In the latest episode of Rising Tide the Ocean Podcast Oceanographer and Blue Frontier board member Joy Leilei Shih and David Helvarg talk with Australian based scientist Dr. Aaron Eger, one of the world’s top kelp researchers. Based at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, he is the founder and program director of the global ‘Kelp Forest Alliance,’ also the lead author of 3 major scientific kelp reports that have come out over the last 4 years. These include one that identifies the value of kelp forests at roughly half a trillion dollars a year. Aaron discusses food and biodiversity, coastal protection, nutrient and carbon reduction and other values of kelp. He’ll also talk about growing up in coastal British Columbia and the fun of being in on and around macro-algae as the other great fast-growing world forest that is less known because it thrives underwater. Also, he’ll say what threatens it and what we can do about that. So, dive in with us.

Additional Resources

Blue Frontier / Substack — Building the solution-based citizen movement needed to protect our ocean, coasts and communities, both human and wild.

Inland Ocean Coalition — Building land-to-sea stewardship - the inland voice for ocean protection

Fluid Studios — Thinking radically different about the collective good, our planet, & the future.

In the latest episode of Rising Tide the Ocean Podcast we highlight the 2026 Peter Benchley Awards that were held at the Monterey Bay Aquarium this spring. They’re named after the author of Jaws who spent most of his subsequent life as a shark and ocean protection advocate. Founded almost 20 years ago by Blue Frontier and Wendy Benchley and continuing under the auspices of the Aquarium Conservation Partnership, the awards have become known as the Oscars of the Ocean with over 80 winners to date.

The 2026 award winners included Julie Packard of the Monterey Bay Aquarium, President Jose Manuel Bolero of the Azores, Congressman Jared Huffman of California, Dr. Diva Amon, the ocean business Bureo, Marce Guiterez – Graudins, the documentary Ocean with David Attenborough and youth winner Coji Senanayake.

Additional Resources

Blue Frontier / Substack — Building the solution-based citizen movement needed to protect our ocean, coasts and communities, both human and wild.

Inland Ocean Coalition — Building land-to-sea stewardship - the inland voice for ocean protection

Fluid Studios — Thinking radically different about the collective good, our planet, & the future.

An inside look at the determined youth ambassadors advocating for oceanic policy reform.

In the latest episode of Rising Tide the Ocean Podcast David and oceanographer and Blue Frontier board member Joy LeiLei Shih talk about our Youth Ambassador program before interviewing our 2026 ambassadors – Avery, age 13, Jack, 13, Liam, 14 and Kianna 16 on their return from an Ocean Week trip to Washington DC.

We discuss their impressions after having worked the halls of Congress taking a dozen meetings over 3 days to educate their elected officials and staff members on the issues they are involved in from plastic waste to sea turtle protection. We also discuss the direct meetings they held with Senators Padilla, Schiff and Schatz and Representatives Raskin, Huffman and Liccardo. It’s a great conversation and reminder that our ocean youth – even those in middle school - are not necessarily our leaders of the future - but can be leaders today if we work with and mentor them.

Additional Resources

Blue Frontier / Substack — Building the solution-based citizen movement needed to protect our ocean, coasts and communities, both human and wild.

Inland Ocean Coalition — Building land-to-sea stewardship - the inland voice for ocean protection

Fluid Studios — Thinking radically different about the collective good, our planet, & the future.