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- The Ripple - April 2023
Happy April from The Ripple, a monthly newsletter by The Conservationist Collective, designed and updated specifically for all of us ocean people. Every month we highlight the biggest in global ocean news, share career opportunities for you, and give a peek into what we've been up to. A lot of exciting events are happening this month - let's dive in!
But first, are you subscribed to our Blue Messages? We will text you amazing updates (like updates on our upcoming rebranding 😳🤫) so you can have a splash of blue a few times a month. Text "TCC" to (833) 522 0992 to opt-in.
Green Fee is headed to conference as a last step!
The Green Fee proposed bill has passed through all of its committee hearings and will now move to conference, where the House and Senate will find common ground on a final form of the bill. If passed, a visitor impact fee would generate hundreds of millions of dollars for conservation in Hawaiʻi every single year. What do you think?
Under the Hood: What's New?
Collaborate with TCC!
Our mission is to connect like minded individuals and teams, because it will take all of us to save our oceans. We want to share how youʻre showing up with our online community to help inspire them If you make any ocean conservation content (video, carousels, graphics), invite us to collab post on Instagram to share with a wider audience. Check out this awesome example of diving the Great Barrier Reef from Joe!
Come Shark Diving with us!
We recently had the opportunity to go shark diving with Deep Blue Eco Tours on Oahu's north shore to celebrate one of our student advisees, Mayara, and we shared the experience on our YouTube channel this month. Make sure you are subscribed so you can stay up-to-date on all of the media projects we are developing and connect you with the ocean. If you love sharks as much as us, check out our shark episode of Sustainability & The Sea.
Sustainable Coastline's Earth Day Cleanup Festival
TCC will be participating in the Earth Day Cleanup Festival hosted by Sustainable Coastlines on Sunday, April 23rd. The event will be held at Waimanalo Beach Park and will include a beach cleanup, restoration activities, live music, workshops, vendors, giveaways, a free locally-sourced lunch and more! All the sponsor booths will be there from 10am to 2pm and if you register before activities start you can enjoy a beachside yoga class. Come say hi to us and do our ocean solutions activity!
Blue News
Different Orca Groups Hunt Differently
New studies from the University of Washington and NOAA Fisheries may have uncovered new information on major differences in the conservation efforts for orca populations of the western United States. Senior research scientists have been sounding the alarm of the rapidly decreasing population numbers of the Southern Resident orcas which currently only has around 75 individuals remaining. The population faces survival threats like pregnancy complications, decreased food resources, and loss of generational knowledge due to disrupted family structures. However, the northern resident orcas who share a similar diet and overlapping territory have observed a steadily growing population to 300 individuals.
The new study revealed the two populations utilized different methods to hunt for their primary food source, salmon. Females hunted more in Northern populations and males hunt more frequently in southern populations. These newfound discoveries are important because they can help develop better conservation strategies for each population rather than considering them identical. Read more.
Whitetip Shark Mating Ritual Caught on Camera
The critically endangered whitetip shark were filmed engaging in a courtship behavior never seen before. These oceanic sharks are an aggressive species that preys upon marine mammals, sea birds, other sharks, and pelagic tunas. Their populations have rapidly declined over the last decades due to fishing pressures, bycatch, and shark finning industries. Key insights like the behaviors caught on camera are vital to scientists understating the species' ecology and efforts to conserve them in the wild. Read more.
Rehabilitated Monk Seal Pups Released Into the Wild
Three unimaginably cute monk seal pups were released back into the wild after gaining body weight in a rehabilitation facility Ke Kai Ola on the Big Island. The malnourished pups were rescued off Midway Atoll at Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument last year and were successfully released back on the atoll just last month. Read more.
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Hawai'i and Alaska Feeling Early Effects of Climate Change
The impacts of the climate crisis is on our shorelines - literally. Hawai'i, the most tropical state is already succumbing to biodiversity losses in its nearshore waters, rising sea level, and increased storms. Alaska being the most arctic state and has also experienced biodiversity losses, nutrient reductions, and varied weather conditions. Read more.
Ocean Careers
Blue Advice: Welcome to our new Ripple section featuring curated advice, strategies, and resources specifically designed for those of you interested in becoming marine biologists. Here are some places to start, and keep asking your questions on our other platforms so we can give you all the answers you need.
Remember last month when we mentioned how important it was to attend conferences and network with people who work in the industry you want to pursue? That brings us to our next piece of advice which is to plug into advocacy efforts to make policy change that lasts.
How do you do that? We recently sat down with fellow environmental advocate Doorae Shin, who shares how to begin, great advice for environmentalists and the impact advocacy can have for our oceans and planet. Listen to the episode if youʻre passionate about advocacy at Sustainability & The Sea podcast!
Another fantastic resource is the carefully curated marine conservation job inventory list published each month by SevenSeas Media!
Blue Opportunities
Our goal is to get as many people as possible involved in marine conservation.
JOBS
INTERNSHIPS
Community Feature: 30x30
Only One is an action platform where everyone can make a difference for our oceans. Their current campaign is to gather thousands of signatures in support of 30x30, a goal to protect 30% of our oceans by 2030. The petition will be delivered to global leaders on World Ocean Day on June 8, 2023. Get your name on it to make a difference!