Rising Tide: The Ocean Podcast

<p>On the latest episode of Rising Tide, hosts David Helvarg and Vicki Nichols-Goldstein sit down with Angelo Villagomez, Senior Ocean Fellow at the Center for American Progress in Washington D.C. — a man who has spent his career turning conviction into policy at the edges of the map.</p><p>A longtime activist and advocate for community and indigenous governance, Villagomez was a central force behind the establishment of the Mariana Trench National Marine Monument, doing the hard, unglamorous work of coalition-building from the ground up while based in Saipan, deep in the western Pacific.</p><p>The conversation turns, as it must, to the present dangers. The Trump administration has set its sights on the nation's marine monuments, thrown open the door to deep-sea mining with reckless enthusiasm, and pursued what can only be described as a vendetta against offshore wind — apparently terrified of a wind-spill — while greasing every available skid for oil and gas expansion. Meanwhile, the institutional backbone of American ocean science, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, is being quietly hollowed out from within.</p><p>But Villagomez and his hosts don't stop at the diagnosis. The episode maps a course forward — from protecting local waters to hitting the streets (signs reading "No Kings but king salmon" are apparently optional but encouraged), registering to vote, and casting ballots with the ocean in mind come November.</p><p>If information is a weapon for positive change, this conversation is live ammunition.</p><p><strong>Additional Resources</strong></p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://bluefront.org">Blue Frontier</a> / <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://davidhelvarg.substack.com/">Substack</a> — Building the solution-based citizen movement needed to protect our ocean, coasts and communities, both human and wild.</p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://inlandoceancoalition.org">Inland Ocean Coalition</a> — Building land-to-sea stewardship - the inland voice for ocean protection</p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://fluidstudios.org">Fluid Studios</a> — Thinking radically different about the collective good, our planet, &amp; the future.</p>

<p><strong>Breaking Barriers &amp; Pioneering Pursuits</strong></p><p>On the latest episode of Rising Tide, bodysurfer David Helvarg and board surfer Natasha Benjamin sit down with photographer, filmmaker, and journalist Sachi Cunningham — a woman who has spent more than two decades pointing her lens at the pioneers rewriting what's possible in big wave surfing.</p><p>Cunningham helped build the LA Times video team from the ground up, producing the award-winning Chasing the Swell series and documenting the historic first women's heats at Mavericks, the legendary big wave break that rises from the deep-water canyon just south of San Francisco. Now living within earshot of Ocean Beach, she's putting the finishing touches on her first major documentary, Big Wave Women — a film tracking the hard-won fight for pay equity among the elite athletes drawn, or perhaps driven, to ride some of the most dangerous walls of water on the planet.</p><p>The conversation ranges wide: the cameras she trusts in the impact zone, the technical and physical demands of shooting from inside the surf, and a recent piece she wrote examining the geology and marine ecosystems that make Mavericks not just a spectacle, but a living seascape. It's a session that goes well below the surface.</p><p><strong> Additional Resources </strong></p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://Seasachi.com">Seasachi.com</a> — Photographer and ocean swimmer Sachi Cunningham has spent two decades hurling herself into the savage, churning waters of Ocean Beach and Mavericks, camera strapped to her wrist, chasing the beauty buried inside the chaos — and emerging with images she hopes will make the rest of us remember that the sea doesn't just surround us, it lives inside us.</p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://bluefront.org">Blue Frontier</a> / <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://davidhelvarg.substack.com/">Substack</a> — Building the solution-based citizen movement needed to protect our ocean, coasts and communities, both human and wild.</p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://inlandoceancoalition.org">Inland Ocean Coalition</a> — Building land-to-sea stewardship - the inland voice for ocean protection</p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://fluidstudios.org">Fluid Studios</a> — Thinking radically different about the collective good, our planet, &amp; the future.</p>

<p>On the latest episode of *Rising Tide*, hosts David Helvarg and Vicki Nichols Goldstein sit down with Mark Benjamin and Katie Carpenter, co-directors of the powerful feature documentary Fatal Watch.</p><p></p><p>Fatal Watch exposes the darkest underbelly of the global fishing industry—the murder and suspicious deaths of dozens of onboard fisheries observers assigned by the tuna industry and others to document illegal activities aboard commercial fishing vessels. Through an examination of multiple cases, including video evidence of observers supposedly “lost at sea,” the film reveals the profound difficulty of holding anyone accountable.</p><p></p><p>Spanning the world’s waterfronts and open seas, Benjamin and Carpenter follow criminal investigators, industry critics, and the families left behind—people fighting through grief in pursuit of truth and justice.</p><p></p><p>Fatal Watch is now available for streaming on Apple TV, YouTube, and other platforms. After listening to this wide-ranging and revealing conversation, audiences will undoubtedly want to experience the film for themselves.</p><p> </p><p>** Additional Resources **</p><p></p><p><a href="https://www.fatalwatch.com/">Fatal Watch</a> weaves the stories of four marine observers and investigators exposing the true cost of overfishing. Combining exclusive footage with access to key investigations, the documentary shows how tuna has become a prized commodity, lives are sacrificed and marine observers are dying to tell the truth.</p><p></p><p><a href="https://brickcitytv.com/">Brick City TV</a> — Creating award-winning content for TV, film, and digital platforms. We partner with thought-leaders, organizations, and brands ready to stand up and say what they stand for.</p><p></p><p><a href="http://bluefront.org">Blue Frontier</a> / <a href="https://davidhelvarg.substack.com/">Substack</a> — Building the solution-based citizen movement needed to protect our ocean, coasts and communities, both human and wild.</p><p></p><p><a href="http://inlandoceancoalition.org">Inland Ocean Coalition</a> — Building land-to-sea stewardship - the inland voice for ocean protection</p><p></p><p><a href="http://fluidstudios.org">Fluid Studios</a> — Thinking radically different about the collective good, our planet, & the future.</p>

<p>On the latest episode of Rising Tide, hosts David Helvarg and Vicki Nichols Goldstein sit down with Erin Hudson, Director of the Seafood Watch program at the world-renowned Monterey Bay Aquarium.</p><p></p><p>With more than 15 years dedicated to advancing sustainable seafood, Hudson brings deep insight into how consumer choices ripple through ocean ecosystems and fishing communities. The conversation traces the origins of Seafood Watch’s iconic red, yellow, and green pocket guides—a simple, powerful tool that helps people understand which seafood choices are environmentally responsible, risky, or best avoided. To date, more than 65 million of these guides have been distributed worldwide.</p><p></p><p>The episode also explores Hudson’s collaborative work with the fishing industry and retailers, and why meaningful change can sometimes start with asking one clear, straightforward question.</p><p></p><p>It’s a smart, accessible, and surprisingly delicious listen—proof that informed choices can be good for both people and the planet.</p><p> </p><p>** Additional Resources **</p><p></p><p><a href="https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/">Monterey Bay Aquarium</a> — An aquarium unlike any other. From sea otters to seaweeds, our unique oceanfront location and timeless galleries bring the wonders of the ocean to life for our visitors. But beyond our exhibits, we are transforming what it means to be an aquarium. The mission of the Monterey Bay Aquarium is to inspire conservation of the ocean.</p><p></p><p><a href="http://bluefront.org">Blue Frontier</a> / <a href="https://davidhelvarg.substack.com/">Substack</a> — Building the solution-based citizen movement needed to protect our ocean, coasts and communities, both human and wild.</p><p></p><p><a href="http://inlandoceancoalition.org">Inland Ocean Coalition</a> — Building land-to-sea stewardship - the inland voice for ocean protection</p><p></p><p><a href="http://fluidstudios.org">Fluid Studios</a> — Thinking radically different about the collective good, our planet, & the future.</p>

<p>In the latest episode of Rising Tide: The Ocean Podcast, David Helvarg and Vicki Nichols Goldstein speak with former guests and good friends of the Ocean Philippe and Ashlan Cousteau. Philippe is the third generation of the legendary family of Jacques Cousteau and a founder of the youth group Earth Echo International. Ashlan is a former entertainment journalist who now reports on the doings of sea stars and influencers of climate. Together they’ve produced ocean documentaries for CNN, the Discovery Channel and others, written books including ‘Oceans for Dummies’ and now are engaged in an effort to protect Antarctica’s Southern Ocean. They are supporting the establishment of protected areas and opposing massive commercial krill fishing that threatens the sea life, including penguins and whales, that depend on these tiny crustaceans. They have also launched an Omega 3 algae-based supplement – SeaVoir - to provide a healthier alternative to krill (or fish) oil that they also discuss. So, a fascinating encounter with a dynamic ocean duo. Please do listen in. </p><p> </p><p>** Additional Resources **</p><p></p><p><a href="https://seavoir.com/pages/home">SeaVoir </a>— Building on the spirit of the Cousteau legacy of ocean exploration and conservation. With a passion for scaling solutions to the biggest problems facing our ocean, Ashlan and Philippe Cousteau are leading the way to a healthier future.</p><p></p><p><a href="http://bluefront.org">Blue Frontier</a> / <a href="https://davidhelvarg.substack.com/">Substack</a> — Building the solution-based citizen movement needed to protect our ocean, coasts and communities, both human and wild.</p><p></p><p><a href="http://inlandoceancoalition.org">Inland Ocean Coalition</a> — Building land-to-sea stewardship - the inland voice for ocean protection</p><p></p><p><a href="http://fluidstudios.org">Fluid Studios</a> — Thinking radically different about the collective good, our planet, & the future.</p>