Rick Crawford
One of the most disappointing questions that is still being asked in political debates is, “Do you believe in climate change?” as if climate science is something that needs believing verses it being a fact. Climate change is not some “thing” that is sure to arrive in 100 years. It’s happening right now, so what do can we do about it?
In fact, the National Weather Service reported that Charleston had a record of 89 coastal flood events on at least 76 different days in 2019. What does this mean? According to the Post & Courier article, the “Charleston Harbor tide gauge reached or exceeded 7.0 feet 89 times. Minor tidal flooding begins at about 7 feet.” To put that into perspective, during full moon and new moon phases is when we fish for tailing redfish in Charleston on what we call “flood tides.” Generally, our normal tidal swing is about 5 feet, but during flood tides that deliver tailing redfish on the flats looking for an easy meal, the marshes flood starting around 6 feet. Additionally, myself and many other anglers I know, have observed that the tides have been higher than what has been predicted on the tide charts, and here’s a link from NOAA and image below that confirms our observations.
We are clearly already seeing the effects of climate change, so what can we do to mitigate the risks of increased sea level rise in the Lowcountry?According to the Intergovernmental Panel in Climate Change (IPCC), the world would have to curb its carbon emissions by at least 49% of 2017 levels by the year 2030 and then achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 in order to avoid catastrophic climate change effects. That’s why Fly Fishing Climate Alliance members are committed to going carbon neutral by 2030, but we know that’s not enough. We need change at the policy-level to fully address the climate crisis at the scale necessary to avoid the catastrophic consequences of climate change.
I was born and raised in Savannah, GA and currently reside in Charleston, SC, so the Lowcountry is my home, and climate change is not only beginning to overtake my home with sea level rise that is expected to worsen if nothing is done to reduce greenhouse gas emissions globally, but climate change is threatening our culture, our food and our way of life. I love fishing for redfish, speckled trout, flounder, and I love blue crabs and Lowcountry oysters. Simply put, I love the natural beauty and bounty of the Lowcountry and will do everything I can to protect what I love.
So, how do we protect what we love? You can participate in the first annual Fly Fishing Climate Alliance National Call-In Day on Friday, 10/16/20 to tell our elected officials to act on climate and vote for candidates who support strong climate action. As anglers, we are familiar with the phrase, “think like a fish”, but to simplify climate action even further, who would a fish vote for? A candidate who shows total disregard for the environment that we are all dependent upon for our survival, or the one who will protect our air and water? It’s pretty simple. Vote like a fish!