Here at Fishwest, we are proud to support those who are fighting to protect our fisheries. Alaska, and Bristol Bay specifically, play such a vital role in the Fly Fishing Industry. The once again proposed Pebble Mine project would essentially wipe Bristol Bay as it is known today from existence. Those resources that are abundant in the region would be lost forever. Please take a moment and read the info below and if you feel so inclined follow the link at the bottom of the page and show your support for this wonderful fishery.
As wild salmon populations decline globally, Bristol Bay’s prolific wild salmon runs and the economies they support make it a place of international importance. It faces imminent threat from the proposed Pebble Mine as well as hard rock mining on adjacent state and federal land. In order to stay thriving, the salmon must be protected from Pebble and other large-scale mining projects.
Here are four reasons it should be protected:
- Bristol Bay continues to produce the world’s largest sockeye salmon fishery and one of the most prolific king salmon runs left on earth. The reason for this is clear; the Bay’s freshwater salmon habitat is largely untouched by development. From the tiniest microorganism to the giant grizzly bear, life in Bristol Bay revolves around salmon.
- Healthy salmon runs underpin the Bristol Bay region’s economic, social, cultural and ecological well-being. There are more than 30 Alaska Native Tribes in the region that depend on salmon to support their traditional subsistence ways of life. If the Pebble mine is developed, the subsistence culture of thousands of people who live in the Bristol Bay region will be threatened.
- Currently the combined Bristol Bay fishery is valued at $1.5 billion and supports over 14,000 jobs including commercial fishermen, processors, lodge owners, guides, tourism operators and more. Roughly half of the world’s harvest of wild salmon come from Bristol Bay. Additionally, recreation and tourism spending in Bristol Bay brings $90 million annually to the state in the form of taxes and licenses through the 37,000 fishing trips taken to the region each year
- Bristol Bay’s rivers attract anglers from all over the world who seek the “once in a lifetime” Alaska fishing experience.
Still not convinced. Find more information about this proposal by following this Link.
