In Hot Water: Is Seaweed a Climate Solution?
In Hot Water, a Climate and Seafood podcast
Release Date: 12/18/2024
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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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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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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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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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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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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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...
info_outlineIn 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...
info_outlineIn 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...
info_outlineIn 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 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 Water” podcast explores SEAFOOD and CLIMATE JUSTICE in distinct regions.
Episode Guide
- :00 Intro to In Hot Water, Maine Edition
- 02:03 The farmed seaweed industry in Maine is growing rapidly while the wild seaweed industry has been around for about 50 years
- 05:45 All seaweed farmed in Maine’s waters comes from a parent species found in Maine
- 06:44 How macrobiotic eating led to the founding of one of Maine’s most enduring wild seaweed brands
- 17:34 While regulations around harvesting wild seaweeds in Maine exist, they are minimal
- 23:32 The climate in crisis affects wild seaweed production in a myriad of ways
- 26:40 While there are opportunities for aquaculture to enhance wild seaweed production, there are challenges
- 33:06 A recent study found that 1 in 4 people in the U.S. have never heard of seaweed farming. How do you educate the public about the benefits of seaweed?
- 34:46 Are seaweeds a climate solution?
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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