Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership

It's being caught in record numbers by this one company that is operating in America from a foreign country under an American flag, and I just had to find out what was going on here.

I have Chris Macaluso and Jacqueline Lounis from the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership to explain how this works, what else is being caught in these nets, and how damaging it can be, and what we can do to change this fishing operation and preserve this bait fish so that the fish like the tarpon, striped bass, redfish, and so many others have a diet to thrive.

Hit subscribe and let's get started with Chris and Jacqueline.

Hi, I'm Jacqueline Lounis.

I'm the forage fish program manager for the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership.

And I'm Chris Macaluso, and I am the director of fisheries and Mississippi River Basin Program for the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership.

And this is the Tom-

And this is Tom Rowland [laughs]

Um, got to know the president and CEO at Trout Unlimited, spent 15 years there overseeing, you know, fundraising and conservation programs.

And then in 2010, joined the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership as, as president and CEO.

And one of the things we did there was assemble the various sport fishing groups, including America's Sport Fishing Association, CCA, uh, Bonefish Tarpon Trust, IGFA, and many others, to get engaged in forage fish.

And it was one of those issues that brought everybody together.

You know, the, the one thing that's funny is when I'm hunting, and I could- I've been hunting my whole life, and so many of my hunting experiences that are the most memorable aren't the experiences that actually involve the death of an animal.

I think we've talked about it on this show before, but year before last I went out hunting with Joel Webster, who's the COO of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership.

He drew a muzzleloader elk tag in the Gila.

And so we went on this elk hunt together, and one morning we're packed up on this super remote ridge in the Gila, and we got up there before first light.

And the Atlantic menhaden are the backbone of New England's commercial and recreational fishing industries, but industrial fishing operations in the Chesapeake Bay are depleting the supply.

Jacqueline Lunas with the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership says one large fishery in Virginia currently takes seventy-five percent of the menhaden catch on the East Coast, leaving fishermen in other states to fight for the scraps.

The trawling industry depleted mackerel, they depleted herring.

Both of those species are currently rebuilding.

And then, like, last one, you know, probably would be Jim Range.

And Jim Range is actually... from washington dc i met him when i was working for the theodore roosevelt conservation partnership but he had a ranch here in montana and man just the patience that i would see with him you know i think i was at an age when i first met him that i want to catch all the fish and all the big fish you know and he he was much uh more patient and i think you know looking at runs And the way you dissect those runs versus just going in there and trying to, you know, just go in there and catch a fish.

Right.

Like you would want to catch them all.

They were the first full-time conservation lobbyists at the state legislature, but they helped start numerous organizations in this state.

And then I mentioned Jim Range, who was with the TRCP.

I mean, that guy, when I was at the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, we built a gigantic grassroots network to deal with roadless, which is funny because we're dealing with roadless right now, too.

But to make sure that you're getting the people to speak.

Either they're going to reduce the harvest or possibly spread the quota out a little bit.

I talked with the folks from the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, and they're going to go into greater detail on it.

But Kevin, could you give us kind of the elevator pitch on what's happening with Bunker right

now? Yeah, I mean, just the bigger view is that we're now looking at Menhaden or Bunker, and scientists are saying, like, we need to consider how many are in the ocean as forage fish, which is the right way to think about it.

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Welcome to another episode of the On the Water podcast.

I'm Jimmy Fee, and this week I've got a crew from the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership.

I've got Jacqueline Lunas here.

Until a route is legally established, that barrier remains.

The Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership welcomed the attention to difficult-to-reach public lands and voluntary access arrangements.

There's a reason those details deserve attention.

An acreage announcement doesn't necessarily tell you how much usable opportunity a hunter gains.

The initial response includes strong support, qualified support, and criticism.

The firearm industry emphasizes ammunition choice and access.

Conservation organizations including the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation point to habitat, wildlife movement, and cooperation with states.

Ducks Unlimited welcomed attention to hunters' conservation contributions and related priorities.