Podcasts about sufb podcast

As someone who researches water quality and health outside of this podcast, I’ve been wanting to explore the connections between water and food on AnthroDish for quite some time. This week we’re finally diving into this theme (heh…sorry) with Andrew Lewin, a marine ecologist and the founder of the website and podcast Speak Up For Blue. A self proclaimed oceanpreneur, Andrew helps people become more aware of issues facing the ocean and helps guide them to make more environmentally and ocean-conscious choices. As the CEO of Speak up for Blue media and communications, he is building a network of podcasts on marine science and conservation. In this interview, we explore the ways that climate change and ocean health interact with human fishing economies and vice versa. We break down what exactly a seafood tax deficit is and what it means for local marine systems, the impact of the Trump administration on marine system health in America, and explore the important emerging issue of seafood fraud and what that means for fish consumers. Andrew is great at breaking down the complex ways that politics and biology interact in fishing economies - this is certainly something I found daunting at first, but he does a wonderful job explaining these ideas in engaging ways. Resources: Documentaries (Available on Netflix!): End of the Line Blackfish The Cove Mission Blue News: Deep Sea News: http://www.deepseanews.com/ Southern Fried Science: http://www.southernfriedscience.com Get Social with Andrew! Twitter: https://twitter.com/speakupforblue  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/  SUFB Podcast: http://www.speakupforblue.com/podcast  Email: andrew@speakupforblue.com

This show has grown immensely over the past month and a half. Ever since I attended the International Marine Conservation Congress and this podcast got accepted on iHeart Radio. the growth has come with many benefits.  1) The growth of this community - I can only measure downloads to see how the podcast has grown. Since August, the podcast has doubled in daily downloads and sometimes tripled. I am quite excited about this as this is one part of the community growth: reach more people! 2) The interaction with you and the rest of the Speak Up For Blue Community - Over the past 2-3 weeks, I've asked you to schedule a call with me to find out how you can pursue a career in Marine Conservation. And many of you responded. This response has gotten me crazy excited!!! I actually get to chat with anyone who wants to chat with me about the Ocean. It's the true community feel.  When people start a podcast, they want to get as many people to listen to it as possible. However, the true measure of building a community is the interaction you get from your audience. And this is what I am glad to say is starting to come to fruition. I want to continue to build that community and you can help.  Email me to chat about the Ocean and the ways that we can reduce our impact on the Ocean andrew@speakupforblue.com. Are you ready to pivot to a more meaningful career?  Do you want to talk about how you can pursue a career in Marine Conservation? Send me an email and let's chat. andrew@speakupforblue.com Because I want to talk to you!   Instagram: @speakupforblue Snapchat: @speakupforblue SUFB Podcast: http://www.speakupforblue.com/podcast Support our podcast: http://www.speakupforblue.com/patreon SUFB Website: http://www.speakupforblue.com 10 Ocean Tips to Conserve the Ocean: http://www.speakupforblue.com/wordpress/sufb_optinpdf

The US presidential election is less than a couple of months away and we haven't heard any of the candidates talk about their positions on science, especially Climate Change and Ocean Health. This past week, we found out that a website called ScienceDebate.org asked the 4 candidates what their positions were on 20 specific areas in science. Each candidate answered on every theme and they are written out on the website. Today, Nathan and I go over two positions: Climate Change and Ocean Health. We wanted to cover more themes; however, we ran out of time. So we did the best we could. Take a listen and let us know what you think.  Are you ready to pivot to a more meaningful career?  Do you want to talk about how you can pursue a career in Marine Conservation? Send me an email and let's chat. andrew@speakupforblue.com Because I want to talk to you! Join the Arbonne Blue Team http://www.speakupforblue.com/teamblue Instagram: @speakupforblue Snapchat: @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

Richard Lilley and his co-founders, Benjamin Jones and Dr. Richard Unsworth, are working their butts off to make sure that you and I are talking about seagrass. I hope this interview will not only teach you about seagrass, but tell you about how much trouble they are in and why we need to ensure seagrass habitats are protected around the world. The three scientists and co-founders created Project Seagrass as a way to facility education, research, and campaigns to protect seagrass habitats around the world. They are fairly effective at it too. Project Seagrass is everywhere: on social media; putting on conferences; and, leading in cutting edge research and conservation projects around the world.  I had the pleasure of sitting down with Richard to discuss why seagrass habitats are so important and what they are doing about it. Take a listen to the interview to find out. Are you ready to pivot to a more meaningful career?  Do you want to talk about how you can pursue a career in Marine Conservation? Send me an email and let's chat. andrew@speakupforblue.com Because I want to talk to you! Join the Arbonne Blue Team http://www.speakupforblue.com/teamblue Instagram: @speakupforblue Snapchat: @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

Marine Conservation saw a couple of great government moves at the end of last week.  Orca Captive Breeding and Shows Banned in California The state of California passed a law banning captive breeding of orcas as well as orca shows. This essentially puts a nail in the coffin to orca shows and breeding at Marine Mammal Parks such as SeaWorld in California and could pave the way for other states such as Florida and Texas to pass similar laws, which would completely get rid of shows and breeding programs for each of SeaWorld's location.  The ban forces SeaWorld to change the way it displays orcas from an entertainment attraction to more of an education attraction and it could start the process in releasing orcas to Sea Side Marine Mammal Sanctuaries. However, SeaWorld continues to state that releasing captive bred orcas into the sea where they would be exposed to potential oil spills and other types of pollution would harm the orcas. Dr. Naomi Rose from the Animal Welfare Institute stated on The Speak Up For Blue Episode 190 that SeaWorld's position is not scientifically correct and has been disproven by the release of the orca Keiko (Take a listen to the episode for more information on Keiko). SeaWorld announced in March 2016 that it would halt the breeding program and in January earlier that year said it would stop its orca shows. The California law ensures that SeaWorld will not go back on its word.  President Obama Announces 1st Atlantic Marine Monument The President was in the news a couple of weeks ago as he announced the expansion of the Hawaii National Marine Monument and last week he announced the establishment of the 1st Marine Monument in the Atlantic Ocean on the coast of New England. The Monument with protect a series of Deep Sea Seamounts and Canyons that provide great biodiversity for the area.  The Monument will ensure the protection of biodiversity of the area and protect fisheries sustainability; however, the fishing industry does not believe the Monument takes into account the loss of income it will have on the fishing industry.  The declaration of this Monument continues to show that this President values the Ocean and its resources as well as the need for its protection.   Are you ready to pivot to a more meaningful career?  Do you want to talk about how you can pursue a career in Marine Conservation? Send me an email and let's chat. andrew@speakupforblue.com Because I want to talk to you! Join the Arbonne Blue Team http://www.speakupforblue.com/teamblue Instagram: @speakupforblue Snapchat: @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

Nathan and I are back again this week with a FULL episode of Ocean Talk Friday. Last week we only got to cover 2 stories due to a bad Skype connection (podcasting problems), but this week we were able to really bring it this week! Today's stories include: 1) How do Shark Teeth bite (talking about adaptation); 2) Do Ocean Acidification Laboratory Studies provide the same results as field studies (hint: no); 3) The Billion Oyster Program in New York City; 4) We are only starting to protect the Ocean; 5) Millennials are the future of our oceans?  As usual, Nathan and I dive into the articles to translate what it means to Marine Science and Conservation.  Are you ready to pivot to a more meaningful career?  Do you want to talk about how you can pursue a career in Marine Conservation? Send me an email and let's chat. andrew@speakupforblue.com Because I want to talk to you! Join the Arbonne Blue Team http://www.speakupforblue.com/teamblue Instagram: @speakupforblue Snapchat: @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

Travis Nielsen is our guest today on Interview Wednesday. He is a marine scientist and the person who was responsible for managing the logistics at the International Marine Conservation Congress in St. John's, Newfoundland. Essentially, he made sure that everyone enjoyed themselves at the conference by everything running well. And I must say that he is damn good at his job. I met Travis at the IMCC4 and we got along great! So much so that we chatted about him coming on the very podcast to discuss what he did and how he got here. And he left a little surprise for me and you for when we recorded the podcast (You will have to listen to the podcast to find out what that surprise is!).  I really enjoyed hearing the story of how Travis got to where he is because is describes the path that many have taken and are currently taking. It's a long a winding path, which requires you to adapt to professional and personal situations that may influence your decisions at any point in time. It's about taking risks to see what is behind door number 1 and then taking door number 2 after realizing that door number 1 wasn't for you.  Gary Vaynerchuk, a marketing guru and celebrity, always tells people that you will need to be able to pivot multiple times throughout your career to maintain your job or to follow your passions to a meaningful career.  Travis has done what Gary says and will continue to do it throughout his career because he has been doing it since he graduated High School.  Are you ready to pivot to a more meaningful career?  Do you want to talk about how you can pursue a career in Marine Conservation? Send me an email and let's chat. andrew@speakupforblue.com Because I want to talk to you! Join the Arbonne Blue Team http://www.speakupforblue.com/teamblue Instagram: @speakupforblue Snapchat: @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

Marine Conservation is a very rewarding career and you will recall that I've said this before; however, this is not an easy field in which we work. You will soon find out that the environment is not always the top priority for governments or businesses to act unless it causes severe and consistent economic damage to the point where the cost outweighs the amount of money that someone can gain from it. Combatting this sort of stigma requires protest, which in itself can be done in many ways.  Protests have been used to make governments and/or the public aware that a particular group of people, or a person, would like something to change or stop something for changing. Protests can be conducted peacefully and others can be conducted violently. Each type is designed to create awareness and stop something from happening.  Sea Shepherd Society protests are done by any means necessary. Their protests are more aggressive than others. Not everyone, including me, agrees with their methods, but they are effective (do an internet search on Japanese Whaling over the past 5 years and you will notice Sea Shepherd is consistently interrupting their catches every year by ramming into whaling boats and getting in their way).  Scientists from across Canada marched in Ottawa (the capital) to protest the attempt of the conservative Canadian government to silence its scientists. The march was peaceful and gained national media coverage bringing light to a problem affecting the environment. Not all protests are for the environment. Recently, NFL' San Francisco 49er Quarterback, Colin Kaepernick, sat down during the American National anthem to protest the violence of police against minorities and the lack of action that would reduce and eventually eliminate the issue. Colin got criticized for the method in which he protested as many said that he was disrespecting the flag and the people who fought under the flag to protect his freedom. He was called spoiled, a coward among other things. Some of the media even said that he wasn't "black" enough to realize the issue that was happening and shouldn't be leading the cause in the NFL.  However, Colin was leading a movement that would turn into others sitting, kneeling, and interlocking arms as a team. The protest spread across the NFL, one of America's biggest sports, and other sports spanning various ethnicities too. the protest went from criticizing Colin for his actions to many more people discussing the issue he was protesting in the first place. An issue that may not be solved in one day or over many years, but is now being discussed again through Colin's actions.  Colin also pledged $1 million dollars to various charities that were working on the issues at hand and other athletes pledged undisclosed amounts in support.  One quarterback's actions has led to a conservation continuing and some important work being supported. It started with one person and led to action.  In another recent protest, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe conducted the largest protest in First Nation history to stop the construction of a pipeline north of there land. They were concerned about the contamination of their land and drinking water through future spills that may take place. They sued the Army Corp of Engineers, which was overseeing the construction to stop the action entirely until a proper assessment was conducted and the assessment methods were done properly.  First Nations going up against the government is not an easy fight; however, the protest caused a temporary halting of construction until the court decided what to do. The court eventually decided to let the construction happen; however, President Obama gave an executive order to stop all construction until further notice.  Do you think the President would have known about this situation had it not been for the protests? I think not.  The point of this episode is to begin to lead for Marine Conservation. You don't have to protest for everything, but you don't have to wait for a group of people to support you to create change. In fact, Marine Conservation often starts with a leader inspiring people to create change. Just look at Dr. Sylvia Earle, who continues to inspire other Marine Scientists and Conservationists around the world through her work. Become a leader for the Ocean and Speak Up For Blue! Do you want to talk about how you can pursue a career in Marine Conservation? Send me an email and let's chat. andrew@speakupforblue.com Because I want to talk to you! Join the Arbonne Blue Team http://www.speakupforblue.com/teamblue Instagram: @speakupforblue Snapchat: @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  

Nathan Johnson and I got together again to discuss (while fighting a bad Skype connection) some Ocean articles that we read over the past week.  We were able to discuss 2 articles in particular: 1) Why the expansion of the Hawaiian National Marine Monument was just the beginning; and, 2) President Obama has a Hawaiian fish named after him. Here are some articles that we didn't get to during the show that might be interesting: 1) Climate change is inhibiting the Ocean to protect us; and, 2) Oregon bans fishing for forage fish to increase their predator populations. Do you want to talk about how you can pursue a career in Marine Conservation? Send me an email and let's chat. andrew@speakupforblue.com Because I want to talk to you! Join the Arbonne Blue Team http://www.speakupforblue.com/teamblue Instagram: @speakupforblue Snapchat: @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  

Dr. Brett Favaro is not only a researcher at the Marine Institute at Memorial University, but he was the co-chair of the International Marine Conservation Congress (IMCC 2016) in St. John's, Newfoundland this past August. If you haven't figured it out yet, the IMCC 2016 was a bit life changing for me.  Brett was kind enough to take time off his busy schedule at the IMCC to chat with me about the purpose of the conference as well as his research. Planning and overseeing a conference as big as IMCC is not easy. Not.One.Bit! It's busy and chaotic at the slowest time. Brett and his team did a great job in planning the entire conference as well as the Oceans Online afterward. It was great to chat with him about the conference at how it met its purpose. The research led by Brett on researching various ways to create sustainable fishing gear is quite interesting as well. He talks about Cod Pod nets that he is currently field testing for efficiency and safety with local fishing communities. Fisher people are often found to be the villains in the story due to over fishing; however, many fishing communities are very concerned about the environment and they have witnessed the changes the Oceans have undergone over the past decades. Collaborations are important when trying to find sustainable fishing solutions and that is what Brett and his team are doing. Brett talks about how he builds relationships with the fishing community by sharing a meal and chatting to them about everyday life. It builds respect, trust and friendship, which makes working together much easier. The community is involved in many steps of the process of the research that will help them catch more cod while avoiding bycatch. We often dismiss the work conducted by the fishing community because of their bad reputation, but the fact is, they are trying to protect the Ocean so they can live off of it and enjoy life like every body else.   Do you want to talk about how you can pursue a career in Marine Conservation? Send me an email and let's chat. andrew@speakupforblue.com Because I want to talk to you! Join the Arbonne Blue Team http://www.speakupforblue.com/teamblue Instagram: @speakupforblue Snapchat: @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

I am pleased to announce that Ocean Talk Friday is back after a 3 week hiatus. Nathan and I got back together to discuss the latest and important topics covered in the news. Today we discussed the following topics: 1) The Hawaii National Monument expansion; 2) The economy of marine conservation; 3) Seamounts are vulnerable and we need to do something about it; 4) What to do when poverty meets marine conservation; and, 5) A celebrity donated their yatch to a marine conservation organization. Listen to the podcast to find out who the celebrity is.  Do you want to talk about how you can pursue a career in Marine Conservation? Send me an email and let's chat. andrew@speakupforblue.com Because I want to talk to you! Join the Arbonne Blue Team http://www.speakupforblue.com/teamblue Instagram: @speakupforblue Snapchat: @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

Interview Wednesday's continues with the International Marine Conservation Congress Series where I had the chance to interview a number of people who are involved in Marine Science and Conservation.  We had the chance to interview Dr. Asha DeVos from Sri Lanka for a second time at the conference to tell her story of how she became a Marine Biologist; what she thinks of the field; and, how she thinks people should approach getting into the field of Marine Conservation. All in all this was a great interview. Not just because it was our 200th episode (thanks for listening by the way); not just because Asha is an amazing person to interview because of her story, her optimistic attitude, and her outgoing personality; but, because this interview was a collaborative effort between Speak Up For Blue and the IMCCs Ocean Optimism Team Marriane Teoh and Liza Hoos. Ocean Optimism (#OceanOptimism) is an initiative that started from IMCC 3 in Scotland where members decided that they wanted to focus on communicating more positive stories to show that there is still hope for the Ocean and focus less on the "doom and gloom" style of communication because the public can't handle it after a while. Marianne and I worked together at the conference to interview a few guests together to maximize time and get the guests to discuss different stories about their experiences including the negative and the positive. The interview was conducted by Speak Up For Blue's Nathan Johnson and Marianne Teoh to get Asha's story out there in the podcast world. I was conducting a workshop during this time at the conference so I put my trust in these great people who did an amazing job! Asha is an inspiration to all Marine Conservationists and is educating people to build a Marine Conservation literacy to live for a better ocean (sound familiar? Hint: it's what we are trying to do here at Speak Up For Blue!). Listen to Dr. Asha DeVos talk about her career, her Ocean Optimism, and how she thinks we can be more effective in Marine Conservation.   Do you want to talk about how you can pursue a career in Marine Conservation? Send me an email and let's chat. andrew@speakupforblue.com Because I want to talk to you! Join the Arbonne Blue Team http://www.speakupforblue.com/teamblue Instagram: @speakupforblue Snapchat: @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   

Over the past few months, I have had the opportunity to chat with a number of people inquiring over switching their career to one in Marine Science and Conservation. Usually, the people are ranging in age between 30-50 and working in a business/finance field and they just don't find that the their career offers anything of meaning in their lives. They tend to be searching for something where they can create a positive change in the world. These are the people I love to talk to because I know they can offer the Marine Science and Conservation field a great advantage with their unique skills set. Some of you might know that I focus part of Speak Up For Blue on helping people attain a career in Marine Science and Conservation. Most of the people that I help are young, recent graduates who don't know where to begin in their search for a job, let alone building their career. They are also great people to talk to and help as many of them have science backgrounds and looking to do research, monitoring, ect. However, the people between the ages of 30-50 who are switching their careers from business/finance are a key player in Marine Science and Conservation field. I like these people because they provide a unique set of skills and a different mindset on how to approach and project. They are similar to the young science graduates in that they don't know where to begin searching for a career and often think that they have to go back to school to become a marine biologist. This thought process tends to impede people from thinking of switching careers. This is the time where I step in.  I always tell people that they don't need to be a scientist to be effective in Marine Science and Conservation. It takes a lot of time and money to invest in becoming a marine scientist. There are enough marine scientists in the world. What you need is to figure out how your skill set that you offer will help the field.  If you search the high level positions in non-profit organizations you will find that the Executive Directors, Program Managers and all of the other high level positions, you will find that they consist of lawyers, business people, entrepreneurs, financial people, etc. Those high level positions are attainable and your skill set may fit the description. If you are searching for a Marine Science and Conservation and you are between the ages of 30-50 years old and you are in a different field, then email me at: andrew@speakupforblue.com Because I want to talk to you! Tune into the episode to find out more information.   Join the Arbonne Blue Team http://www.speakupforblue.com/teamblue Instagram: @speakupforblue Snapchat: @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

Marine Education is a way of building resilient Oceans for the future. You would think that anyone living along an Ocean's coast would know more about the Ocean than someone who lived inland; however, that is not always the case. There are cultural stigmas that often exist within coastal communities. For instance, Nikita Shiel-Rolle, a marine biologist in the Bahamas, said that many Bahamians cannot swim even though they live close to the shore.  I sat down with Nikita at the International Marine Conservation Congress in St. John's, Newfoundland earlier this month to discuss how she is breaking stigmas and barriers by empowering local school kids through marine education and exploration of the shores by which they are growing up.  Nikita's story is a great one where she speaks about leaving her country to come to Canada for school as her parents' number one focus was on education. She had to come to Canada to get her education, but now she has come home to teach the next provides the chance for the next generation to become inspired through exploring their beautiful shores and become marine stewards of the future. She has not only provided the above, but she has also shown her students the wonders of learning science and math, which is translating into increased success in schools to which the graduation rate will increase from 50%.  Enjoy getting to know Nikita, who by the way is just an AMAZING person! Check out the Young Marine Explorer's Website: http://www.ymebahamas.org/index.html Learn more about Nikita Shiel-Rolle: http://www.shielrolle.com/blog.html Join the Arbonne Blue Team http://www.speakupforblue.com/teamblue Instagram: @speakupforblue Snapchat: @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

 The current model for marine conservation funding is flawed because scientists and conservationists cannot fund for their infrastructure anymore. They can only fund based on projects and results. As usual, some organizations took advantage of the old funding model and results were not received by the foundations so everyone now suffers. Project based funding coupled with more organizations seeking funding impedes everyone from sharing money and only certain organizations, government departments and academics get funded well.  Individuals and organizations are searching for ways by which they can raise funds to follow their passions and protect the ocean the best way they know how. These ways many not fit with missions for many organizations, so they tend not to get funded by foundations and other grantees.  The individuals and organizations are turning to the web to raise funds through crowdfunding. I cover a few examples of crowdsource funding initiatives by some individuals to help get their campaigns out there (and hopefully their work will get you to contribute) and raise awareness that crowdsourcing is a great funding opportunity for many people and organizations within the Marine Conservation Field. I discuss the following campaigns: Andrew David Thaler - https://www.patreon.com/andrew-thaler Wallace J. Nichols - https://www.patreon.com/wallacejnichols David Shiffman - https://experiment.com/projects/what-are-the-feeding-habits-of-threatened-sharks Craig McClain - https://experiment.com/projects/wood-is-it-what-s-for-dinner  Susan R. Eaton - https://www.gofundme.com/susanreaton   Join the Arbonne Blue Team http://www.speakupforblue.com/teamblue Instagram: @speakupforblue Snapchat: @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

In the absence of an Ocean Talk Friday, I picked 2 stories that cover some of our favorite topics (Climate Change and Sharks) to discuss. The first story is about how the US is still divisive on the issue of climate change (ugh!). I talk about the frustrations of hearing arguments against climate change based on a belief system as opposed to adapting to its consequences and reducing our climate change impact. The second story is about the age of the Greenland Shark. It's old! How old? Well, it's older than Canada and the US! That's old. In fact, it's now considered the oldest vertebrate. Crazy! I talk about how cool it is to find out the age and how the age will dictate management of this species in the face of mounting pressure due to non other than climate change. Listen to the podcast for more details on both stories.   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

 I had the chance to sit down with Dr. Easkey Britton during the International Marine Conservation Congress at the beginning of August for a 1 one 1 interview to discuss all the cool things that she is doing around the world.  Easkey describes how a surfing trip to Iran (yes, Iran!) changed the lives of many young Iranians by introducing them to surfing and bringing them together as a community. Surfing was introduced to the community in 2010 and Easkey has gone back for a purposeful visit ever since. The community now surfs and takes care of their connected Ocean. Surfing also brought Easkey to Papua New Guinea to help build a surfing community and bring together local people. This community is growing stronger everyday by tackling a major issue in the Island Nation of domestic violence. The community painted the tip of their surf boards to show solidarity within their own community as well as show the abusers that their tyranny will not be tolerated.  Easkey is a person who is dedicated to facilitating social and environmental change through surfing and building close ties to communities.   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

The Marine Conservation community is large and represented from all parts of the Earth. More and more people are entering this wonderful community every day, but they aren’t sure how they can help protect the Ocean to the point that they might give up because the problems are too big and they don’t think they can bring about change. Well, I can’t have that! So I decided to list these 7 ways that you can help conserve the Ocean to prevent you from being too overwhelmed. There are many other ways that you can help conserve the Ocean, but I feel that these are good beginner steps to getting what you want and feeling good about what you are doing. Don’t Panic, take a breath I get many messages from the Speak Up For Blue Podcast audience members after they listen to a show where I describe an issue and send me an email saying that they can’t believe we, as humans, can be so stupid to treat our Oceans the way they do. They are angry and shocked and want to yell at the world! I promptly reply for then to not panic and take a breath. They don’t want to approach people who are doing something to contribute to an Ocean issue aggressively and make that person angry for being called out. This attitude will not change the way people act in their lives or towards the ocean. Marine Conservation should be conducted in a positive way and provide the chance for people to change their habits. People contribute to Ocean issues without realizing they are doing anything wrong. You and I may be doing something that contributes to the problem every day, but we are unaware. For example, I did an interview with Stu Landesberg, CEO of the Grove Collaborative (formerly epantry), who sold certified eco-friendly cleaning supplies online. He described to me the way products on a store shelf differ from products sent via online purchases. The former has to compete on a shelf with other similar products and they have to last a certain time period on the shelf. The products are often sold in large, bright plastic containers that are not easily recyclable. They also contain chemicals that act as preservatives to ensure the product doesn’t spoil on the shelf. Those chemicals may not be as good for you as you thought (you would be surprised). The point is we live in a world where we waste and consume products that are not good for us or the environment, including the Oceans. It’s good to understand the issues, but don’t get too caught up in the anger and use that anger to change behaviour for conservation. Think Globally, act locally Think Globally, act locally is a term you probably heard bused by many environmentalists around the world. It’s such a cat phrase that often people use it in jokes, but the statement is so very true especially in Ocean Conservation. After you finish panicking, it’s good to take note of the major Ocean issues that we are facing: Plastic Pollution, Climate Change, Overfishing, Water Quality and Coastal Development are just a few of the major issues we not only face, but cause. Each issue is widespread enough that the consequences extend across the Ocean having a Global impact. Breakdown the problem by thinking how you can act locally that will remedy this problem. For example, decreasing overfishing will require you to eat seafood more sustainably and responsibly to avoid fish that are overfished. The Seafood Watch program will allow you to eat seafood with a conscious as the program is updated frequently to allow you to create informed decisions on your meals. I use my Seafood Watch App for my iPhone to ask the waiter or retailer whether the seafood was caught sustainably. If they don’t know, then I tell them that I don’t want the seafood because they don’t know how it was caught. Start at home It’s always good to start conservation at home as there are so many things that we can conserve including energy, water, plastic, and cleaning supplies covering four of the major issues I mention above. Each conservation action requires a change in behaviour by you and your family, but they don’t require a ton of changes. You can even start slowly by reducing the amount of plastic bags used in your home or eliminate plastic utensils from your house. You can buy a digital thermostat to control your heat/air conditioning by setting it at different temps throughout the day to save on energy. Starting your conservation efforts are small but significant changes that can really reduce your Ocean Issue footprint. It just takes a little time to get used to some of the changes, but once you are in the full swing of things you feel better about yourself. Become a leader in your community Your leadership at home can transfer into your community through actions. It is easy to show others that you care about the state of the environment in your community whether you live by the coast or inland. Debris and plastic pollution is quite hi in the spring after the snow melts. This past spring, my wife and two daughters went out to clean a portion of our neighborhood (after the suggestion by my 6 year old daughter). A neighbor or ours loved the plan and her family joined us as well. We spent half an hour cleaning up and the results were spectacular (8 garbage bags!)! Another neighbor, who we didn’t know, was driving by and asked us what we were doing. He thanked us for cleaning up as he saw the value of our efforts. We never expect people to follow after we clean something up, but we know we are leading by example when we do clean ups like these. It doesn’t take a lot of time to show your neighbors that you care about your neighborhood, but the reactions are priceless. Understand that change takes time Rome wasn’t built in a day nor did the ocean change for the worse in a day, so why do we all think that our efforts will change all of the destruction (or stop the destruction) that we have done to the Ocean in one day. Marine Conservation takes time. Sometimes it takes time to see positive results in the Ocean from changes such as implementing Marine Protected Area and/or it could take time to change people’s behaviour that can cause a specific Ocean Issue to get out of hand. Marine Conservation requires you to become persistent and patient when trying to change the way people behave (after all, behaviour is usually the problem). Dr. Naomi Rose is a great example of someone who has worked and continues to work hard at Marine Conservation. She works for the Animal Welfare Institute to get captive Orcas and Dolphins released into the wild. We have seen some great strides with captive animals and their road to release over the past year, but people like Naomi are the people who laid the ground work for all of this to happen and she continues to work to get the animals released into Whale Sea-Side Sanctuaries.   You need to have patience but still be persistent in your quest to change things for the better in the Ocean realm. Conservation is more than just science You don’t need to be a scientist to be in Marine Conservation. There are many scientists out there who do some great work, but they would like to do work rather than take most of their time searching for funding. People with a background in finance, business, marketing, law and other non-science backgrounds can really help secure funding for scientific and conservation projects. Tradespeople can also play a crucial role in Marine Conservation. Science and Conservation require equipment to complete their projects so being an electrician, carpenter, plumber and being good with your hands with a creative mind can really come in handy. Conservation is a discipline that requires all professions and backgrounds to become successful. Never count yourself out and be creative as to how you can help. Never give up! Ask Dr. Naomi Rose if she ever found it difficult to do what she does. Conservation is like an emotional roller coaster. It can be very difficult to reach your end goal. There are numerous challenges on the way to overcome to see small rewards. However, they goals can be reached through teamwork and support from other conservationists. The war to release Orcas is not over, but many battles are being won. Passion for the Ocean is what drives us forward and allows us to rise during the tough times.   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

Marine conservation is a wide ranging field in which people all over the world, from various cultural, professional and religious backgrounds take part. Why? It’s because they have a great passion for conserving the Ocean. Regardless of the passion, the field is huge and it can be difficult to find a way that you can “fit in” to the field to make a significant impact in the area you specialize let along in the marine conservation field in general. I still struggle with finding the way I can have a positive influence and build a legacy for my daughters and their generation to continue to build on it and live for a better Ocean. With that said, I feel as though I am close to following that path (after 15 years of searching!) after attending the International Marine Conservation Congress (IMCC4).   I was excited to attend the IMMC4 conference because I attended IMCC2 four years ago and met some wonderful people. Two and a half years ago, I attended another conference called the Oceans Online Conference, which focused on communication Marine Science and Conservation to the public.  Many of the people at IMCC2 where at Oceans Online and I formed some great business relationships and friendships. The people are the main reason I go to Marine Conservation Conferences. It therefore made sense to me to go to IMCC4 where Oceans Online was going to be held in the same place by IMCC4. This was going to be fun. Working as a Marine Conservationist and Scientist in Ontario gets a bit lonely at times, so I jump on any opportunity to meet with friends and colleagues and I look forward to meeting new people to forge new relationships…and I met some amazing people. The people that I met were so amazing that I decided to record a podcast and this accompanying blog post about meeting them and how the people inspired me to venture down a path where I can really have a positive influence in the Marine Conservation field. Here are 4 women who helped further inspire me to follow my passion. I must note that all 4 people are women and 3 of the 4 women were plenary speakers (I also think the other woman could have easily been a plenary speaker!). Dr. Asha de Vos , Marine Mammologist with a Focus on Blue Whale Distribution and Human Impacts I had the chance to hang out with Asha during the conference even though I missed her plenary talk as I arrived the night she spoke (she spoke earlier in the evening).  I was told by colleagues that very night and throughout the conference that here plenary was “life changing” (so were the other plenary talks). Asha is from Sri Lanka and has her PhD in Marine Biology. It’s not fair to rewrite her entire journey when you can find it on her website; however, I will say that this woman is awesome! Her passion for understanding the distribution and health of a large blue whale population brought her to deal with the Sri Lankan government to reroute shipping lanes in order to avoid ship strikes on whales. The ships were sailing in and out of one of the largest ports in the world and Asha was ready to work with them to protect the environment and promote tourism opportunities to view blue whales (the largest animal on the planet!).  Working with government and trying to reroute shipping lanes took her down a challenging path including death threats because people thought she was trying to shut the port down (which was not true); discrimination; and, sexism. Regardless of the challenges, Asha says she continues to work to understand and protect the iconic blue whale species because we have to protect them, there is no other way around it! Nikita Sheil-Rolle, Marine Biologist working with students to educate them on the Ocean and solving social problems in the meantime. Nikita sat down with me for an interview on the podcast (the interview will be posted within the next couple of weeks) to discuss how she has transformed the lives of Bahamian school children through a marine education program. Nikita made me aware that the current graduation rate of Bahamian school children was 50%; therefore, she decided to incorporate parts of the school children’s curriculum into her program to get them excited about learning about the Ocean and the subjects in school. The program is for 2 hours 3 days a week after school and 4 hours of Saturday. Since the programs start, crime in the local area has decreased significantly.   In fact, Nikita recently won an award for Youth Development in the Bahamas for her tremendous work with school children. As you can see, Nikita has transformed the lives of children in a positive way creating a generation of marine stewards to take care of the ocean. Dr. Easkey Britton, Former Pro Surfer, Social Entrepreneur, and Marine Scientist building social change and marine awareness and protection through surfing. Easkey was a plenary speaker at the end of the conference highlighting her accomplishments that she and her teams have accomplished over the past number of years. I also sat down with Easkey to talk about her most famous project that took place in Iran. Easkey and a fellow surfer traveled to Iran in search for surfing…and they fund more than just surfing. Easkey’s friend documented Easkey’s experience surfing in Iran covered head to toe in her wetsuit to respect the traditional garb).  The video went on You Tube and went viral within Iran. The large contingent of women who enjoyed outdoor sports immediately fell in love with the idea of surfing and soon Easkey found herself travelling back to Iran to teach women how to surf and bring together the people through surfing. The local village soon realized that they had to protect the water to which they were now connected by organizing beach clean ups to improve water quality. Easkey continues to witness a social and environmental change within the local village that has been historically oppressed. She hopes that the Iranians will come to integrate with the local village as more and more people turn to surfing as their recreational past time. Until then, she will continue to work with beginner surfers and arrange surfing equipment to be delivered to the area to get more people into the sport. Dr. Michelle LaRue Conservation Biologist at the University of Minnesota specializing on conservation of iconic species such as emperor penguins, seals, cougar, and polar bears using satellite imagery. Michelle was also one of the plenary speakers who talked about her research and her passion to integrate new technology with conservation biology. She is leading the way in understanding Antarctic and Arctic species distribution and population dynamics from afar. Why is this important? Well, have you ever traveled to the pole? It’s insanely expensive. Using satellite imagery along with field surveys proves to be more cost effective (in a field where constrained funding is strong!) and provides a good representation of where animals are going and why. Michelle uses her research to communicate science to public groups who are excited to learn more about the conservation of iconic species. Effective communication is important for research and conservation to gain a good hold in the public forum as that will move policy and make changes for a better environment (just look at what happened with Sea World after Blackfish came out!). Each one of these women has created change through their passion to better understand the Ocean and create social change to protect the Ocean and the environment. It is truly difficult to NOT be inspired by the stories of these women and I look forward to watching them make more changes in the future. They have already created a sense of change in my life and leading me down a path that I look forward to following in the future and implement the plans. I will let you know once I figured it out.   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:

Plastic pollution in the Ocean is a worldwide epidemic affecting water quality and the health of Ocean species more than we already know. Over 100,000 marine mammals (whales, dolphins), sea turtles, seabirds and fish are killed each year by marine debris including plastic pollution. Plastic pollution is an Ocean issue that is not debated as other issues are (climate change) as it has been documented by many organizations and advocates who travel out to the Ocean Gyres (5 of them) to witness, take photographs and video the evidence of plastic pollution and the ocean; however, plastic pollution is a HUGE issue in the Oceans. Plastics and other marine debris can be found on beaches and coastlines all over the world. They wash up from the ocean after floating around for years and they wash down the watershed from land-based sources eventually landing in the Ocean. In fact, nearly 45% of land-based trash comes from 5 countries in Asia; although, this doesn’t mean that other countries such as the Canada and the US aren’t adding to the plastic pollution problem. If this is such a big problem, then why do more people not know about it? There are many organizations out there such as Plastic Pollution Coalition, 5 Gyres, Environmental Defence Fund, Tangaroa Blue and the Ocean Conservancy that are raising awareness through research and awareness campaigns; however, it still seems that many people do not know of the problem with plastic pollution. A couple of weeks ago, a friend of mine here in Burlington, Ontario (Canada) tagged me in a Facebook post with a video about the plastic pollution and debris that travels through the storm sewers and into Lake Ontario. It was one storm sewer, but probably a common occurrence with many other sewer outfalls as well. He asked me who people could call and I mentioned that this wasn’t completely a government clean up problem (in Burlington, we have a sophisticated waste management system: compost, recycling and garbage with deleterious substances being thrown out at specific facilities). It’s not a perfect system, but it’s quite good in comparison to other cities around the world. I told my friend that the problem lies mostly with people and the way that we use and dispose of single use products. Plastic bags, plastic utensils, plastic containers, plastic water bottles are all part of the problem. These items are either dropped on the ground (people) or they are end up in the water from landfills (government). It’s a problem that needs to be discussed within every community in every city. Government campaigns to make more people aware of the items that end up in their lake (or water body) and how they can reduce the use of those items coupled with regularly scheduled beach clean ups will help reduce the amount of plastic pollution in the lake and bring the community closer together. I did an interview with Heidi Taylor of Tangaroa Blue, an organization that not only cleans up beaches, but works with industry to find alternative sustainable solutions to common items found in their beach clean ups along the east coast of Australia. Heidi and her organization recruits a team of citizen scientists to work with her team to clean up and enumerate the items found on a beach and use the database to make informed decisions and change policies. There are some great organizations out there raising awareness, cleaning up beaches and working with government and industry partners to help reduce plastic pollution and other marine debris; however, more awareness is necessary. It’s a good thing the Speak Up For Blue team is all about raising awareness and has a growing podcast out to help spread the world. We found the perfect person to interview to help us in our mission. Ocean Conservancy’s Nick Mallos, Director of their Trash Free Seas Alliance program, sat down with me at the International Marine Conservation Congress to answer a few questions about marine debris and how we can reduce/eliminate it. Take a listen to the podcast and let us know what you think in the show notes. 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

The Jairo Mora award was announced at the International Marine Conservation Congress in St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada last week to increase the support to people working in developing countries where their right to protection in their job where their well being may be threatened. The award is named after Jairo Mora, a sea turtle conservation biologist who worked in Costa Rica to protect eggs from poachers and the nests from developers and tourists that may destroy the sites.  Jairo was brutally murdered at the age of 26 while 3 of his female colleagues were beaten and raped for their role in hindering something people wanted to put forward (it is not clear whether Jairo was murdered over a development or due to drugs). 7 people were acquitted at the first trial due to a technicality; however, 4 of the 7 suspects were found guilty and sentenced for their part in the murders and rapes.  The Society of Conservation Biology researched the matter further and found a report by Global Witness that stated nearly 1,000 conservation biologists were murdered between 2002 and 2014. The report does not account for the conservation biologists who where harassed, assaulted, or threatened during their efforts to protect the environment.  This is an important podcast because the number of people murdered is staggering and much of the world does not know that these incidents occur on a regular basis.  Jairo's murder made news in Costa Rica, but it was because of the close nit Sea turtle Biologist community that news Jairo's murder was shared with the community. The news went mainstream being covered in National Geographic and other online publications; however, the Conservation community was shocked.  Andrew Wright and Asha de Vos asked me if they could announce the Jairo Mora Award on the podcast because they wanted the Speak Up For Blue audience to know that the conservation community stands behind Jairo, his family, and all other conservation biologists who are threatened with harm, but continue to do their work because it matters to them and the environment. I love in North America where I have a right to protection; to do my job without worrying about being hurt. I realize now that my colleagues in developing countries do not share that right. The award announced at the IMCC is a step forward in recognizing the women and men who make sacrifices to follow the same passion that all conservation biologists have are able to do their jobs.  Other steps need to be taken in order to show more "inclusivity" within the conservation biology field. Asha points out that there is a view of North American conservation biologists thinking they are better than their developing world colleagues because they have more funding and resources available to them; however, that is not the case and more communication needs to be done to ensure that all conservation biologists feel equal and worthy of pursuing their passion. This podcast episode is another step in the right direction; however, more needs to be done and it will be done with the help of us at Speak Up For Blue. Please listen to this podcast to find out more about Jairo and the work we need to do with this wonderful field of conservation biology. 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

Whale captivity has been a debated issue since the first orca was captured off the coast of Washington State; however, efforts to free wild caught and captive-bred orcas, belugas and dolphins have not been discussed in great detail...until this year. Blackfish, a documentary film describing the multitude of problems Orcas face in captivity and the dangers it poses to humans, was a key catalyst in firing up the concept of releasing captive whales into Sea side Sanctuaries, but as of September 2015, the thought of Whale Sanctuaries was way in the distance. It wasn't until March of 2016 when the Conservation community truly thought that Whale Sanctuaries could be real. That was the time when Sea World stunned both the conservation community and the captive community when it said it would halt the breeding program in all of its facilities! The announcement meant that there would not be another new orca added to Sea World systems again. YAY!!! So what will happen to the orcas currently living in Sea World? According to Sea World, nothing... The public has another idea and want to see orcas and other marine mammals retired to the sea. In fact, a company called Munchkin, had an owner who was against whale captivity. So much so, that he decided to provide the seed funding for a Whale Sea-Side Sanctuary for captive orcas.  Naomi Rose, who is a marine mammal biologist expert at the Animal Welfare Institute, returned to the podcast to give us the details on the propose Whale Sea-Side Sanctuary. If you want to know how the sanctuary will work, Listent.To.This.Episode!   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

Nathan and I are finally here at the International Marine Conservation Congress where we will be networking with old and new colleagues, talking science, and interviewing scientists and conservationists who do everything they can to understand and protect the Ocean.  We decided to talk about our first day at the conference and discuss the sessions we attended including how there was quite a bit of focus on social marketing for marine science and conservation. This focus was a bit of a surprise because you never hear about this type of work being presented at conferences. The common message of the talks were to choose a target audience and include emotion in messages to said target audience.  Nathan wondered into a great session delegates were telling stories from the field on stage for other delegates and the public. It was quite interesting and entertaining. Our last session was to attend a poster session where there were over 50 poster presentations, along with food and drinks. It was a great way to engage with people from all over the world and talk about their projects. We plan on conducting some interviews throughout the week that we will be adding to our Interview Wednesdays for a while. It's a great way to meet new people! So stay tuned! 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

Nathan and I are prepping for the International Marine Conservation Congress being held in St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada. We are super excited for this opportunity and were are looking forward to sharing all the wonderful things that we will learn at the conference. We will also introduce you to some people involved at the conference as well. Today, we are talking about the following BIG stories this: 1) Whales win big against Navy!; 2) New species of beaked whale discovered in Japan/Alaska; 3) The Vaquita will vanish if China's demand for Totoaba swim bladders continue 4) Seagrass, an important habitat for coral fishes and critters, are dying off in Indonesia due to harmful human activities; 5) Cosco Shipping, China's largest shipping company pledges to stop transporting shark fins from Hong Kong.    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

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 much about where the sea turtles go that I invited Nathan Robinson on the podcast to tell us all about the project and the potential research and conservation actions that can result from this larger project. Nathan has been on the podcast before, in fact, this is his 5th time on the podcast. Hi first time and third time on the podcast was to discuss his stories of pulling a plastic straw and plastic fork out of two individual Olive Ridley Sea Turtles. Nathan was actually conducting the field component for the epibiont project when he came across the sea turtles with the plastic items in their nasal cavities. Nathan tells us that he comes across turtles with other injuries, such as fish hooks in their mouths or on their bodies, and removes them as carefully as possible to free them of the pain, a bonus good feeling of providing direct help to sea turtles who need it. Listen to the podcast to find out more about this amazing project as Nathan and I geek out with some Marine Science.    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

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 of it.    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

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 kick in?  Captive dolphins have been protected from predators, will they be able to avoid predators through instinct? There is also the debate of whether it's a good idea to release the animals vs keep them captive for their own good. Many people say it would be better that the captive marine mammals die in the wild trying to survive rather than suffer in captivity, secluded from their pods and kept from swimming 100s of kilometers per day.  Take a listen to the podcast to hear Sea World's response to the National Aquarium of Baltimore's announcement. 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

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 Conservation that Andrew David Thaler, from SouthernFriedScience.com, wrote about at least 10 of them ranging from marine mammal monitoring to water quality sampling. The possibilities are endless and the limitations are few.  Listen to the podcast to find out what Drones can do for Marine Conservation. 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

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 Ocean. Listen to the episode to find out why Susan chose an all female team to go on the epic journey with her and find out how she became a full time snorkeler, and prefers it for her interactions with ocean animals.   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

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 things we do to harm the Ocean can be prevented by doing small changes to our lifestyle. It will take many people to effect change as they change their lifestyles, but I feel that over the past 5 years, people are moving towards changing their lifestyles by first changing things at home such as using less plastic, eating better and using healthier products that are better for themselves and the Environment, including the Ocean. Over the past 5 years, I have been busting my butt to educate you on what is happening in the Ocean and how we can change to implement solutions. During that time, I have been doing research on offering you a line(s) of products that would help you in that process. It wasn't easy, but I finally found a line of health and wellness products that is good for you and the Ocean. The line of products is called Arbonne. Arbonne is a European-based company which sells products in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the UK and Poland with plans to expand in more countries. I decided that Speak Up For Blue will become an independent consultant for Arbonne because I feel that this community is ready for these products that are good for your health and the environment. I want you to know that I would not be offering this product to you without also becoming a customer and trying out most of the things that I want to offer this community. I have been using many of the nutrition products for the last few weeks and some of the men's line (shaving cream and lotions). I wanted to ensure that I wanted this products for myself and my family. My point of selling Arbonne products is not to just generate revenue, but to generate revenue for ocean conservation. 10% of the revenue that I generate will go towards supporting Ocean Conservation and I promise to be absolutely transparent about it. The other portion of the revenue will go back into Speak Up For Blue to continue to support the Ocean Conservation Community through raising awareness of what is happening in the Ocean via our podcast, You Tube channel and other programs that will are bring forth in the near future. Arbonne is providing Speak Up For Blue with the fuel to protect the Ocean. You, through your purchases, are providing the fuel to support Ocean Conservation AND you are getting healthy products that are good for you, your family and the ocean! I want to be open and transparent with this process so I would like to answer any and all of your questions about Arbonne and the future of Speak Up For Blue. Please feel free to ask your question(s) in the comments below. I am proud to present a line of products that are not only good for you and the environment AND will be the fuel to help me further protect the Ocean! 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

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 inspiring to dive to do their own exploration of the Ocean! Enjoy the podcast!  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

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 the local communities and loss to the local economy. Big Sugar still makes millions, which part of that money goes to fuel the campaigns for the Governor and Florida Senator Mark Rubio.  We cannot allow big business to run our States, our environment, our health and our economy. It's time to SPEAK UP! and tell our government representatives who represent us to start working for us!   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

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! 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: 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