Guy Harvey Magazine — Fall 2010 by Rowland Publishing, Inc.

The Art of Ocean Conservation VOLUME 1, ISSUE 2 FALL 2010 $10.00

Hope on the

Horizon Local folks get creative to battle the nation’s worst environmental disaster

The of Playa San Lazaro Mexican ﬁshermen learn to harvest ﬁsh without killing marine mammals

SHARK FIN SOUP

NASCAR GOES GREEN

Misconceptions, Forensic Science,

Former racer DK Ulrich “drives”

and the Annihilation of Sharks

conservation in the Bahamas www.guyharveymagazine.com

cONTENTS

fall 2010

MySTERIES OF THE BAIT BALL

18 HOPE ON THE HORIzON GHM editor Fred Garth lives, plays, and works at the

epicenter of the Deepwater Horizon disaster and discovered that local knowledge, passion, and ingenuity proved to be the silver lining in an otherwise oily mess. by FRED GARTH

56 THE 4 LIES OF

SHARK FIN SOUP

While the popularity of shark ﬁn soup is blamed for the

harvesting of as many as 73 million sharks per year, author Chuck Thompson, who has lived and worked in Hong Kong, reveals why most of what we believe is actually untrue. by CHUCK THOMPSON

26 THE RESURRECTION

OF PLAyA SAN LAzARO What began as an innocent journey to photograph majestic

Rising from the ashes of the days of Hemingway, the Bimini

marine life in Baja, Mexico, turned into a horrifying discovery

Big Game Club is reopening under the banner of the ﬁrst

of death and decay of the very same animals photojournalist

Guy Harvey Outpost Resort. GHM interviewed developer

Marc Montocchio was there to shoot. Fortunately, as Marc

Mark Ellert about his plans for the BBGC and future

learned, the local ﬁshing ﬂeets are abandoning their brutal

locations for more Guy Harvey Outpost Resorts.

practices and moving toward more environmentally-friendly

by DAVID WILKINSON

ways of harvesting ﬁsh they sell at market. by MARC MONTOCCHIO

74 BIMINI BIG GAME CLUB

www.guyharveymagazine.com

THE RESURRECTION OF PLAyA SAN LAzARO

Departments

guy talk Indiscriminate Fishing Practices Guy discusses the perils of shark ﬁnning, long-

phOtO pOrtfOlIO Mysteries of the Bait Ball While documenting the mysteries of bait balls,

lining, and other damaging ﬁshing methods, as

photographers come dangerously close to

well as what the Guy Harvey Research Institute is

ﬁnding out just how Jonah felt when he was

doing to help.

swallowed by a whale.

taCklEBOX Letters to Guy Harvey

Find out what readers have to say.

guy harvEy rESEarCh INStItutE Fighting the Fin Wars Find out how the GHRI is using DNA forensics to stop the illegal trade of shark ﬁns.

guy ONlINE Surf with Guy Surf with Guy on guyharveymagazine.com and

guy harvEy’S ISlaNd grIll Meet the Chef

contribute your own images or articles to the

Get to know Guy Harvey’s Island Grill’s

online publication.

Chef Steve and enjoy making some of his fabulous recipes in your own home.

guy’S uNIvErSE Fishing Tournaments and More Catch up on the latest happenings in the world of ocean conservation, ﬁshing tournaments, and the

guy harvEy lIfEStylE Defending a Way of Life Miami Dolphin’s linebacker Channing Crowder

Guy Harvey brand.

and Guy talked football and tangled with some Mahi-mahi in Grand Cayman.

CElEBrIty INtErvIEW NASCAR Goes Green Former racer DK Ulrich has gone from a car

laSt CaSt “Hooked” on Black Smack

crasher to a conservationist – from protecting

Will the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico ﬁnally

historical landmarks in the Bahamas to building a

wake us up to the reality of our addiction to oil?

green ﬁshing and diving resort on Crooked Island.

New Designs to Help “Save Our Gulf” Guy Harvey has created three new “Save Our Gulf” designs – two T-shirts and one poster — related to the oil spill. All proceeds go to research related to the spill. To buy a special edition T or poster, go to www.guyharvey.com. www.guyharveymagazine.com

Contributors

CreDits tO: beth slAGsVOl is a producer, director, screenwriter, and part-time extra in various ﬁlms. Her latest ﬁlm project, Disappointment Valley, about the abuse and eradication of native wild mustangs on western public lands, recently screened at Santa Barbara and Newport Beach Film Festivals. Beth spends her time between Charleston and Santa Fe and once had a private audience in Havana with Fidel Castro where he personally asked her to deliver his “message of peace” to the United States. Presumably the message was never actually delivered.

MArC MOntOCChiO picked up a camera for the ﬁrst time while serving as a South African Navy diver in the 1980s. Since then he has traveled the world’s oceans photographing animals from the tiniest shrimp to the largest mammals. His work has appeared in National Geographic and on the covers of numerous publications. For almost 20 years he divided his time between his birth place of South Africa and the Cayman Islands until moving to North Carolina in 2003. Marc and his wife, Laura, live in Morehead City, North Carolina, on the beautiful Crystal Coast.

DAnnY thOrntOn started fishing at the age of two with a cane pole in Florida’s bayous. He eventually graduated to custom-made composite fishing rods, although he has an extensive collection of antique bamboo fly rods that he still uses on occasion. Thornton has traveled extensively throughout North and South America and the Caribbean pursuing what he calls “the perfection of fishing.” His goal is to catch a fish in every country of the world before going to that “big fishing hole in the sky.”

ChuCk thOMPsOn is a travel writer who has written two hilarious books, Smile While You’re Lying and To Hellholes and Back (Holt Paperbacks), which offer a scathing view of his own profession, thereby alienating most of his fellow travel writers. He frequently leaves the warmth of his Paciﬁc Northwest home to hang out with seedy characters from the jungles of Ghana to the beaches of Thailand. His next book, Better Off Without ‘Em, (Simon & Schuster) focuses on the good and bad inﬂuences the Deep South has on the nation.

DAViD WilkinsOn has been involved in the ﬁshing and diving business for more than a decade and for the past several years has helped to guide Guy Harvey through the maze of social networking. His recent move from Tuscaloosa to Charleston will not inﬂuence his inexplicable devotion to Nick Saban’s Crimson Tide team.

kAt DeAn’s obsession with chefs has something to do with the fact that she’d rather pay to eat out in a restaurant than make her own cereal and coffee in the morning. Her interview with Chef Steve is the ﬁrst in a series of chef proﬁles that will appear in each issue of Guy Harvey Magazine.

Publisher Lost Key Publishing editor-in-Chief Fred D. Garth Marketing Director John Guidroz Circulation Director Kat Dean Outside sales Dan Wilson layout and Design Emagination Unlimited | Jenny Lee internet Gurus Zeekee Interactive Copy editor Kerrie Allen Contributing editors Doug Perrine Tanya Burnett Danny Thornton Contributors Daryl Carson Mark Castlow Brandon Cole Kat Dean Robin Delaney Justin Ebert Mark Ellert Gary Finch John Guidroz Shawn Heinrichs Chris Helton Amy Janke Jimbo Meador Marc Montocchio Beth Slagsvol Chuck Thompson David Wilkinson Dan Wilson editorial Advisory board Guy Harvey Steve Stock Bill Shedd Peter McFarland David Wilkinson Mike Flounlacker Mahmood Shivji

Guy Harvey Magazine is published four times per year: winter, spring, summer and fall, by Lost Key Publishing, P.O. Box 34075, Pensacola, Florida 32502. No part of this magazine can be

We reCYCle: We’re proud that Guy Harvey Magazine is printed on recycled paper. However, using recycled paper is just the

from Lost Key Publishing. Occasionally, we may

first step. Finding an environmentally-friendly printer is even more important. That’s why this magazine is printed at Publishers Press

make all or part of our subscriber list available

in Shepherdsville, Kentucky. Publishers Press recycles more than 50 million pounds of paper and paper products each year, which

to carefully screened companies that offer

saves 10 million gallons of oil, 35,000 trees, and 14 million gallons of water. Publishers Press also recycles more than 300,000 pounds

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To subscribe to Guy Harvey Magazine call our

currently working toward certification by the Sustainable Green Printing (SGP) Partnership.

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toll free subscription number, 888-275-2856.

gUy talk

INDISCRIMINATE FISHING PRACTICES There are few animals that attack their prey, disable

water. The sharks then sink to the bottom and die

it or kill it, and then consume only a small part of

a slow death. Barbaric? Absolutely! So who uses the

it leaving the rest. For most predators the energy

ﬁns? Do they know or care about this method of

used in catching their prey is often considerable. In

harvesting? How can we educate the end user in Asia

Alaska I have watched brown bears catch big chum

about the predicament facing all species of sharks?

salmon and haul them up on the bank, and eat the

There are many directed ﬁsheries for sharks

belly meat and eggs, leaving the rest to the bald

given the blossoming market. Population growth in

eagles. In the Mediterranean I have watched orcas

Asia and increased wealth has increased the demand

catch giant blueﬁn tuna, and once subdued, one orca

for shark ﬁns, which in many Asian societies is

holds the giant ﬁsh by its face and another orca rips

regarded as a delicacy, and often consumed at special

off the belly meat, leaving the rest to sink. I have seen

events. As there is no nutritional value in the shark

numerous TV documentaries with dramatic footage

ﬁns themselves, the tissue being skin and cartilage,

where orcas attack migrating gray whales or their

some ﬁsheries for sharks (particularly in the tropical

calves. Having drowned them, they proceed to only

eastern Paciﬁc) utilize the whole shark. Fillets are

GUY HARVEY

eat the tongue and leave the rest of the carcass.

taken off the backbone, liver and ﬁns are separated,

is an internationally-acclaimed

and even the jaws are removed and cleaned. One

artist, ﬁsherman, scientist, and

out this selective consumption behavior in times

of the problems regulators and enforcers face is

world traveler, who devotes

of plenty, as when food is scarce this wastefulness

that once the shark has been dismembered, it is

much of his time and money

seems unnatural. On the other hand humans have a

very difﬁcult to identify the species. Because of the

toward ocean conservation.

different approach to harvesting and consumption

secrecy that surrounds the shark ﬁn business there

of wild animals. The focus of this commentary is on

are few catch records available, and no one knows

shark ﬁnning. This is the indiscriminate practice of

what species are being over-exploited.

It is possible that these predators would carry

catching coastal and oceanic shark species, and then

To assist in shark forensics Dr. Mahmood Shivji

removing their ﬁns and tail, often when they are

of the GHRI has now developed a system for

alive, and then throwing the carcass back into the

identifying different species using DNA from a tissue

www.guyharveymagazine.com

sample or ﬁn clip. The next challenge is to develop a kit that can be

scrapes the sea ﬂoor for benthic species of ﬁsh and crustaceans, in the

taken into the field, onboard fishing boats, or in fish markets so species

meantime scraping, uprooting and damaging soft corals, corals, sponges,

can be easily and quickly identiﬁed to enable better ﬁshery management.

turtles, and catching huge numbers of juvenile or non-target species.

There are estimates that many millions of sharks are harvested every

Again the volume of by-catch is vast.

year to supply the shark ﬁn industry and you can visit any number of

Similarly, setting tuna purse seines on ﬂotsam in tropical waters is

related websites to see pictures of dead sharks and shark ﬁns drying in

indiscriminate. Flotsam is used to attract tunas (big-eye and yellowﬁn)

the sun. We still don’t really know how many sharks are killed annually, but

but it attracts a multitude of other oceanic species, as well as the

the remaining numbers of certain species must be low, as scientists estimate

migrating juveniles of many benthic species. When the catching vessel

many species to be endangered.

identiﬁes a school of tuna under the ﬂotsam, and the net is set and

Okay, so in some ﬁsheries the entire animal is used.This does not justify

pursed, all the other associated species are scooped up. This includes

shark ﬁshing on any level.This group of animals grows very slowly, reaches

several species of billﬁsh, dorado, jacks, sharks, rays, and turtles. In

maturity after many years, reproduces just a few offspring at a time and

addition, many of the tunas are juveniles and are too small to be

is very long lived. Animals which have evolved this growth strategy and

processed, so they are just shoveled overboard. A more sustainable

survived for tens of millions of years have been very successful, but cannot

and directed way to ﬁsh for tuna is to jack pole ﬁsh for schools that

accommodate for such a rapid rate of extraction.Their numbers have

have been located by trolling and are then attracted to the boat by

crashed, and there are environmental and ecosystem consequences of which

chumming. Only the target species is caught and there is no by-catch.

the consumers of shark products probably have no understanding. How do

We are fortunate that some countries are now attempting to

we inform the Asian end user that if this indiscriminate ﬁshing for sharks

protect the species of sharks that still roam in their coastal waters.

continues for much longer there will be none left? Same for the blueﬁn tuna.

Australia and New Zealand are doing a good job, and the Bahamas

Which brings me on top other indiscriminate ﬁshing techniques:

are about to increase protection for all sharks. The USA needs to do

oceanic longlining and gillnetting. In targeting valuable tuna and

the same. All-release shark tournaments and establishing “shark free”

swordﬁsh, many sharks, rays, turtles, billﬁsh, and seabirds are killed as by-

marinas are great ways to involve and educate the public about the

catch. Perhaps one of the most destructive ﬁshing practices ever used is

beneﬁts of shark conservation.

bottom trawling. This involves one or two boats trawling a weighted net along the bottom, otter boards holding the mouth of the net open as it

It is our collective responsibility to conserve the marine ecosystem and maintain the biodiversity of the planet. www.guyharveymagazine.com

TACKLEBOX

R E A D E R F E E D B AC K - E - m A i l S , S N A i l m A i l , T W i T T E R , FAC E B O O K , A N D C O C O N U T T E l E G R A P H

Get in Touch We’d love to hear from you.

Luv It

Great Pics

Wow, amazin’ pub. Luv the pics and stories. Sign me up!

I checked out this mag at the GH Ultimate Shark

LLOxLEY, via Twitter

Challenge. Great publication.The photos are just amazing.

Tell your biggest ﬁshing story, what you think of the magazine, or anything else.

Highly recommended!

Gift for Dad

bRAD KOEHN, via Facebook

I bought a subscription for my dad and he said it’s

Fan us on Facebook

great for people interested in more than just ﬁshing — people

Best of Both Worlds

interested in the outdoors and marine life as well…and the

I have certainly enjoyed the inaugural issue! Fantastic

photography is amazing. He can’t wait for the next issue!

photography! I am looking forward to my next issue! This

bRITTNEY AVEY, via e-mail

magazine is the link between my love of ﬁshing and diving that I have been looking for!!!

Send us an e-mail editor@ guyharveymagazine.com

Write us a letter

DON PERRYMAN, via Facebook

I currently subscribe to 14 ﬁshing publications. I thought that was enough until I received your complimentary copy

Cover to Cover

of Guy Harvey Magazine. I am subscribing today online.

I read the entire issue from cover to cover and was totally

Thanks and good luck with this excellent publication.

P.O. Box 34075 Pensacola, Florida 32502

“

Lucky Number 15

MIKE LEECH, via e-mail

impressed. Great articles, amazing photography, and a most important cause – conserving our oceans. Can’t wait for

GHM: Mike – glad to be number 15! Hope to hook a

the next issue!

ﬁsh with you one day. Cheers. Guy

WILL STAPLETON, via snail mail

I just wanted to say that your new magazine is the most

beautiful combination of conservation, your artful abilities and ﬁshing publication of which anyone – including me – could have ever dreamed. Best of luck and returns for the seas!

“

TIM CHOATE, president of Artmarina and former owner of the legendary Fins n’ Feathers ﬁshing lodge in Guatemala – via e-mail

www.guyharveymagazine.com

Check out the new site at www.guyharveymagazine.com

GuyHarveyMagazine.com — Surf with Guy bY JOHN GUIDROZ

As a print publication, Guy Harvey Magazine is getting outstanding reviews. Believe it or not, the online version is even better. How can that be, you may ask? Well, guyharveymagazine.com is not just another typical online magazine; it’s a full-throttle web 3.0 interactive site with live Facebook and Twitter feeds and amazing ﬁshing and diving videos from all over the world that are updated daily. It’s “edutainment” at its best. In addition to getting the latest news in ocean conservation, ﬁshing tournaments, travel hotspots, and cool gear, you’ll get a window into Guy’s world – what he’s catching and where he’s catching it. The interactive side of the site invites you to write articles and submit photos of your proud catch, your latest boat trip, or perhaps an expertly prepared mahi-mahi with ginger sauce. The coolest news is, if your articles are good enough, you’ll even get paid. So, go to the website, start pumping in some content and Guy Harvey Magazine might

Be sure to check out Guy on Facebook

just send you a check. How’s that for easy money?

www.guyharveymagazine.com

The Next Generation in Fishing Tournaments By Danny ThornTon

Once again, there’s lots of buzz from the world of Guy Harvey. New Guy Harvey’s Island Grill restaurants are opening, Guy created new T-shirt designs to raise money for the oil spill, the man appeared on CNN to discuss the oil’s impact on the gulf fishery, and Guy was inducted into the swimming Hall of Fame. Oh, and there was the first Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge, a new kind of shark tourney because it was all catch-and-release. The Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge (USC) took place in Sarasota in May at the Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium. In keeping with the philosophy of ocean conservation, the USC was billed as the “next generation” in shark tournaments. Instead of harvesting and killing the sharks, competitors collected points for the types and sizes of sharks they caught and released during the two-day event. The grand prize check of a $10,000 went to anglers Wayne Nichols and Zac Gerzeny of team Pole Dancer. “I love the idea of catch-and-release,” said co-winner Nichols. “There’s no sense in hanging up a dead shark if you don’t have to.”

Ofﬁcials of the Ultimate Shark Challenge tag a hammerhead shark before releasing it.

The real winners in this all-release shark fishing tournament were the sharks, said the organizers, scientists, anglers, and conservationists who came together to create a successful event. Mote scientists

launch the next generation shark-release tournament by combining

successfully tagged four of the sharks with electronic tracking devices,

sport, science, and conservation — and doing it effectively and

which cost as much as $4,000 each, so the sharks’ movements could

collaboratively,” Sean Paxton said.

be followed long after their releases. Sharks satellite-tagged were:

Throughout the two-day event, live video was beamed periodically into Mote Aquarium’s Immersion Cinema. Spectators watched as Dr.

• 8-foot, 2-inch female bull shark

Robert Hueter, director of Mote’s Center for Shark Research, Senior

• 7-foot, 6-inch female great hammerhead shark

Scientist Jack Morris and Adjunct Scientist John Tyminski attached a

• 7-foot, 2-inch female great hammerhead shark

satellite tag to the dorsal ﬁn of a seven-foot, six-inch great hammerhead.

• 6-foot, 6-inch male bull shark The tournament was the brainchild of organizers Brooks and

“In the 30 years I’ve been a shark researcher, the landscape has changed for sharks,” Hueter said. “We used to attend kill tournaments

Sean Paxton. Nicknamed “The Shark Brothers,” the Paxtons have

and use them as an opportunity to gather scientific samples. But

long been supporters of shark conservation. “We’re really excited to

today, so many species are depleted that I’ve been concerned about

www.guyharveymagazine.com

Team Pole Dancer takes ﬁrst place in the ﬁrst Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge. Our man in Miami, Dan Wilson, mixes it up with some locals at a South Florida tourney.

Congratulations to all teams that ﬁshed in the Grand Championship Finale!

kill tournaments for a long time. I really welcomed the opportunity to work with the organizers of the Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge on a new model that would involve releasing sharks during a fishing tournament.”

1st place: 2nd place: 3rd Place: 4th place: 5th place:

Team Pole Dancer Team reDzone Team PeTer's resTauranT Team chuBBy'z Team liquiD asseTs

Instead of having shark carcasses on the dock for spectators to view for a couple of days, anyone around the world can follow the tagged fish over the next few months as the satellite tags transmit

“I’m proud and honored on behalf of the Humane Society of the

their movements (www.wildlifetracking.org/index.shtml?project_id=483).

United States and our 11 million members to endorse the Guy Harvey

Wendy Benchley, widow of Jaws author Peter Benchley, was at Mote for the tournament. “It’s a much more exhilarating feeling to

Ultimate Shark Challenge,” said John Grandy, HSUS vice president. Steve Stock, president of the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation, was

have a live animal to tag and release ... so I have to say ‘bravo’ to

also thrilled with the event’s success. “There’s no need to kill sharks in

everyone who has made this tournament happen,” she said. “I think

today’s world,” he said. “We’re conservationists, not preservationists

this is the wave of the future.”

and we need to act more responsibly on the water by supporting

In addition to Mote, the Paxtons and event co-chair Capt. Robert

catch-and-release shark fishing events like this.” If you haven’t entered

Moore, the Ultimate Shark Challenge was endorsed by the Guy

or attended one of the many summer fishing tournaments, you should.

Harvey Ocean Foundation, the Humane Society of the United States,

And make sure you let it be known that you support responsible

Shark Free Marinas, and Fishpond USA fishing products.

catch-and-release tourneys. www.guyharveymagazine.com

Go Spain!!!

coVer shoT The bottlenose dolphins on the cover of this issue have far more signiﬁcance than the majestic beauty most of us associate with them. With the Deepwater Horizon disaster, certain oceanic species are more susceptible to danger than others. Speciﬁcally, air breathing mammals such as whales and the dolphins featured on the cover, which are forced to interact with the surface of the gulf,

Guy and Charlie Slayton, manager of GH Island Grill, Orange Beach, enjoy the ﬁnals of the World Cup.

World Cup with Guy

are likely to come into contact with dangerous

So Guy is a resident of Jamaica, was educated in Scotland, and lives in Grand Cayman. That makes

oil slicks. Other species like blueﬁn tuna that

him a Grand Scot Jamaicalander which means one thing – the man loves his soccer, or “the real

may not need to surface are also in danger

football” as he prefers to say. So it was a perfect setting for the World Cup ﬁnals in early July

because their offspring spend their larval

between Spain and Holland as Guy and hundreds of his fans packed into the GH Island Grill in

stages in near-surface waters. However, it’s

Orange Beach, Alabama, to watch the game on the 26 ﬂat screens all around the restaurant.

dolphins and whales that have to surface to breathe who are impacted the worst. Guy Harvey’s Save Our Seas initiative is

The weekend actually began with a Friday night reception in Panama City, Florida, followed by a signing at the Panama City Island Grill on Saturday afternoon. Guy and his posse packed up and sped

raising money to help protect the near-surface

to Orange Beach just in time for a Saturday night reception at the GH Gallery where dignitaries

marine animals. He designed two new T-shirts

such as Orange Beach Mayor Tony Keenon and his lovely wife, Paula, mingled in the crowd. If you’ve

and a new poster and is donating the revenue

seen CNN in the last two months you’ve seen Tony numerous times leading the charge to protect

from the sale of the Save Our Seas series

the Alabama Gulf Coast from the oil spill. Guy and Tony discussed the oil crisis and the outstanding

to protect marine life in the Gulf of Mexico.

job Tony has done holding BP’s feet to the ﬁre.

For more information on the Save Our Seas initiative go to www.guyharvey.com.

Sunday morning began with a television interview by local media company Coast 360 then moved into a packed noon-to-3pm signing and World Cup ﬁnale. Guy actually predicted a victory for Spain. The TV crew got it on ﬁlm so there’s footage to prove it.

www.guyharveymagazine.com

new Gh Grill oPens in charlesTon Sustainable seafood is the mantra at Guy Harvey’s Island Grills. Now that message is spreading around the country. In July the latest addition to the GH’s Island Grill family was born in Charleston, South Carolina, one of the nation’s most historic and hip waterfront communities. New GH’s Island Grills are underway in Dallas and Denver and are expected to open later this year or in early 2011.

GH Team Gets New Digs For the past 10 years, the Guy Harvey staff has been working like salmon returning to spawn in a modest workspace in Davie, Florida. In June, that all changed (except the working hard part) with the grand opening of the Guy Harvey International Headquarters. It’s still in Davie, but the new crib is decked out with Guy’s art and marine motifs all around. The new ofﬁces are not only larger but an inspirational place to punch the clock. At least that’s what the staff says. At press time, the latest touches were going in such as hanging art on the walls and folding up cardboard boxes. We’re saving the beautiful photos for next issue. Stay tuned.

Carpet Yourself in GH Art So you think having 15 Guy Harvey T-shirts in your closet makes you a

or business to achieve environmentally-sound LEED recognition. All Art

real fan? Think again, my friend.You’re not a true Guy Harvey aﬁcionado

Under Foot carpet products are carbon negative, PVC-free, and made in

until you grill with Guy’s hot sauce, wear the GH line of jewelry, and have

the good ol’ USA.

your house carpeted in Guy Harvey wall-to-wall. That’s right, Art Under

So if you like to be friendly to Mother Earth, enhance your home or

Foot, a division of Fashion Carpet out of Pompano Beach, has broadloom

business with Guy Harvey art, and spend your money on products made in

wall-to-wall carpet, featuring Guy’s art. Art Under Foot also has a full line

America, Art Under Foot is your ticket.

of colorful area rugs ranging from two-feet by three-feet doormat size to huge, 11-foot by 13-foot rugs to cover your living room or man cave. The striking rugs come in a variety of shapes and feature dorado, sailfish, marlin, sharks, tuna, redfish, and more. In addition to carpeting and rugs, the company’s latest offering is a line of very cool, “seaworthy” Guy Harvey embroidered bean bag chairs. The chairs are made for marine use to enhance your fishing machine and alleviate the jarring action your wife yells at you about because you won’t slow down enough when you’re crossing another boat’s wake. Come on, you know I’m speaking the truth here. But possibly the best news is that Art Under Foot’s broadloom carpet has earned a green classification through the certification of Milliken & Company. This rating can help folks who use the product in their home www.guyharveymagazine.com

www.guyharveymagazine.com

©iStockphoto.com/Anja_Kaiser

A story of how one region and the people who deﬁne it have courageously battled the nation’s largest environmental disaster in history.

by FRED GARTH wiTH ADDiTionAl REpoRTinG FRom Robin DElAnEy www.guyharveymagazine.com

t’s safe to say that John Andrew Nelson has eaten more oysters than anybody I know. John carries a pocket knife that is sharpened in such a way to gently pry oysters open from the backside or lip. Amateurs like me wrestle oysters open from the hinge and try to avoid jamming the knife deep into our palms...again. Simply put, John Andrew is a pro.

We call him John Andrew so as not to confuse him with his daddy, John Ray Nelson. The Johns are third and fourth generation owners/operators of Bon Secour Fisheries, a thriving seafood business in Bon Secour, Alabama, that sells shrimp and oysters all over the Southeast. Back in 1885, John Andrew’s great-great-grandfather, Frank Nelson, started the business with one boat, a hope, and a prayer. Now, 125 years later, the hoping and praying has become part of the daily routine. John and I go back more than 30 years. When I think of all the oysters we’ve eaten together it puts me in the mind of Bubba telling Forrest Gump about shrimp. We’ve eaten fried oysters, grilled oysters, raw oysters, oyster stuffing, oysters with blue cheese, oysters with bacon, steamed oysters, baked oysters, oysters in turkey sauce, and the list goes on and on. Back in our wild, single days, John would use the ice blower at the fishery to fill the bed of his truck full of ice, oysters, and beer. We solved a lot of problems of the world shucking and drinking around the back of that truck. On one memorable oyster-eating night John decided to educate a few of us to the ways of the hoity-toity crowd on the Chesapeake Bay. We shucked a bunch of oysters and threw them into a bowl of ice water and vinegar. Then John finely chopped a purple onion. We put the ice-cold oyster on a cracker with the onions and ate until we looked eight months pregnant. I added a new notch to my belt, Chesapeake-style oysters. Those oysters came from a place call Bay Round, Louisiana. They were perfect. Now that the Deepwater Horizon fiasco has caused more pain and suffering than a season full of hurricanes, I wonder if Bay Round will ever produce perfect oysters again. John and his life’s work at Bon Secour Fisheries are in a state of flux. He’s one of the millions of folks affected along the coastal region. His livelihood is threatened and who knows what the future holds for those of us who equate eating shrimp and oysters with sheer happiness. 20

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Main Photo:The Mary Etta was Bon Secour Fisheries’ original vessel back in 1885. Top: John Andrew Nelson, Sr., and his son John Ray Nelson expanded the family business. Bottom: The company used refrigerated trucks in the 1950s to transport shrimp and oysters around the Southeast. Photos courtesy of Bon Secour Fisheries

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Workers construct innovated boom designed by Mobile-based engineering ﬁrm,Thompson Engineering. Photo by Coast 360/Chris Helton

The Economy and Ecology

Tell Me Something Good

This oil catastrophe evaporated the summer tourism season from Gulf

We all know the oil gusher is bad.The media has made sure of that.When

Shores, Alabama, to Panama City, Florida. Of that, there is no doubt. At least

Pensacola Beach was hammered by oil chunks pushed onto the white sand

hurricanes usually come in September, after the peak-earning summer months

by a tropical storm, a photo of Governor Charlie Crist holding a tar mat

for local businesses.The timing of this disaster – late April – couldn’t have been

appeared in 542 newspapers.That’s disgusting. Not the tar mat but the

planned better.That is, if the devil was doing the planning. It started a month

negative aspect of the media coverage. At least 99 percent of the news stories

before Memorial Day weekend, the big kickoff weekend of the summer. If the

focus on the negative – the oil-soaked animals, jobless people, and whatever

relief well works, it will be just in time for the new school year to begin, thus

downtrodden, depressing piece of dung they can ﬁnd. The question is, are

keeping people and their tourism dollars away from the Gulf Coast all summer.

there any silver linings? Strangely, the answer is yes.While we’ve all seen

The claims from restaurants, hotels, bars, and every other form of commercial

news reports of oil slicks blanketing Louisiana, John Andrew estimates that

interest are piling up and business owners are on edge wondering if BP will

as much as 80 percent of the marshes have not been impacted, leaving

really pay. Lawsuits will inevitably follow and drag on for years.The economic

hundreds of square miles of unaffected bayous in west Louisiana and east

storm will rain down upon the area for a long time.

Texas and beyond. As bad as this spill is, much of the marshland along the

There’s no denying the economic disaster, but what no one knows for

Gulf Coast will never feel the full impact. Millions of acres of oyster grounds

sure is the scope of the ecological impact.Will the Gulf of Mexico just die?

could go untouched, since most oysters reefs are typically anywhere from

Probably not. Or will it bounce back? Maybe. Or will there be some period of

three or four feet to as much as 10-to-15 feet deep, allowing ﬂoating oil to

purgatory followed by a slow recovery? It’s a mystery that even the scientiﬁc

pass over the top – so long as the slicks are eventually scooped up and kept

community wonders about. Dr. Bob Shipp of the University of South Alabama

from damaging fragile sea grasses.

says, “The Gulf of Mexico will never be the same.” He’s particularly distressed

“We’re still getting oysters this summer from beds in Louisiana and Texas

over the use of dispersants that integrate the oil down into the water column.

that are unaffected,” John Andrew said. “We’ll get plenty of good oysters this

He says they are damaging the fertile crescent of the upper Gulf of Mexico

winter, too.You have to understand how vast those areas in Louisiana and

between Venice, Louisiana, and Apalachicola, Florida — not just the nation’s

Texas are and some of the best areas are more than 200 miles away from

largest estuary for shrimp and oysters but also spawning for marine life such

the spill.”

as flounder, speckled trout, red fish, and blue fin tuna. Again, the timing of this spill is tragic as it’s also occurring during the spring egg hatch. On the other hand, Dr. George Crozier of the USA Dauphin Island Sea Lab says this is not “the death of the Gulf” and that the massive volume of water both in the Gulf and flowing into the Gulf will allow it to survive a Dead Sea scenario the malicious news media always hypes. Mother Nature is a powerful healer, and many surmise a hurricane may do what BP and the government have failed to do. 22

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That sounds good for oyster lovers like me but what about the general seafood-eating public? “All seafood and especially oysters have had rigorous tests for years,” John Andrew said. “We’ll have even tougher testing now to make sure any seafood we sell is safe.” Point Clear, Alabama, resident, Jimbo Meador, (see last issue, Kayak Fishing and the Environment) also symbolizes the local passion for the area. He has equipped ﬂats boats to quietly approach injured birds with electric motors for rescue. Meador works with Dragonﬂy Boats in Vero Beach,

Left: Boom lines the water off Perdido Key, FL; Right: Dragonﬂy Boatworks took a ﬂat’s boat and converted it to a wildlife rescue vessel. Photo by Mark Castlow

Florida, and has been in the forefront of the cleanup effort. The Dragonﬂy

and white absorbent booms we see scattered around are barely effective

SWAT (Shallow Water Attention Terminal) boats got a lot of press because

in calm waters, but have proven utterly useless in rough seas and places

they were funded by Jimmy Buffett. Then Jimbo and Jimmy discovered that

like Perdido Pass at Orange Beach, Alabama, where the tide gushes in and

government regulations prevented anyone other than U.S. Fish and Wildlife

out at up to six-to-eight knots. The volume of water pushing through the

ofﬁcials from retrieving birds. Even Audubon Society experts and scientists

narrow passage under the Alabama Point Bridge is unstoppable unless

were banned. But passionate people are not easily dissuaded.

someone ﬁgures out how to convince the moon and sun from causing

“The U.S. Fish and Wildlife was just doing their job,” Jimbo said, “but those rules were made for normal times and this is a time of crisis.” In order to save oiled birds and stay within the law, the ﬁrst SWAT

tidal changes. Local folks came up with a solution to build a beast of a boom — an all-pro, middle-linebacker, stud boom made of steel and heavy duty nuts and

boat was donated to the Friends of Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge.

bolts. Mobile engineering ﬁrm, Thompson Engineering was brought in. The

They, in turn, are loaning the boat to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife to use until

company is run by the ironically-named Henry Seawell, who grew up on

they don’t need it anymore.

these waters and knows the ebb and ﬂow of the politics as well as the tides.

“It was a little complicated, but the main thing was to save the birds,”

“We looked at it from an engineering point of view,” Seawell said, “and

Jimbo said. “We found a way to get it done and I’m just thankful the U.S.

built something strong enough to withstand the tides and still channel the

Fish and Wildlife is working with us.”

surface water and oil so that it wouldn’t get into the estuaries. It also had

A second SWAT boat has been built and Dragonﬂy will build more if others want to donate the $43,000 for boat, motor, and trailer. “This is the only boat I know of speciﬁcally built for recovering birds,” Jimbo said. “I’m hoping BP steps up and pays for a few.” Jimbo and his team are also investigating a way to spray birds with

to be very intricate and sensitive to ﬂoat property, gather the oil, and allow the water to pass.” Nothing like it had ever been built anywhere else in the world, and it worked like a champ. Local knowledge goes a long way. “We built a prototype for the industry. This probably won’t be the last

oil-eating microbes that are found naturally in the Gulf of Mexico. These

spill in our lifetime and now there’s a system that is proven to protect our

microbes do not damage the bird’s natural oils but only the petrocarbon

sensitive estuaries,” said Seawell.

oils. That way the cleaning process can begin as the birds are being

Despite an early season hurricane (Alex) that passed by and went to

transported to the cleaning facilities. “It is important to look at the positive

Texas and a run-in with a waterspout, the entire system was designed,

things happening and get away from the negative,” he said. “It is the biggest

fabricated, installed, and fully functional in just 19 days. Perhaps BP could

crisis we have ever had but if everybody pitches in we can do some good.”

take a page from that calendar and speed their process along.

Local Knowledge

the upper 16 to 18 inches of the system which consists of a 36-inch pipe

Before the oil arrived on Florida and Alabama’s shores, local authorities

and 18-inch ﬁns extending under the water. The boom ﬂoats half under and

placed booms around sensitive areas. The basic ﬂoating orange booms

half above water so its total submergence is three feet below the surface.

Divers observing the boom have determined that the oil is collected in

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Dozens of other solutions have bubbled up from all

the technology exists to make meaningful changes over

points of the compass. Filter cloth that allows water to

the next ten to twenty years.”

pass through but catches oil is being utilized to protect

Our government’s cozy relationship with the oil

wetlands. Even hay and peat moss have been utilized.

industry has led us to this point and cheap gasoline has

To rely completely on dispersants and skimmers is not

kept us hooked on the pump. We have to recognize the

enough. All technologies need to be employed, even if it’s

results of our actions. Sure, BP screwed up, but we all

unconventional. Maybe especially if it’s unconventional.

bear some responsibility.

The Long Haul

to lose it,” Jimbo said. “I’ve been preaching that for a long

While much of the emphasis of the spill has been on

time and at least this makes people appreciate what we

beaches and marshes, Dr. Guy Harvey worries most

have and encourages us to protect it.”

“Nobody realizes what they have until they’re about

about the ﬁshery. “The blue ﬁn tuna particularly comes to mind as its spawning ground is near the origin of the

In the End

spill. This species is already severely overexploited in the

There’s no doubt that this crisis is as much an economic

western Atlantic. While the adults of all pelagic species

disaster as anything else. But businesses along the Gulf

can avoid the oil, the juvenile stages are more like air-

Coast have survived hurricanes and many will survive

breathing turtles, sea birds, and mammals that have to

well enough if BP makes good on their promises.

interact with the surface.”

Unfortunately, a lot of folks don’t believe they will. It’s

“But the Gulf is not a stagnant pond,” Dr. Guy Harvey points out. “Billions of gallons are gushing through the Yucatan channel between Cuba and

the nature of dealing with multi-national conglomerates with high-paid lawyers. Time will tell on how well the Gulf’s ecosystem will

Mexico every hour. It’s more like a massive river

recover. I have to believe the speckled trout and red

flushing out the Gulf basin with nutrient-rich, clean

snapper that have been so proliﬁc over the years will

water coming up from the Caribbean.”

thrive once again. And I hold onto the thought that one

“The good news,” Dr. Harvey said, “is that the remaining mass of oil will be eroded through

day soon I’ll feel that special tingle on my pallet of Bay Round oysters prepared Chesapeake-style.

evaporation and breakdown by natural bacteria. The Gulf will bounce back.”

Who to Contact Guy Harvey says “it takes cash to care,” meaning it takes

The Root of All Evil

more than talk to create change. So if you use gasoline

It may be considered more good news of this Gulf of

(and we know you do), get out your checkbook and

Mexico tragedy that we will face the issue of our nation’s

donate some money to the charity of your choice. Even

longtime oil dependency head-on. Since President

a few dollars go a long way when everyone donates.

Eisenhower started the Interstate Highway System, our

Of course, we endorse the Guy Harvey Ocean Society

automobile industry has driven our development of

(www.guyharveyoceansociety.com) because we know

cities and suburbs, our steel and petroleum industry, and

the good work they’re doing by helping to fund the Guy

our American economic engine throughout the industrial

Harvey Research Institute.

age. As we enter the post-industrial age, we are evolving our economy in new ways that may allow us to address some of these issues we face today. “We have to end our dependence on oil at some point, the sooner the better,” Dr. Harvey said. ”This accident is a terrible reminder that we need to turn to alternative, renewable energy sources as soon as possible. Sun, wind, and hydrogen are all available, and 24

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Other groups we endorse: • Friends of Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge www.fws.gov/bonsecour/friends • Dragonﬂy Environmental Army www.dragonﬂyenvironmentalarmy.com • One Love One Ocean (Lucy Buffett) www.oneloveoneocean.com

Aerial view of Perdido Pass and the extensive booms protecting inland waters. Photo by Amy Janke

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by Marc Montocchio 26

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tEXt anD PhotoS by Marc Montocchio www.guyharveymagazine.com

Over my last four trips to Baja in Mexico, the arid peninsula has become

transitioning sharply into a ﬂat, hard, sloping beach highway built and

one of my favorite spots. In the past, I’ve generally worked around the busy

effectively maintained by the tide. It wasn’t long before the smell of rotting

centers of Cabo San Lucas or La Paz, but this trip was different. This time

ﬂesh hit our noses, and we saw a large black lump in the distance covered

I headed to a section of isolated Paciﬁc coast, to the island of Magdalena.

with a team of busy buzzards pecking at its rancid ﬂesh.

Isla Magdalena lies a few hundred miles north of Cabo and far from the

I got off the ATV and shot a few photos of the remains of the large

tequila bars and lights of the big city. I was off to a small bay called Cabo

sea lion that had been deposited by the recent high tide. Upon ﬁnishing

San Lazaro on the southernmost tip of the island. Operating from a very

the last shot, I looked farther ahead and noticed another carcass being

basic ﬁshing camp, I was planning to photograph big schools of Dorado as

feasted on by more black buzzards. This time it was a loggerhead turtle,

they fed on bait balls of sardines.

probably an older juvenile. The buzzards had torn a hole in its neck to

Cabo San Lazaro is a long way from nowhere, but on paper it sounded

feed, but, other than that, it looked pretty fresh. I was surprised to ﬁnd

easy: Los Angeles to La Paz, a taxi ride to the bus station, followed by

two dead marine animals, both air breathers, so close together. Then it

a ﬁve-hour bus ride north to the Paciﬁc coast town of Puerto López

began. I saw more and more dead bodies of turtles, sea lions, dolphins,

Mateos, a short boat ride across the bay, and then a 30-mile ATV ride to

and even whales in varying stages of decay, from fresh to sun-bleached

the isolated camp. After spending a night in the commercial ﬁshing town

bones. The high tide mark on that single stretch of coastline chronicled

of Puerto López Mateos my guide and I set off for the island, collecting

a shocking amount of death. Cold shivers ran down my spine as I passed

our ATVs as we landed on Isla Magdalena. My guide was a commercial

carcass after carcass of marine mammals, reptiles, and birds, until I

fisherman from a shark fishing camp not far from the fishing shacks I was

arrived at the ﬁrst “turtle cemetery.” Row upon row of turtles, possibly

to stay in. We headed west on the “cardboard highway,” a sandy road lined

hundreds, were laid out in a neat, deliberate pattern to decay on the hot,

with cardboard to help keep vehicles from getting stuck in the soft sand

wind-swept beach. It was not the last of these turtle collection points

dunes. We eventually arrived at Playa San Lazaro, where we came through

I was to see on this trip. This remote expanse, this stretch so far from

the dunes and headed south on a massive expanse of sand, breathtaking in

anywhere, was simply littered with death. A paradise laced with some of

its size. The dunes on my left were lined with succulent green vegetation,

the worst images I’ve ever witnessed.

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The only way to Playa San Lazaro is by boat, on foot, or by beach Cadillac – an ATV.

I don’t speak Spanish and my guide spoke almost no English, so my

conceived as a Master’s thesis at the University of California San Diego’s

questions about the dead animals were answered with a casual shrug and

School of International Relations and Paciﬁc Studies. In essence, the

the word “net.” We arrived at the end of the beach and headed inland on

organization supports community-based conservation projects throughout

a rocky road that followed the base of a mountain that intersected the

the Baja Peninsula and the Californias. After wading through pages and

beach at 90 degrees. This road ﬂoods with the tide and is lined with thick

pages of scientiﬁc publications and communicating via e-mail with Dr.

mangroves and scribbled with tiny channels and inlets. We passed a few

Peckham, the cause and effect of what I had seen on Playa San Lazaro

derelict ﬁshing camps and abandoned trucks, ﬁnally reaching our destination

became clearer. The loggerhead turtles that frequent this part of the

up a short, steep road on a plateau overlooking San Lazaro Bay. It was

Baja Peninsula’s coastline do so as juveniles and young adults. They spend

magniﬁcent. A calm bay tipped by vertical rock behind us that curved to

years here feeding and maturing until making an epic journey back across

the southwest. At high tide the bay is lined with a narrow beach and fed by

the Northern Paciﬁc Ocean to mate and lay their eggs on the beaches

an inlet 50 feet below that runs from the mangroves we passed. I watched

of Japan. The abundance of marine life here has turned the Magdalena

small, perfectly shaped, two-foot waves peel along the rounded shoreline

Bay area into a magnet not only for large industrial commercial ﬁshing

with rhythmic precision as pelicans competed with attacking game ﬁsh to

operations, but also for ﬂeets of small ﬁberglass boats called pangas

scare up sheets of bait ﬁsh balled along the surf’s back line. I remember

operated by local artisan ﬁsherman. These small, single outboard engine

being confused by the contrasts of my journey. First, experiencing such

skiffs can operate with a range of up to 40 miles from their home base. To

environmental carnage, and then being suddenly surrounded by such idyllic

catch ﬂounder and grouper, these ﬁshermen have been laying gill nets, and

vistas. I went through stages of wanting to leave immediately and never

for shark, deep-set longlines. A perfect storm of an environmental disaster

think of this place again, followed by fantasies of living there.

– the prime ﬁshing area for these small, shore-based operators intersecting

I returned home a week later and went searching for answers.

with the maturing grounds of the Northern Paciﬁc Loggerhead population,

I was led to the work of Grupo Tortuguero de las Californias

which spends up to 70 percent of its life in the ﬁshing kill zone. As air-

(www.grupotortuguero.org) and speciﬁcally Dr. Hoyt Peckham. This

breathing reptiles, they get caught in the gill nets and drown. And the

organization, now a member of The Ocean Foundation, was originally

longlines present an even more deadly offering in the form of bait on the www.guyharveymagazine.com

Mexican ﬁshermen head out in the early morning sunrise to ﬁsh for their livelihoods.

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“ I wanted to be able to assign

blame for the carnage I saw daily, but I couldn’t.” end hooks branching out from a single main line. Again, the turtles get hooked and drown, their bodies discarded at sea. A small proportion of the total number killed end up on beaches like San Lazaro. Researchers in Japan, the exclusive nesting ground for these Northern Pacific Loggerheads, have witnessed declines in returning mature turtles since the 1950s, with some scientists estimating the decrease to be as high as 90 percent. In just three generations, returns have dropped to fewer than 2,000 females per year. Combined with the decline in returning adults, the beaching of dead loggerheads along Mexican beaches of the Baja like Playa San Lazaro are hard to ignore. Dr. Peckham and his colleagues began researching the causes of these high incidents of turtle by-catch. In the past, small coastal panga fleets weren’t included in by-catch research, unlike the large, industrialized fishing fleets. With an increase in beaching, coinciding with the local fleet’s fishing season, it was time to look closer to home. By observing aboard local pangas, surveying and counting the standings of dead turtles, and collecting interviews from the small fleet fishermen, researchers were, over a few years, able to put together loggerhead mortality estimates that are astounding. Dr. Peckham and his colleagues discovered that two local fleets consisting of fewer than 100 pangas were killing more loggerhead turtles than all other known mortality sources combined. Estimates from research put by-catch mortality from small coastal fishing fleets around the Isla Magdalena area between 1,500 and 3,000 loggerhead turtles each year, an average of 350 of which end up washed ashore on the 30-mile stretch of beach at San Lazaro. By contrast, the Hawaiian longline fleet, which numbers over 100 ships, is currently limited to fewer than fifty loggerhead interactions per year. During my visit I spent a lot of time with the same local panga fisherman. I found myself immediately conflicted. I wanted so much for them to be monsters that I could judge and feel superior to, these turtle killers. I wanted to leave Isla Magdalena with the ability to condemn them and say, “How could they?” I wanted to be able to assign blame for the carnage I saw daily, but I couldn’t. These are dignified fishermen who work hard to feed their families in an especially difficult, remote area of the country. They are good people whose company I enjoyed despite our lack of common language. This isn’t about greed, it’s about need. I watched them clean fish in their camp at the mouth of the estuary. As they cut the www.guyharveymagazine.com

“ For me, the beach of San Lazaro is a symbol of our collective

environmental consciousness, the ocean returning to us a visible The sun sets on the ﬁshermen’s settlement.

ﬁns off Mako sharks caught in the longlines that day, I wondered about the

have jurisdiction over the ﬁsheries, and PESCA, the ﬁsheries department,

wealthy diners sitting in trendy, overpriced restaurants surrounded by ﬁne

which doesn’t have the mandate or manpower to enforce dolphin and

linens and polished silverware, sipping their expensive shark ﬁn soup, and the

turtle deaths as by-catch. Very few federal resources remain to regulate

place for blame was clear and obvious. As lively Mexican polka music played

a problem like this in such a remote and relatively unpopulated area as

from the boom box on top of a rusty fuel drum, a ﬁsherman sliced open the

Magdalena Bay. This has left scientists to affect social change the most

belly of another Mako and her dozen or so near-birth pups burst out over

effective way they can, through education. Through an ongoing program

the beach’s gray sand, and were quickly washed away by the outgoing tide.

of participatory research, Peckham along with a coalition of ﬁshermen and

I couldn’t blame the ﬁshermen, but I wasn’t going to hang around to watch.

scientists has determined which gear and techniques are most destructive.

By partnering directly with these fishermen for several years,

No one is trying to stop these families from ﬁshing, just to empower them

Dr. Peckham and his group have solved the puzzle. They know where the

to develop and adopt solutions that are as effective in landing ﬁsh as they

turtles are coming from, they know approximately how many are being

are in avoiding dolphin and turtle by-catch.

killed, and they know that without intervention there is a good chance

Through partnerships with the local ﬁshermen to test and try new

that these rates of continuing slaughter will lead to the extermination of

types of gear their efforts are paying off, ﬁrst with the retiring of bottom-

the Northern Paciﬁc Loggerhead population. The big question is how to

set longlines throughout the area. These deep-set longlines were the

stop it. Although the loggerhead turtles are protected under Mexican law,

biggest offenders when it came to turtle by-catch. The 2008 and 2009

the issue of by-catch disappears into a loophole between two agencies,

ﬁshing seasons saw a substantial drop in turtles washed up along the

PROFEPA, the federal agency in charge of enforcement, which does not

beach. This important work continues today. In 2009 these local ﬁsher-

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reminder of our unsustainable behavior. ”

leader partners proved that with hook and line, ﬁshermen could produce

on Isla Magdalena as an index of regional beachings and a thermometer of

as many targeted grouper as with the gill nets they had used in the past,

loggerhead survivorship. Each dead animal is marked, counted, and moved

thus zeroing the by-catch of turtle. With this information the Grupo

beyond the high tide mark. The success of community projects aimed

Tortuguero, together with local state and federal agencies, is in the

at changing ﬁshing gear and techniques is measured by the frequency

process of helping the gillnet ﬁshermen trade their nets for hook and line

of new standings here. The beach has become a sort of environmental

gear. Dr. Peckham stresses partnership with the community as a reason

thermometer charting the success or failure of their efforts to impact

for the success of this initiative. This was not a process of going in and

change. For me, the beach of San Lazaro is a symbol of our collective

ordering, “You will do this or you will stop that.” The Grupo Tortuguero

environmental consciousness, the ocean returning to us a visible reminder

also uses school education programs to teach the young members of the

of our unsustainable behavior.

community about the importance of maintaining the turtle populations. In my ﬁrst e-mail correspondence with Dr. Peckham he described

Conversion of the ﬁshing ﬂeets using responsible techniques has taken root and is working. Dr. Peckham and his team have succeeded and

Playa San Lazaro as a varadero – a collection point for animals that had

continue to bring about positive change. This is not to say it is all over. The

died of natural or unnatural causes for miles around which are driven

illegal trade in turtle meat continues outside of these communities, but

onto this “collecting” beach by prevailing winds. He indicated that some,

this is a hopeful example of how scientists can work directly with local

not all, of the dolphin carcasses were from natural standings and that a

ﬁshermen to ensure their livelihood as well as the health of the marine

lot of the sea lions washed onto the beach had died of natural causes.

ecosystem. I plan to return in the fall to this beautiful and complex area to

Scientists researching the turtle by-catch problem use Playa San Lazaro

see and document ﬁrst-hand the resurrection of Playa San Lazaro. www.guyharveymagazine.com

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DK Ulrich rambles around the track in the battered 67 car at the Orange Show Speedway in San Bernadino, CA, circa 1965. Inset: DK Ulrich as driver and team boss. Historical photos courtesy of DK Ulrich library.

tEXt anD PhotoS by ELiZabEth SLaGSVoL www.guyharveymagazine.com

I’m used to flying in small planes. But not when the pilot is a former NASCAR driver who almost died in a fiery crash. That tidbit of info makes me a little squeamish. During his career as a NASCAR racer, DK Ulrich had sixteen top-10 ﬁnishes. He raced against legends the likes of Richard Petty, Cale Yarborough, Bobby Allison, Dale Earnhardt, Darrell Waltrip, David Pearson, Benny Parsons, and Mark Martin. Now I’m sitting “right seat” with a bit of the white-knuckle syndrome and cruising over some of the bluest water in the world. Our destination: Crooked Islands, Bahamas. Since his NASCAR days, DK has turned entrepreneur and conservationist. He’s helped to transform the ﬁshing business on Crooked Island from catch-and-sell to catch-and-release and he’s focused on preserving the resource while empowering 36

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DK Ulrich and his posse enjoy a cool beverage in the shade of a McDonnell Douglas DC-3 freighter on the ramp at Colonel Hill, Crooked Island, Bahamas in the 1980s.The aircraft was carrying freight and goods to the island but as DK points out, “the guys coming to help unload the cargo were on Bahamian time, late by just a few hours.” Photo by Joseph Joseph the local population to control their own destiny. Straightforward and to the point, DK has taken on the task of renovating the historic Bird Rock Lighthouse on Crooked Island, developing an ecotourism lodge at The Haulover, and guaranteeing that the natural beauty of the island remains intact for future generations. All that stuff is impressive and I want to hear more. I don’t want the conversation to shift to his near-fatal crash on the Darlington Speedway while we’re still airborne. Still DK persists. It was September 1978. On the lead lap, a driver in front of him crashed into the wall. DK made an “aggressive decision” to drive through a hole in front of him. When he made his move the hole closed and he slammed into a car head-on. “The lights went out,” DK says. He’s assumed dead on the track but they deﬁbrillate him, get his heart thumping again, and rush him to the Florence, S.C., hospital where he remained for twenty days. It’s a gripping story, but couldn’t it have waited until we touched down? www.guyharveymagazine.com

The Island Located about 240 miles southeast of Nassau, Crooked Island is in the

more business to the island. DK and Shakey determined that catch-and-

shallow Bight of Acklins and is one of the smallest islands of the Bahamas.

release boneﬁshing may be the answer. Up until that time the local guides

But it has the distinction of having the ﬁrst post ofﬁce, the second oldest

had been employed by the non-resident resort owners, but with DK’s

church and second highest spot in the Bahamas. For divers there is The

tutelage and business savvy the locals developed their own industry and a

Wall, where the gentle slope of the ocean drops from 30 feet to 1,200

more proﬁtable way for them to make a living. DK assisted with ﬁnancing

feet, and for the land adventurer there are the stunning caves in Mt. Pisgah,

new boats for the guides who were soon able to own their own skiffs.

which overlooks Turtle Sound. And, of course, the ﬁshing is phenomenal.

The guides subsequently were able to have equity in their personal guide

Sounds like paradise, right? It is.

services. Today they have a renewed spirit about their businesses. Pride of

DK ﬁrst visited Crooked Island in 1988 after spending one day (“one day too many”) on a highly-populated Bahamian island. He decided to head

“I wanted to help people do things the right way. You need to take

south to “see what he could ﬁnd.” What he discovered was a twelve-room

care of your earth, of your whole world. The whole island does it now,

resort, Pittstown Point on Crooked Island, which he eventually purchased.

they don’t throw something on the ground, they don’t cut a tree down

When DK took ownership of Pittstown Point the property was a ﬂy-in

– they don’t do any of that because they know this is what they have.”

resort. At that time the locals were accustomed to ﬁshing and selling their

With humility DK adds, “I don’t want to take credit for anything, I want to

catch of conch, grouper, dolphin, and lobster to the mail boat that would

set an example.”

transport the frozen ﬁsh to Nassau. Some of the ﬁsherman realized that

ownership has instilled respect and responsibility.

Teaching by example appears to be the DK way. There was the

the heavy commercial ﬁshing pressure was depleting the resource. Award-

time one of the early guests at Pittstown Point “big dogged” it onto

winning, master angler, Elton “Boneﬁsh Shakey” McKinney was one of

the island in his private jet and then went out solo and harvested sixty

them. And he was one of the ﬁrst people that DK met on the island. Early

very young “illegal” lobsters. He returned with plans for a massive

in their friendship Shakey picked DK’s active brain about how to bring

party at the resort. DK diplomatically told him that the party would

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DK Ulrich and Elton “Boneﬁsh” Shakey McKinney have collaborated on numerous conservation projects; an aerial view of Crooked Island; the interior of the old Catholic Church.

not take place and that the staff and locals would not participate in the

car windows with “Hey DK!” shouts resonating in the air. We make

spoils of “bad mannered” ﬁshing. DK then offered the guest a free day

frequent stops for hugs all around. It’s like coming home.

of ﬁshing to teach him the ground rules. They went out the next day

DK’s passions not only run deep, but his list is long, too. In

and returned with just enough ﬁsh to eat. The guest apologized for the

addition to working toward restoring historic Bird Rock Lighthouse,

error and learned DK’s philosophy of taking only what you need.

DK and Shakey are busy planning a “green” resort. The Haulover is

DK’s love of Crooked Island began when he set foot on the island

an exquisite site for the planned 80-acre ecotourism resort and ﬁsh

in 1988. But his true passion became the people. Back in 1988 two

camp. At completion there will be eight cabins, a small marina and

young Bahamian boys were enthralled when DK’s plane landed. One

nature trails winding through stunning Bahamian scenery. Construction

of them caught DK’s eye when he noticed the boy running around

will be performed as natural as possible by hand clearing and using the

the ﬁeld with his arms spread out airplane style. DK “sponsored” the

abundant limestone for building.

boys and both are now licensed pilots. One young man is the private

Guests at The Haulover will have the opportunity of strolling

pilot for NASCAR Winston Cup Champion, Matt Kenseth. The human

through the nature trails: bird-watching, searching for any of the twenty-

airplane, Neko Gibson, just started his ﬁrst job with a commercial

plus species of butterﬂies and spotting osprey, duck, heron, egret, and

airline in the Bahamas. Neko joined us in Nassau, where we stopped to

ﬂamingos in the wild. You will see local plant life like torchwood (named

clear customs and I cheerfully relinquished my “right seat” status and

because of its high resin content), stiff cock, love vine (no need for

relegated myself to contented passenger.

explanations here), seagrape, Madeira, seven-year apple, strong bark, ﬁve

Arriving on Crooked Island for the ﬁrst time is like dropping into

ﬁnger, kamalamee (or gumbo limbo), wild lily, jumpin’ Joe, tamarind, bay

the middle of a family reunion. Everyone knows DK and it reminds

lavender, cascarilla (exported to manufacture Campari), and Irish moss

me of that joke about the Pope, “Who is the man dressed in white

which, as Shakey comments, “puts your light on bright,” and is sold at

talking to DK?” As we drive around the island, arms wave from open

the local store.

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The Fishing As I look out over the protected body of water we spot tailing activity in the mangroves. Randy McKinney, our other accomplished guide, and

Shakey works a boneﬁsh.

the balance when we don’t respect the natural order,” DK explains. Currently there are no ﬁshing tournaments on the island, but when

Shakey are as excited as kids. They tell me that it’s not unusual to get

they arrive you can be sure that DK will make his views well known. In

singles and doubles at The Haulover. The ﬁsh come right up to the shore

DK’s opinion, catching ﬁsh to eat is natural, but he does not subscribe to

and you are eye to eye with them. A few casts just for the fun of it, but no

killing a ﬁsh for sport. Captain Bart Miller (Black Bart Lures) performed

strike. Not to worry, we’re ﬁshing tomorrow and I can hardly wait.

some research on the island by tagging marlin and dolphin. From that

Witnessing “Boneﬁsh Shakey,” one of the Bahamas top ﬁshing guides,

research they now have a better understanding of the habits of the local

stalk a boneﬁsh is like watching a ballet on the ﬂats. “The way I learned

ﬁsh. Around Crooked Island you are likely to catch boneﬁsh, jack crevalle,

how to ﬁsh, I watch the heron,” Shakey said. “He takes one foot out, and

mutton snapper, grey snapper, grouper, and snook. You can take lobster or

as long as you can hear yourself, the ﬁsh can hear you. Go on a real slow

dive for conch. Offshore dolphin, tuna, and marlin ﬁshing is outstanding.

track. They got a sense about them,” he instructs. We are on our way

The only ﬁsh that are kept are eaten and if you’re lucky you’ll be able

back from seeing Turtle Sound, and the sun is low on the horizon offering

to grill your catch on the beach. While Shakey and Neko clean ﬁsh, Randy

us a pastel vista. It’s the magic hour.

builds the ﬁre. DK and I have the chance to talk about the day’s activities

Randy and Shakey are on constant alert for tailing and it’s not long

as Shakey morphs into a chef. We have been serenaded by Bruce, a 75-

before they spot the action. Randy steps onto the front of the boat as

year-old resident of Long Cay, snacked on fresh roasted corn, caught

Shakey takes his place on the poling platform for our stealth maneuver.

lobster and snapper, and found a few conchs. Randy offers us a rum punch.

One cast, two casts – the ﬁsh reacts to the ﬂy and Randy plays the line to

Pinch me.

perfection. Rod high, ﬁngers gingerly touching the rod, DK and I are barely

Our beach kitchen serves us well and we enjoy lunch overlooking

breathing. A short battle of wits and the boneﬁsh is landed. Everyone

spectacular blue water. We took what we needed from the ocean and left

exhales, we take a quick shot with the camera and back in the water he

nothing behind. The beach is as pristine when we leave as it was when

goes. Within minutes and with little available light we see active tailing

we arrived. That’s the way you do it on Crooked Island. We even pick up

on a shoal. Shakey is out of the skiff with rod in hand. Once again all

stray debris that had washed up in the surf. It’s all in the details.

breathing ceases as “Boneﬁsh Shakey” does what is second nature to him. Not a bad way to end the day. Making sure to have as little impact on the ﬁsh as possible, the guides

After a few days touring, ﬁshing, and meeting the wonderful people of Crooked Island, I’m ready to call home and let them know I’m canceling the rest of my life and joining DK’s cause. The positive impact with the

on Crooked Island use barbless hooks, handle the ﬁsh with wet hands, and

right attitude has had a signiﬁcant impact island-wide. After seeing DK in

acclimate the catch before it’s released. And DK personally discourages

action I have no fear as I climb back into his small aircraft. I hug my new

wasteful catching. The future of Crooked Island and the integrity of the

friends goodbye but can’t leave before I asked Shakey about his nickname.

ﬁshing business on the island are paramount in DK’s mind. Shakey and DK

“When I see a boneﬁsh I get real shaky,” he said. “Sometimes I can’t

share the same vision of the island being self-sufﬁcient. “The island has a

even tie on the ﬂy I’m so excited!” I get the distinct feeling that he’s

natural order and natural rhythm to it; it’s not just coincidences. We upset

pulling my leg.

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Organic Gardening

The same mail boat that once transported frozen ﬁsh to Nassau currently delivers fruits and vegetables to Crooked Island. Some of the produce is covered with salt, some has spoiled and a portion remains useful. Shakey understands the concept of “one man’s trash is another’s treasure,” and he realized the potential of the spoiled fruit as fertilizer. When he began tilling the unforgiving soil with a grub hoe people told him he was crazy. Now he’s the ambassador of gardening on Crooked Island. As I am getting the grand tour of extremely healthy plants Shakey tells me, “Over the years more and more of the young kids graduate and leave the island. They say there is ‘nuttin’’ here to do, but there is so much to do. The thing about it is that you just gotta get motivated and you gotta get crackin’. We have so many natural resources.” He continues by showing me the robust muskmelon, squash, goat pepper plants, and lime trees. Until Shakey shared his garden with the school children they didn’t know where their food came from. But the school kids have come. Now Shakey is working on educating the others. The garden uses compost from the beach seaweed clean up and he gets organic waste such as eggshells and potato skins from his fellow islanders. Today, the garden produces what DK calls “industrial-size okra.” There’s muskmelon, pumpkin, cascarilla, watermelon, sweet peppers, goat peppers, and sugar cane, which Shakey chews in the afternoon “for a lift.” The garden is thick with collard greens, tomatoes, cabbage, corn, cassava, parsley, mint, onion, casaba, broccoli, and sweet potatoes. Now that’s what I call a Victory Garden! The man knows a good melon.

Bird Rock Lighthouse Plans for renovating Bird Rock Lighthouse are currently stymied in Bahamian Red Tape. Built in 1876, this magnificent lighthouse was maintained by the British Royal Navy until the early 1970s when The Bahamas became self-governing. Renovation plans are tailored toward green efficiency and Bird Rocks’ original old-world elegance. There will be four oceanfront suites surrounded by a graceful verandah, dining spaces, and a museum area. Solar panels will be the primary energy source for the lighthouse. Hinges, doors, and shutters will all be reconstructed to original specs and materials. Shakey remembers being at the Bird Rock Lighthouse when his uncle was caretaker and experiencing the treat of Hardtack and Cheese when the Royal Navy would stop and deliver provisions. DK and I climb the iron spiral staircase to the top for a 360-degree view of blue. He speaks passionately about the renovations and I am confident the lighthouse will be magnificent. Bird Rock is a true vestige of more elegant times and is destined to become a delightful getaway destination in the Bahamas.

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Photo by Marc Montocchio

MYSTERIES OF THE BAIT BALL The portfolio of photographers Doug Perrine, Brandon Cole, and Marc Montocchio Bait balls can produce spectacular ﬁshing, but they also pose deep

Among highly social mammals and insects, this question is easily

biological and philosophical questions, and can function as living works of

answered. Even though both may live in large groups and individuals may

visual art. Wayne Levin, in his new book on akule, as bigeye scad are known

even sacriﬁce themselves for the beneﬁt of the group, the society is highly

in Hawaii, poses the question: “Which is the individual — the ﬁsh, or the

stratiﬁed with different individuals having different roles and social status.

school?” He applies the same question to ﬂocks of starlings, which move in

There is generally a clear leader – be it the alpha male, the president,

similar ways in reaction to predators.

or the queen. In ﬂocks of migrating birds, the leadership role may shift

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Bryde’s whale narrowly misses photographer Brandon Cole as it feeds on a bait ball of sardines off the coast of Baja California, Mexico. Photo by Doug Perrine

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Bryde’s whale accompanied by pilot ﬁsh rises up through mixed bait ball of sardines and Paciﬁc chub mackerel or green mackerel. Photo by Doug Perrine

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frequently from one bird to the next, whereas in shoals of

accidental result of each ﬁsh attempting to hide behind the

ﬁsh, there may be no clear leader, and it often seems that

other ﬁsh in the school and keep a certain distance away

the ﬁsh act collectively, rather than as individuals. Somehow

from predators. This is termed the “selﬁsh herd” theory.

each member of the school must guide its own actions, but

Researchers have found that while schooling increases the

this is clearly done in reference to all the nearby individuals.

survival rate of ﬁsh under attack by smaller predators that

Working with minnows, Brian Partridge showed that when

target individual ﬁsh, it may actually work to the detriment of

only two ﬁsh were present in a tank, one was a leader and

ﬁsh that come under attack by larger predators that target

the other a follower. When a third ﬁsh was added, a school

whole schools of ﬁsh. We often see that large predatory ﬁsh

was formed, and each ﬁsh adjusted its behavior according to

or marine mammals seem to work the schooling behavior

that of its nearest neighbors.

of their prey to their own beneﬁt. They may carve a bait ball

These decisions appear to be guided in large part by

of manageable size out of a larger shoal of ﬁsh and corral it

the miraculous organ known as the lateral line – a string of

– keeping it as a sort of traveling cookie jar, from which they

sensory pits down the side of the ﬁsh that is so sensitive

pluck individuals until the last morsel is gone. The shape-

to minute changes in water pressure that it can literally feel

shifting tactics of the bait ﬁsh do frustrate many feeding

the other ﬁsh at a distance – a sense sometimes referred to

charges, but the ﬁnal outcome seems almost predetermined

as “distant touch.” Of course vision also comes into play. It

– the bait ball is slowly whittled down to the last individual.

appears that the eyes tell a ﬁsh when its neighbors are getting

Wouldn’t the ﬁsh be better off by scattering and taking their

too far away, and the lateral line tells it when its neighbors are

chances as individuals?

getting too close. This still leaves open the question of what

In fact, we usually see that in the ﬁnal stage of

prompts a school to suddenly change direction or take other

disintegration of the ball. At some point it is reduced below

decisive action.

critical mass and the ﬁsh suddenly scatter at high speed in all

Recent research indicates that a decision may be triggered

directions. As predicted, this makes them easier to target as

at any moment by the individual with the lowest level of

individuals, and the predators are faster – there are generally

tolerance. The ﬁsh that is the most hungry or the most fearful

no survivors. But would they do better if they scattered much

may start the move that is almost simultaneously mirrored

earlier, when there were more prey than predators?

by the rest of the school. In this way the society may be

Although most bait balls vanish in a slow progression

governed by the weakest link – in contrast to how we at least

into the stomachs of predators, experienced skippers, such

like to think of our mammalian societies.

as Anthony Mendillo, can also recount occasions where a

Could this type of social organization result in group

school of sailﬁsh had become satiated and left the bait ball

actions that are maladaptive? Biologists tell us that by

only half eaten. I have likewise observed situations where

participating in a school, a ﬁsh maximizes its own survival

predators have been scared off by a passing boat or other

chances in two ways. Mathematically, the presence of other

stimulus, and the bait ball has dived and escaped. So, until the

individuals reduces the odds of any particular individual being

end is reached, a schooling ﬁsh may always have some hope

chosen by a predator. Also, by blending into a super-organism,

that it can survive along with some of its schoolmates. As an

the schooling ﬁsh are able to dazzle and confuse a predator

individual alone in the ocean it would have little chance.

and make it difﬁcult for it to target a single individual. Sean

The behavior of the predators can be as thought-

Neil and Michael Cullen showed that, as the number of ﬁsh

provoking as that of the prey. To what extent are they

in a school of prey is increased, both the attack rate and

cooperating for the good of the group, and to what extent

the success rate of predators is reduced, beneﬁting all the

are they merely acting as self-interested individuals whose

members of the school.

actions may indirectly also beneﬁt the other individuals?

Scientists studying schooling behavior of ﬁsh are split into

The more we study marlin, sailﬁsh, and even predators

two camps regarding the amount of cooperation between

traditionally viewed as loners, such as great white sharks,

individuals in the school. One camp views predator response

the more we see them as social animals that engage in

patterns as cooperative behaviors for group beneﬁt, while

pack hunting, rather than as individuals that happen to ﬁnd

the other camp views the response patterns as a sort of

themselves exploiting the same food source. Some predators www.guyharveymagazine.com

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Bryde’s whale with throat pleats expanded after feeding on bait ball of sardines. Photos by Doug Perrine

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may be social when they are feeding, but much less so at other times. Humpback whales, for example, have not been shown to maintain longterm associations on their breeding grounds, where most of the research has been conducted. However, when they return to their feeding areas, pods re-form into tightly-organized feeding teams, where each whale may maintain a specific position and role over a period of years. The question of sociality also plays into the long-standing debate about how billfish use their bills. Do they slash their prey, spear their prey, or merely gobble their prey (with the bill acting perhaps as primarily a sensory or defensive organ)? The answer, of course, is “all of the above,” but this does not solve the question of intent. It has been observed that a marlin that slashes a baitfish rarely succeeds in consuming it. Another marlin or other predator usually swallows the prize before the killer can turn and snatch it. However, if marlin feed as a social unit, with reciprocal obligations, each member of the team can expect to benefit by helping its teammates. After filming many hours of video of billfish feeding on bait balls, Dr. Guy Harvey has concluded that marlin and sailfish use their bills in completely different ways. According to his analysis, sailfish frequently use their bills to bat fish out of the school before consuming them, whereas striped marlin charge into the school and snatch fish directly with their jaws. My own photos show striped marlin with sardines impaled on their bills as well as slashing sardines in half, but I cannot argue that these were not accidents that occurred as the marlin blasted through the swirling school of fish. Dr. Michael Domeier, who has conducted extensive studies on striped marlin states that, “Certainly we can’t rule out that striped marlin deliberately strike prey with their bill, but it does seem clear that it is not the primary feeding mode.” Even more mysterious are the Bryde’s whales that sometimes feed on bait balls along with marlin, sea lions, sharks, dolphin, and other predators. Everything scatters out of the way when these 40-ton missiles come blasting through the water. Marlin, sea lions, dolphins, and sharks generally clear the area first (although I have seen a whale swerve to avoid a clueless marlin, and there is a video online showing a shark nearly going into a Bryde’s whale’s mouth), but my photos show that most of the bait fish also manage to evade the gargantuan mouth. Can a mere handful of sardines replace the energy required to propel a giant feeding machine through the water at such velocity? Or does the unexpected presence of humans in its path disturb the whale’s feeding methodology? Could it be that Bryde’s whales use bait balls that are quite small in relation to the size of the whale for target practice, or as snacks, while gaining their real nourishment elsewhere? As with much Striped marlin and California sea lions feeding on bait ball of sardines.

of what transpires in the limitless blue of the open ocean, the answer

Photo by Doug Perrine

awaits further study. www.guyharveymagazine.com

Striped marlin with sardine impaled on bill while feeding on bait ball of sardines or pilchards. Photo by Doug Perrine

Striped marlin feeding on Paciﬁc sardine. Photo by Brandon Cole www.guyharveymagazine.com

California sea lions feeding on mixed bait ball of sardines and Paciﬁc chub mackerel. Photo by Doug Perrine

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Fishermen unload a shark in a remote shark fishing port in Indonesia.With local sharks populations depleted, fishermen must travel further and further to find sharks. Photo by Shawn Heinrichs

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by chuck thompson, reporting by virginia lau In 2009, I spent four months working in Hong Kong. In the shopping center directly across the street from my apartment in Causeway Bay was a restaurant called Shark Fin City. Forget the slimy, gelatinous specialty of the house — to devotees of the cause of shark protection the restaurant’s audacious name was enough to induce nausea. As has been exhaustively reported in the international press, the seemingly bottomless demand for shark fin soup in China and other Asian countries has imperiled shark populations around the world. An estimated 73 million sharks are killed each year (see GHRI article page 66), mostly by longline fishing operations and almost exclusively for their fins. In some waters, shark populations have declined up to 90 percent. What’s more, the widespread practice of shark “finning,” cutting the valuable fins off of sharks and dumping their still live bodies back into the ocean, is barbaric. www.guyharveymagazine.com

Longlining is indiscriminant fishing but is also the choice of shark fin fishermen. Photo by Shawn Heinrichs 58

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As a result, the world’s shark populations have been pushed to the brink of ecological catastrophe. Though no one knows for sure what the result of removing the apex predator from the world’s waters will be, we could see anything from exploding populations of stingrays (sharks are a main predator of rays) to a collapse in the food chain. Even in the era of global warming angst this is head-turning stuff. Because the consumption of shark fin soup is such an ordinary, accepted part of life in Asia, however, the almost gleeful appeal of a restaurant name like Shark Fin City barely registers with locals. Hong Kong is, after all, the hub of the industry, the city through which at least 50 percent of the world’s shark’s fin trade flows. Look closely at places like Shark Fin City, however, or talk to the people who actually eat shark fin soup and you start to notice something amazing. Almost every aspect of the entire $300 million to $1 billion a year industry is predicated on a series of lies. I didn’t come into this story to bash anyone’s cultural traditions or culinary peculiarities. As a member in good/bad standing of the Emasculated Picky Eaters League, I tend to fall over myself in respectful deference to the inexplicable gastronomic preferences of others. People could eat poached penguin faces for all I care, just as long as they don’t try to push it on me at dinner. Nor am I eager to engage what The Economist recently called “China’s fierce nationalist sensitivity.” Like everyone else, I saw the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics and was appropriately freaked out. And I’ve had enough politically correct training to know that this endless “blame all of the world’s ills on China” business is both stupid and hypocritical. Just yesterday I drove my car less than half-a-mile to the store for beef products double-wrapped in plastic bags, and then turned up the heat in my house when I got home because it was kind of chilly outside and I don’t like wearing long sleeves indoors. Nevertheless, after more than a month of talking to experts, digging up articles on recent marine atrocities, and even dispatching a trusted associate to sample the demon’s broth in its homeland, the load of bull surrounding the international regulation, historical legacy, and modern demand for shark fin soup got too big and smelly for me to ignore. It turns out that what you believe about shark fin soup is largely a matter of what lie you’re willing to swallow.

The Lie of inTernaTionaL ConservaTion The most significant news of the shark year came this past March in Doha, Qatar. That’s where the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) convened to consider proposals advanced by the United States and other countries to place international protections on eight declining shark species. CITES was created in 1975 to prevent animal species from becoming extinct through international trade. With 175 member nations, it has been described as a powerful tool in protecting threatened species. Recently, however, the group appears to have been infiltrated by the vast commercial interests it was set up to thwart. The Doha conference turned out to be a disaster for the sharks but a great success for those who get rich selling their fins. Their interests were defended chiefly by delegations from Japan and China, which lobbied successfully to defeat every shark protection measure offered. This was accomplished by making a handful of specious arguments and by dealing for a lot of votes from countries such as Libya and Venezuela that wouldn’t know a shark’s fin from a bear’s paw, another delicacy prized by certain Asian eaters. “The failure at Doha forces me to admit an ugly truth, namely, that CITES has nothing to do with protecting threatened species from unsustainable trade,” wrote Ran Elfassy, director of Hong Kong-based “Shark Rescue,” in Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post. “Countries like Japan and China…let commercial interests call the shots.” The conservationist hand-wringing was noble but also somehow pathetic. As Ecuadorian delegate Javier Rosero told the AP about Japan’s horse-trading, “I have been talking to Japan and they say, ‘What do you need? What kind of project are you able to do?’ The Japanese come to make business and www.guyharveymagazine.com

All in a day’s work. Fresh fins go from the dock to market. Certain species of shark bring higher prices than others. Photo by Shawn Heinrichs the States come to complain.” The naked wheeling and dealing at CITES mirrored Japan’s infamous International Whaling Commission behavior, ruthlessly exposed in the 2009 documentary The Cove. That film featured former Dominica IWC representative Atherton Martin laying bare the process by which Japan built Dominica a $22 million “fisheries complex” as “thanks” for siding with Japan on whale hunting votes. The complex ended up being used to store chickens.

you have to fight dirty deals with your own pile of mud. “The American delegation was not very passionate about anything,” said the regally named Josef Baron Kerckernick zur Borg (“Jupp” to all who know him), president of the Shark Research Institute, an eco-tourism outfit in Princeton, New Jersey. “I don’t think they had much fighting spirit in them. The Europeans were not all speaking with the same voice. Of course, Spain was representing the EU because they are holding the

The Japanese at CITES denied outright vote buying, though Masanori Miyahara, chief counselor of the Fisheries Agency of Japan, did admit that Japanese funds were dispersed to developing countries. “Participation

house. Spain is, after all, the largest exporter of shark ﬁns in Europe.” The lie from shark-hunting nations is that they approach events like

is very important for them to learn what is going on internationally,”

CITES in the spirit of international cooperation and scientiﬁc inquiry.

Miyahara told the AP. “They use the money for tuna regional ﬁsheries

Yet, all they really care about is keeping the shark ﬁn ﬂoodgate open so

management and other meetings. CITES is one of them.”

they can continue to make scads of money. The lie from the other side

Vote buying is viewed as dastardly cheating by western

is that they’re doing everything possible to stop the trade in shark ﬁns

conservationists. Since it seems such an effective way of winning

– in addition to Spain, the UK-based TRAFFIC wildlife trade monitoring

arguments, however, it occurs to me that it might be smart for those

network lists Argentina, France, New Zealand, Mexico, the UK, and, yes, the

interested in shark preservation to adopt the same tactics.

United States among the world’s top 20 shark-catching nations.

Most of the proposals at Doha were only narrowly defeated. If all

presidency at the moment. That was a bit like having the fox guard the hen

Making a ﬁx all the more difﬁcult is that shark protectionists’

that’s needed to save the sharks are a few votes from the St. Lucias and

reluctance to act with extreme prejudice is ﬁrmly tied to their belief in the

Grenadas of the world, why not just pay for them with favors and public

second lie of shark ﬁn soup.

works the way the Japanese allegedly do? It might feel slimy, but sometimes

“Shark ﬁn soup has long played a central part in traditional Chinese

www.guyharveymagazine.com

Larger fins fetch higher prices in a Singapore fin trader.With large sharks disappearing, baby and juvenile shark fins are becoming more common. Photo by Shawn Heinrichs.

The Lie of CULTUraL TraDiTion culture, often being served at weddings and banquets. But demand for the soup has surged as increasing numbers of mostly Chinese middle class search for ways to spend their newfound wealth.” That description of shark ﬁn soup is taken from an online story in the

ethnic articulation depends upon the decimation of the world’s sharks. Trouble is, none of this is true. It was Shark Fin City that ﬁrst tipped me off. Speciﬁcally, it was a line on the Shark Fin City page on popular Hong Kong dining website

London Evening Standard, but some iteration of its boilerplate simplicity

openrice.com that announced that the restaurant’s mission was “to create

appears on countless websites in that distressing way of cut-and-paste web

a new generation of shark ﬁn eating culture.”

reportage. (I swear, when the era of citizen “journalism” dies I will unleash a frothy, golden stream upon its grave from a formidably satisfying height.) In articles published around the word, China’s voracious demand for

Create a new generation? Why would a restaurant in the capital of the shark ﬁn universe need to create a market for such a long-standing tradition? To extend Claudia Li’s comparison, this would be like asking us

shark ﬁn soup is routinely defended as the expression of an ages-old

to imagine Bob Evans deciding it needed to introduce Americans to turkey

Chinese tradition. As a result, social troglodytes who oppose shark ﬁn

on Thanksgiving.

soup consumption open themselves up to charges of racism or, at the very least, cultural insensitivity. An example of this tricky cultural dance comes from Chinese

A number of sources trace the origin of shark ﬁn soup to the Ming Dynasty, when it was an exotic dish reserved for emperors and their serfoppressing cronies. This sounds reasonable, but it also made me wonder

Canadian Claudia Li, founder of an anti-shark ﬁn soup organization called

how such a dish could have maintained widespread popularity in a country

Shark Truth. In an interview with the Vancouver Courier, Li compared eating

that has been as poor as China has been for the past two centuries, and in

shark ﬁn soup at wedding banquets with the North American custom of

which the communist government was so ferociously effective in stamping

eating turkey at Thanksgiving. This type of cultural relativism has been an

out all traces of privilege among the rank and ﬁle.

effective gambit in persuading leftie progressives like me to “understand” or even “empathize” with a society so rich, ancient, and mysterious that its

“I have a conspiracy theory that shark ﬁn soup is pushed by restaurant people so they can increase their sales volume,” says Clement Yui-Wah Lee, www.guyharveymagazine.com

a bespectacled, fast-talking computer science instructor from Hong Kong

pure ﬂotsam, it doesn’t change the fact that today’s Chinese are chowing

now working in New Jersey. Earlier this year Lee became a folk hero to

the stuff by the Spanish boatload and that they’re doing so out of some

shark defenders after he chanced upon a gruesome Internet video of a

inescapable servitude to a universal Darwinian aspiration and deep-seated

“ﬁnned” whale shark that had been dragged ashore to die in the Philippines.

human impulse for status that not only makes gaudy displays of wealth

The video had been shot and posted by Chinese tourists on a dive holiday.

understandable from a sociological perspective, but also sort of inevitable,

After seeing the video, Lee was so appalled by his countrymen’s nonchalant attitude toward the practice of ﬁnning that he set up a Facebook.com campaign calling on engaged Chinese couples to leave

and at some point not even really their fault anymore, right? As my Chinese friends might say, “Ne yau mo gau choi ah!” which loosely translates, “You must be out of your mind!”

shark ﬁn soup off the menu at their wedding banquets. A major Hong Kong newspaper ran his story on the front page and almost overnight Lee’s Facebook.com community grew to 15,000. “Shark ﬁn soup is popular because it was learned from Hong Kong

The Lie of sTaTUs

Clement Lee is no expert on Chinese culinary history but Fuchsia Dunlop

twenty years ago,” Lee told me. “And even if 500 years ago some Chinese

is. Her stellar 2008 food memoir Shark’s Fin and Sichuan Pepper not only

were eating it, this doesn’t mean it’s a tradition we have to follow. Chinese

covers Chinese cuisine from ancient recipes for owl, jackal, leopard fetus,

people don’t bind women’s feet anymore because we know it’s wrong.”

orangutan lips, and ovarian fat from the Chinese forest frog (seriously),

Lee is right. The Chinese don’t bind women’s feet anymore. It is just as true that the menu for the wedding feast of the Guangxu emperor

it breaks down such customs as “the exchange of ﬁne foods (as a) well established system of subtle bribery.”

in 1889 included no shark product of any kind. In a way, though, it doesn’t matter. Even if the historical justiﬁcation for shark ﬁn soup is

It takes hundreds of markets like this one in northern Japan to process the ﬁns of up to 73 million sharks per year. Photo by Shawn Heinrichs

www.guyharveymagazine.com

A ﬂuent Mandarin speaker, Dunlop was the ﬁrst westerner to train at the

Hong Kong grocery stores for as little as $1.40 (US). In 2008 in Taiwan,

Sichuan Institute of Higher Cuisine, China’s leading cooking school. She is

journalist Lisa Ling reported ﬁnding shark ﬁn products in gas station mini-

a Chinese restaurant consultant and contributor to Gourmet, Saveur and

marts. So much for prestige.

The New Yorker. Even cooler, she was once cast in a Chinese TV commercial because the director liked her “mysterious eyes.” (They’re green.) I phoned Dunlop in London and found her every bit as informative

One of the most famous places in China to eat shark ﬁn soup is Tim Fat restaurant in Macau, a one-hour ferry ride from Hong Kong. Tim Fat is a hole-in-the-wall joint with white tiled walls and cheap tables packed

and likable as her book. Though she admitted she has no idea how far

together as tightly as possible. Customers shout shark ﬁn soup orders at

back common consumption of shark ﬁn soup goes, she told me that my

sweaty waiters based on the price of the bowl. “I want a ﬁfty dollar!” “Bring

belief that the modern taste for it is largely a creation of marketing is

us an eighty dollar!” The higher the price, the more items in the soup or the

“both right and wrong.”

richer the broth. The cheapest bowl of shark ﬁn soup is wun tsai chi, the

“Of course most people in China would never dream of eating something so expensive,” she said, explaining that the recent shark ﬁn soup boom was picked up from southern China in the 1990s. “Because

rough term for “street vendor soup,” which sells for twenty dollars. Those luxury prices, by the way, are in Macau patacas or equivalent

it was Hong Kong and the special economic zones in the south that were

Hong Kong dollars. At current exchange rates Tim Fat’s eighty-dollar soup goes for $10 (US); the ﬁfty for $6.50 (US); the wun tsai chi, which comes

the ﬁrst to get rich, Cantonese food in the early ’90s was the prestige

with a ﬂimsy plastic bowl and spoon, for $2.50 (US). Not exactly prices to

cuisine in China. That is where the business entertaining went on.”

impress prospective business partners or future in-laws.

This may be true, but it leads to the third fallacy of shark ﬁn soup

To get a better handle on the scene at Tim Fat, I called on a local colleague,

– that it’s a luxury item conferring status on consumers and reﬂective of

Virginia Lau. In addition to living in Hong Kong, Lau possesses the distinct

China’s growing afﬂuence. What may have been true in 1995 is not even

advantage of being Chinese, and therefore unafraid of words like cartilage,

close to reality today. Pre-packaged frozen shark ﬁn soup now sells in

blood, knuckle, snout, and ovarian frog fat when they pop up on menus.

The price of a bowl of soup, a ﬁnned grey reef shark is discarded to drown by shark ﬁshermen in Raja Ampat, Indonesia. Photo by Justin Ebert

www.guyharveymagazine.com

An afternoon of canvassing diners waiting in a long line to get into Tim Fat revealed a surprising lack of ceremony surrounding the soup.

Such casual disregard for the brutality evident in that infamous

Far from feeling that they were treating themselves to a rare feast,

Youtube.com video of the ﬁnned whale shark in the Philippines may

eaters seemed almost blasé, as though they were waiting in line for a

seem monstrous, but as Fuchsia Dunlop noted in Shark’s Fin and

slice of pizza or an eye exam at the DMV.

Sichuan Pepper, “The Chinese don’t generally divide the animal world

Some typical exchanges:

into the separate realms of pets and edible creatures.”

Lau: Have you always enjoyed eating shark ﬁn soup? Mr. Tang (24 years old): Not especially. We just wanted to try it out. It’s like visiting a museum when you visit this place. Lau: Did you serve shark ﬁn soup at your wedding banquet? Mrs. Lin (34 years old): Yes, but it wasn’t important. It’s just that

“When I was living in China, animal cruelty was just not an issue,” Dunlop told me. “There was no kind of emotional identiﬁcation with animals at all.” For most Chinese, there’s no difference between eating a wild animal or a domesticated one. A shark might as well be a cow. Or a

all seafood restaurants put shark ﬁn soup on the set menu for wedding

hamster. As travel writer Maarten Troost notes: “The Chinese have

banquets. I don’t think guests would have cared if we hadn’t served it.

an expression: ‘We eat everything with four legs except the table, and

Lau: How do you feel about the recent petitions against eating shark’s ﬁn? Ms. Chan (28 years old): Are you referring to the Youtube.com clip

day. I think it’s OK to eat it once in a while.

everything with two legs except the person.’ They mean it, too.” So, the Chinese are hungry, numerous, unsentimental, subject to the same insidious, aspirational marketing forces as everyone else. With

where a shark was thrown back into the water after getting its ﬁns cut

only lie number four left to contend with, I had to admit things weren’t

off? Well, I guess these things happen. But it’s not like we eat it every

going swimmingly.

www.guyharveymagazine.com

Getting a handle on shark fishery yields or shark’s fin consumption in China is extremely tricky. Matt Rand of the Pew Environment Group, which has vigorously promoted the shark protection agenda, answered my questions about shark fin soup in Hong Kong by saying, “I have not seen any evidence that shows a decline in consumption.” Nevertheless, O’Malley and others insist that anecdotal evidence is strong, that a movement is building, and that some dining habits are changing. One new piece of evidence supporting O’Malley’s claims is the June 2010 debut of the documentary Sharkwater in Hong Kong. The movie came out in 2007, so three years later it will finally be shown to an audience of soup eaters. Question is how big of an audience will it find? “Chun Ming is a popular time when companies organize big dinners at seafood restaurants and have shark’s fin on the menu,” says Silvy Pun, World Wildlife Fund press officer in Hong Kong. “We’ve been trying to get companies to support our cause by not serving shark’s fin during Chun Ming. So far, 56 corporations are in agreement.” “There’s good stuff starting to happen,” O’Malley assured me. “What’s going on in Hong Kong is really encouraging.” There’s a dark side to the nighttime

Not two hours after I hung up with O’Malley an e-mail arrived

beauty of Hong Kong where the

from Virginia Lau. Another development in Hong Kong. Virginia and I

shark ﬁn trade thrives. Photo by

got on Skype.

Tanya Burnett

“I ﬁgured out why I haven’t been able to get in touch with the owners at Shark Fin City,” Virginia said. For two weeks I’d been after

The Lie of hoPe Assuming that the usual volunteer bleeding hearts are going to step up and stop the shark carnage simply isn’t realistic. There are lots of

her to get us an interview with the people actually pushing and proﬁting from shark ﬁn soup, and for two weeks she’d been striking out. “Why is it so hard to get these guys on the phone?” I asked for the second or third time. “Just go down there and talk to them in person.”

volunteer bleeding hearts doing that already and their efforts have

“The problem is that the restaurant has gone out of business.”

difﬁculty competing against commercial concerns that can spend tens of

“What are you talking about? I was on their website last week.”

millions of dollars lobbying in order to protect hundreds of millions of dollars in proﬁts. Yet some volunteers believe their efforts are paying off, such as Mary O’Malley, a diver based in Del Ray Beach, Florida. O’Malley co-founded

“The Shark’s Fin City in Causeway Bay is closed down. You can’t go there anymore. It’s gone. In fact, three of the four Shark Fin City branches around Hong Kong have recently closed.” I signed off Skype. I sifted through my notes. More than 200 pages

founded the Shark Safe Network, a framework organization that

of interviews, Internet articles, video transcripts. Finned sharks washed

connects more than 25 shark conservation groups. Less than two

up on beaches. Soulless businessmen cheating naïve do-gooders at

minutes into our phone conversation, O’Malley mentioned Hong Kong

international summits. Rapacious hordes gulping down ﬁns faster than

and I started in with my whole downer routine about Shark Fin City,

they could be pulled out of the ocean.

unsentimental Chinese eaters, poached penguin faces, and all the rest. O’Malley barely heard me. “Hong Kong is just on fire over the whole shark fin issue,” she said, referencing Clement Lee and the Youtube.com video of the finned whale shark in the Philippines. “It’s really making a difference. People there are saying shark fin consumption will drop drastically in the next year or two.”

It was a big, bloody pile and all of it set up the perfect ending to my story. The lie of hope. The death of optimism. The extinction of one of the most superbly designed and biologically successful creatures in the history of earth. And now, for the ﬁrst time since I’d invested a majority portion of my existential dread in shark ﬁn soup, somebody wasn’t buying it. www.guyharveymagazine.com

guy harvey research institute

FIGHTING THE FIN WARS By Daryl Carson, photos By tanya Burnett

To the uninitiated, the bare facts of shark-finning can be shocking: Over 50 shark species are fished worldwide to feed a huge demand for shark fin products around the world. In many cases, a shark’s fin is the only part of the animal put to use and the remaining carcass goes back in the water. The shark fins are prized for their spiny cartilage, which is rendered down into clear, spaghetti-like noodles used for, among other things, shark fin soup. Dried fins may sell for $60 per pound in the U.S. and many times that amount when they reach world markets, particularly those in Asia. Motivated by significant profits, fishermen and fish dealers often engage in an illegal trade where governments have sought to regulate or prohibit shark fishing. Researchers estimate tens of millions of sharks are consumed by the fin trade each year, and recent studies have revealed even the great white shark, once thought of little interest to the fin trade, is among numerous species threatened by the heavy fishing pressure. This pressure is amplified by the slow recovery rates in most sharks, which take many years to reach sexual maturity and bear relatively few young. If this recitation of facts is shocking to the inexperienced, it can

Workers at the Guy Harvey Research Institute use DNA testing to identify shark ﬁns from endangered species.

be simply overwhelming to those who are familiar with the issues surrounding the shark ﬁn trade. However, even the ability to describe the

“Researchers have made signiﬁcant

scope of the issue is a huge step forward in protecting the most vulnerable shark species. “Researchers have made signiﬁcant progress in recent

progress in recent years in determining

years in determining the effects of the ﬁn trade,” says Dr. Mahmood Shivji, director of the Guy Harvey Research Institute (GHRI) and Save Our Seas

the effects of the ﬁn trade.”

Shark Center (SOSSC) at Nova Southeastern University. “Not only do we have a better understanding of the total number of sharks taken each year,

secrecy of the ﬁn trade. A second advance has come from DNA research

but we’re also discovering the global nature of the ﬁn trade and beginning

pioneered by GHRI and SOSSC which allows for rapid identiﬁcation of

to identify speciﬁc populations of sharks that are being threatened.”

shark ﬁns using very small tissue samples. This technology has helped in

Shivji’s work has played a signiﬁcant role in the battle to protect sharks,

identifying shark ﬁns by species and by population so researchers know

speciﬁcally in helping governments, industry, and consumers understand

what shark populations are being impacted. It has also been used to help

what is at stake.

law enforcement agencies prosecute illegal harvesting of shark ﬁns.

Progress has come on two fronts. One has been ﬁnding a way to

Between 2004 and 2006, GHRI, in collaboration with Dr. Shelley Clarke

determine a scientiﬁcally-based ﬁgure for the total number of sharks

of Imperial College, London, a series of studies were conducted that

traded globally each year – not an easy task given the vastness and

took a unique approach to determining the species identity and number

www.guyharveymagazine.com

Guy’s spectacular murals at the GHRI.

of sharks killed each year for the ﬁn trade. Traditional sources of data

“Not only do we have a better understanding

– harvest statistics collected from ﬁsheries – had proven to be inaccurate due to under-reporting, illegal ﬁshing and the failure to distinguish

of the total number of sharks taken each year,

one shark species from another. To overcome this, the new studies penetrated the shark trade itself. “Dr. Clarke was able to work directly

but we’re also discovering the global nature of

with wholesalers in the largest ﬁn market in the world in Hong Kong to determine how many tons of ﬁns were auctioned off at the wholesale

the ﬁn trade and beginning to identify speciﬁc

level in a year,” says Dr. Shivji. “However, since then, the ﬁn traders have become much less cooperative.”

populations of sharks that are being threatened.”

But while studying the bio-mass of ﬁns already in the market helped avoid the issues associated with poor reporting of catch totals from

by the weight of the ﬁns and from that a projection of the total number of

ﬁsheries, it also presented its own unique challenges. The primary one

sharks traded globally.

was simply identifying shark ﬁns by species. Researchers waded through

When the math was done, the estimate was between 26 and 73 million

large storage rooms ﬁlled with ﬁns, all categorized by Chinese market

total sharks traded each year. More signiﬁcantly, this number represents a

names and graded for their quality. Tissue samples were taken from

substantial increase from previous estimates. Using a novel combination

each category for DNA tests to correlate the Chinese market names

of DNA forensics, trade records, and statistical analyses, Clarke and Shivji

with speciﬁc species. Next, researchers combed through trade records

were also able to estimate the numbers of sharks traded by species. For

to determine how many tons of ﬁns in each category were sold or

example, their results showed that up to 15.7 million blue sharks and 3.8

distributed in a given period. Sophisticated statistical methods were then

million hammerhead sharks contributed to the annual trade. Throughout

employed to determine an estimated number of whole sharks represented

the process, the trade-based studies consistently produced total estimates www.guyharveymagazine.com

A GHRI researcher gets shark ﬁn samples ready for testing.

three to five times greater than those suggested by previous records. “It’s also important to remember that our methodologies do not account for fins processed locally, as opposed to those sent through a wholesaler,” says Mahmood, noting the true number of sharks taken globally each year is likely higher still. Another insight offered by the trade and DNA forensics studies, and also of recent law-enforcement cases, is the exploitation of particularly threatened species. Such is the case for the basking shark, a fish highly prized for its massive fins – a single large specimen can sell for more than for $50,000 – yet susceptible to population decline due to its very low reproductive rates. Although protected under Appendix II of the Convention on Trade in International Species (which requires strict

made a surprising discovery in a New York warehouse. In 2006, NOAA

permitting and monitoring of any international trade in Appendix II listed

revealed a $750,000 settlement had been reached with a New York-

species by its 175 member nations), it has been discovered both in the

based seafood house. At issue were more than 200 pounds of ﬁns,

Hong Kong ﬁn market and also in the U.S. In the latter, all harvesting and

including some from great whites. The tip-off was a bag of ﬁns labeled

trade has been illegal since 1997.

“blanco” (Spanish for “white”). The label was inside the bag where

A similar story can be told for the great white. Although it enjoys

agents were not likely to look. NOAA sent the ﬁn samples to GHRI

legal protection in the U.S., South Africa, Australia, and several other

where they were identiﬁed by DNA analysis as belonging to white sharks

nations, it has long been treasured by collectors for its impressive teeth

and six other prohibited species.

and jaws. However, only the largest specimens were thought to be of value for their trophy quality until NOAA law enforcement ofﬁcials 68

www.guyharveymagazine.com

The New York case is only one of many GHRI has participated in with NOAA ofﬁcials. Paul Raymond, a special agent with NOAA’s law-

In addition to soup, there are other ways to prepare coveted shark ﬁns. Photo by Shawn Heinrichs

enforcement arm says the efforts of GHRI have been a huge help to the agency. “Mahmood has worked at least 20 cases for us over the past 10 years,” says Raymond. “His work and the work of his team have been essential to our success.” While finning sharks and dumping their bodies back into the ocean is illegal in the U.S., fishermen often fin the sharks they catch while still

How MucH for tHe Soup? Restaurants in Hawaii have until July 2011 to delete shark ﬁn soup from their menus. If they don’t, it could cost them up to

at sea and bring them to port in pieces in order to save storage space

$15,000 for a ﬁrst offense and up to $50,000 plus jail time for

on their vessels. Law enforcement ofﬁcials have found cases of the

multiple offenses. In May 2010, Governor Linda Lingle signed a

detached fins not matching up with the bodies, an indication that the fins are from an illegal species that was caught, finned, and the body

new bill into law banning the possession of shark ﬁns in the state,

dumped, says Raymond. GHRI has often served as a DNA forensics

which affects not only restaurant menus but any use of the ﬁns

lab in such cases to quickly identify suspicious fin samples. A new law requiring fishermen to leave fins at least partially attached while bringing their sharks to port aims at curbing such practices.

outside of approved scientiﬁc research. While the new law has

The good news is that NOAA ofﬁcials are already seeing a

been praised by shark and conservation activists, it is seen more

reduction in violations. “Our cases [of shark ﬁnning] are actually

as a symbolic stand rather than a substantial hit to the shark ﬁn

declining. We’re seeing fewer cases now than three or four years ago when many of these regulations were passed,” says Raymond. “I think

trade as only a dozen or so restaurants serve shark ﬁns. Still,

this is probably due to better enforcement and stiffer ﬁnes, all of which

proponents hope other states will follow suit.

have been made possible in part by the kind of work done by Mahmood and his team.” www.guyharveymagazine.com

GUY HARVEY’s islAnd GRill

MEET THE CHEF by KAT DEAN

Chef Steve is the perfect example of a chef

Braves going from worst to first. Exciting

who rose through the culinary ranks by the

times! Sports bars were trucking in drive-

sweat of his brow and supplementing his

in theatre screens to their parking lots

new-found calling with restaurant management

to accommodate the enthusiastic, not to

education. Starting as a dishwasher at

mention somewhat tipsy and starving crowds.

Asheboro Country Club while in college for

Jocks & Jill’s exploded.

graphic design, Steve’s keen eye of how design

Behind the scenes, Jocks & Jill’s was

inﬂuences the end result tied into his natural

capitalizing on the opportunity – elevating

sense of recipes and presentation. Head

bar food to a memorable dining experience

Chef Mike D’Arte recognized Steve’s talent

served at the pace of rabid sport’s fans

and encouraged him to consider restaurant

demands. And Chef Steve continued this

management as a career path.

tradition when he was hired to open, conceive

Steve wholeheartedly embraced the idea. Not only did he work for a number of ﬁne restaurants in different capacities to cull his

menus, and train Jocks & Jill’s kitchen staff in numerous locations across the South. Now as Guy Harvey’s Island Grill’s

craft, he spent time working for a commercial

executive chef in Orange Beach, Alabama,

kitchen equipment company learning the

he continues his enthusiasm for creating

mechanics of the tools. He learned how

new dishes and managing the dance of a

to ﬁx a broken piece of kitchen equipment

restaurant kitchen.

in nanoseconds in order to keep up with

Chef Steve’s favorite entree at Guy

the rush hour crowd. He also learned how

Harvey’s Island Grill is Blackened Red Drum

to improvise a creative alternative when it

Fish, topped with jumbo lump crab and orange

couldn’t be ﬁxed. The dining guest, of course,

sherry cream sauce. Can you say delish?

never caught wind of the chaos behind the

Start the experience with a Fried Calamari

scenes, as the chef put forth every effort to

Parmesan appetizer. And if you happen to

serve the perfect dish – one that delivers that

be at the Grill when this signature dish is

moment of contemplation…this is what it’s

featured, consider yourself very lucky – oh,

to serve sustainable seafood. And while

all about, a moment of peace, relaxation, and

the thought of this one has me running for

you won’t ﬁnd endangered species on the

savory enjoyment.

my grits – Low Country Shrimp and Grits,

menu, you will ﬁnd plenty to get your mouth

sautéed with Andoiulle sausage, Vidalia onions,

watering. Our thanks go out to Chef Steve

and seasonal peppers.

for the special recipes he has chosen to share

Chef Steve moved on in his culinary career to my favorite Sports Bar in Atlanta, Jocks & Jill’s, where I spent the entire 1995 baseball season watching the Atlanta 70

www.guyharveymagazine.com

As head chef at Guy Harvey’s Island Grill Steve is conscious of Guy Harvey’s initiative

Chef Steve shows off his Low Country Shrimp and Grits

with Guy Harvey Magazine readers this issue. Bon appétit!

Blackened Red Fish with Jumbo Lump Crab Meat 4, 8-10 oz Redfish filets, skin-on Blackfish seasoning to cover flesh side Olive oil 2 cans of 6.5 Jumbo Lump Crab Meat Season the filet with the blackfish seasoning on the flesh side. Heat olive oil in a non-stick sauté pan at medium heat. Lay seasoned side down first for about 4 min. to blacken the filet. Flip the filet to the skin side down for 1 min. to finish. Plate, top with 3 oz. of crab meat and Orange Cream Sherry Sauce. Serves 4

Orange Cream Sherry Sauce sAUcE

Low Country Shrimp and Grits 2 tblsp olive oil

GRits

½ c shallots, minced

1 tsp orange zest

8 lg. shrimp

½ c grits

1 tblsp olive oil

1 tsp sea salt

ÿ c.Vidalia onions

1 c heavy cream

4 c dry sherry

Dash of black pepper, ﬁne grind

ÿ c fresh peppers

1 c water

1 tblsp blackﬁsh seasoning

3 tblsp unsalted butter

ÿ c white wine

Salt and pepper to taste

¾ c orange juice ÿ c lobster base (or shrimp/ﬁsh/lobster stock) 1 pint heavy cream

RoUx ½ c ﬂour

2 tblsp unsalted butter

ÿ c unsalted butter

ÿ lb. Andouille sausage sliced and grilled 1 tsp fresh garlic

In small sauce pan melt butter; sift in ﬂour to make roux. Simmer for

Salt and pepper to taste

10 minutes. Sauté shallots in medium sauce pan until translucent with oil.

In a small sauce pan add grits, heavy cream, water, unsalted butter, and

While the roux is simmering add orange juice and dry sherry and reduce

salt and pepper; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium low, add grits

by a half in the pan with the sautéed shallots. Then, add heavy cream and

and let thicken. Thickness varies depending on taste. If you enjoy them

lobster stock to the orange juice and dry sherry – let it come to a low boil

thinner add more heavy cream. In a non-stick sauté pan add olive oil,

stirring often and reduce by a quarter. Add the roux a tablespoon at a time.

grilled sausage, garlic, onions and peppers. Sauté on high heat for 5 min,

Depending on the reduction of liquids – you probably won’t need to use all

stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium and add shrimp; sauté for

the roux. Let the sauce thicken to coat the back of a spoon. Season with

4 to 5 min; add white wine to the glazed pan. Reduce heat to low; add

orange zest, sea salt, and black pepper. Yields approx. 2 cups of sauce

butter to ﬁnish. Serves 1 or 2

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Experience the Ultimate Thrill on Earth

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magine yourself in the water, face-to-face, with one of the most majestic, powerful, creatures in the world, a Great White Shark. Come aboard the new 130-foot, 20-passenger Baja Aggressor yacht for the adventure of a lifetime. Encounters are conducted safely from three shark cages at depths of only 5-20 feet. All diving is performed oﬀ the mothership, and “snuba” breathing hoses are connected directly from the yacht, therefore, no prior scuba training is needed. Between cage dives, guests are pampered by an experienced crew. You will enjoy delicious meals and snacks served by the yacht’s chef, or you may relax in your private stateroom with ensuite bath. Baja Aggressor charters include diving, deluxe onboard accommodations, meals, snacks, non-alcoholic beverages, local beer and wine and transportation from San Diego to Ensenada. Air fare, wet suits and overnight hotel stays in San Diego are not included. Te Baja Aggressor operates out of Ensenada from mid-July to mid-November. Charters are Saturday to Friday with 4 1/2 days of Great White Shark cage diving.

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Guy Harvey with Aggressor Fleet President , Wayne Hasson

800-348-2628 +1-706-993-2531 baja@aggressor.com www.aggressor.com

photos by michael lawrence

bimini big game club: wHeRe THe PaST iS THe FuTuRe Bimini has always been defined by its history. Rum runners of the Prohibition Era. Chalk’s first flight across the Gulf Stream in 1919. Hemingway feverishly fishing, writing, and drinking from his base camp at the Compleat Angler Hotel. These colorful events, places, and people of Bimini’s past gave the island a unique identity – a place of adventure, romance, and mystery. While its sister islands were embracing mega-resorts and cruise ships, Bimini worked hard to maintain the small island charm and outpost image that had attracted visitors for decades. Unfortunately for Bimini, its celebrated past eventually caught up with modern day realities. The old Chalk’s Airlines was grounded after a 2005 crash off Miami Beach that claimed the lives of eleven Bimini residents. Then, just a month later, the historic Compleat Angler Hotel burned to the ground, reducing Bimini’s legendary connection to Hemingway to nothing more than a pile of ash and trailing smoke. In the meantime, Bimini began to see the rise of large-scale developments and resorts, most famously the sprawling Bimini Bay Resort. It seemed Bimini’s past had finally quit being its present. The island was at a crossroads – poised to become either another overdeveloped Caribbean vacation destination, or just a distant memory as an island whose time had passed. For the first time in its history, it seemed Bimini had lost its identity. Now, there’s a project underway that very well may right the ship and help Bimini bridge the gap between old and new. The Bimini Big Game Club (BBGC), one of the island’s oldest and most famous landmarks, recently reopened after years of financial troubles and changing ownership. The BBGC has a long history as one of the premiere fishing resorts in the world, having hosted big game fishermen, celebrities, www.guyharveymagazine.com

The hotel has been restored to its original charm.

Your team searched the entire caribbean for the perfect location. How did the selection process work, and what ultimately led you to the bimini big game club? We kept saying to ourselves, ‘It’s like a UFO...we’ll know it when we see it.’ The challenge, as with all resort situations, was to ﬁnd the right combination

politicians, and other notables during its 74-year history. Now, the BBGC is operating under the banner of the Guy Harvey Outpost Resorts, which is promoting a vision of sustainable tourism, environmental awareness, and adventure travel aimed at ﬁshing and diving

of factors – accessibility/convenience for travelers, supportive development and political environment, and realistic property valuation. Our search was complicated by the need to be situated within a unique eco-system with pure ongoing marine research, and a local that offers the best in offshore and backcountry ﬁshing but also diving. We toured extensively, met with

enthusiasts. After undergoing a partial renovation, the

numerous brokers, property owners, and the like – all for the purpose

BBGC reopened Memorial Day Weekend with a newly

of familiarizing them with our concept and us with their markets. Bimini

renovated pool, restaurant, and 75-slip marina. The new ownership had planned to spend about $500,000

has always been of interest because of its proximity to South Florida, its awareness among serious ﬁshermen/divers, and the government’s interest

remodeling the facilities, but recently decided to increase

in supporting out-island tourism. More speciﬁcally, many aspects of our

their commitment to $2 million instead in order to fully

concept were taken from the Compleat Angler, and when it burned down

renovate the 39 hotel rooms as well. GHM recently had a chance to talk with Mark Ellert, president of Guy Harvey Outpost Resorts, to get the inside scoop on how the Guy Harvey Outpost concept developed and what the group has planned for the legendary Bimini Big Game Club.

we spent the better part of nine months trying to arrange a deal with the Brown family to rebuild it and integrate its operations with the adjoining Blue Water Marina and the Anchorage hotel, all owned by the Brown family. When we determined that wasn’t in the cards, we went scouting further down the island, only to become aware that the Big Game Club was “in play.” Although we could never reach agreement with the prior owner over terms, when he closed for ﬁnancial reasons, it created the opportunity to come back to Bimini.

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The bbgc, and bimini in general, are at the epicenter of recreational sport ﬁshing. Tell us a little bit about the history of the club and the island. The club was organized in 1936 as the Bimini Big Game Fishing Club, by a Nassau entrepreneur and bon-vivant, Neville Stuart. Originally it was a formal restaurant/lounge, and quickly established itself among the “A-List” celebs of the time. In the mid-50s, Stuart acquired the grounds of the current resort, relocated his business, built cottages and a marina, and the club as we know it today came to

The reception desk displays numerous Guy Harvey artwork pieces.

life as the “go to” out-island destination for the serious big-game sportsman. Of course, Hemingway popularized

aside from the ﬁshing and diving, what makes this a “guy Harvey” resort?

the destination with his widely reported ﬁshing exploits during his time on Bimini in 1935 and 1936. More important, perhaps, is the friendship he formed with Michael Lerner,

The proliferation of recreational products, diminished customer loyalty,

who spent much of his time on Bimini when not running his fashion empire in New York City. It was Lerner who inspired Hemingway to chase the big ﬁsh for research purposes, supporting the work of the Lerner Research Lab, which was History. Lerner and Hemingway were driving forces in the passions of angling as a sport and a research endeavor.

and attention are but a few of the challenges of today’s tourism world.... challenges that threaten to overwhelm a travel and leisure consumer.

a ﬁeld station aligned with the American Museum of Natural creation of the IGFA, which today reﬂects their shared

elevated expectations, and competing demand for the consumer’s time

While consumers continue to view cost, weather, and quality of facilities as paramount in vacation planning, demand for socially responsible vacation and eco-labels is growing. Consequently, the Guy Harvey Outpost concept is rooted in this fast growing ecotourism industry. These consumers are rapidly transforming the landscape of traditional resort design and recreational product offerings. An important benefit of Dr. Guy Harvey’s participation in the development of the Guy Harvey Outpost concept is his authentic conservation credentials and his passionate pursuit of environmental awareness through science, art, and recreation. Both consumers of the resort product, and as important, governmental officers in which an Outpost will be located, will understand immediately that the Outpost is no imposter. There is nothing contrived or artificial about Dr. Harvey’s commitment to conservation and the eco-tourism experience that can be built around each Outpost Resort. Our market is adventure travelers and water sport enthusiasts who share

Guy’s vision of respecting the oceans, land, and cultures that together create the fabric of our blue planet. The Guy Harvey Outpost concept is conceived in response to the enormous world-wide popularity of water-oriented recreational sports across all age groups. Whether it be active pursuits such as ﬁshing and diving, or simply relaxing at the water’s edge, as a Guy Harvey Outpost customer will have the opportunity – without guilt or obligation – to engage themselves and their families in a fun and enjoyable educational environment afﬁliated with one of the world’s foremost marine scientists, Dr. Guy Harvey, and his research organization, The Guy Harvey Research Institute, at NOVA Southeastern Oceanographic www.guyharveymagazine.com

Center. To these sporting enthusiasts, the popularity of water-sports activities has increasingly pressured all theaters of marine biodiversity. Fortunately, the sportsman’s passion for his pursuits has brought, in fact, deepening appreciation for the stewardship each of us has in protecting the marine environment for current and future generations. Each Outpost, consequently, will have a dedicated focus on “edutainment,” that is, the offering of entertaining educational programs and opportunities that showcase scientiﬁc research of the marine ecosystem of each destination. We will have a Guy Harvey Theater onsite to showcase these activities.

The marina, pool, and restaurant opened Memorial Day but the hotel is still being refurbished. What type of renovations are going on? By July 4th, we will be complete with our Phase One efforts, which includes a complete interior reconstruction of the marina bar, refurbishing the pool patio complex and pool bar, and the opening of the Outﬁtter Shop, offering a complete selection of Guy Harvey sportswear along with ships supplies, tackle, and bait. The buildings are repainted, decks are repaired, and all new landscaping is growing in. Guest rooms have been gutted and are reopening with new bathrooms and a completely new décor package. Throughout the property, Guy Harvey art is prominently displayed. After the busy summer season, we’ll move into our Phase Two efforts which include reinstalling the fuel docks, opening up the full-service dive operation, creating a new guest arrival/ check-in experience, added food and beverage facilities, a spa, and the Guy Harvey Theater.

Guy has long supported the work of the Bimini Biological Field Station (BBFS). Will the BBGC partner with the BBFS in some way? Absolutely. The goal of a Guy Harvey Outpost is to create the environment where research personnel and guests have the opportunity to interact – from friendly conversation over a cocktail to a more spirited opportunity, such as assisting in field research. Introducing guests and educating them on the marine bio-diversity of a specific location is a key element of our sustainable tourism mission. The BBFS needs more promotion and exposure, particularly in their work in shark research. If our guest leaves without learning about the BBFS, meeting someone from their staff, or even visiting their facility, I believe we will have failed. And failure is not an option! Our first event will likely involve trying to bring the Guy Harvey Shark Challenge to Bimini, creating a satellite tagging tournament event that once again brings us back to Lerner and Hemingway – combining sport and research.

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Will the BBGC reopen as a modern, upscale resort in the mold of the Bimini Bay Resort, or is it your goal to retain the club’s link to the “old” Bimini of Hemingway? Our DNA is about authenticity, so we’re zeroed in on the heritage of Bimini, and the legacy of the Big Game Club that dates to Hemingway’s time on the island. We are today’s custodians of that legacy, some of which has been lost to the winds of time. Our best record of the club’s early history is the Bimini Bugle, a weekly newspaper pamphlet originally published by Neville Stuart. Fortunately, Les Hemingway, the author’s younger brother, later continued the weekly, publishing the Bimini News through the early 1980’s, and we’ve had access to these and other family treasures. Working with his daughter, Hillary, and other relatives, we’ve enjoyed recreating the Hemingway spirit of the times, and intend to incorporate this in our proposed Hemingway Lounge. It’s only ﬁtting, as many of the Outpost ideas came from the art and artifacts once displayed in the Hemingway museum at the Compleat Angler. We believe this historical venue is a perfect point of view from which to launch the Guy Harvey Outpost Club, which will redeﬁne the club’s original social membership club that attracted sportsmen from around the world.

There are some people who believe Bimini lost a lot of its historical signiﬁcance when the Compleat Angler burned, and then lost much of its “ﬁshing outpost” vibe when the large-scale Bimini Bay Resort opened. How would you describe the atmosphere of the island today? The Compleat was as much a state of mind as it was historic. Certainly losing the Compleat, Chalks, and the Big Game Club was a perfect storm that devastated Bimini and Alice Town. The world-wide environmental controversy relating to the Bimini Bay project further cast a shadow over the island, and certainly dispelled the notion that Bimini was any longer “off the grid.” But to be sure, the Bimini spirit lives on. Bimini’s seen a lot of ups and downs since Hemingway sailed in that May afternoon in 1935, and not all good. “Turn the Lights on in Bimini” was our argument when negotiating our approvals with the Government. That became our rallying cry, and our “friends of Bimini” came to the support of the island. The government wanted to help, too, and in helping us get open, they did. The attitude among the many locals who helped us renovate and reopen the property was nothing short of Herculean. I’ve seen new stores open and we’ve had proposals of every sort to work with the Club. I certainly believe the reopening of the Club has put a smile on the face of Alice Town. Opposite: Guy cuts the ribbon

Where do you anticipate going next? We would like to add one or two more properties in the Bahamas and migrate our way down island. Walkers, Andros, and the islands around Rum Cay are all on our radar. We can’t imagine not having something in the Cayman Islands. We have some discussion underway about an Outpost Galapagos. There’s a lot of real estate 20 degrees north and south of the equator!

with local ofﬁcials marking the Grand Opening on the Bimini Big Game Club; Top: Aerial view of the club; Middle: Guy surveys a lemon shark nursery at the Bimini Biological Field Station; Bottom: Interior of typical room www.guyharveymagazine.com

GUY HARVEY LIFESTYLE

defending a way of life BY DAVID WILKINSON

Channing Crowder is a master tactician. Though he stands six-foot-two and 250-pounds, the Miami Dolphin’s linebacker uses brains instead of brawn when facing down his opponents. Rather than outmuscling them, he has learned to out-think them. He studies their tendencies and patterns, and knows their strengths and weaknesses. He knows if they are going to break left or right, or try to turn and run. Sometimes, they even try to go deep on him – but he knows when it’s coming and he doesn’t let it happen. In the end, he almost always wins. The opponents we’re talking about are not just athletes on the football field. You see, Channing Crowder is also a hard-core fisherman. He applies the skills he uses on NFL foes to land crafty sport fish too. And he might have to use brute force occasionally, as if he’s taking down a rambling running back. Channing is so serious about fishing that he keeps his gear in the back of his truck so he can wet a line whenever he passes a lake, pond, canal, or

Channing and Aja Crowder and Captain Chris Biggs with some nice Mahi-mahi. Photo by Guy Harvey

any of the other countless ﬁshing holes in the water world that is South Florida.

for the fish he pursues, more often than not

gets in their field of vision – this commitment

releasing them so they can fight another day.

to conservation is becoming more the norm

the opportunity to fish for many different

You see, he believes in ocean conservation

than the exception among serious sport

species within a multitude of fishing

so he likes to let his fishy opponents go free,

fishermen like Channing. So, it’s not surprising

environments, and Channing has fished most

a concept that might get him released if he

that he’s also a big fan of Guy Harvey, another

all of them – trout in the Everglades, snook

used it on the football field.

staunch conservationist. Such a big fan, in fact,

Living in south Florida affords Channing

in the Ten Thousand Islands, tarpon in Florida

While this way of thinking seems

that Channing attended the 2nd Annual Guy

Bay and peacock bass in canals and lakes. And,

inconsistent with the mentality of a star NFL

Harvey Ocean Foundation fundraiser last year,

though he always plays to win, Channing has

linebacker – guys who are typically known to

where he won a trip to fish with Guy in the

developed a deep appreciation and respect

bring death and destruction to anything that

Cayman Islands.

www.guyharveymagazine.com

Channing give a gentle forearm to a friendly stingray. Photo by Guy Harvey Channing and his fiancé Aja were given the special insider’s tour by Guy, who is a full-time resident of Grand Cayman. The tour included a swim with the resident stingrays at the world-famous Stingray City as well as a day of offshore fishing with Cayman fishing expert Captain Chris Biggs. Capt. Chris took the group to some of Grand Cayman’s hottest spots, where they landed a few choice dolphin. In keeping with their commitment to conservation, Channing and Guy released most of their catch – though a few filets ended up on the grill and dinner plate

Channing, Aja, and Guy. Photo by Mariasol Danzinger

that evening. I spoke with Channing after his trip and he said he is more committed now than ever to promoting a message of conservation and responsible fishing practices. He plans to continue his support of the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation, as well as his participation in the Miami Dolphins Foundation’s fishing tournament and Junior Anglers Fishing Clinic, a program that teaches children from the Broward County Boys and Girls Club how to fish. He said he will also continue to stalk the waterways of Florida, keeping an eye out for a lake or canal he hasn’t fished – a new opportunity to outwit yet another worthy opponent before looking it in the eyes and setting it free. www.guyharveymagazine.com

last cast

“HOOKED” On blacK smacK Last issue I wrote a witty ﬁshing story that was, for

state. Our island’s most famous landmark, the Flora-

the most part, absolutely true. I really did embed a

Bama Lounge, is a funky roadhouse that straddles the

hook in my hand and have to push the barb through

state line and serves a mean Bushwacker. The EPA

my ﬂesh. The shark really did slam into the side of my

tried to put an air monitor there after the oil spill but

boat. And my wife actually did paint our bathroom

the liquor fumes overpowered their gauges.

sea foam green. As I began to write this installment of Last Cast, several wild tales bounced around in my head. There was the time my buddy got a ﬂy lure hung in his ear.

“We don’t detect any oil odors but we’re registering 14.7 blips of Captain Morgan’s on the sniff-o-meter.” All jokes aside, my personal irony is that I volunteered

We were wilderness ﬁshing in Colorado so the hook

(meaning lots of work for no money), to serve as

stayed in there for eight hours until we found some

Chairman of the Perdido Key Chamber of Commerce

barbed-wire fence sheers to clip the hook. Or the

this year – the year of the planet’s worst man-made

time a blue ﬁsh bit a chunk out of my dad’s little toe. I

environmental screw up. I was shocked at how quickly

Fred Garth’s

was twelve-years-old and learned a few choice words

I got sucked into the entire sticky black storm.Within a

articles have appeared in

that day. I was also thinking about the trip when my

week or two I was in brieﬁngs with governors, attorney

numerous water sports and

preacher buddy caught a cobia on a live shrimp one

generals, mayors, country commissioners and Alex Sink,

travel magazines. His new

night while we ﬁshed for speckled trout. An hour and

the CFO of Florida. I never even knew states had CFOs

book, A Good Day to Live

43 hallelujah’s later I gaffed that sucker.

but I was happy to meet Alex. Always get to know the

(www.agooddaytolive.com),

Unfortunately, even my quirky sense of humor

one controlling the money, right?

hit the shelves in February 2010.

can’t focus on goofy ﬁshing fables when the gusher at

Garth lives on Perdido Key near

the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico has threatened to

Key — CNN, Fox News, NPR, networks in Canada,

the Florida/Alabama border and

devastate our ecosystem and economy. As I write this,

Australia, China, Europe and a multitude of newspaper

the epicenter of the oil spill.

the busted well has ﬁnally been capped. Our beaches

around the world.Throughout the madness I wasn’t sure

were spared any major oil but our lives were all

who was more depressing to deal with – the media or

forever impacted.

the politicians. It was a pretty tight race.

I live on Perdido Key in Northwest Florida. The

www.guyharveymagazine.com

In addition to politicians, the media swarmed Perdido

The experience of Katrina and now this disaster has

barrier island is a mix of laid back ﬁshing types, real

made it ever so clear that neither large corporations

estate agents, small businesses, beach homes, and

nor the federal government are prepared to manage a

a smattering of luxury condos ﬁlled mostly with

local disaster. I say it’s better to let the local folks run

folks who drive in from place like Nashville, Atlanta,

the show. Let the feds look over our shoulders not

Birmingham, and all parts of Mississippi and Louisiana.

carry us on there’s. I live here. I am emotionally and

The Florida/Alabama line cuts through the snow-white

economically invested in this area. My kids go to school

sands of Perdido Key so part of the island is in each

here. Let me help myself.

But the federal government seems to have an insatiable desire to send

kicking our addition and get on with electric cars, nuclear-powered boats,

in the calvary. It’s an admirable ambition but it’s also sadly incompetent. And

solar-powered jet skis, hamster-powered motorcycles…whatever. Just please

it makes it very easy to blame “Obama” for a screwing up something we

get us off the black smack.

should have been doing ourselves anyway. When the next disaster slaps up around I hope we learn from this that

Right now, today, you can buy an electric outboard engine. Even Briggs & Stratton, the venerable maker of lawn mower engines, generators and

the top-down approach at solving problems is precarious. I hope the federal

such, has an electric outboard motor. A couple of German companies like

government learns to empower the local community – those of us who have

Torqeedo and Aqua Watt make ‘em too. Aqua Watt has a 10 horsepower

the most to lose – with equipment, money, expertise, and, most importantly,

that will push a skiff 20 knots. Not bad. When I was a kid, the biggest

the authority to get ‘er done.

outboard made was a 25-horsepower. Now we have 350-hp, four strokes.

It’s unbearably stressful when your economic well being is threatened. It’s horriﬁc beyond words when the waters and sealife we love and admire are in danger.

The same can happen with electric if we demand better, cleaner, engines that are responsible to the environment. If they decide to make me King this year, I will demand that all vehicles be

Through all of my anger, I can’t stop thinking that it is our very own

electric by 2020.That gives us 10 years to ﬁgure it out. No exceptions. If we

hopeless addiction to oil that should really infuriate us. Almost every human

can build ﬂying machines, the Internet, and 24-hour infomercials, then we can

on this planet is addicted to oil and those in third world countries who

surely shake our oil addiction. If we don’t, our kids and grandkids won’t have to

aren’t would like to be. We covet the newest luxury car, 4WD truck, or

learn the hard-earned ﬁshing techniques we’re all trying to master because the

the thought of cruising along in a 46-foot yacht at 30 knots basking in air

ﬁsh will be swimming onto the beach trying to escape the toxic ocean.

conditioning, iPod tunes and catching prize ﬁsh in between frequent trips to the wet bar. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not against big boats, trucks or having a good time. In fact, I favor all three. The point is, we have to quit talking about

Postscript: I apologize for the seriousness of this installment of Last Cast. Next issue I promise to write a totally meaningless, foolish, and funny ﬁshing story. Have I told you the one about the guy who caught an eightfoot bull shark while he was parasailing? It goes like this…

The “world’s whitest beaches” of Perdido Key, Florida were spared from major oil deposits by the Deepwater Horizon disaster. Photo by Amy Janke

New Online! Learn more about Guy Harvey and the Guy Harvey coastal lifestyle when you visit our new website. Here you’ll find the entire line of Guy Harvey T-shirts and sportswear — men’s, ladies and youth — plus an up-to-date directory that will help you locate the Guy Harvey sportswear dealer nearest you.