The Speak Up For Blue Podcast

Sea Turtles migrate great distances in every Ocean to complete their life cycle. They stop in different places to feed (forage) to refuel for the next leg of their amazing journey. There are some animals that literally hop on the sea turtle's backs (wow, that's lazy) and travel with them for the rest of their journey. These critters, or as we scientists call them: epibionts, can help researchers better conserve sea turtles. Barnacles, amphipods, diatoms and remoras are just some of the critters that tag along for the ride are able to tell researchers where the sea turtles have been hanging out during their voyage. Nathan Robinson is one of many researchers around the world participating in the project to help put the story of a sea turtle's journey together. Nathan can identify whether some sea turtles stay local throughout most of the year by the presence of barnacle, amphipod and other species on the backs of each individual sea turtle. I found this project to be so compelling because it can tell us some mu

Marine Conservation Conferences are a huge part of working in the field of Marine Science and Conservation. Sure, there are was to connect with people online and make some great professional relationships; however, there is nothing like face to face conversations that really allow you to make a lasting impression on someone. I am preparing to go to the International Marine Conservation Congress in St. John's Newfoundland. It starts Saturday and I am hosting 2 workshops during the conference: One on how to build a career in Ocean Conservation and the other is how to start and grow a podcast in marine science. As I get closer to the flight date for the conference, I think about what I want to accomplish during my time in St. John's? Is there someone I would like to meet or is there a presentation I would really like to see? This week in really the time to make sure the goals that I set a while ago will be met. Tune into this episode to hear how I am planning for my conference and what I am expecting to get out

Nathan Johnson and I are back with another Ocean Talk Friday. Here are the stories that we are talking about today: 1) Dory has been captive bred!; 2) First Nations and Recreational Fishers fight over rights to fish; 3) There are some coral reefs that are doing better than expected; and, 4) How YOU can save the Ocean! Join the Arbonne Blue Team http://www.speakupforblue.com/teamblue Instagram: @speakupforblue SUFB Podcast: http://www.speakupforblue.com/podcast SUFB Website: http://www.speakupforblue.com 10 Ocean Tips to Conserve the Ocean: http://www.speakupforblue.com/wordpress/sufb_optinpdf

Blackfish has caused a change in tide for the plight of captive marine mammals as the public is demanding for the release of Orcas and other marine mammals from captivity. Sea World was forced to stop its Orca shows, which had the whales do tricks in exchange for food and the entertainment of the crowd; however, they do not want to release the animals into their natural setting due to the wild being dangerous with pollutants and lack of food. As Sea World continues to deny the fact that these animals are better off in captivity, the National Aquarium of Baltimore announced that it will be releasing its 8 Atlantic bottlenose dolphins into sea pens in Florida or the Caribbean. This announcement flips the switch on releasing marine mammals back into the wild as I for one did not expect this conversation to progress into action.  Releasing the animals won't be easy. Many of the individuals were born in captivity and are not used to fending for food. How do you teach a dolphin how to fend for itself? Does instinct

Drones are normally known for being used robots for destruction by the military as well as spying on other people. For the most part, people still think of drones as dangerous; however, that reputation is getting better as drones are being used for various business services.  Real estate agents use drones for making videos of the properties for sale and videographers are taking spectacular videos of scenery and wildlife.  Conservationists are using drones as a way to gather date on subjects where we couldn't get data before. Coastal areas, wetlands, swamps, bayous, salt marshes, rocky coastal areas and shallow coastal areas. We couldn't access them because they were impossible to get to without running the entire habitat.  Drones are able to solve that problem by flying areas that were inaccessible to scientists previously. Conservation of these areas are critical, but we need to show people how much and how valuable these coastal habitats are to the oceans. There are so many drone applications for Marine Con

Ocean Talk Friday is BACK! I am happy to say that Nathan and I were finally able to free up some of busy time to reunite for another wonderful episode! Today we discuss the following stories: 1) An Increase in Humpback Whale Sightings (Yay! But why?); 2) Ray Hilborn makes us think about how Fisheries Managers and Biodiversity Manager need to talk; 3) Do Lobsters live forever?; and, 4) Can you put a price tag on nature? By the way, check us out on Instagram and find out why we had 50 followers in 2 days. Let's build an online blue nation! Instagram: @speakupforblue SUFB Podcast: http://www.speakupforblue.com/podcast SUFB Website: http://www.speakupforblue.com 10 Ocean Tips to Conserve the Ocean: http://www.speakupforblue.com/wordpress/sufb_optinpdf

Arctic Ocean animals such as the Polar Bear, Beluga whale, Narwhal whale and the Bowhead whale are some of the iconic species that are at high risk of being affected by Climate Change. These animals and their habitats are the exact reason why Susan R. Eaton, who was named one of Canada's top 25 Greatest Canadian Explorers  by the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, is leading an expedition of 12 women to the Arctic Ocean, called the SEDNA Epic Expedition. The team plans to SCUBA dive and Snorkel its was through the Northwest Passage documenting their trip and interactions with animals at every point. They also plan to do a 3000 km snorkel all the way through the passage, 24/7 to complete a world record.  During their travels, the all women team plans to engage with the local Inuit and Inuvialuit communities and bring 12 girls on board with them to participate in the expedition learning how you snorkel, SCUBA and handle the remote operated vehicles (ROV) the will use to explore the habitats of the Arctic Ocea

I wanted to take this opportunity to tell you something about why I started and continue to pursue Speak Up For Blue. In 2010, the BP oil spill had devastated the Gulf of Mexico and anything in the path of the oil and the chemical used to disperse the oil. A number of marine biologists, advocates and conservationists flew down to the Gulf to show people what was happening. They dispersed the images through their social media networks like Facebook and Twitter. I saw how people reacted to the stories and I knew it made a difference. That summer I went to 2 conferences: 1 in the US and 1 in Canada. Both conferences were about how we can better protect the Ocean and both conferences concluded that scientists, advocates, conservationists and anyone else who gave a damn about the Ocean needed to do a better job at reaching the public because it was the public who can cause change. I started Speak Up For Blue 6 months later. Speak Up For Blue is based on changing the way we live to protect the Ocean. All of the thi

When I was a kid, I always dreamed of going on an adventure as an explorer/marine biologist under water via SCUBA diving to discover new species and habitats and speak to the world...underwater. The imagination of a kid is amazing, right? I never thought it would happen until I came across one of the craziest stories I've ever read. There was a guy, a Canadian guy, who was going to defend his Masters thesis...UNDERWATER! How the hell was he going to do that? And why didn't I do that?!?!? Mike Irvine was that guy and he successfully defended his Masters thesis with his unprecedented method. He continues to speak to people underwater about the ocean and its species and habitats and recently broke another barrier by presenting an Oceans Day live dive in an IMAX theatre (my mind = BLOWN!). I got to chat with Mike on this episode of the Speak Up For Blue Podcast. Mike is a passionate guy who really enjoys teaching people about the Ocean and reconnecting them with the underwater. So much so that people are inspirin

We all know the Government of Florida is the not most eco-friendly. Governor Rick Scott has mandated his staff to not say the terms "climate change" and "global warming" and now, due to his bad policy for taking away nutrient limitation, he has helped the worst environmental disaster in Florida's history! Lake Okeechobee receives nutrients from inputs such as Agriculture, Sugar companies and residential developments. It used to overflow in the spring and the run off would flow into the everglades to feed the habitats and build them up. However, Big Sugar companies wanted to buy the land south of the lake where the water would flow before it reached the everglades. The water is now diverted to the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean to avoid the water running into the sugar plantations.  The everglades do not have the chance to absorb the nutrients before they hit the coast; therefore, algae blooms form along the rivers and become toxic as they are broken down in the water.  The result means health problems for

I've been watching Shark Week 2016 all week and reviewing an episode per day. Tonight, I will be reviewing the episode called "Air Jaws" because it's Great White Sharks leaping out of the water after seals and there is actually some science behind it. In the Air Jaws Episode, it seemed different then in the past as it focused on answering a number of questions related to the hinting strategies of the ultimate predator, the Great White Shark, at Seal Island, South Africa. The researchers asked questions such as "Do White Sharks hunt through vision or vibrations?" and "How do the White Shark Prey avoid their ambush predators?" The episode uses some great technology to detect White Sharks and their Seal prey in the pitch black of the dark night. Check out my review that I recorded on Facebook Live this time.   SUFB Podcast: http://www.speakupforblue.com/podcast SUFB Website: http://www.speakupforblue.com 10 Ocean Tips to Conserve the Ocean: http://www.speakupforblue.com/wordpress/sufb_optinpdf

Shark Week 2016 Marine Biologists Greg Stuntz, Matt Ajemain and professional Shark Tagger Keith Poe try to catch and tag a large Mako Shark called a Grander to find out how these animals behave and predate in the Ocean. there were two studies trying to locate and document movements and feeding behaviour of grander mako sharks, one on the California Coast and the other on the New England Coast. It was difficult to tell if both research teams were successful in locating a grander mako; however, one of the teams was not only able to locate one, but they were able to tag it and attach a front and back facing video instrument on the shark to document it's movement and behaviour. It was interesting to note that the large mako grander sharks would stay in the deep sea during the day and come to the surface to feed at night on crabs no less. Was this crab prey a normal meal for these large sharks or was this just something in the way that looked appetizing. Only more research will be able to answer that question! SUF

Shark Week: Day 2 follows 2 story lines of shark predators and their feeding behaviour that was believed to take place predominantly in the deep ocean; however, recent sightings make shark researchers think that the Great White Shark in Guadeloupe and the Hammer Head Shark in Bimini, Bahamas are hunting is shallow water. The episode determines why they are observing this behaviour. SUFB Podcast: http://www.speakupforblue.com/podcast SUFB Website: http://www.speakupforblue.com 10 Ocean Tips to Conserve the Ocean: http://www.speakupforblue.com/wordpress/sufb_optinpdf  

Shark Week 2016 has begun and discovery Channel is kicking it off with a great episode from University of Miami's Shark Researcher, Dr. Neil Hammershlag, who is trying to answer the question: "Why are there so many Tiger Sharks at Tiger Beach, Bahamas?" Listen in to heat about what Nathan and I thought about the first episode for Shark Week in 2016. Neil's Lab: http://www.sharktagging.com Ocean ARCH: http://www.ocearch.org/ Neil's Interview with Speak Up for Blue Shark Week 2015: http://www.speakupforblue.com/sharkweek2 Speak Up For Blue Podcast: http://www.speakupforblue.com/podcast

Nathan and I are back for another wonderful Ocean Talk Friday on the Speak Up For Blue Podcast! It's an exciting episode because we are on the cusp of Discovery Channel's 2016 Shark Week with a promise for the network of a more science-based program schedule.  Last year, Discovery was under fire as it aired a number of fictional "mocumentaries" during it's 2014 schedule, which angered many people and critics were quick to demand for changes to programming to shift from fear based content to more interest based content. In 2015, the network hired a new President who vowed to bring back the Shark Week that we know and love and was reflected to a certain degree in the 2015 content. This year is looking even better with interesting content scheduled that documents researcher's studies on how sharks move and where are their important habitats. Nathan and I describe which shows we are looking forward to as well as other stories that came up this week, including: 1) Oceana - Canada provide a dismal report on Canada'

Will Finding Dory cause more people to want a "Dory", the Royal Blue Tang, in their aquariums? That is what Ret Talbot is going to help us answer today on this episode of the Speak Up For Blue Podcast.  Ret is a fisheries and sustainability journalist who has taken in interest in covering the issues in the Ornamental Fishing Industry. During our discussion, Ret reveals that data for this industry id deficient making it difficult to manage the fishery. He also reveals that the Royal Blue Tangs are all wild caught and many are caught using cyanide, which harms coral reef habitats.  Our discussion calls for a Certification body that will regulate the Ornamental Fishing Agency made up of collectors, exporters/importers, retailers, scientists, and hobbyists to ensure that the industry is sustainable. This is an episode you do not want to miss. 10 Ocean Tips to Conserve the Ocean: http://www.speakupforblue.com/wordpress/sufb_optinpdf 

I was very busy this past week, which is why I was only able to post all 3 episodes. I was able to post Ocean Talk Friday with Nathan, so we were still able to provide you with some great content. I wanted to take this episode to talk to you about how Marine Conservation really works because of two things that happened to me last week that I feel are extremely important to address with regards to Marine Conservation. The first has to do with a conference that I attended and helped organized called the Coastal Zone Canada Conference. I was able to meet a lot of people that work to conserve coastlines and zones and learn about the importance of communication among scientists and the public. The second event that inspired me to record this episode was an online debate that happened the day i recorded this episode. The debate has to do with the movie "Finding Dory" and the potential increase in pressure of people who want Royal Blue Tangs, the fish species of the Dory character. I am all about discussing facts to

Welcome back to Ocean Talk Friday. I apologize that this episode is the only one for this week. I was at a Conference that I will be speaking about in one of the episodes for next week.So more on that next week. I was lucky enough this week to have Nathan join me again and we discussed Oceans Day, again. It's a big day and lots of things to discuss. Here is a list of articles that we discussed: Shell gives lease plots back to Canada to expand a Marine Protected Area; 5 Ocean Heroes that are doing great things for the Oceans; Invertebrate larvae are settling based on surroundings; and, China plans to create a Sea Lab 10,000 feet under the sea.   10 Ocean Tips to Conserve the Ocean: http://www.speakupforblue.com/wordpress/sufb_optinpdf 

On this episode of Ocean Talk Friday, Nathan Johnson and I talk about World Oceans Day and how the Ocean affects us all. Every other breath you take is thanks to the Ocean providing us with Oxygen. We need to change the way we treat our Oceans by changing the way we go about our daily lives. We need to change the products we consume, the plastics we make and buy that get thrown away and end up in the Ocean killing hundreds of thousands of animals.  It's not difficult, it's just a matter of doing the research. You already have a step up compared to the rest of the world because you listen to this podcast and educate yourself 3 times per week on the Ocean, its issues and the solutions to reduce/eliminate those issues. I wish you a very happy World Oceans Day and I hope that you stick with us 365 days per year so we can change the world together and make it a better place for the next generation.   10 Ocean Tips to Conserve the Ocean: http://www.speakupforblue.com/wordpress/sufb_optinpdf 

The Australian Government once again overreacted to a shark bite incident last week after a surfer was bitten by a Great White Shark and later died from his injuries. The father of the surfer made a statement to the press expressing his disatisfaction with the choice of the government to cull (hunt) Great White Sharks and other large sharks as he said his son, Ben, would not want any shark killed due to him. I decided to do a quick search for science literature to find any articles on the ideas that sharks can be "rogue", i.e. once a shark bites a human that it would bite another human again. That would justify the killing of a shark. Only problem is: There is no science that justifies the existence of a "rogue" shark; and, Sharks do work that way. During this episode of the podcast, I describe how the idea of a rogue shark came to be and how it inspired the novel and movie "Jaws", which has perpetuated human fear of sharks.  10 Ocean Tips to Conserve the Ocean: http://www.speakupforblue.com/wordpress/sufb_