so what are some of the solutions I’m not saying don’t build any dams I’m not
not saying don’t build any dams I’m not
not saying don’t build any dams I’m not saying we can’t meet our needs as well
saying we can’t meet our needs as well
saying we can’t meet our needs as well but let’s do it in a smart way that’s
but let’s do it in a smart way that’s
but let’s do it in a smart way that’s informed by good science you think about
informed by good science you think about
informed by good science you think about the Mekong and what’s sad about what’s
the Mekong and what’s sad about what’s
the Mekong and what’s sad about what’s happening in the Mekong is that there
happening in the Mekong is that there
happening in the Mekong is that there are there’s very good information about
are there’s very good information about
are there’s very good information about where it might be a good place to build
where it might be a good place to build
where it might be a good place to build a dam or a bad place to build a dam and
a dam or a bad place to build a dam and
a dam or a bad place to build a dam and unfortunately sometimes politics gets
unfortunately sometimes politics gets
unfortunately sometimes politics gets involved and we’re not seeing some of
involved and we’re not seeing some of
involved and we’re not seeing some of those recommendations carry forward so
those recommendations carry forward so
those recommendations carry forward so that’s something I feel pretty strongly
that’s something I feel pretty strongly
that’s something I feel pretty strongly about next we have to remember that
about next we have to remember that
about next we have to remember that we’re all connected to these fish I mean
we’re all connected to these fish I mean
we’re all connected to these fish I mean like people in the Mekong sixty million
like people in the Mekong sixty million
like people in the Mekong sixty million people depend on fish to get most of
people depend on fish to get most of
people depend on fish to get most of their protein and you might think a
their protein and you might think a
their protein and you might think a people in the Mekong that’s far away who
people in the Mekong that’s far away who
people in the Mekong that’s far away who cares about cute kids but if you fit if
cares about cute kids but if you fit if
cares about cute kids but if you fit if you shop at Trader Joe’s or Walmart
you shop at Trader Joe’s or Walmart
you shop at Trader Joe’s or Walmart you’re eating the same fish that those
you’re eating the same fish that those
you’re eating the same fish that those kids are eating you thought you were
kids are eating you thought you were
kids are eating you thought you were your white Ruffy it sounds really nice
your white Ruffy it sounds really nice
your white Ruffy it sounds really nice right but it’s actually it is nice but
right but it’s actually it is nice but
right but it’s actually it is nice but it’s a Mekong Catfish it’s catfish
it’s a Mekong Catfish it’s catfish
it’s a Mekong Catfish it’s catfish that’s raised in the Mekong Delta and
that’s raised in the Mekong Delta and
that’s raised in the Mekong Delta and that’s a huge amounts of it or exported
that’s a huge amounts of it or exported
that’s a huge amounts of it or exported into the u.s. third I think these fish
into the u.s. third I think these fish
into the u.s. third I think these fish have an image problem it’s not the most
have an image problem it’s not the most
have an image problem it’s not the most beautiful fish so we need to get people
beautiful fish so we need to get people
beautiful fish so we need to get people excited about these fish maybe in a
excited about these fish maybe in a
excited about these fish maybe in a little bit different way and I just I
little bit different way and I just I
little bit different way and I just I put this picture up you know don’t laugh
put this picture up you know don’t laugh
put this picture up you know don’t laugh this is how I view the animal world we
this is how I view the animal world we
this is how I view the animal world we just need to start thinking about these
just need to start thinking about these
just need to start thinking about these fish for the iconic charismatic
fish for the iconic charismatic
fish for the iconic charismatic long-lived fish that they are there’s
long-lived fish that they are there’s
long-lived fish that they are there’s some of the largest animals on earth and
some of the largest animals on earth and
some of the largest animals on earth and they’re culturally important they’re
they’re culturally important they’re
they’re culturally important they’re indicators of the rivers the health of
indicators of the rivers the health of
indicators of the rivers the health of the rivers where they occur so when
the rivers where they occur so when
the rivers where they occur so when these fish disappear a lot of times
these fish disappear a lot of times
these fish disappear a lot of times that’s the signal to us that something’s
that’s the signal to us that something’s
that’s the signal to us that something’s wrong I also hear people and this is
wrong I also hear people and this is
wrong I also hear people and this is something I’d like to bring up I hear
something I’d like to bring up I hear
something I’d like to bring up I hear people say let’s just leave the fish
people say let’s just leave the fish
people say let’s just leave the fish alone don’t catch them leave them alone
alone don’t catch them leave them alone
alone don’t catch them leave them alone but the problem with that mentality
but the problem with that mentality
but the problem with that mentality understand it but the problem with that
understand it but the problem with that
understand it but the problem with that mentality is that there are so many
mentality is that there are so many
mentality is that there are so many threats to fresh water now pollution
threats to fresh water now pollution
threats to fresh water now pollution invasive species dams habitat
invasive species dams habitat
invasive species dams habitat degradation climate change that if we
degradation climate change that if we
degradation climate change that if we just leave the fish alone the only the
just leave the fish alone the only the
just leave the fish alone the only the only difference that’s going to make is
only difference that’s going to make is
only difference that’s going to make is that they’re going to disappear in
that they’re going to disappear in
that they’re going to disappear in silence they’re gonna disappear and we
silence they’re gonna disappear and we
silence they’re gonna disappear and we won’t even realize they’re gone because
won’t even realize they’re gone because
won’t even realize they’re gone because we need to be proactive personally this
we need to be proactive personally this
we need to be proactive personally this is what my project is all about working
is what my project is all about working
is what my project is all about working with with local partners to find study
with with local partners to find study
with with local partners to find study and protect the world’s largest
and protect the world’s largest
and protect the world’s largest freshwater fish and right here fresh
freshwater fish and right here fresh
freshwater fish and right here fresh water saw fish one of the most
water saw fish one of the most
water saw fish one of the most critically endangered fish in the world
critically endangered fish in the world
critically endangered fish in the world and really only found in healthy
and really only found in healthy
and really only found in healthy populations here at the Fitzroy River
populations here at the Fitzroy River
populations here at the Fitzroy River I’m hoping that the data we collect can
I’m hoping that the data we collect can
I’m hoping that the data we collect can help us put together a plan to protect
help us put together a plan to protect
help us put together a plan to protect them here and in other rivers okay I’m
them here and in other rivers okay I’m
them here and in other rivers okay I’m just gonna push it forward gently off
just gonna push it forward gently off
just gonna push it forward gently off the tarp there goes
we need to take action and that action
we need to take action and that action can be as simple as practicing catch and
can be as simple as practicing catch and
can be as simple as practicing catch and release or being smart about what fish
release or being smart about what fish
release or being smart about what fish you eat for someone who studies
you eat for someone who studies
you eat for someone who studies migratory fish I’ve seen in the Colorado
migratory fish I’ve seen in the Colorado
migratory fish I’ve seen in the Colorado in the Mekong I’ve seen the problems
in the Mekong I’ve seen the problems
in the Mekong I’ve seen the problems that dams can cause if they’re not
that dams can cause if they’re not
that dams can cause if they’re not constructed properly maybe not put in
constructed properly maybe not put in
constructed properly maybe not put in the right place and so one of the
the right place and so one of the
the right place and so one of the actions that has become an option over
actions that has become an option over
actions that has become an option over the last few years is dam removal it’s
the last few years is dam removal it’s
the last few years is dam removal it’s coming full cycle from areas where we’re
coming full cycle from areas where we’re
coming full cycle from areas where we’re building dams and causing problems for
building dams and causing problems for
building dams and causing problems for these fish to areas where we’ve realized
these fish to areas where we’ve realized
these fish to areas where we’ve realized that maybe the dam shouldn’t be there
that maybe the dam shouldn’t be there
that maybe the dam shouldn’t be there any longer and were removing them so
any longer and were removing them so
any longer and were removing them so this video was taken by a friend of mine
this video was taken by a friend of mine
this video was taken by a friend of mine Andy Mazur and it’s on the White Salmon
Andy Mazur and it’s on the White Salmon
Andy Mazur and it’s on the White Salmon River
River
River it’s a Condit dam and you can see what
it’s a Condit dam and you can see what
it’s a Condit dam and you can see what it looks like to remove a dam
scientists say they were expecting it to
scientists say they were expecting it to take perhaps three to four years for the
take perhaps three to four years for the
take perhaps three to four years for the salmon to come back into that area where
salmon to come back into that area where
salmon to come back into that area where the dam was and they saw spawning salmon
the dam was and they saw spawning salmon
the dam was and they saw spawning salmon moving up past the dam site in the very
moving up past the dam site in the very
moving up past the dam site in the very first year so with that I would like to
first year so with that I would like to
first year so with that I would like to thank you and thank everyone who has
thank you and thank everyone who has
thank you and thank everyone who has helped with the project over the last 10
helped with the project over the last 10
helped with the project over the last 10 years good night
”
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