Rick Crawford
The sport of fly fishing is currently facing three very real threats that could undermine our ability to sustain fisheries around the world, which are: Policy, Population and Pollution (GHG emissions, plastics, etc.). I call these threats the “3 P’s” and I have been interviewing a variety of stakeholders in the fly-fishing industry through my blog series, The Sustainable Angler, whose intent is to educate and create more awareness about what I believe to be a fixable problems. Why do I want to create more education and awareness about the “3 P’s”? Well, having been fortunate enough to travel and fish in some incredibly beautiful places around the world, I feel I have a responsibility to give back to the natural wonders that have given so much to me. I want to protect what I love, and climate change is a threat that needs our immediate attention.
That said, there are many people who are unsure about climate change, even though there is an overwhelming consensus from the scientific community that burning fossil fuels is accelerating the warming of the planet and is already negatively impacting fisheries around the world. In fact, about 97% of climate scientists agree. I believe in science, but I want to be clear…I am not a scientist, and neither are the people I have been interviewing for The Sustainable Angler. We are anglers who believe in science, and simply want to protect what we love, and Jako Lucas is no different.
Jako travels around the world guiding and with his company Capt. Jack Productions so I was lucky to get on his calendar for an interview to discuss how climate change is impacting fisheries around the world. If you don’t recognize Jako by name, you have undoubtedly seen him on the cover of multiple fly fishing magazines, or perhaps he has been your guide in some of the most exotic locations on the planet? Jako is also the founder of Capt. Jack Productions who have produced award-winning fly fishing films such as: Chanos Chanos, Yakutia and The African Tiger.
I want to thank Jako for being such an amazing ambassador for the sport of fly fishing and for taking the time to be interviewed for The Sustainable Angler, so thank you and looking forward to watching your next film…wherever that takes you!
Tell me a little bit about yourself….
I was born and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa, but spent most of my time on our east coast. My earliest memory of fishing would be playing around in the little rock pools at the age of 4 next to the ocean while my dad was fishing for monster sharks. As soon as I was able to hold up a rod big enough to catch a big shark, I was at it. I did that for most of my early days, but also got addicted to fly-fishing from the age of 13 and spend loads of time chasing fish around South Africa with a fly rod.
How did you get into guiding/fishing industry/filming? 
There are many reasons why people end up doing what they do for a living, in my case it was meant to be and it was in my blood! As with most of us, you learn your love for fishing from your father and grandfather, but even with my love of fishing I never knew that there was a way to make a living out of it one day. After having a great chat with my good friend, fellow guide and F3T partner, Keith Rose-Innes, about the fishing industry and guiding, I completed my B.Com in Marketing from the University of Johannesburg. During my formative years I spent many weekends cultivating my skills, which led to my decision to pursue fishing as a professional career. My move to London, UK, saw me start my career at the prestigious Farlows of Pall Mall, where I continued fishing many of the UK fisheries. Furthermore, I worked at Sportfish – participating in various fishing shows including The CLA Game Fair. In January 2006, I started my guiding career in the Seychelles and have been guiding full time ever since. The stamps in my passport now include the notorious outer atolls of the Indian Ocean, namely Cosmoledo, Providence, Astove, Assumption, Farquhar, Alphonse, St Francois and St Brandon’s, Norway, Mongolia, Russia, Siberia, Mexico, USA, Costa Rica, Africa, Argentina. The highlight of my fly-fishing career was when I guided 320 days in 2012.
The dream of filming these epic adventures originated in 2009, whilst guiding the notorious outer atolls of the Indian Ocean… there are really not many other jobs that will give you the amount of job satisfaction as guiding will give you. Being able to make clients’ dreams come true by catching a fish of a lifetime is an amazing feeling! But believe me, it is incredibly hard work. I worked extremely hard to become a successful guide and it was this realization that prompted me to want to start documenting our experiences on the water.
You always find yourself in a situation where you try and explain to people/guests what you have seen happen out there on the water. Most of the time they would look at you in disbelief. So I wanted to create a bit of awareness.
I have been lucky enough to have my efforts recognized and the added privilege to have been awarded a couple Drake Mag Film Awards, a South African film award and a few films that featured in the Fly Fishing Film Tour.
Who inspires you and why?
My Father and Grandfather are definitely the guys that I need to thank for my fishing addiction. They are also fishing crazy… just like me.
Like I said I really have a new age and progressive outlook in fly fishing, but I will always make sure that I respect the people that made it all possible for us. People, like Flip Pallot, Lefty Kreh, Chico Fernandez, Dale Perez, Jeff Currier, Oliver White to name but a few. These guys have always lead the way and set a great example for all of us.
I think it is not only key that we keep growing our industry, but to make sure we take care of our resources that make it possible for us to do what we do.
It is also up to all of us now to set an example to make sure there is a bright future for the sport that we love so much.
When did you first become aware of the impacts of climate change on our fisheries?
Admittedly, I have to confess that I have not spent, as much time as I probably should have, researching global warming at first. I have always just been lucky enough to go and fish at some of the world most pristine destinations and have perhaps not spent too much time focused on this epidemic.
I think, when you’re young, you simply don’t worry about the future and your role in it. However, the older one gets and the more time you spend out on the water, the more you become aware of the bigger picture.
You start to realize that it is important to make a positive impression and help create awareness for our natural resources by highlighting the importance of protecting it.
What effects of climate change are most concerning to you?
Look, I am definitely not a scientist by any means, but there are certainly noticeable changes happening not just in the seasonal temperatures, but also weather conditions and the fishery in itself.
When I first noticed this it was a few years back in the Seychelles, at the start of our guiding season. We all noticed some changes in season’s weather patterns and especially the water temperatures. For example, when we got to the Cosmoledo Atoll, there was strangely not the usual amount of fish around.
After closer investigation, we realized the water temperature was a full 2 degrees Celsius higher than normal. After having guided out there for over a decade, this was new to me. However later on, in the season, the temperatures returned to normal and so the fish returned.
Seychelles has also seen a remarkable change in the crab migration and more alarming it has seen the world’s worst coral die-off. I have also experienced a significant increase in the number of cyclones and hurricanes in the last year or two. Again, like I said I don’t want to sound negative, as all these places are still amazing and the fisheries are still unbelievable but in saying that, it is always good to be aware and cautious about what is going on around you and what you could do to help.
Do you educate your clients on climate change while fishing?
As a guide, you are always on the front line and if the fishing is not going well, you need to have some answers. From a guide’s perspective, I always try and chat to my clients about most of the things I have seen and
experienced in regard to climate change. So, with saying all of that, I do also try and have more serious conversations about the impact of climate change.
However, it is a fine line between having a serious yet informative conversation and being a preacher of doom and gloom. I find the best way to have a progressive and impactful discussion about climate change is to focus more on ‘what we can do’ to have a positive effect on climate change.
Luckily, a lot of our clients are well informed and travel far and wide, resulting in them having a deep understanding about the consequence of climate change.
What are you doing in your personal life to mitigate the risks associated with climate change?
Firstly, I am educating myself on my role in changing and contributing to climate change. At home, we are actively trying to be more energy efficient by changing out light bulbs to compact LED’s, washing in cold water and instead of using our energy-hog dryers we hang dry our clothing, when possible. We also use programmable thermostats and look for Energy Star labels when buying new appliances. I have also been investigating renewable energy sources to help power our home.
My wife and I try and buy organic and locally grown foods and try avoiding processed items. A big shift for us is limiting the amount of wastage we create; we recycle and try to re-use whatever we can. We also try and keep our transportation ‘green’ as frequently as possible by carpooling or taking transit wherever we can, and have also been supporting and donating to organizations, who are working hard on solutions to climate change and really help inform the public on how they make a change.
What are some of your favorite brands doing to address climate change?
Luckily, all the brands I am associated with have a strong drive to protect the environment. They are all heavily involved by creating awareness for a range of causes and organizations fighting not only climate change but also pollution and its devastating effects it has on the environment.
There is also some great work being done by, Captains for Clean Water, Keep Em Wet, etc. that are doing some great things for the future of our sport.
What is something you wish more anglers knew about climate change?
Most importantly, I think, we all need to be better educated. I think it is very easy to take what we have for granted, and if we don’t educate ourselves on how we can protect it, we will surely regret it. And by just making little changes and improvements in our everyday lives we can have an impact.
Why is acting on climate important to you?
We are still really spoilt with everything we have in this world, but it is also up to us to make sure that there is something left for future generations. Just remember every little bit helps and do what you can. If everyone has this attitude it will make a big difference.
Take Action
There is a lot of doomsday talk and negativity when it comes to climate change, but I concur that it is more important to talk about the wins and celebrate the positive things that brands and individuals are doing to fight climate change. For example, I think you would be hard pressed to find another industry who gives back to conservation more than the fly-fishing industry. Additionally, there are a lot of fly fishing brands doing incredible work when it comes to reducing their carbon footprint, such as: installing solar panels, offsetting their GHG emissions with renewable energy credits and diverting waste from landfills. I also love how Jako and his wife are taking personal responsibility and acting on climate, and I wholeheartedly agree that having a positive attitude and doing the best you can is all you can ask of anyone!
Here is a list of some of the things Jako and his wife is doing in their personal lives to mitigate their impact on climate change:
- Educate yourself on climate change and its impact on fisheries. (Here are my Top 5 Sustainable Business Books; A couple of great films to watch Chasing Coral or Cold Waters; and www.grist.org has lots of good info)
- Replace light bulbs with LED’s to save energy and reduce energy costs.
- Wash clothes in cold water to save energy and hang dry our clothing when possible because dryers are energy hogs.
- Use programmable thermostats to save energy.
- Look for Energy Star labels when buying new appliances because they will save energy and money.
- Buy organic and locally grown foods because organic food doesn’t have harmful pesticides, and locally grown food has a smaller carbon footprint and supports the local economy.
- Divert waste from landfill by recycling and re-using items when possible because with human population increasing it’s more important than ever to conserve resources.
- Carpool or take public transit to reduce carbon footprint.
- Support and donate to organizations that are working hard on solutions to fight climate change and are helping to inform the public on how they can make a change.
These are excellent steps to take in reducing your impact on the environment and becoming a “Sustainable Angler!” Thanks again to Jako Lucas for taking the time to be interviewed and also for doing your part to minimize your impact on climate change! Stay tuned because next month we are interviewing Corinne and Garrison Doctor, co-founders of RepYourWater!