Ocean Currents Radio Program

Dave Mattila is the science and rescue coordinator for the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary where endangered humpback whales come every winter to breed, calve, and nurse in the shallow warm waters around the islands. Dave is a specialist in whale disentanglement from marine debris and conducts research on Humpback whales with a collaborative of scientists in the Pacific ocean. The study titled SPLASH, (Structure of Populations, Levels of Abundance, and Status of Humpbacks) is an international effort to understand the population structure of humpback whales across the Pacific. Hear about the study and stories from the field of disentangling whales

Milton Love is the author of Probably More Than you Want to Know About the Fishes of the Pacific Coast, and co-author of The Rockfishes of the Northeast Pacific. Dr. Love conducts research around oil platforms to see how the platforms provide habitat for rockfish compared to natural habitats. From fish parasites, to fish diversity around oil platforms, this is sure to be a lively conversation you don't want to miss.

Seafood Watch: When you buy seafood, do you know where or how it's been caught? How can you make responsible seafood purchases that support sustainable fisheries. Hear from Sheila Bowman, Outreach Manager for the Seafood Watch program run out of the Monterey Bay Aquarium about find out how consumers have a role in being advocates for environmentally friendly seafood.

Peter White, author of The Farallon Islands: Sentinels of the Golden Gate, talks about the vibrant history of the Farallons 26 miles west of the Golden Gate bridge. Hear about Spanish galleons, the egging days of the Gold Rush, shipwrecks, lighthouse keepers. What lessons can the past pave for the future?

Part 2/2: Hear from Melissa Miller-Henson, Program Manager of the MLPA, Stakeholder Group representatives, Irina Kogan, Resource Protection Specialist with Gulf of the Farallones NMS, Fred Smith with the Environmental Action Committee of West Marin, and Tom Baty, local subsistence fisherman. Learn about how the CA Marine Life Protection Act came to be, how its being carried out, how the stakeholder group has been working with other groups to create draft proposals, and how you can learn more about the process.

Part 1/2: Hear from Melissa Miller-Henson, Program Manager of the MLPA, Stakeholder Group representatives, Irina Kogan, Resource Protection Specialist with Gulf of the Farallones NMS, Fred Smith with the Environmental Action Committee of West Marin, and Tom Baty, local subsistence fisherman. Learn about how the CA Marine Life Protection Act came to be, how its being carried out, how the stakeholder group has been working with other groups to create draft proposals, and how you can learn more about the process.

Captain Charles Moore of the Algalita Marine Research Foundation reports on his September 2007 voyage across the Pacific Ocean through the Pacific Gyre and the changes he saw this year from years past.

Richard Charter talks about the Sanctuary Expansion Bill and the next steps involved to extend Cordell Bank and Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuaries north. This is in reference to Representative Lynn Woolsey's Sanctuary Expansion Bill HR 1187.

Find out about ocean organisms that glow in the dark. How do they do it? What is bioluminescence? fluorescence? What are researchers learning about this exciting phenomenon that happens not only in the deep sea, but in the surface waters and even on land.

Tom Kendrick talks about his book Blue Water Goldrush-The Odyssey of a Commercial Sea Urchin Diver.Tom is a former commercial sea urchin diver and shares tales from diving from the beginning of the CA sea urchin fishery, through its changes and his life changes. Initially in search of good surf spots, Tom's life took a quick turn. He takes us from the Channel Islands to the North Coast of Mendocino and the Farallon Islands on the show.

Part 2/2-Hear from biologists aboard the R/V Fulmar as they conduct surveys on the surface waters of Cordell Bank NMS looking for seabirds and marine mammals in the sanctuary.

Part 1/2- Listen in behind the scenes as researchers explore the soft bottom habitats of Cordell Bank National Marine Sancutary with a camera sled off the R/V Fulmar. This is part one of two.

Ray "Bones" Bandar has been collecting skulls for over 50 years. Beth Cataldo, filmmaker captures Ray's unique enthusiasm for dead things in her latest film A Life with Skulls. Hear from Beth about her capturing Ray's hobby on film and stories from Ray about collecting skulls from dead animals all over the world, but most locally on the shoreline of California.

Following her successful crossing of the Atlantic ocean in 2006, Roz Savage is bidding to be the first woman ever to row solo across the Pacific Ocean. Her 3-stage row launches from San Francisco in Summer 2007. Hear about her Atlantic crossing and her goals for the Pacific crossing in 2007. Later in the show, hear from Jim Farley about the Marin County Fair and the Aquatic Adventures theme that highlights the watershed and waters of Marin County.

The Living Ocean Initiative, was launched by Reverend Deborah Streeter, leader of "Upwellings" an environmental ministry. Deborah discusses the initiative and outcomes of the recent retreat held in Monterey that brought together scientists, clergy, and congregants to unite in discussion. Then on the second half of the show, hear about a new film, Sharks: Stewards of the Reef, an educational film that explores the relationship between sharks to the oceans and coral reef ecosystems with guest Associate Producer David McGuire.

Lynne shares her stories and experiences from her long distance open water swimming experiences, including swims in the Bering Sea and Antarctica! Lynne is an open water/long distance swimmer and shares stories and tales from her book: Swimming to Antarctica, and most recently published in 2006, Grayson.

Love those Molas! also known as ocean sunfish! There are too many cool things to list about the oddly beloved ocean sunfish that frequent our sanctuary waters here in CA. They can reach lengths of 10 feet and up to 5000 lbs, eating jellyfish! This makes them the world's heaviest bony fish! Tune in to hear from National Geographic Emerging Explorer Dr. Tierney Thys to learn more about the mola and the latest of her research.

The winds of spring are the drivers of our productive food web here on the California coast. Jennifer talks with Dr. John Largier, an Oceanographer with University of California, Bodega Marine Lab about the unseen forces that shape the marine ecosystem and weather on our coast. Learn about the new oceanographic buoy being installed at Cordell Bank.

Jennifer Stock talks with Andrew DeVogelaere Ph. D. of Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary about the recent explorations taking place on Davidson Seamount off the Big Sur Coast. Also, hear about the upcoming Cordell Bank Sanctuary Advisory Council meeting and the guest speakers that will be presenting on the Sanctuary expansion bill and supporting west Marin and West Sonoma Heritage fishing communities.

Dr. Sarah Allen from Point Reyes National Seashore talks about the elephant seal breeding season in full action at Point Reyes National Seashore. Hear about their survival from being nearly extinct to their booming growth rates and their unique adaptations to living in the marine environment.