We are proud to welcome five talented journalists as the first cohort of Mongabay’s Southeast Asia Ocean Reporting Fellowship Program.
This program extends Mongabay’s Y. Eva Tan Conservation Reporting Fellowship to focus on a specific beat and region.
Southeast Asia is not only a global hotspot for marine biodiversity but also leads the world in seafood consumption per capita. It is also facing mounting pressures from climate change and marine pollution, as well as decades of overfishing and harmful fishing practices like bottom trawling.
As the effects of ocean degradation become more apparent, high-quality environmental journalism is more important than ever. In response, Mongabay has established the Southeast Asia Ocean Reporting Fellowship to support early- and mid-career journalists from coastal countries in the region to report on critical ocean challenges and solutions.
From September 2026 to February 2027, fellows will gain valuable training, mentorship and hands-on experience in ocean and marine-related reporting, building a portfolio of stories published by Mongabay that will help them advance their careers in journalism. Ultimately, we aim for fellows to join our growing global network as regular Mongabay contributors.
Meet the new fellows
We are pleased to announce Annisa Dinulislam, Ashley Yeong, Eung Sea, Maverick Avila and Pratch Rujivanarom as our 2026-2027 Southeast Asia Ocean Reporting fellows.
Annisa Dinulislam (Indonesia)
Annisa Dinulislam is an Indonesian journalist and science communicator covering ocean, fisheries, aquaculture and environmental issues. She began her journalism career while still a student. She has since written for Indonesian and international media, including Koran Sindo, Fish Farmer Magazine and The Fish Site. Annisa holds an MSc in sustainable aquaculture from the University of Stirling in Scotland, where she spent four years studying and working. Her work explores the intersection of ocean science, environmental policy and coastal communities, with a focus on making complex issues accessible to wider audiences.
Ashley Yeong (Malaysia)
Ashley Yeong is an independent journalist based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. She specializes in environmental and marine reporting across Southeast Asia. Her reporting has appeared in local and international outlets such as Malaysiakini, Macaranga and Mongabay. Ashley is an alumna of the Oxford Climate Journalism Network.
Eung Sea (Cambodia)
Eung Sea is a freelance journalist based in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, focusing on human rights, environmental and social issues. In addition to Mongabay, he has written for CamboJA News (one of the few remaining independent media outlets in the country), Mekong Eye, Dialogue Earth and The Diplomat. With a strong commitment to social justice, he likes to report on challenges faced by communities in Cambodia, particularly regarding land rights, biodiversity loss and environmental degradation. Sea has a bachelor’s degree in media arts and studies from the University of Cambodia.
Maverick Avila (Philippines)
Maverick Avila is an independent multimedia journalist, researcher and creative producer based in Cebu City, the Philippines. He covers environmental issues, human rights and culture. His work has appeared in Bulatlat (a Philippine news outlet focusing on human rights), Al Jazeera, ASEF Culture360, ARTE TV and PumaPodcast. Maverick’s research interests include gender and queer studies, digital storytelling, participatory media and critical pedagogy.
Pratch Rujivanarom (Thailand)
Pratch Rujivanarom is a journalist with over a decade of experience in environmental journalism. Since the beginning of his journalism career in 2015, Pratch has regularly been reporting on various environmental topics such as climate change, natural resources and biodiversity and environmental justice. He is currently working as a freelance reporter with a main focus on environmental issues in the Mekong region.
Banner image: Fisherman Pu Chib in Kompong Chhnang province, Cambodia. Photo: ILO/ Khem Sovannara. (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 IGO.)