The Healthy Seas Podcast

How Eco-Schools Slovenia, AquafilSLO, and Healthy Seas are helping students turn sustainability into action Circular economy can seem like an abstract concept, but in the classroom it becomes tangible through creativity, problem-solving, and hands-on learning. In the latest Healthy Seas Podcast episode, Lucija Marovt, Project Director of Eco-Schools Slovenia, discusses how students learn about cir...

Before forests, before animals, before humans there was plankton. In this episode of the Healthy Seas Podcast, we speak with ocean advocate and author Vincent Doumeizel, whose upcoming book The Power of Plankton explores one of the most overlooked yet fundamental components of life on our planet. Plankton is often described as the “invisible” part of the ocean. But as Vincent reminds us, it is not...

🌊 Ghost Farms Don’t Appear Overnight They don’t start as pollution—they start as decisions. 🛠️ In this episode, we explore how abandoned fish farms become marine litter—and why the real issue begins long before cleanup. From governance gaps to ESG, it’s a story about responsibility across the full lifecycle of aquaculture. ♻️ 🎧 Listen to learn:  • When a “ghost farm” really begins  • Why plannin...

When we think about cleaning the ocean, we often imagine divers removing ghost nets or volunteers collecting plastic from the shore. But beneath the surface, nature has its own recycling systems. In this episode of our Ocean’s Natural Cleaning Crew series, we turn to one of the most overlooked and most underestimated marine animals: the sea cucumber. Joining us is Prof Annie Mercier, Department of...

In this episode of our “Ocean’s Natural Cleaning Crew” series, marine scientist Erik Wurz reveals how sponges filter water, recycle nutrients, and quietly sustain marine life Most of us think of ocean protection in terms of visible action: removing nets, collecting waste, monitoring habitats. But beneath the surface, nature has its own clean-up teams: organisms that filter water, recycle nutrients...

When Nature Has a Number on the Balance Sheet How the financial world is starting to recognize the value of ecosystems services In this episode of the Healthy Seas Podcast , we sit down with Dr. Ralph Chami — financial economist, former Assistant Director at the International Monetary Fund, and Co-Founder of Blue Green Future — to explore one of the most powerful shifts underway: integrating the v...

How sustainability reporting, biodiversity, and NGO partnerships can shape the next wave of corporate responsibility. In this new episode of the Healthy Seas Podcast , we explore what lies beyond ESG compliance — and how companies can turn sustainability reporting into real environmental impact. Our guests Elena Cicoria and Giuseppe Cais from Diligea , a Benefit Corporation specializing in ESG con...

Two marine scientists, one shipwreck, and a mission to uncover the hidden impacts of ghost nets. Beyond Cleanups: A New Kind of Mission In this episode of the Healthy Seas Podcast, we take you inside a groundbreaking project that combines our cleanup work with long-term scientific research . Together with our partner DWS, Healthy Seas is investigating how ghost nets affect biodiversity on shipwrec...

One Stroke at a Time: A Journey of Purpose and Resilience In our first episode after a long pause, the Healthy Seas Podcast dives back in with a guest who embodies everything we stand for—passion, action, and deep connection to the sea. Andy Donaldson is not just the first person to complete the Ocean’s Seven in a single year—he’s a man on a mission. In this honest and inspiring conversation, Andy...

Join us as we dive into the depths to explore the challenges and solutions shaping the future of our seas. Hosted by Crystal DiMiceli, each episode features conversations with the people making waves in marine protection: divers, scientists, educators, business partners, and local communities. Healthy Seas is a unique alliance of NGOs and businesses working together to tackle marine litter, especi...

In this latest episode of the Healthy Seas podcast, we dive into the revolutionary world of eDNA with Nicole Yeomans, the Offshore Industrials Lead and marine ecology expert at NatureMetrics . With a powerful commitment to making biodiversity measurable, NatureMetrics uses environmental DNA (eDNA) to reveal previously unseen insights into marine ecosystems. Now a finalist for the prestigious Earth...

Ioakeim Diamantidis is the General Manager of Diopas, a family-run business based in Greece. For generations, Diopas has been a leader in producing fishing, aquaculture, and sport nets. Now, under the leadership of Ioakeim, the company is pushing the boundaries of innovation in the fishing industry. One of the standout achievements discussed in the episode is Diopas' pioneering development of...

In our latest episode of the Healthy Seas Podcast, we explored an innovative approach to education that’s not just about learning—it’s about living and interacting with the world around us. Our guest, Dr. Aristea Kyriakou, founder of the European Outdoor Education Hub, shares fascinating insights on how outdoor education can transform not only how students learn but also how they connect with thei...

Edd Stockdale is the Coordinator of the Finnish Scientific Diving Academy at the Tvärminne Zoological Station, University of Helsinki. Edd shares his expertise on scientific diving, a specialized field that merges diving skills with scientific research, particularly in marine biology and archaeology. Understanding Scientific Diving Scientific diving is a unique discipline that requires rigorous tr...

Dr. Anna von Rebay is the founder and CEO of Ocean Vision Legal (OVL), the first law firm worldwide entirely specializing in Ocean Protection.  OVL focuses on the enforcement of existing obligations to protect the marine environment (Ocean Litigation) and advocates for new laws to provide better protection standards for the Ocean (Ocean Rights). Understanding Ocean Litigation Ocean litigation is a...

We're diving into the murky waters of ghost farms with Veronika Mikos, the director of Healthy Seas. Ghost farms, a relatively unknown, but significant, threat to marine ecosystems and coastal communities, are the focus of this insightful conversation. Veronika guides us through the intricacies of what ghost farms are, where they are typically found, and their impact on communities, marine li...

Naude Dreyer is the co-founder of Ocean Conservation Namibia (OCN), a non-profit organization established in 2020 with a mission to rescue marine life, especially seals, entangled in plastic pollution and raise awareness about the devastating impact of this waste on our oceans. Through Naude's firsthand accounts, listeners gain insight into the heartbreaking reality of seals becoming ensnared...

Emily Owen is the Marine Program Director at WildAid, an organization at the forefront of marine protection efforts. With their recent Earthshot Prize win, WildAid is setting the bar high for global conservation initiatives.  In this conversation, Emily delves into one of WildAid’s specialties- the enforcement of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). Highlighting the varied types of MPAs, from offshore s...

Dive into the depths of marine litter detection with Manuel Arias, an earth observation scientist at the Instituto de Ciencias del Mar in Spain in this episode of the Healthy Seas Podcast. As specialists in cleaning the seas and combating marine pollution, the Healthy Seas Foundation brings you an insightful conversation with Arias, who delves into the innovative technologies driving the detection...

In this special episode of the "Healthy Seas Podcast," we celebrate a decade of the organization's impactful work in marine conservation. Featuring guests Veronica Mikos, Director of Healthy Seas, and Maria Giovanna Sandrini from Aquafil, the episode delves into the unique partnership between a marine conservation group and a synthetic fiber producer. They reflect on the organizatio...

The world's first octopus farm is on the cusp of being greenlighted, however, not without a global outcry. Today's guest, Dr. Elena Lara, is with the organization, Compassion in World Farming. She talks about what makes these animals so incredible- from their ability to solve problems to their uncanny talent for camouflage despite being colorblind! We explore the ethical and environmenta...

When it comes to supporting ocean clean-up efforts, oftentimes organizations are asked to report on the weight of everything they pulled out of the water. Seemingly, the higher the number, the more valuable the effort was. However, this is a flawed, and potentially dangerous, practice. For example, an almost weightless gill net could entangle and kill countless more animals than a heavy trawler ne...

What do you get when you combine environmental and historical conservation? The latest Healthy Seas project! In this episode, Pascal Van Erp from Healthy Seas and Ghost Diving , and Mario Arena from the Society for the Documentation of Submerged Sites (SDSS) , share about their recent, exciting, eight-day expedition off Italy's Lampedusa Island. The area was the site of World War II's Ba...

Sharks have survived five global mass extinctions yet, now, many of their species are endangered due to human activities and myths. Cristina Zenato works to reverse this. She is an ocean and cave explorer, shark behaviorist and expert, dive instructor, speaker, writer, and conservationist. She has helped to change the perception of sharks through the close encounters she has with these animals. Th...

The Divers Alert Network Europe, otherwise known as DAN Europe, was created 40 years ago to protect divers. However, it started to realize that the divers' playground, the ocean, also needed protection. To that end, they created the Sustainability Tour, led by Alana Alvarez and Manuel Bustelo. The two of them are traveling across Europe and its surrounding areas in an electric Hyundai Kona, c...