In Hot Water: Maine’s Iconic Lobster Fishery, Endangered Whales, and Their Intertwined Fate in a Warming Gulf
In Hot Water, a Climate and Seafood podcast
Release Date: 12/18/2024
The Emotional Tide: Trauma and Resilience in a Changing Climate
In Hot Water, a Climate and Seafood podcast
Unpack how climate change is reshaping not just ecosystems but our emotional landscapes. This episode connects the rising trauma of a changing climate to the challenges faced by seafood systems in the Great Lakes and around the world. Through systems thinking and trauma-informed design, we examine how climate disruptions ripple through fisheries, communities, and the human psyche, as well as how new approaches can help us respond with care, clarity, and resilience. Episode Guide 00:00 Intro to In Hot Water, Great Lakes Edition 02:40 Cheryl Dahle, design strategist for systems change, returns...
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From Roots to Rivers: Food Justice in Chicago
In Hot Water, a Climate and Seafood podcast
Explore how environmental justice, food sovereignty, and cultural relevance come together in Chicago. From the legacy of industrial pollution and the “Toxic Doughnut” to the impact of climate change on local growers, we examine how communities are reclaiming power through food. Tune in to hear how land-based farming connects to seafood, and why culturally rooted food systems matter for a more just and sustainable future. Episode Guide 00:00 Intro to In Hot Water, Great Lakes Edition 02:14 Meet Nick Davis, managing director of communications and engagement at the , a community-run...
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Lake Michigan: Whitefish, Warming Waters, and What Comes Next
In Hot Water, a Climate and Seafood podcast
Step into the world of commercial fishing in Lake Michigan, where deep-rooted tradition meets a rapidly changing environment. This episode traces the importance of whitefish, the effects of rising water temperatures, and the challenges facing fishing families as they navigate shifting policies and climate pressures. Hear how the future of a generational industry hangs in the balance and what’s at stake for the communities that depend on it. Episode Guide 00:00 Intro to In Hot Water, Great Lakes Edition 02:14 Karen Murchie, director of freshwater research at in Chicago, Illinois, shares...
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Tinned with Care: Preserving the Great Lakes
In Hot Water, a Climate and Seafood podcast
Discover how one entrepreneur is reshaping the future of regional seafood—one tin at a time. This episode takes you to Fishtown, Michigan, for the story behind the first Midwest-based tinned fish company sourcing exclusively from the Great Lakes. Learn how honoring local flavor, rethinking business models, and planning for climate resilience are all part of building a more sustainable seafood system from the inside out. Episode Guide 00:00 Intro to In Hot Water, Great Lakes Edition 02:07 Introducing Marissa Fellows, the founder and CEO of ,, whom we met in a shanty on the spectacular...
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Fishtown’s Fight: Saving a Working Waterfront
In Hot Water, a Climate and Seafood podcast
Journey into the heart of Fishtown, Michigan—a historic commercial fishing village on the shores of Lake Michigan that continues to anchor Great Lakes maritime culture. This episode dives into the deep roots of the region’s fishing community, the founding of the Fishtown Preservation Society, and the resilience required to protect a working waterfront threatened by rising waters and time. Hear how history, trauma, and community care intertwine in a place where fishing isn’t just a livelihood, it’s a living story. Episode Guide 00:00 Intro to In Hot Water, Great Lakes Edition 02:06...
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In Hot Water: Climate Challenges in the Gulf of Maine
In Hot Water, a Climate and Seafood podcast
The Gulf of Maine is warming faster than 99% of the ocean. In the first episode of In Hot Water, Maine, we hear from researchers at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, the University of Maine, the Island Institute and people working on the water who share the current challenges facing the Gulf of Maine’s fisheries and coastal communities such as invasive green crabs, sea level rise, coastal erosion, ocean acidification, increasing 100-year storms, and aging wastewater treatment facilities. There’s no quick fix for seafood harvesters in the Gulf, but climate solutions do exist. From...
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In Hot Water: Maine’s Iconic Lobster Fishery, Endangered Whales, and Their Intertwined Fate in a Warming Gulf
In Hot Water, a Climate and Seafood podcast
The Gulf of Maine is warming faster than 99% of the ocean. In this episode of In Hot Water, Maine, we learn more about the state's iconic lobster fishery, dive deeper into the plight of the endangered right whale, and understand how the present and future of these critically important species are so intertwined. There’s no quick fix for seafood harvesters in the Gulf, but climate solutions do exist. From encouraging species diversification to actively involving frontline communities, changemakers are leading a new path for seafood in Maine. Produced by Seafood and Gender Equality...
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In Hot Water: The History and Growth of Aquaculture in Maine and its Challenges in Coastal Communities
In Hot Water, a Climate and Seafood podcast
The Gulf of Maine is warming faster than 99% of the ocean. In this episode of In Hot Water, Maine, we learn more about the history of the state's aquaculture sector, kelp farming as a means to diversify income, social license, and the increasing effects of NIMBY or, Not in My Backyard, which is becoming more pervasive across the Vacationland state. There’s no quick fix for seafood harvesters in the Gulf, but climate solutions do exist. From encouraging species diversification to actively involving frontline communities, changemakers are leading a new path for seafood in Maine Produced...
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In Hot Water: How Disappearing Working Waterfronts and Gentrification Impact Seafood Harvesters
In Hot Water, a Climate and Seafood podcast
The Gulf of Maine is warming faster than 99% of the ocean. In this episode of In Hot Water, Maine, we learn about working waterfronts, the importance of their preservation for the future of the state's fisheries, the gentrification of Maine's coastal communities, and how climate change is endangering the physical and mental health of harvesters and their families. There’s no quick fix for seafood harvesters in the Gulf, but climate solutions do exist. From encouraging species diversification to actively involving frontline communities, changemakers are leading a new path for seafood in...
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In Hot Water: Is Seaweed a Climate Solution?
In Hot Water, a Climate and Seafood podcast
The Gulf of Maine is warming faster than 99% of the ocean. In this episode of In Hot Water, Maine, we learn about the growth of the seaweed sector in Maine, which includes both wild and farmed seaweeds, while asking, “is seaweed a climate solution?” There’s no quick fix for seafood harvesters in the Gulf, but climate solutions do exist. From encouraging species diversification to actively involving frontline communities, changemakers are leading a new path for seafood in Maine Produced by Seafood and Gender Equality (SAGE) and Seaworthy, the “In Hot...
info_outlineThe Gulf of Maine is warming faster than 99% of the ocean.
In this episode of In Hot Water, Maine, we learn more about the state's iconic lobster fishery, dive deeper into the plight of the endangered right whale, and understand how the present and future of these critically important species are so intertwined.
There’s no quick fix for seafood harvesters in the Gulf, but climate solutions do exist. From encouraging species diversification to actively involving frontline communities, changemakers are leading a new path for seafood in Maine.
Produced by Seafood and Gender Equality (SAGE) and Seaworthy, the “In Hot Water” podcast explores SEAFOOD and CLIMATE JUSTICE in distinct regions.
Episode Guide
- :00 Intro to In Hot Water, Maine Edition
- 01:47 Meet Afton Vigue, former communications and outreach manager at the Maine Aquaculture Association, a nonprofit trade association representing commercial aquatic farmers in Maine from shellfish to finfish to seaweed farmers; from land-based to marine-based operations
- 02:38 Lobsters are moving; how climate change is playing a role in Maine’s changing lobster fishery
- 06:26 Meet Jesse Baines, the former chief marketing officer at Atlantic Sea Farms, a woman-run, mission-driven seaweed aquaculture company based in Maine
- 08:15 Getting real-time information from fisheries is critical when developing solutions to address climate-related challenges
- 09:54 How is the lobster fishery adapting to climate change and the economic implications
- 15:53 Other effects of climate change? Not only are lobsters moving to colder waters, but it’s a huge driver in the distribution and abundance of right whales and copepods, their critical food source
- 22:58 Climate change is at the root of the decline of endangered species
- 24:58 A quick recap of the legal situation surrounding Maine’s lobster fishers, regulatory bodies, and next steps to generate better data towards realistic regulations of the fishery
- 27:32 Dr. Tora Johnson, professor of environmental studies and geography at the University of Maine, Machias published a book in 2005 called Entanglements: The Intertwined Fates of Whales and Fishermen. Since she wrote this book, some things have changed, some things haven’t, but it’s clear that solutions are not lying about and everyone will need to change.
- 46:12 How regulations are set and by whom creates many challenges, including extreme stress for harvesters, fishing families, and communities
Resources
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Recommend this series to anyone who enjoys seafood and is curious about how climate change is affecting our seafood-producing regions.
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