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Unveiling Canada's Majestic Sharks: Insights from Marine Biologist Chris Harvey Clark

Dive into an enthralling episode of the 'What Are We Doing?' podcast with host David Evans and marine biologist Dr. Chris Harvey Clark. Discover the diverse shark species inhabiting Canadian waters, including elusive Greenland and great white sharks. Explore intriguing topics such as the sharks' unusual diets, including moose and caribou, and cultural delicacies like 'Haukark' made from Greenland shark. Chris shares captivating anecdotes and insights from his extensive marine research, revealing the effects of climate change, noise pollution, and the importance of marine protected areas. With a spotlight on consumer responsibility and sustainable practices, this episode also previews Chris's upcoming book, promising thrilling adventures beneath the waves.

 Check out his book "In Search of the Great Canadian Shark".

To learn more about sharks in Canada check out these resources:
Sharks In Canada
St. Lawrence Shark Observatory

00:00 Deep Dive Interview: Sharks, Seas and Sustainability with Dr. Chris Harvey-Clark

00:35 Meet Chris Harvey Clark: Canada's Shark Expert

02:44 From Veterinary Science to Marine Biology: Chris's Journey

03:29 A Diverse Career: Elephants, Hummingbirds, and Aquatic Species

08:00 Innovative Conservation Efforts for Atlantic Whitefish

10:20 Shark Species in Canadian Waters: An Overview

13:42 The Fascinating World of Electric Rays

25:39 Shark Encounters and Attacks in Canadian History

36:55 Shark Encounters and Marine Life Observations

37:15 Shark Behavior and Seal Predation Patterns

38:33 A Diver's Close Encounter with a Great White Shark

44:27 Marine Conservation Efforts and Publishing Books

59:05 The Fascinating World of Greenland Sharks

01:05:13 Consumer Choices and Environmental Impact

01:13:55 Final Thoughts and Encouragement for Conservation

The Aquatic Bisophere Project
The ABP is establishing a conservation Aquarium in the Prairies to help tell the Story of Water.

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The History and Ecosystem Impact of Sea Otters on Vancouver Island

The podcast episode explores the history and ecological impact of sea otters on the west coast of Canada, particularly near Vancouver Island. Hosted by David Evans of the Aquatic Biosphere Project, the episode features Linda Nichol from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans who discusses the reintroduction of sea otters from Alaska after they were lost from the region. The conversation covers the ecological role of sea otters, including their effect on kelp forests through the control of sea urchins, and the broader ecosystem changes resulting from their return. The challenges of coexistence with local fisheries and Indigenous communities are addressed, along with the overall benefits to marine biodiversity, ecotourism, and carbon sequestration. The episode also discusses broader topics related to marine conservation and ocean noise pollution affecting cetaceans, emphasizing the complex interactions within marine ecosystems.

Sea Otters:
NCC Northern Sea Otters: Click here

00:00 Introduction to Sea Otters
00:40 Reintroduction Efforts and Challenges
01:44 Podcast Introduction and Guest Introduction
03:25 History of Sea Otters on the West Coast
11:22 Ecological Role of Sea Otters
21:48 Impact on Local Communities and Fisheries
29:26 Effects of Human Activity and Conservation Efforts
43:24 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

The Aquatic Bisophere Project
The ABP is establishing a conservation Aquarium in the Prairies to help tell the Story of Water.

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Happy World Ocean day and we hope you are celebrating Ocean Week Canada!

In this episode of the 'Water We Doing' podcast by the Aquatic Biosphere Project, host David Evans explores the incredible biodiversity of coastlines around the world and how humans can coexist with endangered species. Starting from Canada’s extensive coastlines, David discusses how these areas are biodiversity hotspots, essential for both nature and human activities. The episode takes listeners on a global tour, covering sea otters in Vancouver Island, little blue penguins in New Zealand, coastline dynamics in the Sundarbans of India and Bangladesh, and the impact of tourism on sea turtles in Greece. Lastly, David returns to Canada's east coast to discuss the resurgence of great white sharks.

Throughout the episode, experts like Linda Nichol, Elvisa Van der leden, Dinyar Minocher, Dr. Liam Dixon, and Dr. Chris Harvey Clark provide insights into how humans and these marine species navigate the challenges of sharing coastal spaces. Sponsored by the Canadian Ocean Literacy Coalition and Grant MacEwan University's Environmental Studies Institute, this episode is a deep dive into ocean conservation and the importance of sustainable interaction with marine life.

Did you know  the podcast is now available on youtube? Click here to check out the video version of the show!

To learn more about:
Sea Otters:

• NCC Northern Sea Otters

Little Blue Penguins:

• Finding Little Blue
• Little Blue Penguins /Korora

Bengal Tigers and the Sundarbans:

• UNESCO World Heritage 
• Sundarban Foundation

Sea Turtles in Greece

• Archelon, The Sea Turtle Protection Society of Greece

Great White Sharks in Canada:

• St. Lawrence Shark Observatory

MacEwan University
Thanks to the Environmental Studies Institute of MacEwan U for supporting creating the Podcast!

Canadian Ocean Literacy Coalition
Empowering Canadians to better understand, value, and care for the ocean! Thank you for your support

The Aquatic Bisophere Project
The ABP is establishing a conservation Aquarium in the Prairies to help tell the Story of Water.

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Who do you call when an oil spill happens? And what would happen if we had a spill in the arctic ocean???

In this episode we discuss oil spill, how to clean them up, and what's being done to prevent future spills from happening. We speak with Dr. Nancy Kinner who is at the font lines of cleanup and prevention research and has been there to assist during all of the major recent spills around the United States.

Dr. Nancy Kinner is the Co-Director of Coastal Response Research Center at the University of New Hampshire. The Coastal Response Research Center stimulates innovation in spill preparedness, response, assessment, and implementation of optimum spill recovery strategies. The primary purpose of the Center is to bring together the resources of a research-oriented university and the field expertise of NOAA OR&R to conduct and oversee basic and applied research, conduct outreach, and encourage strategic partnerships in spill response, assessment and restoration.

For more information on how to get involved or find out more click the links below:
NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration
For more information on the East Palestine, Ohio train derailment click here.
EOS: Changes are coming for Arctic Shipping
CBC: Feds extend restrictions on Arctic offshore drilling
Canada Bans Heavy Oil in the Arctic

The Aquatic Bisophere Project
The ABP is establishing a conservation Aquarium in the Prairies to help tell the Story of Water.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

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Send us Fan Mail

Who do you call when an oil spill happens? And what would happen if we had a spill in the arctic ocean???

In this episode we discuss oil spill, how to clean them up, and what's being done to prevent future spills from happening. We speak with Dr. Nancy Kinner who is at the font lines of cleanup and prevention research and has been there to assist during all of the major recent spills around the United States. 

Dr. Nancy Kinner is the Co-Director of Coastal Response Research Center at the University of New Hampshire. The Coastal Response Research Center stimulates innovation in spill preparedness, response, assessment, and implementation of optimum spill recovery strategies. The primary purpose of the Center is to bring together the resources of a research-oriented university and the field expertise of NOAA OR&R to conduct and oversee basic and applied research, conduct outreach, and encourage strategic partnerships in spill response, assessment and restoration.

For more information on how to get involved or find out more click the links below:
NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration
For more information on the East Palestine, Ohio train derailment click here.
EOS: Changes are coming for Arctic Shipping
CBC: Feds extend restrictions on Arctic offshore drilling
Canada Bans Heavy Oil in the Arctic

The Aquatic Bisophere Project
The ABP is establishing a conservation Aquarium in the Prairies to help tell the Story of Water.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

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You may have already heard about carbon footprints but today we focus on water footprints!

We spoke with Dr. Lara Wöhler from the Water Footprint Network all about what water footprints are, why they are important and how how to calculate your own. Also get ready to be shocked at how much water it actually took to produce some of your favourite tasty treats and commonly used everyday things!

You can learn more about Water Footprints on the Water Footprint Network website here.  Are you interested in calculating your own water footprint? Try the Water Footprint Calculator to see your own footprint!

The Aquatic Bisophere Project
The ABP is establishing a conservation Aquarium in the Prairies to help tell the Story of Water.

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In today's episode we speak with Dr. Ellen Bruno from UC Berkeley all about the economics of groundwater. Groundwater is water located in aquifers deep beneath the earths surface. We regulate the amount of water people can take from surface waters (lakes, rivers, etc) but underground it's a different story. Tune in to learn how economists like Ellen are working to add some ground rules to make sure we manage this resource sustainably. 

Interested in learning more or getting involved? See below for Dr. Ellen's recommendations on how to get involved:

• Public Policy Institute of California - Water Policy Centre - for great blogs and reports concerning California water
• Maven's Notebook - Keeping an eye on all things California water
• The Dreamt Land: Chasing Water and Dust Across California by Mark Arax - A book focusing on how groundwater influences the agricultural development of California's central valley

The Aquatic Bisophere Project
The ABP is establishing a conservation Aquarium in the Prairies to help tell the Story of Water.

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Water is our most important resource. How do we quantify and measure it? With economics of course! This episode is a crash course into the wild world of water economics.

In this episode you will learn all about the economics of groundwater and get a snapshot of what is happening in California from Dr. Ellen Bruno. Dr. Bruno is an Assistant Professor at UC Berkeley where she focuses her time on understanding and developing market solutions to tackling this water economics issue.

You may have already heard about carbon footprints but we talk all about water footprints in this episode too! You will hear from Dr. Lara Wöhler from the Water Footprint Network all about how to calculate your own water footprint. Also get ready to be shocked at how much water it actually took to produce some of your favourite tasty treats and commonly used everyday things!

Can't wait? Check out their Water Footprint Calculator here! and you can Look Up the Water Footprint of common Items here.

The Aquatic Bisophere Project
The ABP is establishing a conservation Aquarium in the Prairies to help tell the Story of Water.

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In today's deep dive episode we take it to the experts to find out what we should know about water, security and peace.  We talk with Dr. Susanne Schmeier from IHE DELFT about how countries negotiate water agreements over shared water access.

For more information about Dr. Susanne Schmeier's work click here to go to the IHE Delft website to learn more about their programs and research projects. And for more information on the Water, Peace, and Security Partnership that Dr. Susanne runs click here.

The Aquatic Bisophere Project
The ABP is establishing a conservation Aquarium in the Prairies to help tell the Story of Water.

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For more information check out ArcticNet and the North America and Arctic Defence Network (NAADSN).

ArcticNet contributes to the development and distribution of the knowledge to inform policy development and adaptation strategies to help Canadians meet the challenges and opportunities created by modernization and climate change in the Arctic.

NAADSN - The North American and Arctic Defence and Security Network is a collaborative network providing timely, relevant, and reliable expert advice on North American and Arctic defence and security topics.

The Aquatic Bisophere Project
The ABP is establishing a conservation Aquarium in the Prairies to help tell the Story of Water.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Support the show