March 2021

During my professional career as a land use and environmental attorney, I worked with local governments, conservationists, and biologists across the United States to protect wildlife habitat.  There were wins, there were setbacks, but I was always optimistic that we were making progress.  In retirement I have kept my finger on the pulse of things in the field while turning to a second career writing for outdoor magazines and conducting more personal on-stream piscatorial research (AKA fly fishing).  Now the two are intersecting in an unexpected and troubling way.  Entomologists are sounding the alarm about the cataclysmic decline in insects around the world, calling it the Insect Armageddon.  As pollinators, food providers, pest controllers, decomposers, and soil engineers bugs are a key part of the very foundation for all life on the planet.  That means, of course, for the fish we love to pursue.  Already we are starting to see the decline of aquatic insects that could have a devastating impact on fishing—witness the 50% drop in mayflies in the upper Midwest just since 2012. 

What can we do about it?  For some ways each of us can answer the call to action click on the Powerpoint presentation below that I will presenting at a national land use and environmental conference later this month.   The future of our sport may depend on it!!