There isn't a shadow of a doiubt that James Hrynyshyn is someone to watch.

Or at least someone to read for that matter.  This marine biology degree holder is also a science journalist who has covered everything from marine mammals to the Arctic Ocean.  Now based in North Carolina, he continues to be involved with an international marine conservation organization and keep up his blog, The Island of Doubt, which is a blog of certainty conceived in a time of uncertainty specifically to contribute to the campaign against irrationality and hesitation.We asked James about his day-to-day task of fusing marine biology and science writing.

Your bio says you began your career at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Massachusetts, but you served as a public information officer and a science writer.  Was science writing and marine biology always something you mixed since you were young?

He's a water king? He can do anything?

Ok, maybe there's no need for the Jim Morrison reference (Morrison referred to himself as The Lizard King instead). Michael Campana, after all, is no water king.  But he does like to refer to himself as an inveterate, unrepentant, water wonk.

You can also call him a hydrogeologist, Professor of Geosciences at Oregon State University, founder of the Ann Campana Judge Foundation, a water conservation projects developer,devout water protector, and about a million other names.

One thing's for sure--Michael Campana's no bore and neither are his uplifting water protection projects.  

Hear about them all, along with his plan to save the world--one water bucket at a time.

Better late then never!

World Oceans Day may have come and gone but The Ocean Project, one of the group behind many of the amazing ocean events of June 8th, works year round insuring ocean conservation and protection, education and action. It has grown from a handful of founding North American aquariums and organizations to the world's largest network to advance ocean education and research.  When you think of World Oceans Day--you surely think of The Ocean Project.  At least, you should.  

Imagine a world without fish.

That's the tagline of the documentary A Sea Change. It may sound like an exaggerated threat meant to grab your attention and get you into a theater, but as the main character finds out during the course of the film, it could become a scary reality.

A Sea Change follows retired history teacher Sven Huseby as he tries to understand the implications of ocean acidification and the actions we need to take to slow or reverse the process. Through interviews with scientists and his own dogged research, Huseby learns that the excess carbon dioxide we are putting into the atmosphere – and as a result, the oceans – is already starting to cause problems for organisms with calcium carbonate-based shells or skeletons, like corals, crustaceans, and shellfish – and a certain lentil-sized planktonic snail that plays a vital role in the marine food chain.

Marine biologist and coral reef conservationist John Halas has won the 2009 Ocean Hero Award run by big-time marine conservation organization Oceana.  He's also the manager of the Upper Region of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.

According to the Oceana blog, John has been working to protect coral reef systems in Florida since 1981.  He himself developed an environmentally sound ancho and mooring buoy system that prevents damage to coral reefs.  He has been working to implement the anchorage system in 38 countries.

World Oceans Day may be over, but the fun continues!

For nine-year-old Alexa and her mom Cindy, World Oceans Day is a year-round event.  She's constantly thinking about oceans, surrounding herself with books and even Nintendo Games about the ocean, and getting up close and personal with fish from the ocean.

She's also deeply involved in ocean conservation, have written letters to ocean supporters and educators worldwide and created her Oceans 4Ever blog with mom to "get everyone interested and involved in loving and saving the ocean every day.”

We had a splashing good time talking to Alexa about her ocean enthusiasm and her plans for World Ocean Day. You'd be surprised what you can learn from a nine-year old (and a smart ocean-loving one at that!) Enjoy! 

From all of us at The Reef Tank, we'd just like to say...

HAPPY WORLD OCEANS DAY!!

Image Credit

What a day to celebrate the beauty of the deep blue sea!!

This is the first year that the United Nations is officially recognizing World Oceans Day as a THE day to devote to ocean protection, ocean conservation, ocean enthusiam, and ocean pride! 

Baby beluga in the deep blue sea,
Swim so wild and you swim so free.
Heaven above and the sea below,
And a little white whale on the go...

Say hello to Aurora, a 20-year old beluga whale at the Vancouver Aquarium. 

Aurora gave birth to a 5 foot, 132-154lb calf at 3:39pm after a 3-hour laber--just in time for World Oceans Day!