The Ocean News Podcast

Can plastic DECOY puffins save a species from its rat problem?

Puffins once bred in great numbers on a small British islet located off the Isle of Man in the Irish Sea, but that all changed in the 1790s when a shipwreck introduced brown long-tailed rats to the island which decimated the population. But now, following a successful rat eradication programme, conservationists are luring these social colony birds back.

Timmy the whale - A question of conservation or conscience?

In this special edition recording of Oceanographic's Roundtable, we dissect the media coverage of the stranded - and subsequent death - of the humpback whale nicknamed 'Timmy' and ask - was this €1.5 million rescue mission a question of concern, conservation, or a guilty conscience? And what does it mean for t he wider environmental problems that ocean life faces today?

Britain’s Blue Future: The Energy Independence Bill and the North Sea

The UK may officially moving away from North Sea oil and gas. In this episode, Eva Cahill explores the new Energy Independence Bill and what it means for the future of our oceans. The Breakdown: * The Big News: A permanent ban on new oil and gas licenses in the North Sea. * The Trade-off: Why the massive rush to build offshore wind farms has some conservationists worried about marine habitats. * The Security Angle: How the government plans to balance "green" energy with national security. Is this a defining moment for marine conservation or just a new kind of industrial pressure? Tune in to find out.

Is the Atlantic Current Collapse Closer than We Think?

In this special edition recording of Oceanographic's Roundtable, we dissect recent news that the collapse of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC)  - the ocean mechanism responsible for moving heat around the planet - could lead to “devastating and irreversible impacts” for countries around the world.

Critically THREATENED bird put at RISK by Guga Hunt

A rare, red-listed seabird is being put at risk by Scotland’s annual guga hunt, a Freedom of Information request from animal campaign group Protect the Wild has revealed. The controversial annual tradition of hunting young gannets for their meat dates back to the 15th century, but recently it has come under fire from environmental campaigners and conservationists in recent years for being ‘outdated.’