Word on the Reef

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Did you know some of our marine fish are living DOUBLE LIVES? That’s right, they want the best of both worlds, saltwater and freshwater. So one minute they’re living the dream on a beautiful coral reef, next minute they’ve decided they need a tree change, and they’re swimming up into our rivers. What are they doing there? And importantly – what happens when humans build dams, causeways and other watery traffic jams that block these fish from finishing their migration missions?

• This week's guest: Sean Georgeson, Fish Ecologist and founder of www.coralition.org  |  www.instagram.com/coralition_org
• Ring the Fish Doorbell (Livestream where you can open the door for migrating fish): https://visdeurbel.nl/en/ 

Thumbnail Image: Sean and colleague using electrofishing to capture fish for research purposes in New Zealand. Note: Do not attempt this in crocodile inhabited waters in Far North Queensland!

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• SUPPORT THE SHOW: Become a supporter to connect with Tanya and Brett, get a shout-out on the show, ask us questions and suggest episode topics! 
• Got questions? Email [email protected]
• Follow @WordOnTheReefPodcast on Instagram

PROTECT THE REEF - Sign these Petitions Now!

• Australian Marine Conservation Society: Australia, it's time to lead on Climate Action!
• Divers for Climate: Sign the 'I'm a Diver for Climate' National Statement
• Australian Conservation Foundation: No New Coal and Gas!
• Queensland Conservation Council: Take Strong Climate Action and Build a Positive Renewable Future!
• Our Islands Our Home: Protect the Torres Strait Islands from Climate Change
• Greenpeace: Save the Great Barrier Reef!
• WWF Australia: Protect Nature
• Rising Ti...

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Whale sharks—harmless, majestic giants—have long been mystery visitors on the Great Barrier Reef, their movements shrouded in secrecy... until now. In a groundbreaking discovery, scientists have identified the Reef’s first known whale shark aggregation site. Join us as we uncover where these elusive creatures have been hiding with Ingo Miller—marine biologist turned shark detective. On a mission to find and protect the world’s largest fish before it’s too late, Ingo followed the clues to their secret gathering spot. Want to know where it is? You’ll have to tune in to find out.

LEARN MORE

• Biopixel Oceans Foundation Website: biopixeloceans.org
• Follow Ingo on Instagram: www.instagram.com/ingo.ben.miller
• Follow Biopixel Oceans Foundation on Insta: www.instagram.com/biopixeloceans
• Track the tagged whale sharks: biotracker.tv

Support the show

-------

• SUPPORT THE SHOW: Become a supporter to connect with Tanya and Brett, get a shout-out on the show, ask us questions and suggest episode topics! 
• Got questions? Email [email protected]
• Follow @WordOnTheReefPodcast on Instagram

PROTECT THE REEF - Sign these Petitions Now!

• Australian Marine Conservation Society: Australia, it's time to lead on Climate Action!
• Divers for Climate: Sign the 'I'm a Diver for Climate' National Statement
• Australian Conservation Foundation: No New Coal and Gas!
• Queensland Conservation Council: Take Strong Climate Action and Build a Positive Renewable Future!
• Our Islands Our Home: Protect the Torres Strait Islands from Climate Change
• Greenpeace: Save the Great Barrier Reef!
• WWF Australia: Protect Nature
• Rising Ti...

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Australian comedian Kirsty Webeck loves sea creatures. She's learned a lot about them through her lifelong passion for snorkelling - and now she's here to share what the sperm whales don't want you to know.  She is currently touring with her live standup show called Everything I Need to Say About Sea Creatures and it's a real hoot to have her joining us on Word on the Reef this week!

We also chat with Dave George from the Cairns Nautilus Scuba Club, who shares why joining your local dive club might be the best decision you make for your social life, your scuba skills, and your connection to the underwater world.

If you're someone who enjoys a good whale tale with a side of comedy, this episode’s for you!

Support the show

-------

• SUPPORT THE SHOW: Become a supporter to connect with Tanya and Brett, get a shout-out on the show, ask us questions and suggest episode topics! 
• Got questions? Email [email protected]
• Follow @WordOnTheReefPodcast on Instagram

PROTECT THE REEF - Sign these Petitions Now!

• Australian Marine Conservation Society: Australia, it's time to lead on Climate Action!
• Divers for Climate: Sign the 'I'm a Diver for Climate' National Statement
• Australian Conservation Foundation: No New Coal and Gas!
• Queensland Conservation Council: Take Strong Climate Action and Build a Positive Renewable Future!
• Our Islands Our Home: Protect the Torres Strait Islands from Climate Change
• Greenpeace: Save the Great Barrier Reef!
• WWF Australia: Protect Nature
• Rising Ti...

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Meet Mike Atkinson — former military pilot turned solo adventurer, survival expert, and filmmaker. In one of the boldest voyages ever attempted, Mike hand-carved a dugout canoe and sailed it 1,500 kilometres up the Great Barrier Reef — from Townsville to the Torres Strait — using only traditional, handmade fishing and hunting tools. No engine. No GPS. No esky.

Surviving on stingray, dried kangaroo, and sheer determination, Mike faced crocodiles, storms, and solitude — all in a quest to reconnect with nature and spotlight the urgent need to protect the Reef and honour Indigenous knowledge.

This is more than a survival story — it’s a challenge to all of us to rethink how modern life is pulling us away from what truly matters. What Mike discovered out there will both shock and inspire you.

FOLLOW MIKE

• Mike's Website: outbackmike.com
• Mike's Insta: instagram.com/outback_mike

Support the show

-------

• SUPPORT THE SHOW: Become a supporter to connect with Tanya and Brett, get a shout-out on the show, ask us questions and suggest episode topics! 
• Got questions? Email [email protected]
• Follow @WordOnTheReefPodcast on Instagram

PROTECT THE REEF - Sign these Petitions Now!

• Australian Marine Conservation Society: Australia, it's time to lead on Climate Action!
• Divers for Climate: Sign the 'I'm a Diver for Climate' National Statement
• Australian Conservation Foundation: No New Coal and Gas!
• Queensland Conservation Council: Take Strong Climate Action and Build a Positive Renewable Future!
• Our Islands Our Home: Protect the Torres Strait Islands from Climate Change
• Greenpeace: Save the Great Barrier Reef!
• WWF Australia: Protect Nature
• Rising Ti...

Send us Fan Mail

Welcome to the ocean -- where your genitals are on your face, males give birth, and gender is more of a suggestion than a rule. You can snooze in a bubble of your own vomit or switch sexes overnight without anyone batting a fin. What a world!

This week we’re joined by Mike Scotland - marine biologist, underwater photographer, and editor of DiveLog Magazine. With 50 years of diving, thousands of dives, and two books under his weight belt (Marine Biology in the Wild and Diving With Sharks), Mike’s here to tell us why humans have more in common with flatworms than we’d like to admit -- and how to keep your spines clean if you’re a sea urchin. Dive in!

Thumbnail Image: Gold-speckled flatform (Thysanozoon nigropapillosum)

Support the show

-------

• SUPPORT THE SHOW: Become a supporter to connect with Tanya and Brett, get a shout-out on the show, ask us questions and suggest episode topics! 
• Got questions? Email [email protected]
• Follow @WordOnTheReefPodcast on Instagram

PROTECT THE REEF - Sign these Petitions Now!

• Australian Marine Conservation Society: Australia, it's time to lead on Climate Action!
• Divers for Climate: Sign the 'I'm a Diver for Climate' National Statement
• Australian Conservation Foundation: No New Coal and Gas!
• Queensland Conservation Council: Take Strong Climate Action and Build a Positive Renewable Future!
• Our Islands Our Home: Protect the Torres Strait Islands from Climate Change
• Greenpeace: Save the Great Barrier Reef!
• WWF Australia: Protect Nature
• Rising Ti...

Send us Fan Mail

The 1990s was a wild west era for fishing on the Great Barrier Reef. Even after being declared a Marine Park and a World Heritage area, more than 95% of the Great Barrier Reef was still being fished, and things were heading downhill fast. Then came a bombshell report that exposed what was really going on beneath the surface -- and all hell broke loose. What followed was a fierce battle known as the ‘Trawl Wars,' and unfortunately, it did not happen in a galaxy far, far away.

In this episode, we’re joined by legendary conservationist Imogen Zethoven, who was made Officer of the Order of Australia for her groundbreaking campaign to create the largest network of no fishing zones, also known as Green Zones, in the GBR Marine Park. Imogen shares how the fight was won -- and why the battle to protect our oceans is far from over.

Thumbnail Image: Imogen Zethoven in front of a van owned by a Mackay local at a meeting in the early 2000s.

Glossary of Australian Terms for our International Listeners

• Prawns = what we call shrimps in Australia!
• Tucker = a slang term for food
• Canberra = our capital city, where Parliament House is located (we know you've never heard of it)
• GBRMPA = Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (also known as the Reef Authority).
• CSIRO "Sigh-Row" = Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (Australia's national science agency).
• AFMA = Australian Fisheries Management Authority

Take Action on Overfishing:

• Australian Marine Conservation Society (Fisheries Campaign)
• WWF (GBR Campaign)

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Support the show

-------

• SUPPORT THE SHOW: Become a supporter to connect with Tanya and Brett, get a shout-out on the show, ask us questions and suggest episode topics! 
• Got questions? Email [email protected]
• Follow @WordOnTheReefPodcast on Instagram

PROTECT THE REEF - Sign these Petitions Now!

• Australian Marine Conservation Society: Australia, it's time to lead on Climate Action!
• Divers for Climate: Sign the 'I'm a Diver for Climate' National Statement
• Australian Conservation Foundation: No New Coal and Gas!
• Queensland Conservation Council: Take Strong Climate Action and Build a Positive Renewable Future!
• Our Islands Our Home: Protect the Torres Strait Islands from Climate Change
• Greenpeace: Save the Great Barrier Reef!
• WWF Australia: Protect Nature
• Rising Ti...

Send us Fan Mail

Ever since he kept a pet shark as a kid, Richard Fitzpatrick has made it his life’s mission to rewrite the story of one of the ocean’s most misunderstood predators. Now an Emmy-winning cinematographer, marine biologist and shark researcher, he’s spent more than 15,000 hours swimming with sharks — filming them, tagging them, and tracking them for science, often using wildly unorthodox (and very hands-on) methods.

In this episode of Word on the Reef, learn how to rope and tame a wild shark, why jokes can come back to bite you in the butt (literally), and why you should always watch your footing when you’re standing on a boat surrounded by sharks.

We bust some myths about shark behaviour, and explore how cutting-edge research is helping protect both humans and these vital apex predators. Whether you’re afraid of sharks, fascinated by them, or a bit of both — this episode is for you.

Learn More

• Biopixel Oceans Foundation
• www.instagram.com/biopixeloceans

Support the show

-------

• SUPPORT THE SHOW: Become a supporter to connect with Tanya and Brett, get a shout-out on the show, ask us questions and suggest episode topics! 
• Got questions? Email [email protected]
• Follow @WordOnTheReefPodcast on Instagram

PROTECT THE REEF - Sign these Petitions Now!

• Australian Marine Conservation Society: Australia, it's time to lead on Climate Action!
• Divers for Climate: Sign the 'I'm a Diver for Climate' National Statement
• Australian Conservation Foundation: No New Coal and Gas!
• Queensland Conservation Council: Take Strong Climate Action and Build a Positive Renewable Future!
• Our Islands Our Home: Protect the Torres Strait Islands from Climate Change
• Greenpeace: Save the Great Barrier Reef!
• WWF Australia: Protect Nature
• Rising Ti...

Send us Fan Mail

Did you know you can help with coral research on the Great Barrier Reef without even leaving your couch? On this week's episode of Word on the Reef, get ready to swipe right on high-value corals as we dive into the incredible world of citizen science.

Our guest is Nicole Senn, Head of Engagement at Citizens of the Reef and passionate ocean advocate, who reveals how everyday people all over the world are helping monitor coral health - no snorkel or flippers required! Nicole shares how the data you analyse on your phone or laptop can make a real-world difference for Reef conservation... And win you a free trip to the real Reef!

Find out how you can become a citizen scientist, contribute to global coral research, and be part of the solution.

Find out More:

• www.greatreefcensus.org
• www.instagram.com/citizensofthereef

Support the show

-------

• SUPPORT THE SHOW: Become a supporter to connect with Tanya and Brett, get a shout-out on the show, ask us questions and suggest episode topics! 
• Got questions? Email [email protected]
• Follow @WordOnTheReefPodcast on Instagram

PROTECT THE REEF - Sign these Petitions Now!

• Australian Marine Conservation Society: Australia, it's time to lead on Climate Action!
• Divers for Climate: Sign the 'I'm a Diver for Climate' National Statement
• Australian Conservation Foundation: No New Coal and Gas!
• Queensland Conservation Council: Take Strong Climate Action and Build a Positive Renewable Future!
• Our Islands Our Home: Protect the Torres Strait Islands from Climate Change
• Greenpeace: Save the Great Barrier Reef!
• WWF Australia: Protect Nature
• Rising Ti...

Send us Fan Mail

Did you know that deforestation up to 1,000 kilometres inland can harm coral reefs and potentially fuel outbreaks of coral-eating starfish? This week we explore one of the lesser-known but critical threats to the Great Barrier Reef: declining water quality due to land clearing.

Our guest this week is Sarah Sims, a conservation and land management expert, dive instructor, and underwater photographer based in Cairns. Sarah's love of the Reef has inspired her to trace water pollution back to its roots: literally. Sarah is the powerhouse behind two not-for-profit reforestation initiatives - TreeForce Cairns and Holloways Beach Coast Care. Sarah helps us unpack the staggering extent of land clearing in Queensland, and what we can all do to reforest our riverbanks and restore the health of our oceans.

Support the show

-------

• SUPPORT THE SHOW: Become a supporter to connect with Tanya and Brett, get a shout-out on the show, ask us questions and suggest episode topics! 
• Got questions? Email [email protected]
• Follow @WordOnTheReefPodcast on Instagram

PROTECT THE REEF - Sign these Petitions Now!

• Australian Marine Conservation Society: Australia, it's time to lead on Climate Action!
• Divers for Climate: Sign the 'I'm a Diver for Climate' National Statement
• Australian Conservation Foundation: No New Coal and Gas!
• Queensland Conservation Council: Take Strong Climate Action and Build a Positive Renewable Future!
• Our Islands Our Home: Protect the Torres Strait Islands from Climate Change
• Greenpeace: Save the Great Barrier Reef!
• WWF Australia: Protect Nature
• Rising Ti...

Send us Fan Mail

Did you know Aussies are among the worst plastic polluters on the planet - second only to Singapore for our use of single-use plastic packaging? Every year, 145,000 tonnes of plastic waste leak into our environment, and most of it comes from our supermarkets.

Many of these plastics are not recyclable, and even when binned “correctly," they escape - blown by wind, swept by rain - ending up in rivers, oceans, and inside marine life. From turtles mistaking bags for jellyfish to seabirds literally crunching from the plastic in their guts, our throwaway culture is devastating wildlife… and it’s coming back to poison us too.

But there are solutions.

This week, we’re joined by Tara Jones, Plastics & Packaging Program Manager at the Australian Marine Conservation Society, who reveals the shock findings from her supermarket plastics investigation. It's infuriating and eye opening, but it also holds the key to what we can do to stop the plastic tide.

💙 Plus: Find out how to join our Fin Club and receive a personalised video message from your favourite marine animal at the Cairns Aquarium!

Support the show

-------

• SUPPORT THE SHOW: Become a supporter to connect with Tanya and Brett, get a shout-out on the show, ask us questions and suggest episode topics! 
• Got questions? Email [email protected]
• Follow @WordOnTheReefPodcast on Instagram

PROTECT THE REEF - Sign these Petitions Now!

• Australian Marine Conservation Society: Australia, it's time to lead on Climate Action!
• Divers for Climate: Sign the 'I'm a Diver for Climate' National Statement
• Australian Conservation Foundation: No New Coal and Gas!
• Queensland Conservation Council: Take Strong Climate Action and Build a Positive Renewable Future!
• Our Islands Our Home: Protect the Torres Strait Islands from Climate Change
• Greenpeace: Save the Great Barrier Reef!
• WWF Australia: Protect Nature
• Rising Ti...