In this episode of The Sustainable Angler, I sit down with Ross Purnell, Editor in Chief of Fly Fisherman Magazine, for a wide-ranging conversation that covers the past, present, and future of one of fly fishing’s most storied publications — and how conservation storytelling protects the wild places we love.
We cover how AI and data centers are contributing to rising water temperatures, exacerbating climate change, and threatening fisheries across the country. Ross breaks down the Boundary Waters controversy, explains why more fly fishing brands are doing more for the resource, and discusses a powerful cultural shift: younger anglers who vote with their wallets by supporting brands that align with their values.
Ross also shares the story behind his new film The Shoals — a fishing journey to protect St. Brandon’s Atoll — and makes the case for storytelling as a frontline conservation strategy. Plus: why the next generation gives him genuine hope, the story of almost making a film with President Jimmy Carter, and a direct call to get involved in advocacy before it’s too late.
In this episode:
- A brief history of Fly Fisherman Magazine
- How AI is warming our rivers and threatening fisheries
- The Boundary Waters controversy, explained
- Fly fishing brands stepping up for conservation
- Gen Z and millennial anglers voting with their wallets
- The Shoals — protecting St. Brandon’s Atoll through film
- Storytelling as a conservation tool
- Almost making a film with President Jimmy Carter
- Why advocacy and getting involved has never mattered more
Sponsors:
This episode is brought you by: A New Earth Project, the sustainability initiative of Atlantic Packaging, Emerger Strategies, and Ecolytics (don’t forget to mention The Sustainable Angler for a discount off your first year’s subscription!)
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