EPISODES

Ep 44. Jenny Jefferies - Breaking the Food Chain

Ep 43. Hans Unkles - The Fishermen Who Went Electric

Hans Unkles, a fisherman from Tayvallich in the Mull of Kintyre, shares his journey from boat builder to fisherman, and the challenges he faced in creating the world's first electric-powered commercial fishing boat, which he continues to operate today.

Ep 42. Dave Mackay - Unintended Consequences: Cod, Seals, and the North Sea Ecosystem

In this episode, fishery scientist Dave Mackay discusses how North Sea management struggles to balance cod stocks, seals, and the broader marine ecosystem. He also challenges assumptions about sustainable fishing methods and seal diets.

Ep 41. Iain Harcus & Dr. Jón Kristjánsson - The Haddock Crisis

In this episode we welcome back Fisheries Scientist Dr. Jon Kristjansson and Orkney fisherman Iain Harcus. Iain discusses haddock issues on the fishing grounds, while Jón explains the urgent need for scientists to understand fish starvation to tackle this growing crisis.

Ep 40. Ian Fletcher - Scallop Hunting in Scotland

In this episode, we meet Ian Fletcher, a scallop fisherman with 46 years of experience on Scotland's west coast. Ian shares how fishermen are hunters at the mercy of nature and discusses the careful management that keeps the Scottish scallop fishery sustainable for the future.

Ep 39. Professor Baukje de Roos - University of Aberdeen - Seafood Nutrition

In this episode, Professor Baukje De Roos from the Rowett Institute at the University of Aberdeen discusses the health benefits of fresh, local seafood. Learn how it can lower the risk of cardiovascular disease and provide essential vitamin D when sunlight is scarce.

Ep 38. Donna Fordyce - Chief Executive of Seafood from Scotland

Ep 37. Elspeth Macdonald, CEO of the Scottish Fishermen's Federation

Elspeth Macdonald, CEO of the Scottish Fishermen's Federation, discusses the benefits of having a dynamic team of in-house scientists to safeguard from the misinformation generated by environmental organisations.

Ep 36. Paul Gildroy - Running Whitby’s Renowned Magpie Cafe

Paul Gildroy is the head chef at the iconic Magpie Cafe in Whitby. In this episode Paul discusses the importance of supporting UK fishermen by sourcing locally landed fish, and he explains why Whitby’s annual Fish and Ships Festival is so important for the local community.

Ep 35. Angus MacPhail (Skipinnish) - The present day Highland Clearances

Angus MacPhail is a founding member of Skipinnish, the powerhouse of contemporary Scottish music, and you can enjoy two of his most iconic tunes at the beginning and end of this episode. With a background in commercial fishing, Angus claims Scotland is experiencing a present-day Highland Clearances.

Ep 34. Kenneth MacNab - Revealing the dark side of environmental groups

Kenneth MacNab MBE is the current Chairman of the Clyde Fishermen's Association and of the Clyde Fishermen's Trust. In this episode Kenneth discusses the misguided aims of environmental campaign groups, explaining their goals for a ban on all mobile fishing gear

Ep 33. Emma Plotnek and David Stevens - Fishing into the Future

Emma Plotnek is Executive Director and David Stevens is Chairman of Fishing into the Future, an organisation which claims to “Chart a Course Towards Sustainable Fisheries.” Emma and David discuss their unique learning experiences and shared participation events, explaining how Fishing into the Future serves as an effective bridge between the fishing industry, scientists and fisheries managers.

Ep 32. Mike Warner - A Passion for Seafood

Mike Warner is an artisan fishmonger from Suffolk who owns and operates “A Passion For Seafood.” In this episode Mike voices concerns about the impact on our fish stocks and traditional fishing grounds, from the effects of offshore energy platforms, marine dredging, gravel extraction and silt dumping.

Ep 31. Adrian Bartlett - Ecomotus

Adrian Bartlett is Head of Marine Operations at Ecomotus who manufacture the EcoPro hydrogen electrolyzer. In this episode we learn how this compact device can help fishing boats cut costs by creating higher thermal efficiency, increased torque and improved fuel economy. And by reducing CO2 emissions the EcoPro provides cleaner air quality for the crew and lower annual maintenance costs.

30. Mike Park OBE - SWFPA #02

Mike Park OBE is Chief Executive Officer of the Scottish White Fish Producers Association representing 260 individual vessels and 1400 fishermen. In this episode Mike explains how certain NGOs distort facts, sue governments, and attack the marketplace, attempting to stop the public from buying certain species of seafood, warning that their false misinformation and lies might eventually destroy the UK fishing industry.

29. John Goodlad - The Salt Roads

This episode sees the return of John Goodlad, a friend of the show from Shetland, sharing stories from his best-selling book - The Salt Roads. John tells the extraordinary story of how for more than two hundred years the salt fish industry has fueled the economy of Shetland.

28. Kara Brydson

With over 20 years of experience in the UK fishing industry Kara Brydson is the Executive Director of fisheries Innovation and Sustainability based in Pitlochry in Central Scotland. In this episode Kara discusses how modern fishing technologies are being used to secure a more stable future for both fishermen and the environment.

27. Alan Addison

Alan Addison skippers the Venture IV which fishes out of Kinlochbervie and Scrabster. In this episode, we discuss the controversial fishing practices of foreign owned boats landing in the UK, and Alan highlights how they willfully damage the seabed and accurate stock assessment.

Exploring the complexities of quota regulations, Alan suggests a new approach which he believes might reduce the growing frustration in the way our government handles quota management and the activities of foreign owned boats in UK waters.

26. Stelios Theocharous

Stelios Theocharous is the owner of Ceres, a batter supply company which supplies and advises the UK frying and restaurant trades, and he also hosts and produces the “Ceres Podcast” which regularly appears in the top 100 Food podcasts in the UK charts.

Having forged close relationships with Chefs, Food Producers, Growers, Hoteliers, Suppliers and Restaurateurs, in this episode we discuss why increasing numbers of UK fryers are cooking imported foreign-caught frozen fish, rather than using fresh fish landed by UK boats.

25. Nathalie Steins

Since 2016 Nathalie Steins has been a senior researcher and project leader at Wageningen Marine Research in Holland, and Chair of the ICES Human Dimension Steering Group. In this discussion, Nathalie shares her opinions on how Brexit has affected quota negotiations, and she highlights the importance of closer relationships between scientists and fishermen.

24. John Goodlad

John Goodlad was chief executive officer of the Shetland Fishermen’s Association and the Shetland Fish Producers Organisation, chairman of Fishing Innovation and Sustainability, and a board member of the North Atlantic Fisheries College. In this discussion, John explains how he farmed organic salmon, pioneered annual fish quota allocations, and established community-owned fish quotas.

23. Mike Park - SWFPA

Mike Park is Chief Executive Officer of the Scottish White Fish Producers Association, the largest fishing association in Europe, and he advises international fisheries scientists and policymakers during annual quota negotiations. In this episode, Mike discusses his goals for achieving harmonious accord between the environment, consumers, and fishermen.

22. Kevin Dalgleish - Amuse Restaurant

This episode features Kevin Dalgleish, chef and patron of Aberdeen's "Amuse by Kevin Dalgleish," and representative of the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts, who was classically trained by the legendary Anton Edelman at The London Savoy.

21. Mihir Pershad - Umami Meats [Bioworks]

In this episode, Ashley engages with Mihir Pershad, the founder and CEO of Umami Meats [bioworks], a “not caught seafood” startup based in Singapore. This discussion comes only days after Italy's Agriculture Minister, Francesco Lollobrigida, banned cellular-grown meats.

20. Dr. Mark Dickey-Collas

In this installment we explore fisheries management and stock assessment with Dr. Mark Dickey-Collas, the Chair of the ICES advisory committee. Shedding light on how quotas are calculated, Mark explains how seasonality is factored into the science of stock assessment, and why unreported and unregulated catches “are not” accounted for in the realm of fisheries science.

19. Dr. Michel Kaiser

Professor Michel Kaiser is a Fisheries Conservation expert working in the Lyell Centre at Scotland’s Heriot-Watt University. With a notable tenure at the Marine Stewardship Council and academic excellence in marine conservation, he focuses his research on achieving sustainable marine resources.

18. John Manson

Our latest podcast episode delves into the fascinating life of John Manson, a Scrabster local with a remarkable 23-year tenure as a member of the Thurso lifeboat crew. John recently sat down for an interview with Jim, reliving his memories from the island of Stroma.

17. Roberta Muir

Roberta holds a Master of Arts degree in Gastronomy from the University of Adelaide, and she managed the Sydney Seafood School, Australia's largest recreational cooking school, for more than 20 years.

16. Franz Scheurer

Franz Scheurer is a professional Photographer and Musician living in Australia, and he is renowned for being an encyclopedia of food and drink knowledge. In this episode, Jim and Franz discuss everything from capturing food on film to whisky-matching with fish.

15. Dr. Joe Redfern

As a marine biologist, pro diver, underwater explorer, and environmental activist, Joe Redfern discusses his forthcoming peer-reviewed paper about the 2021 crab mortalities along the English coastline.

14. Alistair Blair

In 1999, Alistair Blair founded the first online fishmonger, "The Fish Society." Today, the company has delivered over 1 million seafood meals nationwide with next-day delivery. Jim and Alistair discuss the changes they’ve experienced over the last 25 years and the secrets to the sustained success of The Fish Society.

13. Dr. Robert Elwood

Do crustaceans feel pain? In this episode, Jim and Ashley Cowie speak with Dr. Robert Elwood, an Emeritus Professor of Animal Behaviour at Queen's University, Belfast, who has published several papers about sentience in crustaceans.

12. Andy Read

Since 1913, the UK and Ireland's fishing industries have benefited from the successful trade publication Fishing News, which is edited by Andy Read

11. Peter Bruce and Dr. Jón Kristjánsson

Peter Bruce is a successful Scottish skipper, and in this episode he chats with Jón Kristjánsson, a fisheries scientist from Iceland.

10. Dr. Ray Hilborn

Ray Hilborn is a marine biologist and fisheries scientist who currently works as a professor of aquatic and fishery science at the University of Washington.

9. Dr. Richard Newton

Richard Newton is a professor of philosophy who works as a research fellow in the Institute of Aquaculture at the University of Stirling.

8. Andrew Mallison

Founder of FishThink.com, Andrew Mallison was CEO of the Global Aquaculture Alliance, the only world-wide association for the aquaculture industry.

7. Adrian Bartlett

Adrian Bartlett is a crab fisherman who opened the nationwide pop-up restaurant “Crab-Stock & 2 Smoking Lobsters,” and currently teaches shellfish prep and cooking at Cornwall college.

6. Professor Michele Stanley

Professor Michele Stanley is the Associate Director for Science, Enterprise and Innovation at the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS).

5. Ian McAndrew

Ian McAndrew is a best selling author and the former owner of the Blackaddie Country House Hotel who has been awarded 9 Michelin Stars. 

4. Jimmy Buchan

Having lived in Peterhead all his life, Jimmy Buchan from Amity Fish Company and BBC’s “Trawlermen” documentary series knows a thing or two about fish.

3. Jak O’Donnell

Jak O'Donnell was the chef patron of “The Sisters restaurants” in Glasgow and she hosts the host of “Scottish Chefs Podcast”.

2. Dr. Jón Kristjánsson 2/2

Jón Kristjánsson is a renowned independent Icelandic fisheries scientist with his own research and alternative opinions regarding fish stock management and quota allocation methodologies.

1. Dr. Jón Kristjánsson 1/2

Jón Kristjánsson is a renowned Icelandic fisheries scientist with his own research and alternative opinions regarding fish stock management and quota allocation methodologies.