Ep 57 - Melissa Cronin - Sustainability In The High Seas ?

Melissa is a Ph.D. Candidate in the Conservation Action Lab at UC Santa Cruz studying Ecology and Evolutionary Biology with a designated emphasis in Coastal Science and policy. Her research focuses on assessing conservation strategies for marine megafauna. She is also a National Geographic Young Explorer, a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow, a Switzer Foundation Fellow, and a P.E.O. Scholar. Previously, she was a journalist covering science and the environment, wildlife crime, trafficking, and politics. Melissa was a fabulous guest to talk to about sustainable fisheries, our oceans, and Manta Rays. These topics could have severe implications if we do not handle them with sustainability in mind. Melissa loves to be out in the field, working with ocean megafauna - but also with fishing vessels to develop, innovate, and implement new solutions for sustainability.  Melissa and I discussed where she grew up, and how that influenced her love of wildlife. We talked about how big of a problem bycatch is, what we can do to minimize it, and how misunderstood the vast number of species of marine wildlife are. We also covered sustainable fishing practices, manta rays and devil rays, and what she learned from watching 540 hours of Survivor (yes, the show).  Enjoy The Episode! Melissa Cronin Melissa's Twitter  My Take: If you eat fish, which most of us do, you might want to check where you buy your fish, for sustainability purposes. If possible, you might even want to reduce your consumption. Our seas are currently overfished and overexploited, these are finite resources that will end if we keep taking out more than it can produce. We all have a duty to be a bit more responsible with our purchasing dollars. Luckily, Melissa is one of many dedicated scientists working on innovative solutions but also educating people through articles, podcasts, and outreach programs.  Comments, requests, sponsorships, or questions, please reach out - roybntz@gmail.com