Natural Justice Podcast

In this episode, we explore how aquaculture can better leverage data, AI, and emerging technologies to improve decision-making across the sector. From farm management and production efficiency to traceability and sustainability, we discuss how smarter data systems could reshape the future of seafood production. Joined by Tony Chen from Mandolin, we unpack both the opportunities and the challenges...

In this episode, Eva van Heukelom speak with Matt Craze from Spheric Research about the growing role of AI and innovation in the salmon aquaculture industry. From optimising feed and monitoring fish health to improving transparency and operational decision-making, AI-driven tools are rapidly reshaping how salmon is farmed. We explore where these technologies are delivering real value, where the li...

Part II of Eva's conversation with Actea's Jordan Miller and Trond Kristiansen dives into one of the most pressing questions for the future of aquaculture: how climate change is already reshaping farming conditions, and what that means for long-term investment decisions. Aquaculture depends entirely on environmental stability, yet ocean and freshwater systems are changing rapidly. Rising w...

In this episode of the Ocean Intelligence series, we speak with Trond (Norway) and Jordan (US) from Actea about how predictive modeling, data, and AI are transforming fisheries management in the face of climate change. Instead of reacting to shifting fish stocks, extreme weather, and environmental uncertainty, Actea’s technology helps fisheries anticipate changes and make more proactive, informed...

What does “more technology” actually mean for fishers? In this Ocean Intelligence reflection episode, Eva sits down with fisherman Joe Letourneau to unpack the realities behind increasing tech use in fisheries. From upfront costs to unclear returns, they discuss whether digital tools are delivering value in practice. The conversation also dives into a key challenge: how fisheries data sharing is c...

In this episode of Ocean Intelligence, we speak with Paul Woods, co-founder and Chief Innovation Officer at Global Fishing Watch, about how technology is transforming our understanding of what happens at sea. While much attention has been given to vessel tracking transparency in fisheries, this conversation goes further. We explore how satellite data, AIS, and AI are used not only to monitor fishi...

In this episode of Ocean Intelligence, Eva van Heukelom (Natural Justice) speak with Jimmy Freese from AI Fish about how electronic monitoring (EM) and artificial intelligence are changing the way fisheries data is collected and verified. From estimating catch weight and size to identifying bycatch and interactions with endangered species, these technologies offer new tools to strengthen fisheries...

Electronic monitoring is transforming how fisheries are managed. Cameras installed on fishing vessels, combined with artificial intelligence, are creating unprecedented opportunities to improve transparency, compliance, and fisheries science. In this episode of Ocean Intelligence, a podcast series by Natural Justice, we speak with Josh Wiersma from Integrated Monitoring about the rapid evolution o...

In this episode, Eva van Heukelom talks to Samantha Robb, a South African lawyer specialising in deep-sea mining, to dive into one of the most pressing questions for our planet’s future: should we start mining the ocean floor before we understand it? We unpack what deep-sea mining actually is, how it’s governed under international law, and why scientists and lawyers alike are warning against rushi...

Who owns the ocean — and the tuna that swim in it? In this episode of Talking to My Fellow Fish Lawyer, Eva and international law of the sea expert Erik van Doorn discuss how the concept of the common heritage of mankind could fit within modern fisheries governance. They explore how the Law of the Sea shapes access to marine resources, why tuna fisheries sit at the crossroads of national sovereign...

Join us for a personal conversation between two women working in the seafood sector as they reflect on their journeys – from early-career challenges to gaining experience and looking ahead to the future. This lighthearted chat offers insights into building a career in seafood, navigating opportunities, and finding your path in a global industry shaped by oceans, sustainability, and collaboration....

🌍 Learn more about our work: www.naturaljustice.nl📬 Stay in the loop – subscribe to our newsletter: https://natural-justice.kit.com/signup In this episode of Fish People, we look at the fisheries sector through the eyes of a fisher. From daily challenges to new opportunities offered by responsible fisheries and Electronic Monitoring (EM), this conversation reveals how fishers are navigating chan...

🌍 Learn more about our work: www.naturaljustice.nl📬 Stay in the loop – subscribe to our newsletter: https://natural-justice.kit.com/signup In Part II of my conversation with tuna expert Marcelo Hidalgo, we dive into one of the biggest questions in fisheries management: Can one size really fit all in responsible fisheries? From observer programmes and their challenges to the tension between globa...

Dive deep into the world of tuna fisheries with Marcelo Hidalgo, an Ecuadorian tuna expert with over 30 years of experience in global seafood industries. In this insightful interview, Marcelo shares expert knowledge about tuna fishing practices, challenges, and sustainability efforts across the globe—from Ecuador’s rich Pacific waters to Papua New Guinea’s tuna fleets. Whether you’re passionate ab...

Why do we ask people to risk their lives for ocean protection, and then fail to protect them in return? In this episode of Fish People, Eva van Heukelom speaks with Henrique Ramos—a former fisheries observer who now runs a consultancy deploying observers to Portuguese-flagged vessels 🇵🇹. Together, they reflect on the vital role of observers in exposing illegal fishing and safeguarding our ocean re...

In this episode of Fish People, we dive into the practical challenges of achieving transparency in global fisheries, whether it's about data, vessel ownership, or subsidies. Together with Daniel Skerritt, we unpack what meaningful data sharing looks like in practice, and why the word “transparency” can sometimes cloud more than it clarifies. We explore the growing role of civil society in uncoveri...

What’s it like to be the one checking whether a vessel is really playing by the rules? In this episode of Fish People, Eva van Heukelom sits down with Donald Wellington of the Kenyan Fisheries Service. From tense port inspections to long days at sea, Donald shares what it takes to enforce fisheries law on the front lines. We talk risk, pride, and the drive to protect coastal communities and marine...

In this second part of our episode with David Dietz, we talk about what it’s like to work within government fisheries management, where things can move slowly, and where priorities don’t always align with what feels most urgent on the ground. Further we talk about why we are very unlikely to ever leave this sector. Not because it’s easy, but because we believe it matters.🎣 Subscribe to our newsle...

In this episode of  Fish People , David Dietz from the Responsible Fishing Vessel Scheme joins Eva van Heukelom to talk about the complex role of social audits in fisheries. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution for social compliance in this sector. Many stakeholders disagree on whether social audits should play any role at all. But the reality is: they do. That’s why it’s important to listen to t...

In this episode of  Fish People , Eva van Heukelom speaks with Widad Natify about Morocco’s national fisheries monitoring system. From real-time surveillance to inter-agency cooperation, Widad offers a rare look into how Morocco tracks and enforces fisheries activity along its extensive coastline. What does it take to monitor compliance across hundreds of vessels and remote areas — and how has the...

In this episode of Fish People, lawyer Pieter van Welzen joins us to discuss state responsibility in the context of hidden vessel ownership. When vessels operate under flags of convenience and true ownership remains obscured, who is accountable for illegal fishing, or environmental harm? We explore legal principles, state duties under international law, and practical solutions to improved ownershi...

Why do we stay in a sector that continues to get a bad rep? In this episode of  Fish People , we talk about our deep love for the fisheries sector - what drew us in and why we are never leaving. From Alaska’s icy docks to policy rooms and advocacy battles, we share unfiltered stories, lessons learned, and the purpose that keeps us going. 🎣 Subscribe to our newsletter for updates, events & mor...