Environmental Protections Before the Next President
Release Date: 01/10/2025
Great White Shark Populations Have Interesting DNA
How To Protect The Ocean
Great white shark DNA is one of the most puzzling mysteries in marine biology. Recent research has revealed that despite being one species, great whites have split into three distinct genetic groups across the globe. What’s even stranger: their nuclear DNA and mitochondrial DNA tell conflicting stories, leaving scientists scratching their heads. Shark philopatry—the tendency of females to return to their birthplace to give birth—adds another layer to this mystery. While philopatry has been well documented in species like lemon sharks and blacktip sharks, great whites show patterns that...
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How Scientists Can Become Advocates
How To Protect The Ocean
Advocacy for scientists is a skill that can transform how research impacts the real world. In this episode of How to Protect the Ocean, host Andrew Lewin reflects on an article by Melissa Varga from the Union of Concerned Scientists that encourages scientists to step into advocacy roles. Andrew shares why many researchers hesitate to speak out, the cultural challenges within academia, and how advocacy can be integrated into a science career without sacrificing credibility. Ocean conservation also depends on people outside the scientific community. Andrew emphasizes that anyone, scientist or...
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Sustainable Fashion with Courtney Barriger: Protecting the Ocean Through Clothing Choices
How To Protect The Ocean
Sustainable fashion is more than a trend, it is a movement that connects what we wear to the health of our planet. In this episode, Andrew Lewin speaks with Courtney Barriger, CEO of Holding Court Inc., about how clothing design can reduce waste, prevent microplastic pollution, and empower people to make responsible choices. The discussion reveals the hidden costs of fast fashion, from synthetic fibers shedding microplastics into waterways to the massive environmental toll of textile waste. Ocean protection is at the heart of this conversation. Courtney shares her journey of creating stylish,...
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Terracycle: Recycling Everything from Plastics to Global Waste Solutions
How To Protect The Ocean
Terracycle is proving that almost anything can be recycled, from cigarette butts to ocean plastics, transforming how the world thinks about waste. In this episode of How to Protect the Ocean, Andrew Lewin speaks with Tom Szaky, the founder and CEO of TerraCycle, to explore how his company is creating global recycling programs that redefine sustainability and consumer responsibility. TerraCycle has become a leader in connecting corporations and individuals to solutions that keep waste out of landfills and oceans. This conversation dives into the economics of recycling, why certain materials are...
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Shark Meat Fed To Students: Brazil’s Hidden School Lunch Scandal
How To Protect The Ocean
Shark Meat Fed To Students in Brazil’s public institutions has sparked outrage after Mongabay uncovered thousands of tons of mislabeled shark meat, including endangered species like angelsharks, being served in schools, hospitals, prisons, and elderly care centers. Labeled as “cação” or “angel fish,” these meals were consumed by thousands of unsuspecting Brazilians, raising urgent concerns for both public health and ocean conservation. Shark meat in Brazil carries dangerous risks due to high levels of mercury and arsenic that accumulate in these apex predators. Scientists warn that...
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Oceana Working to Protect Endangered Species: How Legal Action Safeguards Whales and Sea Turtles
How To Protect The Ocean
Oceana, working to protect endangered species, is at the heart of this powerful episode featuring Tara Brock, an environmental lawyer advocating for ocean life. Tara unpacks how the Endangered Species Act is used to protect humpback whales and sea turtles, and how legal tools like this remain essential to ocean conservation. As threats like ship strikes, climate change, and bycatch continue to rise, Tara explains why this legislation is still one of the strongest protections we have—and how it’s enforced. Throughout the episode, we explore Oceana’s litigation strategies, real-world wins...
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Starting an Environmental Nonprofit: The Balean Founders Story with Bart Oor and Sander Brienen
How To Protect The Ocean
Starting an environmental nonprofit often begins with a vision and the determination to make a difference, but it also comes with challenges in funding, community support, and long-term sustainability. In this episode of How to Protect the Ocean, Bart Oor and Sander Brienen share the story of how they created Balean, a platform designed to help independent projects and nonprofits access the support they need to thrive. Independent changemakers are reshaping how conservation work is done. Bart and Sander explain the obstacles they faced, how collaboration shaped their journey, and why Balean is...
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Pacific Islands Marine Monument Rollback and Court Reversal Explained
How To Protect The Ocean
Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument: For over a decade, these waters stood as one of the largest no-take zones on Earth, safeguarding corals, fish, and migratory species. But on day one of his presidency, Donald Trump erased the U.S. commitment to 30x30 and soon after issued Proclamation 10918, opening parts of the monument to commercial fishing. Marine conservation at risk: The rollback sparked lawsuits and reignited the debate over whether U.S. marine protections are too vulnerable to political swings. Just two weeks ago, a court overturned Trump’s proclamation on a...
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Less than 400 Left: How Media Coverage Shapes the Fate of North Atlantic Right Whales
How To Protect The Ocean
Less than 400 left — that’s how many North Atlantic right whales remain in the world. These critically endangered whales are at the center of an urgent conservation story, but how the media communicates about them plays a powerful role in shaping public awareness and action. In this episode of How to Protect the Ocean, Andrew Lewin sits down with Dr. Marcus Reamer, a new PhD graduate in science communication, to explore how newspapers and digital outlets covered right whale crises over the past decade. Science communication emerges as a critical conservation tool, with Dr. Reamer sharing...
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Managing Fishing Vessels: Uncovering the Hidden Ownership of Industrial Fleets
How To Protect The Ocean
Managing fishing vessels goes far beyond tracking where a boat is registered. In this episode, we dive into Oceana’s Beyond the Flag report to explore how large-scale fishing vessels are often flagged in one country but owned in another, creating dangerous loopholes that allow illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing to thrive. This legal and beneficial ownership opacity undermines ocean governance, drains resources from coastal nations, and hides the true power behind global fishing operations. Managing fishing vessels transparently is essential for sustainable ocean futures. We...
info_outlineEnvironmental protections before the next president could be sworn in were implemented to help save 625 million acres of ocean from oil and gas exploration.
In this episode of the "How to Protect the Ocean" podcast, host Andrew Lewin discusses recent developments regarding the Gulf of Mexico and new protections for marine environments in the U.S.
Gulf of Mexico Name Change Proposal
The episode begins with a focus on Donald Trump's controversial proposal to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the "Gulf of America." Lewin explains that such a unilateral change is not feasible due to historical, cultural, and diplomatic considerations. The name "Gulf of Mexico" has been recognized internationally for centuries and reflects the region's shared history with Mexico and Cuba. Any attempt to rename it would require significant international consensus, which is unlikely given current diplomatic tensions. Lewin emphasizes that the U.S. cannot simply impose a new name on an internationally recognized body of water.
New Protections for Oceans
The podcast then shifts to President Joe Biden's recent actions aimed at protecting marine ecosystems. Biden has banned offshore drilling and gas drilling across 65 million acres of federal waters, including sensitive areas in the Atlantic, Arctic, Pacific Oceans, and the eastern Gulf of Mexico. This decision was made through an executive order invoking the 1953 Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, which grants the president broad authority to withdraw federal waters from future oil and gas leasing.
Lewin notes that while Biden's ban can be reversed by a future administration, it would require congressional approval, making it more challenging for Trump to undo the protections unilaterally. The episode highlights that the economic impact of this ban may be minimal in the short term, as existing offshore rigs continue to operate and new projects take years to develop.
Overall, the episode underscores the complexities surrounding the Gulf of Mexico's name and the importance of Biden's new protections for marine environments. Lewin invites listeners to share their thoughts on these developments and the future of ocean conservation.
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