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Artwork for The Outlaw Ocean

The Outlaw Ocean

CBC
Libya
Human Rights Abuses
Forced Labor
Mediterranean Sea
European Union
Seafood Industry
North Korean Labor
Dawson Creek
Labor Abuse
Chinese Seafood Industry
Uyghur Labor
Suicide
Fish Meal Industry
Libyan Prisons
China's Offshore Fishing Fleet
Environmental Degradation
Migrant Workers
Aliou Candé
Migration
Al Mabani

Where the law of the land ends, the story begins. Pulitzer-prize winning journalist Ian Urbina returns with a new season of his riveting podcast anthology, The Outlaw Ocean, which explores the most lawless place on earth — the vast unpoliceable ocean. New episodes starting June 4, 2025.

In season two, Urbina sheds light on the secretive Libyan prisons swallowing up sea-faring migrants; flagrant... more

PublishesInfrequentlyEpisodes20Founded4 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
True Crime

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Artwork for The Outlaw Ocean

Latest Episodes

Fish farming is sold as a sustainable solution to the world’s ever-growing appetite for seafood. But that solution…turns out to have a major problem: what farmed fish are being fed.

For the past five years, The Outlaw Ocean Project has been investig... more

The Mile Zero Murders investigates the baffling wave of disappearances and murders in the small town of Dawson Creek, B.C., a community struggling with a deadly local drug trade. Host Timothy Sawa explores missing person cases like that of Cole Hosac... more

Following the critically acclaimed series Hunting Warhead, Season 2: Hunting the Suicide Salesman follows host Daemon Fairless as he takes us inside another dark corner of the internet: the online world helping people take their own lives. When peopl... more

Award-winning climate journalist Amy Westervelt returns with a new season of Drilled, her podcast about the deception, disinformation, and power structures keeping real climate solutions out of reach. In September 2025, a group of Brazilian ministers... more

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Recent Guests

Ian Urbina
Director of The Outlaw Ocean Project, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist
The Outlaw Ocean Project
Episode: The real cost of fish feed
Shelly Supernat
Daryln Supernat's mother, central to interviews about the missing daughter and Dawson Creek's drug scene
Person interviewed for the investigation
Episode: The Outlaw Ocean Introduces: The Mile Zero Murders from Uncover
Jordan Cornish
Daryln Supernat's sister, key interviewee in recounting the family's search
Local resident and family member
Episode: The Outlaw Ocean Introduces: The Mile Zero Murders from Uncover
Verna Cardinal
Family matriarch, involved in organizing searches and sharing family history
Family member
Episode: The Outlaw Ocean Introduces: The Mile Zero Murders from Uncover
Renee Didier
Daryln's cousin, involved in the extended search and family discussions
Family member
Episode: The Outlaw Ocean Introduces: The Mile Zero Murders from Uncover
Corey Melby
Agriculture consultant in Brazil
Brazil agriculture consulting network
Episode: Welcome to Carbon Cowboys | From Drilled
Sebastien Ferland
Husband of Jackie Ferland-Smith, discussed in interview
Companion in Costa Rica, spouse of Jackie
Episode: The Outlaw Ocean Introduces: The Jaclyn Ferland-Smith Case
Daniel Aritonang
Indonesian deckhand who died due to severe mistreatment and malnutrition aboard a Chinese fishing vessel.
Episode: S2 E6: The undisputed superpower of the seas (China Pt. 1)
Jessica Reyes
Interpreter based in Montevideo, Uruguay, who assists Indonesian fishermen in medical crises.
Episode: S2 E6: The undisputed superpower of the seas (China Pt. 1)

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 2.9k ratings
  • Amazing work

    Really amazing project. Please let this not be the last one

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    AnnaL@96
    Australia2 months ago
  • A must listen.

    Such insight and thought reporting. I’ve learned so much and am so inspired- great podcast!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    LindsSavage
    United States2 months ago
  • It’s fine

    While it’s a good investigation

    Don’t like how he make it into an east vs west. Make it sound like if it happened in west , it won’t get covered up. lol yeah sure govt never cover up anything

    You think if the big countries player really wants to eliminate this they can’t do anything about it? Just like environment letting developing country do the dirty manufacturing work that creates all the pollution and turn around acting all caring about environment and human right

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Dcdandan
    Canada3 months ago
  • An absolute masterpiece

    Unmissable!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Mr. Mirko
    United Kingdom4 months ago
  • Short ocean ethnographies

    Really fascinating - one of the best. It’s a journalistic, almost anthropological set of stories of cultures and economies of people working on the world’s oceans. Deeply investigated and researched labor and ecological stories. It also touches on the experiences and sometimes sacrifices of Ian Urbina and his crew.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    DostDevil
    United States5 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

A must-listen for deep maritime and investigative reporting.
Storytelling is immersive and hard-hitting, though narration pacing gets mixed reviews.
Production quality and courage in covering powerful interests are praised.
Highly actionable journalism that changes consumer awareness.
Seasonal focus areas show breadth across global issues.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#145
Canada/True Crime
Apple Podcasts
#183
United Kingdom/True Crime
Apple Podcasts
#195
Germany/True Crime
Apple Podcasts
#213
Italy/True Crime
Apple Podcasts
#50
Poland/True Crime
Apple Podcasts
#139
India/True Crime

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The real cost of fish feed
Q: What did you find about China's role in farmed seafood and supply chains?
China is a major force in farmed seafood, expanding inland to places like Xinjiang; while inland producers help secure protein sovereignty, the expansion raises concerns about environmental damage, labor rights, and the reliability of supply chains for markets like Canada and the US.
The real cost of fish feed
Q: Is there any body that oversees or regulates the fishmeal sector globally?
There are UN bodies with limited enforcement power that cover only small parts of the supply chain; there is no single global regulator with teeth to oversee the entire fishmeal industry across all countries.
The real cost of fish feed
Q: I wanna get to the specifics of this report. Why fish meal, and why now in your reporting?
The reason is twofold: aquaculture is overtaking wild catch as the main source of seafood, and most of the feed—fish meal and fish oil—comes from distant, often harmful supply chains that are not well understood by end processors or consumers.
S2 Bonus: Let’s go below the surface with host Ian Urbina
Q: What is the broader implication of the reporting Urbina has done?
Urbina discusses the worrying trend of the EU increasing funding to Libya to control migration and draws parallels with the situation in the U.S.
S2 Bonus: Let’s go below the surface with host Ian Urbina
Q: What was the investigation in Libya focused on?
Urbina's team was investigating the migrant crisis, particularly how the EU uses Libya to prevent migrants from reaching Europe and the horrific conditions in Libyan detention centers.

Audience Metrics

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Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The Outlaw Ocean

What is The Outlaw Ocean about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The series presents immersive, long-form investigations at sea and beyond, stitching together on-the-ground reporting, intimate interviews, and documentary storytelling to reveal how powerful interests collide with law, policy, and human lives. Episodes explore missing-person cases, policing, addiction and community resilience, online ecosystems around self-harm, and global supply chains shaping labor, environment, and public health. A standout trait is the sustained, investigative lens across multiple countries and industries, often centering families, workers, and community members to illuminate underreported harms and accountability gaps.

Noteworthy is the commitment to immersive, risk-taking journalism that travels to remote locations ... more

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Which podcasts are similar to The Outlaw Ocean?

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1. The Most Wanted Olympian from Uncover
2. Dirtbag Climber
3. Sea of Lies
4. Deep Cover
5. Kuper Island

How many episodes of The Outlaw Ocean are there?

The Outlaw Ocean launched 4 years ago and published 20 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on The Outlaw Ocean?

Recent guests on The Outlaw Ocean include:

1. Ian Urbina
2. Shelly Supernat
3. Jordan Cornish
4. Verna Cardinal
5. Renee Didier
6. Corey Melby
7. Sebastien Ferland
8. Daniel Aritonang

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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