Waterside Chat

Marine Fish Conservation Network
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The Marine Fish Conservation Network's Waterside Chat series connects people who depend on healthy oceans and fisheries with the issues that directly affect them and their communities. Each episode, the Network's Deputy Director Tom Sadler talks with different guests about ocean policy and fisheries management topics. He engages them in genuine and thoughtful conversations about what policy decisions mean for people’s livelihoods, communities, recreation and coastal ways of life.

  1. 14h ago

    Fish & Forced Labor: Waterside Chat with The Outlaw Ocean Project

    Maya Martin and Susan Ryan of The Outlaw Ocean Project joined the Marine Fish Conservation Network for a Waterside Chat on October 29, 2026. The Project has recently published a serious of deep dives into the dark side of the fishing industry around the world, including wage-slavery and terrible environmental practices. More about The Outlaw Ocean Project: https://theoutlawocean.com/

  2. Oct 24

    Menhaden and More: Chris Moore & Will Poston of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation

    Chris Moore and Will Poston of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation joined host Tom Sadler and the Marine Fish Conservation Network for a Waterside Chat on September 30, 2026. They focused on the importance of menhaden (a small forage fish) to bay ecosystems and why we need to act now to make sure they — and the whole bay — can thrive.  Among other topics, they covered: Why menhaden (a small forage fish) are so important to Chesapeake Bay ecosystemsHow menhaden have been fished through history, ending with a single large industrial processor in the bay todayHow industrial menhaden boats can scoop up massive numbers of menhaden at a timeHow Virginia’s regulatory scheme for menhaden in the bay complicated management in the pastWhy our measurements of the amount of menhaden in the bay now lag years behind actual conditionWhat needs to be done to preserve menhaden and increase the productivity of the entire bay ecosystem, and why it’s so urgent to take action nowAnd of course, much much more! Watch the video for the whole story. You can also visit the CBF website or read past articles about menhaden from the Network’s blog. About Waterside Chat The Marine Fish Conservation Network’s Waterside Chat series connects people who depend on healthy oceans and fisheries with the issues that directly affect them and their communities. Each episode the Network’s CEO Tom Sadler talks with different guests about ocean policy and fisheries management topics. He engages them in genuine and thoughtful conversations about what policy decisions mean for people’s livelihoods, communities, recreation, and coastal ways of life. Join the Network’s email list to learn about future Chats. You can also watch past Chats and subscribe to the podcast on the Network’s website.

  3. Jul 27

    The Law as Sword and Shield: Waterside Chat with NRDC's Molly Masterton

    Molly Masterton joined the Network and host Tom Sadler for an online Waterside Chat on July 14, 2026. Molly is a senior attorney at the Natural Resources Defense Council, where she works to promote sustainable fisheries management and the application of ecosystem-based management tools to ocean resources in the U.S. and abroad. In a wide-ranging conversation, Molly and Tom talked about: Molly’s work as a “senior harried environmental lawyer” working on “the most interesting wildlife ecosystems” in the world: fisheries.Why fisheries management is a data-hungry and science-hungry processHow the Magnuson Stevens Act has evolved from its roots (stopping foreign fishing off U.S. shores) to broadly managing America’s wild fisheries for the long termWhy working waterfronts and workforce development for small-boat commercial fishermen are conservation issues tooAnd of course, much much more! Referenced in the Chat: Molly’s recent blog postKen Hinman’s recent postAbout Waterside Chats: Watch more Waterside Chats or subscribe to the podcast. The Marine Fish Conservation Network’s Waterside Chat series connects people who depend on healthy oceans and fisheries with the issues that directly affect them and their communities. Each episode the Network’s CEO Tom Sadler talks with different guests about ocean policy and fisheries management topics. He engages them in genuine and thoughtful conversations about what policy decisions mean for people’s livelihoods, communities, recreation, and coastal ways of life. Join the Network’s email list to learn about future Waterside Chats.

  4. Jun 18

    Where Science Meets Policy: Waterside Chat with Meredith Moore

    Meredith Moore joined host Tom Sadler for a fascinating MFCN Waterside Chat on May 27, 2026. Meredith is director of the Fish Conservation Program at The Ocean Conservancy, where she combines a science background and a desire to find pragmatic solutions that work for people and for the environment. Some highlights from the conversation: Why the magic of working in fisheries is that instead of saying “no”, it’s “yes, with some boundaries”.The tension involved in the relationship between fishermen and scientists, since fishermen are experts in finding exactly where the fish are and catching as many as possible, while science is trying to find exactly how many fish there actually are.Why the Magnuson Stevens Act is fundamentally optimistic, since it looks at a wild ecosystem and saying “we can get this right.”How if we can get the balance right, the MSA can help us live somewhat gently on top of the ecosystem but still benefit from it. Fisheries are the only large-scale wild ecosystem we have a food source!Why the current council system may not be perfect, but it gives a voice to people who are invested in the industry.And as always, much much more! About Waterside Chat The Marine Fish Conservation Network’s Waterside Chat series connects people who depend on healthy oceans and fisheries with the issues that directly affect them and their communities. Each episode the Network’s CEO Tom Sadler talks with different guests about ocean policy and fisheries management topics. He engages them in genuine and thoughtful conversations about what policy decisions mean for people’s livelihoods, communities, recreation, and coastal ways of life. Join the Network’s email list to learn about future Chats. You can also watch past Chats and subscribe to the podcast on the Network’s website.

  5. Apr 27

    "The Ocean Called to Us as Kids" - A Waterside Chat with Theresa Labriola of Wild Oceans

    Theresa Labriola of Wild Oceans joined the Network for a Waterside Chat with the Marine Fish Conservation Network on April 6, 2026.  In a wide-ranging discussion, Theresa and host Tom Sadler talked about: How Theresa grew up fishing for striped bass and tuna from her family boat off Rhode IslandHer new role as president of Wild Oceans, an organization originally founded by recreational fishermen who saw the effects of overfishing in Northeastern U.S. watersWhy healthy fisheries doin’t exist in isolation — they’re part of a larger ecosystem affected by our actionsWhy we have an obligation to treat this resource with respect and to steward it for future generationsWhy the Magnuson Stevens Act is one of the most important marine resources laws ever put in place, why it drives innovation, and how updates over the years since its passage have made it strongerThe power of the Marine Fish Conservation Network to bring together diverse stakeholders, from commercial and recreational fishermen to chefs and scientists, and why the decision to create it gets validated over and overAnd of course, much more! Watch the video for the full experience. Look for more Waterside Chats in the months to come, and be sure to check out our recent conversation with sustainable fishmonger Lyf Gildersleeve. About Waterside Chat The Marine Fish Conservation Network’s Waterside Chat series connects people who depend on healthy oceans and fisheries with the issues that directly affect them and their communities. Each episode the Network’s CEO Tom Sadler talks with different guests about ocean policy and fisheries management topics. He engages them in genuine and thoughtful conversations about what policy decisions mean for people’s livelihoods, communities, recreation, and coastal ways of life. Join the Network’s email list to learn about future Chats. You can also watch past Chats and subscribe to the podcast on the Network’s website.

  6. Apr 6

    Waterside Chat with Sustainable Fishmonger Lyf Gildersleeve

    Lyf Gildersleeve joined the Network for an online Waterside Chat with host Tom Sadler on March 10, 2026. Lyf is a second-generation fish monger who actively promotes and protects sustainable use of our seafood resources. He owns Flying Fish Company, a retail fish market, meat market, and oyster bar in Portland, Oregon and its nonprofit arm, Sustainable Fishmonger. Among many topics, Lyf and Tom talked about: How cooking classes help bring people closer to their food so they can make better choices in the futureWhy it’s so important to move beyond the “big four” seafood species that dominate American tablesHow the regulatory framework created by the Magnuson Stevens Act creates an evolving framework that adds stability to coastal communitiesA new Monterrey Bay Aquarium program for restaurants that lets them put a label on menus for specific dishes made only with sustainable and environmentally responsible ingredients — which encourages customers to ask other restaurants about THEIR ingredientsWhy fishmongers feel such a connection to the sea, and why they’re the perfect messengers to educate chefs (and ultimately the public) about sustainable, local seafood optionsAnd of course, much much more!  About Waterside Chat The Marine Fish Conservation Network’s Waterside Chat series connects people who depend on healthy oceans and fisheries with the issues that directly affect them and their communities. Each episode the Network’s Deputy Director Tom Sadler talks with different guests about ocean policy and fisheries management topics. He engages them in genuine and thoughtful conversations about what policy decisions mean for people’s livelihoods, communities, recreation, and coastal ways of life. Join the Network’s email list to learn about future Chats. You can also watch past Chats and subscribe to the podcast on the Network’s website.

  7. Feb 4

    Waterside Chat with Jamie Workman

    Jamie Workman joined host and Marine Fish Conservation Network Executive Director Tom Sadler for an online Waterside Chat on January 8, 2026. Jamie is an author, advocate and communicator whose work has focused on water and our relationship with it. His books include Heart of Dryness and the new Sea Change: Unlikely Allies and a Success Story of Oceanic Proportions. In a wide-ranging discussion, Jamie and Tom talked about: How Jamie’s reporting helped stop a Disney theme park because there wasn’t enough water availableHow catch-share systems make fishing safer and encourage long-term stewardshipWhy such rights-based approaches to fisheries can build trust and confidence among people who would otherwise be fighting with each other, providing a model that can work in many places where people compete for scarce, depletable resourcesHow scientists, advocates and fishermen can move from an adversarial to a symbiotic, collaborative relationshipAnd of course, much more! ABOUT WATERSIDE CHATS: Watch Waterside Chat videos or subscribe to the podcast. The Marine Fish Conservation Network’s Waterside Chat series connects people who depend on healthy oceans and fisheries with the issues that directly affect them and their communities. Each episode the Network’s Deputy Director Tom Sadler talks with different guests about ocean policy and fisheries management topics. He engages them in genuine and thoughtful conversations about what policy decisions mean for people’s livelihoods, communities, recreation, and coastal ways of life. Join the Network's email list to learn about future Waterside Chats.

  8. 03/24/2025

    Salmon, Logging, Mining & More: Waterside Chat with Tim Bristol of SalmonState

    Tim Bristol joined host Tom Sadler and the Marine Fish Conservation Network for an online Waterside Chat on March 4, 2025. Tim is SalmonState’s executive director, and he has had a long career in environment conservation, having worked for Trout Unlimited in Alaska, the Alaska Coalition, the Southeast Alaska Conservation Council, and the Save Our Wild Salmon Coalition. He is a recipient of the Alaska Conservation Foundation’s Olas Murie Award for outstanding professional contributions to conservation. Tim and Waterside Chat host Tom Sadler talked about Tim’s conservation journey, his work with SalmonState, the campaigns SalmonState has going on, and what the next few years with a new congress and administration may entail. They covered: Why fishing with his father — and a childhood close to infamous Superfund site Love Canal — directed Tim towards conservationHow recognition of the recreational value of forests helps us move away from logging-first and towards a mix of uses, including tourism, water quality, Native Alaskan subsistence AND loggingHow SalmonState, as a group of communicators, connectors and conveners, brings together abroad swath of communities, salmon markters, indigenous communities, commercial fishermen and moreThe importance of illustrating stories in a way that’s evocative — “The showing rather than telling is critical”Why bycatch is a massive threat to Alaska salmon, and why restraining it is not an easy problem to solveThe importance of the Tongass, America’s “salmon forest”, whose economic value for fishing far outstrips the value that would be realized from logging or road-buildingUpdates on mining activity that threatens Alaska salmon runs, including new uncertainty under the current administrationAnd of course, much much more! ABOUT WATERSIDE CHATS: Watch Waterside Chat videos or subscribe to the podcast. The Marine Fish Conservation Network’s Waterside Chat series connects people who depend on healthy oceans and fisheries with the issues that directly affect them and their communities. Each episode the Network’s Deputy Director Tom Sadler talks with different guests about ocean policy and fisheries management topics. He engages them in genuine and thoughtful conversations about what policy decisions mean for people’s livelihoods, communities, recreation, and coastal ways of life. Join the Network's email list to learn about future Waterside Chats.

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About

The Marine Fish Conservation Network's Waterside Chat series connects people who depend on healthy oceans and fisheries with the issues that directly affect them and their communities. Each episode, the Network's Deputy Director Tom Sadler talks with different guests about ocean policy and fisheries management topics. He engages them in genuine and thoughtful conversations about what policy decisions mean for people’s livelihoods, communities, recreation and coastal ways of life.

Information

  • Creator
    Marine Fish Conservation Network
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    32
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Marine Fish Conservation Network
  • Show Website
    Waterside Chat