A world without salmon

[ensho]

http://www.seattledining.com/Current/Bristol­­_Bay.htm


Weighing the options


-snip-

We’re heading into one of those face-offs right now. This issue pits the potential collapse of Bristol Bay, Alaska's salmon fishery, against the development of what could be North America’s largest open-pit mine in the center of the Bristol Bay watershed. Pebble Partnership Ltd has been formed by several large mining companies. They have not yet released a final plan to the public, but it would most likely include a huge pit as well as an underground mine. It could take up at least 28 square miles of state land and use more power than the city of Anchorage. An estimated 100 miles of road would need to be built for accessibility and it would cross a number of salmon-bearing streams, endangering migration and polluting the river systems of Bristol Bay.

-snip-

Bristol Bay is the largest wild salmon fishery in the US and contributes 40 percent of the world’s sockeye salmon supply. Tens of millions of salmon migrate back to the Bay each year (up to 62 million in a three week period). Along with providing healthy Omega-3 fatty acid fish for human consumption, local wildlife depends on those returning salmon for their survival (bald eagles, moose, seals, walruses, grizzly and black bears, beavers, wolverines, freshwater seals, porcupines, river otters, beluga and killer whales, foxes, caribou, wolves, waterfowl, migratory birds). Bristol Bay fisheries employ thousands of people. In addition, indigenous Alaskan natives have harvested salmon for generations, preserving summer catches for winter food. Fishermen the world over travel to Bristol Bay for some of the best fly fishing; outdoorsmen explore the area, viewing wildlife, kayaking, hiking and taking photographs. Small businesses are supported by these visitors.

-snip-

The State of Alaska has historically approved every application for mine development. And just to help out, The Federal Bureau of Land Management and the Department of the Interior are moving to open more than a million acres of federal wild lands in Bristol Bay to hard rock mining. We’re looking at a "Bristol Bay Mining District."

Northern California and Oregon salmon fisheries are already in trouble; we’re pulling fewer and fewer fish from those waters. What happens if Bristol Bay goes? We’ll rarely see wild salmon in the stores or on restaurant menus and when we do, the cost will be exorbitant.

-snip-

You can make a difference by voting with your fork and asking for Bristol Bay salmon next time you're in your local seafood market or favorite restaurant. This is too important an issue to stand back and do nothing. Please use these sources below and educate yourself on the issue and find out what you can do. No one person can make a difference, but when all of those individuals work together we can change the future.
-------------------


which will it be? food? or filling the pockets of Barons?

[villager]

1. so the Feds -- this would be under Obama (and Salazar) -- are "helping" to open the area to mining?

n/t

[Junkdrawer]

2. Fixed Link

Link

[Blue_In_AK]

3. Thank you for drawing attention to this subject again.

As I've said here many times before, in my opinion, the proposed Pebble Mine and the BLM mining district pose a far bigger threat to Alaska's ecological health than drilling in ANWR ever did -- not saying that I'm in favor of drilling in ANWR at all, but this Pebble Mine is a disaster-in-waiting of monumental proportions.

Here is reporting from this morning's Anchorage Daily News on this topic: http://www.adn.com/money/industries/mining/story/911977.html

Also see http://www.renewableresourcescoalition.org/index.htm for more background.

[Winterblues]

4. Trout Unlimited has filed a law suit to get the Bush* era ruling overturned

Bush* ruled that mining could be done around the Bristol Bay drainage which could cause great damage to the fisheries. Let's hope Obama will overrule that decision of Bush*'s.

[pipi_k]

5. Well, the salmon of the world have nothing to fear from me

I think it's gross and disgusting. Lobster too.

Although I do like clams, crab, shrimps, and cod/haddock



But salmon...bluefish...catfish...

go in peace, my brothers....

:hippie: