I’ve said it many, many times before, and I’ll keep right on saying it: Genuine, committed anglers must, by definition, also be passionate conservationists. Not “lock-it-up-and-throw-the-key-away” preservationists, nor ideologically-motivated green activists with a political barrow to push, but rather real conservationists — people committed first and foremost to protecting and maintaining healthy aquatic ecosystems that, in turn, support our beloved pastime, and even allow us to sustainably self-harvest reasonable amounts of nutritional protein from those ecosystems, where appropriate.
However, something that those of us who truly care about the environment (and, as I’ve just stated, that should include ALL fishers) really need to embrace is the concept of a “circular economy” — one that puts the emphasis firmly on the four R’s: Reduce. Re-use. Re-purpose. Recycle.
If you love to fish as much as Starlo does, you really need to be a committed conservationist as well.
A recent episode of the ABC Landline program (28/8/24) featured an amazing and truly inspiring story about what’s happening in exactly this field of “circular economics” down in the beautiful Bega Valley, not far from where I live, on the south coast of NSW. Here, council, businesses, not-for-profit organisations and the general public have joined forces to enthusiastically embrace the “reduce, re-use, re-purpose, recycle” ethos, and to grow it in a massive way. In fact, this rural region is fast becoming a model for other parts of the country — and the globe — and it will soon see construction commence on a circular economy hub or “Circular Centre” to help disseminate these game-changing concepts far beyond the Bega Valley.
This is such a good news story, and it’s one that needs to be shared, spread and widely adopted. PLEASE check out this link (below) and take a few minutes to have a look at that ABC Landline segment. I guarantee it’ll lift your spirits and inspire your imagination!
The Bega Valley’s embrace of a “circular economy” is one that every region should adopt. (Image from www.begacircularvalley.com.au)
As a matter of interest, one of the innovative “circular economy” businesses showcased on that ABC Landline episode about the Bega Valley is a company called Ocean2Earth, who turn fish carcasses, other discarded seafood scraps and sawmill waste into valuable organic compost that’s capable of naturally boosting crops and pastures as well as dramatically improving soil quality, all without the excessive use of chemicals.
I’m proud to have done a little bit of work with the Ocean2Earth crew over the years, and I can’t speak highly enough of the awesome job they do. I co-hosted a video about some of their endeavours a year or two ago, and you can watch that episode here.
Ocean2Earth turn fish waste that would once have gone to landfill into amazingly rich compost!
Embracing circular economics and the re-purposing of waste materials that would once have gone into landfill are just two of many ways we can all do our bit to help reduce adverse human impacts on the natural environment we share. At the most basic, grass roots, one-on-one level, we can each play an important part every single time we wet a line by simply bringing home all of our own fishing-related litter — line offcuts, broken terminal tackle, bait packets and the like — while also taking a minute to pick up any litter thoughtlessly left by others. It’s not hard to do, and this kind of activity is being greatly enhanced by organised efforts such as the Rig Recycle Program run by Tangaroa Blue. Their re-cycling stations in tackle shops and other outlets are helping to make a real difference.
Rig Recycle bins in tackle shops and other places are making a real difference. Support them!
All of this stuff is simple enough, and it all begins with individuals like you and me asking “what can I do?”, then coming up with constructive answers to that question. Every positive action makes a difference, no matter how small or large. Speaking of which, be sure to keep reading below as Jo recounts her own recent involvement in a wonderful, hands-on program organised by OzFish Unlimited and others to remove damaging marine debris from the Norman River estuary, on Queensland’s Gulf of Carpentaria… it’s an inspirational example of exactly what I’m talking about.
Together, we CAN make things better.
Tight Lines,
Steve (Starlo) Starling is an Australian sports fishing writer and television personality who has appeared in many of Rex Hunt’s Fishing Adventure programs on the Seven Network.
He has published twenty books on the subject of angling, as well as thousands of magazine articles.
Starlo has scripted and presented many instructional videos and DVDs, and been a Researcher and on-screen presenter for a number of Australian angling and outdoor television programs.
Follow Starlo Gets Reel on Youtube for some of the best, educational and most entertaining fishing viewing on-line.
Click on the banner below for a direct link to the Channel.
