In this episode of SciChat.fm we chat with Jimmy Thomson about his Narwhal investigation ‘You’re out there alone’: whistleblowers say workplace abuse hides true impacts of B.C.’s trawl fishery. The piece started with a tip from a reader and after months of research and dozens of interviews, Jimmy was ready to publish. But the pandemic was raging and the news was focused on the virus 24-7 and the team was worried the story was going to get buried. Then, catching wind that another reporter might scoop them, Jimmy and The Narwhal had to decide whether to publish or not. Jimmy tells the whole story of the investigation, gives advice on how to conduct challenging interviews, and how to write environmental journalism that actually makes a difference. We also talk about how Jimmy went from medical school hopeful to managing editor at Capital Daily, whether journalism school matters, how to make it as a freelancer, and the secret to good science journalism.

Jimmy has followed up his investigation with Fisheries society director resigns after allegations of abuse from observers of B.C. trawl industry. Since this episode was recorded, Jimmy has expanded his investigation with a new piece in Vice called ‘Trapped’: Women Working as Fishery Observers Allege Sex Harassment, Assault at Sea.

Check out Jimmy on Twitter at @jwsthomson and his work as managing editor at Capital Daily.

Jimmy Thomson is the managing editor of Capital Daily. Jimmy is a multimedia journalist who has worked in every Arctic country, reporting on climate change, Indigenous communities, wildlife, and resources. His work has appeared in CBC, The Narwhal, Vice, The Globe and Mail, the Toronto Star, and many others. He is a recent grantee of the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting and has received more than a dozen awards from Canadian and international bodies. Jimmy sits on the board of the Canadian Association of Journalists, where he co-chairs the Advocacy Committee, which is trying to make government more transparent among other initiatives. He used to write and edit for the Syrup Trap, a wildly popular satire site that published headlines like "Corb Lund euthanized after breaking a leg at the Calgary Stampede." Before he was a journalist he studied sea slug brains on Vancouver Island then worked as a guide and polar bear guard in the polar regions. When he's not working he's hanging with his niece or skiing on the North Island; someday he hopes to combine the two.

Host Koby Michaels has been communicating science since accidentally joining The Ubyssey, UBC’s student newspaper, in 2014. During his time at the paper, Koby founded the science section, serving as the section's editor for two years. Koby has written and produced science journalism for The Ubyssey, WBUR, The Tyee, Hakai Magazine and NPR. After transitioning to focus on video, Koby has worked with Geering Up UBC and Actua — two of Canada’s leading STEM outreach organizations — producing documentary and education videos from across Canada and the Arctic. Currently, Koby is an associate producer at Avo Media (avomedia.ca). You can creep on Koby and find more of his work at his horrible out of date website kobymichaels.com.