Fly fishing for tarpon has taught me many lessons, both personally and professionally. For example, fishing taught me that everything in nature is interconnected. Just as a palolo worm, a hungry tarpon, a flats ecosystem, and the moon phase are connected, so are our businesses and our planet. The understanding that all of nature, and our universe, are interconnected is a crash course in systems-thinking, which is a prerequisite for understanding sustainability.
Business Lessons
Understanding that the environmental impact of our businesses is directly connected to healthy fisheries is an important lesson. All of our businesses pollute, whether it’s waste from our operations and packaging, or greenhouse gas emissions from our operations and supply chain, we are all accountable. For example, our emissions contribute to coral bleaching, sea level rise and ocean acidification. That’s why measuring and improving your company’s sustainability performance is the same as protecting your home waters, and responsible business practices ensure that our rivers and oceans remain clean, habitats are preserved and biodiversity thrives for generations to come. Because when you protect what you love, you’re not just protecting the planet—you’re building a brand that stands for something.
Life Lessons
The last few years, tarpon have gotten ahold of me, and I have been chasing them as often as time, schedules, and money allows. In fact, last year I followed the tarpon migration up the Atlantic coast from the Florida Keys all the way up to Virginia Beach from May through September, and I recently returned from Marathon, FL for an early season tarpon trip just a few days ago. Over the last three years of tarpon fishing, I have landed only two tarpon, jumped a few, and fed dozens on both fly and spin tackle, and as a result, found myself asking, “why am I going to such lengths to chase a fish that, at least for me, has such a low catch rate considering the number of shots I have had over the last three years?”
Well, I finally have an answer to that question: tarpon fishing makes me a better person. I am not only in awe of their raw power, but after any encounter with a tarpon, I am also left with a deep sense of gratitude for life, and for the privilege of having the experience of feeding, jumping, or landing a tarpon. I am also reminded of just how beautiful our planet is, and thankful to be surrounded by mangroves and palm trees, crystal clear green and blue water, and all the marine life that you get to experience, which is simply intoxicating. However, the greatest lesson I have learned from chasing the silver king is that they have a unique way of bringing me into the present moment, because for a few brief moments (or long moments if you land a big tarpon), time slows down and there are no thoughts. I become fully immersed in the present moment, which helps to quiet my mind, leading to a sense of inner peace.
“However, the greatest lesson I have learned from chasing the silver king is that they have a unique way of bringing me into the present moment, because for a few brief moments (or long moments if you land a big tarpon), time slows down and there are no thoughts. I become fully immersed in the present moment, which helps to quiet my mind, leading to a sense of inner peace.”
Rick Crawford
Time spent on the water is time well spent, and after every tarpon trip, my place in the world is renewed with a sense of purpose that translates to protecting what I love by helping businesses measure and improve their sustainability performance. I suppose this also means, I will need to continue spend more time seeking tarpon, and that suits me just fine.