WEBINAR: From Big Ag to Big Aquaculture, Finding Overlooked Stories
Join FFJN and the North American Marine Alliance in a webinar about how to approach aquaculture stories and how to bridge the gap between land-based and sea-based food systems.
Factory-farmed seafood is the fastest-growing source of seafood worldwide, and right now in the U.S., the aquaculture industry is promoting farmed fish as a sustainable alternative to wild-caught seafood. But that framing buries direct links between this form of food production and land-based industrial farming, including impacts on ecosystems, local economies, and communities. In this FFJN webinar, join Feini Yin and James Mitchell from the North American Marine Alliance, along with Laura Lee Cascada from the Aquaculture Accountability Project, to explore how to report on aquaculture.
We’ll unpack industrial aquaculture operations and examine less visible impacts on coastal communities and wild fisheries. You’ll also learn how to explore underreported angles, how to engage with affected communities, and how to report with a critical lens, so you can evaluate industry bluewashing and incorporate these approaches into your own reporting.
Date: Friday, June 12
Time: 1:00 p.m. ET
This session is open to all interested journalists and storytellers.
Meet the speakers
Feini Yin (they/them) is Communications Director at the North American Marine Alliance and a former NYT science reporter. Feini will give an overview of the U.S. aquaculture landscape, including the risks of industrial aquaculture, key corporate players, and parallels with industrial agriculture. They’ll share recent research on problems like feed, disease, and pollution, while also sharing bright examples of values-based aquaculture rooted in community, local food systems, and ecological responsibility. Lastly, they’ll share tips with reporters about critical questions to ask, and what journalists can look out for when evaluating aquaculture operations and claims.
James Mitchell (he/him) is Legislative Director at the North American Marine Alliance, leading legislative work for the Don’t Cage Our Oceans campaign. James will discuss current aquaculture legislation before U.S. Congress, such as the MARA Act and the Keep Finfish Free Act. He will also provide a brief background on the key federal agencies involved in the aquaculture space in U.S. federal waters, along with prior executive actions and judicial decisions – and share quick tips on how to track policy developments, interpret legislation, and identify story angles.
Laura Lee Cascada (she/her) is Founder and Director of the Aquaculture Accountability Project as well as an environmental advocate and investigative researcher. She will discuss the latest report from the Aquaculture Accountability Project and Farm Forward, “The Myths of ‘Sustainable’ Aquaculture.” The report exposes five major myths, arguing that industrial fish farming is not a sustainable alternative to wild-caught fishing and instead intensifies pressure on wild fish, spreads disease, drives pollution and climate impacts, and relies on “greenwashing” labels to mask harm.