Bucky Buchstaber, the founder of Fly Fishing Collaborative, an organization that combats human trafficking around the world, recently visited Antone Ranch. But rather than just another getaway, this visit gave Bucky a chance to share his organization’s message with new and broader audiences.
Over 2 million children are trafficked each year, and the UNICEF has declared human trafficking the world’s third largest enterprise after drugs and weapons. FFC was founded by Buchstaber and his wife in the Portland area to address this issue in a unique way. They offer professionally guided fly fishing trips as well as custom-made fly wallets and other goods. They money they raise from these activities goes towards their mission: the funds build sustainable aquaponics farms that provide food resources for orphanages and safe-homes actively preventing or rescuing women and children from being trafficked.
As the Collaborative has grown, it now includes guides, outfitters, fly shops, and other experts from around the world. Each $15,000 raised funds a completely sustainable tilapia farm.
FFC’s work caught the attention of Washington D.C. based Adventure Well Creative, a group of filmmakers who inspire people to experience the outdoors. The filmmakers were recently featured in Outside Magazine’s online Culture section where they captured efforts by the Student Conservation Association and U.S. Forest Service. For this project, Antone Ranch provided an ideal location for FFC and Adventure Well Creative to spend time fly fishing and shooting footage that will serve to tell FFC’s story.
After the Ranch visit, Buchstaber will head on a trip to Kenya where the FFC team is constructing their sixth farm. Each farm provides for more than 100 people, with over 1,500 collectively benefitting thus far.