| |
Angers are some of the most environmentally-conscious people on the planet. That’s because they understand the link between proper land and water stewardship and their fortunes as anglers.
Anglers love to catch fish. Which isn’t a shocker, and I’m no exception. But catching fish consistently doesn’t happen by happenstance or luck. To be sure, catching fish consistently is a skill that’s learned over time and honed through trial and error. But catching fish also has an environmental component. Simply stated, you won’t catch too many fish in spoiled waters.
That’s why anglers feel so strongly about keeping their fisheries as healthy and pristine as possible. We anglers and boaters are not separate from the environment. We are active participants in nature, which requires us to treat it responsibly and with respect.
Regular readers of this column know that I’ve preached about preserving our natural resources for years—especially our lakes, rivers and streams, the places we fish. Today is no exception, though I’m taking a slightly different approach. Let me explain:
For the first time this year, I’m going to run a new outboard: one of Evinrude’s two-stroke E-TEC machines. Without sacrificing power or performance on the water, the E-TEC is perhaps the mostly environmentally-friendly outboard on the market today. It burns cleaner, emits fewer emissions and is extremely fuel-efficient, which is more important today than ever as fuel prices continue to rise.
In fact, Evinrude’s innovative E-TEC design has garnered high praise. It’s the only marine engine to receive the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Air Excellence Award, a testament to the company’s commitment to keeping our environment clean.
Let’s face the cold, hard facts: Most of the old, tired and, frankly, dirty two-stroke outboards are relics of a bygone era. They are destined for the scrap heap of history, if they’re not already there. They are being replaced, and thankfully so, by new, cleaner-burning, low-emission engines that anglers clearly prefer.
While many four-stroke engines are good machines and burn cleanly, they have one unmistakable downside: They require regular oil changes. And much of that dirty oil, I’m sorry to say, isn’t always recycled and is far too often disposed of in places that sully the environment. We all know the guy who is trying to save a few bucks by changing his own oil, right? While that’s admirable, what’s not is dumping that oil in the back 40. One can only imagine where all that dirty oil ends up.
In a wetland?
In a creek?
In our well water?
By contrast, Evinrude’s E-TEC outboards don’t require oil changes—that’s right, no oil changes—because it burns the oil efficiently and cleanly. Believe me. I won’t miss the oil changes, not to mention paying for them. I dare say you feel the same way.
While researching Evinrude’s cutting-edge E-TEC machines, I was impressed by their low emissions and great fuel economy—two important things for anglers. In fact, these E-TEC outboards are, according to Evinrude, “consistently lower in total reportable emissions than four-stroke engines.” Sounds good to me!
In conservation circles today, fish and wildlife professionals, among others, consider global warming a growing crisis that requires immediate attention. If we don’t act, and fast, they say, our land and water resources could be irreparably harmed. We anglers, I believe, can do our part by running outboard motors that burn less fuel and emit fewer emissions.
By reducing our so-called carbon footprint—and the greenhouse gases that scientists say cause global warming—we will have done our part, however small, to protect and preserve our precious natural resources.
With any luck, more manufacturers will follow Evinrude’s lead and produce more environmentally-friendly outboards. In time, I believe they will.
As boaters and anglers, we cannot ignore the effect we have on the environment. The waters we enjoy are impacted by our actions. Every angler has a responsibility to employ environmentally safe boating practices that will protect our waters for generations to come.
As the fishing season cranks up across North America, let’s be diligent about keeping our waters as clean as possible. Refuel on land to reduce any chances of spilling oil or gas into the water.
Slow down when filling the tank, don't over-fill it, and catch any accidental spills with an absorbent pad, and dispose of it properly. Check and clean your engine well away from shorelines. Water and oil don't mix and can harm a fishery’s delicate aquatic environment, which could potentially disturb the entire food chain fish rely on.
And, if you haven’t already done so, take a look at cleaner-burning outboards like the Evinrude E-TEC. You, and the water, will be glad you did.
Good fishing.
|
