1 00:00:02,800 --> 00:00:06,840 Speaker 1: From Mediators World News headquarters in Bozeman, Montana. This is 2 00:00:06,920 --> 00:00:11,360 Speaker 1: Cal's weekend review, presented by Steel. Steel products are available 3 00:00:11,400 --> 00:00:15,160 Speaker 1: only at authorized dealers. For more, go to Steel Dealers 4 00:00:15,320 --> 00:00:22,439 Speaker 1: dot com. Now here's your host, Ryan cal Callahan. A 5 00:00:22,680 --> 00:00:26,520 Speaker 1: three judge appeals court working out of Sacramento, California, ruled 6 00:00:26,640 --> 00:00:30,400 Speaker 1: at the end of May that bumblebees are contrary to 7 00:00:30,440 --> 00:00:34,959 Speaker 1: popular belief. Actually fish the Golden State has always been 8 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:37,720 Speaker 1: forward thinking. But all the Fox News hosts out there 9 00:00:37,920 --> 00:00:40,640 Speaker 1: can calm down. This ruling doesn't have anything to do 10 00:00:40,720 --> 00:00:43,760 Speaker 1: with politics, at least not the kind you're thinking of. 11 00:00:44,280 --> 00:00:47,760 Speaker 1: In two thousand eighteen, environmentalist groups petitioned the state of 12 00:00:47,800 --> 00:00:52,920 Speaker 1: California to list four subspecies of native bumblebees as endangered. 13 00:00:53,280 --> 00:00:59,480 Speaker 1: These species include the western bumblebee, Franklin's bumblebee, Suckley cuckoo bumblebee, 14 00:00:59,560 --> 00:01:04,680 Speaker 1: and watches bumblebee. Now, if all four of those species 15 00:01:04,800 --> 00:01:09,920 Speaker 1: were hybridized, they'd be called the Western Franklin, Suckley's cuckoo, 16 00:01:09,959 --> 00:01:14,360 Speaker 1: crotch bumblebee, which is pretty neat, and they'd sound something 17 00:01:14,440 --> 00:01:22,000 Speaker 1: like this. I didn't expect that, did you. Anyway? A 18 00:01:22,080 --> 00:01:25,480 Speaker 1: two thousand twenty court ruling denied the petitions requesting these 19 00:01:25,520 --> 00:01:29,160 Speaker 1: bees to be listed as endangered. Because the California Endangered 20 00:01:29,200 --> 00:01:32,560 Speaker 1: Species Act or c es A makes no mention of 21 00:01:32,680 --> 00:01:38,720 Speaker 1: insects or other terrestrial invertebrates. It protects birds, mammals, fish, amphibians, reptiles, 22 00:01:38,720 --> 00:01:43,399 Speaker 1: and plants, but bumble bees fall under none of these categories. However, 23 00:01:43,720 --> 00:01:47,440 Speaker 1: the c s A further defines fish as a wild fish, mollus, 24 00:01:47,560 --> 00:01:52,520 Speaker 1: crustacean invertebrate, amphibian, or part spawn or ovum of any 25 00:01:52,520 --> 00:01:56,480 Speaker 1: of those animals. The court ruled that since bumblebees are invertebrates, 26 00:01:56,520 --> 00:02:00,160 Speaker 1: they qualify as fish and can therefore be protected. The 27 00:02:00,240 --> 00:02:04,480 Speaker 1: judges acknowledge that quote the term fish is colloquially and 28 00:02:04,560 --> 00:02:08,480 Speaker 1: commonly understood to refer to aquatic species, but the legislative 29 00:02:08,600 --> 00:02:12,800 Speaker 1: history supports the liberal interpretation that the Commission may list 30 00:02:12,880 --> 00:02:17,679 Speaker 1: any invertebrate as an endangered or threatened species. So there 31 00:02:17,720 --> 00:02:21,280 Speaker 1: you go. These are now fish. And we had an 32 00:02:21,360 --> 00:02:25,600 Speaker 1: article that mentioned California Fox News and didn't mention the 33 00:02:25,639 --> 00:02:30,120 Speaker 1: word liberal until almost the very end. As of this recording, 34 00:02:30,200 --> 00:02:33,240 Speaker 1: there's no word yet as to how actual fish feel 35 00:02:33,240 --> 00:02:36,440 Speaker 1: about this ruling, but considering the state involved, we can 36 00:02:36,520 --> 00:02:41,400 Speaker 1: expect some form of protest soon. This week we've got poachers, 37 00:02:41,480 --> 00:02:44,800 Speaker 1: regulations and legislations. But first I'm gonna tell you about 38 00:02:44,840 --> 00:02:49,000 Speaker 1: my week, and yes, my week is sponsored by Steel 39 00:02:49,040 --> 00:02:51,919 Speaker 1: Power Equipment. My friends at Steel and I have been 40 00:02:51,919 --> 00:02:54,239 Speaker 1: working on a great, big thank you to a lot 41 00:02:54,240 --> 00:02:56,880 Speaker 1: of dads and families out there, but I can't fill 42 00:02:56,919 --> 00:03:00,200 Speaker 1: you in on that yet. June is Safety month and 43 00:03:00,280 --> 00:03:04,040 Speaker 1: this episode lands on Father's Day, which is very appropriate. 44 00:03:04,400 --> 00:03:06,799 Speaker 1: So if you know any father's out there, direct him 45 00:03:06,800 --> 00:03:11,639 Speaker 1: to the Steel social media accounts like steal USA on Instagram, 46 00:03:11,680 --> 00:03:14,040 Speaker 1: where then get a bunch of safety tips. And if 47 00:03:14,080 --> 00:03:17,560 Speaker 1: we're being honest, there is no better group out there 48 00:03:17,800 --> 00:03:21,120 Speaker 1: that could use a little reminder of safety than dear 49 00:03:21,160 --> 00:03:24,880 Speaker 1: old Dad. You know what I mean, Do as I say, 50 00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:28,600 Speaker 1: not as I do. Yes, old man, you got us 51 00:03:28,639 --> 00:03:30,960 Speaker 1: to where we are today. But looking back at your 52 00:03:31,000 --> 00:03:35,200 Speaker 1: operation as tax paying adults, we honestly wonder at times 53 00:03:35,360 --> 00:03:38,440 Speaker 1: if it were more luck than plan that got us 54 00:03:38,440 --> 00:03:42,320 Speaker 1: through all those times where good intention blurred the lines 55 00:03:42,360 --> 00:03:45,400 Speaker 1: of good thinking. For instance, I don't know if you're 56 00:03:45,400 --> 00:03:48,600 Speaker 1: aware right now this lawsuit in Florida involving the family 57 00:03:48,640 --> 00:03:51,000 Speaker 1: of a fourteen year old boy who is suing the 58 00:03:51,040 --> 00:03:55,520 Speaker 1: manufacturer and operators of an amusement park and amusement park ride. 59 00:03:55,840 --> 00:03:58,760 Speaker 1: The young man was out of compliance with the safety 60 00:03:58,800 --> 00:04:02,320 Speaker 1: parameters of right ers of the ride. In this instance, 61 00:04:02,320 --> 00:04:05,040 Speaker 1: he was too big. You may recall, like the last 62 00:04:05,080 --> 00:04:06,800 Speaker 1: time you stood in line for one of those rides, 63 00:04:06,800 --> 00:04:10,600 Speaker 1: there's like the Goofy cartoon character sometimes literally Goofy who 64 00:04:10,680 --> 00:04:14,960 Speaker 1: says you must be this tall the ride this ride. Well, anyway, 65 00:04:15,000 --> 00:04:17,800 Speaker 1: this kid died, This fourteen year old kid died, and 66 00:04:17,839 --> 00:04:21,240 Speaker 1: it reminded me of my own father looking at that 67 00:04:21,360 --> 00:04:25,200 Speaker 1: sign saying you must be this tall, taking me aside 68 00:04:25,520 --> 00:04:27,800 Speaker 1: not to a ride that I could actually go on, 69 00:04:28,040 --> 00:04:30,400 Speaker 1: but to remove my shoes and stuff them full of 70 00:04:30,480 --> 00:04:34,240 Speaker 1: napkins in order to make me meet the height requirement 71 00:04:34,400 --> 00:04:37,240 Speaker 1: for this roller coaster. And then of course that got 72 00:04:37,279 --> 00:04:40,960 Speaker 1: me thinking to all the tipped over canoes, severe lack 73 00:04:41,000 --> 00:04:45,960 Speaker 1: of helmets, ear protection, I protection are really lax policy 74 00:04:46,000 --> 00:04:48,839 Speaker 1: in regards to camping out in the woods unattended and 75 00:04:48,880 --> 00:04:52,000 Speaker 1: being on the rivers unattended, all things. I kind of 76 00:04:52,080 --> 00:04:54,920 Speaker 1: shake my head out now, but at the same time, 77 00:04:54,960 --> 00:04:58,000 Speaker 1: I just can't thank you. Enough Dad, I love you, 78 00:04:58,240 --> 00:05:03,400 Speaker 1: Happy Father's Day, don't burn yourself. And lastly, for my week, 79 00:05:03,680 --> 00:05:07,600 Speaker 1: I would like to address several ask cal emails regarding 80 00:05:07,680 --> 00:05:11,400 Speaker 1: lab grown meat. First, let me talk about lab meat 81 00:05:11,640 --> 00:05:15,200 Speaker 1: in general. Okay, we have neat substitutes that are grown 82 00:05:15,560 --> 00:05:19,120 Speaker 1: or composed of materials not associated with animal products. And 83 00:05:19,120 --> 00:05:21,679 Speaker 1: then we have these products that we discussed last week 84 00:05:21,800 --> 00:05:25,680 Speaker 1: that are actually grown from real animal protein, both of 85 00:05:25,720 --> 00:05:28,000 Speaker 1: which we've covered here on the Weekend Review a bunch 86 00:05:28,040 --> 00:05:31,000 Speaker 1: of times. And I want to clear up why I 87 00:05:31,040 --> 00:05:35,839 Speaker 1: think this stuff is not that great, why I honestly 88 00:05:35,920 --> 00:05:39,080 Speaker 1: kind of fear its proliferation. It may just come down 89 00:05:39,120 --> 00:05:42,840 Speaker 1: to space. The world's population and the appetite of that 90 00:05:42,920 --> 00:05:46,320 Speaker 1: population is growing, So yeah, we need to think in 91 00:05:46,400 --> 00:05:51,159 Speaker 1: ways that can feed this growing population and afford its space. 92 00:05:51,720 --> 00:05:54,599 Speaker 1: But once again, we aren't willing to ask people to 93 00:05:54,680 --> 00:05:58,240 Speaker 1: maximize their space. That's too unpopular, and we just do 94 00:05:58,320 --> 00:06:02,080 Speaker 1: that through socioeconomic mix. Right, if you're not rich, you 95 00:06:02,120 --> 00:06:05,160 Speaker 1: can't afford more space. If you've got less money, you 96 00:06:05,240 --> 00:06:08,600 Speaker 1: gotta get better at living on smaller amounts of ground 97 00:06:08,720 --> 00:06:12,320 Speaker 1: or in vertical structures. Okay, we all got that well 98 00:06:12,360 --> 00:06:14,880 Speaker 1: in this case. In order to make sure that folks 99 00:06:14,920 --> 00:06:18,400 Speaker 1: can have these ranchets and postage stamps out there with 100 00:06:18,480 --> 00:06:23,440 Speaker 1: some green space. We're asking agriculture to maximize its space, 101 00:06:24,000 --> 00:06:27,719 Speaker 1: get more efficient with less, make more with less land, 102 00:06:28,080 --> 00:06:31,560 Speaker 1: grow meat in vertical vats so we don't intrude on 103 00:06:31,600 --> 00:06:36,119 Speaker 1: the slivers of green non native grasses, and are sprawling subdivisions. 104 00:06:36,800 --> 00:06:40,839 Speaker 1: I argue that the open space that agriculture provides is 105 00:06:40,920 --> 00:06:45,040 Speaker 1: the last frontier here in America. If we can assume 106 00:06:45,200 --> 00:06:48,359 Speaker 1: some level of preservation of the idea of what is 107 00:06:48,400 --> 00:06:52,520 Speaker 1: wild international parks and induce mean idea of what is wild, 108 00:06:52,560 --> 00:06:54,560 Speaker 1: because as you may have picked up by now, I 109 00:06:54,640 --> 00:06:58,200 Speaker 1: don't really think that we're preserving wild in a national 110 00:06:58,240 --> 00:07:01,360 Speaker 1: park setting. If we want to to save the wild 111 00:07:01,440 --> 00:07:04,760 Speaker 1: and save our open spaces, which have the ability to 112 00:07:04,839 --> 00:07:08,040 Speaker 1: create both clean air and water, we need to make 113 00:07:08,040 --> 00:07:11,200 Speaker 1: it known to everyone that open space is where food 114 00:07:11,240 --> 00:07:14,920 Speaker 1: comes from. If food comes from a vat, not a 115 00:07:14,960 --> 00:07:18,640 Speaker 1: green space, where the hell do we get oxygen? Very 116 00:07:18,840 --> 00:07:23,000 Speaker 1: very rarely does a house, condo apartment go up and 117 00:07:23,040 --> 00:07:26,120 Speaker 1: then like a couple of decades later, that house apartment 118 00:07:26,320 --> 00:07:30,400 Speaker 1: condo comes back down, becomes a forest or a pasture, 119 00:07:31,000 --> 00:07:34,520 Speaker 1: We do value food, Okay, we know how much food costs. 120 00:07:34,760 --> 00:07:36,720 Speaker 1: What we need to do is know where it comes 121 00:07:36,760 --> 00:07:41,760 Speaker 1: from and know that that land is valuable both as 122 00:07:41,880 --> 00:07:44,920 Speaker 1: open space and the place where our food comes from. 123 00:07:45,040 --> 00:07:47,560 Speaker 1: We need to fight the hard fight right now and 124 00:07:47,600 --> 00:07:51,560 Speaker 1: make agriculture better, not flip it on its head entirely 125 00:07:51,840 --> 00:07:54,800 Speaker 1: and do away with the farm. Painting a picture of 126 00:07:54,800 --> 00:07:57,960 Speaker 1: a cow on a vat that produces something that we 127 00:07:58,000 --> 00:08:01,720 Speaker 1: can call cow meat is not fixing the problem. It's 128 00:08:01,760 --> 00:08:04,720 Speaker 1: ignoring the problem. You with me. This will be a 129 00:08:04,760 --> 00:08:08,840 Speaker 1: continuing series. Next week we can talk about tax incentives 130 00:08:08,920 --> 00:08:11,880 Speaker 1: for folks who rip up their grass lawns in exchange 131 00:08:11,920 --> 00:08:16,440 Speaker 1: for something edible and you know, pollinator habitat. We can 132 00:08:16,440 --> 00:08:19,400 Speaker 1: talk about tax hikes for those who want to maintain 133 00:08:19,480 --> 00:08:23,120 Speaker 1: the Kentucky blue grass and jail time for those folks 134 00:08:23,120 --> 00:08:26,680 Speaker 1: who cut grass and send it to the landfill. I 135 00:08:26,800 --> 00:08:30,920 Speaker 1: realized there may be nothing more yuppy than an h 136 00:08:31,000 --> 00:08:34,880 Speaker 1: o a revolution. But with a bear market, record, inflation 137 00:08:35,120 --> 00:08:37,720 Speaker 1: and hikes in the interest rates, there's no time like 138 00:08:37,760 --> 00:08:42,319 Speaker 1: the present for some form of something positive. Today we 139 00:08:42,480 --> 00:08:52,400 Speaker 1: celebrate our independence days. Moving on to the poaching desk, 140 00:08:54,120 --> 00:08:57,160 Speaker 1: you may remember from episode when I told you about 141 00:08:57,160 --> 00:09:00,480 Speaker 1: an Idaho man named yan Bo Fong who plead guilty 142 00:09:00,520 --> 00:09:04,480 Speaker 1: to illegally purchasing twenty four bear paws, eleven bear gall bladders, 143 00:09:04,480 --> 00:09:07,680 Speaker 1: seven bobcats, three mountain lions, and you know, the list 144 00:09:07,720 --> 00:09:10,480 Speaker 1: just keeps going on and it's much longer. Fong was 145 00:09:10,520 --> 00:09:13,439 Speaker 1: sentenced earlier this month to one hundred days in jail 146 00:09:13,679 --> 00:09:16,559 Speaker 1: and twenty five thousand dollars in fines. He will also 147 00:09:16,600 --> 00:09:19,800 Speaker 1: lose his hunting, fishing, and trapping privileges for six years. 148 00:09:21,600 --> 00:09:25,240 Speaker 1: In West by God, Virginia, eight West Virginia poachers are 149 00:09:25,240 --> 00:09:28,480 Speaker 1: working their way through the criminal justice system. In January, 150 00:09:28,520 --> 00:09:32,520 Speaker 1: those individuals reissued a whopping two twenty three poaching charges 151 00:09:32,720 --> 00:09:36,760 Speaker 1: involving at least twenty seven antlered bucks. Earlier this month, 152 00:09:37,000 --> 00:09:40,120 Speaker 1: one of those poachers, twenty four year old Colton Broadwater, 153 00:09:40,320 --> 00:09:43,080 Speaker 1: struck a plea deal in which he exchanged jail time 154 00:09:43,200 --> 00:09:46,240 Speaker 1: for one hundred and sixty days of house arrest, which 155 00:09:46,280 --> 00:09:48,880 Speaker 1: means he'll be able to leave his mom's house just 156 00:09:49,040 --> 00:09:53,040 Speaker 1: in time for Christmas. The judge obviously didn't think about Mama. 157 00:09:53,520 --> 00:09:56,800 Speaker 1: He pleaded no contest to a host of wildlife violations. 158 00:09:56,920 --> 00:09:59,719 Speaker 1: And was ordered to pay a thirty three thousand dollar 159 00:09:59,800 --> 00:10:02,959 Speaker 1: rip placement fee for the bucks he poached. Twenty three 160 00:10:03,040 --> 00:10:06,000 Speaker 1: year old Tyler Biggs was a sheriff's deputy at the 161 00:10:06,040 --> 00:10:09,040 Speaker 1: time of his violation, and he agreed to testify against 162 00:10:09,080 --> 00:10:12,600 Speaker 1: his fellow defendants, one of whom is his father and 163 00:10:12,679 --> 00:10:17,000 Speaker 1: another of whom was his girlfriend. I'm assuming the past 164 00:10:17,000 --> 00:10:21,320 Speaker 1: tense in this situation considering the circumstances. In exchange for 165 00:10:21,360 --> 00:10:24,720 Speaker 1: his testimony, he will also avoid jail time and be 166 00:10:24,800 --> 00:10:28,480 Speaker 1: sentenced a house arrest, which begs the question does dad 167 00:10:28,520 --> 00:10:32,800 Speaker 1: live at home? Happy Father's Day? I you know, couldn't 168 00:10:32,880 --> 00:10:36,160 Speaker 1: leave the house to get you anything. Oh, son, You've 169 00:10:36,160 --> 00:10:39,760 Speaker 1: gotten me game violations? What more could a father ask for? 170 00:10:40,360 --> 00:10:42,920 Speaker 1: If you want some background on this story, check out 171 00:10:43,040 --> 00:10:50,400 Speaker 1: episode now onto new Cases. A Wisconsin crossbow hunter nearly 172 00:10:50,400 --> 00:10:53,120 Speaker 1: died in January after he was gored by a wounded buck. 173 00:10:53,520 --> 00:10:56,560 Speaker 1: He was airlifted to a nearby hospital and eventually recovered 174 00:10:56,559 --> 00:11:00,720 Speaker 1: from blood loss, frostbite, and hypothermia, But not long after 175 00:11:00,880 --> 00:11:04,480 Speaker 1: he was released, wildlife officials slapped him with a three 176 00:11:05,040 --> 00:11:08,880 Speaker 1: forty three dollar fine. Why because he shot that buck? 177 00:11:08,960 --> 00:11:11,920 Speaker 1: Over bait which has been illegal in that county since 178 00:11:11,920 --> 00:11:16,680 Speaker 1: two thousand three. Karma can be uh antlered. I guess 179 00:11:18,440 --> 00:11:21,800 Speaker 1: speaking of karma, two poachers in Missouri are facing numerous 180 00:11:21,880 --> 00:11:25,320 Speaker 1: charges after hunting turkeys illegally on private property and then 181 00:11:25,360 --> 00:11:29,400 Speaker 1: allegedly firing a shotgun at the landowner. The Missouri Department 182 00:11:29,400 --> 00:11:32,240 Speaker 1: of Conservation reported that when the landowner confronted the man 183 00:11:32,240 --> 00:11:35,320 Speaker 1: about hunting turkeys on his property, they fled on foot 184 00:11:35,360 --> 00:11:37,560 Speaker 1: and one of them fired a gun in his direction. 185 00:11:37,960 --> 00:11:40,960 Speaker 1: When agents arrived on the scene, they tasked a canine 186 00:11:41,000 --> 00:11:45,160 Speaker 1: agent named Whalen with cracking the case. Whalen matched a 187 00:11:45,240 --> 00:11:48,480 Speaker 1: shotgun casing found at the scene too, shells found in 188 00:11:48,559 --> 00:11:51,360 Speaker 1: one of the poacher's hunting vests, and they were arrested 189 00:11:51,440 --> 00:11:54,839 Speaker 1: on the spot. They've been charged with unlawful use of 190 00:11:54,880 --> 00:11:58,720 Speaker 1: a weapon, hunting wildlife from private property without permission, taking 191 00:11:58,720 --> 00:12:03,120 Speaker 1: turkeys without a permit, and illegal possession of wildlife. At 192 00:12:03,120 --> 00:12:06,160 Speaker 1: a boy, Whalen, I expect you'll have your own miniseries 193 00:12:06,200 --> 00:12:11,760 Speaker 1: here soon, good boy over. In California, the San Francisco 194 00:12:11,840 --> 00:12:15,360 Speaker 1: District Attorney's office is suing a fisherman for one million 195 00:12:15,440 --> 00:12:18,160 Speaker 1: dollars in what they're calling the most egregious case of 196 00:12:18,240 --> 00:12:22,520 Speaker 1: unlawful crabbing activity in San Francisco's history. They must be 197 00:12:22,559 --> 00:12:29,200 Speaker 1: excluding the Red Light District. A commercial fisherman and Tan 198 00:12:29,360 --> 00:12:32,480 Speaker 1: van Tran allegedly set traps and protected waters near the 199 00:12:32,480 --> 00:12:35,800 Speaker 1: Fairy Ln Islands. The Fairy Long Islands should sound familiar. 200 00:12:36,040 --> 00:12:38,959 Speaker 1: It's one of the most sensitive and protected ecosystems in 201 00:12:39,000 --> 00:12:42,160 Speaker 1: the world, and Van Tran allegedly trapped about two d 202 00:12:42,280 --> 00:12:45,760 Speaker 1: and sixty dungeness crab in this area. Fish and Wildlife 203 00:12:45,760 --> 00:12:49,240 Speaker 1: found ninety two traps after an anonymous fisherman alerted them 204 00:12:49,240 --> 00:12:52,960 Speaker 1: to Van trans activities. He admitted that the traps were his, 205 00:12:53,240 --> 00:12:55,880 Speaker 1: but denied knowing he was fishing in a marine protected 206 00:12:55,920 --> 00:13:00,440 Speaker 1: area staying on the water. Officers were working for the 207 00:13:00,440 --> 00:13:03,840 Speaker 1: Nebraska Game and Parks Commission busted two anglers for exceeding 208 00:13:03,880 --> 00:13:07,760 Speaker 1: their bag limits of croppy by over ninety fish. Officers 209 00:13:07,800 --> 00:13:10,880 Speaker 1: working at Standing Bear Lake excited one angler for possessing 210 00:13:11,000 --> 00:13:15,080 Speaker 1: one four fish and another for possessing one hundred six fish. 211 00:13:15,240 --> 00:13:21,760 Speaker 1: The daily bag limit is fifteen that's per person. In Michigan, 212 00:13:21,960 --> 00:13:25,679 Speaker 1: thirteen poachers were recently busted for taking spawning whitefish from 213 00:13:25,720 --> 00:13:29,959 Speaker 1: the Monominee River. Department of Natural Resources wardens from Michigan 214 00:13:29,920 --> 00:13:32,400 Speaker 1: and Wisconsin started working the first case all the way 215 00:13:32,400 --> 00:13:35,880 Speaker 1: back in two thousand nineteen. They learned about organized groups 216 00:13:35,920 --> 00:13:40,040 Speaker 1: of poachers illegally targeting whitefish by intentionally snagging them in 217 00:13:40,120 --> 00:13:43,559 Speaker 1: the body or tail. They issued twenty nine citations to 218 00:13:43,720 --> 00:13:47,120 Speaker 1: thirteen poachers for exceeding the daily bag limit of whitefish, 219 00:13:47,320 --> 00:13:51,520 Speaker 1: intentionally snagging fish, and failing to release foul hooked fish. 220 00:13:51,640 --> 00:13:55,840 Speaker 1: When finally confronted about their activities, the poachers reportedly tried 221 00:13:55,880 --> 00:13:58,599 Speaker 1: to hide the fish by burying them, throwing them in 222 00:13:58,640 --> 00:14:01,800 Speaker 1: the bushes, and stewing them away and false floorboards in 223 00:14:01,840 --> 00:14:04,800 Speaker 1: their cars. I'm no game warden, but I bet you 224 00:14:04,800 --> 00:14:07,800 Speaker 1: wouldn't need to call Whalen the canine in from Missouri 225 00:14:07,880 --> 00:14:12,000 Speaker 1: to sniff out that contraband hey, that's already the second 226 00:14:12,000 --> 00:14:15,800 Speaker 1: episode of that dog show. The stuff rights itself. Unfortunately, 227 00:14:16,760 --> 00:14:19,600 Speaker 1: the poachers, who hail from three different states won't be 228 00:14:19,720 --> 00:14:23,160 Speaker 1: eligible to receive d NR licenses for a total of 229 00:14:23,240 --> 00:14:29,040 Speaker 1: twenty four years. Lastly, five Vermont man have been hit 230 00:14:29,080 --> 00:14:33,000 Speaker 1: with seventy eight criminal charges for poaching fourteen New Hampshire 231 00:14:33,040 --> 00:14:35,960 Speaker 1: deer out of season during the fall of two thousand 232 00:14:36,040 --> 00:14:38,880 Speaker 1: twenty one. The Division director for the States Fish and 233 00:14:38,920 --> 00:14:41,840 Speaker 1: Wildlife Department says it will take three or four years 234 00:14:41,880 --> 00:14:44,600 Speaker 1: for the dear population in the county to recruit mature 235 00:14:44,640 --> 00:14:47,360 Speaker 1: bucks to replace the ones that were taken. Two of 236 00:14:47,400 --> 00:14:50,280 Speaker 1: the poachers have pleaded not guilty and will stand trial. 237 00:14:50,680 --> 00:14:54,000 Speaker 1: The three others pleaded guilty and are paying fines totaling 238 00:14:54,080 --> 00:14:57,240 Speaker 1: forty dred dollars. Two of those three will also have 239 00:14:57,360 --> 00:15:03,640 Speaker 1: to forfeit their crossbows. Moving on to the turkey desk, 240 00:15:04,200 --> 00:15:07,280 Speaker 1: Big changes are coming to turkey hunting regulations in Tennessee, 241 00:15:07,520 --> 00:15:10,360 Speaker 1: and other states could see the same before too long. 242 00:15:10,840 --> 00:15:13,680 Speaker 1: On June three, the Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission voted 243 00:15:13,720 --> 00:15:16,600 Speaker 1: to delay of the turkey season by two weeks, reduced 244 00:15:16,600 --> 00:15:21,120 Speaker 1: the overall bag limit, banded fanning on state wildlife management areas, 245 00:15:21,200 --> 00:15:25,000 Speaker 1: and provide more opportunities for raccoon and other environment hunters. 246 00:15:25,040 --> 00:15:28,480 Speaker 1: Each of these new regulations, commissioners argued, is designed to 247 00:15:28,520 --> 00:15:32,160 Speaker 1: slow the decline of the state's turkey population. Turkey numbers 248 00:15:32,160 --> 00:15:34,520 Speaker 1: have been down in many states for several years, and 249 00:15:34,520 --> 00:15:37,600 Speaker 1: now fishing game commissions are taking more drastic steps to 250 00:15:37,640 --> 00:15:41,720 Speaker 1: address the issue. Here's Commissioner Hank Right discussing the decision 251 00:15:41,920 --> 00:15:45,280 Speaker 1: to delay the season. I think we all sense the 252 00:15:45,320 --> 00:15:48,720 Speaker 1: same thing. We're seeing fewer turkeys. We want to pull levers. 253 00:15:49,120 --> 00:15:51,120 Speaker 1: We just want to pull levers and make it better. 254 00:15:51,320 --> 00:15:53,080 Speaker 1: And UM, I think we need to be careful about 255 00:15:53,800 --> 00:15:56,320 Speaker 1: the actions we take. UM, and if we take them, 256 00:15:56,360 --> 00:15:59,200 Speaker 1: we need to base them on science. The season delay 257 00:15:59,560 --> 00:16:03,000 Speaker 1: was un animously approved by the Commission. Some hunters at 258 00:16:03,000 --> 00:16:06,920 Speaker 1: the meeting expressed strong opposition, but Roger Shields, the turkey 259 00:16:06,960 --> 00:16:10,920 Speaker 1: program coordinator for the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency, argued that 260 00:16:10,960 --> 00:16:14,120 Speaker 1: the long delay would help the birds breed and establish 261 00:16:14,160 --> 00:16:17,400 Speaker 1: more nests. The greater number of nests are established right 262 00:16:17,440 --> 00:16:19,960 Speaker 1: around the middle of April, but this year the general 263 00:16:20,000 --> 00:16:23,920 Speaker 1: turkey season began April. Swod biologists hope that moving the 264 00:16:23,960 --> 00:16:27,280 Speaker 1: season back will reduce hunting pressure during those critical few 265 00:16:27,280 --> 00:16:31,640 Speaker 1: weeks and keep more dominant breeding tom's on the landscape longer. 266 00:16:32,200 --> 00:16:35,600 Speaker 1: Shields admitted that he doesn't have much empirical evidence to 267 00:16:35,640 --> 00:16:38,880 Speaker 1: back up the policy change, but turkey hunters will still 268 00:16:38,920 --> 00:16:41,400 Speaker 1: have the same number of weeks to go after gobblers. 269 00:16:41,920 --> 00:16:45,120 Speaker 1: The Commission also voted to reduce the bag limit from 270 00:16:45,160 --> 00:16:47,960 Speaker 1: three birds to two, and only one of those birds 271 00:16:48,040 --> 00:16:51,320 Speaker 1: can be a jake. In addition, the commission voted to 272 00:16:51,360 --> 00:16:55,040 Speaker 1: expand raccoon in a possum season and double the bag limit. 273 00:16:55,520 --> 00:16:58,600 Speaker 1: They hope taking more of these predators off the landscape 274 00:16:58,680 --> 00:17:02,160 Speaker 1: will make sure more poll survived through those dangerous first 275 00:17:02,200 --> 00:17:07,240 Speaker 1: few months. Commissioners overwhelmingly supported these measures, but they disagreed 276 00:17:07,240 --> 00:17:11,240 Speaker 1: about reaping. Reaping or fanning, is when a turkey hunter 277 00:17:11,320 --> 00:17:14,160 Speaker 1: uses a tail fan attached to a shotgun to trick 278 00:17:14,240 --> 00:17:18,800 Speaker 1: turkeys into coming within range. Some commissioners argued that the practice, 279 00:17:18,960 --> 00:17:21,600 Speaker 1: which is highly effective, has played a role in the 280 00:17:21,680 --> 00:17:26,680 Speaker 1: declining turkey population. They also argue that it's dangerous, especially 281 00:17:26,680 --> 00:17:29,240 Speaker 1: on public land where hunters may not know about other 282 00:17:29,359 --> 00:17:33,159 Speaker 1: hunters in the area. Other commissioners held that opponents of 283 00:17:33,200 --> 00:17:37,639 Speaker 1: the practice are making an emotional decision. Listen to Commissioner 284 00:17:37,680 --> 00:17:42,000 Speaker 1: Bill Cox to me, there's no basis except for an 285 00:17:42,040 --> 00:17:46,520 Speaker 1: emotional decision on this and some input from people that 286 00:17:46,520 --> 00:17:51,000 Speaker 1: that feel like it is dangerous with no data to 287 00:17:51,080 --> 00:17:55,399 Speaker 1: back that up. I don't particularly like government sticking to 288 00:17:55,520 --> 00:17:58,840 Speaker 1: nose in my business when there's no justification for it. 289 00:17:59,320 --> 00:18:02,159 Speaker 1: Commissioner Box ended up in the minority. Nine of the 290 00:18:02,160 --> 00:18:05,920 Speaker 1: twelve commissioners voted in favor of banning reaping on state 291 00:18:06,000 --> 00:18:09,359 Speaker 1: owned public land, though the tactic can still be used 292 00:18:09,400 --> 00:18:14,160 Speaker 1: on private land, which is where I have a personal beef. Okay, 293 00:18:14,400 --> 00:18:19,040 Speaker 1: you can't have legal hunting tactics on private land that 294 00:18:19,160 --> 00:18:23,800 Speaker 1: are magically illegal and bad for the resource on public 295 00:18:23,880 --> 00:18:28,199 Speaker 1: land anyway. These aren't the first regulation changes aimed at 296 00:18:28,240 --> 00:18:32,080 Speaker 1: propping up turkey populations, and they certainly won't be the last. 297 00:18:32,119 --> 00:18:35,280 Speaker 1: In Utah, the Wildlife Board just approved reducing the number 298 00:18:35,280 --> 00:18:38,960 Speaker 1: of fall turkey permits and prohibiting all fall turkey hunting 299 00:18:38,960 --> 00:18:41,920 Speaker 1: on public land. The board also voted to cap the 300 00:18:42,000 --> 00:18:44,520 Speaker 1: number of permits for the Northern and Central regions in 301 00:18:44,640 --> 00:18:47,960 Speaker 1: Utah at of the number of permits sold in two 302 00:18:48,000 --> 00:18:51,600 Speaker 1: thousand twenty one. The spring season is still intact, but 303 00:18:51,720 --> 00:18:54,760 Speaker 1: the board decided on these changes because hunters were taking 304 00:18:54,800 --> 00:18:58,560 Speaker 1: more gobblers in the fall season than they expected. It's 305 00:18:58,600 --> 00:19:01,280 Speaker 1: also worth pointing out that some states are loosening turkey 306 00:19:01,359 --> 00:19:05,280 Speaker 1: hunting rags rather than restricting them. In South Dakota, the Game, 307 00:19:05,320 --> 00:19:08,800 Speaker 1: Fish and Parks Commission just issued a proposal to raise 308 00:19:08,840 --> 00:19:11,320 Speaker 1: the number of fall tags issued from one hundred to 309 00:19:11,400 --> 00:19:14,560 Speaker 1: five hundred in some areas and from twenty three to 310 00:19:14,760 --> 00:19:18,919 Speaker 1: two thousand tags in others. The proposal would also expand 311 00:19:18,960 --> 00:19:22,440 Speaker 1: the areas where fall turkey hunting is permitted. To add 312 00:19:22,440 --> 00:19:26,040 Speaker 1: an interested third party here, we reached out to National 313 00:19:26,040 --> 00:19:29,960 Speaker 1: Wild Turkey Federation. Turkeys have been one of North America's 314 00:19:29,960 --> 00:19:34,919 Speaker 1: greatest conservation success stories, but a combination of disease, predators, development, 315 00:19:35,040 --> 00:19:38,720 Speaker 1: whether and yes hunting have combined to eat way at 316 00:19:38,760 --> 00:19:42,560 Speaker 1: that success. Hunters like to brag about how instrumental they 317 00:19:42,560 --> 00:19:46,600 Speaker 1: were in resurrecting North American turkeys and their right. Our 318 00:19:46,640 --> 00:19:50,199 Speaker 1: community drove that conservation, and right now it looks like 319 00:19:50,240 --> 00:19:53,920 Speaker 1: it's time to step up to the plate again. Moving 320 00:19:53,960 --> 00:19:58,600 Speaker 1: on to the legislation desk. In one of the biggest 321 00:19:58,600 --> 00:20:01,000 Speaker 1: developments of the year, so Are, the U. S. House 322 00:20:01,040 --> 00:20:04,840 Speaker 1: passed the Recovering America's Wildlife Act on a seemingly partisan 323 00:20:05,040 --> 00:20:08,200 Speaker 1: two hundred thirty one to one nine vote. The vote 324 00:20:08,240 --> 00:20:12,240 Speaker 1: was unfortunately less bipartisan than we had hoped. Only sixteen 325 00:20:12,280 --> 00:20:16,639 Speaker 1: Republicans voted in favor, while one eight opposed. After a 326 00:20:16,680 --> 00:20:19,800 Speaker 1: debate emerged on the floor about how the legislation would 327 00:20:19,800 --> 00:20:23,199 Speaker 1: be paid for. You can check out a detailed explanation 328 00:20:23,280 --> 00:20:25,840 Speaker 1: of this bill in Episode one twenty, but here's a 329 00:20:25,960 --> 00:20:30,679 Speaker 1: quick rundown for you. The Recovering Americans Wildlife Act, also 330 00:20:30,760 --> 00:20:34,120 Speaker 1: known as raw WAW, would give the States a guaranteed 331 00:20:34,160 --> 00:20:37,280 Speaker 1: one point three billion per year to help them recover 332 00:20:37,400 --> 00:20:41,960 Speaker 1: threatened and endangered species. It's by far the biggest conservation 333 00:20:42,000 --> 00:20:45,520 Speaker 1: bill since the Great American Outdoors Act, and it deserves 334 00:20:45,600 --> 00:20:48,800 Speaker 1: our support. The next hurdle is the U. S. Senate, 335 00:20:48,800 --> 00:20:53,240 Speaker 1: where eighteen Democrats, sixteen Republicans, and one independent have pledged 336 00:20:53,280 --> 00:20:56,399 Speaker 1: their support. We need to make sure our representatives know 337 00:20:56,480 --> 00:20:59,320 Speaker 1: what we want to get this past. Get on the 338 00:20:59,320 --> 00:21:01,920 Speaker 1: phone with your U. S. Senator today and tell them 339 00:21:02,040 --> 00:21:05,960 Speaker 1: you support S. Two three seven to the Recovering America's 340 00:21:05,960 --> 00:21:09,359 Speaker 1: Wildlife Act. I am confident we can clean up the bill, 341 00:21:09,760 --> 00:21:12,359 Speaker 1: as in the tab will need to do it in 342 00:21:12,480 --> 00:21:14,800 Speaker 1: order to prevent critters from hitting the E S A 343 00:21:14,960 --> 00:21:19,720 Speaker 1: list and costing US a lot more. The U. S. 344 00:21:19,760 --> 00:21:22,720 Speaker 1: Fish and Wildlife Service announced earlier this month that it 345 00:21:22,760 --> 00:21:25,960 Speaker 1: plans to open new hunting and fishing opportunities at nineteen 346 00:21:26,040 --> 00:21:30,840 Speaker 1: National wildlife refugees on approximately fifty four thousand acres nationwide. 347 00:21:31,280 --> 00:21:34,000 Speaker 1: The move is part of the Biden administration's push to 348 00:21:34,119 --> 00:21:38,600 Speaker 1: increase recreational access on public land, and the proposed rule 349 00:21:38,760 --> 00:21:42,920 Speaker 1: includes one and ten distinct opportunities for hunting or fishing. 350 00:21:43,520 --> 00:21:47,360 Speaker 1: Refuges in fifteen different states from California to Virginia are 351 00:21:47,400 --> 00:21:50,520 Speaker 1: set to offer new opportunities for white tailed deer, turkey's, 352 00:21:50,640 --> 00:21:53,480 Speaker 1: upland game and Ferrell hoggs, just to name a few. 353 00:21:54,040 --> 00:21:56,000 Speaker 1: Many of these will be open to hunting for the 354 00:21:56,040 --> 00:21:59,640 Speaker 1: first time. The San Diego National Wildlife Refuge, for example, 355 00:21:59,720 --> 00:22:02,639 Speaker 1: plans to open dove, quail, rabbit, and mule deer hunting. 356 00:22:02,960 --> 00:22:06,000 Speaker 1: The Great Thicket National Wildlife Refuge in Maine and New 357 00:22:06,080 --> 00:22:09,760 Speaker 1: York will open migratory bird, upland game and big game hunting, 358 00:22:10,000 --> 00:22:13,280 Speaker 1: and the Wallops Island National Wildlife Refuge will open hunting 359 00:22:13,280 --> 00:22:16,520 Speaker 1: for migratory and upland game birds. None of these proposed 360 00:22:16,600 --> 00:22:19,720 Speaker 1: changes have been finalized. To check out the full list 361 00:22:19,760 --> 00:22:24,479 Speaker 1: for yourself and submit a comment, go to Regulations dot 362 00:22:24,680 --> 00:22:29,280 Speaker 1: g o V. Along the same lines, the Department of 363 00:22:29,320 --> 00:22:33,439 Speaker 1: Interior also announced that it plans to distribute two seventy 364 00:22:33,520 --> 00:22:37,320 Speaker 1: nine million dollars among all fifty states for outdoor recreation 365 00:22:37,400 --> 00:22:41,280 Speaker 1: and conservation projects. That money is coming from the Land 366 00:22:41,320 --> 00:22:44,720 Speaker 1: and Water Conservation Fund or l w c F, which 367 00:22:44,800 --> 00:22:47,879 Speaker 1: was fully funded by the Great American Outdoors Act. The 368 00:22:47,960 --> 00:22:51,040 Speaker 1: Great American Outdoors Act was passed in two thousand twenty, 369 00:22:51,280 --> 00:22:54,080 Speaker 1: thanks in no small part to folks like you who 370 00:22:54,119 --> 00:22:58,239 Speaker 1: called an email your representatives. Thank you so much. Just 371 00:22:58,359 --> 00:23:01,280 Speaker 1: remember your job's not over yet. The amount of money 372 00:23:01,320 --> 00:23:05,200 Speaker 1: each state receives as calculated using a population based formula, 373 00:23:05,359 --> 00:23:08,400 Speaker 1: so large states like California and Texas are getting over 374 00:23:08,480 --> 00:23:11,800 Speaker 1: fifteen million, while states like Wyoming, Rhode Island, and North 375 00:23:11,840 --> 00:23:15,480 Speaker 1: Dakota are all getting about two million. States will use 376 00:23:15,480 --> 00:23:20,000 Speaker 1: the money to expand outdoor recreation opportunities and fund conservation projects, 377 00:23:20,280 --> 00:23:23,600 Speaker 1: and I encourage you to be involved in that process. 378 00:23:24,080 --> 00:23:26,920 Speaker 1: This is your money going towards your public lands. Get 379 00:23:26,920 --> 00:23:29,720 Speaker 1: involved in your state and help make sure these stacks 380 00:23:29,720 --> 00:23:34,359 Speaker 1: of cash are well spent. Now it's not all sunshine 381 00:23:34,440 --> 00:23:38,920 Speaker 1: rainbows in public land funding in Washington. Last year, Wyoming 382 00:23:38,960 --> 00:23:42,359 Speaker 1: Senator John Barrasso introduced a bill that would diminish protections 383 00:23:42,400 --> 00:23:45,520 Speaker 1: on tens of thousands of public acres in Wyoming. That 384 00:23:45,560 --> 00:23:47,639 Speaker 1: bill just got a hearing in the Senate Committee on 385 00:23:47,760 --> 00:23:50,679 Speaker 1: Energy and Natural Resources, which could mean it's starting to 386 00:23:50,680 --> 00:23:54,440 Speaker 1: gain traction. Wyoming has more than seven and fifty eight 387 00:23:54,480 --> 00:23:59,200 Speaker 1: thousand wilderness study area acres. These acres are federally managed 388 00:23:59,240 --> 00:24:02,760 Speaker 1: and allow hunting and recreation, but they don't allow extractive 389 00:24:02,800 --> 00:24:06,080 Speaker 1: activities like drilling and mining. Many of these acres were 390 00:24:06,119 --> 00:24:08,600 Speaker 1: designated in the nine eighties and nineties, and they were 391 00:24:08,640 --> 00:24:11,399 Speaker 1: meant to be temporary. But it's been thirty years and 392 00:24:11,440 --> 00:24:15,080 Speaker 1: Senator Barrasso thinks it's time to open them up. His bill, 393 00:24:15,240 --> 00:24:18,840 Speaker 1: the Wyoming Public Lands Initiative Act, would create five permanent 394 00:24:18,840 --> 00:24:24,439 Speaker 1: wilderness areas totaling twenty thousand acres. It would release nine thousand, 395 00:24:24,520 --> 00:24:28,280 Speaker 1: seven hundred fifty protected areas for multiple uses like logging 396 00:24:28,320 --> 00:24:31,760 Speaker 1: in oil and gas development, and it would create three 397 00:24:31,800 --> 00:24:36,720 Speaker 1: special management areas covering twenty seven thousand, seven hundred eleven acres. 398 00:24:36,760 --> 00:24:40,320 Speaker 1: These three areas would be protected against major development, but 399 00:24:40,400 --> 00:24:43,680 Speaker 1: wouldn't have the same level of protection as wilderness areas 400 00:24:44,160 --> 00:24:47,320 Speaker 1: and other words. For those without a calculator handy, the 401 00:24:47,359 --> 00:24:50,640 Speaker 1: bill would protect about forty seven thousand acres and open 402 00:24:50,720 --> 00:24:54,040 Speaker 1: up nearly one hundred thousand. If you'd like to weigh 403 00:24:54,040 --> 00:24:56,400 Speaker 1: in here, get in touch with your U. S. Senators 404 00:24:56,480 --> 00:24:59,920 Speaker 1: and tell them what you think about Senate Bill one zero, 405 00:25:00,200 --> 00:25:04,960 Speaker 1: the Wyoming Public Lands Initiative Act of two thousand twenty one. 406 00:25:06,040 --> 00:25:09,080 Speaker 1: The US Fish and Wildlife Service is set to undertake 407 00:25:09,119 --> 00:25:13,119 Speaker 1: a comprehensive study to determine whether bison and Yellowstone National 408 00:25:13,160 --> 00:25:16,919 Speaker 1: Park should be protected under the Endangered Species Act. The 409 00:25:17,000 --> 00:25:20,800 Speaker 1: services seeking comments from the public that might influence that study. 410 00:25:21,200 --> 00:25:24,320 Speaker 1: A federal judge also ordered the US Fish and Wildlife 411 00:25:24,320 --> 00:25:28,080 Speaker 1: Service to undertake an eighteen month study to determine whether 412 00:25:28,119 --> 00:25:31,560 Speaker 1: to list wolverines as needing protection under the e s A. 413 00:25:32,280 --> 00:25:35,440 Speaker 1: Environmentalists have been requesting the listing as far back as 414 00:25:35,480 --> 00:25:38,080 Speaker 1: the year two thousand, but the Fish and Wildlife Service 415 00:25:38,119 --> 00:25:42,720 Speaker 1: rejected the petitions because the wolverine population appears to be expanding, 416 00:25:43,000 --> 00:25:46,720 Speaker 1: not contracting. Now they'll have to take a closer look. 417 00:25:48,520 --> 00:25:51,960 Speaker 1: In Delaware, legislators are considering a bill that would ban 418 00:25:52,080 --> 00:25:55,800 Speaker 1: the possession or use of firearms or air rifles larger 419 00:25:55,840 --> 00:25:59,480 Speaker 1: than seventeen caliber for anyone under the age of twenty one. 420 00:26:00,119 --> 00:26:03,240 Speaker 1: Hunters under the age limit who want to use a rifle, pistol, 421 00:26:03,359 --> 00:26:06,399 Speaker 1: or air gun must be accompanied by someone over the 422 00:26:06,400 --> 00:26:09,480 Speaker 1: age of one. In other words, if you're a twenty 423 00:26:09,560 --> 00:26:11,960 Speaker 1: year old who wants to hunt with a bolt action 424 00:26:12,080 --> 00:26:14,920 Speaker 1: rifle in Delaware, you'll need to be accompanied by someone 425 00:26:15,000 --> 00:26:18,800 Speaker 1: who can also legally purchase a post hunt beer. The 426 00:26:18,880 --> 00:26:22,520 Speaker 1: bill makes an exception for shotguns, muzzleloaders, and bows, but 427 00:26:22,640 --> 00:26:25,560 Speaker 1: it doesn't appear to make an exception for people under 428 00:26:25,640 --> 00:26:29,560 Speaker 1: age one shooting a firearm at a range, even under 429 00:26:29,600 --> 00:26:33,080 Speaker 1: adult supervision. If you live in Delaware, get on the 430 00:26:33,119 --> 00:26:35,439 Speaker 1: phone with your state rep and tell them how you 431 00:26:35,520 --> 00:26:41,040 Speaker 1: feel about House Bill four five one. In Vermont, the 432 00:26:41,119 --> 00:26:44,360 Speaker 1: state legislature has passed a bill directing the state's Commission 433 00:26:44,359 --> 00:26:46,479 Speaker 1: of Fish and Wildlife to take a closer look at 434 00:26:46,520 --> 00:26:51,200 Speaker 1: trapping regulations in the state. On or before January two 435 00:26:51,200 --> 00:26:54,680 Speaker 1: thousand twenty three. The Commission is to submit a report 436 00:26:54,760 --> 00:26:59,439 Speaker 1: that will quote recommend best management practices for trapping that 437 00:26:59,480 --> 00:27:04,320 Speaker 1: proposed criteria and equipment designed to modernize trapping and improve 438 00:27:04,359 --> 00:27:08,359 Speaker 1: the welfare of animals subject to trapping programs. If you 439 00:27:08,400 --> 00:27:10,880 Speaker 1: can't read between the lines on that one, the bill 440 00:27:10,920 --> 00:27:14,200 Speaker 1: elaborates a little further down, among other things, the Commission 441 00:27:14,280 --> 00:27:17,760 Speaker 1: is required to recommend trapping devices that are more humane 442 00:27:18,040 --> 00:27:21,760 Speaker 1: than currently authorized devices and are designed to minimize injury 443 00:27:21,800 --> 00:27:25,280 Speaker 1: to a captured animal. They will also be making recommendations 444 00:27:25,359 --> 00:27:28,840 Speaker 1: that change the rags on trapping techniques and trap locations. 445 00:27:29,440 --> 00:27:32,240 Speaker 1: If you live in Vermont, there's a great opportunity here 446 00:27:32,280 --> 00:27:35,560 Speaker 1: to influence this process. The Commission won't be handing down 447 00:27:35,600 --> 00:27:38,840 Speaker 1: its recommendations for another six months, so look up your 448 00:27:38,840 --> 00:27:43,720 Speaker 1: commissioners and let them know what you think. Finally, over 449 00:27:43,760 --> 00:27:46,879 Speaker 1: at the fish desk, and I'm not talking bumblebees. A 450 00:27:46,880 --> 00:27:49,840 Speaker 1: new study from a team of French researchers has proven 451 00:27:49,880 --> 00:27:54,119 Speaker 1: empirically that ugly fish need more help than beautiful fish. 452 00:27:54,680 --> 00:27:58,440 Speaker 1: Researchers asked thirteen thousand members of the public to rate 453 00:27:58,480 --> 00:28:01,640 Speaker 1: the aesthetic attractive US of four hundred and eighty one 454 00:28:01,720 --> 00:28:06,080 Speaker 1: photographs of ray finned reef fish. They took that data 455 00:28:06,240 --> 00:28:09,879 Speaker 1: and plugged it into an AI system that generated predictions 456 00:28:10,000 --> 00:28:14,719 Speaker 1: for an additional photographs featuring two thousand, four hundred and 457 00:28:14,720 --> 00:28:19,440 Speaker 1: seventeen of the most encountered reef fish species. The fish 458 00:28:19,480 --> 00:28:23,159 Speaker 1: that were considered beautiful usually had bright color patterns and 459 00:28:23,320 --> 00:28:26,760 Speaker 1: rounded bodies. These fish you won't be surprised to hear 460 00:28:26,800 --> 00:28:29,600 Speaker 1: we're less likely to be labeled as threatened by the 461 00:28:29,640 --> 00:28:33,439 Speaker 1: International Union for the Conservation of Nature. Ugly fish, on 462 00:28:33,480 --> 00:28:36,920 Speaker 1: the other hand, were on average, more likely to be threatened. 463 00:28:37,400 --> 00:28:40,920 Speaker 1: Here's a quote for you. Our study highlights likely important 464 00:28:41,000 --> 00:28:45,480 Speaker 1: mismatches between potential public support for conservation and the species 465 00:28:45,560 --> 00:28:48,960 Speaker 1: most in need of this support. This, of course, is 466 00:28:49,000 --> 00:28:52,560 Speaker 1: not just a problem among reef fish. Any conservation group 467 00:28:52,600 --> 00:28:56,600 Speaker 1: will tell you to solicit donations. Large mammals with cube 468 00:28:56,640 --> 00:29:01,880 Speaker 1: babies get the cash. Sometimes referred to as charismatic megafauna, 469 00:29:02,000 --> 00:29:07,960 Speaker 1: animals might include lions, tigers, guerrillas, giant pandas, elephants, dolphins, whales, otters. 470 00:29:08,360 --> 00:29:11,280 Speaker 1: All of these tugget people's heartstrings and have them reaching 471 00:29:11,280 --> 00:29:14,760 Speaker 1: for their wats. Humans identify with these mammals for lots 472 00:29:14,760 --> 00:29:17,200 Speaker 1: of reasons, but they often have nothing to do with 473 00:29:17,320 --> 00:29:19,840 Speaker 1: sound science. But what we need to keep in mind 474 00:29:19,960 --> 00:29:22,440 Speaker 1: is the species that we seem to like the most 475 00:29:22,640 --> 00:29:25,800 Speaker 1: rely on the less charismatic critters to keep them up 476 00:29:25,800 --> 00:29:28,600 Speaker 1: on top of the food chain. That's why bills like 477 00:29:28,640 --> 00:29:32,960 Speaker 1: the Recovering America's Wildlife Act are so important. This legislation 478 00:29:33,040 --> 00:29:36,479 Speaker 1: provides funding for state agencies to reserve the species that 479 00:29:36,520 --> 00:29:39,480 Speaker 1: most people don't care about but that are critical to 480 00:29:39,640 --> 00:29:43,280 Speaker 1: healthy ecosystem. It would be great if we could convince 481 00:29:43,320 --> 00:29:46,040 Speaker 1: everyone to care about the ugly fish, but that's not 482 00:29:46,160 --> 00:29:49,880 Speaker 1: likely to happen. We can convince our elected officials, however, 483 00:29:50,120 --> 00:29:53,800 Speaker 1: to fund science based conservation efforts, which is why you 484 00:29:53,800 --> 00:29:57,680 Speaker 1: should call your US Reps today about supporting HR two 485 00:29:57,760 --> 00:30:01,440 Speaker 1: seven seven three. While you do that, keep in mind 486 00:30:01,800 --> 00:30:05,920 Speaker 1: that ugly fish are very tasty fish. That's all I've 487 00:30:05,960 --> 00:30:08,560 Speaker 1: got for you this week. Thank you so much for listening. 488 00:30:08,760 --> 00:30:11,960 Speaker 1: Remember to write into a s k c a L 489 00:30:12,280 --> 00:30:15,520 Speaker 1: that's asked cal at the Meat eater dot com and 490 00:30:15,640 --> 00:30:17,240 Speaker 1: let me know what's going on in your neck of 491 00:30:17,280 --> 00:30:20,120 Speaker 1: the woods. I want to hear it. Thanks again, and 492 00:30:20,160 --> 00:30:21,240 Speaker 1: I'll talk to you next week.