Coastal Advocacy Adventures Podcast

David Aparicio is a 3rd generation commercial fishermen and 1st generation oyster farmer, and Mario Marquez is an oyster aquaculture specialist working for Sea Grant. Both men know their way around an oyster. Tune in to learn about oyster farm life, what is required to get an oyster mariculture permit in Texas, farming obstacles and opportunities. Be sure to check out David's company DJ's Oyster Co @djsoysterco on Instagram.

Hannah Kaplan - owner and operator of Barrier Beauties - discusses her oyster farm near Bolivar, the ins and outs of the permitting process, and future possibilities for her operations. Hannah and her team have braved new waters and have found a way to provide a sustainable product to a desperate market. We owe them and all the Texas oyster farming pioneers a big thank you for their entrepreneurial spirit.

Dr. Mike Wetz joins Shane and John to highlight a new initiative called Bringing Baffin Back. Bringing Baffin Back (BBB) is a sustained commitment to dramatically improve the health of Baffin Bay and the surrounding economy through partnerships between scientists and stakeholders who want the bay to thrive. Texan By Nature recently selected BBB as one of four projects that will receive up to 18 months of tailored support through its Conservation Wrangler project in 2022. Led by Dr. Michael Wetz, Chair for Coastal Ecosystem Processes at the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies (HRI) at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, and Dr. Kiersten Stanzel, Director of Partnerships for the Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program, BBB consists of a stakeholder group of at least 131 members that seek to address the key issues in the decline of Baffin Bay watershed. Learn more by listening to this episode and watching this video - https://youtu.be/ZPP0V1EnyT4

We all want more oysters, and in the process of considering management options for the fishery, we need to prioritize the value of oyster IN the water.

Comment today - https://tpwd.texas.gov/business/feedback/public_comment/proposals/202203_oyster.phtml

Scott McLeod and Mike Weiss are retired TPWD game wardens and residents in Rockport Texas. Listen in as they visit with John Blaha and Shane Bonnot, sharing their perspective on the status of the oyster fishery in Texas.

Casey Shedd of AFTCO (American Fishing Tackle Company)sits down with Pat Murray and Shane Bonnot to discuss the AFTCO brand, the Shedd family conservation legacy, and why fishing matters. Unparalleled quality, performance and reliability - this not only applies to AFTCO products but also the Shedd family. Check out this episode, and then do yourself a favor. Head over to www.aftco.com to support a company that supports conservation and fishing resources.

Shane and Pat discuss the recreational angler's response to the emergency rule to help speckled trout stocks rebound after the devastating February 2021 freeze.

Pat and Shane discuss the impacts of the February 14-19, 2021 freeze event on Texas coastal fisheries, conservation ethics and the responsibility we have as individuals to participate in the recovery of spotted seatrout populations. Pat also provides some historical perspective from his experiences working as a fishing as a guide through freeze events in the 1980's. Tune in to the very end to hear the latest news from Texas Parks and Wildlife regarding emergency rule changes. photo credit: John Blaha

Troy recently took a trip to Mexico to retrieve a sail boat that he purchased to begin his life long dream of sailing. He went from sailing calm, beautiful seas to being in a fight for survival against an angry sea as a result from a strong front. He battled massive waves for eight hours, tied himself down to the wheel and did everything in his power to stay alive during the worst 8 hours of his life. Tune into this episode to learn more about his ordeal and how you can help Troy to get his boat off the Padre Island National Seashore. To help Troy, please consider going to his GoFundMe page and donating a few bucks - https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-troy-sink-the-boat-and-stay-out-of-jail?qid=895172be3a57b024a049c7137499223a

Brian Little - owner/operator of Sabine Skiffs discusses conservation, fishing, philosophy of life and designing/building some of the hottest poling skiffs on the market today. It was a pleasure to spend time with a kindred spirit and record this episode. Thank you Brian Little!