The Conch Podcast features interviews
with the most inspiring women in the world of seafood.
Join Julie Kuchepatov,
founder of Seafood and Gender Equality (SAGE),
as she interviews women striving
to succeed in the sector, as well as those already making an impact,
and the challenges they face -
all while working to improve
the environmental and social responsibility
of the planet’s most incredible food source - seafood!
In the newest episode of the Conch Podcast, Julie sits down with Monique Coombs, Director of Community Programs at the Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association and fishing lifestyle blogger at AragostaMama.com.
The crux of Monique’s work centers around humanizing the commercial fishing industry and connecting our favorite seafood items back to the act of fishing and fishermen.
Behind every lobster-themed sweater and throw pillow with colorful buoys lies a culture of fishing with fishermen at its core. Fishermen who put their lives and mental health on the line on a daily basis by working in one of the most dangerous civilian occupations in the U.S.
Episode Transcript
Episode Guide
:00 Intro
01:24 Monique’s marriage to a fisherman leads to a career of supporting Maine fishermen, working waterfronts, and fishing communities at Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association (MCFA)
04:09 Fishermen need support that doesn’t solely revolve around their business model— MCFA supports the mental health and wellness of their fishermen members, helping them persevere through the global pandemic
11:13 The commercial fishing industry is dehumanized and the current system makes it easy to forget that there are people—fishermen—behind our seafood, and onshore impacts, like mental health and wellbeing, should be a priority
15:51 Fighting for the commercial fishing industry and gender equality go hand-in-hand
18:54 Monique’s biggest challenge as a wife and a mother of fishermen
21:33 Who takes care of the caretakers? The unpaid labor of fishing families
23:32 Top reasons why Monique stays in the seafood industry
27:03 You can’t have decorative pillows with lobsters on them without recognizing the act of fishing. The origin story behind Aragosta Mama, Monique’s lifestyle and wellness blog
29:02 The Casco Bay Tuna Club and its bluefin tuna fishing tournament— focusing on community, education, and conservation to get people out on the water
Resources:
Check out the websites AragostaMama.com and Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association to learn more about Monique’s work to support the health and wellness of Maine’s fishermen and communities.
Make sure to recommend this episode to anyone you think might care about the future of our ocean and women working in the sector.
The Conch Podcast series is a program of Seafood and Gender Equality (SAGE) and made possible by generous funding from The David and Lucile Packard Foundation. Audio production, engineering, editing, mixing, and sound design by Crystal Sanders-Alvarado for Seaworthy. Original music provided by Satan’s Pilgrims.
The Conch Podcast is a program of Seafood and Gender Equality (SAGE).
Audio production, engineering, editing, mixing, and sound design by Crystal Sanders-Alvarado for Seaworthy.
Theme music: “Dilation” by Satan's Pilgrims
Funding generously provided by
