The Conch Podcast features interviews
with the most inspiring people in the world of seafood.
Join Julie Kuchepatov,
founder of Seafood and Gender Equality (SAGE),
as she interviews people striving
to succeed in the sector, as well as those already making an impact,
and the challenges they face -
all while working to improve
the environmental and social responsibility
of the planet’s most incredible food source - seafood!
Lost and entangled fishing gear is a big problem for BOTH people in the fishing industry and ocean ecosystems.
Thankfully, Kortney Opshaug and her team at Blue Ocean Gear are creating high-tech buoys that can track gear in the marine environment!
Join us on Season 5, Episode 3 of The Conch podcast to hear all about Kortney’s amazing startup journey and how she’s making commercial fishing and aquaculture farms more sustainable with these exciting innovations in tech.
Audio production and sound design by Crystal Sanders-Alvarado for Seaworthy Experiences.
Episode Guide
:00 Intro
01:37 Introducing Kortney Opshaug, the CEO and founder of Blue Ocean Gear, a startup company that provides technology solutions for IOT tracking on the ocean, creating high-tech buoys that can detect and locate gear in the marine environment, including lost or entangled fishing gear
04:41 What exactly are these high-tech buoys and how and where can they be deployed?
08:58 Consulting with fishers and researchers to build the best buoy based on their needs
10:47 The link between Blue Ocean Gear’s buoys and sustainability
13:53 These buoys also help detect gear theft, an increasingly common occurrence
17:13 The challenges of designing technology for use on the open ocean and why creating strong partnerships is critical
21:08 Kortney shares her impressions of COP28, the international climate conference which she recently attended in the United Arab Emirates
24:00 Leaping from aerospace engineering to creating tech solutions for commercial fishermen, Kortney is using technology to bridge the gap between conservation and the fishing industry
25:35 The challenges of finding venture capital for a woman-led startup
29:38 Kortney’s advice to those in the tech sector thinking about a career in ocean tech
31:45 Kortney uplifts her colleagues at Blue Ocean Gear!
32:31 These buoys also are a solution to improving animal welfare! Kortney explains how
Resources:
Check out Blue Ocean Gear for more info on these intelligent, connected buoys and supporting hardware that monitor the location and movement of any type of gear along with local conditions.
Interested in learning more about the results of COP28? Find five takeaways here.
Recommend this episode to one person who is curious about the intersection of ocean and tech.
The Conch podcast is a program of Seafood and Gender Equality (SAGE).
Audio production, engineering, editing, mixing, and sound design by Crystal Sanders-Alvarado for Seaworthy.
Theme music: “Dilation” by Satan's Pilgrims
Funding generously provided by
