The Ocean Is Confused: Connecting with Our Ocean for a Better Tomorrow

The harbor master in Monterey once told me the ocean is confused. Scientists have a name for part of it: shifting baseline syndrome, where each generation inherits a diminished ocean and calls it normal. The loss happens underwater, unwitnessed.Andrew Lewin has built a career on making it visible. A marine biologist who started in marine protected areas, he now hosts How to Protect the Ocean and runs the Speak Up for Blue podcast network. His guiding lesson, borrowed from Randy Olson: scientists speak to the brain, but people are moved through the gut. Tell someone we have passed 1.5 degrees and they nod. Tell them about the basement that flooded twice and the insurance that will not cover it, and you have their attention.We talk about the state of the ocean and the state of the argument. The UN plastics treaty, still unfinished, still shadowed by industry lobbyists. The High Seas Treaty, now in force, and the distance between coming into force and being enforced. Deep-sea mining, and what a vacuum three thousand meters down would mean for animals that navigate by sound.And we talk about apathy. Lewin traces the industry's argument from denial, to reassurance, to something stranger: yes it is real, no there is nothing to be done, so carry on. They are banking on apathy, he says. Which makes exhaustion not a side effect of the crisis but a product of it.He finds his optimism in the long game, and in what the late Wallace J. Nichols called blue mind, the ocean's effect on our own. Worry less about the degrees, he suggests, and get people back to the water. You do not defend what you never loved.ResourcesAndrew Lewin, Speak Up for Blue podcast network: speakupforblue.comHow to Protect the Ocean podcast: speakupforblue.com/show/speak-up-for-the-ocean-blueBeyond Jaws, co-hosted with Dr. David Ebert: speakupforblue.com/show/beyond-jawsRandy Olson, Don’t Be Such a Scientist (Island Press, 2009; second edition 2018)(Little, Brown and Company, 2014)Wallace J. Nichols, Blue Mind (Little, Brown and Company, 2014)The BBNJ Agreement, or High Seas Treaty, entered into force 17 January 2026: High Seas AllianceUN plastics treaty negotiations (INC): unep.org/inc-plastic-pollutionInternational Seabed Authority: isa.org.jmDeep Sea News: deepseanews.com · Southern Fried Science: southernfriedscience.comEarthbound: earthboundpodcast.com · Global Warming Is Real: globalwarmingisreal.comEarthbound Listener SurveyTakeawaysThe oceans are facing a crisis, with shifting baselines creating confusion about their health and future.As the ocean absorbs more pollution and climate impacts, it's vital to recognize our role in safeguarding marine ecosystems.Andrew Lewin’s work emphasizes the importance of storytelling in ocean conservation and the need for innovative approaches to engage the public.Deep-sea mining poses significant risks to marine biodiversity, and international agreements must be enforced to protect these vulnerable areas.Effective communication in science is crucial; we need to connect emotionally with audiences to inspire action for ocean conservation.The High Seas Treaty offers hope for better management of international waters, but enforcement remains a challenge that requires global cooperation.