Advertise on podcast: The Blue Fish Radio Show

In the final installment of Dr. Chris Harvey-Clark’s conversation with Blue fish Radio show host Lawrence Gunther, the two exchange stories concerning their respective times spent in Canada’s Arctic, and how foraging remains a central part of food security in the north. At 5:45 the topic of commercial fishing being introduced into the Arctic by Inuit fishers due to longer summers was discussed. At 8:03 the two explored whether growing support for whale rescue in eastern and western Canada might shift support away from Inuit hunting, similar to how public support has turned against the seal hunt. At 11:38 Lawrence asks Chris what will it take to find solutions that all B.C. Marine Recreational Fishery stakeholders can support? The conversation ends with Chris and Lawrence sharing humorous stories about David Suzuki’s love of fishing.

In part II of Blue fish Radio show Host Lawrence Gunther’s conversation with Dr. Chris Harvey-Clark, the two speak about the need to engage all B.C. salmon stakeholders in meaningful consultations including the sharing of relevant research. At 3:55 Chris sheds light on the impact of pollution on chinook and killer whales, and at 6:05 how pacific grey whales are being impacted by insufficient access to food in Canada’s arctic. At 7:23 the conversation shifts to northern resident killer whales, and then at 9:19 the two discuss what can be done  to save southern resident killer whales and how their situation is similar to north Atlantic right whales on Canada’s east coast. At 13:03 discussion switches back to environmental hazards  facing southern resident killer whales, and how political will is shifting as made evident with growing support for building more oil pipelines. At 17:02 the threat to remove B.C.’s marine recreational anglers from the water are discussed, including the need for greater transparency. The two conclude Part II of the podcast series with Chris sharing details of the growing lethal threat of military sonar on whales and other marine life.

In the first of this new Blue fish Radio Show 3-part series featuring Dr. Chris Harvey-Clark we begin with Chris sharing the story of how an 18-metre skeleton of a blue whale became the centrepiece of the new Beaty Centre for Marine Biodiversity  at Dalhousie University. Then, at minute 17:47 Chris summarises his presentation to the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association on fish as sentient beings. At 43:29  discussions turn to the proposed  whale sanctuary on  Nova Scotia’s east coast, alternatives discussed, and how such services are going to become increasingly necessary as marine parks around the world continue to move away from housing cetaceans like belugas and killer whales.

Lee Willbanks is the President and co-founder of the new water-rights NGO called Talking Rivers. Their mission is to find ways to extend legal status to water bodies with the goal of giving stakeholders legal standing upon which to defend their lakes and rivers. Lee and host Lawrence Gunther discuss the Magpie River recognition in Quebec, the Rice Lake recognition in Ontario, efforts underway in the U.S. and their collective work to protect American Eel and their habitat. Listen to this episode of The Blue Fish Radio Show and discover why it’s important to give voice to these largely silent ecosystems, and to provide a platform for water body stakeholders to protect their lakes and rivers from others who believe they have the right to destroy nature as part of their economic agenda.

Sean Simmons, founder of Angler Atlas and the My Catch angler app has been making significant strides with engaging anglers and students to use their fishing rods to gather vital data about fish health. His efforts across Canada have earned him strong recognition among his peers at the American Fishery Society, and has made Angler Atlas the top source for fish health data across Canada. Sean speaks with host Lawrence Gunther about the challenges of recruiting and retaining volunteers, and the collection of consistent quality data. The two also discuss the shortcomings of databases and how large language modelling and artificial intelligence might someday resolve the issue of cross-database compatibility. Listen to this episode of The Blue fish Radio Show and find out what it will take to break down barriers between water quality and fish health experts, and how to adopt a more holistic approach to assessing watershed health.

Weaving Waters Expedition and Captain Allen CurryThe Weaving Waters Expedition is a journey by Canadian natural historian, Captain Allen Curry aboard the Water Weaver. Allen sets off on a largely solo one-year voyage around the Great Loop” to gather local stories from people who live by the Great Lakes, along the Mississippi and St. Lawrence Rivers, and the coasts of southeastern USA and Canada’s Maritimes.  The stories will inspire greater respect for water and the fishes that live there-in. Join Host Lawrence Gunther and Dr. Allen Curry as they explore how far we have drifted from our watery history, and why more than ever we need to restore our connection with fish on The Blue Fish Radio Show.

Aaron Hill, Executive Director of Watershed Watch Salmon Society, joins Lawrence Gunther on The Blue Fish Radio Show to discuss why B.C. needs its creekwalkers more than ever. More than providing crucial information about when and how many salmon are returning to B.C.’s rivers, the data collected and reported is vital to managing fisheries, assessing climate change impacts, evaluating restoration initiatives, assessing watershed health, responding to fish health emergencies, and more. Aaron and other advocates are therefore questioning why the number of creekwalkers hired each year has been falling over the past decade.

BCs Recreational Salmon Fishing may be about to endGayle Gordon and Mark Roberts from the BC Recreational Fishing Association once again join Lawrence Gunther on The Blue Fish Radio Show. Last year the issue was unfair proposed seasonal recreational fishing closures. This time the closures being proposed are indefinite. Find out the real reason why salmon fishing for the majority of southern B.C. anglers may end in the name of saving southern resident killer whales, and why recreational anglers are pushing back to save their coastal communities from social and economic collapse.

The FishingBeyondFun.Org project focuses on better understanding how important recreational fishing is to people's food security, livelihood, culture, and identity across the Great Lakes. Project co-lead Dr. Vivian Nguyen is an Associate professor at Carleton University in the Environmental and interdisciplinary science program, and is Lawrence Gunther’s guest on The Blue Fish Radio show

Natel Energy develops hydropower turbines that enable 98-100% downstream passage survival for fish. An investigation of how such technology might be applied to the U.S. side of the Robert Moses-Robert H. Saunders Power Dam on the St. Lawrence River nearby Cornwall Ontario. Listen as Lawrence Gunther speaks with Sterling Watson Principal Engineer, FishSafety, and Abe Schneider, CTO and Natel co-founder about the technology and study on The Blue Fish Radio Show.

It comes as a surprise to many that there are a series of underwater caves measuring 10 km in length that exist below the Ottawa River not far from Canada’s Parliament. Renowned cave diver Jill Heinerth has been busy exploring these caves and documenting the extensive network of life that rely on the cover the caves provide. Jill is the Author of the book “INTO THE PLANET - My Life as a Cave Diver”, and Lawrence Gunther’s guest on The Blue Fish Radio show.

Sea Change and the Catch Share SolutionFor a long time, overfishing felt like a losing battle: fish stocks crashed, coastal economies suffered, and typical regulatory fixes didn’t add up to real progress. A new book “Sea Change” highlights how that narrative was overturned, thanks in part to a market-based solution that aligned U.S. fishermen’s incentives with healthy fisheries. These Efforts have contributed to the recovery of more than 50 U.S. fisheries. Listen to co-author Jamie Workman in conversation with Lawrence Gunther on The Blue Fish Radio show.

Joining Lawrence on The Blue Fish Radio Show is Meredith Brown from Canadian Geographic, Meredith is one of the brains behind the Biinaagami project developed to inform and inspire people of all ages to connect with the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence watershed. The gymnasium-sized map and its ten digital links to imbedded learning resources was developed over a period of several years with input from numerous colaborators, and has opened the minds of over 10-million people to the water that ties much of Ontario and Quebec and the over 140 indigenous communities together.

Patrick Madahbee, Commissioner on Governance and former Grand Council Chief of the Anishinabek Nation is Lawrence Gunther’s guest on The Blue Fish Radio Show. Patrick and Lawrence discuss the many challenges and opportunities associated with transitioning his community to self governance. It’s a wide-ranging conversation that touches on numerous topics from commercial fishing to eco-tourism, and all manner of social, economic, historic,cultural and reconciliation – it’s a conversation you don’t want to miss

Prior to joining the International Institute for Sustainable Development and the Experimental Lakes Area in 2014, Dr. Michael Rennie was a research scientist with Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Since 2015, Dr. Rennie has been a Canada Research Chair in Aquatic Ecology and Fisheries and Assistant Professor at Lakehead University, where he continues to maintain a strong research program at the IISD Experimental Lakes Area as a Research Fellow. Dr. Rennie speaks with Lawrence Gunther on The Blue Fish Radio show podcast about the many challenges and rewards associated with having access to so many pristine lakes and native fishes, the responsibilities that go along with initiating fish health studies in nature, and the numerous external variables that both drive and challenge his research.