Marina Batochio, ocean and cetacean lover, biologist, master in Ecology and southern right whale’s.

Anna Victoria Pyne Vinje is a marine biologist from Norway. In this podcast, we're both currently involved in the North Atlantic Sightings Surveys (NASS) project as marine mammal observers (MMO) at the Institute of Marine Research (IMR).

Victoria began her journey in marine biology after working as the only female fisherman on an old longline boat, where she gained invaluable maritime skills and resilience. Her academic path took her from the University of Bergen to James Cook University (JCU) in Australia and then to a Master's in Arctic Animal Physiology and Marine Biology at the University of Tromsø (UiT). During her Master's, she worked as a research technician at UiT, handling species such as the hooded seal, reindeer, and ptarmigans.

Her professional career started as an MMO with the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment and the National Marine Mammal Foundation on the 'SOST minke whale hearing project,' contributing to the very first hearing measurements on baleen whales to study the impact of human-made noise on these marine mammals and mitigate this form of pollution. Leading research at OneWhale, she focuses on conserving and managing the famous beluga whale Hvaldimir, aiming to translocate him back to a wild population. This project seeks to provide scientific insights and study the adaptation of a previously captive animal.

In her field, she has faced challenges such as misconceptions, polarized opinions, and personal harassment, which are unfortunately common for women in male-dominated fields. She handles these situations by valuing solid ethical foundations and clear communication. Victoria hopes to inspire other young biologists, especially women, to pursue their passion in the field and encourages the younger generation to strive for a fair and equitable working environment for all genders.

Driven by the chance to make a meaningful impact on marine conservation, the ocean's vastness and mystery continually fascinate her. Her transition from a fisherman to a diving marine biologist shows her dedication to the maritime world, a passion she continues to pursue while living on her sailboat, staying connected to the sea.

Links:

Capture and Release of Minke Whales Offers New Research Opportunities, Including Measurements of Mysticete Hearing. https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.50.4.2024.352

www.nmmf.org/our-work/biologic-bioacoustic-research/minke-whale-hearing/

www.onewhale.org

Episode 18 features three marine biologists:

Cristina was born and raised in Italy, in a small city nearby. Milan, far away from the sea. She has always felt a calling for marine life and dreamed of becoming a great marine biologist, to have the opportunity to study and help conserve what she thinks are the most beautiful creatures on Earth. Following this call, she enrolled in the University of Milano-Bicocca for a Bachelor's in Biology. During those years, she participated in workshops at her university, in their center in the Maldives, where she better understood the marine environment's threats. After graduating, she enrolled in the master's degree course in "Marine Sciences," which she is currently enrolled in attending her last year. Her passion and interest in marine mammals led her to Portugal, in AIMM, where she is an intern building experience in marine mammal research and working on her thesis on the impacts of environmental variables on the occurrence of the minke whale.

Janneke den Hollander grew up in The Netherlands, and was already drawn to the ocean from a young age. Having a big love for animals, she enrolled in a BSc Biology in Utrecht, the Netherlands. Here, she quickly realized that the field of animal behavior and wildlife conservation attracted her the most, leading her to do her BSc thesis and internship about the social competence of rhesus macaques. However, due to her continuous love for the ocean, she decided to start a career in the field of marine biology and research. After her BSc in Biology, she went to Zanzibar to work in dolphin behavioral research, where she fell in love with working with these marine mammals. Traveling to the Maldives to work with sea turtles and coral restoration for 6 months broadened her knowledge and love for the ocean. Still, she couldn't stay out of the field of marine mammal research for long, as she is now working as a research assistant at AIMM, performing research on cetaceans and occasionally marine megafauna.

Amy was born in Perth, Western Australia and grew up in WA country towns. Amy has always loved animals and, throughout schooling, had a dream to work with dolphins. In 2013, Amy graduated from Murdoch University with a Bachelor of Science in Marine Science and Conservation and Wildlife Biology. Amy followed her passion for dolphin biology, conservation, and research to get her dream job in 2015 as a Reserves Officer with the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Parks and Wildlife Service in Monkey Mia, Gutharraguda (Shark Bay, WA). As a Reserves Officer in Monkey Mia Amy was responsible for managing the dolphin human interactions for the dolphin experiences as well as conservation, interpretive activities, compliance and monitoring. Over nine years of working in Monkey Mia Amy gained knowledge and experience in conservation, wildlife biology and ecology, management tools, techniques and legislation and gained a versatile skill set that can be applied and adapted to different roles and environments. During time in Shark Bay, Amy was a team leader for the Malgana ladies’ group for the loggerhead turtle tagging on Dirk Hartog Island, volunteered for the Monkey Mia seagrass restoration project, conducted dolphin surveys and focal follows, assisted international dolphin researchers in Monkey Mia and contributed to reports and writing protocols and procedures for the Monkey Mia Dolphin Experience Management plan. In 2024 Amy decided to expand her learning of marine mammals to the other side of the world. She took the opportunity to join AIMM Marine Environment Research Association in Portugal as research assistant. Amy is enjoying working with the AIMM team learning about the marine mammals and environment of the region and has plans to begin her master’s by research in Perth in 2025. Amy is passionate about wildlife, the environment and promoting sustainability. Amy hopes to educate and inspire others about the conservation of the marine environment.