Conservation, Fishin Stories, Tarpon Tales

Alrighty folks, welcome back to Season 3, Episode 1 on Transacting Value Podcast!

Porter’s guest for today’s episode is Robert Bellew, a resident Floridian for more than three decades and an outdoorsman for even longer. It’s the Fourth of July, so naturally there is a discussion about fireworks, grilling versus smoking meats, beef versus chicken, and brining and marinating. If you’re hungry, your mouth might start to water.

Porter and Robert talk about some things unique to Florida:

• The rapidly growing population and how it affects traffic, roads, wildlife, and the natural environment
• Word has it that it’s possible to travel by boat from Lake Eustis to the St. Johns River, all the way to Jacksonville
• Chickees in the Everglades
• The Villages of Central Florida, where there are more golf carts than cars
• Disney’s influence on the area and how its relationship with the State of Florida is changing

The conversation turned to the subject of sportsmanship and conservation. Rob has been fishing since he was a toddler. He gets to enjoy the thrill of the catch without the messy, smelly work of cleaning and cooking the fish, and the fish is released to procreate.

Concerning conservation of the environment, Rob believes some of the biggest conservationists are – and should be – found among outdoorsmen. Shouldn’t the most vocal and active protectors of the environment be those who enjoy it the most?

Porter and Rob conclude that education and the use of social media are probably the best tools for teaching the next generation how to respect and conserve our environment.

Quotes from today’s episode:

“I don’t see wanting to protect the things that you love as being a liberal thing.”

“The one thing that I don’t think has a political agenda is protecting the outdoors and what you enjoy doing in it.”

“It’s so easy to make the changes to the environment. It’s not easy to revert the changes.”

“It’s not necessary to kill everything you catch.”

“If you learn how to manage the environment better, you can learn how to better create an environment or cultivate or maintain or sustain.”

Sponsors and Resources mentioned in today’s episode:

(0:23:35) Bee and the Bear Creations

Lords of the Fly: Madness, Obsession, and the Hunt for the World Record Tarpon by Monte Burke

(0:43:51) Keystone Farmer’s Market

Bonefish & Tarpon Trust

Captains for Clean Water

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