♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ THE ADIRONDACKS, OVER SIX MILLION ACRES, OVER 3,000 LAKES AND PONDS.

MORE THAN 30,000 MILES OF RIVERS AND STREAMS, A VAST AMOUNT OF WHICH ARE STILL WILD.

THIS IS THE NATURAL HOME OF THE BROOK TROUT, LAKE TROUT AND ATLANTIC SALMON.

THE HERITAGE TRAINS.

THEIR DNA HAVE NEVER BEEN TAMPERED WITH BY STOCKED FISH.

THEY HAVE BEEN HERE SINCE THE LAST ICE AGE FIGHTING TO SURVIVE AGAINST BOTH MOTHER NATURE AND HUMANS ALIKE.

LONG BRUTAL WINTERS, RISING SUMMER WATER TEMPERATURES, OVER FISHING ACCOMPANIED BY THE STRIPPING OF FOREST AS INDUSTRY DEMANDED, ACID RAIN PRODUCED BY INDUSTRY, WIPED OUT NEARLY HALF OF BROOK TROUT HERITAGE STRAINS UNIQUE TO THE ADIRONDACKS AND DEVASTATED OTHERS.

OF THE KNOWN HERITAGE STRAINS, ONLY SOME REMAIN.

AND THE ONES THAT ARE GONE... ARE GONE BECAUSE OF US, NOT NATURAL CAUSES.

BUT BECAUSE OF POLICIES LIKE THE CLEAN AIR ACT OF 1970, OVER 40 YEARS LATER, THE ADIRONDACKS AND ITS BROOK TROUT ARE RECOVERING FROM CATASTROPHIC ACID RAIN DAMAGE.

A LOT IS KNOWN ABOUT THE NATIVE FISH BUT STILL MORE IS WAITING TO BE DISCOVERED.

THERE WAS ALWAYS THE ROMANCE THAT THEY NEVER REALLY TOTALLY DISAPPEARED AND THAT SOME DAY THEY WOULD RUSH.

AND THEY ARE RETURNING.

HOWEVER, WITH THIS RECOVERY COMES QUESTIONS.

WHAT IS OUT THERE?

HOW FAR DO SOME OF THESE REMAINING HERITAGE STRAINS REACH?

HOW HAVE THEY SURVIVED WITH WHAT MAN AND MOTHER NATURE HAS THROWN AT THEM.

ARE THERE MORE THAT WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT?

AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, HOW DO WE PROTECT THEM?

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ TROUT POWER IS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT WAS ESTABLISHED BY A GROUP OF ANGLERS THAT BANDED TOGETHER TO AID IN THE DISCOVERY AND PROTECTION OF WILD BROOK TROUT IN THE ADIRONDACK PARK.

>> THERE ALWAYS WAS IN THE HEART OF THIS WHOLE THING, EVEN THOUGH IT STARTED WITH THE WEST CANADA, THERE IS A LOVE OF THE ADIRONDACKS.

AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WILD FIBER AND NATIVE FISH, THERE IS REALLY ONLY A FEW FISH THAT ARE NATIVE TO NEW YORK AND WHERE WE ARE IN THE ADIRONDACKS.

AND ONE OF THEM IS THE BROOK TROUT, WHICH IF YOU ARE A FLY ANGLER, I THINK THAT THEY ARE THIS THING THAT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE BIG.

THEY'RE JUST SPECIAL.

IF YOU ARE A BROOK TROUT FISHERMAN, YOU DON'T NECESSARILY NEED TO GO CATCH A BIG ONE.

IS THERE A DRIVE TO GO GET A BIG ONE?

YEAH BUT THEY'RE JUST SO SPECIAL THAT YOU JUST WANT TO BE IN THE WATER WHERE THEY ARE.

>> SO THIS WHOLE THING IN REGARDS TO CATCHING THESE FISH, GETTING FIN CLIPS, WORKING WITH THE NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM, WORKING WITH CORNELL, WORKING WITH TROUT UNLIMITED, WORKING WITH SAGAMORE, WORKING WITH GREAT PEOPLE, GREAT FRIENDS AND WORK TOGETHER, BUT GETTING FACTS , IT BECAME VERY APPEALING TO A LOT OF PEOPLE AND IT'S FUN.

>> AND WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO TRY TO BE BACK SO I KNOW WHEN TO ACTUALLY GET A SEARCH PARTY?

>> I WOULD LIKE TO EAT DINNER.

>> 6:30?

>> WHEN I STARTED THIS WORK, WHAT I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE THAT I WORK WITH WHO I'M COLLABORATING WITH WHO ARE EITHER COLLECTING FIN CLIPS BECAUSE THEY WANT TO KNOW IF A WATERSHED IS NATIVE OR STOCKED IS TO GO AS FAR UP THE WATERSHED AS YOU CAN BECAUSE USUALLY THESE BARRIERS IMPEDE THE GENE FLOW FROM STACKING SITE WHETHER IT BE A WATERFALL OR JUST EVEN AN ELEVATION GRADIENT WHERE IT'S DIFFICULT FOR THE FISH TO MAKE IT UPSTREAM ALL THE WAY.

SO GOING AS FAR UPSTREAM AS YOU CAN IS USUALLY YOUR BEST BET TO GET SAMPLES FROM THE NATIVE STRAIN IF STOCKING HAS OCCURRED, AND HASN'T COMPLETELY TAKEN HOLD THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE POPULATION.

>> WHEN IT CAME THROUGH AND SAID THAT AREA UP THERE IS VERY THICK YOU ARE GOING TO NEED A COMPASS AND A MAP.

>> AND A BUDDY.

>> AND A BUDDY.

AND IT'S GOING TO BE HARD WORK, I WAS LIKE, YEAH, I WAS ALREADY DOWN FOR IT.

AND I SAID I'D LIKE TO GO UP THERE AND HE SAID LET'S DO IT.

SO BEFORE WE EVEN GOT HERE, WE HAD ALREADY MADE UP OUR MIND THAT WE WERE GOING UP THERE.

I DON'T THINK IT WAS-- IT WAS DEFINITELY HARD WORK, ABOUT THE IT WAS WORTH IT.

OUR GOAL WAS TO TRY TO GET AS MANY SAMPLES UP THERE IN EACH FORK AS WE COULD AND THAT'S WHAT WE WERE GOING TO COME BACK WITH, FULL VIALS BECAUSE WE KNEW NOBODY ELSE WAS GOING TO DO IT.

>> WE CERTAINLY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT.

WE DIDN'T KNOW THAT WE WERE GOING TO BE A PART OF SOMETHING THAT IMPORTANT AND THAT SWEET.

WE KNEW IT WAS SOMETHING UNIQUE, BUT TO HAVE IT TURN OUT THE WAY THAT IT DID WAS VERY UNEXPECTED AND IT WAS VERY VERY COOL TO BE A PART OF IT.

>> AND THEN WE SAW THE RIVER AND THAT'S ALL OUR BRAIN COULD FOCUS ON.

WHERE'S THE FISH.

♪ ♪ BROOK TROUT ARE A BELLWEATHER SPECIES.

THEY'RE THE CANARY IN THE COAL MINE.

IF THEY'RE HERE, AND THEY'RE CERTAINLY HERE.

THIS IS TELLING US THIS IS PRISTINE WATER.

A BEAUTIFUL WATER WATERSHED.

AND AS YOU GUYS KNOW, YOU WALK ADD ROUND HERE WITH US ALL WEEKEND, IT'S A SPECIAL PLACE.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT WE WERE INTRODUCED TO Dr. GURSTER'S BOOK WRITTEN BETWEEN 1958 AND HE CHRONICLED WHERE WE ARE SITTING, HAS BEEN CROB CALLED WELL OVER 100 YEARS NOW OF THE FISH HE WAS CATCHING, THE BROOK TROUT.

THERE WAS NO STOCKING OR ANYTHING THEN.

THESE FISH WERE PUT HERE BY GOD.

>> THAT'S A BEAUTIFUL FISH.

>> OH YEAH, IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE.

>> THAT IS A BEAUTIFUL FISH.

>> WHEN I USED TO FISH LOST BROOK, 10-11 INCHES WAS A WHOPPER.

SIX INCHES WAS THE NORM.

OBSERVE WITH PLEASURE THE PROMISE OF A BRIGHT MORNING, BREAKFAST WAS DISPATCHED HASTILY AND AT 6 A.M.

I WAS UP TO MY WAIST IN THE POOL AND IT WAS A PLEASURE TO SEE THE FISH LEAP FROM MY FLY.

BY 9:00 I HAD 23 GOOD TROUT ON THE SPRING, LOST TWO FLIES AND USED ONLY ONE WORM TO COAX AN OLD RED BELLY FELLOW PLAYING WITH MY FLIES, JUMPING AROUND THEM BUT EVIDENTLY NOT SUFFICIENTLY TEMPTED TO HAVE A TASTE OF THEM.

SO I TOOK A FAT WORM ON THE DROPPER AND HAD HIM HOOKED.

HERE IS THE COMPLICATION.

WHILE PLAYING THIS FELLOW, ANOTHER FINE BIG FISH SNAPPED IT TO MY STRETCHER, MY FAIL FLY AND HERE I HAD TWO OF THEM TO LAND WHICH, TO ACCOMPLISH SAFELY WAS NOT EASY AT ALL.

WHEN I NETTED NUMBER ONE, AND TAKEN THE FLY OUT OF HIS JAW, NUMBER TWO MADE A SAVAGE RUSH AND SENT THE HOOK I HELD INTO MY THUMB.

[LAUGHTER] AND WE THREE HAD A LIVELY TIME FOR IT FOR A WHILE.

QUICKLY TAKING THE LEADER INTO MY TEETH-- HE' GOSS THE HE'S GOT THE THUMB WITH THE HOOK ON IT AND THE FISH IS GOING ALL OVER THE PLACE.

HE TAKES THE LEADER INTO HIS TEETH TO TAKE THE PRESSURE OFF OF HIS THUMB FROM THE VICIOUS TUGGINGS I QUICKLY PUT THE QUICK OF MY SPRING THROUGH THE GILL OF NUMBER ONE.

HAD THEM SAFELY HANGING FROM HIS BOOK.

I TORE THE HOOK OUT OF MY THUMB AND TURNED MY ATTENTION IN GHOULISH.

>> GEE TO NUMBER TWO BRINGING THE SPRING OF MY TROD BEAR WHILE I RELEASED THE LEADER FROM MY TEETH AND COULD EASILY NET THE FISH WHO HAD MADE RUSHESES AROUND MY LEGS.

THE FISH STILL BITING, I MADE THIS GLORIOUS EPISODE, THE CLOSING FEATURE OF THIS FISHING, TOTAL CATCH OUT OF THIS POOL, 30 TROUT WEIGHING 20 POUNDS.

OKAY, HE NETS THE FISH.

HE HAS GOT-- HE HAS TAKEN THE HOOK OUT OF THE FISH IN THE NET AND THE OTHER GUY SINKS HIS HOOK INTO IT HE HAS FISH IN THE NET, OKAY, HE'S GOT THAT.

WHAT IS HE DOING WITH THE ROD?

WHERE IS HIS ROD?

>> UNDER HIS ARM PIT BETWEEN HIS KNEES.

>> WHAT YEAR IS THIS?

1895-- NO, 1897.

>> THAT'S COOL.

>> I'M NOT A PRFL PROFESSIONAL BUT I GOT MYSELF IMMERSED IN Dr. GURSTER'S VACATIONS.

I GUESS IT'S A 19th CENTURY SCRIPT HE HAD WHICH IS A LITTLE DIFFICULT TO GET USED TO BUT I GOT USED TO IT PRETTY QUICKLY.

A THE LOT OF CROSSOUTS AND THEN FULL OF SKETCHES.

EVERYBODY ONCE IN A WHILE, YOU HAVE A TOUGH MOOSE HERE OR THERE OR STUFF LIKE THAT, SO IT WAS WONDERFUL.

SO 10 YEARS GO BY AND I'M RETIRING FROM MY WORK IN NEW YORK AND MY WIFE AND I STARTED WORKING ON THIS AND I'M A TOTAL IGNOREAMOS IN THE COMPUTER AGE SO SHE TAUGHT ME HOW TO USE A WORD PROCESSOR.

I WAS STILL WORKING WHEN I STARTED TRANSCRIBING, IT TOOK ME TWO OR THREE YEARS TO TRANSCRIBE 200 PAGES HANDWRITTEN PER VOLUME.

A TOTAL OF 400 AND SO THAT TOOK ME A LONG TIME.

FINALLY TRANSCRIBED IT AND GAVE IT TO THE MUSEUM AND THEN I SAID IF YOU ARE GOING TO PUBLISH IT AND YOU WANT ME TO WORK ON THAT, WOULD I LOVE DO THAT.

SO ANOTHER FEW YEARS GO BY AND BY THEN I REALLY AM RETIRED.

SO THEN I STARTED DOING ALL THE NOTES AND STUFF AND LOOKING INTO IT CAREFUL BY AND WE ENDED UP PUBLISHING THE FIRST VOLUME 12 YEARS AGO, 13 YEARS AGO.

AND THEN FIVE YEARS GO BY AND WE PUBLISH THE SECOND.

GOING BACK TO THE VULNERABILITY OF BROOK TROUT, AND THEY ARE VULNERABLE.

THEY HAVE BEEN PUSHED BACK AND PUSHED BACK THROUGH WARMER WATERS COMPETING SPECIES TO OVER FISHING TO ALL SORTS OF INFLUENCES.

THEY DON'T HAVE THE STAYING POWER THAT BROWNS AND RAINBOWS DO, PARTICULARLY BROWNS.

BUT THEY'RE NATIVE.

THERE ARE NATIVE FISH BUT THEY'RE VERY VULNERABLE.

SO EVEN TODAY, IT'S THE PRIVATE CLUB THAT OWNS A COUPLE THOUSAND ACRES THAT HAS THE FISHING.

AND WHAT YOU DISCOVERED HERE, IN ESSENCE, IS THE PRIVATE CLUB BECAUSE IT HASN'T BEEN EXPLORED.

>> IT'S STILL VIRGIN.

>> STILL VIRGIN SO YOU ARE GOING TO OPEN IT UP AND MAYBE YOU CAN.

>> SO THE FACT THAT TROUT POWER IS GOING OUT AND HELPING WORK ON A PROJECT LIKE THIS IS FANTASTIC BECAUSE OFTEN ONE OF THE BIGGEST HURDLES WITH SCIENCE IS TIME AND MONEY AND IT'S NOT ALWAYS EFFICIENT FOR SOMEONE WHO IS WORKING ON THIS LARGE PROJECT LIKE ME TO GO OUT AND COLLECT ALL OF THESE CLIPS FROM A GIVEN AREA AND LOOK AT IT.

SO ANY HELP THAT WE CAN GET FROM A PRIVATE ORGANIZATION OR OTHERWISE TO WORK ON THE SCIENCES IS GREATLY APPRECIATED AND, YOU KNOW, A HUGE HELP DEFINITELY IF TROUT POWER MEANS JUDGING THE WATER BASED ON THE FISH IN THERE, NATIVE FISH MUST BE EVEN MORE IMPORTANT THROUGH TROUT POWER WE SAID WE HAVE TO GET INVOLVED IN THIS BECAUSE THERE SHOULD BE EYES ON IT IN REGARDS TO WHAT WE SHOULD DO TO IT BECAUSE OF THE BROOK TROUT THAT ARE THERE AND THAT WE BELIEVE THAT MAYBE MAYBE THEY ARE NATIVE AND AGAIN WHEN YOU GET INTO THE CONVERSATIONS THINGS GET ANECDOTAL REALLY QUICK AND IT'S THEY'RE NOT STOCKED OR NOT REALLY REAL OR WHATEVER, AND OUR MENTALITY IS PROVE IT.

2.

>> IF WE GO WAY OUT WE'LL FIND SOME PURE BRED NATIVE FISH.

I'M HERE TO TELL YOU THAT WE ARE EXTREMELY PROUD THAT ALL THE FISH THAT WE CAUGHT, EVERY FIN CLIP, EVERY FISH WAS A NATIVE FISH >> SIGH-- SCIENCE HAS BEEN EFFECTIVE AND CROWD SOURCING IS THE WAY TO GET AT LARGE SAMPLES OF DATA THAT'S GENERALLY HARDER TO GET OR HARDER TO PAY TO GET.

IN OUR CASE, IN THE CASE OF TROUT POWER, THE CITIZEN SCIENCE WE ARE DOING HERE IS EXTREMELY UNIQUE BECAUSE WE ARE ABLE TO GET GENETIC DNA SAMPLING FROM WILD TROUT AND GET QUANTITIES OF IT BECAUSE OF THE CITIZEN SCIENCE OBJECTIVE OR THE METHOD, THAT WOULD OTHERWISE NOT BE POSSIBLE.

IF YOU NOTICED IN THE PRESENTATION THAT JORDAN DID LAST NIGHT, THE SAMPLE SIZE FOR OUR WORK IS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN MANY OF THE OTHER SAMPLING THAT HAS BEEN DONE, GENETIC SAMPLING THAT HAS BEEN DONE AND THAT'S BECAUSE OF CITIZEN SCIENCE.

THE OTHER PROJECTS HAVE A MUCH SMALLER SAMPLE SIZE BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE VOLUNTEERS WHO HAVE BEEN PROPERLY TRAINED AND CARE ABOUT DOING IT PROPERLY, TO GO OUT AND GET SAMPLES.

AND SO OUR DATA IN TERMS OF IT'S USEFULNESS AND AMOUNT OF INTRIGUE ASSOCIATED WITH IT, I THINK IS HIGHER QUALITY THAN THE DATA THAT WAS PROBABLY PAID TO BE OBTAINED BY BIOLOGISTS AND SAFERS AND INTERNS AND STUFF.

NOT THAT THEIR WORK IS BAD.

THIS MODEL IS ECONOMIC AND EFFICIENT BECAUSE WE HAVE SUPER MOTIVATED VOLUNTEERS THAT ARE READY TO GO INTO THE MOST GNARLY HABITAT, VOLUNTEER TO DO IT AND GET THE FIN CLIPS.

WE HAVE A DEDICATED BUNCH OF 20 GUYS HERE THIS WEEKEND, INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF EFFORT TO HIKE INTO THIS SERIOUS BACK COUNTRY AND WE HAVE ALL CAUGHT DOZENS OF THIS BEAUTIFUL JEWEL ABOUT THIS BIG.

WE KNOW THEY'RE WILD.

IT'S OBVIOUS THAT THEY'RE WILD.

THROUGH THIS WEEKEND OF DOING WHAT WE ARE DOING, IT HAS BEEN AMAZING TO SEE THE PASSION FROM EVERYONE JUST BECAUSE OF THEIR LOVE OF PLACE AND THE LOVE OF THE FISH TOURNAMENT, STUDY, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT, I DON'T WANT TO BE CORNY, BUT IT'S REALLY LOVE AND PASSION ABOUT BROOK TROUT AND ADIRONDACKS THAT HAS BROUGHT EVERYONE TOGETHER AND I HAVE TO SAY THAT THE FOUNDATION OF THIS IS EXTREMELY STRONG BECAUSE PEOPLE WILL FIGHT FOR IT BECAUSE THEY LOVE IT.

>> HERITAGE STRAINS, WHICH ARE STRAINS THAT ARE NATIVE TO NEW YORK, WHICH ARE BELIEVED TO HAVE NOT BEEN INFLUENCED BY STOCKING.

AND NEW YORK STATE HAS A VERY LONG HISTORY OF SUPPLEMENTAL STOCKING TO SUPPORT BROOK TROUT AS A SPORTS FISHERY.

SO THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR TWO CENTURIES.

THE DEC RUNS ROUGHLY FIVE HATCHERIES AND THEY STOCK OVER A MILLION POUNDS OF FISH ANNUALLY.

SO AS YOU WOULD EXPECT, THERE HAS BEEN A GREAT LEVEL OF INFLUENCE ON OUR WILD STRAINS OF BROOK TROUT FROM THESE HATCHERY STRAINS AND RIGHT NOW THERE IS BELIEF TO BE ONLY LESS THAN 10 OF THESE HERITAGE STRAINS LEFT.

>> BROOK TROUT NOW ARE BEING FOUND BY THE VOLUNTEERS THAT YEARS AGO WERE BEAR BARREN OF LIFE.

P.H.

LEVELS WERE EQUIVALENT TO VINEGAR.

THERE WAS ALWAYS HOPE THOUGH.

THERE WAS ALWAYS THE ROMANCE THAT THEY NEVER REALLY TOTALLY DISAPPEARED, AND THAT SOME DAY THEY WOULD RETURN AND THEY ARE RETURNING TO.

>> THIS SPECIFIC AREA WE COULD SEE THAT THE AREA HAS BEEN COMPLETELY SWAMPED BY HATCHERY FISH, WHERE THAT WOULD BE A PRETTY CLEAR SIGNATURE THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO SEE IN THE DNA GOING ALL THE WAY UP THE WATERSHED.

WE COULD HAVE A SCENARIO WHERE THERE IS SOME SORT OF BARRIER AFFECTING GENE FLOW BUT THE HATCHERY FISH HAVE TAKEN HOLD DOWNSTREAM SO YOU WOULD BASICALLY SEE ONE TYPE OF FISH UP TO THIS BARRIER AND THEN YOU WOULD SEE A GENETIC SIGNATURE FOR ANOTHER TYPE OF FISH ABOVE THAT BARRIER.

AND THEN YOU ALSO HAVE A SCENARIO WHERE PERHAPS THE HATCHERY AND NATIVE FISH ARE MIXING DOWNSTREAM BUT THEY HAVEN'T MADE IT ALL THE WAY UP TO THE HEAD WATERS.

SO IN THAT SCENARIO, YOU WOULD KIND OF SEE A GRADIENT OF ONE GENETIC SIGNAL FOR THE HATCHERY FISH SLOWLY FADE AS YOU GO UPSTREAM WHILE THIS OTHER NATIVE OR WILD GENETIC SIGNATURE INCREASES WHEN YOU GO UP TO THE HEAD WATERS.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> IT'S ALL US.

AND WAS WE SAW, WHEN WE SEE IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND JIMMY AND TIM, WHICH WE CALL LOST BOYS, WERE THE GUYS THAT HAD THE CAJONES THAT WENT UP INTO LOST BROOK DOCUMENTED BY Dr. GURSTNER.

IT WAS WAY BACK THERE.

>> NOW IT HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED BY YOU GUYS FOLLOWING THESE MANIACS UP THERE.

>> YEAH.

>> BUT IT DOESN'T-- IT CERTAINLY BECOMES EVERYONE'S INDIVIDUAL PASSION THAT THEY GET INVOLVED AND THIS WHOLE TROUT POWER THING BECOMES A WE THING.

>> THE BEAUTY OF THIS PLACE, MEANING THE ADIRONDACK PARK IN GENERAL, TO ME, IT'S ONE OF THE GREAT HUMAN EXPERIMENTS THAT THEY HAVE-- THE FOLKS WHO STARTED THIS HUNDREDS OF YEARS AGO REALLY KNOCKED IT OUT OF THE PARK BECAUSE I'M A BIG BELIEVER THAT NOTHING CAN DESTROY WHAT I CONSIDER PRISTINE PERFECT ECOSYSTEM.

NOTHING CAN DESTROY IT FASTER THAN MAN.

THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT IS NOTHING CAN PROTECT IT LIKE MAN.

AND THESE FISH NEED US.

>> WITH THIS RECOVERY COMES QUESTIONS.

WHAT IS OUT THERE?

HOW FAR DO THESE REMAINING HERITAGE STREAMS REACH?

ARE THERE MORE WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT AND MORE IMPORTANTLY HOW DO WE PROTECT THEM?

>> THAT'S VERY HARD TO SAY BECAUSE WE ONLY HAVE CLIPS, WE ONLY HAVE SAMPLES FROM THINGS COLLECT IN THE CONTEMPORARY.

SO THERE IS NO WAY-- NOW A LOT OF THEOLOGY COLLECTIONS ARE USING ETHANOL BECAUSE YOU CAN PRESERVE THE FISH LONGER BUT TRADITIONALLY FORMALDEHYDE HAS BEEN USE WHICH HAD DOES NOT PRESERVE THE DNA.

IT'S DIFFICULT TO GO BACK AND TAKE FISH AND SEE IF THE DNA HAS CHANGED OR NOT.

SO THAT WE DON'T REALLY KNOW.

ALL WE CAN DO IS GO ON THE AREAS THAT WE HAVE DOCUMENTED AS HERITAGE SITES WITH NO STOCKING HISTORY AND USE THOSE TO COMPARE AGAINST THE HATCHERY CLIPS TO GET A GRASP ON GENETICALLY HOW THESE FISH LOOK.

>> IT'S REAL EASY TO DETERMINE WHAT WE'VE GOT HERE.

THESE THINGS ARE WILD AND PROPAGATING.

WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE A PERFECT ECOSYSTEM HERE, TOUCHED BY MAN BUT UNTOUCHED BY MAN AT THE SAME TIME AND I WILL VENTURE TO SAY IT IS BENEFITED BY MAN AND MAN TURNING AROUND AND REALIZING SOME OF THE FOIBLES, SOME OF THE THINGS THEY HAVE DONE IN THE PAST AND NOW FIXING IT.

SHE SAID TO COME IN HERE, SHOW THIS AND TAKE WHAT I THINK IS GOING TO BE AN OVERWHELMING SUCCESS AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE HAD A SUCCESS BY VIRTUE OF THE FACT THAT WE ARE SITTING HERE SPEAKING TO YOU AND WHOEVER IS GOING TO SEE THIS IS GOING TO UNDERSTAND AND BE ABLE TO REACH OUT TO US AND WE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO TAKE WAS WE ARE DOING AND GET AWAY FROM THE POLITICAL NONSENSE THAT GETS NOTHING DONE.

>> WE'VE INDICATED-- IT'S NOT PROVEN BEYOND ALL SHADOW OF A DOUBT, WE HAVE INDICATED THAT A SYSTEM CAN HEAL AND SURVIVE AND PERSIST IN TERMS OF ITS WILDNESS AND THESE WILD HERITAGE STREAM BROOK TROUT THAT WE HAVE DISCOVERED, WE'VE IDENTIFIED, ARE EVIDENCE OF THAT.

>> WHAT REALLY IS EXCITING TO ME FOR HAVING BEEN HERE YESTERDAY AND LAST NIGHT AND THIS MORNING, IS TO SEE THIS VERY ENTHUSIASTIC BUNCH OF GROUP OF YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN SEEING WHAT IS GOING ON IN TERMS OF THE BROOK TROUT POPULATION.

AND FOR YOU GUYS TO COME BACK AND SEE THAT THEY ARE EXISTING HERE, THAT THE P.H.

IS BACK UP TO 7-POINT SOMETHING AND IT'S WORKING AND THE INSECTS ARE THERE AND THE TROUT ARE THERE.

IT'S JUST WONDERFUL.

MY CONCERN IS THAT IF WHAT YOU ARE DOING ENDS UP WITH THE PUBLIC COMING IN HERE IN DROVES, FISHING WILL GO DOWNHILL.

UNLESS YOU ARE IN AN AREA SUCH AS MONTANA WHERE THE INSECT LIFE, THE MINERALS AND THE RIVERS IN MONTANA PRODUCE FANTASTIC INSIGHT THEY FISH IN THE WINTER, NOT THE CASE IN THE EAST.

IT'S A MUCH MORE VULNERABLE FRAGILE CLOSER TO THE EDGE TROUT POPULATION THAN IT IS OUT WEST.

>> THE WHOLE IDEA IS THAT WE HAVE A VALUABLE STREAM RESOURCE WITH AN ICONIC SPECIES BROOK TROUT, VULNERABLE SPECIES THAT WE ARE CONCERNED WILL BE EXPLOITED BY PEOPLE WHO ARE USING FISHING PRACTICES THAT MAY NOT BE THE MOST SUSTAINABLE.

YOU DON'T WANT TO BE ON THE FRONT PAGE.

IT'S LIKE THEY SAY ON THE INTERNET.

I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF YOU GO ON THE ADIRONDACK FORUM OR NOT BUT THERE IS A SECTION ON HUNTING AND FISHING AND IT'S MOSTLY MADE UP OF PEOPLE FROM THIS AREA HERE.

AND SOME NEWCOMER WILL COME IN FROM, LET'S SAY DOWN IN THE HUDSON VALLEY SOMEPLACE AND I HOPE NOBODY IS FROM THE HUDSON VALLEY... [LAUGHTER] LOWER HUDSON VALLEY IN PARTICULAR AND THEY COME UP TO THE ADIRONDACK AND ASK WHERE CAN I GO TO CATCH THREE-POUND BROOK TROUT.

THAT WINTER NET CLOSES UP TIGHTER THAN A CLAM SHELL FOR OBVIOUS REASONS.

YOU DON'T WANT THAT KIND OF INFORMATION OUT.

AND I CAN RELATE BACK TO WHEN THIS WAS OWNED BY SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY.

THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT HAD PERMISSION TO EITHER FISH THIS LAKE OR WHAT WE USED TO CALL SAGAMORE STREAM, ACTUALLY SOUTH INLET, YOU CAN COUNT ON ONE HAND.

YOU NEVER SAW A CAR PULLED IN PARKING PLACE DOWN THERE BY THE FIRST BRIDGE, YOU KNOW, AND NOW IT'S A REGULAR THING.

EVERY WEEKEND ONE OR TWO CARS PARK DOWN THERE.

AND A CARDBOARD CONTAINER OF WORMS DOWN ON THE POOL WHERE THE POWER PLANT WAS.

>> SURE, YOU BET.

>> ESTABLISHING THIS AS A BLUE RIBBON NATIVE TROUT FISHERY, HEY, BY THE WAY, IT'S CATCH AND RELEASE, WILL PUT A GIANT BULL'S EYE ON THE WATERSHED AND CAUSE AN UPTICK, PROBABLY A SURGE OF PRESSURE THAT WOULD BE PROBLEMATIC.

>> I THINK IT'S WONDERFUL WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING.

I REALLY DO.

I THINK IT'S FABULOUS.

MY CONCERN IS THAT IF YOU ARE REALLY SUCCESSFUL AND YOU CONVINCE THE STATE TO MAKE IT CATCH AND RELEASE, THE STATE IS GOING TO PUT ROADS IN HERE OR NOT ROADS BUT TRAILS IN HERE AND PEOPLE WILL COME IN HERE AND NOT PAY TOO MUCH ATTENTION TO WHAT YOUR RULES ARE.

THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED AT LITTLE TUPPER.

LITTLE TUPPER HAD A NATURAL HERITAGE STRAIN.

THEY HAD SIGNS ALL OVER THE PLACE.

I WENT THERE.

I DIDN'T FISH THERE BUT I TOOK A GUIDE BOAT OVER THERE AND SPENT THE DAY ONE TIME.

SIGNS THAT SAY NO LIVE BAIT.

THEY DON'T PAY TENSION TO THAT.

THEY BRING A PAIL OF LIVE BAIT OVER AND FISH AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, THEY DROP THE REST IN THE WATER.

THE PUBLIC...

SO IT'S WONDERFUL WHAT YOU ARE DOING.

I'M JUST CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO THE FISHERY IN DUE COURSE.

>> HOW DO YOU CHANGE THEIR BEHAVIORS?

YOU DON'T CHANGE THEIR BEHAVIORS NECESSARILY BY DOING DNA SAMPLING.

YOU DO OTHER THINGS THAT SORT OF ADJUST THOSE FISHING BEHAVIORS, INCLUDING CREATE CATCH AND RELEASE AND SO FORTH, BUT DOING THAT MAY HAVE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.

SO ONE STUDY IS AN IMPACT STUDY.

WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHO EXACTLY IS USING THIS RESOURCE, WHAT KIND OF USES ARE THEY ENGAGED IN, WHAT ARE THEIR INTERESTS, WHAT ARE THEIR CONCERNS?

WHAT WOULD BE THE BARRIERS OF THEM ADOPTING PRACTICES THAT WOULD BE MORE SUSTAINABLE FOR A VULNERABLE FISH POPULATION... POPULATION OF FISH.

>> DOESN'T NEED TO BE FLY FISHING ONLY.

IT JUST NEEDS TO BE RESPECTED.

AND THERE ARE SUGGESTIONS FOR WAYS THAT YOU CAN CAPTURE THESE FISH BARBLESS HOOKS, CATCH AND RELEASE, GREAT, MORE INDICATION.

WHAT WE DON'T WANT TO DO IS FALSELY PUT A MAGNET ON THIS THING AND DRAW ALL THE PEOPLE AWAY FROM, FOR EXAMPLE, THE WEST BRANCH TO HERE THINKING THIS IS ANOTHER BLUE RIBBON FISHERY.

BECAUSE IT IS AN AWESOME FISHERY BUT IT IS NOT A BLUE RIBBON TROPHY TROUT PLACE.

SO, TO ME, THE POINT WILL BE EDUCATION.

THE LITTLE SIGNAGE, KIOSKS AT THE ENTRY POINT AND INCREASING AWARENESS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS FISH AS A STATE FISH AND ITS HERITAGE STRAIN AND THE WORK WE'VE UNCOVERED.

I THINK THAT MOST PEOPLE, IF THEY WERE TO READ THAT, OR GOT A PAMPHLET ABOUT IT OR SAW IT ON THE INTERNET OR AN APP, WOULD PROBABLY DO THE RIGHT THING IN TERMS OF THE WAY THEY USE THAT RESOURCE.

>> WE CAN LOOK TO HISTORY.

WE CAN LOOK TO THE WORK OF OUR ANCESTORS WHO TALKED ABOUT THIS PLACE AND BUILT THIS PLACE AND FIND CLUES OF WHERE WE MIGHT GO LOOKING FOR THESE SORT OF POOLS OF PERSISTENCE.

POOLS OF RESILIENCE IN THE ECOSYSTEM.

GO THERE AND WORK ON IT AS A TEAM LIKE WE HAVE WITH THE CITIZEN SCIENCE AND COME UP WITH SOMETHING SUPER POSITIVE AS A RESULT OF HAVING DONE THAT.

IT'S POSITIVE TO KNOW THAT THE COLD WATER IS THERE, THAT THE CLEAN WATER IS THERE, THAT THE FISH THAT ARE INDICATORS OF A HEALTHY SYSTEM ARE THERE.

THE INVERTEBRATES THAT THEY EAT ARE THERE, ALL INDICATORS OF A GOOD SYSTEM THERE AND LO AND BEHOLD, HERE IS SAGAMORE, HERE IS HUMANS ENJOYING AND BEING A PART OF THAT SYSTEM.

SO THE SECOND TAKEAWAY MESSAGE FOR ME IS WE HUMANS CAN CONTINUE TO WORK ON REIMAGINING OURSELVES AS PART OF ECOSYSTEM, NOT SEPARATE FROM THEM, NOT EXEMPT FROM THEIR RULES.

>> INCREDIBLE.

BREATHTAKING PLACE: WILD PLACE THAT WE HAVE BEEN TO THAT I HAVE BEEN TO.

OUR SECOND TRIP UP HERE.

WE WERE UNSURE IF THERE WERE REALLY FISH UP HERE WITH THE SPRING BLOWN OUT AND WE HAD NO LUCK.

NOW IT'S A WHOLE OTHER WORLD, FISHING ALL THE WAY UP TO FAR, GREAT SIGNS AND EXACTLY WHAT WE HOPED IT WOULD BE.

>> AND HOW ABOUT THE FISH?

SIZE?

>> NO MONSTERS JUST CATCHING THESE BEAUTIFUL CLASSIC LOST BROOK BROOK TROUT, BEAUTIFUL COLORS ESPECIALLY THIS TIME OF YEAR.

>> WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO BUILD AWARENESS AND USE TROUT IS A METRIC TO JUDGE THE QUALITY OF THE WATER.

SO OUR MISSION IS TO CHANGE THE WORLD IN REGARDS TO THE WAY PEOPLE LOOK AT CLEAN WATER, NOT NECESSARILY BY HOW CLEAR THE WATER IS BUT BY THE TROUT THAT LIVE IN IT AND AT THE CENTER OF THE FOCUS OF THIS OF THE FOUNDATION OF THIS IS WILD FISH.

SO IF THE FISH CAN TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE STOCKED, THEN THE ECOSYSTEM IS IN GOOD SHAPE.

>> OKAY, WHAT I WOULD LOVE TO GET INTO THIS.

MY NAME IS JOSH PATCH WITH WCNY PRODUCTIONS.

AND SITTING NEXT TO ME IS JORDAN ROSS AND JORDAN, GO AHEAD AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF.

>> MY NAME IS JORDAN ROSS AND I'M THE FOUNDER OF THE TROUT POWER ORGANIZATION AND I RAN THE PRODUCTION FOR THIS FILM.

I APPRECIATE BEING HERE.

THANKS.

>> YOU ARE WELCOME.

KEITH.

>> KEITH TIDBALL FROM CORNELL UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT AND VICE PRESIDENT OF TROUT POWER.

GREAT TO BE HERE WITH YOU TODAY.

>> AWESOME.

SCOTT.

THANKS, SCOTT, SCOTT DASKIEWICH, CHAIRMAN OF THE NEW YORK NATIVE FISH COALITION, ADVOCACY GROUP THAT ADVOCATES FOR NATIVE FISH.

VERY INTERESTED IN BROOK TROUT AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

>> JESSE.

>> I'M JESSE VADALA, I'M AN ENGAGEMENT COORDINATOR FOR TROUT UNLIMITED BASED IN CONNECTICUT AND NEW YORK FOCUS ON AQUATIC PASSAGE PROJECTS FOR WILD FISH.

>> FOR ME AND ESPECIALLY VIEWERS, WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAS CHANGED, WHAT HAS HAPPENED SINCE FILMING THIS FILM?

>> A LOT?

IF WE GO INTO THE PAST OF WHEN THE FILM WAS CREATED, IT WAS 2018.

AND AT THAT POINT, I THINK THAT BROOK TROUT ADVOCACY AND THE CONCEPT OF WHAT WE COULD DO FOR BROOK TROUT, I THINK, WAS BEGINNING TO MORPH AND DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS WERE ALSO KIND OF STARTING TO TAKE HOLD AND BE FORKED.

AND NOW THERE IS A LOT MORE OF A MOVEMENT TOWARDS WHAT WE CAN DO FOR BROOK TROUT SPECIFICALLY.

MY PERSONAL PASSION, DOING THE FILM, WAS ALL ABOUT THE ADIRONDACKS.

BUT NOW I THINK THAT BROOK TROUT HAVE ALSO STARTED TO GET A LITTLE BIT OF A ATTENTION, THEY'RE DIFFERENT SUBECOSYSTEMS, CATSKILLS, ALLEGANY, SOUTHERN NEW YORK, AND THAT'S GREAT BUT THE REST OF THE PEOPLE ON THE PANEL CAN ALSO SPEAK TO OTHER MOVEMENTS AND OTHER THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED SINCE 2018.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

GOETZ GET RIGHT INTO IT.

>> SO BUILDING OFF JORDAN'S COMMENTS, THE EASTERN BROOK TROUT JOINT VENTURE HAD BEEN DOING BROOK TROUT IN THE NORTHEAST FOR QUITE A WHILE BEFORE TROUT POWER CAME ON THE SCENE.

BUT WHAT I NOTICED WAS MISSING AND JORDAN AND A FEW OF US NOTICED WAS MISSING IN THAT EFFORT WAS THAT NEW YORK DIDN'T APPEAR TO BE BLINKING AS BRIGHTLY ON THE RADAR SCREEN AS WE PROBABLY SHOULD, GIVEN THE RESOURCES WE HAVE IN THE ADIRONDACKS.

SO I THINK WHAT HAS CHANGED, IN TERMS OF ADVOCACY SINCE THAT TIME, SINCE 2018, SINCE THE TIME OF THE FILM, IS THAT OUR MANAGEMENT AGENCIES AND OTHERS ARE MOVING OUT OF A SORT OF MONOCULTURE ABUNDANCE MODEL OF MANAGING AND MOVING MORE TOWARDS CONSERVATION MODEL AROUND BROOK TROUT AND BROOK TROUT HABITAT THAT IS MORE ABOUT THE QUALITY OF THE EXPERIENCE AND WILDNESS OF THE FISH AND LESS ABOUT HOW MANY STOCKED FISH CAN WE CATCH.

THAT'S A HUGE ADVANCEMENT IN MY MIND AND I THINK THE ANGLING COMMUNITY IS 100% ON BOARD WITH THAT.

I WOULD SAY 90% ON BOARD WITH THAT.

AND IS EXCITED ABOUT WHERE WE ARE HEADED WITH THAT.

THE OTHER THING THAT I THINK HAS CHANGED SINCE THAT FILM IS IN SOME CASES, THE WATERSHEDS WHERE WE SEE GOOD POPULATIONS OF WILD NATIVE BROOK TROUT ARE DOING OKAY, BUT OTHERS AREN'T.

AND JUST EVEN SINCE 2018, THERE HAS BEEN A COUPLE OF IMPORTANT PAPERS THAT HAVE COME OUT FROM COLLEAGUES OF MINE AT THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT AT CORNELL ABOUT TEMPERATURES, WARMING, BROWNING.

SO EVEN SINCE 2018, WE ARE SEEING DIFFERENCES AND WE WILL HOPEFULLY TALK ABOUT THIS MORE LATER IN TERMS OF THE LONG-TERM MONITORING HAPPENING IN THE ADIRONDACKS, BUT I THINK WHAT WE'VE GOT TO DO IS WORK HARDER TO IDENTIFY THESE GENETICALLY UNIQUE BROOK TROUT AND UNDERSTAND THEIR CHARACTERISTICS AND THEIR ABILITY TO PERSIST AS THEY EXPERIENCE ANOTHER THREAT NOW THAT WE ARE FINALLY THROUGH ACID RAIN.

>> SCOTT.

>> OH YEAH A LOT HAS CHANGED.

I THINK THE ANGLING COMMUNITY HAS EMBRACED, YOU KNOW, NATIVE BROOK TROUT AS A FISH THAT THEY HOLD IN HIGH REGARD.

I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO REALIZE THAT, YOU KNOW, THESE FISH ARE IMPORTANT, MAYBE MORE IMPORTANT THAN ALL THESE STOCKED BROWN TROUT AND RAINBOW TROUT THAT WE HAVE BEEN THROWING AROUND FOR DECADES.

IT'S A MORE PURE EXPERIENCE, A MORE VISCERAL EXPERIENCE FOR FOLKS THAT LED TO-- OUR GROUP WAS FOUNDED IN 2017 IN MAINE.

OUR CHAPTER HAS BEEN AROUND FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS NOW.

THERE IS AN UPSWELLING OF INTEREST IN NATIVE FISH, NOT JUST BROOK TROUT.

OUR ORGANIZATION IS FOCUSED ON THINGS LIKE SMALL MOUTH BASSED IN THE ST. LAWRENCE THAT ARE UNDER, YOU KNOW, SOME STRESS FROM ROUND GOBIES AND OTHER INVASIVE SPECIES.

YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THINGS LIKE ATLANTIC SALMON AND THE GREAT LAKES, LAKE CHAMPLAIN, FINGER LAKES, THERE IS A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY FOR NATIVE FISH AND I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE VALUE NATIVE FISH MORE THAN THEY DID IN YEARS PAST.

>> WHY DO YOU THINK THAT MAY BE?

DO YOU THINK THE INTERNET HAS A LOT TO DO WITH IT?

>> I THINK IT IS.

IT IS A BACK TO BASICS TYPE ATTITUDE AMONGST THE ANGLING COMMUNITY.

YOU WANT TO GET BACK TO WHAT KIND OF A PRIMORDIAL WILDERNESS EXPERIENCE SO TO SPEAK.

AND ALL THE WORK THAT TROUT POWER HAS DONE IN THE ADIRONDACKS, THE ADIRONDACKS IS A PERFECT LABORATORY FOR THAT.

SO HAVE YOU VAST AREAS OF UNTOUCHED WILDERNESS.

IT'S A GOOD PLACE TO DO THAT KIND OF WORK.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

JESSE, WHAT DO YOU THINK?

>> TOTALLY, CHIME IN ON SOME EXCELLENT POINTS MADE.

JUST THINKING OF THE TIMELINE IN 2018 UNTIL TODAY, I THINK A REALLY IMPORTANT PIECE IS NEW YORK STATE DEC'S COMMITMENT TO A TROUT MANAGEMENT PLAN AS OF 2020, I THINK WAS A HUGE PIECE IN THE PUZZLE FOR WHAT IS HOPEFULLY STRONGER AND BETTER PROTECTION FOR TROUT, SPECIFICALLY WILD TROUT.

DESIGNATIONS THAT HELP REALLY BRING SPECIFIC NUMBERS, CHARACTERISTICS TO STREAMS THAT ARE STOCKED WITH FISH VERSUS STREAMS THAT ARE NOT STOCKED WITH FISH.

THE INTENTION BEHIND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THE ANGLER SHOULD BE INFORMED OF.

AND SO I THINK PART OF OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS ADVOCATES FOR IT WHO REALLY CARE ABOUT WILD AND NATIVE FISH, WE TEACH ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THOSE DESIGNATIONS AND HOW BEST TO PRACTICE WHEN OUT LOOKING FOR THESE FISH.

TRULY AS YOU SAW IN THE FILM, PURSUING WILD NATIVE BROOK TROUT, WONDERS OF THESE WATERS HERE IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK IS AN UNPARALLELED EXPERIENCE.

SO TO HAVE THAT CHANCE AT SOMETHING SACRED AND I'M SO GLAD TO BE PART OF AN ORGANIZATION LIKE TROUT UNLIMITED, SUPPORTING DEC HERE IN NEW YORK FOR IMPROVED MANAGEMENT OF WILD TROUT, AND BETTER EDUCATION AND UNDERSTANDING FOR THE PUBLIC.

>> I WILL JUST CHIME IN FOR A SECOND BECAUSE THE MIND SET OF WHAT YOU GUYS ARE TALKING ABOUT, I THINK, IS THE SHIFT.

YOU ALL HAVE SAID IT AND I'LL SAY IT AGAIN TO SUM IT UP.

WHAT I'VE SEEN, THE MINDSET OF ANGLING USED TO BE TO CATCH FISH.

AND THE ANGLING EXPERIENCE, THAT MINDSET IS WE ARE BEGINNING TO EMBRACE NOW IS THE EXPERIENCE OF GOING OUT CATCH BROOK TROUT, FOR EXAMPLE, THE MIND SET OF THE ANGLING COMMUNITY AND THE DEC NOW AFTER WHAT YOU WERE SAYING, WHEN THEY SURVEYED FOR THE STUDY, THEY REALIZED ANGLERS WERE SAYING THE EXPERIENCE OF CATCHING A WILD FISH AND A NATIVE WILD FISH IS WHAT MATTERS TO THEM.

NOT HUGE, NOT, YOU KNOW, LIMITS.

>> WHAT CONSERVATION EFFORTS ARE UNDER WAY SINCE THE FILM?

>> I'M GOING TO PIVOT OVER TO THESE GUYS.

>> JESSE, DO YOU WANT TO START?

>> I'LL FIELD ONE.

CERTAINLY.

A BIG PIECE OF THE WORK WE DO AT TROUT UNLIMITED IS RELATED TO AQUATIC PASSAGE.

PART OF THE EDUCATION IS LEARNING WHAT THE WORD HABITAT MEANS FOR TROUT.

WHAT TYPES OF PLACES ARE CONDUCIVE TO THEM IN ALL SEASONS AND WHAT TYPES OF PLACES SPECIFICALLY ARE IMPORTANT TO THEM DURING THEIR SPAWNING SEASON.

THE CHANCE WHEN THEY CAN RECREATE AND GROW THOSE POPULATIONS OF WILD FISH.

SO THAT EDUCATION PIECE IS HUGE AND HAPPENING ALL THE TIME AT TROUT UNLIMITED, TEACHING PEOPLE ABOUT THE VALUE OF SPAWNING AND WILD FISH.

SO THAT'S A BIG PIECE OF WHAT I'M PROUD TO HELP EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ON.

SPECIFICALLY THE ON THE GROUND PROJECTS THAT ARE HAPPENING ARE WORKING WITH MUNICIPALITIES TO REMOVE BARRIERS TO FISH PASSAGE.

THAT HAPPENS AT VERY SMALL LEVELS AND THEN VERY LARGE ONES.

HERE IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK, THERE HAVE BEEN MASSIVE DAM REMOVALS AROUND THE UNITED STATES BUT NOT TO BE LOOKED OVER IN NEW YORK, WE ARE ALSO TAKING OUT BARRIERS FOR WILD FISH PASSAGE.

THAT'S HAPPENING IN THESE AREAS WHERE WE KNOW NATIVE BROOK TROUT AND WILD FISH IN GENERAL ARE IN NEED OF CONNECTION TO HABITAT AND THAT'S WHAT WE ARE FOCUSED ON AT TROUT UNLIMITED FOR SPECIFICALLY HABITAT IMPROVEMENT AND RECONNECTION OF WILD FISH.

>> INTERESTING.

>> MAYBE I COULD ADD TO THAT A LITTLE BIT.

I'M VERY PROUD TO BE LIFE MEMBER OF TROUT UNLIMITED AND THE WORK THAT YOU ARE DOING THERE.

AND I HOPE THAT THE WORK THAT TROUT POWER IS DOING AUGMENTS SOME OF THAT WORK.

WE ARE VERY FOCUSED ON GENETIC BIODIVERSITY.

AND THE THINKING BEHIND THIS IS MONOCULTURES HAVE NEVER BEEN A REALLY GOOD IDEA.

MONOCULTURE DOZEN NOT INCREASE RESILLIENCE OF POPULATION OF FISH OR CROPS OR ANYTHING ELSE.

WE CONCERNED ABOUT DOCUMENTING AND UNDERSTANDING WHERE IT IS THAT THIS JENNETTE ELK DIVERSITY IN THIS POOL OF BROOK TROUT-- AND THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT STRAINS BEYOND THE ORIGINAL HERITAGE STRAINS, WHICH I PUT IN AIR QUOTES BECAUSE WE ARE SEEING THAT THAT WAS JUST A SNAPSHOT AND NOT PARTICULARLY ACCURATE BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY MORE.

SO WHAT WE ARE FOCUSED ON IN TERMS OF CONSERVATION ACTIVITY THAT YOU JUST ASKED ABOUT IS CONSERVING OR AT LEAST DOCUMENTING AS FAST AS WE CAN GIVEN THE URGENCY OF SOME OF THE THREATS WE THINK ARE OUT THERE, CONSERVING, DOCUMENTING THE GENETIC DIVERSITY OF BROOK TROUT IN THE ADIRONDACKS AND BEYOND.

AND EVERY TIME THAT WE FIND A NEW UNIQUE GENETIC STRAIN, WE DOCUMENT THAT IN TERMS OF DEMOGRAPHICS AND IN TERMS OF THE GENETICS AND HOPEFULLY WE PASS THAT ON TO THE ACADEMIC COMMUNITY, SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY TO DO WHAT THEY WILL WITH THAT.

AND I THINK THAT ALSO HAS AN IMPACT IN TERMS OF MANAGEMENT.

>> WE ARE TAKING KIND OF A PUBLIC EDUCATION APPROACH.

ONE OF OUR MAIN PROJECTS RIGHT NOW, WE PARTNERED WITH NEW YORK STATE DEC TO REPLENISH ALL OF THE BAIT FISH BANNING SIGNS THAT WERE ONCE PREVALENT AMONGST ON THE ADIRONDACK BROOK TROUT PONDS.

I'VE SEEN THIS ON SOCIAL MEDIA, I'VE SEEN IT ALL OVER.

THE GENERAL PUBLIC DOESN'T HAVE A GOOD GRASP OF HOW DANGEROUS IT IS TO DUMP A BUCKET OF GOLDEN SHINERS INTO A BROOK TROUT POND.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

DEVASTATING.

SHINERS COMPETE WITH BROOK TROUT FOR FOOD.

THEY'RE GOING TO EAT THEIR FRY, THEIR FOR EXAMPLES EGG, PREVENT NATURAL REPRODUCTION AND IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO GET RID OF THEM ONCE THEY'RE THERE.

VERY EXPENSIVE FOR THE STATE TO GO IN AND TRY TO MITIGATE THE FISH BY DOING RECLAMATION.

SO WE ARE PUTTING THE SIGNS BACK UP AS PART OF AN OVERALL THRUST OF PUBLIC EDUCATION ON BAIT FISH.

AND YOU KNOW, I THINK WE MENTIONED THE DEC PLAN THAT THEY'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW.

THAT'S A BIG PART OF IT.

I THINK WE NEED TO GET THE MESSAGE OUT THERE THAT THESE THINGS ARE BAD FOR OUR NATIVE FISH.

>> AGREE, YEAH BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I ICE FISH A LOT AND YOU BUY MINNOWS, YOU GET A TICKET AND THEY'RE DOING ANYTHING DIFFERENT WITH THE TICKET TO HELP THAT, LIKE ANYTHING MORE THAN JUST A TICKET?

>> WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO IS THEY'RE ACTUALLY REALLY DIMINISHING THE LAKES WHERE YOU CAN LEGALLY USE BAIT IN NEW YORK STATE, SPECIFICALLY IN THE ADIRONDACK PARK.

THIS HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT STEVE HEARST, THE FISHERIES MANAGER OF THE DEC WAS PASSIONATE ABOUT.

I THINK IT'S GREAT.

THE IDEA OF MOVING BAIT FISH AWAY, EVEN ADJACENT TO THINGS LIKE WILDERNESS AREAS WHERE BROOK TROUT HAVE A STRONG HOLD, YOU ARE GOING TO SEE A LOT OF THOSE WATERS DIMINISH.

BUT FOR THE GENERAL ANGLING PUBLIC, I DON'T THINK THEY'LL MISS A LOT OF THESE.

A LOT OF THESE ARE SMALL WATERS, THE MAIN ICE FISHING LAKES IN THE ADIRONDACKS YOU CAN USE BAIT BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN LIKE THAT FOR MANY YEARS.

THAT'S GOING TOCK THE MAJOR CHANGE.

>> THERE SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN A MOVEMENT ON THE BROOK TROUT CONSERVATION SENSE TROUT POWER STARTED.

IS THAT TRUE?

>> I MEAN WE ARE HEARING IT.

>> AND JUST TO ADD A FINER POINT TO THAT, WE ARE HEARING IT, WE ARE SEEING IT EVEN IN THE FILM WE ARE TALKING ABOUT TODAY AND WE CAN SAY, WE HAVE-- TROUT POWER HAS SAMPLED 40 RIVERS IN THE ADIRONDACKS AND WHERE NOWHERE NEAR DONE.

WE WANT TO SAMPLE IN EVERY MAJOR WATERSHED IN THE ADIRONDACKS.

WE HAVE I THINK MORE THAN 600 FISH SAMPLED SINCE THE MOVIE SINCE THAT FILM WAS DEVELOPED.

AND WE ARE GROWING.

WE ARE A MEMBERSHIP ORGANIZATION NOW.

SO A LOT HAS HAPPENED IN TERMS OF A MOVEMENT.

I THINK FIRST YOU GET AN ANGLER AWARENESS OF THE RESOURCE AND FULLER APPRECIATION OF IT.

THAT STARTS WITH SOME OF THE EDUCATION WE ARE TALKING ABOUT.

ONCE THAT APPRECIATION AND AWARENESS IS BUILT, THEN IT'S TIME TO TALK ABOUT THE URGENCY OF THE THREAT AND WHAT WE CAN DO RIGHT NOW TO DOCUMENT WHATEVER IT IS, THE CURRENT SITUATION WITH BROOK TROUT POPULATIONS AND WE HAVE TO DO THAT QUICKLY.

AND I THINK THAT'S PART OF THE MOVEMENT.

>> THIS IS KIND OF OFF QUESTION THAT JUST POPPED IN LISTENING TO YOU GUYS.

WITH GETTING A HUNTING LICENSE, YOU HAVE TO GET EDUCATED AND GO THROUGH A COURSE.

HAVE THERE BEEN TALKS FOR FISHING AND THAT TYPE OF THING BEFORE GETTING YOUR LICENSE?

>> WE DID TALK ABOUT THAT.

KEITH AND I WERE BOTH AT THE PLANNING OF THIS BROOK TROUT PLAN AND THAT IDEA WAS THROWN AROUND.

>> HOW OR WHAT CAN THESE ORGANIZATIONS WORK TOGETHER ON A COMMON GOLD TO WORK TOGETHER AND HAVE THE SAME GOAL, THAT KIND OF STUFF?

>> I THINK I WILL THROW IT TO STEVE HEARST.

HE HAS BEEN TOUTING WE SHOULD HAVE A STRATEGIC PLAN THAT WE ARE ALL AGREEING ON AND I THINK THAT THAT IS A GOOD IDEA.

IN FACT I THINK IT'S PROBABLY NECESSARY.

THE STRENGTHS OF ALL THE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS AND THEIR CORE COMPETENCIES SHOULD BE IDENTIFIED, IN MY OPINION AND WE SHOULD GET TOGETHER AND THEN DEPLOY TO A COMMON GOAL.

WHAT THE COMMON GOAL AND WHAT THE VISION IS FOR THE STATE, I THINK WE ARE PROBABLY AT THE POINT NOW WHERE WE HAVE TO ASK THAT QUESTION AND GET TOGETHER ON THAT.

BUT I WILL SAY GOING BACK TO THE MOVEMENT THING AND KEITH AND I WERE IN THE FILMING OF THIS IN THE EARLY STAGES OF TROUT POWER, I THINK THE THING THAT WE IDENTIFIED WAS THE POTENTIAL ENERGY FOR DOING THIS BECAUSE OF THE PASSION THAT WE SAW FROM THE PEOPLE.

I DON'T-- I DIDN'T EVEN REALIZE THERE WOULD BE A PASSION TOWARDS THIS THAT WE DISCOVERED.

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

IS.

>> YEAH.

>> ONCE YOU BUILD THE AWARENESS OF THE URGENCY OF THE THREAT, THEN THERE IS AN URGE TO DO SOMETHING.

PEOPLE WANT TO ENGAGE, WHETHER IT'S PUTTING UP SIGNS, WHETHER IT'S HELPING WITH GENETIC SAMPLING, VOLUNTEERING WITH TROUT UNLIMITED ON THE CULVERT PROJECT WHICH I REMEMBER DOING A FEW YEARS AGO WITH YOU IN THE ADIRONDACKS.

PEOPLE WANT TO DO SOMETHING.

THEY WANT TO ACT.

>> FOR SURE.

>> AND I THINK THE UNIFYING THING IS PROBABLY ACTION.

>> I AGREE.

I DO BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE PARTICULAR LANES-- YOU MENTIONED THIS EARLIER-- THAT WE HAVE CAPABILITIES AND CAPACITY AND THAT IS UNIQUE TO OUR RESPECTIVE ORGANIZATIONS.

AND WE HAVE TO BE MINDFUL OF MONOCULTURES.

BUT THERE ARE PLACES WHERE WE NEED TO UNIFY AS JORDAN IS DESCRIBING, AND GET BEHIND I THINK THESE VERY BOLD AND BRAVE INITIATIVES COMING OUT OF DEC. STEVE IS DOING SOMETHING THAT IS TOUGH.

I MEAN THAT PLAN HAS BEEN THERE SINCE THE 70s.

AND, YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE THE DEC IS DOING THAT.

>> I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE ARE ALL HOPING TO RALLY BEHIND IS EDUCATING AND CONTINUING TO CELEBRATE THESE OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE.

I THINK SOMETHING THAT I TRY TO BANG THE DRUM ON AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE-- AND THIS MAY BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR IT-- SPEAKING ABOUT THE DEC AND THE OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE, PUBLIC FISHING RIGHTS IS AN OPPORTUNITY HERE IN NEW YORK, UNIQUE IN ITSELF.

WE HAVE INCREDIBLE LANDSCAPES THAT ARE ACCESSIBLE TO ANYONE WITH A MEANS OF FISHING.

THIS MEANS COMMUNITIES WHO ARE NOT OFTEN SERVED THE MESSAGE OF JUST HOW BEAUTIFUL BROOK TROUT ARE.

SO THERE ARE THOUSANDS IF NOT MILLIONS OF ADVOCATES BEING MADE FOR THE BROOK TROUT BY WAY OF EXPANDING THE MESSAGING ABOUT HOW BEAUTIFUL AND SACRED THEY ARE.

AND THE URGENCY PIECE THAT I THOUGHT WAS REALLY NEAT THAT WAS JUST TOUCHED ON BY KEITH, THE SENSITIVITY OF BROOK TROUT, THE WATER QUALITY, THE WATER TEMPERATURE.

WE ARE TALKING ABOUT SOMETIMES JUST A FEW DEGREES BETWEEN A PRIME TIME WHEN A TROUT IS HEALTHY, HAPPY AND FEEDING TO A PROLONGED PERIOD WHERE THAT TEMPERATURE IS, LET'S SAY 70 SOMETHING AND THAT FISH IS STRESSING TOWARDS END OF LIFE.

SENSITIVITY, URGENCY AROUND CELEBRATING THEM AND CONSERVING THEM.

>> EXCELLENT.

THAT CONCLUDES OUR PANEL DISCUSSION.

I WANT TO THANK JORDAN AND EVERYONE FOR COMING AND DISCUSSING.

THIS HAS BEEN AN AMAZING TOPIC WE ARE TALKING ABOUT.

I LOOK FORWARD SHOWING THE WORLD THIS, MAN, SO THANK YOU GUYS VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.