By Bob Marshall

The future of Gulf of Mexico fisheries got a grim forecast this week when the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported the stunning finding that its latest data indicated southeast Louisiana would be inundated with more than four feet of sea level rise by the end of the century – the highest level “on the planet.” The average elevation of that landscape is about three feet.
 
That area encompasses the great estuary of the Mississippi River, which is responsible for much of the fisheries production in the Gulf. If its marshes are flooded, production will plummet. Of course, the threat to many cities is also dire.

By Bob Marshall

Of all the attributes that an effective conservation lobbyist needs, persistence may be the most important. This is one profession where “if at first you don’t succeed try, try again” isn’t a cliché, it’s a fact of life.
 
That can be seen in the latest attempt to have Congress assure that recreational access and opportunities in the backcountry have at least equal footing to other public interests. Last year, sportsmen’s groups made a run at that goal with two “sportsmen’s heritage” bills, both of which ran into objections from other interests.

By Bob Marshall

I’ve often wondered why the men and women charged with protecting our natural resources always seem to come from the industries that harvest them for a profit, rather than from the community that needs them protected for their profits.
 
President Obama may have just broken that tradition by nominating Sally Jewell, chief executive of Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI) to replace Ken Salazar as Secretary of the Interior.
 
In fact, Jewell may be the first nominee that could have allies in several major groups that are contesting management of our public lands. According to the New York Times story on the announcement, before joining REI, Jewell also worked in banking and the oil industry.