About
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Film
The Outlaw Ocean Institute - Developing a New Wave of Eye-Witness Journalism
6 mins
published
category
As our world rapidly changes, the once-taken-for-granted comfort of a pre-internet era has evaporated.
With the rise of AI, social media and an ‘always connected’ way of life, the murky grey area between fact and fiction has become more obscure than ever.
While these digital advancements have brought convenience and even life-saving technology, they have also ushered in a barrage of challenges, including the perpetual minefield of navigating misinformation.
As any good journalist or publication will tell you, this is why eye-witness reporting matters now more than ever. And this is exactly where Ian Urbina, The Outlaw Ocean Project and their initiative The Outlaw Ocean Institute come into play.
Founded as a not-for-profit in 2019, the purpose of The Outlaw Ocean Project is to report on a diversity of abuses happening in our ocean ranging from illegal fishing and overfishing, arms trafficking at sea, human slavery, gun running, intentional dumping, murder of stowaways, and thievery of ships - to name just a few.
Each year, The Outlaw Ocean Institute selects a small cohort of talent from around the world. ©OutlawOceanInstitute
Since 2020, The Outlaw Ocean Institute—one of the project's key branches—has provided Ian and his team with a platform to train, collaborate with, and support emerging storytellers from around the world, particularly those from regions most affected by the issues they investigate. With support from 11th Hour Racing, the institute amplifies underrepresented voices and cultivates a global network of investigative journalists dedicated to impactful storytelling.
“When you’re dealing with investigative journalism, you’re almost always focussing on problems where something is wrong,” explains Ian.
“The majority of our work happens in the Global South and when you find yourself reporting on misery and mayhem, there is a question that arises, which is, how do we avoid becoming another extractive industry?
“We didn’t want to be reporting and bringing back the stories for the wealthy 1% in the Global North, we wanted to work with the people on the ground, both as sources but also to build long-term connections so the people affected the most could bring about their solutions.
“One of the goals of the institute was to avoid the extractive nature of traditional journalism.”
Not only has The Outlaw Ocean Project created a global cohort of storytellers through the Institute, they also successfully run one of the most effective distribution networks for investigative journalism, ensuring their stories reach audiences worldwide.
Ian Urbina
“One of the goals of the institute was to avoid the extractive nature of traditional journalism.”
The investigative journalists work closely with Ian Urbina (in blue) and his team. ©OutlawOceanInstitute
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Evergreen storytelling
In the interest of in-depth, quality storytelling, The Outlaw Ocean Institute focuses on the opposite of ‘churnalism’ and instead on evergreen storytelling. The stories need to be internationally relevant and have a lasting impact for years to come.
These stories are not easy to uncover, and there are no shortcuts to producing them. Investigations can take years, requiring deep research and perseverance. Fellows are carefully selected to ensure they are prepared for the challenges ahead.
“If someone’s going to be part of our storytelling process, they need to think about whether a story has an evergreen quality. Will it still matter a year and a half from now, or is it something people will forget because the issue, like a spill, is already resolved?
“And then there’s another layer: is this story tied to a larger issue? Can it be adapted to different regions, or is it something hyper-specific to one place? If someone can’t think about stories on that broader, global level, they might find it hard to fit into what we’re doing.”
Ian Urbina founded The Outlaw Ocean Project as a not-for-profit in 2019. ©FabioNascimento
Ian Urbina founded The Outlaw Ocean Project as a not-for-profit in 2019. ©FabioNascimento
So how and where do these storytellers get noticed? Some are already known to Ian and his team through their ongoing investigations, while others have shown a keen interest in a topic they are focusing on.
“If we’re spending the next two years on seabed mining, plastic pollution, fish meal, or shark finning, and someone with talent is also interested in those areas, that’s a huge plus.
“There’s no way for the public to know exactly what we’re working on, but when someone aligns with our focus, it makes a big difference. That kind of connection is really valuable.”
Each year, The Outlaw Ocean Institute selects a small cohort of extraordinary talent. This important initiative has seen fellows from Myanmar, The Philippines, The Gambia, and more recently Italy, Argentina, New Zealand, Canary Islands and Niger.
Ian Urbina
“If someone’s going to be part of our storytelling process, they need to think about whether a story has an evergreen quality.”
One of the Institute's aims is to provide support for fellows to work safely and effectively. ©OutlawOceanInstitute
Determination and dedication
Investigative journalists have to be persistent and solution-focused by nature as they react to the unavoidable challenges that present themselves in their daily quest to find the facts. This is no different from the dedicated reporters striving to make their mark with Ian and his team.
The Outlaw Ocean Institute fellows demonstrate remarkable determination as they navigate numerous challenges, including demanding day jobs, unreliable infrastructure and WiFi, lack of childcare, poverty, and, in some cases, even conflict at their doorstep.
“Sometimes, the challenges our fellows face are unexpected and complicated,” Ian explains. “And then there are situations that are more extreme.
“One of our fellows had to flee his home when the government changed, and the new administration cracked down on journalists - especially those reporting on sensitive issues.
“He wasn’t in danger because of something he produced for us but because of his other journalism, which is why we brought him on board in the first place. We immediately shifted resources to get him out of the country and into safety.
“Thanks to the flexibility of our funding, we were able to act quickly, protect him, and support him until it was safe for him to return home.”
A key goal of the program is not only to develop individual talent but also to provide the necessary support for fellows to work safely and effectively in their field.
Ian Urbina
“We’re really focused on nurturing the next generation of talent and encouraging them to dive into this kind of journalism.”
The initiative has welcomed fellows from all around the world. ©OutlawOceanInstitute
The Institute fellows demonstrate remarkable determination as they navigate numerous challenges. ©OutlawOceanInstitute
Nurturing the next generation
When asked about the future of the Institute and the opportunities they can continue offering, Ian remarks: “Hope springs eternal.”
He admits this “might sound a little kitsch,” but his point is clear: the Institute can be a beacon of hope for the next generation of talented and passionate journalists. When fellows are deeply committed to a story or issue, they are not alone—there are people who support their work and can help them advance.
“Whether they end up working on the same issues we cover or not, we’re really focused on nurturing the next generation of talent and encouraging them to dive into this kind of journalism,” Ian says.
This kind of journalism has uncovered horrors happening in our ocean around the world and brought us exhaustive reporting on subjects including sea slaves in Thailand, the shrimp industry in India, migrant prisons in Libya, and the state of abandoned ships and cargo in Beirut. This kind of impactful eye-witness journalism will not be going anywhere.
Ian concludes: “We could easily become insular, just cranking out stories, but the Institute keeps us grounded and reminds us of what’s happening in the world and our responsibility to engage with it.”
Ian and his team’s most recent powerful investigation China: The Superpower of Seafood, made waves around the world and was covered by 241 media outlets in 53 languages in 24 countries.I In January 2025 it won the Columbia Journalism School DuPont Award which some have called the equivalent of the Pulitzer for broadcast media.
Ian’s three-decade career covers a 17-year stint at The New York Times – which is where The Outlaw Ocean article series began – and regular features in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, NBC News, and The Washington Post, among others. He has collected numerous accolades along the way, winning a Pulitzer Prize, two Polk Awards, and an Emmy Award for his contributions to international journalism. In 2019, Ian published the New York Times best-selling book The Outlaw Ocean, and shortly afterward, Netflix and Leonardo DiCaprio purchased the movie and TV rights.
Hero image credit: ©Youenn Kerdavid/Sea Shepherd Global
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Jamie Haines, sailor “I grew up on the ocean, and in order to protect it, we need to solve the climate crisis. It all goes hand in hand.”
Ian Walsh, big wave surfer “As athletes, ocean health and sustainability are at the heart of what we do – without the ocean, we wouldn’t be here.”
Steve Benjamin, filmmaker “I really want people to fall in love with the ocean, to appreciate it more, and to try to alter their behavior around it. Everything ends up in the ocean, and it’s such a dumping ground for humanity. My hope is that people see the ocean as a living entity that needs to be protected.”
Amory Ross, storyteller “How can I describe the ocean? The ocean is impossible to describe because it is endless; it is full of life, wonder, and mystery.”
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