Science communication is an important part of marine conservation. I dedicated my career to SciComm because I feel that telling the public of what is happening to the Ocean is crucial to changing behaviours to live for a better ocean. 

However, there are certain times where I have an smh (Shake My Head) moment as a small number of people use certain language that will certainly offend a group of people. 

In this episode, I will tell what those comparisons are and why you should avoid using them when speaking about the ocean. 

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Marine science papers can be hard to interpret if you are not a scientist so I decided to take you through how to interpret them and where there could be some room for error.

You may or may not have read a marine science journal article in the past, but there are certain things you need to know before you read them. First off, marine science searches for the truth using the scientific process. The studies can be proven wrong down the road, but the studies go through a rigorous review process before they are published.

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The relationship between Indigenous people and the government of Canada is terrible. the relationship with Indigenous people and commercial fishers is also terrible, especially over the past couple of years when the Mi'kmaq nation started up fishing in Nova Scotia.  There has definitely been a need to repair the relationships which will take time and a lot of effort. 

One way to repair these relationships is to conduct a study that incorporates all parties at the same table. The Apoqnmatulti'k project combines Indigenous knowledge, Western science, and local knowledge to gather information about three important marine species in Nova Scotia, Canada. 

Find out why this partnership has become successful.

Mongabay Article: https://bit.ly/3ChnZT7

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I know you were expecting an episode on Marine Science and Conservation today; however, I am quite distracted by the news of the invasion of Ukraine this past week. I don't feel very inspired to podcast after watching the videos online of the war. 

So I decided to take a week off to get my mental health in check so I can come back next week with some great energy and content.

Julie Kuchepatov is seeking to fight gender inequality within the seafood industry. She launched the Conch podcast where she interviews women at various levels of the seafood supply chain to tell their stories and show how women can be successful in the seafood industry. 

I chat with Julie to talk about how she started her organization, Seafood and Gender Equality, and launched her podcast. This is an interview you don't want to miss as Julie is such a great storyteller. 

Connect with Julie:

Website: https://www.seafoodandgenderequality.org/
Podcast: https://www.seafoodandgenderequality.org/theconch
Instagram: @seafood_and_gender_equality
Twitter: @sdg5forseafood

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In the last episode, I talked about a citizen science project in the Southern Atlantic Ocean targeted at recreational fishers. I'm sure some of you wanted to join that program because let's face it, it was a fun program that saved sharks.  There are thousands of citizen science projects around the world and there is a good chance that one of those projects is in your area. 

I provide tips on how to choose a citizen science program that is right for you.

Links: 
Citizen Science Association: https://bit.ly/3JDSy82

US Government CitSci Programs: https://bit.ly/3p81tXB

Canadian CitSci Programs: https://bit.ly/3scOwh9

CitSci for Students: https://bit.ly/3t7zcBI

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Sharks in the southern Atlantic ocean are being protected through a citizen science program with sport fishers who regularly target sharks. Why is this a big deal you ask?

Previous to this program, sport fishers were killing the sharks that they caught due to the sharks' bad reputation. A study quantified the number of sharks killed per year as 18 sharks were caught per trip (on average), which equated to 3000 sharks per year (approximately). One sport fisher finally realized the devastation that was happening to the shark population of different species. So he spoke up. 

After many challenges, the sport fisher started a citizen science program over a decade ago, where sport fishers would tag their shark catches and release them instead of killing them. The program now boasts 150 fishers who tagged over 800 sharks. Those 800 sharks are not dead because of these fishers and the citizen science program that exists to protect them.

Link to article: https://bit.ly/33Ab1Tu

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

The proposed megaproject is a risk to the local coral reefs for which most tourists come to visits and will further restrict beach access to the local people. 

Olivia and German join me on the podcast to discuss the work they have been doing to stop the megaproject from going forward including proposing an injunction on the start of the project until a trial for a lawsuit on the project can be conducted. 

The lawsuit is against the federal government agencies that are responsible for identifying the environmental, social, and economic risks for their citizens if the project moves forward. 

Here is how you can help:

German's Links:
Website: https://www.ccrrp.org
Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/www.ccrrp.org/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coz_coral_reef_restoration/?hl=en

Pier Activism on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/noalcuartomuelle/
Olivia's Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/askoliviarose/?hl=en

Petition:
https://www.change.org/p/conanp-no-necesitamos-una-4ta-terminal-homeport-para-cruceros-en-la-isla

The Ocean Clean Up Project recently released a video showing a trawl net releasing plastic pollution that it supposedly hauled from the ocean and released on the deck of a shipping vessel. However, there seemed to be some things that did not add up in the video. 

There was no bycatch from the fishing net used to clean up the plastic. The plastic was intact, which is very different than most of the plastic found at sea (microplastic), and the plastic was clean (almost looking brand new). No biofouling was present on the plastics, which is different than most other plastic items found at sea. 

Some scientists and conservationists are calling the video staged. 

What do you think?

Link to video: https://bit.ly/3JvQNJR

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I saw a video today about how the generation known as Generation Z is battling two different lifestyles. There is the progressive lifestyle that is led by the likes of people like Greta Thunberg and there is the excessive lifestyle that is led by the likes of people such as Kylie Jenner. The former lifestyle is worried about the planer while the latter lifestyle is worried about the shallow parts of life (looks and money). 

We all want to think that we are living the progressive lifestyle, but we fall into the excessive lifestyle more than we think, at least I do more often than not. 

I guess the first step is admitting it. The next is to plan how I am going to change and that is going to require a lot of thought as to what type of lifestyle I would like to lead in the future. 

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

I invited Sara Marriott, a PhD candidate at the University of Southern Mississippi, and Emily De Sousa, a fisheries scientist and science communicator, to the show to give us an update on Aquaculture in 2022.

Links:
Sara's Twitter: https://bit.ly/3JjRlCM
Emily's Twitter: https://bit.ly/34pwoHL
Emily's TikTok: https://bit.ly/3GTtWXf

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How do you define success? People often consider success as making a certain amount of money, having a family, and/or accomplishing specific goals in life. However, have you ever considered your sustainability as a measurement of success in your life? 

I saw a post on Facebook recently that posed the same question. I never really thought about how well I prioritized being sustainable in my life. It has always been an afterthought.  If I was hungry when I was out, I would just buy whatever was available at the time without searching for sustainable options. I always went for cheap clothing that I bought every 5 years. I want to be sustainable, but I need to change the way I approach it to consider it a measurement of success. 

How are you prioritizing your sustainability success?

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Last week, we saw what really happens at sea with industrialized fishing. 100,000 dead fish were discarded from a net and floating on the ocean taking up 3,000 square meters (32,300 square feet) in size. 

The fish were discarded from the 2nd largest trawling vessel in the world. The FV Margivis can haul in 18,000 tons of fish and process at sea. 

The representatives for the ship explained that a rupture in the trawl net caused the fish to float away. The representatives said they followed EU Law and logged the event as well as reported it to their flag country, Lithuania. 

The Sea Shepherd in France recorded the floating mat of dead fish for the world to see and is pressing the EU to investigate the event to find out if the trawl was actually ruptured. 

Link to articles:
The Guardian: https://bit.ly/335r1Na
BBC: https://bbc.in/3guY4NA

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I found out about an organization in Canada that works with students, teachers, and volunteers to clean up plastics along beaches and wetlands and help reduce the amount of single-use plastics in Canada. 

You just know I had to get the Executive Director, Natasha Tucker, on the podcast to talk about her organization and get the details on the federal government's promise to ban certain single-use plastics in Canada.

Links:
Website: https://bit.ly/35DFOiU
Instagram: https://bit.ly/3AYgj7z
Tweet: https://bit.ly/3B0nE6z
Facebook: https://bit.ly/3HtSY06

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In the last episode, I talked about the strategies, that were observed by marine mammal researchers, of orcas demonstrated to hunt blue whales in NSW, Australia. 

After publishing the episode, an audience member reached out to me on Instagram and shared a website with me that described how a pod of orcas helped whalers in Eden, Australia to hunt large baleen whales such as blue whales in the 19th century.

The whales would herd their blue whale prey into the shallow bay fr the whalers to harpoon them. Once the whale was dead, the whalers would allow a couple of days for the orcas to eat the lips and tongue before the whalers would take the rest of the whale for oil.

Such an amazing story. 

Links to article:
Website: https://bit.ly/3HyctV2

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Scientists recently observed three separate hunting events of orcas against blue whales. Two hunting events were in 2019 (16 days apart) and the last event was in 2021. The first event was on a healthy individual. 

The scientists observed the hunting events in Bremer Bay (South West Australia) where three orcas lined up along the side of the blue whale and pushed it underwater while two orcas would bite at its head. 

The hunts are part of nature and solidify orcas as THE apex predator of the ocean who has been observed to eat the livers from great white sharks. 

Orcas enjoy swimming in the mouth of the whale to eat its nutrient-rich tongue. 

Links to articles:
Paper: https://bit.ly/3obMOKc
Media Article: https://bit.ly/3GfOgS0

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Blue carbon could possibly be a term that is the least known in conservation by the public. It's an important term that has many positive outcomes for the ocean and our planet. 

Rosie Sherwood is an artist who would like more people to understand blue carbon and the role it plays in fighting climate change. She is working with the Plymouth University's Marine Institute as a resident to help the people of Plymouth understand the role seagrass plays in capturing carbon from the atmosphere.

Check out the links below:

A study based in Seychelles found that there some fish species will remain on a reef after the corals have bleached, which could help maintain fisheries and some form of nutrition for humans. 

Coral reefs are at risk from or are bleaching in many parts of the world, which could have negative implications on the fish communities and the human communities that rely on them for food.

The study identified five micronutrients that are found in a diverse array of fish (zinc, iron, calcium, selenium, and omega-3 fatty acids) that live on coral reefs. However, when the reefs bleach, only two micronutrients are commonly found (zinc and iron), which could affect the human population that relies on them.

Link to article: 
Mongabay: https://bit.ly/345ZBqv

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A Greenpeace research vessel discovered a new colony of Gentoo penguins in Antarctica. It is the only colony that has been detected this far south on the icy continent. It's an important discovery because Gentoo penguins prefer low-lying, rocky areas that have no ice. 

The ice in Antarctica is melting six times faster than it was in the 1970s due to climate change. Melting ice will have an effect on global sea rise, weather patterns, and prey availability (krill). 

Greenpeace and other organizations are calling for the nations of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) to implement a network of Marine Protected Areas in Antarctica to relieve fishing pressure on the habitats. 

Links to articles:
1) Mongabay article: https://bit.ly/3KzSN5l
2) Gentoo Penguins: https://bit.ly/3GXIC8u

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There was a headline on Rollingstone magazine (link below) that mentioned the Doomsday Glacier was on the verge of melting. The headline didn't make me feel good about where we were at on reducing climate change, but it also didn't motivate me to do anything about it because the problem seemed too big. 

Conservation optimism is important when trying to change people's behaviour to live for a better ocean. Optimistic stories can inspire people to do more for the ocean. 

Reading the headline "'the fuse has been blown' and the Doomsday glacier is coming for us all" does not seem to instill inspiration, but more apathy. 

The headline proves that the movie "Don't Look Up!" is less of a satire than it intended. 

Link to article: https://bit.ly/3nJxqVn

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Did you ever wonder what happens to your pee and poo after you flush the toilet? I bet you never thought you would read those words on this podcast, but the fact of the matter is our water quality is dependent on how well our sewage treatment plants can stop nasty stuff that we excrete from getting into our waterways, including the ocean.

Mongabay posted a great editorial about how the world is dealing with preventing pharmaceutical waste that we excrete from getting into our water. It doesn't look like we are doing a great job. 

Many places around the world cannot treat their sewage with the basic process let alone afford to implement the technology to treat pharmaceuticals. 

The sludge that does get produced after some sort of treatment gets added as a fertilizer on farmland, which means pharmaceuticals are in our fertilizer that helps produce the food in which we ingest. 

Pharmaceuticals are also affecting fish behaviour and physiology. I discuss two examples of studies that look at how elevated levels of estrogen (from birth control) and behavioural changes from psychiatric medicine affect fish in aquatic systems. 

The technology to treat pharmaceuticals does exist but has not been widely implemented. 

Link to article:
1) Mongabay: https://bit.ly/3IiJg0m
2) Fish paper: https://bit.ly/32faSEu

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You likely heard of the undersea volcano that erupted in the South Pacific near the island of Tonga as it was all over the news. The eruption reached 20 km in the air and the blast was visible from space. Unfortunately, the eruption caused Tsunami-like waves to crash into the island of Tonga and cause damage to properties, cut out power, and flood many parts of the island. 

New Zealand is sending rescuers and supplies to help the nearby island but is having trouble communicating with the island.

A volcanic eruption is violent and destructive, but it is also part of the ocean's process to constantly evolve. I discuss the ways that underwater volcanos lead to biodiversity over time. 

Link to articles:
1) Volcano eruption: https://bit.ly/33jYmUP
2) Undersea Volcanos: https://bit.ly/33kttQ6

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Coffee pods are popular in most households. You can make any type of coffee quickly without any mess of having to take teaspoon measurements of the coffee beans and pour them into the coffee-maker. All you have to do is pop them into the designated area and press a button and voila! A wonderful coffee to start your day!

However, are you aware that your coffee pod may not be recyclable even though it says it is on the packaging? Keurig Dr. Pepper Canada claimed that their K-Cups were recyclable all over Canada, but most places outside British Columbia and Quebec would not accept them in their facility. 

K-Cups are made from polypropylene #5, which is rarely recycled in Canada. Keurig Dr. Pepper Canada had to pay $2.3 million in fines and $631 thousand in donations to environmental charitable organizations for misleading consumers. 

The incident begs the question: Are your coffee pods recyclable in your area?

Link to articles:
1) Keurig Dr. Pepper Fined: https://bit.ly/34UaVXn
2) Keurig Dr. Pepper Go Green: https://bit.ly/3I0wWBS
3) Canadian Plastics Defined: https://bit.ly/3KaTn9l

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Is visiting the Antarctic on your bucket list? If so, you may want to take the right boat to get there. 

PhD researcher at the University of Cambridge, Arlie McCarthy, wrote a great piece that we should all be talking about regarding invasive species reaching the Antarctic on Conversation.com.

The article describes the difficult path invasive species have had to travel to reach the shores of the Antarctic. The Southern Ocean's currents rotate clockwise around the continent deflecting many of the species. If the invasive species do make it to the coastal area, then they would have to survive the freezing cold temperatures and rough waters. These conditions make it difficult for invasive species to settle. Unless they travel by boat.

Humans visit the continent for a variety of reasons: tourism, research, fishing, and supply researchers. The ships they take to reach the frozen continent provide invasive species with a direct pathway to the coastal area increasing the chance of species survival and colonization. 

Invasive mussels and crabs can pose problems for local species. Mussels can outcompete local species for space by forming mussel beds and altering the habitat. Crabs can be a new threat to local populations as they become new predators. The results can alter the Antarctic coastline as we know it.

There are measures that can be taken to reduce the level of exposure to invasive species. Add a coating to the hull of the boat to ensure animals and plants do not stick to the hull. Exchanging ballast water outside the coastal zone would also help. Preventative measures are helpful, but enforcement will be necessary to ensure success. 

Link to article: https://theconversation.com/antarcticas-unique-ecosystem-is-threatened-by-invasive-species-hitchhiking-on-ships-174640

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There was a great conversation happening on TikTok (yes, TikTok) on Dr. Virginia Schutte's account regarding wastefulness and our environment. 

The video series started with Virginia stitching another creator on her comments about being judged for her family using paper plates. Virginia responded by saying that she chooses not to judge anyone on their lifestyle and rather approaches people with love and support to help others understand what conservation is and that not everyone is able to do conservation. 

A number of other comments were generated from the first video and Virginia had great responses to them. I discuss them in this episode and add my own thoughts on conservation and how we and corporations can act to help our blue planet. 

Virginia's TikTok account: https://www.tiktok.com/@vgwschutte

Meteor podcast: https://meteorscicomm.org/

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There is a prediction that says the ocean will have warmer water with less oxygen that will be more conducive to smaller mesopelagic fish. A study was recently published in Science and covered on Mongabay news that provides empirical evidence from 130,000 years ago (where, warmer and less oxygenated waters occurred) that shows the prediction could happen. 

The same conditions that were present 130,000 years ago are predicted to happen in 2100 that will have severe consequences for global fisheries, especially in the Humboldt Current System off the coast of Peru, where the study was conducted. 

The Humboldt Current System is home to one of the most productive waters in the world and accounts for over 15% of the global catch. Warmer, less oxygenated waters could cripple the fisheries as smaller fish will not meet the global food demand. 

Fisheries management methods such as fish quotas and marine protected areas should be employed to reduce the impact of overfishing that can accelerate the process of shifting to a smaller fish dominance. 

Enforcement of the fisheries management policies will also be key in maintaining fish populations. 

Link to article: https://news.mongabay.com/2022/01/warmer-oxygen-poor-waters-threaten-worlds-most-heavily-exploited-fish/

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Another Indus river dolphin was found dead near the Taunsa Barrage (a damn) in the Indus River (Pakistan) bringing the total to three Indus dolphins in the past month found dead. This past dolphin was found in fishing gear, which is the greatest threat to the population that is already limited by the physical barriers of six barrages within the river. 

Non-governmental organizations are trying to pressure the government to enforce policies that regulate the type of fishing gear, material, and mesh size as there has not been any enforcement on the fishing contractors in the area. 

Link to article: https://www.dawn.com/news/1667055

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The people of Cornwall, UK are enjoying the increased number of marine mammal sightings over the past couple of years; however, unfortunately, they are also seeing an increased number of marine mammal strandings. 

New sightings might have to bring about new policies that can change the way people in Cornwall fish and use the ocean in the future. 

Link to article: https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwall-news/good-year-whale-dolphin-sightings-6408638

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Watching Netflix's new movie Don't Look Up made me feel seen as no other movie has before. The movie is a satire on how society reacts to the news of environmental disasters and depicts scientists as whistleblowers that are annoying to society's day-to-day living. 

Many non-scientists felt the frustration and anger of Jennifer Lawrence's character that was a Ph.D. candidate who was passionate about what she had discovered and was angry that no one was trying to stop the destruction of the planet. We feel a similar struggle trying to speak up for climate change. 

There were people who criticized the movie. They complained that it made society out to be dumb and they didn't like that. They thought the writer, Adam McKay, should stick to making movies similar to his other hits, such as Step Brothers.

I think many of the critics are proving the point of the film. 

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A friend recently recommended a podcast to me where the host interviewed Dr. Jane Goodall. Dr. Goodall is a terrific scientist and is known for her studies on great apes where she lived with apes in the wild for many years. 

During the podcast, the host, Jay Shetty, discussed how hope could help fight the war on nature. I've heard from family and friends that they lose hope after hearing the doom and gloom of nature, yet Dr. Goodall suggests that they people can get their optimism back through local actions. 

I talk about how hope should be part of every nature message if we want to end this war on the environment.

Link to podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/jane-goodall-on-winning-the-war-on-nature-how-simple/id1450994021?i=1000538899362

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