Ocean Currents Radio Program

Guest Cyndi Dawson a lead policy advisor on the Marine Protected Area Network in CA to the CA Ocean Protection Council, part of the CA Natural Resources Agency talks about the status of the entire state network of MPA’s, what baseline monitoring, education/outreach, enforcement and ongoing community partnerships are doing to help better manage and plan for the best possible outcomes for improving biomass in and outside of MPAs.

Guest Cyndi Dawson a lead policy advisor on the Marine Protected Area Network in CA to the CA Ocean Protection Council, part of the CA Natural Resources Agency talks about the status of the entire state network of MPA’s, what baseline monitoring, education/outreach, enforcement and ongoing community partnerships are doing to help better manage and plan for the best possible outcomes for improving biomass in and outside of MPAs.

Author Marah J. Hardt shares stories from her book Sex in the Sea: Our Intimate Connection with Sex- Changing Fish, Romantic Lobsters, Kinky Squid, and Other Salty Erotica of the Deep (book title)

Ecologists from Oikonos Ecosystem Knowledge partnered with a mix of collaborators including artists to help breeding seabirds that were losing habitat to erosion. On the 2nd half of the show, learn about the California Academy of Sciences is mobilizing coastal visitors to "bioblitz" and share observations with photographs and I naturalist.

"If it smells like food, and looks like food, it must be food right?" New research highlights how plastics may take on the smells of typical food that seabirds like to eat. Learn more about this recent research with marine ecologist and UC Davis graduate Dr. Matt Savoca.

Learn about a new method for ocean farming designed to restore ocean ecosystems, mitigate climate change, and create blue-green jobs for fisherman. Bren Smith of Greenware shares how he left the field of commercial fishing to look for a sustainable model to continue to put food on people's plates.

The Pacific Fisheries Management Council instituted Rockfish Conservation Areas in 2002 in response to several species of valuable rockfish being designated "overfished." Learn about what they are, and what has changed in 14 years since the closure went into effect and what the future may hold for these long lived and tasty fish.

The Pacific Fisheries Management Council instituted Rockfish Conservation Areas in 2002 in response to several species of valuable rockfish being designated "overfished." Learn about what they are, and what has changed in 14 years since the closure went into effect and what the future may hold for these long lived and tasty fish.

Krill are a keystone species, many animals in the food web depend on the success of this critical prey item. Jeff Dorman of the Farallon Institute talks what research and modeling tells us about the dynamics of krill. Some natural history, some research and regional conservation initiatives are discussed.

While efforts move forward to figure out ways to reduce global greenhouse gases and carbon emissions, efforts are also moving forward to figure out ways to sequester carbon. All along we've known marshes and coastal wetlands were good for habitat and fisheries and storm buffering and carbon storage, but the amount these blue/green edges can pull carbon out of the atmosphere, store it and provide a multitude of ecosystem services is a win win for the environment. Learn about how agencies and organizations are working to advance restoration of wetlands through local and national efforts.