What does it actually look like to build a career in marine conservation? In this episode, I sit down with Camille Lasbleiz (aka the Conservation Queen) on Gili Air, Indonesia, after we randomly realized on Instagram that we were two islands away from each other. (The universe really does deliver.)

Camille's story is so good. She went from wanting to be a dolphin trainer as a kid, to working with primates in the jungle, to a five-month "visa run" in Panama that turned her into a divemaster, to working as a snorkel guide in the Maldives. Now she's running 1:1 career mentoring calls and leading coral restoration trips in Indonesia. How's that for a cool and crazy career path?!

We get into:

- how to actually break into marine conservation (without a marine biology PhD)

- why "be realistic" is the worst advice anyone ever gave us

-how non-science backgrounds can be a superpower in this field

- why community-led conservation is the model

- what's giving us hope for the ocean right now

...and so much more.

If you've ever felt called to ocean work but had no idea where to start, this one's for you.

Looking to break into the world of marine conservation, but don’t know where to start? I’ve got you! Download my free resource, the Aspiring Marine Conservationists toolkit, by clicking here and start making waves in your career today 🌊

EPISODE SHOW NOTES (click for all the links!)

Camille's Instagram - @camille.lasbleiz

Check out Camille's website

Book a 1-on-1 career mentoring call with Camille

Join a marine conservation trip with Camille

Podcast website

Casey's Instagram - @caseysnook_

Podcast Instagram - @thisismarineconservation

Say hello! Contact Casey here.

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW

If you loved this episode, it’d mean the world if you took a moment to subscribe and leave a review and/or rating wherever you’re listening! Your support helps this podcast reach more ocean lovers and aspiring marine conservationists just like you. Thank you!

If you’ve ever dreamed of working in marine conservation or becoming a marine scientist, especially in hands-on, field-based roles, this episode is for you.

In this honest and unfiltered solo episode, I’m sharing three things I’m learning in real time about building a career in marine science. This isn’t advice from someone who has “made it.” It’s perspective from someone in the messy middle: balancing seasonal field work, bartending shifts, continuing education, networking attempts, and ocean-sized dreams.

Together we'll chat about:

• Why you probably won’t find your dream marine conservation job on Indeed
• Why passion alone doesn’t pay the bills (but still matters deeply)
• Why non-linear, zigzag career paths are actually the norm in this field

This isn’t polished advice. This is my lived experience.

If you're navigating the scrappy season of marine conservation, trust me, you've got this. This one is for you.

Looking to break into the world of marine conservation, but don’t know where to start? I’ve got you! Download my free resource, the Aspiring Marine Conservationists toolkit, by clicking here and start making waves in your career today 🌊

Episode Show Notes (click for all the links!)

Podcast website

Casey's Instagram - @caseysnook_

Podcast Instagram - @thisismarineconservation

Say hello! Contact Casey here.

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW

If you loved this episode, it’d mean the world if you took a moment to subscribe and leave a review and/or rating wherever you’re listening! Your support helps this podcast reach more ocean lovers and aspiring marine conservationists just like you. Thank you!

In this episode, I sit down with Nate Andrews, my boss and mentor at the RI DEM Division of Marine Fisheries. We chat about his original inspiration to be a scientist and the career path that led him to DEM.

Nate now works on the Access Point Angler Intercept Survey (APAIS), a program that studies recreational fishers and uses data to make important management decisions. We chat about how data collected from everyday anglers feeds into NOAA’s Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP), and why accurate catch and effort data is essential for sustainable fishing. Nate explains complex concepts like catch per unit effort in a way that actually makes sense, and shows how small data points can influence big management decisions.

Our conversation also dives into fish identification, stewardship, and the human side of fisheries science. Nate shares his personal passion for the ocean, what it’s like working directly with fishing communities, and why participation and trust are just as important as numbers and statistics when it comes to protecting the ocean.

Whether you’re an angler, a science nerd, or someone who simply loves the ocean, this episode will give you a whole new appreciation for the data behind every cast— and how better data truly leads to better fishing.

Looking to break into the world of marine conservation, but don’t know where to start? I’ve got you! Download my free resource, the Aspiring Marine Conservationists toolkit, by clicking here and start making waves in your career today 🌊

Episode Show Notes (click for all the links!)

Learn more about APAIS

Apply to work with us on the APAIS Program!

Learn more about the Division of Marine Fisheries and the RI Marine Fisheries Council

Check out Nate's fish print art

Podcast website

Casey's Instagram - @caseysnook_

Podcast Instagram - @thisismarineconservation

Say hello! Contact Casey here.

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW

If you loved this episode, it’d mean the world if you took a moment to subscribe and leave a review and/or rating wherever you’re listening! Your support helps this podcast reach more ocean lovers and aspiring marine conservationists just like you. Thank you!