1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:03,600 Speaker 1: This is part three of a six part series. If 2 00:00:03,640 --> 00:00:06,200 Speaker 1: you missed the first two episodes, go back and listen 3 00:00:06,240 --> 00:00:08,399 Speaker 1: so you'll be caught up on the story up to now. 4 00:00:08,680 --> 00:00:11,080 Speaker 1: In today's episode, we're going to look at how this 5 00:00:11,240 --> 00:00:15,040 Speaker 1: group of people became the first industry to sue Big Oil. 6 00:00:31,120 --> 00:00:32,519 Speaker 1: Previously on Drilled. 7 00:00:32,840 --> 00:00:36,160 Speaker 2: It was just awful. I mean, we couldn't pay the bills. 8 00:00:36,320 --> 00:00:37,200 Speaker 3: It was just a nightmare. 9 00:00:37,240 --> 00:00:38,320 Speaker 4: We almost lost that quest. 10 00:00:38,640 --> 00:00:41,960 Speaker 5: It was pretty impressive Christmas a kind of like, you 11 00:00:41,960 --> 00:00:44,720 Speaker 5: know what this is getting serious? You know, we're thinking, oh, 12 00:00:44,720 --> 00:00:45,720 Speaker 5: we'll be open by December. 13 00:00:45,760 --> 00:00:59,920 Speaker 3: First, the French Step from Firehouse Subs is here for 14 00:01:00,160 --> 00:01:05,360 Speaker 3: a limited time. Piled high with premium roast beef, caramelized onions, 15 00:01:05,440 --> 00:01:09,119 Speaker 3: and melty cheese on a freshly toasted garlic butter roll. 16 00:01:09,600 --> 00:01:13,160 Speaker 3: Every French Dip is served with warm savory ajou for dipping. 17 00:01:13,720 --> 00:01:16,120 Speaker 3: This melti French Dip is only at Firehouse Subs for 18 00:01:16,160 --> 00:01:18,759 Speaker 3: a limited time, so head to your nearest Firehouse Subs 19 00:01:18,959 --> 00:01:21,119 Speaker 3: or order on the app and try the French Dip 20 00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:24,720 Speaker 3: before it's gone limited time at participating Firehouse Subs restaurants 21 00:01:24,720 --> 00:01:25,680 Speaker 3: while supplies last. 22 00:01:27,120 --> 00:01:30,080 Speaker 4: We have to do something and that's something to date 23 00:01:30,200 --> 00:01:34,840 Speaker 4: has been closing and waiting multiple years for federal disaster 24 00:01:34,920 --> 00:01:37,480 Speaker 4: assistance that may not even be delivered. 25 00:01:37,760 --> 00:01:42,800 Speaker 1: That's Noah Oppenheim, executive director of PCFFA, the West Coast 26 00:01:42,840 --> 00:01:47,280 Speaker 1: Fishermen's Trade Group. When crabbers finally started their twenty fifteen 27 00:01:47,319 --> 00:01:50,320 Speaker 1: season after a lengthy delay, they were desperate to make 28 00:01:50,400 --> 00:01:53,440 Speaker 1: up for lost time. Then word got out that crabs 29 00:01:53,440 --> 00:01:57,320 Speaker 1: were congregating off the central Coast near Moro Bay and Monterey, 30 00:01:57,600 --> 00:02:01,360 Speaker 1: so crappers flocked to the area, eagles to a beach picnic. 31 00:02:01,560 --> 00:02:04,440 Speaker 2: I crabbed out a half move bay for a month, 32 00:02:04,640 --> 00:02:07,400 Speaker 2: and then we picked everything up and trucked dollar geared 33 00:02:07,480 --> 00:02:10,239 Speaker 2: down to Moral Bay and there were some crabs down there, 34 00:02:10,280 --> 00:02:12,240 Speaker 2: and we spent the rest of the season there. 35 00:02:12,840 --> 00:02:15,359 Speaker 1: Ben Platt wasn't the only one to make a mad 36 00:02:15,440 --> 00:02:18,640 Speaker 1: dash for the Central coast. The Dungeness crab fishery is 37 00:02:18,639 --> 00:02:20,960 Speaker 1: what they call a derby fishery, so if a boat 38 00:02:21,000 --> 00:02:23,959 Speaker 1: wants to travel and fish in a different district, it can, 39 00:02:24,360 --> 00:02:27,120 Speaker 1: But that meant that a lot more crab pots, those 40 00:02:27,200 --> 00:02:30,760 Speaker 1: large round cages that krabbers trapped crab in were in 41 00:02:30,880 --> 00:02:34,600 Speaker 1: these small bays along with crab boats and the crab 42 00:02:34,639 --> 00:02:37,560 Speaker 1: booys that crab pots are attached to, so add more 43 00:02:37,600 --> 00:02:41,400 Speaker 1: buoys and rope to these crowded bays. It was also 44 00:02:41,520 --> 00:02:44,560 Speaker 1: later in the year than usual, which meant that crabbers 45 00:02:44,600 --> 00:02:47,760 Speaker 1: were about to collide with whale migration season. And at 46 00:02:47,760 --> 00:02:50,760 Speaker 1: the same time, the warm water hadn't just impacted the 47 00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:54,360 Speaker 1: algae and the crabs, it had shifted the entire marine 48 00:02:54,400 --> 00:02:57,880 Speaker 1: food web. That's exactly what scientists in nineteen sixty eight 49 00:02:58,000 --> 00:03:01,280 Speaker 1: had predicted what happen if emissions and unchecked in a 50 00:03:01,320 --> 00:03:05,079 Speaker 1: report commissioned by the American Patroleum Institute, which counted every 51 00:03:05,240 --> 00:03:08,239 Speaker 1: US oil company as a member at the time, Stanford 52 00:03:08,320 --> 00:03:13,239 Speaker 1: University scientists wrote, quote, changes in ocean temperatures would change 53 00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:16,560 Speaker 1: the distribution of fish and cause a retreat in the 54 00:03:16,600 --> 00:03:20,160 Speaker 1: polar sea ice. That's happening now, and it's leading to 55 00:03:20,200 --> 00:03:23,639 Speaker 1: a cascade of issues that are depleting the world's fish stocks. 56 00:03:23,919 --> 00:03:27,640 Speaker 1: As rising temperatures kill off plankton, the fish that survive 57 00:03:27,720 --> 00:03:30,679 Speaker 1: on them are decreasing in numbers, as are the fish 58 00:03:30,760 --> 00:03:33,560 Speaker 1: that feed on those fish, and so on and so on. 59 00:03:34,160 --> 00:03:36,280 Speaker 1: In this episode, we're going to look at how all 60 00:03:36,320 --> 00:03:38,839 Speaker 1: of that has landed Krabbers in the middle of not 61 00:03:38,920 --> 00:03:43,000 Speaker 1: one but two lawsuits, a whale entanglement suit filed against 62 00:03:43,080 --> 00:03:46,520 Speaker 1: them and a liability suit they've filed against the thirty 63 00:03:46,640 --> 00:03:50,720 Speaker 1: largest fossil fuel companies. Both suits are ultimately about climate 64 00:03:50,840 --> 00:03:54,720 Speaker 1: change and the way it's changing marine ecosystems, and together 65 00:03:54,840 --> 00:03:57,880 Speaker 1: they provide a really good example of why everyone should 66 00:03:57,880 --> 00:04:01,680 Speaker 1: be paying attention to what's happening in the oceans. This 67 00:04:01,840 --> 00:04:05,280 Speaker 1: is the story of two industries, one fighting to survive, 68 00:04:05,640 --> 00:04:09,280 Speaker 1: the other the most powerful in human history. The outcome 69 00:04:09,320 --> 00:04:12,720 Speaker 1: of their battle could very well determine whether and how 70 00:04:12,760 --> 00:04:16,520 Speaker 1: we act on climate change. I'm Amy Westervelt and this 71 00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:19,240 Speaker 1: is drilled season two hot water. 72 00:04:22,040 --> 00:04:26,200 Speaker 6: We had these unheard of changes and ocean conditions. We 73 00:04:26,279 --> 00:04:29,320 Speaker 6: had the so called warm water Blob, and the ocean 74 00:04:29,360 --> 00:04:33,520 Speaker 6: temperatures really increased, and then that caused reaction. So the 75 00:04:33,600 --> 00:04:39,560 Speaker 6: really small fish called krill moved and their abundance changed, 76 00:04:39,680 --> 00:04:43,160 Speaker 6: and that's what the whales eat. So the whales chased 77 00:04:43,400 --> 00:04:46,919 Speaker 6: that food and they came closer to the shore, which 78 00:04:46,960 --> 00:04:51,000 Speaker 6: brought them into contact with our traditional fishing grounds. And 79 00:04:51,080 --> 00:04:54,200 Speaker 6: if you'll remember, at that time of year, the crab 80 00:04:54,320 --> 00:04:58,279 Speaker 6: fishing started late because we had this high bloom of 81 00:04:58,480 --> 00:05:02,279 Speaker 6: algae and democh so it was like a confluence of 82 00:05:02,320 --> 00:05:07,880 Speaker 6: all the worst things real climate change impacts, whales moving 83 00:05:07,920 --> 00:05:11,880 Speaker 6: closer to shore, crab gear being placed later because of 84 00:05:11,920 --> 00:05:15,640 Speaker 6: demolic acid, and we just saw this huge uptick in entanglements. 85 00:05:15,800 --> 00:05:19,920 Speaker 1: That's Chuck Bonham, California Fish and Wildlife Director. Krill are 86 00:05:19,960 --> 00:05:23,400 Speaker 1: the preferred food of migrating whales along the coast, and 87 00:05:23,480 --> 00:05:25,599 Speaker 1: on top of there being less of them, those that 88 00:05:25,720 --> 00:05:28,839 Speaker 1: remained had moved closer to shore. That led to a 89 00:05:28,880 --> 00:05:32,800 Speaker 1: major spike in whales getting entangled in crab gear. That 90 00:05:32,920 --> 00:05:36,840 Speaker 1: spike and entanglements trew the attention of environmental groups well. 91 00:05:36,880 --> 00:05:41,919 Speaker 7: It with warm water and no krill and high concentrations 92 00:05:41,960 --> 00:05:45,000 Speaker 7: of grab gear, it was the perfect storm. 93 00:05:45,640 --> 00:05:48,200 Speaker 1: Dick Ogg captain's a boat out of Bodega Bay and 94 00:05:48,279 --> 00:05:51,080 Speaker 1: has been very involved in the Dungeness Crab Gear Working 95 00:05:51,080 --> 00:05:54,400 Speaker 1: Group that formed shortly after that feeful year. Dick is 96 00:05:54,400 --> 00:05:58,640 Speaker 1: a really interesting guy. He's been a vegetarian for forty years, 97 00:05:58,720 --> 00:06:01,200 Speaker 1: he's been fishing for about two twenty years, and he 98 00:06:01,240 --> 00:06:03,560 Speaker 1: doesn't eat during the day for a reason. He never 99 00:06:03,600 --> 00:06:06,040 Speaker 1: gave me and he seemed as sort of a leader 100 00:06:06,120 --> 00:06:10,000 Speaker 1: in the crabbing community, something of a spiritual guide. So 101 00:06:10,080 --> 00:06:12,280 Speaker 1: and Dick told me his theory on what was going 102 00:06:12,279 --> 00:06:14,520 Speaker 1: on with whales that year. I knew to pay attention. 103 00:06:14,839 --> 00:06:17,000 Speaker 7: There seemed to be a lot of crabs down the 104 00:06:17,040 --> 00:06:21,080 Speaker 7: Monterey Bay area, so the majority of the fishermen went 105 00:06:21,839 --> 00:06:26,120 Speaker 7: south and concentrated gear in an area they're off of Monterey. 106 00:06:26,760 --> 00:06:32,160 Speaker 7: So not only was there the migration of the humpbacks occurring, 107 00:06:32,680 --> 00:06:36,919 Speaker 7: but there was also a situation where their food source 108 00:06:37,480 --> 00:06:39,960 Speaker 7: was right in the middle of where all the crab 109 00:06:40,040 --> 00:06:44,479 Speaker 7: year was. And in addition to that, the product that 110 00:06:44,480 --> 00:06:48,440 Speaker 7: the whales were after, the anchovies, were very very high 111 00:06:48,480 --> 00:06:52,640 Speaker 7: in the moment acid, So the whales were eating tainted food. 112 00:06:53,000 --> 00:06:57,719 Speaker 7: So whether that affected their reactions and how they responded, 113 00:06:57,920 --> 00:06:58,359 Speaker 7: you don't know. 114 00:06:58,880 --> 00:07:01,600 Speaker 1: That theory hasn't been tested yet, but a number of 115 00:07:01,640 --> 00:07:04,800 Speaker 1: other folks told me similar things and attracts with what 116 00:07:04,880 --> 00:07:08,400 Speaker 1: marine biologists have observed in marine mammals since warm waters 117 00:07:08,400 --> 00:07:11,560 Speaker 1: started triggering these toxic algal blooms. On top of the 118 00:07:11,600 --> 00:07:15,240 Speaker 1: fact that warmer waters are upsetting the food chain, causing seals, 119 00:07:15,280 --> 00:07:19,160 Speaker 1: sea lions, and whales to starve to death. The demoic acid, 120 00:07:19,200 --> 00:07:22,680 Speaker 1: triggered by the algal blooms is messing with these animals' heads. 121 00:07:23,200 --> 00:07:27,640 Speaker 8: This sea lion is having seizures poisoned from demoic acid, 122 00:07:28,000 --> 00:07:31,559 Speaker 8: a deadly natural toxin being found in very high levels 123 00:07:31,640 --> 00:07:33,880 Speaker 8: from California to Washington State. 124 00:07:34,160 --> 00:07:36,480 Speaker 1: So it's really not so far fetched to think that 125 00:07:36,560 --> 00:07:40,240 Speaker 1: demoic acid rich anchovies made whales more likely to get 126 00:07:40,240 --> 00:07:43,000 Speaker 1: tangled up in ropes that year. On top of everything 127 00:07:43,000 --> 00:07:50,160 Speaker 1: else that was going on, this week, Drilled partnered with 128 00:07:50,200 --> 00:07:54,960 Speaker 1: a fun and fascinating quick hits science podcast called Everyday Einstein. 129 00:07:55,200 --> 00:08:00,200 Speaker 1: It's hosted by astrophysicist doctor Sabrinas Steerwalt, who explains complicated 130 00:08:00,200 --> 00:08:03,320 Speaker 1: scientific concepts in quick eight to ten minute episodes that 131 00:08:03,400 --> 00:08:06,720 Speaker 1: make the complex accessible. She answers questions like how can 132 00:08:06,720 --> 00:08:08,760 Speaker 1: you tell if your tapwater is safe to drink, and 133 00:08:08,840 --> 00:08:12,760 Speaker 1: clears up common areas of confusion like weather wormholes really exist. 134 00:08:13,120 --> 00:08:15,800 Speaker 1: And just like the Drilled team, doctor Steerwell is committed 135 00:08:15,840 --> 00:08:20,040 Speaker 1: to debunking misinformation about the scientific concepts shaping our world. 136 00:08:20,360 --> 00:08:23,960 Speaker 1: She's done episodes on everything from why vaccines bolster herd 137 00:08:24,000 --> 00:08:26,560 Speaker 1: immunity to how we know climate change is linked to 138 00:08:26,600 --> 00:08:29,520 Speaker 1: more intense extreme weather events. It's a great show and 139 00:08:29,560 --> 00:08:32,000 Speaker 1: you're bound to learn something new, including tips on how 140 00:08:32,040 --> 00:08:35,800 Speaker 1: to explain this stuff to other people. Find Everyday Einstein 141 00:08:35,840 --> 00:08:39,760 Speaker 1: on Apple Podcasts, Potify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Okay, 142 00:08:39,800 --> 00:08:45,520 Speaker 1: back to the show. The working group wasn't just sitting 143 00:08:45,559 --> 00:08:49,000 Speaker 1: around and talking about stoned whales, though it also proposed 144 00:08:49,040 --> 00:08:52,600 Speaker 1: some restrictions around fishing when whales were present, but ultimately 145 00:08:52,679 --> 00:08:56,599 Speaker 1: those proposals weren't enough. The Center for Biological Diversity, and 146 00:08:56,720 --> 00:09:01,200 Speaker 1: Arizona based nonprofit focused on endangered species, sued the California 147 00:09:01,200 --> 00:09:04,280 Speaker 1: Department of Fish and Wildlife, threatening a shutdown of the 148 00:09:04,280 --> 00:09:05,360 Speaker 1: fishery entirely. 149 00:09:05,920 --> 00:09:08,280 Speaker 9: We were a part of that working group for a 150 00:09:08,320 --> 00:09:13,199 Speaker 9: couple of years and were very frustrated at the lack 151 00:09:13,480 --> 00:09:16,120 Speaker 9: of meaningful changes on the water. 152 00:09:16,520 --> 00:09:19,600 Speaker 1: That's Kristin Monsel, she's the lead attorney on this case 153 00:09:19,640 --> 00:09:21,599 Speaker 1: for the Center for Biological Diversity. 154 00:09:21,920 --> 00:09:26,920 Speaker 9: The working group largely was talking about voluntary measures, which 155 00:09:27,040 --> 00:09:30,840 Speaker 9: we know simply don't work, and it was just a 156 00:09:30,840 --> 00:09:34,760 Speaker 9: lot of talk and there was no actions that met 157 00:09:35,000 --> 00:09:35,720 Speaker 9: the words. 158 00:09:36,040 --> 00:09:38,600 Speaker 1: It's the sort of thing that we'll get fishermen talking 159 00:09:38,720 --> 00:09:42,760 Speaker 1: about how much they hate environmental groups. In a lot 160 00:09:42,760 --> 00:09:46,520 Speaker 1: of ways, Krabbers are a skeptical of big Green as 161 00:09:46,559 --> 00:09:49,840 Speaker 1: they are of big oil. Lorie French has a lot 162 00:09:49,880 --> 00:09:50,920 Speaker 1: to say on this subject. 163 00:09:51,160 --> 00:09:53,840 Speaker 5: They always have to have some crisis that they're collecting 164 00:09:53,920 --> 00:09:56,640 Speaker 5: for the whales or the band of snails or a 165 00:09:56,679 --> 00:10:00,440 Speaker 5: three between pigeon. There's always some crisis that they're for 166 00:10:00,960 --> 00:10:04,000 Speaker 5: in the name of save the environment, and it seems 167 00:10:04,000 --> 00:10:06,520 Speaker 5: that they never really saw the crisis is, but they're 168 00:10:06,559 --> 00:10:09,280 Speaker 5: always willing to put people out of business. 169 00:10:09,320 --> 00:10:13,319 Speaker 1: And Ben is also distrustful of the intentions of environmental groups. 170 00:10:13,720 --> 00:10:16,400 Speaker 2: My opinion is that some of these NGOs are just 171 00:10:16,480 --> 00:10:19,400 Speaker 2: self perpetuating organizations. 172 00:10:18,880 --> 00:10:22,280 Speaker 1: And Ben has seen representatives from environmental groups storm out 173 00:10:22,280 --> 00:10:26,800 Speaker 1: of negotiations and become increasingly involved in fisheries management in 174 00:10:26,840 --> 00:10:28,560 Speaker 1: a way that just doesn't sit well with him. 175 00:10:28,760 --> 00:10:32,120 Speaker 2: In my opinion. What they're doing, in essence is so 176 00:10:32,320 --> 00:10:35,480 Speaker 2: arrogant because they're coming in and saying, we don't trust 177 00:10:35,480 --> 00:10:38,520 Speaker 2: the process. So they're telling people that have spent their 178 00:10:38,520 --> 00:10:42,719 Speaker 2: life's work is in fisheries biology and in fisheries management, 179 00:10:42,840 --> 00:10:46,360 Speaker 2: and in fishing and in processing, we know better than you. 180 00:10:46,960 --> 00:10:49,079 Speaker 2: We have to save the process because you guys are 181 00:10:49,080 --> 00:10:50,040 Speaker 2: screwing it all up. 182 00:10:50,679 --> 00:10:54,280 Speaker 1: Every Krabber I spoke with said similar things about environmental groups. 183 00:10:54,600 --> 00:10:58,040 Speaker 1: They don't respect all sides. They're using whales for fundraising. 184 00:10:58,360 --> 00:11:01,000 Speaker 1: They're all bloated and is looking for causes to keep 185 00:11:01,040 --> 00:11:05,000 Speaker 1: themselves going, Which is amazing because half the time, probably 186 00:11:05,000 --> 00:11:07,400 Speaker 1: more than half, they're on the same side. 187 00:11:07,559 --> 00:11:11,160 Speaker 2: When we're talking about salmon water, we're usually on the 188 00:11:11,200 --> 00:11:13,440 Speaker 2: same page. But as soon as we go out on 189 00:11:13,480 --> 00:11:15,880 Speaker 2: the ocean, I mean, it's kind of like we're all 190 00:11:15,920 --> 00:11:18,000 Speaker 2: fair weather friends. As soon as we go out on 191 00:11:18,040 --> 00:11:20,240 Speaker 2: the ocean and start trying to make a living, then 192 00:11:20,280 --> 00:11:25,120 Speaker 2: sometimes we're at odds with this recreational fleet. Sometimes oftentimes 193 00:11:25,120 --> 00:11:27,439 Speaker 2: we're at odds with some of the environmental groups. I mean, 194 00:11:27,440 --> 00:11:29,760 Speaker 2: we all love whales, we all love se otters, we 195 00:11:29,800 --> 00:11:32,960 Speaker 2: all love you know, up in Alaska, the orcas are 196 00:11:33,120 --> 00:11:35,880 Speaker 2: major pests to the longliners. They steal a lot of fish. 197 00:11:35,960 --> 00:11:38,520 Speaker 2: But you know, we deal with it, and sometimes it's 198 00:11:38,520 --> 00:11:41,520 Speaker 2: really irritating, but we understand that we share the ocean 199 00:11:41,679 --> 00:11:43,119 Speaker 2: with these marine mammals. 200 00:11:43,440 --> 00:11:46,000 Speaker 1: It's also funny because a lot of people would probably 201 00:11:46,040 --> 00:11:49,520 Speaker 1: see suing the oil companies over climate change as a 202 00:11:49,559 --> 00:11:53,720 Speaker 1: pretty radical environmentalist move, but both Lori and Ben reject 203 00:11:53,800 --> 00:11:58,160 Speaker 1: that identity. Crabbs are very into preserving resources and the 204 00:11:58,160 --> 00:12:00,880 Speaker 1: crab fishery is one of the most sustainable in the country. 205 00:12:01,200 --> 00:12:04,200 Speaker 1: They toss females and small males back, which ensures that 206 00:12:04,240 --> 00:12:07,480 Speaker 1: the crab are self sustaining, and they've historically agreed on 207 00:12:07,600 --> 00:12:11,280 Speaker 1: various self imposed regulations that ensure the fishery can continue. 208 00:12:11,720 --> 00:12:14,600 Speaker 1: So it is an unhappy coincidence that this would be 209 00:12:14,600 --> 00:12:18,199 Speaker 1: the first fishery shut down by warming oceans, not by 210 00:12:18,240 --> 00:12:21,679 Speaker 1: overfishing or stock depletion, and it wasn't a one off. 211 00:12:22,360 --> 00:12:25,560 Speaker 1: Noah Oppenheim, the head of the Fishermen's Trade Association, says 212 00:12:25,559 --> 00:12:27,880 Speaker 1: demoic acid closures are the new normal. 213 00:12:28,120 --> 00:12:31,520 Speaker 4: We are going to be looking at demoic acid as 214 00:12:31,600 --> 00:12:36,200 Speaker 4: neurotoxin that accumulates in the tissues of crabs and other 215 00:12:36,280 --> 00:12:40,800 Speaker 4: shellfish species impacts driven by climate change every single season 216 00:12:41,160 --> 00:12:48,360 Speaker 4: in perpetuity. It's disruptive, it's damaging, it destroys communities, and 217 00:12:48,400 --> 00:12:53,600 Speaker 4: we do not have appropriate mechanisms to support fishermen when 218 00:12:54,120 --> 00:12:55,320 Speaker 4: these events occur. 219 00:12:55,800 --> 00:12:59,199 Speaker 1: In the aftermath of that twenty fifteen season, the California 220 00:12:59,240 --> 00:13:03,320 Speaker 1: Fish and Wildlife Department successfully secured a disaster relief package 221 00:13:03,360 --> 00:13:06,520 Speaker 1: from the federal government totally two hundred million dollars for 222 00:13:06,559 --> 00:13:10,760 Speaker 1: California fishermen. The package covers issues across several fisheries, and 223 00:13:10,840 --> 00:13:13,960 Speaker 1: crab fishermen are expected to get fifteen million dollars of that, 224 00:13:14,640 --> 00:13:17,520 Speaker 1: but the funds have not been allocated yet, and money 225 00:13:17,520 --> 00:13:20,280 Speaker 1: has never materialized, and a lot of folks have given 226 00:13:20,360 --> 00:13:21,680 Speaker 1: up on it ever appearing. 227 00:13:22,080 --> 00:13:23,400 Speaker 5: I know there's a lot of guys that are worried 228 00:13:23,400 --> 00:13:25,719 Speaker 5: about this with disaster funding that we're still supposed to get, 229 00:13:25,840 --> 00:13:27,720 Speaker 5: and you know, this sasion, there's people who could use it. 230 00:13:28,440 --> 00:13:35,600 Speaker 1: Meanwhile, like Noah said, the closures have continued, and just 231 00:13:35,640 --> 00:13:40,880 Speaker 1: as Krabber's were experiencing that terrible first year, reporters uncovered 232 00:13:40,880 --> 00:13:43,120 Speaker 1: something new about climate change. 233 00:13:43,320 --> 00:13:46,400 Speaker 10: First a new tack and the battle over climate change. 234 00:13:46,559 --> 00:13:51,480 Speaker 10: Going after energy companies for alleged financial fraud. Exxon's history 235 00:13:51,520 --> 00:13:55,520 Speaker 10: has been the subject of recent reporting by Inside Climate News, 236 00:13:55,800 --> 00:13:59,480 Speaker 10: the Los Angeles Times, and others. The reporting has alleged 237 00:13:59,520 --> 00:14:02,520 Speaker 10: the company they misled the public about what its own 238 00:14:02,679 --> 00:14:05,880 Speaker 10: science has found about the risks of climate change and 239 00:14:05,960 --> 00:14:07,000 Speaker 10: greenhouse gases. 240 00:14:07,440 --> 00:14:11,040 Speaker 1: A treasure trove of documents revealed that oil companies had 241 00:14:11,080 --> 00:14:14,240 Speaker 1: known the impact their product would have for decades and 242 00:14:14,280 --> 00:14:17,679 Speaker 1: had set about discrediting the science and spreading confusion about it. 243 00:14:18,440 --> 00:14:21,880 Speaker 1: Role fossil fuel companies played in stopping action on climate 244 00:14:21,960 --> 00:14:25,840 Speaker 1: change was surprising to crabbers. Here's Noah Oppenheim again. 245 00:14:26,360 --> 00:14:32,680 Speaker 4: The deep regulatory capture of federal agencies and representative bodies 246 00:14:32,840 --> 00:14:36,840 Speaker 4: has been the most surprising aspect of this whole discovery 247 00:14:36,960 --> 00:14:40,240 Speaker 4: phase of the inner workings of the fossil fuel companies, 248 00:14:40,800 --> 00:14:45,880 Speaker 4: the extent to which they have bought and paid for policy, 249 00:14:45,920 --> 00:14:50,600 Speaker 4: basically co opting democratic institutions in order to get their 250 00:14:50,640 --> 00:14:54,840 Speaker 4: agenda further. I mean, that's been American politics for generations, 251 00:14:54,960 --> 00:14:59,240 Speaker 4: but it feels different in this instance. It feels like 252 00:14:59,400 --> 00:15:05,080 Speaker 4: it's been effective beyond anyone's wildest dreams. 253 00:15:05,680 --> 00:15:08,840 Speaker 1: When Crapper's and lawyers first talked about whether or not 254 00:15:08,880 --> 00:15:11,480 Speaker 1: they might have a case against oil companies, a lot 255 00:15:11,520 --> 00:15:14,480 Speaker 1: of the fishermen had a similar reaction as Ben Platt. 256 00:15:14,840 --> 00:15:18,600 Speaker 2: At first sniff, it sounded like, you know, pretty far fetched. 257 00:15:18,720 --> 00:15:20,880 Speaker 2: You know, My initial reaction was just like a lot 258 00:15:20,920 --> 00:15:23,160 Speaker 2: of other fishermen. It's like, well, I have a diesel 259 00:15:23,320 --> 00:15:27,160 Speaker 2: engine in my boat, so why would I want to 260 00:15:27,160 --> 00:15:30,400 Speaker 2: sue a fossil fuel company. And I was still fairly 261 00:15:30,440 --> 00:15:32,840 Speaker 2: skeptical about whether or not I wanted to be involved 262 00:15:33,080 --> 00:15:37,080 Speaker 2: in it. I was aware that there would be backlash 263 00:15:37,160 --> 00:15:40,120 Speaker 2: from other fishermen over something like this. We're all going 264 00:15:40,200 --> 00:15:44,640 Speaker 2: to have whatever opinion we have about whatever particular fishery 265 00:15:44,680 --> 00:15:47,640 Speaker 2: issue we're talking about right now, or having a meeting about, 266 00:15:47,760 --> 00:15:51,080 Speaker 2: or strike or whatever. But we're very divided, just like 267 00:15:51,160 --> 00:15:54,920 Speaker 2: the rest of the country on national and international politics. 268 00:15:55,400 --> 00:15:58,120 Speaker 2: So you know, I have to live with all these guys. 269 00:15:58,160 --> 00:16:00,480 Speaker 2: These guys are my buddies, They're my friends, people I 270 00:16:00,520 --> 00:16:04,720 Speaker 2: grew up with. You know, we share communities together, and 271 00:16:04,800 --> 00:16:07,560 Speaker 2: these coastal communities are tight knit too, not just the 272 00:16:07,600 --> 00:16:10,520 Speaker 2: fishing communities, and if you've been fishing long enough, it's 273 00:16:10,520 --> 00:16:12,640 Speaker 2: like one big family. A lot of us know each 274 00:16:12,680 --> 00:16:15,040 Speaker 2: other and knew each other's parents and brothers and aunts 275 00:16:15,040 --> 00:16:17,280 Speaker 2: and uncles and sisters. And I have that kind of 276 00:16:17,280 --> 00:16:21,920 Speaker 2: connection with people from more Obey to southeast Alaska. So 277 00:16:22,640 --> 00:16:26,880 Speaker 2: I'm reluctant to be part of something that might anger 278 00:16:26,920 --> 00:16:30,520 Speaker 2: a lot other my fellow fishermen. But you know, in 279 00:16:30,600 --> 00:16:34,040 Speaker 2: the end, you know, you have to stand on principle 280 00:16:34,040 --> 00:16:37,240 Speaker 2: that you believe in. I mean, that's what I was taught, 281 00:16:37,280 --> 00:16:39,920 Speaker 2: and so if I separate all that from the facts 282 00:16:39,960 --> 00:16:42,360 Speaker 2: of the lawsuit and what they're trying to achieve, I 283 00:16:42,360 --> 00:16:43,560 Speaker 2: believe it's the right thing to do. 284 00:16:44,240 --> 00:16:46,480 Speaker 1: Enough of the rest of the fleet agreed that the 285 00:16:46,520 --> 00:16:50,400 Speaker 1: Trade Federation decided to take on the case. Just as 286 00:16:50,400 --> 00:16:54,200 Speaker 1: the whale entanglement case began to move forward, Crabber's decided 287 00:16:54,240 --> 00:16:57,240 Speaker 1: to take matters into their own hands and sued what 288 00:16:57,280 --> 00:16:59,880 Speaker 1: they'd come to believe was the real culprit. 289 00:17:00,120 --> 00:17:04,359 Speaker 2: Fossil fuel companies knew about the warming of the climate, 290 00:17:04,440 --> 00:17:06,440 Speaker 2: they knew the effect it would have on the ocean, 291 00:17:06,920 --> 00:17:09,840 Speaker 2: and they had all this information a long time ago, 292 00:17:09,880 --> 00:17:12,320 Speaker 2: and they didn't share it with public because it would 293 00:17:12,400 --> 00:17:20,520 Speaker 2: have affected their bottom line. 294 00:17:23,640 --> 00:17:26,560 Speaker 1: Next time on drill a recap of what oil companies 295 00:17:26,600 --> 00:17:29,600 Speaker 1: did know about climate change and when and what sort 296 00:17:29,640 --> 00:17:31,119 Speaker 1: of case the Crabbers have. 297 00:17:31,560 --> 00:17:34,040 Speaker 11: We need to start doing something. 298 00:17:34,520 --> 00:17:36,200 Speaker 3: We have a long road ahead of us, and if 299 00:17:36,200 --> 00:17:38,920 Speaker 3: we don't start, we're never going to get there. 300 00:17:39,240 --> 00:17:44,040 Speaker 11: The same time that there's this public promulgation of doubt 301 00:17:44,560 --> 00:17:50,000 Speaker 11: you have internally the companies making enormous investments in their 302 00:17:50,040 --> 00:17:52,359 Speaker 11: own infrastructure and planning for the future. 303 00:17:52,800 --> 00:17:57,280 Speaker 4: Everybody uses fossil fuel petroleum products in the United States. 304 00:17:57,400 --> 00:18:02,280 Speaker 4: You can't buy food without it, you can't travel in 305 00:18:02,359 --> 00:18:06,120 Speaker 4: this country without it, you can't wear clothing without it. 306 00:18:06,240 --> 00:18:12,800 Speaker 4: So while the products that we as consumers use every 307 00:18:12,880 --> 00:18:16,760 Speaker 4: day may be produced by this industry, that does not 308 00:18:17,280 --> 00:18:20,760 Speaker 4: negate in any way whatsoever the responsibility that they have 309 00:18:20,960 --> 00:18:26,120 Speaker 4: in disclosing the harm that they knew was being facilitated 310 00:18:26,119 --> 00:18:28,200 Speaker 4: by the production of these products. 311 00:18:30,600 --> 00:18:34,960 Speaker 1: Drilled is produced and distributed by Critical Frequency. The show 312 00:18:35,080 --> 00:18:39,000 Speaker 1: was created and reported by me Amy Westervelt. Raka Murphy 313 00:18:39,119 --> 00:18:42,760 Speaker 1: is our editorial advisor. An additional editing for this series 314 00:18:42,880 --> 00:18:46,120 Speaker 1: was done by Julia Ritchie. The series was mixed by 315 00:18:46,160 --> 00:18:50,600 Speaker 1: Bill Lance. Our season two music was composed by Elliott Peltzman. 316 00:18:51,200 --> 00:18:54,760 Speaker 1: Season two cover art was drawn by Angela Scheh. Drilled 317 00:18:54,760 --> 00:18:56,919 Speaker 1: is supported in part by a generous grant from the 318 00:18:56,960 --> 00:19:00,919 Speaker 1: Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development. You can listen and 319 00:19:01,000 --> 00:19:04,320 Speaker 1: subscribe to Drilled on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get 320 00:19:04,359 --> 00:19:07,119 Speaker 1: your podcasts. If you like the show, don't forget to 321 00:19:07,119 --> 00:19:09,440 Speaker 1: give us a five star rating. It helps us find 322 00:19:09,440 --> 00:19:14,359 Speaker 1: more listeners and combat peskey climate deniers. Visit our website 323 00:19:14,440 --> 00:19:17,399 Speaker 1: Drilled podcast dot com for behind the scenes photos and 324 00:19:17,440 --> 00:19:21,159 Speaker 1: additional information about this series. You can also drop us 325 00:19:21,200 --> 00:19:23,760 Speaker 1: a tip or story idea there and sign up for 326 00:19:23,800 --> 00:19:26,560 Speaker 1: our newsletter. Or you can find me on Twitter. I'm 327 00:19:26,640 --> 00:19:29,320 Speaker 1: at Amy Westerveld. Thanks for listening.