Facility, Minderoo Foundation, and the Rob and Melani Walton Foundation. These are huge organizations with the resources to help communities establish and manage Marine Protected Areas.  Visit the website below for more information: https://www.bluenaturealliance.org/  Want To Talk Oceans? Join the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Speak Up For Blue Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Speak Up For Blue Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpeakUpforBlue Check out the Shows on the Speak Up For Blue Network: Marine Conservation Happy Hour Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2k4ZB3x Spo

Climate Change is a tough topic to cover not just on this podcast, but in any article or documentary. The number of Ocean aspects that are impacted by Climate Change is impossible to cover in one podcast. However, each aspect of Climate Change needs to be discussed and today I am going to be discussing how Climate Change is affecting biodiversity at the Equator.  It's important to note that many habitats and Ocean Species rely on a narrow set of variables such as Temperature, pH, Salinity, Depth, etc. Climate Change is raising temperatures all over the world and now species at the equator are moving towards the North and South poles to seek cooler waters.  A recent study showed how similar events in the past (millions of years ago) led to the last mass extinction, but not all events.  Find out more by listening to this episode. Link to Article: https://theconversation.com/marine-life-is-fleeing-the-equator-to-cooler-waters-history-tells-us-this-could-trigger-a-mass-extinction-event-158424 Want To Talk Oceans

I wanted to update you on a few new developments regarding Seaspiracy. The filmmaker doubled down on the wrong fact that sustainable fishing doesn't exist. He also started a petition for the UK to protect 30% of their ocean by 2030, something is already in progress (since 2019). There was a great review by world-renowned Fisheries Scientist, Dr. Daniel Pauly, who said the movie's solution of stop eating seafood is a detractor to overfishing.  Follow this podcast to learn more about fisheries and the problem of overfishing. Link to Articles: 1) https://plantbasednews.org/news/environment/seaspiracy-directors-create-petition-to-protect-oceans/ 2)  https://www.vox.com/2021/4/13/22380637/seaspiracy-netflix-fact-check-fishing-ocean-plastic-veganism-vegetarianism Want To Talk Oceans? Join the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Speak Up For Blue Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Speak Up For Blue Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpeakUpforBlue Check out the Shows

A phosphate mine leaked and released an estimated 237 million gallons of wastewater with exceeded levels of phosphorus, nitrate, and ammonia. These levels in addition to the amount of wastewater released could have massive negative effects on marine life (including manatees, fish, and seagrass beds) in the immediate and surrounding areas. The history of this area shows that the marine habitats may not be able to take many more damaging events such as this one. Link to Article: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/florida-wastewater-leak-piney-point-near-catastrophe-harm/ Want To Talk Oceans? Join the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Speak Up For Blue Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Speak Up For Blue Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpeakUpforBlue Check out the Shows on the Speak Up For Blue Network: Marine Conservation Happy Hour Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2k4ZB3x Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2kkEElk Madame CuriosityApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2xUlSax Sp

Seaspiracy tried to tackle an enormous and complex problem and apply a simple solution that would not work on any realistic time scales or take into account cultural motives for eating seafood. However, the movie did highlight some major problems that are facing fisheries. I thought that I would highlight some of these topics and try to apply how you could help in any way or capacity that you could dedicate.  Want To Talk Oceans? Join the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Speak Up For Blue Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Speak Up For Blue Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpeakUpforBlue Check out the Shows on the Speak Up For Blue Network: Marine Conservation Happy Hour Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2k4ZB3x Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2kkEElk Madame CuriosityApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2xUlSax Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2V38QQ1 ConCiencia Azul: Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2k6XPio Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2k4ZMMf Dugongs & Seadragons: Apple P

We are bringing back Ocean Talk Friday! Clay Groves, Chief Executive Fish Nerd of the Fish Nerd Podcast, joins me to discuss a couple of articles on Marine Science and Conservation.  The first story we discuss is on a video where artisanal fishermen discuss how they have been forced to adapt their fishing methods because of the effects of Climate Change. The second story involves how the colourful Fairy Wrasses have become so diverse due to the rise and fall of sea level over the past hundred million years.  Links to Articles: 1) Artisanal Fishermen vs Climate Change: https://www.edf.org/meet-people-making-fishing-more-sustainable-changing-climate 2) Fairy Wrasse Diversity With Sea Level: https://www.sciencenews.org/article/fish-fairy-wrasse-color-evolution-coral-reef-sea-level-ice-age Fish Nerds Podcast: https://www.fishnerdspodcast.com/ Want To Talk Oceans? Join the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Speak Up For Blue Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/

I wanted to take this episode to inform you as to how some organizations such as the Earth Island Institute, which acts as a fiscal sponsor, are critical to conservation projects that are creating successes in conservation.  In this episode, I talk about some of the projects associated with organizations like the Earth Island Institute. Links To Article: 1) https://www.earthisland.org/index.php 2) http://savedolphins.eii.org/news/entry/five-myths-about-dolphin-safe-tuna-dont-be-fooled 3) http://savedolphins.eii.org/news/entry/dolphin-safe-tuna-fishing-qa Want To Talk Oceans? Join the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Speak Up For Blue Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Speak Up For Blue Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpeakUpforBlue Check out the Shows on the Speak Up For Blue Network: Marine Conservation Happy Hour Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2k4ZB3x Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2kkEElk Madame CuriosityApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2xUlSax Spotify: