Nay. Come up hither
from this wave-washed mound.
Until the furthest flood-brim, look with me;
then reach on with thy thought
‘til it lie drowned.
Miles and miles distant though the last line be,
and though thy soul sails
leagues and leagues beyond,
still, leagues beyond those leagues,
there is more sea.
-William Gabriel Rossetti

I’ve had sand in my shoes and salt on my skin since I was little. It’s an abiding partnership for me, my relationship with the ocean. I learned to fish as an adult, in the deep offshore waters of the Pacific, moving from Mexico to Panama and back, and I’ve never fully emerged from the awed reverie of those experiences. I saw so much, felt so much: until you’ve witnessed a great prehistoric giant of a fish, one that’s lived for many years as both predator and prey, eyeing you through a swell not twenty feet away… well, it’s amazing.

I vowed, with every tag and release, I’d be a champion of the billfish – marlin, particularly. Then I read, and watched, and learned, and came to know the vast nature of that which comprises the sea, its endless array of life forms, and I became less specific about my cause (though I will still quietly accost you if you eat marlin on a particular German airline). More importantly, I’ve seen what we are doing to systematically eliminate certain of these creatures and what we’re doing to compromise the futures of untold others.My deep and passionate interest in oceans' conservation will be a primary part of the rest of my life.

The great fish in the world's oceans are disappearing at an alarming rate. An estimated 90% of large ocean fish, like marlin and sharks, have been wiped out by overfishing, primarily through longline bycatch. Majestic reef fish, like snapper and grouper, are being overfished by both commerical and recreactional fishermen, for cash and for table fare. Perhaps the most stunning and interesting specimen, the bluefin tuna, is being systematically caught, ranched and slaughtered, to the tune of about $1billion/year, to satisfy the Japanese sushi markets. This is far bigger than a proverbial tale of woe. It's tragedy of epic proportion.

Government agencies are helpless, as jobs, tax revenue, and foreign trade rule the decison process. Environmental and recreational fishing groups line up on both sides of the "silver bullet" issues, with the primary objective of increasing membership and donations. Regrettably, they have been ineffective in any major conservation effort in the past decade. In response to the failure of the existing organizations to protect fish, a new generation of conservation organizations are stepping into the fray, organizations with deep pockets and seasoned management, working to truly effect change in how fisheries are managed. Private foundations are bypassing traditional environmental gatekeepers to fund and work closely with proven conservation teams. Is it too late? Can we as entrepreneurs stem the tide of ocean destruction? The answer is yes. Find one of these entrepreneurial conservation teams and get involved. The fourth wave of philanthropy is here.

More recently, I’ve become involved in the study of one of the marine food web’s little-examined but critical-to-existence species. Your mahi-mahi (dolphinfish) plays a huge role on the ocean’s stage, growing faster than any other fish and functioning as a core player in the food chain. Capturing and releasing those bright, feisty guys, tagged for scientific study, feeds me on many levels. You can read of that endeavor in “portfolio,” and check out the study on Don Hammond’s link on the “friends” section of the rocks-paper-scissors page.

I’m in the early stages of a story for children with hopes of inspiring a new generation of marine-heads, of instilling respect and a sense of protection for the ocean and its inhabitants. Inspired by my young friend Finnian, it’s not hard to imagine capturing that audience through fantasy. I further hope to find a way into the mindsets of junior anglers, and turn them to conservation; I was horrified to read recently of a young man on his first offshore trip, initiated into marine manhood by boating (killing) his first, and very young, marlin. These days, one releases anything with a bill to live another twenty years and reproduce. If only.

Recently, the amended Magnuson-Stevens Act has been in the news, and the amended Act is expected to be signed into law in January. For more information, go to http://www.conservefish.org, Yes, it’s politics, but it’s another step in our common cause. Patagonia ‘s announcement did well with the subject, or you can read about the permutations of this political semi-victory by Googling Magnusun-Stevens.

So if you know an angler, or you are an angler, or you just want to learn more (and really, everyone should), check out some of the links on “friends" under the rocks-paper-scissors tab. There’s much you can do, locally, internationally, financially, today or in perpetuity. Just paying attention would make me happy. And wouldn’t it be great to make me happy?

We're out here fishing for science: if you want to live vicariously, go to http://mvftag.blogspot.com.