Ocean Collaborations

#32 Arthur Tuda: Blue collaborative leadership in Western Indian Ocean Governance

Arthur is Executive Director of the https://www.wiomsa.org/Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA) [https://www.wiomsa.org/] and brings more than two decades of experience in marine conservation and marine protected area management. If you work in ocean conservation, marine policy, philanthropy, impact, or the blue economy, you probably know this feeling: there is no shortage of ambition. More targets. More declarations. More conferences. More language about transformation. And yet the hardest questions remain: * Who is actually managing marine protected areas? * How do we move from protection on paper to protection in practice? * And what kind of leadership does this moment really require? These are exactly the questions that make this Ocean Collaborations episode with Arthur Tuda [https://www.linkedin.com/in/arthur-tuda-435544b/] https://www.linkedin.com/in/arthur-tuda-435544b/worth your time. What makes this conversation so compelling is that it is not abstract. It is rooted in the reality of governing ocean systems in a region where collaboration is essential, resources are stretched, and communities depend directly on the sea. One of the clearest insights from the episode is this: declaring protected areas is the easy part. Managing them well is the hard part. That distinction matters. A marine protected area (MPA) is not successful because it exists on a map. It matters when it is funded, staffed, enforced, understood locally, and supported by institutions that can hold the work over time. Otherwise, it risks becoming what many practitioners know too well: a paper park. Arthur also brings a refreshingly honest view on innovation. Yes, technology helps. Better data, AI, and surveillance tools can improve efficiency. But technology does not build trust with fishing communities, mentor young practitioners, or translate science into policy through human relationships. In his words, ocean protection still depends on people. That is where Blue Leadership comes in. Thanks for reading and listening to Ocean Collaborations! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. In this episode, leadership is not about status or title. It is about building the capacity to work between science and policy, communities and institutions, ambition and implementation. It is about training people, retaining them, and reforming the organizations they work in. One especially powerful idea that emerges in the conversation is the vision for a future ‘Blue Academy’ in the Western Indian Ocean: a place where practitioners could learn in and from real marine protected areas, exchange knowledge across countries, and strengthen the leadership needed to make conservation actually work. That idea alone should make you curious. Because this episode is not just about the challenges of Blue Leadership. It is about a bigger possibility: what if ocean collaboration had a real home where people could practice it, not just talk about it? If you are frustrated by slow change, interested in marine protected areas beyond the headlines, or looking for grounded and inspiring examples of collaborative ocean governance, this conversation is for you. Listen for the hard truths.Listen for the leadership challenge.And listen for the ‘Blue Academy’ idea that could shape what comes next. See you at the Our Ocean Conference in Mombasa soon! Are you there and want to talk further ideas? Drop me an email and let’s talk to co-create ocean collaboration (like the Blue Academy) together: info@janmaisenbacher.com I am in Kenya from 12 to 27 June. Don’t hesitate to join the subscriber chat here on Substack where Jan shares his insights and learnings from his first trip to Africa (or ping Jan to follow the live posts on Telegram). And of course don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on Substack, Spotify or Apple Podcast. Arthur Tuda on LInkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arthur-tuda-435544b/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/arthur-tuda-435544b/] Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA): [https://www.wiomsa.org/] https://www.wiomsa.org/ [https://www.wiomsa.org/] 11th Our Ocean Conference in Kenya: [https://ouroceankenya.com/]https://ouroceankenya.com/ [https://ouroceankenya.com/] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit janmaisenbacher.substack.com [https://janmaisenbacher.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

#31 Dennis Fritsch: Re+Valuing Blue Natural Capital Initiative

Dennis Fritsch from Oceano Azul Foundation [https://oceanoazulfoundation.org/] talks with host Jan Maisenbacher about the recently launched longterm initiative ‘Re+Valuing Blue Natural Capital’ of the London School of Economics and Oceano Azul Foundation. Because the real systemic challenge is how our world counts value. Our current economic system rewards “extraction” - taking things out of nature until it breaks. A dead fish at a market has a price, but a living fish keeping the sea healthy is worth zero in our books. This makes protecting the ocean look like a “cost” instead of the most important investment we could ever make. To fix this, the new ‘Re+Valuing Blue Natural Capital’ initiative is a bold team-up between the London School of Economics and the Oceano Azul Foundation. Listen in to learn more how they are collaborating together to: * Create a roadmap to make the ocean’s health visible in the laws and financial rules that run our world. * Launch a two-year “intellectual compass” that will start “speedboat” projects to show how these new ideas work in the real world. Dennis also shared his honest take on the Blue Economy and Finance Forum in Monaco he will be visiting again soon for the second edition. While he was glad to see world leaders attending, he is worried about the “elephant in the room”. Listen to the episode and learn more about their “elephant and speedboat” reflections. Thanks for reading and listening! Subscribe for free on Substack to receive new ocean collaboration podcasts episode via email This episode is for impatient ocean change-makers who want learn to move past simple awareness and start finding examples of real, actionable solutions for ocean regeneration. This talk is an invitation to join a diverse community of ‘experts’. ‘Experts of all shades’ who aren’t afraid of big questions and visionary longterm transformation dreams. To maybe crack the toughest nut of ocean collaboration for the next generation: our economic paradigm. Dennis Fritsch on LinkedIN: [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-dennis-fritsch-52909511b/]https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-dennis-fritsch-52909511b [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-dennis-fritsch-52909511b/]Oceano Azul Foundation: * Web: https://oceanoazulfoundation.org/ [https://oceanoazulfoundation.org/] * Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/oceano-azul-foundation [https://www.linkedin.com/company/oceano-azul-foundation/posts/?feedView=all] * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oceanoazulfoundation/ [https://www.instagram.com/oceanoazulfoundation/] * Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/oceanoazulfoundation [https://www.facebook.com/oceanoazulfoundation] * Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCojAEyOe5duzVXrprx8_vWw [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCojAEyOe5duzVXrprx8_vWw] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit janmaisenbacher.substack.com [https://janmaisenbacher.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

#30 王松林 Songlin Wang: 🇨🇳 Ocean Collaborations

The Missing Link: Can We Save the Ocean Without China? We all feel the urgency, but let’s be honest: are we just talking to ourselves? As ocean collaboration change agents, we often treat China like a “blackbox” - too big to ignore, yet too complex to reach. If you’ve feel isolated in your efforts to scale impact this episode is your “energizer”. We’re crossing the bridge to meet Songlin Wang, an “ocean-dadpreneur” who has spent 20 years building trust where others only saw walls. Thanks for reading! This post is public so feel free to share it. Songlin’s story is a masterclass in why “how” we collaborate matters more than “what” we fund. He shares the raw reality of starting the Qingdao Marine Conservation Society while raising a toddler, proving that true change starts with personal courage. Here is what we discovered: * The Bird that Stopped the Bulldozers: How do you stop a superpower from reclaiming 60% of its wetlands? Songlin reveals how his team used tiny migratory birds as “indicators” to speak a language the government couldn’t ignore, leading to a historic national ban in 2018. * Beyond the Blame Game: We keep hearing about the “fishing dilemma,” but what if the industry and NGOs actually shared a mission? Songlin explains why blaming one fleet fails and how building a “mycelium” of trust between scientists and fishers is the only way to tackle illegal fishing. * The Dadpreneur’s Secret: From commuting between Qingdao and Hong Kong to dreaming of a family trip to the Galapagos, Songlin shows us that balancing professional ambition with family life is the ultimate training for a change agent. Are you ready to move past the geopolitical noise and see the real people driving the blue economy from the inside? This isn’t just another interview; it’s a rare look at the hidden networks of collaboration already woven into the water. Let’s stop talking about “different” oceans and start working for the one that connects us all. Listen now to hear how we can build a regenerative ocean future, together. You like this episode? You know other ‘ocean collaboration bubble breakers’ that move the needle beyond blue-blue-bla-bla and dare to go in the edgy inbetween spaces? Don’t hesitate to message info@janmaisenbacher.com to get in touch if! 王松林 Songlin Wang on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%E6%9D%BE%E6%9E%97-%E7%8E%8B-360ab1a8/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/%E6%9D%BE%E6%9E%97-%E7%8E%8B-360ab1a8/] Linklist Stories for coastal wetland conservation: https://www.paulsoninstitute.org/conservation/wetlands-conservation/blueprint-of-coastal-wetland-conservation-and-management-in-china/ [https://www.paulsoninstitute.org/conservation/wetlands-conservation/blueprint-of-coastal-wetland-conservation-and-management-in-china/] https://dialogue.earth/en/ocean/12251-tiaozini-wetlands-world-heritage-site-conservation/ [https://dialogue.earth/en/ocean/12251-tiaozini-wetlands-world-heritage-site-conservation/] Here are some of Qingdao Marine Conservation Society projects and our thinkings: https://www.oceanoutcomes.org/news/national-fisheries-institute-O2-CAPPMA-O2-launch-crab-seafood-project-china/ [https://www.oceanoutcomes.org/news/national-fisheries-institute-O2-CAPPMA-O2-launch-crab-seafood-project-china/] https://www.oceanoutcomes.org/news/conservation-china-eelgrass-pew-yellow-sea-small-scale-fishing/ [https://www.oceanoutcomes.org/news/conservation-china-eelgrass-pew-yellow-sea-small-scale-fishing/] https://impact.economist.com/ocean/biodiversity-ecosystems-and-resources/boosting-global-food-security-with-blue-food [https://impact.economist.com/ocean/biodiversity-ecosystems-and-resources/boosting-global-food-security-with-blue-food] Links about regional collaboration: https://times.seafoodlegacy.com/en/wang_songlin_1/ [https://times.seafoodlegacy.com/en/wang_songlin_1/] https://www.linkedin.com/posts/seafoodlegacy_sakura-activity-7444884986786373633-3UTj/ [https://www.linkedin.com/posts/seafoodlegacy_sakura-activity-7444884986786373633-3UTj/] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit janmaisenbacher.substack.com [https://janmaisenbacher.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

#29 Birgit Liodden: The Ocean Opportunity Lab (TOOL)

Join Birgit Liodden [https://www.linkedin.com/in/birgitliodden/] and Jan Maisenbacher on an inspiring ocean collaboration ride. 🔥 Why you shouldn’t miss this episode: * A rare insider view (and new moratorium initiative!) on the fight against deep sea mining * Concrete pathways toward regenerative blue economy solutions * A glimpse into how community + technology can unlock system change (like the Female Founder & Owners Initiative, Guardians of the Arctic [https://guardians-arc.org], 1000 Ocean Start-up Initiative [https://www.1000oceanstartups.org] https://www.1000oceanstartups.org) * And a deeply human reminder: 👉 The future of the ocean will not be decided by extraction - but by collaboration. 💥 At the heart of the episode is a bold truth: We are on the verge of industrializing the least understood ecosystem on Earth. And yet, we don’t have the science to understand the consequences. Birgit shares how she and her collaborators are working to mobilize global business leaders, investors, and entrepreneurs to support a moratorium on deep sea mining -not just by saying “no,” but by building real alternatives. 🌱 That’s where it gets exciting for every ocean changemaker:Through the OCEAN OPPORTUNITY LAB [https://toolspawn.com/], her team is launching a global, open-source “toolbox” of regenerative solutions - mapping innovations that could make seabed mining obsolete before it even begins. 🧠This episode goes beyond one issue. It taps directly into a core pain point many in the various ocean change making ‘bubbles’ feel: How can we accelarate innovation, change and collaboration in ocean regeneration? Enter TOOL (Ocean Opportunity Lab) 🧩Not just another platform - but a living infrastructure for collaboration. Birgit describes it beautifully as the “mycelium of the ocean ecosystem” 🍄→ connecting innovators, scientists, investors, NGOs, and rebels across 130+ countries→ breaking silos that keep good ideas stuck→ helping you find your people, your partners, and your next stepAnother mycelium example: Birgit is bridging the gap for female founders, scaling visibility from 100 to 1,000 - now aiming for 10,000 (via TOOL 🚀). It’s not just about gender; it’s about “reef mentality” 🪸 - replacing silos with feminine traits like ecosystem thinking and regenerative collaboration to heal the ocean. 🤝✨ If you’ve ever felt: * isolated in your mission * frustrated by fragmented efforts * or searching for meaningful collaboration TOOL might just be the ecosystem you’ve been looking for! This podcast & post is public so feel free to share it. The Ocean Opportunity Lab as a go-to-place for ocean collaboration impact: → LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theoceanopportunitylab [https://www.linkedin.com/company/theoceanopportunitylab]→ Insta: https://www.instagram.com/oceanopportunitylab [https://www.instagram.com/oceanopportunitylab/]→ REGISTER on the Web and contribute: https://community.toolspawn.com/ [https://community.toolspawn.com/] Follow & connect Birgit Liodden → on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/birgitliodden [https://www.linkedin.com/in/birgitliodden]→ on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shippingsocialist [https://www.instagram.com/shippingsocialist] Mentioned projects and initiatives:→ Guardians of the Arctic: [https://guardians-arc.https://guardians-arc.org] https://guardians-arc.org [https://guardians-arc.https://guardians-arc.org]→ Female Founder & Owners Initiative: Wavemakers Podcast [https://open.spotify.com/show/40aFaQ3S1XUP5dsDVV8VOs?si=144afeb8bb9b4b2e] https://open.spotify.com/show/40aFaQ3S1XUP5dsDVV8VOs?si=144afeb8bb9b4b2e(besides TOOL also available on Spotify): [https://open.spotify.com/show/40aFaQ3S1XUP5dsDVV8VOs?si=144afeb8bb9b4b2e] Wavemakers Podcast on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@theoceanopportunitylab8182 [https://www.youtube.com/@theoceanopportunitylab8182] Check-out the amazing line-up of their podcast guests (and connect with female Founders on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7433435825847033857/]). Somehow TOOL Wavemakers Podcast slipped through our research we did for the one anniversary episode #22 in February 2026 (relisten/re-read here). [https://janmaisenbacher.substack.com/p/22-one-year-ocean-collaborations?r=38guwo] → 1000 Ocean Start-up Initiative: [https://https://www.1000oceanstartups.org] https://https://www.1000oceanstartups.orghttps://www.1000oceanstartups.org [https://www.1000oceanstartups.org] Thanks for listening to Ocean Collaborations! Subscribe for free to receive new posts directly in your inbox: This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit janmaisenbacher.substack.com [https://janmaisenbacher.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

#28 Peter Neill: #1 Ocean Collaborations Reflections

We’re thrilled to launch the very first Ocean Collaborations Reflections Episode - our new quarterly deep dive into ocean truths amid 2026’s chaos! Your hosts: Jan from Switzerland (almost 50, ocean newbie 😊) and Peter Neill (85-year ocean vet from the US 🗽). Peter built the World Ocean Observatory [https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/] from scratch decades ago, shifting museums from dusty past to urgent ocean future. Jan started his podcast in Feburary 2025 - now we’re talking below the surface about should-could-must collaboration action! Thanks for listening! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. We tackle tough stuff and talk straight: * Why ocean conferences repeat existing paradigms? * ‘Paper’ Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) with zero enforcement? * Wars bombing desalination plants? 😩 But we spark hope - relentless ocean literacy, ethical investing (Peter’s portfolio beats the market! 💰), and YOU 🫵 as the dove’s wings for peace (shoutout Camus 🕊️). Frustrated by slow ocean impact change and the state of the (ocean) world? Then LISTEN to the full audio podcast - your wings matter too! Join our chat for real talk on transforming capitalism, water wars, and building coalitions - and don’t hesitate to share with us what reflection topics interest you for the next episode in July (when Jan is back from the Our Ocean Conference). Write us at info@janmaisenbacher.com Peter Neill on Social Media: On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-neill-7b131713 [https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-neill-7b131713/] Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/WorldOceanObservatory [https://www.facebook.com/WorldOceanObservatory]Substack: This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit janmaisenbacher.substack.com [https://janmaisenbacher.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]