California Coastal Storytelling Intern

Fish On is seeking up to five college-level interns to contribute to a storytelling project documenting changes along California’s coast. Marine ecosystems and fisheries have changed dramatically over generations, yet our understanding of what constitutes a "healthy" ocean is often shaped by our own lived experience rather than historical reality. This phenomenon, known as shifting baseline syndrome, can obscure the scale of ecological change and the opportunities for recovery. As part of the Coastal Storytelling Project, interns will select a coastal community, pier, harbor, beach, or other ocean-dependent location and investigate its ecological and cultural history. Through archival research, conversations with anglers, divers, Indigenous knowledge holders, and longtime community members, and exploration of local records and stories, interns will document how marine abundance, access, and relationships with the ocean have evolved over time. Participants will then develop a storytelling project in the medium of their choice—such as a short film, article, photo essay, artwork, podcast or digital exhibit—to share these findings with the public and help reimagine what a thriving ocean could look like for future generations. You’ll have creative flexibility in shaping your final project, while receiving guidance from Fish On staff on science, policy, storytelling direction, outreach, source gathering, and public-facing communications.