Ocean Unpacked

Episode Summary Before the age of industrial fishing, the oceans were "seething with life." But the rapid rise of commercial fisheries, built to meet skyrocketing global demand for seafood, has shattered that picture. Today, fish stocks are pushed to the brink of collapse, nets the size of cathedrals sweep up everything in their path (whales included!), and fragile marine ecosystems are stripped bare. So how could seafood ever be sustainable? In this episode, we break down how to navigate your seafood choices, so you're not just eating well, but eating for the health of the oceans.   Timestamps: (00:00) - Introduction: A picture of pristine seas (03:04) - How much seafood do we eat today? (04:19) - The evolution of commercial fishing in the past 100 years (10:29) - What about the little guy? The power of small-scale fisheries (12:34) - The problems with large-scale commercial fisheries (17:30) - The dark side of the industry: the Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing  (22:14) - Is aquaculture the solution for overexploited oceans? (31:12) - Mussels and Oysters: the superheroes of sustainable seafood  (36:11) - How can certifications help us make sustainable seafood choices? (40:44) - What should you look for to make sure the seafood you buy is sustainable? (45:21) - Outro   Did you enjoy this episode? Follow, leave a review, and share it with your friends, family, and fellow ocean lovers.   If you have any questions or you want to hear more about a specific topic, feel free to reach out to us at [email protected] or through any of our social media pages below:   Instagram - @oceanunpacked Youtube - www.youtube.com/@OceanUnpacked Facebook -  Ocean Unpacked   Additional Resources: The Unnatural History of the Sea by Callum Roberts FAO: The State of the World’s Fisheries and Aquaculture 2024 The Bottom Line with Stephen Fry and Theo James by Blue Marine Foundation The Outlaw Ocean: Crime and Survival in the Last Untamed Frontier by Ian Urbina Ocean with David Attenborough by Silverback Films Bottom trawling filmed like you’ve never seen before

Episode Summary Join us this episode as we dive into the hidden world of ocean soundscapes with Professor Steve Simpson – yes, you “heard” right. The ocean isn’t the ‘Silent World’ many people believe it to be. They are in fact bustling with a cacophony of noise and sounds, from the pop of tiny shrimp snapping their claws to the low-frequency bellow of a blue whale. Throughout this episode, Professor Simpson will be helping us unpack the important role that sound plays underwater, the threat that human noise poses, and how his research is supporting habitat recovery in our oceans.   Our Guest Professor Steve Simpson is a professor of marine biology and global change at the university of Bristol. He specialises in fish ecology, with particular interests in the behaviour of coral reef fishes, marine bioacoustics, and the effect of climate change on fisheries and marine ecosystems. Steve was also an Academic Advisor and featured scientist on Blue Planet 2, as well as Chief Scientific Advisor for Our Oceans.    Timestamps (00:00) - Introduction (02:36) - Why is sound important for marine life? (03:24) - What kinds of animal noises can we hear in the ocean? (07:08) - What inspired Steve to begin studying underwater soundscapes? (11:23) - How do you listen to the sounds of the reef?  (15:16) - Citizen science through the ‘Calling in our Corals’ Project (17:15) - Steve’s best imitations of his favourite fish noises  (22:22) - How can bioacoustics help us to protect and restore ocean habitats? (27:33) - Should we be worried about noise pollution from offshore wind farms? (32:30) - The impact of climate change and noise pollution on ocean soundscapes (40:15) - POP QUIZ for Steve! (43:17) - A final message on Ocean Optimism  (46:36) - Outro   Did you enjoy this episode? Follow, leave a review, and share it with your friends, family, and fellow ocean lovers.    If you have any questions or you want to hear more about a specific topic, feel free to reach out to us at [email protected] or through any of our social media pages below: Instagram - @oceanunpacked Youtube - www.youtube.com/@OceanUnpacked Facebook - Ocean Unpacked    Additional Resources: Calling in Our Corals Project Settlement-stage coral reef fish prefer the higher-frequency invertebrate-generated audible component of reef noise The sound of recovery: Coral reef restoration success is detectable in the soundscape Impacts of anthropogenic noise on marine life UK joins European offshore windfarm plan to create world’s largest ‘clean energy reservoir’

Episode Summary   In this episode, coral expert Dr Rhiannom Davies takes us into the fascinating world of corals - the ocean animals you probably didn’t even know were animals! From the fascinating way that corals grow and build entire reef ecosystems to the growing threat of climate tipping points, we explore why coral reefs are so important, how they might adapt in a rapidly warming ocean, and why the next few decades could be critical for the future of one of the planet’s most important animals.     Our Guest   Dr Rhiannon Davies is a coral reef scientist from the University of Exeter studying how corals respond to environmental stress and climate change. Her PhD research focused on assessing the long-term condition and resilience of coral reefs in the Maldives, examining how reefs have responded to repeated mass bleaching events and what this means for coral recovery and restoration in a warming ocean.   Timestamps   (00:00) - Introduction   (03:04) - Are corals an animal, a plant or a rock?   (04:32) - Corals have reached a Climate Tipping Point   (06:05) - Welcome Dr Rhiannon Davies    (10:32) - Why are coral reefs important for marine life and people?   (12:12) - What did coral reefs look like a hundred years ago?   (16:50) - Coral bleaching and how warming oceans impact reefs   (20:00) - What does it mean for corals to reach a climate tipping point?   (23:42) - Can corals adapt to climate change?    (26:32) - What is being done to help corals?   (34:43) - Outro    Did you enjoy this episode? Follow, leave a review, and share it with your friends, family, and fellow ocean lovers.      If you have any questions or you want to hear more about a specific topic, feel free to reach out to us at [email protected] or through any of our social media pages below:   Instagram - @oceanunpacked Youtube - www.youtube.com/@OceanUnpacked Facebook - Ocean Unpacked    Additional Resources:   Planet’s first catastrophic climate tipping point reached   The Global Tipping Points Report 2025 Summary   The Past and Present of Maldivian Coral Reefs

Episode Summary   Sea turtles are some of the world’s most beloved creatures, but also one of the most endangered. This episode dives into the fascinating world of sea turtles, uncovering new insights into their mysterious “Lost Years” and spotlighting a rare conservation success story that offers hope not just for sea turtles, but for the future of endangered species across the planet.   Timestamps:   (00:00) - Introduction   (02:33) - So why sea turtles? What’s all the hype?   (05:16) - What are threats facing sea turtles today?   (07:36) - New research on the “Lost Years” - where do turtle hatchlings actually go after leaving the nest?   (15:56) - A huge conservation win - Green turtles no longer endangered   (18:33) - What does this news mean for sea turtle conservation?   (24:02) - Outro Did you enjoy this episode? Follow, leave a review, and share it with your friends, family, and fellow ocean lovers.      If you have any questions or you want to hear more about a specific topic, feel free to reach out to us at [email protected] or through any of our social media pages below:   Instagram - @oceanunpacked Youtube - www.youtube.com/@OceanUnpacked Facebook -  Ocean Unpacked   Additional Resources:   New insights on sea turtle behaviour during the ‘lost years’   Green turtle bounces back from brink in conservation 'win'

On Ocean Unpacked, we’re going to be exploring the weird and wonderful world of our beautiful Blue Planet! Join us as we dive into some fascinating facts about life in our seas, dissect groundbreaking research in marine science, and share the latest ocean news making waves around the world.