"That In Your Grandfather's Day There Ran Salmon You Could Walk On Their Backs"

In the stellar Scottish folk song , "Neptune", written by Jim Malcolm and performed by The Poozies, the lyric states that man is what our oceans fear most.  "Neptune, I think I'm In Love With The Sea"  What we are willing to do now will have a profound influence on the world we leave our children and children's children.

"How do I woo you and make you love me"

As anglers of fresh and salt, we see many of the effects of a polluted and changing environment.  We work hard to be as clean as possible, yet the problem can not be helped by anglers alone.  Here, where I live, in New Hampshire the Androscoggin River in Gorham, one of our premier trout and salmon waters, is listed catch and release because of residual pollution from one hundred years ago.  You can't eat the fish.

"Don't oil my beaches, don't slaughter my whales"

What is happening in Russia, China, India and still to a degree here at home, is the most destructive environmental decline known to mankind.  The creation of dirty power and metals exploration is being done in ways that are not environmentally safe.  Their logic to America is, " You polluted without the slightest regard to what was happening to the planet, you were made rich by your exploitation and now it is our turn".   As an American, I must agree with the view that the world should share a turn to be wealthy and have it's people be rewarded.

But what I ask is simple.

"Don't cross me with diesel, cross me with sail"

Learn from what we did and learn that what the United States did during our Industrial Revolution was wrong.    It doesn't take me long, when I cross over many of our New England rivers, to make a comment something like, imagine what it must of been like that fateful spring when all the migrating fish were trapped below that first dam. The result might make the wealthy have more money but the people will pay the price.

"Give me some time to heal up my wounds"

Today in the USA environmentalists are pushing hard to reclaim our rivers.  Dams and pollution sources are being removed from the landscape.  Steady improvements are being made to water quality.  All over the world in the large three countries mentioned to some very small, there are highly motivated people who want security for their families.  That security will only be available if the planet that is inherited will be free of the illnesses that are inevitable if the path to riches without regard is followed.

Push The Issue

It is very easy to just move forward and rely on others to take care of this matter.  I recently made a small step and joined Trout Unlimited.  I think that small steps by many needs to be the course to follow.

"Give me more poison and I will die soon"

In the spirit of my belief, I have started the FlySpoke 'For The Earth' banner.  This is a list of organizations and charities that are making a difference that you will find in the left hand column on the front page of this blog.  Please look them over and help if possible.

I realize how small I am in the scope of this issue.  But I feel compelled to be that small part.  Angling is a big part of my life but angling in pure water and breathing clean air is far more important.

"Neptune, I think I'm in Love with the sea"

Please email to me any organizations you would like to have listed.

William