Whit Fosburgh has spent nearly four decades fighting for fish, wildlife, and the wild places that sustain them. After 15 years with Trout Unlimited and 14 years as President and CEO of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, Fosburgh turned his attention toward what he believes is one of the most overlooked threats facing America’s oceans: the industrial harvest of forage fish. He is now the founder and Executive Director of the Forage Fish Campaign, an organization working to protect menhaden, herring, mackerel, and the small fish that form the foundation of the marine food chain.

In this episode, Whit sits down with us to explain why menhaden may be among the most important fish in the sea, the enormous industrial reduction fishery operating in American waters, and the consequences the removal of these fish can have on everything from striped bass and tarpon to ospreys, marine mammals, recreational anglers, and coastal communities. We also dive into the foreign ownership behind portions of the industry, the politics and science surrounding menhaden management, and why protecting the smallest fish in the ocean may ultimately determine the future of the biggest ones we love to chase.

This is, without question, one of the most important podcasts we have recorded. What is actually taking place in our waters is absolutely mind-blowing, and the scale of it is something every angler and anyone who cares about the health of our oceans should understand. We encourage everyone to pay close attention to this issue, learn what is happening, and take action through the Forage Fish Campaign.

Learn more and get involved at ForageFishCampaign.org.