SSAMN Stream

Whale watching and visitors are huge economic booms for the San Juan Islands and other Salish Sea communities. However, how do we navigate the desire for tourism and recreation in our local waters and lands while mitigating the harmful impacts such activities can have on our beloved wildlife, especially whales, and our surrounding environment? Conservationists world-wide have struggled with this very question given increased pressures and stress on ecosystems. On this episode, Angela Broderick, San Juan County’s Climate & Sustainability Coordinator, discusses the creation of a Sustainable Tourism Management Plan for the San Juan Islands as well as what a vision of sustainable ecotourism could look like for Salish Sea communities.

Genetics, including paternity,  is challenging to figure out in killer whales. These relationships, however, are very important to determine in order to better understand mating dynamics and genetic diversity within their populations.  As our endangered Southern Resident killer whale (SRKW) population continues to decline, there is concern of increased inbreeding within the population and the negative impacts this would further have on genetic diversity within the population. Dr. Mike Ford, Research Scientist with NOAA, joins us on this episode to discuss his latest research findings regarding SRKW mating patterns, population structure, and population viability. Understanding these aspects are vital towards conservation efforts. Believe me: you aren’t going to want to miss this episode!

Seabird bycatch (that is the unintentional catching of seabirds) in commercial fisheries is a big problem globally. Many of these birds wind up dying. Here in the Pacific Northwest, albatross are particularly at risk. Bycatch can result in huge population losses of seabird species. For threatened or endangered species, even the death of a small number of birds can have devastating effects. Seabird bycatch can hurt economically too through increased fishing costs, decreased fishing efficiency, and lost fishing access. Fortunately, there are solutions. Edward Melvin, a former faculty member of the University of Washington, joins us on this episode to give us an overview of these solutions and explain the challenges and opportunities in their implementation. 

Since 2019, a high number of gray whales have been stranding along the west coast of North America from Mexico to Alaska. This has prompted NOAA to declare an Unusual Mortality Event (UME)  for the Eastern Pacific stock of gray whales which is still being actively investigated. Joining us on this episode is Dr. Aimée R. Lang, a researcher with NOAA, to tell us about this UME, latest findings on the cause(s), future outlook of the population, and what actions, if any, are being taken. 

If you like seahorses (who doesn’t?) than this episode is for you! While there are no seahorses in the Salish Sea, we do have pipefish, which are very closely related to seahorses. On this episode, Tiffany Boothe, Assistant Manager at the Seaside Aquarium in Oregon, tells us about these unique and eloquent fish! We’ll explore their biology, where you can find them, their cool peculiarities, and so much more, including the question everyone wants to know: what’s up with the males doing all the hard work of carrying the eggs? Tune in to learn more fun facts and surprises about this species!

How well do you think you know our local squid species? You are about to find out! These cephalopods have strange and secret lives. Your imagination may conjure up the imposing Humboldt squid, a very large, silent predator with a sharp beak and tentacles containing hooks and suction cups with razor sharp teeth.  Perhaps you picture, instead, the cute, small, googly-eyed stubby squid or the beautiful profile of a shimmering opalescent inshore squid.  On this episode, Dr. Benjamin Burford, a post doctoral scholar at the University of California, Santa Cruz, joins us as we learn from him about these mysterious animals. We have an inkling you will just love this episode!

Empathy - the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. With the holidays upon us, our thoughts turn to good will towards others, which includes kindness and compassion to nature. If you are listening to this podcast, it reflects you caring about our oceans and the life within them. What sparked this in you? It starts with empathy. If we are to save our waters and the life within them, the very first step is caring enough to want to act. On this episode, Dr. Erika Woolsey, Chief Scientist & CEO of The Hydrous, and Jess Newley, Community Science and Education Manager at Friends of the San Juans, discuss the importance of having ocean empathy, and how technology, especially virtual reality, is being used as a tool to foster this. 

For thousands of years, indigenous peoples have called the Salish Sea home. An important part of living here was sustainably managing and using the resources the waters provided. On this episode, we are honored to have Dr. Anne Salomon, a professor at Simon Fraser University, with us to talk about these ancient management practices in regards to traditionally important resources, like sea otters, clams, and salmon. Not only will we learn about the historical and cultural relevance of these resources to First Nations in Canada, but also how evidence is uncovered to learn about the ancient past. 

On this riveting episode, Dr. Lori Marino, President of The Whale Sanctuary Project and a neuroscientist and expert in animal behavior, joins us to discuss the intelligence of orcas. Just how smart are they? Are they smarter than humans? How did they get such big brains and why? Are dolphins and whales capable of complex emotions? These are just some of the many questions we will explore.

As their primary food, Chinook salmon are vital to our beloved, endangered Southern Resident killer whales. By restoring salmon populations, we can help to save these orcas. On this episode, Tara Galuska, Orca Recovery Coordinator at WA State Recreation and Conservation Office, gives an update on what efforts the Governor’s Salmon Recovery Office have undertaken to help increase local salmon populations; the status and progress of these efforts; and how they fit in with recommendations made by Governor Jay Inslee’s Southern Resident Killer Whale Task Force for orca recovery. While much hard work still lies ahead, we can take hope with the successes that have already been made.