🌊 Trusted by over 25,000 readers in 80+ countries, Ocean Rising delivers the stories, science, and tools you will not find anywhere else to protect the ocean and the future.
Voice for the Blue – our weekly podcast from the ocean’s front lines
Read sharp reporting – science made clear and investigations with teeth
Take action now – practical steps you can use immediately
Join a global community – connect with others working for change
Join free to get the essentials each week. Upgrade anytime for early access to major articles, bonus podcast content, exclusive deep dives and to help keep ocean journalism free for those who cannot pay.
Why Ocean Rising Exists
“It’s like having a smart, honest friend in your inbox every week who actually gives a sh*t about the future.” - Subscriber feedback
The ocean is not a backdrop.
It is the lungs of our planet, the heartbeat of our climate, and the foundation of all life.
Yet it’s being emptied, poisoned, drilled and ignored by the same broken systems driving global injustice and collapse.
Ocean Rising exists to expose this, challenge it, and change it, through journalism, community, and action.
This is uncompromising reporting for real-world change. It is not built for clicks. It is not softened for funders.
It is for people ready to face the truth and do something about it.
You are not just welcome here. You are needed.
Why Upgrade to Paid
Paid subscribers make Ocean Rising possible and help shape the stories that need telling.
Your upgrade:
Get early access to every story two weeks before the public, so you hear the truth before it’s buried or spun elsewhere
Unlock deep dives and behind-the-scenes reporting that challenge power and hold decision-makers accountable
Fund investigations through freedom of information requests, frontline interviews, and campaign tools that expose what others want to keep hidden
Keep journalism free for those who cannot pay, from students to communities most affected by ocean crises
Most of what I publish is free because the truth should not have a price tag. Your support ensures it can be told fully, fearlessly, and without compromise.
“I really like Luke McMillan's writing so I'm delighted to see he's launching a new platform for ocean journalism.” - Samantha Connolly
Who is behind this?
I’m Luke McMillan. For two decades I’ve worked to protect the ocean, advising governments, exposing welfare violations and helping document what too often goes unseen.
My work has taken me into whaling ports, policy negotiations, investigative fieldwork and campaign planning rooms. I'm also writing a book, The Dopamine Dilemma, about why we continue to harm what we know we need to survive.
“Grateful, as always, to Luke McMillan for bringing us some of the most critically, up to the moment, important news on the health of our planet - through the often-overlooked lens of ocean life.” - Erica Salvemini
Ocean Rising started as a way to share what I’ve witnessed across two decades of ocean work. The response was immediate, people weren’t just curious, they were ready.
Ready to learn. Ready to belong. Ready to act.
Now it’s more than a place to publish ideas. It’s a platform with a mission. A movement. A space where journalism meets action and helps build the future the ocean, and all of us, need.
This is the space I wish I had years ago. Now I want to build it with you.
If you know action is needed but feel more comfortable observing for now, that’s ok. Everyone has a different rhythm, a different role.
Providing a voice for the blue can mean learning, amplifying, questioning, or simply staying present.
You belong here too.
Your Support in Action
With your backing, I can:
File more freedom of information requests
Investigate the systems and companies with real power
Launch new interviews and frontline storytelling
Build shared campaign packs that move people to act
Every Founding Member or paid subscriber is a step toward a louder, stronger ocean movement. The more who join, the faster we can investigate, expose, and change what’s happening below the surface.
Work with me
If you are a journalist, editor, educator or organisation looking for expert comment, writing, or collaboration on ocean conservation, marine wildlife, or environmental policy, feel free to reach out.
I also offer guidance to young people interested in ocean science, storytelling, or campaign work, especially those taking their first steps.
📩 lukedmcmillan@gmail.com
