At the end of the 2014 fishing season, five respected fly fishermen—Craig Mathews of Blue Ribbon Flies, Yvon Chouinard of Patagonia, Steve Hemkens of Orvis, Tim Romano of Angling Trade, and Todd Tanner of Conservation Hawks—came together to fish for wild trout and share their thoughts on angling and climate change.
“Cold Waters” was shot in Montana in October, and it celebrates the joy and passion of fly fishing, while educating anglers on the threat we face from global warming. The film, which is a collaboration between Conservation Hawks and the cinematic team at Conservation Media, focuses on our responsibility to protect cold, clean waters and healthy landscapes, and to stand up for future generations of Americans.
Because climate change is the single largest threat to our future, “Cold Waters” was made with unprecedented support from the fly-fishing industry: iconic brands, businesses, and organizations, such as Orvis, Scientific Anglers, Costa, Patagonia, Winston, Sage, RIO, Redington, Abel, AFFTA, National Wildlife Federation, Trout Unlimited, TroutHunter, Linehan Outfitting Co., Sweetwater Travel Co., World Cast Anglers, Emerald Water Anglers, Hatch Magazine, The Lodge at Palisades Creek, Angling Trade Magazine, and Blue Ribbon Flies.
Whenever we post something that mentions climate change, folks complain that we are “getting political.” But climate change is not a political issue; it is about science. And as you can see from the list above, virtually the entire fly-fishing industry is concerned about the future.
Click here to see a scientist answer the top ten claims of climate-change skeptics.
Click here for a National Geographic article on how climate change threatens fishing.
I’m really getting tired of these climate change apocalypse vids. I know it’s real, part natural part man made but it’s real. So how about someone make a video about what to do about it. Preferably based on sound science and fact, free from political agendas and pseudo science. Our political system is a sham. We can’t be the only country making changes and then have to pay 3rd world countries to get in line. What kind of vehicles do folks use to pull their drift boats? I doubt they electric powered trucks. We know how bad the water situation is in Cali but are golf courses still watering, rich folks still have their pools and neatly manicured lawns, all of which requires water, right? All I’m saying is that people will have to make sacrifices and changes for this to happen, unless you’re wealthy, then you’re held to a different standard and they aren’t gonna make those sacrifices. So how to make broad sweeping changes that everyone is held accountable for? It will take person much smarter than me.
A real dilemma exists for public forest land managers related to Climate Change. Increasing temperatures will no doubt increase both forest insect attacks on public forests and increased fire danger. At the same time, We need to protect that forest canopy due to it’s positive effect on snow pack runoff that protects cold water continuing in our streams.
At the same time, the timber industry in western states are demanding more logging of this same canopy.
, PLWA President John giubson