The National Wildlife Federation has worked with hunters and anglers since 1936 to tackle the biggest natural resource challenges. The NWF Outdoors Podcast explores the most important conservation issues and the people who do the hard work to safeguard our fish, wildlife, lands, and waters. Hosted by Aaron Kindle, director of sporting advocacy at NWF.
Episodes
Thursday Jun 09, 2022
Thursday Jun 09, 2022
Aaron and Bill sit down with the 2021 Orvis Conservationists of the Year, owner of Alaska Sportsmen’s Lodge, and renowned Bristol Bay conservationist Brian Kraft. Brian has spent nearly 20 years working to stop the Pebble Mine in Bristol Bay from ever becoming a reality. The EPA recently announced another comment period regarding prohibiting discharge of dredge or fill materials. If the latest effort is successful, the Pebble Mine would again be halted. We talk to Brian about how he got into the lodge operating and fishing guide service, the incredible fishing and wildlife resources of Bristol Bay including 30” rainbow trout, how he first learned of the proposed mine, and his work to keep the mine away from the area that produces nearly half of all the planet’s salmon. And last, we pivot to permanent protection and how we can end the threats of large-scale mining in Bristol Bay once and for all.
Links:
EPA link to comment portal
https://www.epa.gov/bristolbay/public-comments-and-hearings-2022-proposed-determination
EPA link describing comment process
Video of Brain and his family talking about the values in Bristol Bay
https://www.fishasl.com/hold-the-line-bristol-bay-alaska/
Video announcing Brian as Orvis Conservationist of the Year
Conservation Organization Resources on Bristol Bay and the Pebble Mine
https://www.savebristolbay.org/
https://stoppebbleminenow.org/
Brian’s lodge website
Show notes:
3:58 – A little background on Brian.
5:35 – Brian, Aaron and Bill share what they have been doing outside recently.
9:20 - Brian provides a brief overview of the scale and scope of Bristol Bay and the surrounding area… The “breadbasket of fisheries” the bounty there is mindboggling! 47% of the world’s salmon comes from here!
16:50 - Brian talks about how he got into running fishing lodges in Bristol Bay without any prior experience.
25:55 - Brian takes us through a day on the water with his clients in Alaska… they’re catching 22-26” rainbow trout on the fly!
30:38 - What is the average size range of the rainbow trout up there?
32:53 – Short break for a message from our partner podcast, Artemis Sportswomen. For more great content, be sure to follow NWF Outdoors on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter!
34:45 - Brain shares a little background on how we got to where we are at now regarding the threat of the Pebble Mine in Bristol Bay. This has been a team battle!
56:29 – How do we get permanent protection? Where would the relief money come from that would be used for the Federal Government to purchase land that is now part of the state of Alaska? What are other options including land swaps, etc.
59:19 - What should folks be telling the EPA right now and how can we help with the permanent solution? “This is the wrong place for this type of development. Salmon runs are irreplaceable and provide food for the world. Let’s not replace one resource with another.”
1:04:07 – Parting words from Brian, Bill and Aaron.
“I didn’t inherit this land and these fisheries from my ancestors. I’m borrowing it from my children. It’s my responsibility to make sure that it’s in better shape for them to use and enjoy. We need to do the right thing. There are right places to do things like this and wrong places – and this is definitely the wrong place.” –Brian Kraft.
Friday May 13, 2022
Friday May 13, 2022
Aaron and Bill revisit salmon conservation in the northwest in advance of nationwide day of action asking for immediate action and the removal of the four Snake River dams. We sit down with Brian Brooks, the executive director of the Idaho Wildlife Federation, Aaron Lieberman, the executive director of the Idaho Outfitters and Guides Association. We talk salmon conservation broadly, the history of salmon issues in the Northwest and how we got to this point, the recent processes to address the issues surrounding dam removal and salmon recovery, how the Snake River system dams are different from dams in places like Tennessee, and how the sporting community can engage to save this iconic species from extinction.
Links:
- General Links
- Congressman Simpson’s leading page on the CBI: https://simpson.house.gov/salmon/
- Inslee Murray Study site (including comment links): https://www.lsrdoptions.org
- White House Press release (3/18/22) re: Dams/Fish/Tribes: https://www.whitehouse.gov/ceq/news-updates/2022/03/28/columbia-river-basin-fisheries-working-together-to-develop-a-path-forward/
- Idaho Wildlife Federation links:
- https://idahowildlife.org/
- https://idahowildlife.org/news/salmonsteelhead-campaign-enters-new-stage-of-momentum
- https://idahowildlife.org/news/nw-energy-coalition-lower-snake-river-dams-can-be-removed
- https://idahowildlife.org/news/bpa-funded-study-states-salmonsteelhead-recovery-only-likely-if-dams-breached
- Donate to IWF: https://secure.everyaction.com/7bVn-yO2r0SFdf7WGFzk6A2
- IOGA Links:
- IOGA’s Action Page: https://ioga.org/the-columbia-basin-initiative/
- Alternatively, here’s a link directly to the Out of Idaho action form: https://actnow.io/EdVJdCS
- Link to Donate in Support of IOGA’s advocacy for Idaho Salmon & Steelhead: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=SY9ZJ352VZMYE
- Link to sign up for IOGA’s newsletter to stay in the loop on the work: Subscribe
- IOGA’s Action Page: https://ioga.org/the-columbia-basin-initiative/
Show notes:
3:55 – A little background on both guests.
5:14 – What have these gentlemen been doing outdoors recently? Gobble gobble…
10:54 – Jumping into why we are here – SALMON!!
11:33 – Brian Brooks shares a salmon adventure story.
14:03 – Aaron shares a salmon story that he enjoys sharing with his clients on the river.
15:46 – After a long intro, we get down to the big questions:
WHY ARE WE HERE? HOW BAD IS IT? WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT?
19:28 - What these dams do. Where they are at. How they constrict fish movements. An overview of the multiple factors which are affecting these fish runs.
25:35 - The journey back to Idaho… salmon become tanks!
27:27 – Well, why the Snake River dams?
30:15 – Aaron shares how the low salmon returns affect his lifestyle as a fly fishing and rafting guide.
36:01 – Brian highlights the importance of the Chinook Salmon season for the small town of Riggins, Idaho.
37:51 – Aaron H. brings up somethings to consider regarding outdoor recreation and the connection between the economy in Idaho and the U.S.
41:25 - Picking apart what removing the dams would entail.
42:47 – What is the difference between removing dams in places like Tennessee versus removing the four lower Snake River dams?
47:34 – “This should be a no brainer…”
49:30 – “Both the heartening thing and also the deeply frustrating thing about this particular issue is we can do at least the primary thing we need to do in order to restore salmon and steelhead; and we can do so without negatively impacting the people who are most dependent on the current system.”
51:12 – Short break for a message from our partner podcast, Artemis Sportswomen. Please be sure to follow NWF Outdoors on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for more great content!
53:07 – Unpacking the details regarding the Simpson plan, the solution and five things the sporting community and others can do to work together and get this done.
56:22 – The three realities in Simpson’s plan.
57:47 - The investments and assurances that are necessary in order to seed all three components of the plan.
1:01:37 – Top level components that still need to be addressed.
1:03:15 – How would they remove the dams? $1.5 billion to breach all four dams.
1:04:45 - What can people do to help? If you’re in the northwest, REACH OUT TO YOUR SENATORS.
“At the end of the day, it’s a taxpayer issue…”
This process
1:09:46 - Figuring out how to replace the benefits of the dams.
1:12:24 - At the end of the day we are going to have to deal with this issue as a nation. It will have to be an act of Congress. We are at the first few steps of leaving part A in this plan.
1:17:45 - We want legislation, right?
1:19:19 - We should dream big. “This could be the biggest restoration project in human history, we can forestall the extinction of a key stone species.”
1:21:23 - Getting these dams down is just the start, we will still have more work to do. This is an ongoing project.
1:23:10 - Closing statements.
“This could be the biggest restoration project in human history, we can forestall the extinction of a key stone species.”
Friday Apr 15, 2022
Friday Apr 15, 2022
Jake Latendresse may be the most well-known sportsmen you’ve never heard of. He’s one of the nation’s finest hunter/angler videographers and has produced content for some of the biggest companies and organizations in the world. You see his work on Bassmaster every weekend and on videos and television shows from myriad entities, and it’s there because Jake had the courage to live his dreams. As a bar owner, videographer/producer and owner of Prairie Rock Outfitters, there’s no doubt he’s a driven entrepreneur, but Jake’s comments about childhood and conservation are what left Aaron and Bill speechless.
Links:
https://www.bassmaster.com/news/have-camera-will-travel-for-latendresse/
http://lmcollective.com/about/
https://prairierockoutfitters.com/
Show notes:
3:27 – “Everything in moderation, including moderation.”
3:38 – Bill gives some background on Jake Latendresse, the guest for the show.
6:12 – Everyone shares what they’ve been doing outside recently.
7:50 – Jake reflects on the recent below freezing weather events, “It was one of the most extreme weather conditions that we’ve ever had in the Great Lakes…”
8:49 – Jakes gives an update on the recent happenings in his life.
9:53 - Jakes shares how many events he films per year, relating the “Bass Master” events to a full football season.
11:29 – How does Jake balance all the things he does in addition to being a single dad.
14:18 - How Jake got started and established in sporting media and an early interest in art and photography.
22:00 - Was being fulltime in the outdoors something Jake dreamed about as a kid? (plus: Jake shares a very special story for the first time ever, it’s a heartfelt story about what happened one time when he couldn’t go hunting with this father. His father never left him home during a hunting trip ever again.)
25:21 - At what point did Jake break through and become a sportsman?
29:39 - A day in the life of Jake capturing the “meat” of events all over the world.
34:30 - Jake talks about what the day is like and the relationships that form when he gets in a boat with a pro angler.
37:30 – Short break for a message from our partner podcast, Artemis Sportswomen!
38:58 - Jake chats about some of his other film projects he has done around the world starting with a sheep hunt in Mongolia.
44:28 – How did Jake meet Bill?
45:12 - Horse incident while hunting stone sheep hunt in B.C.
48:04 – “I carry an expedition medical kit wherever I go…”
52:47 - Jake talks about his father and the Gov. of Tennessee working together.
55:12 – Conservation! Mentorship! When and how did Jake get involved with conserving resources. “My dad pushed conservation on me pretty hard from a very young age.”
59:56 - What advice would Jake give to kids who have a similar dream of following the path he took in life. “Don’t force your children to do what you want them to do, support what they want to do. Allow them to be free and go down the road.” “Never give up.”
1:04:07 - Shout out for the video project that Bill and Jake are working on in the Everglades. Be sure to follow NWF Outdoors and Vanishing Paradise to see more!!
“Everyone deserves to have the opportunity to understand what their great outdoors are all about.” -Jake Latendresse-
Friday Nov 26, 2021
The Steelhead Predicament with Greg Fitz of the Wild Steelhead Coalition
Friday Nov 26, 2021
Friday Nov 26, 2021
Host Aaron Kindle and our new co-host, Bill Cooksey, sit down with Greg Fitz, communications manager for the Wild Steelhead Coalition. The trio discusses steelhead conservation and the new campaign recently launched by the Wild Steelhead Coalition dubbed “Now or Never”. Steelhead are in severe decline and 2021 saw record low returns. The Pacific Northwest also experienced record heatwaves in the summer of 2021. These and other factors like dams are pushing steelhead to the brink. We discuss the situation, why the new campaign, and how regular folks can and should get engaged in conservation.
Suggested links:
https://www.wildsteelheadcoalition.org/
https://www.wildsteelheadcoalition.org/now-or-never
https://www.patagonia.com/stories/last-chance-to-get-it-right/story-97951.html
https://swingthefly.com/author/gregory-fitz/
Show Notes:
1:15 – If you have yet to hear the exciting news… here are some more details! We have a new co-host!
2:22 - Introduction of Greg Fitz.
3:21 – What have Greg, Bill and Aaron been doing outside recently?
6:30 – What is a steelhead? What makes it so special? What were they up too before dams blocked their migration routes? The key to the fish is their astounding diversity!
10:40 – What distancing are these fish swimming and climbing?
14:40 - What is the Wild Steelhead Coalition?
19:09 - Let’s chat about the “Now OR Never” campaign from the Wild Steelhead Coalition.
21:22 – What is the state of wild steelhead right now? Also, why do conservationists never get invited back to parties??
24:00 - Let’s talk about the numbers now compared to the steelhead runs during their hay day?
25:30 - What is the attitude of fishermen regarding steelhead?
27:17 - The intersection of angling, conservation and steelhead fishing.
29:35 – Message from our partner podcast, Artemis Sportswomen.
30:41 - Personal responsibility as it relates to being an angler.
37:18 - Restoration and Recovery.
41:30 - Pushback and removing the dams.
48:22 - Hot water as an impact for steelhead.
49:05 – Adapting our fisheries to climate change.
51:17 - Restoration and Resilience!
57:15 - What can we do about the plight of the wild steelhead?
1:03:00 - Closing question… how does Fitz like to fish for steelhead?
1:05:03 - Closing statement.