1 00:00:02,840 --> 00:00:06,880 Speaker 1: From Mediators World News Headquarters in Bozeman, Montana. This is 2 00:00:06,960 --> 00:00:11,360 Speaker 1: Cal's weekend review, presented by Steel. Steel products are available 3 00:00:11,400 --> 00:00:15,200 Speaker 1: only at authorized dealers. For more, go to Steel Dealers 4 00:00:15,320 --> 00:00:20,720 Speaker 1: dot com. Now here's your host, Ryan cal callahan. 5 00:00:22,320 --> 00:00:26,119 Speaker 2: Shark Week may be mercifully over, but issues surrounding sharks 6 00:00:26,120 --> 00:00:29,560 Speaker 2: and recreational fishing aren't going anywhere. That's why we are 7 00:00:29,600 --> 00:00:34,200 Speaker 2: excited to talk to Virginia Representative Rob Whitman. Representative Whitman 8 00:00:34,320 --> 00:00:37,720 Speaker 2: represents Virginia's first district, and he just introduced a bill 9 00:00:37,760 --> 00:00:40,639 Speaker 2: in the US Congress. He calls and get ready for this, 10 00:00:41,159 --> 00:00:45,440 Speaker 2: the Supporting the Health of Aquatic Systems through Research, Knowledge 11 00:00:45,479 --> 00:00:49,559 Speaker 2: and Enhanced Dialogue Act, which, if you can't tell, is 12 00:00:49,600 --> 00:00:54,400 Speaker 2: a tortured acronym that shortens to the Sharked Act. The 13 00:00:54,480 --> 00:00:57,680 Speaker 2: Shark Act would create a federal task force to study 14 00:00:57,680 --> 00:01:01,400 Speaker 2: the effects of shark depredation, specif tzifically what we can 15 00:01:01,440 --> 00:01:06,240 Speaker 2: do to minimize shark depredation on recreational fishermen's catch. You 16 00:01:06,280 --> 00:01:08,600 Speaker 2: may remember a few weeks ago we covered a big 17 00:01:08,640 --> 00:01:11,600 Speaker 2: controversy involving a team of marlin anglers who had their 18 00:01:11,600 --> 00:01:14,240 Speaker 2: fish disqualified because it had been chewed on by a 19 00:01:14,280 --> 00:01:18,320 Speaker 2: shark breaking those tournament rules. Saltwater anglers know that's not 20 00:01:18,600 --> 00:01:22,759 Speaker 2: uncommon the tax map as sharks are referred to frequently 21 00:01:22,840 --> 00:01:25,880 Speaker 2: take their share of a fisherman's catch, and Representative Whitman 22 00:01:26,080 --> 00:01:29,679 Speaker 2: says this problem has gotten substantially worse in the last 23 00:01:29,680 --> 00:01:32,800 Speaker 2: five years. We had Representative Whitman on the show to 24 00:01:32,800 --> 00:01:36,280 Speaker 2: talk about sharks saltwater anglers and how these two groups 25 00:01:36,319 --> 00:01:39,800 Speaker 2: can coexist without minimizing the great work that's been done 26 00:01:39,959 --> 00:01:43,320 Speaker 2: to conserve sharks over the last few decades. The Shark 27 00:01:43,360 --> 00:01:47,080 Speaker 2: to Act Framework authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to establish 28 00:01:47,120 --> 00:01:50,600 Speaker 2: a task force composed of marine biologists and other experts 29 00:01:50,640 --> 00:01:54,720 Speaker 2: who will identify research opportunities, priorities, and funding for things 30 00:01:54,760 --> 00:01:58,560 Speaker 2: like shark stock assessments, how sharks become habituated to humans, 31 00:01:58,600 --> 00:02:01,400 Speaker 2: and what kinds of strategy can be used to minimize 32 00:02:01,480 --> 00:02:05,880 Speaker 2: human shark interactions. The bill mentions both harvesting more sharks 33 00:02:06,000 --> 00:02:09,720 Speaker 2: as well as non lethal deterrence amongst the possible future 34 00:02:09,800 --> 00:02:13,120 Speaker 2: management strategies. At one point, you'll hear us reference the 35 00:02:13,240 --> 00:02:16,880 Speaker 2: Magnuson Stevens Act. This is the primary law that governs 36 00:02:16,919 --> 00:02:20,560 Speaker 2: marine Fisheries Management in US Federal waters first past in 37 00:02:20,639 --> 00:02:24,600 Speaker 2: nineteen seventy six. The MSA fosters the long term biological 38 00:02:24,639 --> 00:02:28,520 Speaker 2: and economic sustainability of marine fisheries. Its objectives are to 39 00:02:28,560 --> 00:02:33,320 Speaker 2: prevent overfishing, rebuild overfish stocks, increase the long term economic 40 00:02:33,400 --> 00:02:36,800 Speaker 2: and social benefits, ensure a supply of seafood, and protect 41 00:02:36,800 --> 00:02:41,040 Speaker 2: fish habitat, among others. It's a huge law that's difficult 42 00:02:41,080 --> 00:02:44,920 Speaker 2: to change, but any alteration to shark management could involve 43 00:02:44,919 --> 00:02:48,280 Speaker 2: a change to Magnus and Stevens. As I've said, we've 44 00:02:48,320 --> 00:02:52,960 Speaker 2: got this super informational interview with Representative Whitman, and outside 45 00:02:52,960 --> 00:02:57,160 Speaker 2: of that all we got to my week and this week, 46 00:02:57,480 --> 00:03:01,240 Speaker 2: you know, had a great time swung through weatherby picked 47 00:03:01,320 --> 00:03:04,959 Speaker 2: up a brand Spankingoe O'Ryan side by side in twenty games. 48 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:08,720 Speaker 2: That's right, two barrels, one sitting right there next to 49 00:03:08,760 --> 00:03:11,800 Speaker 2: the other one two triggers. Heck of a good price. 50 00:03:12,200 --> 00:03:15,600 Speaker 2: The thing fits great, it shoots great. I am so 51 00:03:15,639 --> 00:03:18,520 Speaker 2: excited to get out with at this fall with old Snorticus. 52 00:03:19,040 --> 00:03:22,000 Speaker 2: Then I went from there over to Buffalo, Wyoming and 53 00:03:22,080 --> 00:03:26,200 Speaker 2: sat in on a corner crossing listening session with the 54 00:03:26,240 --> 00:03:30,399 Speaker 2: Wyoming constituents who showed up. That was hosted by TRCP 55 00:03:30,639 --> 00:03:35,720 Speaker 2: and BHA. Great time over there at Bond Brewing. Super 56 00:03:35,760 --> 00:03:39,920 Speaker 2: informed constituency over there, Wyoming folks care about their access 57 00:03:40,120 --> 00:03:43,360 Speaker 2: and they should. Outside of that old Snortkis and I 58 00:03:43,440 --> 00:03:46,120 Speaker 2: have been hitting the trails hard, trying to get the 59 00:03:46,200 --> 00:03:49,800 Speaker 2: lungs and legs prepared for the upcoming seasons while avoiding 60 00:03:49,800 --> 00:03:53,320 Speaker 2: the heat. It's not going too bad. No measurable effect 61 00:03:53,360 --> 00:03:55,680 Speaker 2: on the beer gut, but the legs and lungs are 62 00:03:55,680 --> 00:03:58,560 Speaker 2: coming along, and of course the exercise makes the beer 63 00:03:58,600 --> 00:04:02,120 Speaker 2: taste better. Only thing you did was stop drinking beer. 64 00:04:02,280 --> 00:04:05,280 Speaker 3: Yeah, I lost fifty pounds in one month. How much 65 00:04:05,360 --> 00:04:08,800 Speaker 3: beer were you drinking? I know right, probably too much. 66 00:04:09,640 --> 00:04:14,040 Speaker 2: One last note before we move on to the interview. Hey, Texas, 67 00:04:14,480 --> 00:04:17,200 Speaker 2: What in the sam hill is going on down there? 68 00:04:17,680 --> 00:04:21,200 Speaker 2: I thought Texicans were big on freedom, but according to 69 00:04:21,440 --> 00:04:24,400 Speaker 2: all of your state representatives on up through your governor, 70 00:04:24,800 --> 00:04:29,240 Speaker 2: you are not. Recently, the Texas State Senate passed SB 71 00:04:29,320 --> 00:04:32,320 Speaker 2: one two three six, that state Bill twelve thirty six, 72 00:04:32,600 --> 00:04:35,960 Speaker 2: which makes it illegal to hunt public riverbeds and streams 73 00:04:36,040 --> 00:04:40,719 Speaker 2: using rifles, shotguns with slugs, and archery equipment unless those 74 00:04:40,760 --> 00:04:43,599 Speaker 2: bows were equipped with a real in line. During the 75 00:04:43,680 --> 00:04:46,920 Speaker 2: legislative session, this bill was opposed by various groups, including 76 00:04:46,920 --> 00:04:50,520 Speaker 2: the Texas Chapter of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers. However, despite 77 00:04:50,560 --> 00:04:54,400 Speaker 2: the opposition, SB one two three six was passed unanimously. 78 00:04:54,640 --> 00:04:58,000 Speaker 2: That means everyone voted I and was signed into law 79 00:04:58,279 --> 00:05:02,080 Speaker 2: by the governor. This law has significant implications for hunting 80 00:05:02,120 --> 00:05:06,080 Speaker 2: access and opportunities. Remember, Texas, you have less than two 81 00:05:06,080 --> 00:05:08,760 Speaker 2: percent federally managed public lands and about the same and 82 00:05:08,839 --> 00:05:12,520 Speaker 2: state managed public lands. Hard to imagine giving up access 83 00:05:12,560 --> 00:05:15,719 Speaker 2: to what you have left. Lack of access is cited 84 00:05:15,720 --> 00:05:18,120 Speaker 2: by sportsmen and women in the United States is the 85 00:05:18,200 --> 00:05:21,560 Speaker 2: number one reason they stop pursuing their passions of hunting 86 00:05:21,600 --> 00:05:26,080 Speaker 2: and fishing. If you find this degradation of hunting access irksom, 87 00:05:26,400 --> 00:05:31,160 Speaker 2: please sign the petition at Backcountry Hunters dot org forward 88 00:05:31,240 --> 00:05:37,200 Speaker 2: slash save public hunting Opportunities on Texas waterways. All right, Phil, 89 00:05:37,240 --> 00:05:43,640 Speaker 2: let's hear about the sharkd Act. Representative Whipman, Yes, just 90 00:05:43,640 --> 00:05:44,640 Speaker 2: call me Rob please. 91 00:05:44,880 --> 00:05:47,080 Speaker 3: I like it. 92 00:05:47,160 --> 00:05:50,720 Speaker 2: Well, you know, our folks listening are not going to 93 00:05:50,760 --> 00:05:53,360 Speaker 2: be able to see what we're seeing on the video here. 94 00:05:53,400 --> 00:05:56,479 Speaker 2: But you look like a fishy, dude, I would say 95 00:05:58,120 --> 00:06:04,960 Speaker 2: your gun burnt or maybe a kissed is more appropriate description. 96 00:06:06,040 --> 00:06:08,600 Speaker 2: Wearing a fish and shirt and a fishing camp. Yes, 97 00:06:09,240 --> 00:06:14,600 Speaker 2: and I understand that perhaps some of this is coming 98 00:06:14,680 --> 00:06:17,920 Speaker 2: from your fishing background or personal experiences. 99 00:06:18,279 --> 00:06:20,080 Speaker 3: That is correct, That is correct. 100 00:06:20,120 --> 00:06:22,960 Speaker 4: I've worked for a number of years as I'm made 101 00:06:23,000 --> 00:06:25,279 Speaker 4: on a charter boat in the Outer Banks and also 102 00:06:25,360 --> 00:06:29,760 Speaker 4: in the Chesapeake Bay and an avid recreational fisherman, so 103 00:06:30,560 --> 00:06:33,640 Speaker 4: much of this has come from personal experience, whether it's 104 00:06:34,120 --> 00:06:37,480 Speaker 4: off the Carolinas or in Florida, or for that matter, 105 00:06:37,560 --> 00:06:38,240 Speaker 4: even on. 106 00:06:38,200 --> 00:06:38,960 Speaker 3: The West Coast. 107 00:06:39,000 --> 00:06:39,440 Speaker 1: This is. 108 00:06:41,080 --> 00:06:45,000 Speaker 4: A problem that is really exploded in the past five 109 00:06:45,080 --> 00:06:49,000 Speaker 4: years as far as shark populations and what's happening to 110 00:06:49,240 --> 00:06:52,159 Speaker 4: recreational fisheries all across the spectrum. And it's not just 111 00:06:52,920 --> 00:06:57,120 Speaker 4: the charter boat fishery. It's also private recreational fishermen that 112 00:06:57,160 --> 00:06:59,440 Speaker 4: are dealing with this on a daily basis. So it's 113 00:06:59,760 --> 00:07:00,720 Speaker 4: pretty significant. 114 00:07:01,440 --> 00:07:06,440 Speaker 2: And is this specific, Well, let's define what this is. 115 00:07:06,440 --> 00:07:10,040 Speaker 2: Is this a anti shark bill, No, it's not. 116 00:07:10,520 --> 00:07:14,920 Speaker 4: It's really about recognizing the incredible job has been done 117 00:07:14,920 --> 00:07:18,320 Speaker 4: by resource managers, fisheries managers. 118 00:07:19,040 --> 00:07:20,760 Speaker 3: In recovering this resource. 119 00:07:20,800 --> 00:07:24,200 Speaker 4: You know, for years large coastal sharks we're at low 120 00:07:24,320 --> 00:07:25,440 Speaker 4: population levels. 121 00:07:25,480 --> 00:07:28,040 Speaker 3: I would argue today they're as. 122 00:07:27,520 --> 00:07:31,040 Speaker 4: High a level both in biomass and in spawning biomass 123 00:07:31,480 --> 00:07:32,560 Speaker 4: as they have been at. 124 00:07:32,440 --> 00:07:33,960 Speaker 3: Least since we've been keeping records. 125 00:07:33,960 --> 00:07:35,280 Speaker 4: Of course, it would be nice to get a little 126 00:07:35,320 --> 00:07:37,760 Speaker 4: more scientific data on that, and that means we need 127 00:07:37,800 --> 00:07:41,040 Speaker 4: to do more recent stock assessments. But if you look 128 00:07:41,080 --> 00:07:44,120 Speaker 4: at this from an anecdotal standpoint, I would say the 129 00:07:44,160 --> 00:07:47,360 Speaker 4: body of evidence anecdotally with what fishermen are experiencing and 130 00:07:47,400 --> 00:07:51,400 Speaker 4: what we are seeing that there is a tremendous recovery 131 00:07:51,440 --> 00:07:54,760 Speaker 4: and shark population. So this is all about how do 132 00:07:54,800 --> 00:07:58,040 Speaker 4: we continue with healthy shark populations. And we know that 133 00:07:58,120 --> 00:08:01,000 Speaker 4: we're in the middle of shark we on Discovery, so 134 00:08:01,080 --> 00:08:05,120 Speaker 4: everybody is focused on sharks and shark populations and what 135 00:08:05,160 --> 00:08:05,880 Speaker 4: we're doing there. 136 00:08:05,880 --> 00:08:08,640 Speaker 3: They're incredible creatures. But what we want to. 137 00:08:08,560 --> 00:08:11,320 Speaker 4: Make sure is somehow that there is a there's a 138 00:08:12,080 --> 00:08:18,440 Speaker 4: healthy coexistence, healthy as the scientific term goes, symbiotic relationship 139 00:08:18,480 --> 00:08:21,720 Speaker 4: with recreational fishermen, and I would argue that's not in 140 00:08:21,760 --> 00:08:23,360 Speaker 4: a symbiotic state right now. 141 00:08:23,400 --> 00:08:24,440 Speaker 3: It is in a state. 142 00:08:24,240 --> 00:08:27,080 Speaker 4: Where the sharks have a leg up and listen, the 143 00:08:27,080 --> 00:08:30,760 Speaker 4: sharks have become very conditioned to knowing where the easy 144 00:08:30,800 --> 00:08:33,440 Speaker 4: meals come from. And it used to be in certain 145 00:08:33,440 --> 00:08:35,559 Speaker 4: areas you know you could go. But if you moved 146 00:08:35,559 --> 00:08:37,160 Speaker 4: away from there, you can kind of get away from 147 00:08:37,200 --> 00:08:40,320 Speaker 4: the sharks. I mean, anybody's fished Marathon Lump knows you 148 00:08:40,400 --> 00:08:43,120 Speaker 4: go there to catch a black inn tuna. And you 149 00:08:43,160 --> 00:08:45,080 Speaker 4: know it used to be you could go there and 150 00:08:45,240 --> 00:08:47,800 Speaker 4: you might be able to get you know, fifty percent 151 00:08:47,840 --> 00:08:49,719 Speaker 4: of your tunas in. It's got to the point right 152 00:08:49,720 --> 00:08:51,960 Speaker 4: now where you get zero percent of your tunas in. 153 00:08:52,000 --> 00:08:53,480 Speaker 3: You might get one out of fifteen. 154 00:08:54,280 --> 00:08:57,880 Speaker 4: And right now, if you are, if you're in the sharks, 155 00:08:57,880 --> 00:08:59,760 Speaker 4: you just have to move because you know it's it's 156 00:08:59,760 --> 00:09:01,120 Speaker 4: a it's not a winning game. 157 00:09:01,480 --> 00:09:04,520 Speaker 3: We're seeing the same thing off the banks. 158 00:09:04,520 --> 00:09:08,400 Speaker 2: Of paying the tax man. Right these you're hooking at 159 00:09:08,440 --> 00:09:12,440 Speaker 2: tuna and during that fight, those sharks key into that 160 00:09:12,679 --> 00:09:17,560 Speaker 2: fishing distress and hit that relatively easy meal versus a 161 00:09:17,600 --> 00:09:18,600 Speaker 2: free swimming tuna. 162 00:09:19,360 --> 00:09:23,120 Speaker 4: Yes, yeah, in most situations, those sharks, although they're pretty 163 00:09:23,120 --> 00:09:25,240 Speaker 4: good swimmers, wouldn't be able to chase down a free 164 00:09:25,240 --> 00:09:28,480 Speaker 4: swimming tuna here. It's pretty easy for them to do that. 165 00:09:28,520 --> 00:09:31,559 Speaker 4: And it's not just tuna's there in Florida. It's off 166 00:09:31,640 --> 00:09:34,960 Speaker 4: the East coast. It's widespread on the East coast now 167 00:09:34,960 --> 00:09:38,680 Speaker 4: if you talk to charter fishermen there. It's also widespread 168 00:09:38,720 --> 00:09:41,920 Speaker 4: on the in short tarpainfishery. I know, I go tarpinfishing 169 00:09:41,960 --> 00:09:45,040 Speaker 4: in the springtime down in Florida, and whether it's big 170 00:09:45,080 --> 00:09:48,440 Speaker 4: hammer heads or schools of bull sharks, it's pretty pretty 171 00:09:48,440 --> 00:09:52,559 Speaker 4: incredible what happens there when you're there at Boca Grant 172 00:09:52,640 --> 00:09:55,319 Speaker 4: or any of those places. So it's widespread. It's also 173 00:09:55,360 --> 00:09:57,040 Speaker 4: bottom fishermen. It used to be you didn't have to 174 00:09:57,080 --> 00:10:01,600 Speaker 4: worry about that. Now you're fighting for your red snapper catch, 175 00:10:01,720 --> 00:10:04,160 Speaker 4: even if there's only a couple of days or snapper 176 00:10:04,240 --> 00:10:04,800 Speaker 4: season on. 177 00:10:04,720 --> 00:10:05,360 Speaker 3: The East coast. 178 00:10:05,360 --> 00:10:07,440 Speaker 4: Now now you have to to try to find a 179 00:10:07,480 --> 00:10:09,240 Speaker 4: weather window to go. But now you've got to fight 180 00:10:09,280 --> 00:10:11,559 Speaker 4: the sharks for getting one or two fish on board. 181 00:10:11,640 --> 00:10:14,800 Speaker 4: So it's it's widespread, and we, you know, we have 182 00:10:14,880 --> 00:10:17,600 Speaker 4: to be able to address this. This is not about 183 00:10:18,040 --> 00:10:22,000 Speaker 4: killing sharks. This is about how do we find innovative 184 00:10:22,040 --> 00:10:24,880 Speaker 4: ways to coexist with sharks? How do we find ways 185 00:10:24,920 --> 00:10:28,520 Speaker 4: to to make sure that this isn't something that becomes 186 00:10:29,080 --> 00:10:33,760 Speaker 4: catastrophic for the recreational fishing industry, especially in these uh 187 00:10:33,920 --> 00:10:36,560 Speaker 4: in these coastal saltwater areas well. 188 00:10:36,760 --> 00:10:38,880 Speaker 2: Yeah, you know, I have to be honest with you. 189 00:10:40,160 --> 00:10:43,480 Speaker 2: I am speaking to you from a landlocked state Montana. 190 00:10:44,200 --> 00:10:48,160 Speaker 2: Jordan is in Texas. Everything in Texas is very hot 191 00:10:48,240 --> 00:10:50,480 Speaker 2: right now, and I'm sure he feels very far from 192 00:10:50,480 --> 00:10:53,600 Speaker 2: the from the water and the cool sea breeze. But 193 00:10:53,920 --> 00:10:59,439 Speaker 2: when we were first contacted, the response was, oh, shark 194 00:10:59,480 --> 00:11:03,360 Speaker 2: population are in decline. And you know that healthy shark 195 00:11:03,400 --> 00:11:07,920 Speaker 2: population is often an indicator of an overall healthy fishery. 196 00:11:08,800 --> 00:11:12,360 Speaker 2: And what I am seeing in the shark to act 197 00:11:13,360 --> 00:11:18,320 Speaker 2: is this isn't a direct address to the shark. It 198 00:11:18,400 --> 00:11:21,839 Speaker 2: is a kind of a call to arms to find 199 00:11:21,840 --> 00:11:24,760 Speaker 2: that data that you talked about. So establish a task 200 00:11:24,840 --> 00:11:28,360 Speaker 2: force to identify and address critical needs with respect to 201 00:11:28,520 --> 00:11:33,920 Speaker 2: shark depredation, asking for each regional Fishery Management Council to 202 00:11:33,920 --> 00:11:37,000 Speaker 2: have a representative, each Marine Fisheries Commission to have a 203 00:11:37,200 --> 00:11:41,360 Speaker 2: representative the Fish and Wildlife Agency from each coastal state. 204 00:11:41,640 --> 00:11:47,040 Speaker 2: Regional fishery management councils long way of saying, you're asking, 205 00:11:47,800 --> 00:11:49,920 Speaker 2: and probably if this were to pass, it would be 206 00:11:50,000 --> 00:11:54,360 Speaker 2: more than an ask, but a mandate to have somebody 207 00:11:54,480 --> 00:11:58,920 Speaker 2: who represents all interests at one table and get on 208 00:11:58,960 --> 00:12:02,880 Speaker 2: the same page as to some of these misnomers what 209 00:12:03,480 --> 00:12:06,280 Speaker 2: the population is doing in each region. 210 00:12:07,160 --> 00:12:09,760 Speaker 4: That's that's absolutely correct. You know, we had a hearing 211 00:12:09,840 --> 00:12:12,800 Speaker 4: yesterday on the bill. The National Marine Fishery Service came 212 00:12:12,840 --> 00:12:14,880 Speaker 4: in and said, oh, no, don't worry about this, we're 213 00:12:14,920 --> 00:12:18,760 Speaker 4: looking at this. Well, if they were doing something that 214 00:12:18,960 --> 00:12:22,120 Speaker 4: was properly addressing the issue, then we wouldn't see this, 215 00:12:22,120 --> 00:12:27,280 Speaker 4: this incredible rise in shark depredation and people losing their catch. 216 00:12:28,040 --> 00:12:30,640 Speaker 4: So I want to make sure that we are, you know, 217 00:12:30,760 --> 00:12:33,400 Speaker 4: understanding what this is about. This is this is about 218 00:12:33,679 --> 00:12:38,840 Speaker 4: the proper balance the shark population issue and where it 219 00:12:38,920 --> 00:12:42,160 Speaker 4: is today and determining what do we do going forward. 220 00:12:42,640 --> 00:12:45,000 Speaker 4: You know, another thing too, is we have to understand 221 00:12:45,040 --> 00:12:49,440 Speaker 4: that a lot of the visions and ideas about where 222 00:12:49,440 --> 00:12:52,520 Speaker 4: shark populations are today are based on stock assessments that 223 00:12:52,559 --> 00:12:55,480 Speaker 4: are very old, so they are not current stock assessments. So, 224 00:12:55,960 --> 00:12:57,960 Speaker 4: you know, the first thing that needs to happen, I 225 00:12:58,080 --> 00:13:00,520 Speaker 4: believe and I think this panel will probably agree to 226 00:13:00,559 --> 00:13:02,200 Speaker 4: that is that, you know, how do we get the 227 00:13:02,240 --> 00:13:07,400 Speaker 4: most recent data on shark populations? And that's that's key, 228 00:13:07,960 --> 00:13:10,360 Speaker 4: and then from there what we have to do is 229 00:13:10,400 --> 00:13:13,880 Speaker 4: to make sure that we are making determinations about what 230 00:13:14,280 --> 00:13:17,640 Speaker 4: is the best step forward. I think if anybody talks 231 00:13:17,640 --> 00:13:21,679 Speaker 4: to recreational fishermen pretty much anywhere along the US coast, 232 00:13:21,760 --> 00:13:25,520 Speaker 4: they will find that these interactions with fishermen and sharks, 233 00:13:25,920 --> 00:13:30,959 Speaker 4: you know, have grown exponentially. So the question then becomes twofold. 234 00:13:31,080 --> 00:13:34,040 Speaker 4: First of all, what is it about shark populations that 235 00:13:34,200 --> 00:13:35,439 Speaker 4: is there today? 236 00:13:35,920 --> 00:13:39,439 Speaker 3: What is it about behavior of sharks that has changed? 237 00:13:39,480 --> 00:13:41,760 Speaker 4: And obviously they're opportunistic, you know, if they can get 238 00:13:41,800 --> 00:13:43,400 Speaker 4: an easy meal, they are going to do that. 239 00:13:43,960 --> 00:13:45,679 Speaker 3: So it's a matter of how do we address that. 240 00:13:45,679 --> 00:13:48,440 Speaker 4: There's other folks that have tried different technologies out there, 241 00:13:48,440 --> 00:13:51,120 Speaker 4: and we know that it's been done to try to 242 00:13:51,160 --> 00:13:54,880 Speaker 4: prevent shark attacks. But you know, we're seeing this across 243 00:13:54,960 --> 00:13:58,160 Speaker 4: the spectrum. And again I understand that this is anecdotal, 244 00:13:58,240 --> 00:14:00,360 Speaker 4: but that's why we put this bill in trying to 245 00:14:00,360 --> 00:14:02,560 Speaker 4: get to some of the signs behind this. You know, 246 00:14:02,600 --> 00:14:05,040 Speaker 4: you see headlines all the time, what do you see 247 00:14:05,080 --> 00:14:09,120 Speaker 4: in the summertime more shark interactions along the coast with swimmers? 248 00:14:09,160 --> 00:14:12,880 Speaker 4: You see more and more that you see unbelievable pictures 249 00:14:13,400 --> 00:14:16,520 Speaker 4: and shallow coastal areas of large schools as shark black 250 00:14:16,600 --> 00:14:17,520 Speaker 4: fans and others. 251 00:14:17,280 --> 00:14:19,120 Speaker 3: And people are going, wow, what in the world is 252 00:14:19,160 --> 00:14:21,680 Speaker 3: going on? So while all of that is. 253 00:14:23,160 --> 00:14:27,600 Speaker 4: Anecdotal, I think it should beg the scientific question, Okay, 254 00:14:27,680 --> 00:14:29,760 Speaker 4: what's going on with sharks and what do we do 255 00:14:29,840 --> 00:14:33,560 Speaker 4: about this? This is a human shark interaction. So whether 256 00:14:33,560 --> 00:14:37,560 Speaker 4: it's on a boat and eating somebody's catch before they 257 00:14:37,600 --> 00:14:40,320 Speaker 4: can get it to the boat, I would say it's 258 00:14:40,320 --> 00:14:42,400 Speaker 4: probably not a catch at that particular point, but it's 259 00:14:42,880 --> 00:14:46,400 Speaker 4: being angling experienced, or what's happening in these in these 260 00:14:46,400 --> 00:14:48,640 Speaker 4: interactions in coastal areas with swimmers. 261 00:14:48,680 --> 00:14:50,880 Speaker 3: All those things I think need to be addressed. 262 00:14:51,720 --> 00:14:56,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, and how do we determine if there's a lopsided 263 00:14:56,440 --> 00:15:02,480 Speaker 2: shark population in certain areas or if the population as 264 00:15:02,520 --> 00:15:09,720 Speaker 2: a whole is you know, in an overabundant state is 265 00:15:09,760 --> 00:15:15,000 Speaker 2: a giant place. So it seems like you are really 266 00:15:15,000 --> 00:15:19,640 Speaker 2: trying to address that question, in particular in the Shark Act, 267 00:15:20,440 --> 00:15:24,680 Speaker 2: which I love to see I mean information is power here. 268 00:15:24,760 --> 00:15:31,400 Speaker 2: Do you foresee the ability for recreational anglers to participate 269 00:15:31,800 --> 00:15:35,440 Speaker 2: in the in the sharkd Act by providing kind of 270 00:15:35,440 --> 00:15:36,760 Speaker 2: citizen science information. 271 00:15:37,680 --> 00:15:39,840 Speaker 3: Absolutely, I think that's critically important. 272 00:15:39,840 --> 00:15:42,760 Speaker 4: In fact, I've been a leader on the Natural Resources 273 00:15:42,760 --> 00:15:45,800 Speaker 4: Committee to make sure that as we gather information which 274 00:15:45,840 --> 00:15:48,800 Speaker 4: is required under the Magnus and Stevens Act to manage 275 00:15:48,840 --> 00:15:52,640 Speaker 4: these fish populations, is that it's not just the data 276 00:15:52,680 --> 00:15:56,600 Speaker 4: generated by fisheries managers and researchers in that realm, but. 277 00:15:56,560 --> 00:15:58,760 Speaker 3: It's also data that we gather from fishermen. 278 00:15:58,800 --> 00:16:03,640 Speaker 4: You know, fishermen have an incredible depth and wealth of data, 279 00:16:03,800 --> 00:16:06,960 Speaker 4: and while it may be observational, it's very easy to 280 00:16:07,040 --> 00:16:08,640 Speaker 4: be able to take it and structure it in a 281 00:16:08,680 --> 00:16:12,920 Speaker 4: way where it is it is objective data that can 282 00:16:12,960 --> 00:16:18,040 Speaker 4: be used very very skillfully in determining what's happening with populations. 283 00:16:18,080 --> 00:16:19,320 Speaker 3: So yeah, we have to do both. 284 00:16:19,360 --> 00:16:21,680 Speaker 4: We have to make sure that we do, you know, 285 00:16:21,840 --> 00:16:25,320 Speaker 4: the survey methodology to figure out what's out there, doing 286 00:16:25,440 --> 00:16:29,920 Speaker 4: very structured surveying sampling as they call it, but then 287 00:16:30,000 --> 00:16:32,920 Speaker 4: also use the information from fishermen, because the fishermen will 288 00:16:32,960 --> 00:16:36,280 Speaker 4: give you the breadth and depth of information about where 289 00:16:36,320 --> 00:16:39,680 Speaker 4: they are, where they're seeing these shark populations, and at 290 00:16:39,720 --> 00:16:42,800 Speaker 4: the very least that should inform fisheries managers about where 291 00:16:42,800 --> 00:16:46,960 Speaker 4: they should look towards how these populations of sharks are 292 00:16:46,960 --> 00:16:49,600 Speaker 4: manifesting themselves. So, you know, it's kind of the same 293 00:16:49,600 --> 00:16:51,960 Speaker 4: thing with the golf red snapper fishery. For years, the 294 00:16:51,960 --> 00:16:54,640 Speaker 4: fisheries managers would go out and they do these troll 295 00:16:54,760 --> 00:16:57,320 Speaker 4: surveys and say, oh, guess what, there're no red snapper 296 00:16:57,360 --> 00:16:59,200 Speaker 4: out there, And the fishermen would go, yeah, they're all 297 00:16:59,200 --> 00:17:01,880 Speaker 4: over the place and keep them off our hooks. And 298 00:17:01,960 --> 00:17:04,480 Speaker 4: it turned out that the fisheries managers were going to 299 00:17:04,520 --> 00:17:07,840 Speaker 4: sample in areas that weren't habitat for golf red snapper. 300 00:17:07,880 --> 00:17:08,320 Speaker 3: They are. 301 00:17:08,560 --> 00:17:12,919 Speaker 4: They are bottom fish that relate to bottom structure, and 302 00:17:12,920 --> 00:17:15,719 Speaker 4: if you fish out in areas where there's no bottom structure, 303 00:17:15,720 --> 00:17:17,359 Speaker 4: you're not going to find them. So I think at 304 00:17:17,359 --> 00:17:20,600 Speaker 4: the very least, recreational fishermen can do a great job 305 00:17:20,640 --> 00:17:24,439 Speaker 4: at in informing fisheries managers about where to go look 306 00:17:24,960 --> 00:17:28,679 Speaker 4: and do their sampling, their stock assessment to determine, you know, 307 00:17:28,760 --> 00:17:31,440 Speaker 4: the true depth and breadth of shark populations. 308 00:17:32,400 --> 00:17:34,600 Speaker 2: Sure makes sense to me other than the fact that 309 00:17:34,680 --> 00:17:37,840 Speaker 2: we all know fishermen are pretty good at spinning a 310 00:17:37,840 --> 00:17:38,320 Speaker 2: good yarn. 311 00:17:38,560 --> 00:17:42,240 Speaker 3: Right. Oh yeah, well listen. You know I've. 312 00:17:41,480 --> 00:17:43,760 Speaker 4: Got a couple of comments back on this, and that is, 313 00:17:43,800 --> 00:17:45,480 Speaker 4: you know, how do how do we how do we know? 314 00:17:45,640 --> 00:17:47,840 Speaker 4: You know these aren't fish stories to say, well, they're 315 00:17:47,880 --> 00:17:50,760 Speaker 4: just too many for there to be fish stories. And 316 00:17:50,800 --> 00:17:53,360 Speaker 4: then and then secondly too, the other comment I get is, well, 317 00:17:53,359 --> 00:17:54,760 Speaker 4: this is just sharks being sharks. 318 00:17:54,800 --> 00:17:57,320 Speaker 3: Well, yeh, it is. I mean, sharks are predators. 319 00:17:57,320 --> 00:18:00,200 Speaker 4: Sharks, you know, are going to take advantages, They're going 320 00:18:00,240 --> 00:18:03,879 Speaker 4: to be opportunistic feeders. But the question is is, you know, 321 00:18:03,920 --> 00:18:06,360 Speaker 4: what are the things that we can do to assure 322 00:18:06,400 --> 00:18:09,520 Speaker 4: that these economies and coastal areas that are dependent upon 323 00:18:09,720 --> 00:18:12,040 Speaker 4: very robust charter. 324 00:18:11,840 --> 00:18:13,119 Speaker 3: Fisheries can continue. 325 00:18:13,240 --> 00:18:15,879 Speaker 4: People are not going to pay good money to go 326 00:18:16,000 --> 00:18:19,240 Speaker 4: out and you know, contribute their catch to the sharks. 327 00:18:19,280 --> 00:18:21,240 Speaker 4: You know, a lot of these charter captains that I 328 00:18:21,320 --> 00:18:24,399 Speaker 4: talked to say when we go out, you know, the 329 00:18:24,440 --> 00:18:26,879 Speaker 4: first one or two fish that get eaten by a 330 00:18:26,920 --> 00:18:29,280 Speaker 4: shark is kind of amusing for the folks on board. 331 00:18:29,280 --> 00:18:30,679 Speaker 3: They'd like, you go, oh, that's cool. 332 00:18:31,240 --> 00:18:34,240 Speaker 4: They said, but by the time you're into the fifth, sixth, 333 00:18:34,320 --> 00:18:36,679 Speaker 4: and seventh fish and there's nothing in the fish box 334 00:18:36,720 --> 00:18:41,119 Speaker 4: except you know, mouths and guilt covers of the fish 335 00:18:41,160 --> 00:18:44,000 Speaker 4: that you've hooked, all of a sudden, the amusement goes 336 00:18:44,080 --> 00:18:47,120 Speaker 4: right out the door. So I think it's incredibly important 337 00:18:47,119 --> 00:18:49,199 Speaker 4: for us to look at, you know what, what is 338 00:18:49,240 --> 00:18:52,600 Speaker 4: this issue, and it's it's more than sharks just being sharks, 339 00:18:52,920 --> 00:18:55,720 Speaker 4: and it's more than the element of saying, well, there 340 00:18:55,720 --> 00:18:58,919 Speaker 4: are a few fishmen that are telling some some some fishtails. 341 00:18:58,960 --> 00:18:59,800 Speaker 3: I think there's. 342 00:18:59,680 --> 00:19:02,400 Speaker 4: A lot to this, and our effort is to try 343 00:19:02,400 --> 00:19:04,919 Speaker 4: to make sure that we are guiding this by a 344 00:19:05,040 --> 00:19:08,760 Speaker 4: very thoughtful collection of scientific data, and then from that 345 00:19:09,119 --> 00:19:12,840 Speaker 4: using that effort to determine what's what's what are the 346 00:19:12,840 --> 00:19:15,640 Speaker 4: best management decisions to make sure that we can minimize 347 00:19:15,680 --> 00:19:18,719 Speaker 4: You'll never do away with these interactions. You're never going 348 00:19:18,760 --> 00:19:21,720 Speaker 4: to be in a situation where sharks don't take somebody's catch. 349 00:19:21,760 --> 00:19:23,439 Speaker 4: But the key is is how do we how do 350 00:19:23,480 --> 00:19:26,960 Speaker 4: we look at different realms to be able to reduce 351 00:19:27,040 --> 00:19:28,800 Speaker 4: the impact on that. And it used to be it 352 00:19:28,840 --> 00:19:31,480 Speaker 4: was manageable even if it was fifty to fifty, but 353 00:19:31,920 --> 00:19:35,080 Speaker 4: you know now that it's you know, ninety ten or 354 00:19:35,200 --> 00:19:42,000 Speaker 4: ninety five five, it's becoming a problem. 355 00:19:42,119 --> 00:19:46,960 Speaker 2: Are you aware of you know, what management decisions that 356 00:19:47,280 --> 00:19:52,720 Speaker 2: could potentially be made off of this data deterrence or 357 00:19:53,119 --> 00:19:57,520 Speaker 2: you know, species specific harvest increases for some of these 358 00:19:57,680 --> 00:20:03,320 Speaker 2: shark species. What could an end result be in your opinion? 359 00:20:04,040 --> 00:20:07,080 Speaker 4: Sure, well, listen, you know were there's a shark fishery, 360 00:20:07,119 --> 00:20:09,800 Speaker 4: it's it's very very small right now. In many instances, 361 00:20:09,800 --> 00:20:12,480 Speaker 4: a lot of folks have actually gotten out of the 362 00:20:12,600 --> 00:20:15,520 Speaker 4: commercial fishery for sharks for a whole variety of reasons. 363 00:20:15,520 --> 00:20:19,240 Speaker 4: And that's kind of a steparate discussion. But I think 364 00:20:19,280 --> 00:20:22,000 Speaker 4: that what this should do is to is to look at, 365 00:20:22,280 --> 00:20:25,360 Speaker 4: you know, where these shark populations are. They are they 366 00:20:25,400 --> 00:20:30,080 Speaker 4: focused on where these recreational fishing opportunities are, where these 367 00:20:30,119 --> 00:20:32,680 Speaker 4: other fish like tuness and others are are abundant, and 368 00:20:32,720 --> 00:20:35,720 Speaker 4: where fishermen go to catch them. And if that's the case, 369 00:20:35,840 --> 00:20:39,440 Speaker 4: let's look at, you know, some of the technology that's 370 00:20:39,440 --> 00:20:42,320 Speaker 4: out there. There's some technology that uses sound and other 371 00:20:45,440 --> 00:20:48,440 Speaker 4: energy sources to try to repel the sharks. And I've 372 00:20:48,440 --> 00:20:50,960 Speaker 4: talked to fishermen, some of them in certain situations are 373 00:20:51,359 --> 00:20:54,439 Speaker 4: are somewhat successful some and other situations are not. 374 00:20:55,040 --> 00:20:57,160 Speaker 3: So I think it begs the question to look at 375 00:20:57,160 --> 00:20:58,359 Speaker 3: all the different. 376 00:20:58,320 --> 00:21:03,840 Speaker 4: Opportunities and techechnology that you could use to reduce this 377 00:21:04,040 --> 00:21:06,320 Speaker 4: shark depredation. As I said, you're not going to you're 378 00:21:06,320 --> 00:21:08,679 Speaker 4: not going to completely eliminate it, but you know, to 379 00:21:08,720 --> 00:21:11,800 Speaker 4: look at what's what's what's the proper combination there. And 380 00:21:11,880 --> 00:21:14,320 Speaker 4: again I want to emphasize this is about making sure 381 00:21:14,359 --> 00:21:18,760 Speaker 4: that we sustain healthy shark populations. Nobody wants to go 382 00:21:18,800 --> 00:21:21,080 Speaker 4: in and say, well, let's let's catch all these sharks 383 00:21:21,080 --> 00:21:24,160 Speaker 4: out and reduce populations. We understand, you know that they're 384 00:21:24,160 --> 00:21:27,679 Speaker 4: an incredibly important part of the ecosystem, and you know, 385 00:21:27,680 --> 00:21:29,680 Speaker 4: these apex predators are pretty amazing. 386 00:21:30,320 --> 00:21:31,680 Speaker 3: We absolutely want them to be there. 387 00:21:31,720 --> 00:21:33,439 Speaker 4: The key is is how do we how do we 388 00:21:33,480 --> 00:21:36,520 Speaker 4: make sure that we can coexist? And I think that's 389 00:21:36,560 --> 00:21:39,680 Speaker 4: the key to this legislation is asking those questions, getting 390 00:21:39,680 --> 00:21:43,679 Speaker 4: that information so we can make sound management decisions on 391 00:21:43,760 --> 00:21:48,280 Speaker 4: how we have healthy, sustainable shark populations. But also those 392 00:21:48,400 --> 00:21:52,240 Speaker 4: great recreational fishing opportunities that people spend a lot of 393 00:21:52,240 --> 00:21:54,639 Speaker 4: money on each year. You know, whether it's tackle or 394 00:21:54,680 --> 00:21:57,840 Speaker 4: boats or those sorts of things incredibly important parts of 395 00:21:58,280 --> 00:22:00,680 Speaker 4: economies and coast hilarias for that matter. 396 00:22:00,960 --> 00:22:02,360 Speaker 3: You know, even inland there are a lot of. 397 00:22:02,440 --> 00:22:04,800 Speaker 4: Boat companies in the inline areas that make boats that 398 00:22:05,240 --> 00:22:08,840 Speaker 4: these recreational fishermen purchase. And these are, you know, incredibly 399 00:22:08,880 --> 00:22:12,240 Speaker 4: expensive platforms. So we want to make sure that opportunity continues. 400 00:22:13,040 --> 00:22:17,320 Speaker 2: And do you have We've we've kind of talked largely 401 00:22:17,359 --> 00:22:21,119 Speaker 2: about your constituency here and their experiences. Do you do 402 00:22:21,160 --> 00:22:25,000 Speaker 2: you have an experience of your own where you kind 403 00:22:25,000 --> 00:22:29,960 Speaker 2: of came to the hard fact conclusion of something's different 404 00:22:30,000 --> 00:22:31,119 Speaker 2: now than it was them. 405 00:22:31,920 --> 00:22:34,080 Speaker 4: I have I you know, like I said, I do 406 00:22:34,160 --> 00:22:37,040 Speaker 4: some tarpain fishing down in Florida, and it used to 407 00:22:37,119 --> 00:22:39,800 Speaker 4: be occasionally you'd have an interaction with a shark and 408 00:22:39,800 --> 00:22:41,600 Speaker 4: a tarp and I've had a couple of times where 409 00:22:41,920 --> 00:22:45,000 Speaker 4: hammerheads have you know, chased down the tarpa and I'll 410 00:22:45,040 --> 00:22:47,520 Speaker 4: just open the bail and let the tarpat swim away 411 00:22:48,280 --> 00:22:50,280 Speaker 4: or sometimes try to break them off, although I don't 412 00:22:50,320 --> 00:22:53,359 Speaker 4: like to do that because today with these braids, if 413 00:22:53,400 --> 00:22:55,840 Speaker 4: you break off a long stretch of braid behind a fish, 414 00:22:55,880 --> 00:22:59,040 Speaker 4: it's not not good for them, So try to do that. Listen. 415 00:22:59,119 --> 00:23:01,560 Speaker 4: I was in Vocal Grand Pass one day and the 416 00:23:01,560 --> 00:23:04,119 Speaker 4: most incredible scene you could ever see, and that is 417 00:23:04,560 --> 00:23:06,800 Speaker 4: at a school of bull sharks, and these were big 418 00:23:06,960 --> 00:23:09,440 Speaker 4: bull sharks come up and eat a tarp and that 419 00:23:09,520 --> 00:23:11,920 Speaker 4: was probably about one hundred and thirty pounds and they 420 00:23:12,359 --> 00:23:14,480 Speaker 4: ate that tarpin all the way down to the guilt 421 00:23:14,640 --> 00:23:20,320 Speaker 4: plates in about forty five seconds, So just unbelievable. They 422 00:23:20,400 --> 00:23:23,640 Speaker 4: are Mother Nature's wonder when it comes to being. 423 00:23:23,440 --> 00:23:23,919 Speaker 3: Able to. 424 00:23:25,520 --> 00:23:28,879 Speaker 4: Eat and eat with a vengeance. So I've seen that 425 00:23:29,400 --> 00:23:31,960 Speaker 4: they had the same thing too. And I've gone puna 426 00:23:32,040 --> 00:23:36,280 Speaker 4: fishing and then two going out. It used to be 427 00:23:36,320 --> 00:23:39,320 Speaker 4: you could go out and go fishing for redfish or 428 00:23:39,359 --> 00:23:41,640 Speaker 4: red drum and you really never had to worry about 429 00:23:41,640 --> 00:23:43,960 Speaker 4: it because the red drum would be right in feeding 430 00:23:44,000 --> 00:23:47,040 Speaker 4: with the sharks many times. But I've had recently where 431 00:23:47,080 --> 00:23:50,080 Speaker 4: we've had big red fish forty or fifty pounds red 432 00:23:50,080 --> 00:23:53,800 Speaker 4: fish get eaten by sharks, and that's a new phenomenon. 433 00:23:53,880 --> 00:23:57,440 Speaker 3: So those are some personal experiences that I've. 434 00:23:57,280 --> 00:23:59,480 Speaker 4: Had that I look at and go, something has changed, 435 00:24:00,040 --> 00:24:01,680 Speaker 4: you know, it's not just changing a little bit around 436 00:24:01,680 --> 00:24:03,720 Speaker 4: the edges it's changing exponentially. 437 00:24:04,600 --> 00:24:08,119 Speaker 2: That's interesting. And yeah, boy, the turpins beautiful fish and 438 00:24:08,160 --> 00:24:10,919 Speaker 2: you want to keep them around. They're long lived and uh, 439 00:24:11,160 --> 00:24:14,440 Speaker 2: you know, incredible sport fish. But watching a big red 440 00:24:14,480 --> 00:24:17,280 Speaker 2: drum get smashed and not being able to eat it 441 00:24:17,359 --> 00:24:20,000 Speaker 2: yourself is a different matter, right, So. 442 00:24:19,960 --> 00:24:22,720 Speaker 3: It is, Yeah, that's that's table fair there. This is 443 00:24:22,720 --> 00:24:23,480 Speaker 3: the same with a tuna. 444 00:24:23,520 --> 00:24:24,399 Speaker 4: You know, you look at it and you go a 445 00:24:25,119 --> 00:24:28,200 Speaker 4: I've waited, you know, for to go on that charter 446 00:24:28,280 --> 00:24:32,480 Speaker 4: fishing tribute, waiting in anticipation, and you your your you 447 00:24:32,520 --> 00:24:34,560 Speaker 4: can taste the you can taste the tuna, and then 448 00:24:34,560 --> 00:24:37,560 Speaker 4: all of a sudden gets your tuna. 449 00:24:38,119 --> 00:24:42,200 Speaker 2: It's a little disappointing, absolutely, So you know, we've kind 450 00:24:42,200 --> 00:24:45,840 Speaker 2: of talked about a little bit of the framework here 451 00:24:45,840 --> 00:24:49,200 Speaker 2: and we'll definitely cover it a little bit deeper outside 452 00:24:49,200 --> 00:24:53,120 Speaker 2: of your time. I personally like what I'm seeing here. 453 00:24:53,200 --> 00:24:56,480 Speaker 2: You know again, it's a call to arms to provide 454 00:24:57,280 --> 00:25:01,920 Speaker 2: management specialists from all over to get to the same 455 00:25:02,000 --> 00:25:05,080 Speaker 2: table and look at this holistically is the word I 456 00:25:05,080 --> 00:25:09,160 Speaker 2: would use. And I really like that. Who likes this 457 00:25:09,560 --> 00:25:12,199 Speaker 2: and who doesn't like it? Who do you have support from? 458 00:25:12,720 --> 00:25:15,960 Speaker 2: Who is giving you a hard time on this one. 459 00:25:16,760 --> 00:25:19,240 Speaker 3: Well, listen, we've got a whole wide group of. 460 00:25:20,960 --> 00:25:25,080 Speaker 4: Organizations that are very focused on sustainable fisheries. Folks like 461 00:25:25,560 --> 00:25:30,359 Speaker 4: the American Sport Fishing Association, the Guy Harvey Foundation, and 462 00:25:30,040 --> 00:25:36,200 Speaker 4: there's no stronger proponent of healthy marine ecosystems than Guy Harvey. 463 00:25:36,200 --> 00:25:39,800 Speaker 4: Where also I have the National Marine Magnufacturers Association that 464 00:25:39,880 --> 00:25:42,320 Speaker 4: Teddy Rose about foundation. I mean, all of these are 465 00:25:42,840 --> 00:25:46,760 Speaker 4: organizations that are well known for their balanced and thoughtful 466 00:25:46,800 --> 00:25:49,359 Speaker 4: approach to fisheries management. 467 00:25:49,560 --> 00:25:51,960 Speaker 3: So we've got wide spectrum across the board. 468 00:25:51,960 --> 00:25:53,720 Speaker 4: There are a number of other groups too, and I'll 469 00:25:53,760 --> 00:25:55,520 Speaker 4: make sure that we send those to you, but those 470 00:25:55,560 --> 00:25:57,640 Speaker 4: are the I would say the four that I would 471 00:25:57,720 --> 00:26:02,280 Speaker 4: highlight as a really why in diverse group of organizations 472 00:26:02,280 --> 00:26:05,120 Speaker 4: that say, yeah, we need to look at this and listen. 473 00:26:05,160 --> 00:26:07,760 Speaker 4: They were very thoughtful and helpful in with us and 474 00:26:07,880 --> 00:26:10,560 Speaker 4: helping to craft the legislation. They said, listen, here are 475 00:26:10,560 --> 00:26:12,520 Speaker 4: the folks that you want to involve and trying to 476 00:26:12,520 --> 00:26:16,320 Speaker 4: get together the scientific body of knowledge to make the 477 00:26:16,359 --> 00:26:19,080 Speaker 4: best decisions on this. There's nobody in this group that says, hey, 478 00:26:19,119 --> 00:26:22,639 Speaker 4: let's go out and take out shark populations. Everyone there 479 00:26:22,840 --> 00:26:26,520 Speaker 4: understands the true value of sharks, but they want to 480 00:26:26,520 --> 00:26:27,880 Speaker 4: make sure that there's that balance. 481 00:26:28,840 --> 00:26:33,280 Speaker 2: And where are we at in the progress of this legislation. 482 00:26:34,280 --> 00:26:37,480 Speaker 2: We heard you say that you've had one hearing or 483 00:26:37,760 --> 00:26:40,040 Speaker 2: can you just give us an idea on the timeline 484 00:26:40,080 --> 00:26:44,720 Speaker 2: and who would be the best people to call if 485 00:26:45,320 --> 00:26:48,240 Speaker 2: our listeners want to comment on the shark deck. 486 00:26:49,240 --> 00:26:52,560 Speaker 4: Absolutely well, it had a hearing in the subcommittee, which 487 00:26:52,640 --> 00:26:55,240 Speaker 4: is the first step for a bill to actually get 488 00:26:55,280 --> 00:26:57,840 Speaker 4: before the full committee and go through a process called 489 00:26:57,840 --> 00:26:58,720 Speaker 4: a markup, and that. 490 00:26:58,800 --> 00:27:00,240 Speaker 3: Is you bring the bill before the meeting. 491 00:27:00,280 --> 00:27:03,440 Speaker 4: If anybody says, hey, I want to change this or 492 00:27:03,520 --> 00:27:06,439 Speaker 4: change that, they have an opportunity to submit amendments to 493 00:27:06,480 --> 00:27:09,520 Speaker 4: make changes to the bill. And then once the committee 494 00:27:09,520 --> 00:27:12,080 Speaker 4: reports it out, its next step is to go to 495 00:27:12,119 --> 00:27:15,159 Speaker 4: the House floor to be voted on, and then at 496 00:27:15,200 --> 00:27:16,959 Speaker 4: that particular point it would have to go over to 497 00:27:17,119 --> 00:27:19,840 Speaker 4: the Senate side in order for the Senate to pass 498 00:27:19,880 --> 00:27:22,960 Speaker 4: the bill. So we are at the very beginning stages 499 00:27:23,040 --> 00:27:25,200 Speaker 4: of the process. But the good news is that got 500 00:27:25,240 --> 00:27:27,520 Speaker 4: a hearing. We had a great group of witnesses and 501 00:27:27,560 --> 00:27:30,200 Speaker 4: I think all the members had some very very good 502 00:27:30,280 --> 00:27:33,919 Speaker 4: questions about what the bill does and how it's addressing 503 00:27:33,960 --> 00:27:38,159 Speaker 4: this issue of shark depredation and listening, shark depredation is 504 00:27:38,160 --> 00:27:40,720 Speaker 4: occurring everywhere, so it wasn't like members were saying, oh, 505 00:27:40,720 --> 00:27:43,080 Speaker 4: it's not occurring in my area. Every member that asked 506 00:27:43,080 --> 00:27:47,040 Speaker 4: the question was acknowledging the extent of the issues. So 507 00:27:47,080 --> 00:27:49,679 Speaker 4: that's where it is right now. We're hopeful here that 508 00:27:49,720 --> 00:27:54,200 Speaker 4: when we get back to Washington in September that it 509 00:27:54,240 --> 00:27:58,360 Speaker 4: is put on the full Committee's agenda, actually go through 510 00:27:58,400 --> 00:28:00,520 Speaker 4: the markup and get passed, and. 511 00:28:00,480 --> 00:28:03,399 Speaker 3: Then to be able to get to the House House floor. 512 00:28:03,640 --> 00:28:07,440 Speaker 2: Excellent, excellent, Well, be sure to keep us posted when 513 00:28:08,520 --> 00:28:12,000 Speaker 2: when we get to both the Senate and House level. 514 00:28:12,960 --> 00:28:14,840 Speaker 2: Would love to talk about this again. 515 00:28:16,200 --> 00:28:18,720 Speaker 4: And we can also as part of your question too, 516 00:28:18,760 --> 00:28:21,560 Speaker 4: you asked who could your listeners contact. 517 00:28:21,600 --> 00:28:23,120 Speaker 3: They can contact our office. 518 00:28:23,240 --> 00:28:27,159 Speaker 4: You can just go to Whitman's w I T T 519 00:28:27,440 --> 00:28:29,880 Speaker 4: M AN dot house dot. 520 00:28:29,720 --> 00:28:30,119 Speaker 1: G O V. 521 00:28:30,880 --> 00:28:33,480 Speaker 4: And you can also contact other members of the Natural 522 00:28:33,560 --> 00:28:35,240 Speaker 4: Resource Committee, so you can go to. 523 00:28:35,840 --> 00:28:37,560 Speaker 3: A US House of Representatives. 524 00:28:37,600 --> 00:28:39,120 Speaker 4: You can go to that website and just go to 525 00:28:39,160 --> 00:28:42,400 Speaker 4: the Natural Resources Community and it'll give you a list 526 00:28:42,440 --> 00:28:44,719 Speaker 4: of those members. And in that list, it'll give you 527 00:28:44,800 --> 00:28:48,600 Speaker 4: their email addresses and their website, so you can Usually 528 00:28:48,640 --> 00:28:50,480 Speaker 4: there's a portal where there is a portal and all 529 00:28:50,520 --> 00:28:54,520 Speaker 4: their websites where you can go and send your comments 530 00:28:54,520 --> 00:28:57,160 Speaker 4: to them via emails. So I would go to and 531 00:28:57,200 --> 00:28:59,400 Speaker 4: you can Google if you want, you to go directly 532 00:28:59,480 --> 00:29:04,200 Speaker 4: to Natural Resource Committee US House of Representatives and that'll 533 00:29:04,200 --> 00:29:06,080 Speaker 4: give you the list and then they'll give you their 534 00:29:06,440 --> 00:29:09,840 Speaker 4: their email addresses and you can mail directly to the 535 00:29:09,840 --> 00:29:12,240 Speaker 4: members on the committee. And for for a lot of listeners, 536 00:29:12,280 --> 00:29:14,640 Speaker 4: these will be members that will be from from your 537 00:29:14,680 --> 00:29:17,280 Speaker 4: state or your commonwealth. So I think it's a great 538 00:29:17,280 --> 00:29:19,880 Speaker 4: opportunity to express your thoughts and ideas about this. 539 00:29:20,800 --> 00:29:24,440 Speaker 2: That's fantastic. Thank you for that, and you know, obviously 540 00:29:24,800 --> 00:29:27,800 Speaker 2: very appreciative of your time. I got to tell you 541 00:29:27,880 --> 00:29:30,000 Speaker 2: that I just commit. The reason I'm looking a little 542 00:29:30,000 --> 00:29:34,320 Speaker 2: haggard and sweaty right now is I've committed to a 543 00:29:34,880 --> 00:29:40,040 Speaker 2: very expensive bluefin tune a trip. Oh yes, for spearfishing. 544 00:29:40,800 --> 00:29:41,200 Speaker 3: Wow. 545 00:29:41,760 --> 00:29:44,160 Speaker 2: I got to shock my lungs back into shape so 546 00:29:44,320 --> 00:29:46,960 Speaker 2: I can get a decent breath hold and try to 547 00:29:47,040 --> 00:29:49,200 Speaker 2: keep up. You know, humans don't keep up very well 548 00:29:49,200 --> 00:29:52,160 Speaker 2: with bluefin, but you really don't have a chance that 549 00:29:52,400 --> 00:29:54,480 Speaker 2: your beer belly has grown to the size of mine. 550 00:29:54,600 --> 00:29:58,400 Speaker 4: If I'm being on Mankeler, you are you going to 551 00:29:58,600 --> 00:30:01,240 Speaker 4: the Canadian waters there? You're going out to the west coast. 552 00:30:01,280 --> 00:30:03,160 Speaker 4: Where are you going to go to to try to spearfish? 553 00:30:03,240 --> 00:30:07,760 Speaker 4: Then West coast? West coast? Yeah, yeah, the bluefin fishery there. 554 00:30:07,800 --> 00:30:10,440 Speaker 4: What a phenomenal comeback the bluefin fishery there. I have 555 00:30:10,520 --> 00:30:12,800 Speaker 4: some friends of mine that fish out there, and the 556 00:30:12,880 --> 00:30:15,240 Speaker 4: recreational fishery and fishing opportunity there. 557 00:30:15,200 --> 00:30:15,960 Speaker 3: Is just off the hook. 558 00:30:16,000 --> 00:30:18,000 Speaker 4: I mean, the number of three hundred pound plus bluefend 559 00:30:18,000 --> 00:30:19,480 Speaker 4: they're catching is just incredible. 560 00:30:20,000 --> 00:30:25,160 Speaker 2: Well, it's absolutely wild, it really is, and coming in 561 00:30:25,240 --> 00:30:28,960 Speaker 2: so close to shore, making them like very successible to 562 00:30:29,440 --> 00:30:31,240 Speaker 2: a lot of a lot of people, a lot of 563 00:30:31,240 --> 00:30:35,720 Speaker 2: different vessel sizes. So that's it is very exciting right now, 564 00:30:36,360 --> 00:30:40,680 Speaker 2: but also lots of great questions about that connectivity of 565 00:30:40,720 --> 00:30:43,280 Speaker 2: the ocean that you don't know a lot about. 566 00:30:43,400 --> 00:30:46,360 Speaker 3: So right well, you know, you talk about the West 567 00:30:46,360 --> 00:30:46,840 Speaker 3: coast there. 568 00:30:46,880 --> 00:30:48,960 Speaker 4: I used to do a lot of long range fishing 569 00:30:49,000 --> 00:30:51,120 Speaker 4: out of San Diego on the long range boats there, 570 00:30:51,120 --> 00:30:55,440 Speaker 4: and we would go to to several fishing locations there 571 00:30:56,040 --> 00:30:59,400 Speaker 4: and when we would have notoriously great whites. 572 00:30:59,160 --> 00:31:01,000 Speaker 3: Would hang out around the boat and they would take 573 00:31:01,080 --> 00:31:01,720 Speaker 3: take their. 574 00:31:01,720 --> 00:31:04,560 Speaker 4: Pick of the yellowfin tuna that that that we were 575 00:31:04,720 --> 00:31:07,920 Speaker 4: that we were catching, So quite quite the experience there, 576 00:31:07,920 --> 00:31:09,840 Speaker 4: of course, that was that was pretty neat because it 577 00:31:09,880 --> 00:31:11,720 Speaker 4: was a single shark and there was only so much 578 00:31:11,800 --> 00:31:13,600 Speaker 4: the shark would do, and a lot of times they'd 579 00:31:13,600 --> 00:31:16,040 Speaker 4: come and eat a few tunas and they you know, 580 00:31:16,040 --> 00:31:18,680 Speaker 4: it doesn't take long after they ate, you know, three 581 00:31:18,760 --> 00:31:21,720 Speaker 4: four five eighty pound tunas before they said okay. Even 582 00:31:21,840 --> 00:31:24,200 Speaker 4: even the biggest sharks say okay, I'm full, I'm gone. 583 00:31:24,480 --> 00:31:24,640 Speaker 3: You know. 584 00:31:24,720 --> 00:31:28,760 Speaker 4: These other situations are multiple, multiple sharks. So but it 585 00:31:28,800 --> 00:31:32,280 Speaker 4: was it's still an amazing thing to see. And sometimes 586 00:31:32,280 --> 00:31:33,680 Speaker 4: two the sharks would just show up with the boat 587 00:31:33,720 --> 00:31:34,840 Speaker 4: and have no interest in eating. 588 00:31:34,840 --> 00:31:38,200 Speaker 3: They just were curious. So but nothing nothing like a 589 00:31:38,240 --> 00:31:38,920 Speaker 3: big great white. 590 00:31:39,480 --> 00:31:44,160 Speaker 2: And that's something that you know, listeners should know is 591 00:31:44,920 --> 00:31:49,720 Speaker 2: these are amazing animals. They are amusing. I certainly feel 592 00:31:49,760 --> 00:31:53,120 Speaker 2: fortunate when I get to see them, especially speaking from 593 00:31:53,120 --> 00:31:57,000 Speaker 2: a landlocked state. But just as a comparative example, I 594 00:31:57,040 --> 00:32:00,120 Speaker 2: went out on Lake Erie last week and fished with 595 00:32:00,160 --> 00:32:03,680 Speaker 2: a friend of mine and was having so much fun 596 00:32:04,160 --> 00:32:07,640 Speaker 2: catching a big drum, big white drum. 597 00:32:08,360 --> 00:32:10,400 Speaker 3: Oh yeah, oh like crazy. 598 00:32:10,480 --> 00:32:14,000 Speaker 2: They're great, but there's not a lot of people targeting 599 00:32:14,040 --> 00:32:16,720 Speaker 2: them and taking them home specifically, so they are an 600 00:32:16,840 --> 00:32:22,440 Speaker 2: overabundant population and for all the good experiences that they provide, 601 00:32:22,600 --> 00:32:26,600 Speaker 2: eventually you get sick of catching them. And yes, more 602 00:32:26,640 --> 00:32:27,720 Speaker 2: folks were taking them home. 603 00:32:27,840 --> 00:32:30,680 Speaker 4: So well, listen, I appreciate you all's interest in this. 604 00:32:30,840 --> 00:32:33,480 Speaker 4: We'll make sure that we keep you plugged in, keep 605 00:32:33,480 --> 00:32:35,880 Speaker 4: your listeners plugged in too. You know, this is a 606 00:32:36,600 --> 00:32:39,160 Speaker 4: this is really you know, there's two parts of this. 607 00:32:39,480 --> 00:32:43,720 Speaker 4: How there's one and that is what an incredible management 608 00:32:43,880 --> 00:32:47,760 Speaker 4: success story in the recovery of these shark populations. And 609 00:32:47,800 --> 00:32:49,560 Speaker 4: now the key is is, you know, how do we 610 00:32:49,760 --> 00:32:52,760 Speaker 4: take the next step? And that is strike that balance, 611 00:32:52,840 --> 00:32:57,840 Speaker 4: that symbiotic relationship between you know, fishermen and sharks. And 612 00:32:57,880 --> 00:33:01,280 Speaker 4: I think there's a tremendous amount of respect for fishermen 613 00:33:01,760 --> 00:33:04,080 Speaker 4: that they have for these sharks and how incredible they are. 614 00:33:04,120 --> 00:33:06,560 Speaker 4: And the kid is, how do we do that in 615 00:33:06,640 --> 00:33:08,880 Speaker 4: ways that we can enjoy the sharks and enjoy our 616 00:33:09,040 --> 00:33:10,320 Speaker 4: opportunity to go fishing. 617 00:33:12,920 --> 00:33:14,840 Speaker 2: That's all I've got for you. This week. Thank you 618 00:33:14,920 --> 00:33:18,560 Speaker 2: so much for listening. Remember to write end to ask 619 00:33:18,840 --> 00:33:22,040 Speaker 2: C A L. That's ask Cal at the Meat Eater 620 00:33:22,160 --> 00:33:24,239 Speaker 2: dot com and let me know what's going on in 621 00:33:24,240 --> 00:33:26,880 Speaker 2: your neck of the woods. On top of that, be 622 00:33:27,000 --> 00:33:30,000 Speaker 2: prepared for hunting season by getting yourself a clean, quiet, 623 00:33:30,000 --> 00:33:34,040 Speaker 2: battery operated steel chainsaw. If you're confused on what you need, 624 00:33:34,280 --> 00:33:38,280 Speaker 2: go to www dot steel dealers dot com. Find a local, 625 00:33:38,360 --> 00:33:41,280 Speaker 2: knowledgeable steel dealer near you. They're gonna get you set 626 00:33:41,360 --> 00:33:43,160 Speaker 2: up with what you need and they won't try to 627 00:33:43,160 --> 00:33:46,120 Speaker 2: send you home with what you don't. Thanks again and 628 00:33:46,160 --> 00:33:47,280 Speaker 2: I'll talk to you next week.