Season 3 Recap
The Conch podcast
This week in Season 6, Episode 3 of The Conch podcast, we’re revisiting Season 3 in our ongoing recap series with Julie, Cameron, and Crystal from Seaworthy! From the rise of tinned fish queens to the grit of seafood entrepreneurs, we reflect on the stories and themes that made our third season unforgettable. What stood out? Women leading the tinned fish trend The power (and challenge) of family-founded businesses Why people stay committed to seafood despite the obstacles Plus, catch up on where some of our guests are now! Episode Transcript Episode Guide 00:05 Julie and...
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Season 2 Recap
The Conch podcast
In Season 6, Episode 2 of The Conch podcast, Julie, Cameron, and Crystal from Seaworthy keep the retrospective rolling, this time diving into the highlights of Season 2. From oyster deep-dives to the balance between wild and farmed seafood, this season was packed with big conversations. Tune in for reflections on seafood as a nutritious food source (not just a commodity), updates on favorite past guests, and plenty of oyster love along the way! Episode Transcript Episode Guide 00:05 SAGE’s Julie and Cameron and Crystal from Seaworthy continue the recap of five seasons of The...
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Season 1 Recap
The Conch podcast
We’re kicking things off with a special retrospective series—each episode will look back at a different season of the podcast, starting with the one that launched it all back in late 2021. In this first episode, Julie and Cameron from SAGE join Crystal from Seaworthy Experiences to revisit Season 1 and the big themes that shaped it, including: How racism fuels forced labor in seafood What’s changed since the pandemic Gen Z’s influence on the industry Plus, learn where some of our very first guests are now & hear more about 𝗜𝗡 𝗛𝗢𝗧 𝗪𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗥,...
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The Conch-Rachelle Hacmac
The Conch podcast
The world needs to know about the power of ✨𝗦𝗘𝗔 𝗩𝗘𝗚𝗘𝗧𝗔𝗕𝗟𝗘𝗦✨—how they’re regeneratively farmed, why they improve our coastal communities, and ways they shine as a culinary ingredient. 🌊🌿 In fact, there’s so much to unpack on this fascinating topic that we brought on seaweed advocate Rachelle Hacmac to The Conch podcast! Rachelle is one of the co-founders of Winter Waters, an amazing seaweed-centric regenerative seafare dining series that is leading this conversation in Oregon. So hear all about sea veggies—including 3...
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The Conch Podcast - Mary Parks
The Conch podcast
Have you heard of the GREEN CRAB, which is commonly known as the “world’s worst invasive species?” Harming ecosystems and other species, the green crab is bad news—which makes it a great species to eat! But how do you go about building a culinary market for an invasive species, especially given that many Americans don’t stray too far from seafoods like salmon, tuna, and shrimp? Here to tell us on Season 5, Episode 9 of The Conch podcast is Mary Parks, the amazing Executive Director of Greencrab.org. On a mission to spread awareness of its invasive impact, Mary’s taking...
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The Conch- Leslie Canavera
The Conch podcast
How can we use AI and Machine Learning to support Arctic fishing, shipping, and kelp mariculture—all of which are increasingly impacted by the climate crisis? Leslie Canavera, a Yup’ik Alaska Native and the CEO of PolArctic, is here to tell us on the latest episode of The Conch podcast! The PolArctic team developed the “first AI model of its kind to treat Indigenous Knowledge and Western science as equals, training with and validating both knowledge systems.” If you’re curious to hear how merging these two knowledge bases has helped strengthen the seafood industry in the...
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The Conch- Caroline Ferguson Irlanda
The Conch podcast
When does a rising tide NOT lift all boats? How does U.S. militarization affect the people of Palau and their seafood? And, in what ways do economic, racial, gender, and environmental justice issues intersect in the seafood sector? We’ve got some mighty BIG questions on the latest episode of The Conch, and THE person to answer them. On Season 5, Episode 7, Dr. Caroline Ferguson Irlanda shares her eye-opening insights and solutions to pressing challenges. A postdoctoral researcher at Stanford University and the host of Surf and Turf Podcast, Dr. Caroline and her podcast...
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The Conch- Mavis-Jay Sanders
The Conch podcast
In what ways do food and social justice intersect? How can we help formerly incarcerated youth develop culinary careers? And why is it so important to support independent Black farmers? Chef Mavis-Jay Sanders digs into all of this with us on Season 5, Episode 6 of The Conch podcast! A James Beard Award-Winning chef, culinarian, and storyteller, Chef Mavis-Jay has supported so many wonderful organizations and initiatives, from the Coalition for Sustainable Aquaculture to the Queer Food Foundation (which she helped found!). So join us for this episode where she shares her...
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The Conch- Kamille Harris and Jasmine Hardy
The Conch podcast
Whether you’re brand new to OYSTERS or have been obsessed for years, you’ll want to get to know Kamille Harris and Jasmine Hardy, the amazing gals behind @BlackGirlsNOysters! The Atlanta-based duo joins us on Season 5, Episode 5 of The Conch podcast to talk about the power of social media in spreading seafood positivity with the world, why representation matters, and their oyster eating tips. Episode Guide :00 Intro 01:46 The first taste of an oyster leads to an obsession. Introducing Jasmine Hardy and Kamille Harris, aka @blackgirlsnoysters on Instagram! 04:27 ...
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The Conch- Sarah Schumann
The Conch podcast
Imagine a thriving, climate-resilient fishing industry that’s fueled by renewable energy and led by people in boots—not suits. That’s the vision and reality that Sarah Schumann, Campaign Director of the Fishery Friendly Climate Action Campaign, is working so hard to create. As a fisher and climate activist, Sarah knows firsthand how climate change affects fisheries and the livelihoods of the people behind them, along with the feasible, scalable solutions needed. On Season 5, Episode 4 of The Conch podcast, we chat with her about everything from the multifaceted challenges of...
info_outlineIf Mother Teresa and Albert Einstein had a baby, they might have named it “Effective Altruism” —a beautiful combination of compassion and intellect that can also be applied to how we raise and catch seafood!
In this episode of The Conch podcast, we chat with Sophika Kostyniuk, the Managing Director of the Aquatic Life Institute, who, guided by the principles of effective altruism, works to reduce the suffering of aquatic animals in the global food system. In both fisheries and aquaculture, there’s a lot of work to be done to improve animal welfare and create an ethical, humane industry built on kindness and care.
CW: This episode contains descriptions of aquatic animal death.
Episode Guide
- :00 Intro
- 01:21 Started by a hedge fund trader, the Aquatic Life Institute (ALI) seeks to reduce the
- suffering of aquatic animals in the global food system, previously missing from broader animal rights discussions, by focusing on the highest-impact welfare interventions.
- 08:19 The ALI operates according to the principles of effective altruism, a philosophical approach using evidence and careful reasoning to prioritize efforts to do the most good with limited resources.
- 11:55 The ALI is a solutions broker dedicated to improving the lives of aquatic animals.
- 15:02 The ALI created five key welfare pillars for aquaculture based on the Five Freedoms approach.
- 20:44 Aquaculture standards can improve their animal welfare practices and here’s how.
- 25:29 Insect farming for aquaculture feed is a no for the ALI.
- 29:21 Animal welfare in wild capture fisheries is a newer, yet critically important, discussion.
- 34:11 Is the ALI advocating that we stop eating fish? (The short answer is no, but we must do better in terms of their welfare in life and ultimate dispatch.)
- 36:14 The octopus is the poster child for sentience. Five key reasons why we shouldn’t farm them.
- 41:05 Sophika describes her career path that led her to the ALI and, surprise, it wasn't linear!
- 45:03 Sophika’s advice to people thinking about joining the seafood industry: Be bold!
- 47:12 Sophika uplifts someone we all know!
Resources
- Read more about the Aquatic Life Institute’s mission and impact at ALI.org.
- Explore the report mentioned in the podcast about best practices for aquatic animal welfare in marine capture fisheries and resources about banning octopus farming.
- Recommend this episode to one person who is curious about the aquatic animal welfare movement.