This is the PILOT episode that launched Salmonfolk Radio, on June 12th, 2021.  In "The Chef Speaks!", you get to hear an unflinching account of why a  5-Star Michelin chef refuses to bring open net farmed salmon into his kitchen. In this colorful and vibrant discussion a story unfolds of how this East End of London born chef, now living in Denmark, has embraced the option of using Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS) salmon and why. It's an episode to share with every restaurant and chef you know. 

If you happen to live in Denmark and are wanting to sample the Chef's artisan RAS smoked salmon that he has put so much time and energy into...
https://www.royalnyborgsmokehouse.com

This PILOT episode is the first of many. Successive episodes of Salmonfolk Radio will be added but not without the gracious support of friendly listeners.  Salmonfolk Radio is seeking sponsors and individuals to help cover the costs of the all important sound mastering and design to ensure that all future episodes are a pleasure to listen to.  I am working with the talented Jay Siebold for my sound design needs. Check him out!

Here is the GoFundMe:

https://gofund.me/d02b9df8

For more info on the Salmonfolk multimedia project:
https://www.salmonfolk.com

What was happening in 2017 that made me want to travel from the east coast of the USA to Vancouver Island? Why was Chief Ernest Alfred of the Namgis First Nation living on an open net salmon fish farming platform? You'll want to hear what it's all about in "Origins and Introductions".
 

Sound design and editing by Jay Siebold. Additional music selections by Torgeir Vassvik. Chief Ernest Alfred segment audio originally recorded by Tamo Campos.

Special thanks to Co-Executive producers: Teala Spitzbarth, Carolyn Weeramantry, Rheann Ernest, John Taylor, Chandra Souza and "Anon"....for helping this episode reach full funding and sound quality! If you would like to help with future episodes here is the GoFundMe:

https://gofund.me/d02b9df8

For more info on the Salmonfolk multimedia project:

https://www.salmonfolk.com

In this episode we hear from long time marine naturalist and author Barry Swanson. He wrote  The Lost Frequency. That interview dives into what happened to Tahlequah, also known as "J35". She is an orca who lives in the Salish Sea. As soon as I landed I discovered something shocking. At that same time I was headed to Salt Spring Island, BC in the traditional territory of the Saanich, Cowichan, and Chemainus First Nations., to meet with Rama DelaRosa who was doing a  Swim for the Salish Sea. Rachael Merrett from the Georgia Strait Alliance also makes an appearance in explaining what's going on with the orcas living in the Salish Sea.

https://www.salmonfolk.com/

My second day on the island  involved a lot of driving and lots of time to think. In this episode the author of "Being Salmon, Being Human: Encountering the Wild in Us and Us in the Wild" reads directly from his book. What is Hoquat and what does it have to do with open net farmed salmon? You do not want to miss this one! 

 Episode sponsored by Chelsea Green Publishing.

Argentina banned open net salmon farming in 2021. Find out how in this exclusive interview with Martina Sasso and Maia Gutierrez of Sin Azul No Hay Verde, a project of Rewilding Argentina. To see the documentary mentioned in this interview here is the direct link to "Contracorriente Espanol".

Episode 6 relaunches the Salmonfolk Radio series after being on hiatus for nearly 2 long years! We are back with a bang and doing weekly Season One drops for the remaining 14 episodes every Tuesday.  

This episode features  the trio from Norway and I meeting Dennis Reid for the first time. He gives us a personalized backcountry tour of healthy salmon rivers  ecosystems (Salmon, Adam, Eve, Nimpkish) on the Johnstone Strait side of Van Isle. Dennis runs the world's largest anti-salmon farming website  https://fishfarmnews.blogspot.com/ and he's also a published poet and expert fly fisherman. We talk a LOT about salmon habitats, behavior and lifecycles. If you like to fish for salmon this one is for you.

You will also hear some more in depth conversation with the Norway trio about reconciliation, residential schools and how similar Norway and Canadian history is in those areas...and how it all relates to the spread of Norwegian salmon farms into unceded First Nations territory in Canada.   

But most importantly, you get to find out the answer to the burning question:  Who is Niillas Somby?

In Episode 7 I have a chance to do a proper sit down interview with Dennis Reid...except that we are not sitting. Instead we end up standing on the Woss Bridge, 80 feet above the spectacular scenery of the Nimpkish River. Before that though, we spend the afternoon along the Eve River, following it down the slackwater where healthy salmon and fly fishermen and Golden Eagles await us. Dennis also relates a lot of great information about salmon in general...how they live, how they migrate, what a healthy salmon stream consists of. It's basically a "get to know your salmon" episode. 

And after my interview with Dennis, who is one of the most knowledgeable people you can meet when it comes to the dangers of open net salmon farming, I get to end the day on Malcolm Island where the trio from Norway has literally cooked up a tasty campside treat.

Dennis has a website you should check out: https://fishfarmnews.blogspot.com/

Music in this episode by: https://sieboldsound.com/

https://www.salmonfolk.com/

https://www.patreon.com/salmonfolk

Commercial fishermen, shop owners, librarians, local hot spots- the sounds and vibe of Malcolm Island (in the unceded territories of the #namgis  #kwakiutl  and #mamalilikala Nations) come alive as I spend a day away from the Norway trio to explore the island. Find out what locals have to say about fish farms from many different perspectives.