The Conch podcast

Did you know that seafood is chock-full of nutrients that are critical to brain, heart, and overall health? While seafood is one of the most researched food sources in terms of nutritional benefits, much of this information wasn't communicated to consumers—until Seafood Nutrition Partnership came along. In the latest episode of The Conch podcast, we learn how one woman has made it her mission to make sure Americans eat seafood twice a week to support their health, the health of the seafood industry, and the health of fishers and coastal communities around the world.

Julie welcomes Linda Cornish, President of the Seafood Nutrition Partnership, a non-profit organization inspiring a healthier America through a balanced diet that includes seafood.

Episode Transcript

Episode Guide

• :00 Intro
• 01:54 Linda took a "gamble" and ended up in the seafood sector, launching the Seafood Nutrition Partnership, an organization that focuses on the nutritional benefits of seafood.
• 6:43 Seafood is one of the most studied nutrients by scientists, but you would never know it.
• 9:41 Do you know your omega-3 index (the measure of DHA and EPA levels in your blood)? It's easier to find out than you think.
• 12:22 The challenge of connecting science to consumers, when they really only want to know what's for dinner.
• 14:42 Fish sticks: yea or nay? The final word.
• 16:22 Got seafood? Developing a National Seafood Council and nationwide marketing campaign.
• 30:35 Linda shares tips to provide more opportunities for women and diverse people in the seafood industry.
• 35:50 Seafood industry take note: gender equality and empowering women is good for the bottom line.
• 43:49 Uplifting and amplifying the efforts of some of the Conch Podcast's former guests!

• Resources:

1. Learn more about Seafood Nutrition Partnership (SNP) on Instagram @seafood4health and on their website https://www.seafoodnutrition.org/.
2. Visit https://www.seafoodcampaign.org/ to join SNP's effort to fund a national seafood campaign and to learn more about the national seafood council.
3. Make sure to recommend this episode to anyone you think might care about the future of our ocean and women working in the sector.

The Conch Podcast series is a program of Seafood and Gender Equality (SAGE) and made possible by generous funding from The David and Lucile Packard Foundation. Audio production, engineering, editing, mixing, and sound design by Crystal Sanders-Alvarado & team at Seaworthy. Original music provided by Satan's Pilgrims.

Career paths can be diverse and winding. In the newest episode of the Conch Podcast, we hear how one woman's path led her to become a driving force for positive change in fisheries and fish farms through efforts to educate the sector about challenges and rallying a collaborative effort to address them.

Julie is joined by Stacy Schultz, Director of Marketing and Ssustainability Coordinator at Fortune Fish and Gourmet, and member and former chair of the Advisory Council of Sea Pact, a group of leading North American seafood companies dedicated to driving stewardship and continuous improvement of social, economic, and environmental responsibility throughout the global seafood supply chain.

Episode Transcript

Episode Guide

• :00 Intro
• 01:25 Animal necropsies at Disney World? Stacy's winding and diverse career path.
• 9:53 For a time, Stacy led a double life.
• 13:21 Fortune Fish and Gourmet offers a unique training program about seafood.
• 16:10 A big hurdle in the life of a seafood marketer.
• 21:33 Five things seafood buyers have to balance when sourcing seafood.
• 27:00 Sea Pact: a collaboration of ten seafood distributors collectively making a difference in global seafood production.
• 30:00 A case to support women in fisheries.
• 34:22 Tips for the seafood industry on how to build an inclusive and equitable sector.
• 39:25 Advice to women in the industry (It might involve traveling with Julie to Spain!!)
• 41:16 Stepping out of the seafood industry to uplift an incredible woman, Chloe Cho!

Resources:

1. Learn more about Stacy's work at Fortune Fish and Gourmet at https://www.fortunefishco.net/ and on their Instagram @fortunefishgourmet
2. More information about Sea Pact and their collective efforts to drive change throughout the global seafood supply chain at http://www.seapact.org/
3. Be sure to recommend this episode to anyone you think might care about the future of our ocean and women working in the sector.

The Conch Podcast series is a program of Seafood and Gender Equality (SAGE) and made possible by generous funding from The David and Lucile Packard Foundation. Audio production, engineering, editing, mixing, and sound design by Crystal Sanders-Alvarado for Seaworthy. Original music provided by Satan's Pilgrims.

The aquaculture industry lacks diversity in leadership. Starting in the summer of 2020, the industry made sweeping commitments to DEI in response to the reckoning created by Black Lives Matter in the U.S. and abroad. However, many of these commitments are exercises in box-checking, as we have yet to see action and tangible change. In the newest episode of the Conch Podcast, we learn how one woman is contributing to a future for this important industry by supporting women of color in aquaculture to get what they need to thrive on their own terms.

Julie is joined by Imani Black, founder and CEO of Minorities in Aquaculture (MIA), student, and oyster farmer, representing a long legacy of watermen in her family, dating back to the 1800s.

Episode Transcript

• :00 Intro
• 01:47 Where are the people of color in leadership in aquaculture? This question led Imani to start Minorities in Aquaculture, or MIA for short.
• 5:07 Advice for starting a nonprofit: Passion for a cause is key, but ultimately not sustainable. (Another piece of advice: Google is your friend!)
• 10:17 Tips to stay organized (Hint: Prioritize the things that make you you!)
• 14:45 Aquaculture is the future.
• 17:03 MIA supports women of color in aquaculture to give them what they need—on their own terms.
• 19:02 Aquaculture is facing a labor shortage. With Imani's support, MIA members will be prepared to step into these roles and positively impact the industry.
• 21:24 The universe has big plans for Imani and MIA, and racism, ageism, and misogyny have no place here.
• 24:23 Ask yourself, are your spaces promoting diversity and inclusion and not just checking a box?
• 31:51 MIA is building a future to benefit us all.
• 34:43 How can you support Imani, MIA, and aquaculture's bright future for women of color?

1. Learn more about Imani and how to support Minorities in Aquaculture (MIA) on Instagram and on her website Minorities in Aquaculture.
2. Several great people and efforts got a shoutout on this episode. Here's where to find them: Black in Marine Science, Gardner Douglas - the Oyster Ninja, and the Aquademia Podcast.
3. Make sure to recommend this episode to anyone you think might care about the future of our ocean and women working in the sector.

How will we sustainably and equitably feed a growing planet? Coastal land grabs, climate change, and a lack of access to decision making about communal ocean resources are key challenges to answering this question. In the newest episode of the Conch Podcast, we learn how one woman is driving the charge to educate about these issues, bring everyone to the decision making table, and ensure that everyone understands that "hope is in the water." Julie is joined by Jennifer Bushman, award-winning chef, Chief Marketing Officer at Kvarøy Arctic (a third-generation family-owned salmon farm in Norway), aquaculture expert, and founder of Fed by Blue–a new effort to provide visionaries, thought leaders, ocean lovers, activists, early-adopters, foodies, and consumers with the knowledge and materials to protect and participate in a responsible blue food system.

Episode Transcript

Episode Guide

• :00 Intro
• 02:29 Jennifer's career path started with a love for two fish: a gorgeous rainbow trout caught in a creek in Colorado as a child and a salmon that she knew could be raised in a sustainable and responsible way.
• 4:15 18,000 tiny tastes: Jennifer goes from cookbook author and host of her own cooking show to driving interest in a new salmon brand through grocery store demos and live television appearances.
• 9:38 Reconciling ocean protection with ocean production is critical to ensure that access to the ocean—a communal resource—remains for everyone.
• 14:58 Policy and regulatory frameworks must reflect that coastal land ownership is a responsibility and a privilege.
• 20:34 Through communication and collaboration with fishers and fish farmers, we can create a chain of well-being and ensure that everyone has a seat at the table of the future of food.
• 26:55 Three things the U.S. can learn from the controversial experience of developing off-shore aquaculture in Canada.
• 33:47 Get yourself a sea pantry and you'll help save the planet.
• 41:11 Hope is in the water: Fed by Blue—Jennifer's new initiative to communicate and counteract harmful narratives about blue foods (Did you catch the shade about farmed salmon in the Leonardo DiCaprio movie, Don't Look Up?).
• 52:55 Note to the seafood industry: to be more inclusive, hire the person, not the resume.
• 58:56 Uplifting and amplifying a past winner of Kvarøy Arctic's Women in Aquaculture Scholarship!

A career path in the seafood industry is often circuitous. In the newest episode of the Conch Podcast, we learn how one woman's passion and appreciation for oysters led her to an enduring career with a fish farm, where her lack of experience in the seafood industry has been one of her biggest strengths.

Julie is joined by Julie Qiu, an international oyster expert, educator, and founder of In a Half Shell, an oyster appreciation website. She is also the Marketing Director of Australis Aquaculture, a leading producer of ocean farmed barramundi that is marketed as The Better Fish brand.

Episode Transcript

Episode Guide

• :00 Intro
• 01:36 The glamorous life of an international oyster sommelier
• 4:00 Shanghai → Indiana → NYC: Julie's circuitous route to oyster stardom
• 10:13 A hurdle Julie encountered on her journey to document oyster culture
• 14:57 Ready to get bivalve curious? Three key things we should know when ordering oysters
• 20:14 Julie's side hustle as an oyster sommelier leads to an exciting career as the Marketing Director of a fish farm (ocean raised barramundi - a delicious white fish!)
• 28:16 Career challenge: How do you stand out as a white fish where the entire white fish category is seen as a commodity?
• 35:07 Marketing advice for the aquaculture industry (current messaging isn't cutting it)
• 41:37 Keeping us in the dark: Are seafood companies actually doing anything to increase diversity and inclusion?
• 43:37 Memo to the seafood industry: Prioritizing the sustainability of the workforce and diversifying leadership correlates to better financial outperformance
• 47:40 Why you might want to listen to your mother
• 49:53 Who inspires Julie Qiu?

Resources:

1. Learn more about Julie and global oyster culture on Instagram @inahalfshellblog and on her website In a Half Shell.
2. Make sure to recommend this episode to anyone you know who loves oysters and cares about the future of our oceans.

The Conch Podcast series is a program of Seafood and Gender Equality (SAGE) and made possible by generous funding from The David and Lucile Packard Foundation. Audio production, engineering, editing, mixing, and sound design by Crystal Sanders-Alvarado for Seaworthy. Original music provided by Satan's Pilgrims.

How does the seafood industry benefit from injustices happening in the sector? How can we address these injustices so that everyone can benefit? In this double episode of the Conch Podcast, we learn how one person is challenging their privilege through self reflection and illuminating the roots of injustice—racism, classism, and colonialism—in the sector.

Julie is joined by Crystal Sanders-Alvarado, a fisheries scientist, the audio engineer for the Conch Podcast, and the Founder and Captain of Seaworthy, a socio-environmental equity building organization rooted in radical scholarship.

Episode Transcript

Episode Guide

• :00 Intro to Part One of our conversation
• 03:00 Wearing a lot of hats, Crystal has worked for years in both the seafood and the music industries.
• 5:02 Crystal's love of fishing and the ocean stems from time with her grandfather in a small, coastal fishing town in Texas.
• 8:06 Academia isn't just about reading and tests; it can also be about learning skills like how to camp and drive a boat.
• 9:52 A day in the life of a fisheries scientist in the Gulf of Mexico.
• 11:08 Crystal is obsessed with otoliths (ear bones in fish).
• 12:23 Add "attending the Shrimporee in Aransas Pass, Texas" to your bucket list!
• 13:38 As a fisheries scientist working for the government, Crystal had to earn the trust of fishermen. To do that, she put down her scale and went fishing.
• 18:12 A desire to better help struggling fishing communities and a love for music leads Crystal to pack her bags and move to the Bay Area.
• 21:21 Crystal's company, Seaworthy, melds her love of the ocean, fish, and music, designing immersive experiences using the creative mediums of sound and food.
• 26:46 None of us are free until we're all free, just as Black women have been saying for centuries.

Resources:

1. Part Two (Episode 10) of our conversation with Crystal 2. Learn more about Crystal's company, Seaworthy, on their website: Seaworthyexperiences.com 3.Make sure to recommend this episode to anyone that needs to care about the future of our ocean and women working in the sector.

The Conch Podcast series is a program of Seafood and Gender Equality (SAGE) and made possible by generous funding from The David and Lucile Packard Foundation. Audio production, engineering, editing, mixing, and sound design by Crystal Sanders-Alvarado for Seaworthy. Original music provided by Satan's Pilgrims.

How does the seafood industry benefit from injustices happening in the sector? How can we address these injustices so that everyone can benefit? In this double episode of the Conch Podcast, we learn how one person is challenging their privilege through self reflection and illuminating the roots of injustice—racism, classism, and colonialism—in the sector. Julie is joined by Crystal Sanders-Alvarado, a fisheries scientist, the audio engineer for the Conch Podcast, and the Founder and Captain of Seaworthy, a socio-environmental equity building organization rooted in radical scholarship. Episode Transcript

Episode Guide

• :00 Intro to Part 2 of our conversation
• :35 What's next for Seaworthy?
• 02:42 Crystal shares the top challenges facing the seafood industry today (and, no, they can't be solved in isolation).
• 7:34 Equity, equality, and justice are terms that are often conflated. Crystal walks us through the nuances of these words and their definitions.
• 9:34 The root cause of forced labor in seafood production is racism, yet very little effort* goes into addressing racism in seafood (*if any)
• 13:43 Wanting to improve the industry by dismantling oppressive systems comes from a place of love and the hope of more for everyone.
• 16:54 Asking "What is water:" A call to action for the seafood industry to improve equality, equity, and justice.
• 24:34 Does a rising tide lift all boats?
• 25:54 Ask yourself: how are you creating inclusive spaces to welcome leaders who do not look like you into your companies?
• 26:37 It's time to amplify some voices!
• 29:09 Why Crystal stays in the seafood industry and a final word about otoliths.

Resources:

1. Part One (Episode 9) of our conversation with Crystal
2. Learn more about Crystal's company, Seaworthy, on their website: Seaworthyexperiences.com
3. Make sure to recommend this episode to anyone who you think might care about the future of our ocean and women working in the sector.

The Conch Podcast series is a program of Seafood and Gender Equality (SAGE) and made possible by generous funding from The David and Lucile Packard Foundation. Audio production, engineering, editing, mixing, and sound design by Crystal Sanders-Alvarado for Seaworthy. Original music provided by Satan's Pilgrims.

The seafood industry has a communications problem. Communications and marketing are seen as afterthoughts and sometimes outright dismissed. This dismissal perpetuates gender inequality as women hold the majority of communications and marketing roles in the seafood industry. In the newest episode of the Conch Podcast, we learn how one woman is pushing seafood communication to the forefront and ushering in a new era where women communicators are valued and recognized. Julie is joined by Emily De Sousa, a fisheries scientist, science communicator, and founder of Seaside with Emily, an online education platform that teaches the world about healthy oceans, sustainable seafood, and culinary adventures focused on the rise of pescatourism. Episode Transcript

Episode Guide

• :00 Intro
• 02:58 Seafood has always been part of Emily's personal and family identity, playing a fundamental role in her life as a Portuguese-Canadian and her career communicating the science behind sustainable seafood
• 11:36 Emily's entrepreneurial journey is influenced by her parents, her fear of a 9-5 desk job, and a necessity to be independent
• 19:27 The seafood industry has a communications problem
• 26:04 What resonates with the seafood consumer?
• 28:52 Emily represents a new generation of seafood consumers and communicators. How has her age contributed to her success? (P.S. it's not all about dancing on TikTok!)
• 34:54 Entrepreneurship can be a lonely effort made less so with the support of mentors
• 39:02 The seafood industry needs fresh perspectives and the Conch Podcast showcases the breadth and depth of career opportunities in the industry
• 41:44 The lack of support for marketing and communications in the seafood industry perpetuates gender inequality in the sector
• 45:28 Emily's sage advice for women considering a career in seafood
• 49:33 Uplifting and amplifying a fresh voice in STEM communications!

Resources:

1. Learn more about Emily and sustainable seafood on Instagram @seasidewithemily and on her website Seaside with Emily. Find McKenzie, another great voice advancing science communication, on Instagram @_mckensea
2. Book mentioned in the podcast: Secrets of the Sprakkar: Iceland's Extraordinary Women and How They Are Changing the World by Eliza Reid, the first lady of Iceland and, like Emily, an Ottawan!
3. Make sure to recommend this episode to anyone you think might care about the future of our ocean and women working in the sector.

The Conch Podcast series is a program of Seafood and Gender Equality (SAGE) and made possible by generous funding from The David and Lucile Packard Foundation. Audio production, engineering, editing, mixing, and sound design by Crystal Sanders-Alvarado for Seaworthy. Original music provided by Satan's Pilgrims.

What's the connection between marine science and white supremacy? Academia is a system that allows abuse to thrive and Black women in marine science lack support systems to help them navigate the significant barriers they encounter. In the newest episode of the Conch Podcast, we learn how one woman has created a community of support, mentorship, and advocacy for Black women in science and academia and is determined to disrupt the system by creating a new narrative and structure.

Julie is joined by Dr. Nikki Traylor-Knowles, an Assistant Professor in Marine Biology and Ecology at the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences and Founder & Director of Black Women in Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Science (BWEEMS), a non-profit founded to help combat the isolation and abuse in STEM against Black women.

Episode Transcript

Episode Guide

• :00 Intro
• 02:06 BIG discoveries about corals are happening at the Traylor-Knowles Cnidarian Immunity Laboratory!
• 04:55 Dr. Nikki's lab researches coral's immune response to pollution and disease
• 06:32 Running a lab requires wearing a lot of hats and managing and mentoring people is a big part of it
• 09:18 Coral reefs, as foundational tropical systems, are critical for small scale and local fisheries and, unfortunately, their situation globally is pretty dire
• 13:17 While documenting the challenges and changes to coral reefs, people must remember what scientists are trying to save and why
• 15:18 It all started with a Tweet: the genesis of Black Women in Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Science (BWEEMS)
• 17:10 BWEEMS is building a community of support and mentorship for Black women in science and academia to change white supremacy culture
• 24:28 While there are a lot of great things about academia, it is a racist system, built on the backs of Black people, Indigenous people, and women, and a place where abuse can thrive
• 25:46 Dr. Nikki's biggest challenge in running a lab and as the founder of BWEEMS
• 32:01 Four ways you can support BWEEMS' efforts
• 36:31 Do you have a personal mission statement? Here's your homework!
• 38:04 Why Dr. Nikki believes that outsiders are the source of progress, discovery, and innovation
• 42:15 Lessons learned: how to address the tension of flourishing within a system that you are simultaneously trying to dismantle
• 48:27 Dr. Nikki uplifts the women instrumental in the development of BWEEMS

Resources:

1. Check out @official_BWEEMS on Instagram and bweems.org to learn more about their efforts to rewrite the narrative and drive innovation in marine science. You can also visit cnidimmunitylab.com for more information on how Dr. Nikki's lab is working to understand the immune health of coral reef systems.
2. Make sure to recommend this episode to anyone who you think might care about the future of our ocean and women working in the sector.

The Conch Podcast series is a program of Seafood and Gender Equality (SAGE) and made possible by generous funding from The David and Lucile Packard Foundation. Audio production, engineering, editing, mixing, and sound design by Crystal Sanders-Alvarado for Seaworthy. Original music provided by Satan's Pilgrims

The queen conch (Strombus gigas) is a culinary staple and key protein source for people all over the Caribbean. Unfortunately, their historic abundance has been affected by overfishing and climate change. In the newest episode of the Conch Podcast, we learn how one woman is galvanizing collaborations and advancing science to save this iconic species through restoration and conch farming—one farm at a time.

Julie is joined by Dr. Megan Davis, a conch farmer and Research Professor of Aquaculture and Stock Enhancement at the Florida Atlantic University, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Her mission is to establish a conch farm in every country in the Caribbean in collaboration with the fishermen and communities that depend on this incredible animal for subsistence and livelihoods.

Episode Transcript

Episode Guide

• :00 Intro
• 01:07 Why this podcast is named after the iconic shellfish, the conch
• 03:00 The Queen Conch Lab's grand vision is to have a conch farm in every Caribbean country to grow this culturally iconic species and keystone vegan herbivore!
• 4:54 While the conch's shell is a natural fortress, they have some predators
• 6:19 Conch have been overfished and are susceptible to the effects of climate change; Also, ever wonder about how the conch reproduce? Megan shares how!
• 9:46 The Queen Conch Lab grows conch to release back into the wild to restore their population. The young conch lead a pretty pampered life.
• 12:14 Conch and oysters, both shellfish and molluscs, are similarly farmed, however what happens after metamorphosis is where they differ (bivalves filter feed and conch graze on seagrass, like manatees!)
• 15:15 Building trust with local communities and conch fishermen in the Caribbean is key to achieving the Queen Conch Lab's grand vision
• 20:53 Who eats conch and what is their importance to local food security?
• 24:52 Best kept secret: CONCH CAN GROW BEAUTIFUL PINK PEARLS!
• 29:59 Megan's journey as a conch farmer and scientist started with meeting her first conch at the age of 16 and has lead her to become adept at plumbing - a requirement of the job
• 37:20 Does being a woman make working with fishing communities easier?
• 40:46 Megan's 3 pieces of advice for women in seafood and STEM

• Resources:

1. Check out @queenconchlab on Instagram and conchaquaculture.org to learn more than you would have ever dreamed about conch aquaculture for restoration and conservation.
2. Make sure to recommend this episode to anyone you think might care about the future of our ocean and women working in the sector.

The Conch Podcast series is a program of Seafood and Gender Equality (SAGE) and made possible by generous funding from The David and Lucile Packard Foundation. Audio production, engineering, editing, mixing, and sound design by Crystal Sanders-Alvarado for Seaworthy. Original music provided by Satan's Pilgrims.