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A striking photograph of the Blue Shark (Prionace glauca). Credit to underwater photographer Joost van Uffelen. This month’s article series will discuss Saint-Jean-de-Luz, France. Saint Jean De Luz is a small fishing town in the center of the Bay of Biscay, along the Western Coastline of France. Its name is derived from Saint Jean, & the fact that the city was flooded often over its centuries of existence. Saint Jean De Luz means “Saint Jean’s Swamp”, as the town occasionally is flooded to the point of being partially underwater. It is near the border between France & Spain, in the Basque Region. The city itself is approximately 7 square miles, with a population density of roughly 2,000 people per square mile. The city is well known for its fisheries, wildlife, beaches, casino, spas, & luxurious resorts. Both international & domestic tourists flock to the area seeking relaxation, & a tranquil atmosphere. Many festivals & events are held in the town, as it is an accessible location to both the French, & the Spanish. The coastline around the city is the site of many fisheries, & marine animals. One of the marine animals that thrives in these waters, is the Blue Shark (Prionace glauca). The Blue Shark is a species of requiem sharks that inhabits both temperate & tropical waters worldwide. Individuals are found as far north as Norway, & as far south as central Chile. They are named for their blue skin. They are known to feed on squid & small fish. Generally, they live in shallow waters, but they are able to survive in waters as deep as 1,575 feet. The meat of the Blue Shark is heavily sought after in the Mediterranean, & it is high in mercury, lead, & various harmful heavy metals. Additionally, their skin is occasionally used for leather, & their fins are sought after for use in shark fin soup. Aside from this, their relationship with humans is generally positive. In this article, we shall discuss the discovery & life of the blue shark, the mating strategies of the blue shark, the distribution of the blue shark, & the scientific details of the blue shark. With that being said, let us delve into the blue shark. The Discovery & Life of the Blue Shark The blue shark was described in 1758 by Carl Linnaeus, a Swedish taxonomist, naturalist, biologist, & zoologist. Individuals can get up to 13 feet long, but they often only reach 10 feet in length. They are able to reach a hefty 401 pounds, however, they often weigh far less. Rarely, female specimens have been recorded weighing up to 862 pounds. There is slight sexual dimorphism between females & males, with females being larger. Although the lifespan of the blue shark is not clear, it is hypothesized to be between 17 & 23 years. Blue sharks are fantastic communicators, & are intelligent animals. They are generally very friendly animals, & are considered to be mild-mannered sharks. While Individuals are typically not aggressive towards humans, there have been cases of them attacking divers unprovoked. Between 1850 & 2026, there have been 13 recorded bite cases, 4 of which were fatal. Aside from these rare cases, they typically do not interact with humans in the wild. Blue sharks are one of the most social species of requiem sharks, often congregating in small groups to go hunting. Individual sharks do not have individual territories, & tend to migrate often. They are not territorial animals, & are usually not aggressive towards each other. Sharks swim by continuous undulations of their body, meaning that they repeatedly move themselves side-to-side, which propels them forward. If faced with a threat, they are able to swim up to 43 miles (69.2018 kilometers) per hour to avoid being caught. They are incredibly agile animals, & can move through the water column with quick ease. Sharks are able to remain buoyant by storing extra oil in their livers, which is lighter than the water around them. Individuals are able to sleep by turning off only half of their brains. They must keep the majority of their brain active, such that if a threat approaches, they can react to it quickly & save themselves. Unlike certain other requiem sharks, they do not have a ram ventilation system, meaning that they do not need to have water constantly flowing over their gills to remain alive. They are able to stop swimming while still absorbing the oxygen from the water. The blue shark is a carnivore, & its diet consists of squid, small fish, octopi, lobster, shrimp, crab, & occasionally seals. They are not cannibalistic at any time in their lives. Their metabolism is very efficient, meaning that they are able to turn stored carbohydrates into energy easily. Their methods for locating prey are also incredibly efficient, with 3 major methods for locating prey. Individuals are able to find prey through smell, sight, & electromagnetic fields. Due to their large size, very few animals even have the ability to prey upon them. Their primary predators are other large shark species, & orcas. The blue shark has a long, slender, streamlined body, with a sharp conical nose. They are known for their large eyes, light blue skin, & narrow pectoral fin. As of 2026, they are categorized as Least Threatened by the IUCN Red List. Their population was found to be decreasing globally, with this last assessment being on November 6th, 2018. The Mating Procedures, Practices, Strategies, Techniques, Tactics, & Habits of the Blue Shark Blue sharks breed via internal fertilization, & have 2 distinct sexes. They are not naturally hermaphroditic. Their breeding system is polyamorous, meaning that each breeding season, both male & female sharks will have different breeding partners. Male individuals seem to reach sexual maturity at 4 to 6 years of age, while females mature slightly later at 5 to 7 years of age. It is not clear how often breeding occurs, the most births that we are aware of occur from December to April. For the children to be born on time, breeding would likely occur from January to August. Their gestational period is between 9 & 12 months depending on conditions. It is not clear how copulation is initiated, however is known that they breed via internal fertilization. After copulation, the male will swim off, having no more part in the children’s or mother’s life. Females are viviparous, meaning that they give live birth & the children gestate in their uterus, instead of in an egg. Once the female is ready to give birth, she will swim to shallower waters, & have her sharp pups. This species is renowned for the large number of babies they have in each litter, which ranges from 25 to 100 pups. After birthing her children, the female will go to deeper water, leaving the children to fend for themselves. The Distribution of the Blue Shark Blue sharks are found in most temperate & tropical waters worldwide. As of 2026, they are found as far north as Northern Norway, & as far south as Central Chile. They are found in at least 3 of the 5 oceans. Although they prefer shallower coastal waters, they are found at depths of up to 3,280 feet. They are migratory animals, & frequently migrate long distances. The Scientific Details Of The Blue Shark Blue sharks have approximately 14 teeth on their upper jaw, & 13 to 15 teeth on their lower jaw. Their teeth are sharp, pointy, & triangular, making them efficient for ripping fish apart. Sharks do not have traditional bones, & they instead have cartilaginous skeletons. As a species, they have existed for at least 5.3 million years. As of 2026, we could not find any records of fossilized blue sharks. Similar to humans, Great Blue sharks have various kinds of parasites. Their primary internal parasites are nematodes, which infect their intestines, & their primary external parasites are copepods, which infect their skin & their gills. Their phylum is Chordata, meaning that they developed these 5 characteristics all species under the phylum of chordata develop 5 similar characteristics either in adulthood or as juveniles. The characteristics that they develop include, a notochord, dorsal hollow nerve cord, endostyle or thyroid, pharyngeal Slits, & a post-anal tail. Their class is Chondrichthyes. This is a class of fish that is primarily composed of cartilage. This class can be compared to the class Osteichthyes, which is a class of fish that are primarily composed of bone. A few universal characteristics for any fish in the class Chondrichthyes is that they all are jawed vertebrates, they have paired fins, paired nares, scales, & a heart with chambers in a series. Their order is that of Carcharhiniformes. This order has approximately 270 species categorized under it, & is characterized by two dorsal fins, anal fins, & five gill slits. Their family is that of Carcharhinidae, which are commonly known as requiem sharks. The majority of these sharks are found in tropical areas. This family of sharks has existed since at least the Valanginian age. Their genus is that of Prionace. Their genus is monotypic, meaning there is only 1 species belong to it. Their binomial name is Prionace glauca. A shallow-water photograph of a Blue Shark with a diver. Credit to Blue Shark Snorkel. Directories / Credits Citation No. 1: “Blue Shark”, Written by the Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica, & Published on May 27th, 1999. Published by Britannica. Retrieval Date: May 19th, 2024. https://www.britannica.com/animal/blue-shark Citation No. 2: “Blue Shark: Prionace Glauca”, Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by the Atlantic Shark Institute. Retrieval Date: May 19th, 2024. https://www.atlanticsharkinstitute.org/blueshark Citation No. 3: “Blue Shark: Prionace Glauca”, Written by The Accessors For The International Union For The Conservation Of Nature, & Last Updated November 6th, 2018. Published by the International Union For The Conservation Of Nature. Retrieval Date: May 19th, 2024. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/39381/2915850 Citation No. 4: “Blue Shark: Prionace Glauca”, Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by Oceana. Retrieval Date: May 19th, 2024. https://oceana.org/marine-life/blue-shark/ Citation No. 5: “Spiral valve parasites of blue & common thresher sharks as indicators of shark feeding behaviour and ecology”, Written by Antonella Preti, Ken MacKenzie, Kate A. Spivey, Leslie R. Noble, Catherine S. Jones, Ralph G. Appy, & Graham J. Pierce, & Published on April 26th, 2020. Published by the Journal of Fish Biology. Retrieval Date: May 19th, 2024. https://digital.csic.es/bitstream/10261/218606/1/Spiral_valve_OA_2020.pdf Citation No. 6: “Blue Shark Facts: Size, Habitat, Reproduction“, Written by Anne Marie Helmenstine, & Published on January 22nd, 2020. Published by ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/blue-shark-facts-4174680 Strategic Partnerships Reel Guppy Outdoors SharkedSkooler Marine Enthusiasts Podcast Cash Daniels Tides of Tomorrow The Open Book, Topanga Olivenbaum Music Pitfire Artisan Pizza Our Loyal Patrons P. R. Ochoa

A vibrant photograph of Gerard Loisel with 2 of his students attending one of his marine biology camps. Credit to Gerard Loisel. Recently, we were quite fortunate to sit down with marine biologist & science communicator, Gerard Loisel. Gerard Loisel is a marine biologist & science communicator from Key Biscayne, Florida. He is well known for his marine biology camps for youth, his work in science communication, & his work in marine science. In today’s interview, we sit down with Gerard to discuss his illustrious career, his work in science communication, his work in marine science, & his passion for the sea in a comprehensive 10-question interview. Before delving into today’s interview, please note everything said has been edited for clarity, & that the opinions of our interviewee do not necessarily reflect the opinions & values of our organization. With that being said, let us delve into the contents of the interview! Questions About His Passion: 1. What sparked your passion for the ocean & marine science? When I was a kid, I knew that I wanted to study animals. I wasn’t sure what kind. I would go to zoos, & I was interested in mammals at first. Then I got interested in reptiles around high school age. There’s a place called Miami Serpentarium in South Florida. I went there to see if they would hire me. I wasn’t 18 yet, so the director said come back when you are of age. Then I became interested in fish. I think it started because I had a marine aquarium. A lot of people do freshwater aquariums first, then switch to marine. I didn’t do that. I thought marine fish were interesting, so I joined the Florida Marine Aquarium Society to find out how to keep them alive. It went from there. 2. Generally speaking, what is your favourite marine or terrestrial animal? I would have to go with one of the two fish that’s on my marine biology camp's logo, which is a spotted drum (Eques punctatus). It’s the fish that I studied in college. They are often misidentified as juvenile jack-knifefish. I thought they were interesting-looking. They change pretty drastically as they become adults. When they’re juveniles, they’re hard to identify. I remember when I first went to the Smithsonian, I went to their fish museum. When you get an expert who comes, they can look at the jar & identify the fish without removing it. That’s what they did with me in Washington when I walked in. They’d bring out the juvenile jack-knifefish & spotted drum so I could tell them which one is which. That fish is on my logo. 3. Who Designed The Logo For Your Marine Biology Camps? I did! I have a sense for that kind of thing, I have a knack for it I suppose. For a while I was a disc jockey, you know on weekends I would DJ. I created my own radio commercial, & I remember I went into the studio with a very famous Disc Jockey who did The Voice. He asked me “What marketing company did your commercial?”, & I go “I did!” If you’re passionate about something, nobody is going to be better at promoting it than you are. You’re probably going to put more time into it. I designed the logo, & I drew the spotted drum. I also put together my own radio commercials when I had my Disc Jockey Business. It was a weird kind of thing. I’m at the University of Miami studying marine biology, & I was an undergraduate. I was in a fraternity, & we had some great parties. It seemed like the oldies parties were the best, with 50s & 60s music. I kind of fell in love with music, & decided to form a company that only did that. This was only after I’d hosted a charity event on campus to help fight multiple sclerosis, it was a 45-hour dance marathon. I had radio personalities coming in, & I had a radio personality tell me at 3:00 in the morning, “I gotta leave, I gotta be on the air at six”, & I go “No, you can’t leave, I got a dance floor full of people!”, I didn’t know what to do. He tells me that he has to be on the air, & the other disc jockey is nowhere to be found. He offers to show me how to do it, & shows me the mixer, turntables, & headphones. He gave me a very quick lesson on how to become a disc jockey, and, as they say, the rest is history. It was interesting, I was doing a charity event & as a result of something that happened in the middle of the night, a whole new career evolved. What I really enjoyed about that was that I’m doing marine biology Monday through Friday, & on the weekends, I’m playing my favourite songs for people & getting paid to do it. It was pretty cool. If you’re passionate about something, you can always do more than one thing. I’m in a life of earning a living doing more than one thing. I’m a soccer coach, I was a disc jockey, & I did camps. I do multiple things, all of which I enjoy doing. There’s a saying, if you love what you do for a living, you’ll never work a day in your life. I didn’t come up with that, but it’s very true. The logo for Gerard Loisel’s Marine Biology Camp, featuring a Spotted Drum & Seahorse. Credit to Gerard Loisel. Questions About His Career: 4. Where did you attend university for your undergraduate studies, & was there any particular reason for that choice? I’ve met a lot of football players, & other athletes. One football player who was the president (of the Hurricane Club), right before me, said that many athletes when asked why they pick the University of Miami, a lot of football players say “Well, my dream is to someday play in the NFL, so I figure if I go to the University of Miami & play Football, I have a higher chance of going into the NFL.”, because we’re known as the pipeline to the pros. I tell people my situation was similar even though I didn’t play football. I played soccer, but there’s no men’s soccer team at the University of Miami. I wanted to go to university to become a marine biologist, so I ended up going there. It’s kind of interesting, because this was a long time ago, back in the 70s. Students were discouraged from specializing too early. They said “If you’re going to go into marine science, wait until you go into graduate school.” I think there was only one college in the country back in the 70s that offered a bachelor’s degree in marine biology. The way most people did it was that you majored in biology, minored in chemistry, & studied marine science in graduate school. I decided to go ahead & take some (marine science) courses anyway. I graduated in three years, I could have graduated in two & a half years, except my senior year, I took a graduate course in marine science. Looking back now, it’s an interesting path that I took. I got my bachelor’s degree when I was 19, & as a 19-year-old with a bachelor’s degree, I was offered a job to teach high school marine biology at a small private school in Miami by a lady who was like a second mother to me. I heard from a colleague who was tutoring over there, when warned me that she was concerned that I was only 19. He told me to look as old as I could when I went to meet her. How do you look older? I wore a tie, & a dress shirt, & when I walked in the secretary looked at me & said “Well, you really do look 19.”, but we somehow clicked right away. She started taking me around campus & telling everyone I was going to be their marine biology teacher. I got the job! I got a job at 19 teaching high school marine biology. I ended up using that money to help pay for graduate school. When I finished graduate school, I figured I was going to move on because my goal was never to be a teacher. So, I told the principal that now that I was finished with grad school, I’m going to move on. She told me she wanted me to stay. I said “Well, don’t get me wrong, I like teaching, but my dream work is not to be a teacher”, because my dream was to work in a laboratory. She said “If you stay, I’ll build you a laboratory.” Some people think that when I say this I mean she converted a classroom into a laboratory, no. She built one from the ground up. The school was on the water, had a dock on (Choctawhatchee) bay with boats, & she built me a lab. I think everything happens in life for a reason. I’ve had some people say very kind things over the years to me over the years about my ability to communicate. A parent of one of the kids in my camp said to me “How did you end up becoming a teacher?”. When I said that wasn’t the plan, I told her the story I just told you. She said to me there was a divine intervention going on, because apparently that was my real calling. I’m blessed with being able to communicate & explain things to people in a way they can understand. I think that’s what I was destined to do. Years ago, I thought “How does a 19-year-old know enough about marine biology to teach it at any level?”, & the answer is that I deviated from the norm of not taking marine science classes until I got to graduate school. It didn’t even occur to me that the decision I made to take classes as an undergraduate would pay off, because that is why I knew enough marine biology to teach high school marine biology at 19. That all worked out. When the lady who owned that school passed away, I ended up becoming a college professor for 26 years teaching undergraduate marine biology & oceanography, but it all started there as a 19-year-old marine biology teacher. The school had a reunion this past fall, & they were kind enough to invite me to attend. I was amazed at how many stories they remembered. I have a reputation, even now, as being a storyteller. I try to use stories to help people create an image. I have a lot of stories related to marine science, & I use those stories to help people develop a better understanding of whatever the topic is. I remember when my marine biology college class had required field trips, & we went down to the Keys. We went on a glass-bottom boat to go out to see a coral reef. Some of the students weren’t good swimmers, so we chose the glass-bottom boat approach. As we’re about to head out, some of the students who’d already boarded the boat had spoken to the guide. The guide does more than talk about marine life. The guide talks about local restaurants & tourist attractions in the Keys. When I got on the boat she asked if I was the professor, & I go, yeah. She says that the students were telling her how I’m a great storyteller. She asked if I wanted to give the talk, & I said no, you give the talk. She was worried that she didn’t know enough, & I said you’ll be fine. I’m building up her confidence. She says the students told her I’m a great storyteller, & she says that she needs a mangrove story. What? This was a long time ago, when people used a Rolodex. Does she think I have a Rolodex with my stories? I told her, I don’t think I have a mangrove story for you. She did a great job, & when she was done, she came up to me & asked me for my opinion. I told her that she was great, & that she identified a lot of fish correctly, which a lot of times they don’t. 5. What is your specialty within marine science? Well, my specialty is ichthyology. That’s what I study. I keep telling people, especially the media, that there are lots of marine biologists. There’s coral people, there’s shrimp people, there’s whale people, & there’s fish people, I’m a fish guy. As a matter of fact, I did a camp in the Florida Keys. A kid comes up to me, & asks “What if we catch a fish & you don’t know what it is?”, & I said that’s probably not going to happen because I’m a fish guy. I’m that kind of marine biologist, but I listened carefully. In my camp, we do a sea turtle program. I had a gentleman named Bill Ahern who was the sea turtle permit holder for Miami-Dade County for years, & he did my Thursday Sea Turtle program. I always listened to what he said. He’s a turtle expert. I learned a lot from him about sea turtles. I have former students that become experts in different areas. I have a former student who’s a whale expert, whom I’m always ready to rely on if I’m asked a question or if I’m sent a video by the media. If it’s not a fish, then I’m going to give you my opinion & then I’m going to go elsewhere. I remember when the first interview I did for NBC 6 involved a Killer Whale. They needed me for the noon news. I was going to the Florida Keys to look at some field trips for my camps. I pulled into a Hampton Inn, & interviewed in the lobby of the hotel. As I’m pulling in, I call my wife & tell her that they’re going to interview me about this killer whale. She goes “But, you’re not a whale expert?”, & I explain that I told them that, & that they wanted to interview me anyway. I think they liked what I said when I was talking about the interaction between the trainers & the whales. Still, though, I keep reminding them I’m a fish guy. 6. How did you enter the field of marine science, & what was the first research project that you ever worked on? Being a fish, I studied reef drums. One of the first jobs I got other than teaching was a study with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. They were doing a study on the impact of beach restoration in reefs close to shore, & they wanted a fish survey. In other words, they wanted to know what fish are there before & after the dredging operation. I got hired because I’m a fish expert, but even better for them I’m a coral reef fish expert. That was a great job. I got paid to go scuba diving & write down what fish I saw. We had a system where you could determine not only what was there, but how abundant they were. The other person who was hired was an open ocean fish expert. He’s a good guy, & he & I were friends. When we got on the boat, we had to have dive buddies. We’d get on the boat, & he’d say “What was that fish?”, because he could narrow it down to one of two things. Because I’m a coral reef fish expert, I could identify them, that’s what I was there for. That was pretty cool. We published a paper on that. Then there was a National Marine Fisheries Service Study on recreational fishing. I was originally hired to interview fishermen, make sure they identify their catch properly, & weigh as well as measure their catch. It was interesting. They quickly promoted me to a regional coordinator. Then, they promoted me to state coordinator, which means they sent me to Jacksonville to train me. They started having me train people, & part of the challenge is that you have to hire people. I would get a lot of marine biologists applying because it’s a cool job. They’re getting paid to go to marinas, & fishing piers to talk to fishermen & look at their catch. Some of the people who applied were people with PhD’s in crabs, they didn’t know a grunt from a snapper, but they wanted the job. I had to make sure that I hired people who knew their fish. I developed a test for them. Years ago, the Miami Sea Aquarium, back when it was open, had this area called the Lost Islands where there were a bunch of fish. I’d walk them through there, point to a fish, & ask them what it was. Some people liked that, some people didn’t. I developed another test for them with flash cards, where I would hold up a fish & have them identify it. If you’re going to do a fishing survey in South Florida, you need to know these 10 fish for sure. If you miss one or two of them, I can help you with that. Part of the reason they hired me to do that is that they were concerned that people were reporting fish not from that area, so they had me look into that. People were misidentifying the fish. Again, I think that my real calling was to be an educator. A photograph of a spotted drum swimming back & forth in front of its shelter in Turks & Caicos. Credit to Charles Angelo. 7. How did you transition to online science communication? I was teaching marine biology to kids at a small school, & I was hit halfway through the course. When COVID hit, everything went into lockdown. So now all of a sudden, I’m not coaching anymore, & I’m not teaching anymore. The principal of the school called me & asked me how I was, I said I was okay. She says “Listen, we can continue to hire you if you can finish the course on Zoom”, & I said what most people my age said in the spring of 2020 “What’s a Zoom?” Within a year, I thought Zoom was the greatest thing since sliced bread. I’m a storyteller, & I have a way of expressing myself. Zoom allows me to do that. Thanks to Zoom, I was now able to teach marine biology to kids all across the country. I taught kids in Washington D.C., Louisiana, & Philadelphia, thanks to Zoom. I don’t do it so much anymore because we’re all pretty much to in-person stuff. 8. How did you come to host “Marine Aquarium World”, for PBS? How many episodes did it run for, & how long was each episode? What was the subject of the series? What did you learn about television? I learned so much about television that I remember. When they put the little tape on the floor, I knew that was my mark. I had to hit my mark without looking down at the floor. I remember I was interviewing somebody about their fish in their tank. They told the person “When Gerard talks to you, just look at Gerard. Don’t look at the tank. Talk about the fish, but look at him, whatever fish you mention we’ll go back & get later on B-Roll.” I had no idea what that meant! It was 13 episodes, each 30 minutes long. It took a year to shoot. We did remotes, they had me go down to the Florida Keys & collect fish. This was PBS, so we’re all volunteering. The cameraman was a volunteer. I guess they paid for the boat & the boat people. I never met this cameraman before, he would later become famous. I think he may have even won an Oscar for The Life of Pi. We’re on the boat, we’re about to go into the water. I said to him that I don’t know what we’re going to see, fish are hard to catch. I don’t know if I’ll catch anything. He says that I should just do what I do, & he’ll be there. It was one of those weird things where there were fish everywhere. All of a sudden, I catch the first fish & I turn, & there’s a camera right there. I didn’t realize he was going to become an award-winning cameraman. So we go back to the studio, because we also shot studio parts. We interspersed the clips from the studio with the clips we shot in the keys. They’re telling me to make sure I say his name over & over again to thank him for his time. His name is ingrained in my brain. Years later, I’m teaching marine biology at a small school, & there are these two boys who are twins. They tell me their last name, & it’s the same last name. It was his kids. He did some amazing stuff. Questions About His Marine Biology Camp & Advice For Aspiring Marine Scientists: 9. I’m sure that you have faced just as many challenges & setbacks as you have leaps forward, what has been the biggest hurdle or challenge that you have faced across your career, & how did you overcome it? You know, I compare it to the movie Forrest Gump, where things happen sometimes along the way. You think this is an obstacle, & all of a sudden something happens that forces you to go into a different direction. I call those Forrest Gump moments, where all of a sudden you come to a crossroads, & you think you’re going to make a decision, but the circumstances decide for you. The best example is the one I gave earlier. I wasn’t going to be a teacher, but the owner of the school wanted me to stay. My favourite movie of all time is The Great Escape, which is a true story about POWS escaping during World War II, & it’s not so much a war movie. It’s a movie about overcoming adversity & figuring things out. They dug three tunnels, figuring you know if the Germans found one of the tunnels, they’d still be in business. So they built three, & that’s exactly why it happened. They did find one tunnel, but they were still able to go through with the escape. I always tell people to try to have multiple revenue streams in life. Have multiple tunnels, so if one of them shuts down, or all of a sudden you have a situation develop, you can fall back on other tunnels. When that principal called me in 2020, & she asked me how I was doing, I asked if she’d ever seen the movie The Great Escape. I explained how I still had one tunnel going on. She goes, well, if you can finish teaching your class on Zoom, you’ll have two tunnels. That was true. I learned about Zoom. Here was a tough situation, difficult for everybody, but I got to turn Zoom into a positive. 10. Do you have any advice for early-career ocean professionals, aspiring marine biologists, & young people with a passion? When I was an undergraduate, I had professors telling me not to study marine biology, because there were so few jobs available in the field. I didn’t listen to them. I didn’t pay attention. I said that this is what I wanted to do. What I always tell people is if you’re really passionate about something, don’t be discouraged by how many other people are going to apply for that job. When that job comes up, just make sure you’re the most qualified person for that job. Who cares how many other applicants there are? If it’s something you’re passionate about, you need to stick with it. I finally got picked for Jury Duty last year, & I had never been picked before. It turns out the judge didn’t know me, the attorneys didn’t know me, but they asked me what I do. During one of the breaks, one of the jurors said to me “So, you’re a marine biologist?”, & I said yeah. She said “Listen, I’m wondering if you can help me, because I’m studying botany. I’m getting my PhD in botany. I’m concerned as to whether I’ll be able to find a job with a degree in botany.” & I’m thinking, boy have I got a speech for you. So I gave her the speech about not worrying. Just be willing to do things that most traditional botanists might not do. Be willing to look into related areas, but if you’re passionate, stick with it. Don’t not do it because you’re concerned that you’re concerned that you’re going to be competing with other people for jobs. Just make sure you’re the best qualified person when you apply, & let the rest take care of itself. She said to me “Wow! Can you come & talk to my class?”, & I said sure. I knew that there were too many of us for the jury. On the last day, I asked if some of us were alternates. They said that yes, two of us were, & that we wouldn’t know until we’re about to go in for deliberation. Sure enough, they dismiss the botany student. Good thing she talked to me yesterday, because I got to encourage her. If you do something you love for a living, you’ll never work a day in your life. I’ve been very lucky that I’ve been able to do so many things that I love. I got to tell you something, when I get out there in the water with those kids, I’m 18 years old again. It’s like the fountain of youth, you know? I enjoy doing it, & I think that people shouldn’t be discouraged. Get your degrees, be the best-qualified person you can. A brilliant photograph of Gerard Loisel hosting a marine biology camp in Florida, USA. Credit to Gerard Loisel. Directories / Credits https://marinebiologycamp.net Strategic Partnerships Reel Guppy Outdoors SharkedSkooler Marine Enthusiasts Podcast Cash Daniels Tides of Tomorrow The Open Book, Topanga Olivenbaum Music Pitfire Artisan Pizza Our Loyal Patrons P. R. Ochoa

A verdant photograph of Phang Nga Bay, Thailand. Credit to tourcounsel.com. In today’s article, we are going to be delving into the documented history of Phang Nga Bay. Phang Nga Bay is a bay on the southern coast of Thailand, between the mainland & Phuket Island. It is well known for its small islands dotted around the bay, limestone formations, underwater caves, & mangrove forests. Many divers flock to the area each year to photograph marine animals, swim in the bay, & take in the surreal beauty around them. There are many areas for swimming, kayaking, snorkelling, & picnicking on the islands in the bay & on the mainland coastline bordering the bay. It is common for tourists to travel between Phuket, & the Phang Nga, as the drive is approximately 1 hour & 54 minutes under optimal circumstances. Many tourists travelling along the coast of Thailand will stop in the area for a day trip to enjoy its beauty. The entire bay is protected as a marine protected area within Ao Phang Nga National Park. In addition to its beautiful landscape, the island is extremely biodiverse. The bay is filled with many beautiful ecosystems, ranging from mangrove forests to coral reefs. One of the popular creatures of the area, is known as the Giant Oceanic Manta Ray. We published an article about this species on the 10th of this month, & it can be found by typing “Manta Ray” into the search function of our website. Unfortunately, very little is recorded about the history of the bay. Instead of focusing primarily on the anthropogenic history of the bay, we will be focusing on the geologic history of the bay. The underwater limestone caves formed approximately 10,000 years ago. Although they brought many tourists & much biodiversity to the island, it was not officially protected as a Marine Protected Area until 1981, when it was incorporated into Ao Phang Nga National Park. In this article, we will delve into the geologic history & anthropogenic history of Phang Nga Bay, the Indigenous Aboriginals of Phang Nga Bay, The Most Destructive Man-Caused & Natural Disasters of Phang Nga Bay, & The Economy Of Phang Nga Bay. With that being said, let us delve into the mysterious & intriguing history of Phang Nga Bay. The Documented History Of Phang Nga Bay Approximately 10,000 Years Ago Approximately 10,000 years ago, the sunken limestone caves of Phang Nga Bay were formed as the sea levels rose from glaciers melting. Historical Events From The 1300s to the 1800s As trade became more popular between the East & the West, Phang Nga Bay became a strategic location for tradesmen to meet & exchange goods. There is evidence to suggest that both China & India would use this area to trade with each other, & the Aboriginals. Historical Events From The 1900’s Although Phang Nga Bay was one of the centers of biodiversity for Thailand, it was not recognized as a Marine Protected Area until April 29th, 1981, when it was established as Ao Phang Nga National Park. The Indigenous Aboriginals Of Phang Nga Bay The Orang Asli Indigenous Aboriginals Of Phang Nga Bay Orang Asli is a term for approximately 18 different ethnic groups scattered throughout Thailand & Malaysia. The primary languages for these groups are Temoq, Semai, Sabum, Kensiu, Batek, Kentaq Bong, Jehai, Medrique, Tonga, Temaun, Jakun, & Temiar. The majority of these languages belong to the Aslian Language Family, which is the southernmost language family of the Austroasiatic languages. These groups live all around Thailand, & have inhabited the area for centuries. Many groups practice Agroforestry, & will cultivate fields of rice. Modernly, these groups will hunt wild animals & fish for many different marine species. Before the arrival of Europeans, they were largely isolated from the rest of Asia. In the 1950s, many ethnic Chinese communists fled to the areas where the Orang Alsi lived, & as tensions grew, both began harbouring resentment towards one another. Soon after in the 1960’s, a department of Aborigines was created, in order to provide financial assistance to the Orang Asli, & convert them to Islam. An integration policy was established, in which they were discouraged from having hunter-gatherer lifestyles, & were encouraged to refrain from nomadism. Instead, they were encouraged to cultivate more agriculture. Modernly, there are many ongoing issues between the Orang Asli, & the Thai Government over land rights. Unfortunately, these communities do not have the best medical resources, & malnutrition as well as disease control are poor in the community. Iodine deficiency disorders are fairly common, & maternal health issues are popular. Approximately 70 percent of the remaining aboriginals practice Animism, 10 percent practice Christianity, & between 15 & 20 percent practice Islam. In Animism, all inanimate objects have a spirit, & most forces of nature are controlled by spirits. Each spirit has agency as well as freewill, & is completely independent. A lush photograph of Phang Nga Bay, Thailand. Credit to tourcounsel.com. The Most Destructive Man-Caused & Natural Disasters Of Phang Nga Bay Disaster No. 1: The 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake & Tsunami In December of 2004, a 9.1 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. It originated from 30 kilometers deep in the ocean. The earthquake sent a 167-foot-high tsunami towards Thailand, Sri Lanka, & Indonesia. It swept many villages away, & killed hundreds of thousands of people. Many were displaced & left without electricity. It led to approximately 230,000 deaths across South East Asia, & 15 billion U.S.D in damages. Indonesia was the country that was hardest affected, & the earthquake caused 167,000 deaths in the country, as well as 8 billion U.S.D in damages. It took many years for all countries involved to recover from the Earthquake, as well as the Tsunami. This is one of the deadliest natural disasters in modern history. The Economy Of Phang Nga Bay The province of Phang Nga’s economy is powered by Tourism, & Agriculture. The economy is relatively stable. The province has a population of approximately 257,493 people. At the current exchange rate, there is a GDP per capita of 3,314 U.S.D. A sea-rock standing in Phang Nga Bay, Thailand. Credit to tourcounsel.com. Directories / Credits Citation No. 1: “Phang Nga Bay Tourism History”, Written by Unknown, & Published on an Unknown Date. Published by Travel Setu. Retrieval Date: May 7th, 2024. https://travelsetu.com/guide/phang-nga-bay-tourism/phang-nga-bay-tourism-history Citation No. 2: “Indigenous Peoples in Malaysia”, Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by the International Group for Indigenous Affairs. Retrieval Date: May 7th, 2024. https://www.iwgia.org/en/malaysia.html Citation No. 3: “Orang Asli in Malaysia”, Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by the Minority Rights Group. Retrieval Date: May 7th, 2024. https://minorityrights.org/communities/orang-asli/ Citation No. 4: “Squatters in their Own Land - The Orang Asli of Malaysia”, Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Retrieval Date: May 7th, 2024. https://geographical.co.uk/culture/squatters-in-their-own-land-the-orang-asli-of-malaysia Citation No. 5: “Diseases among Orang Asli community in Malaysia: a systematic overview”, Written by Muhammad Hilmi Mahmud, Ummi Mirza Baharudin, & Zahela Md Isa, & Published on November 16th, 2022. Published by BMC Public Health. Retrieval Date: May 7th, 2026. https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-022-14449-2 Citation No. 6: “The 2004 Tsunami Wiped Towns With ‘Mind-Boggling’ Destruction”, Written By Dave Roos, & Published By October 2nd, 2018. Published by A&E Television Networks. Retrieval Date: May 7th, 2026. https://www.history.com/news/deadliest-tsunami-2004-indian-ocean Citation No. 7: “2004 Indian Ocean earthquake & tsunami: Facts & FAQS”, Written by Sevil Omer, & Published on September 25, 2023. Published by Word Vision. Retrieval Date: May 7th, 2026. https://www.worldvision.org/disaster-relief-news-stories/2004-indian-ocean-earthquake-tsunami-facts Citation No. 8: “Jetstream Max: 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami”, Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration. Retrieval Date: May 7th, 2026. https://www.noaa.gov/jetstream/2004tsu_max Strategic Partnerships Reel Guppy Outdoors SharkedSkooler Marine Enthusiasts Podcast Cash Daniels Tides of Tomorrow The Open Book, Topanga Olivenbaum Music Pitfire Artisan Pizza Our Loyal Patrons P. R. Ochoa

The Persaud Foundation is a marine biology nonprofit organization, based in the United States. Our goals are to protect the ocean through education, conservation, & public involvement. The Persaud Foundation The Persaud Foundation The Persaud Foundation The Persaud Foundation We are a U.S 501(c)3 marine biological nonprofit organization, dedicated to protecting the ocean through education, conservation, & public involvement. We currently run an electronic newsletter called The Persaud Catalog , publish online courses about marine biology, & conduct local conservation & education events in Southern California. The Three Pillars Of Our Organization Our Online Courses: We believe in promoting ocean literacy, supporting the ocean through education, and fostering people's oceanic curiosity. For this reason, in August 2024, we officially launched our first course. We currently have eleven courses available, with three more under construction. Every course can be found here. For updates, please sign up for our mailing list! Our Electronic Newsletter: For those who wish to advance their marine biological knowledge, we publish an electronic marine biological newsletter approximately 5 times per month. We publish on a variety of topics within marine biology, from ecology to individual ocean creatures. We strive to have an article for everyone, & attract marine biological enthusiasts, professionals in the field, & all those with a curious mind. Each article can be found here. Our Public Conservation Events & Public Educational Events: We frequently conduct conservation events in California, such as Beach Cleanups. We cannot do this without people like you! To find out the closest beach cleanup, please consult our Events Calendar. We appreciate each & every volunteer that we get, & highly recommend getting involved if you want to make a difference. If you are interested in volunteering with us, please email us at thepersaudfoundation@gmail.com or consult our Eventbrite page. In addition to this, we currently conduct local oceanic education events, which can also be found on our calendar. Reach Out To Us! Name Email Subject Message Upload File Upload supported file (Max 15MB) Submit Thank you for submitting! We willl respond to your message as soon as possible. What exactly does your organization do & what is its mission? We are dedicated to raising ocean literacy, protecting the ocean through education, conservation, & public involvement. As of 2024, we operate a marine biological science communication newsletter “The Persaud Catalog”, published approximately 5 times per month, a marine biological online course program, & we conduct public marine biological conservation events in California. We are a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, based in the U.S. What exactly are your online courses? We believe in protecting the ocean through conservation, & education. Education about the sea is essential to conservation, as people cannot understand the needs of the sea & its creatures if they do not understand our ocean & its creatures. We currently offer 11 online courses , with 3 more under construction and scheduled for release soon. Our courses vary in topic; however, they typically discuss marine creatures, as people cannot understand the needs of these marine animals if they do not understand the marine animals in the first place. Our online courses can be found here. What is the benefit of reading your newsletter? Our newsletter, The Persaud Catalog, publishes approximately 5 times per month, with topics of articles ranging from individual marine animals, to how marine resources were used in different areas historically. In addition, we conduct interviews with marine scientists, ocean ecologists, conservationists, & science communicators alike to share the beauty, value, & wonder of the ocean & marine science with as many people as possible. We work our hardest to provide interesting, informative, & engaging articles to our supporters. Each of our articles can be found in the articles tab of our website, or to search for a specific article or topic, please use our navigational bar. What is the Santa Monica Marine Fauna Survey Program? Our Santa Monica Marine Fauna Survey is a program designed to showcase the beauty of Santa Monica Bay, encourage more residents of the area to take an interest in their marine life, & provide a comprehensive list of the marine life in Santa Monica Bay. Anyone who wishes to support this project is encouraged to submit photographs here , where one of our staff or volunteers will process them, then use them to create a web entry on this page . Do you have an Oceanic Question or Question About our Nonprofit / Newsletter? Email Us & We’ll Get Back To You As Soon As Possible. Reach Out To Us

The Persaud Catalog is a marine biological newsletter, dedicated to bringing you knowledge of Earth's oceans, & the creatures in them. Donate Today To Save Our Oceans! As a nonprofit, we will graciously accept donations. These donations go towards educating the world more about marine biology, as well as assisting our oceans. At this time, all donations to us are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law. We are classified as a 501 (c)3 private foundation with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service. As we are thankful to every one of our patrons, those who donate over 80$ will receive an exclusive foundation coffee mug. For more information about our exclusive mugs or how to claim your tax deduction, please fill out a contact form or email us directly at thepersaudfoundation@gmail.com . Legal Disclosure: For our U.S based donors, please note that you are donating to a Private Foundation classified under section 501(c)3. Frequency One time One time Monthly Monthly Amount $1 $1 $5 $5 $10 $10 $20 $20 $50 $50 Other Other 0/260 Comment (optional) Donate $1

We are a marine biology nonprofit organization, based in the United States. Our goals are to protect the ocean through education, conservation, & public involvement. What exactly does your organization do & what is it's mission? We are The Persaud Foundation, dedicated to raising ocean literacy, protecting the ocean through education, conservation, & public involvement. As of 2024, we run our marine biological science communication newsletter The Persaud Catalog, which is published 5 times per month at least, we publish online courses, we conduct local marine biological education events & we conduct public marine biological conservation events in California. We are a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, based in the U.S. What exactly are your online courses? We believe in protecting the ocean through conservation, education, & public involvement. Education about the sea is essential to conservation, as people cannot understand the needs of the sea & its creatures if they do not understand our ocean & its creatures. We currently offer 11 online courses , with 3 more under construction and scheduled for release soon. Our courses vary in topic; however, they typically are about oceanic animals, as people cannot understand the needs of these animals if they do not understand the animals in the first place. Our online courses can be found here. We also recently began a new series of FREE online courses, called micro-courses, which discuss various dangers plaguing our oceans. These courses are available to anyone, no cost, & teach more about certain issues that our ocean is currently facing, such as overfishing. What is the benefit of reading your newsletter? Our newsletter, The Persaud Catalog, publishes approximately 5 times per month, with topics of articles ranging from individual marine animals, to how marine resources were used in different areas historically. In addition, we conduct interviews with marine scientists, ocean ecologists, conservationists, & science communicators alike to share the beauty, value, & wonder of the ocean & marine science with as many people as possible. We work our hardest to provide interesting, informative, & engaging articles to our supporters. Each of our articles can be found in the articles tab of our website, or to search for a specific article or topic, please use our navigational bar. Where do you most frequently conduct beach cleanups & local conservation events? We semi-frequently conduct local conservation events, or beach cleanups, in Santa Monica, California. Each beach cleanup will be listed in the Events Calendar section of our website, or our Eventbrite profile. We typically limit our attendance for each group, so please be sure to register early & register everyone in your party! We removed approximately 146.75 pounds (66.56 kilograms) of bio-hazardous debris from Santa Monica State Beach, & hosted 9 beach cleanups in 2025. Where do you conduct your local marine education events? We semi-frequently conduct local marine biological education events in Los Angeles, California. These events entail different activities such as oceanic educational storytimes, marine biology question & answer sessions, educational fact card distribution, & occasionally, oceanic colouring activities for the youth. We hosted approximately 8 of these events in 2025. Each event shall be listed in the Events Calendar section of our website or our Eventbrite profile. Do you accept donations? Yes! As a nonprofit organization, we gladly accept donations. Each donation is tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law. We currently accept donations both digitally and by check. For more information on how to donate to us, please visit the donations page of our website. Each person who donates over 80$ will receive a complementary foundation-branded mug! We also accept donations of equipment. For more information, please contact us at theperaudfoundation@gmail.com . For patrons who wish to contribute on a more regular basis, please consider joining our organization as a member! For more information on memberships, please visit the memberships page of our website. Which country are you registered in as a nonprofit? We are a U.S. Registered 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation. For more information on exempt organizations in the U.S., please visit https://www.irs.gov/charities-and-nonprofits . Which country are you registered in as a nonprofit? Our Santa Monica Marine Fauna Survey is a program designed to showcase the beauty of Santa Monica Bay, encourage more residents of the area to take an interest in their marine life, & provide a comprehensive list of the marine life in Santa Monica Bay. Anyone who wishes to support this project is encouraged to submit photographs here , where one of our staff or volunteers will process them, then use them to create a web entry on this page . In each submission, the person should include where the photograph was taken, the approximate size of the subject, as well as any additional information they feel will be helpful. We accept photographs of areas all along Santa Monica Bay, from Point Dume to Palos Verdes. In short, submit a photograph to us of any marine animal, plant, or protist photographed along Santa Monica Bay at this web page, & it will be used to create a comprehensive list of all the marine creatures in Santa Monica Bay.