Latest News

The Bristol Bay Fly Fishing + Guide Academy is planned for
August 2010 in the village of Ekwok on the Nushagak River.
Learn more at the academy Web site.
(c) Kelly DuFort

July 25, 2010 – A professor of ecology wrote this terrific opinion piece in the Anchorage Daily News, countering the claims by the Pebble Partnership that the proposed Pebble Mine is not located in the headwaters of Bristol Bay.
July 19, 2010 – Alaska commissioners recently visited Japan to promote development of natural resource projects in Alaska. Asia is a large market for minerals found in Alaska…but Japan is also the single-largest market for Alaska seafood. I’m sure the commissioners assured their Japanese hosts that mining and fish can go hand in hand.
July 18, 2010 – A long-time biologist with the Alaska Department of Fish & Game in Southeast Alaska wrote this opinion piece in the Anchorage Daily News on the negative impacts of the pending Sealaska lands bill (S.881).
July 17, 2010 – Read the Bristol Bay Times for an update on the commercial salmon fishery in Bristol Bay. They're working hard to hit the projected harvest of 30.5 million fish, and are currently at 25.5 million out of a total run of 36.3 million sockeye to date.
July 17, 2010 – Click here to view an updated map of the existing mining claims on state lands in the Bristol Bay region. In addition to the proposed Pebble Mine, there are several other companies waiting in the wings, with a total of nearly 800 square miles of claims.
July 16, 2010 – Read about the Alaska legislature's plans for an independent third-party study of the potential impacts of large-scale mining development in the Bristol Bay region in the Bristol Bay Times.
July 14, 2010 – Trout Unlimited’s Alaska program recently hosted a trip to Bristol Bay for four chefs, highlighting the habitat requirements that support the world’s strongest runs of wild salmon.
July 13, 2010 – A state judge has declined to dismiss a court case alleging that state regulators violated the Alaska Constitution when they issued exploration and land-use permits to companies drilling at the Pebble copper and gold prospect in Southwest Alaska. The case is now scheduled to go to trial in December. Read the story in the Anchorage Daily News.
July 12, 2010 – Despite revisions made to the bill, residents of small communities still oppose the Sealaska lands bill (S.881) according to this audio story on KSTK public radio in Wrangell.
July 12, 2010 – The Anchorage Daily News did a nice story about the upcoming Bristol Bay Fly Fishing Academy which will be held on the Nushagak River next month.
July 12, 2010 – Northern Dynasty Minerals, one of the partners in the proposed Pebble Mine, recently picked up some neighboring leases adding 23 square miles to its holdings in the Bristol Bay region.
July 9, 2010 – The Pebble Partnership has contracted with the Keystone Center to convene a series of scientific panels to examine the potential impacts of large mining developments in Bristol Bay. The Alaska legislature recently appropriated $750,000 for an independent third-party study for much the same purpose. One has to wonder what different conclusions may be reached by a panel funded by the companies wishing to develop the Pebble Mine…
July 9, 2010 – The Anchorage Daily News reports that the Bristol Bay commercial sockeye salmon fishery is headed toward a harvest of 25 to 27 million fish, below the forecast of 32 million.
July 9, 2010 – Due to a poor return, the famed king salmon fishery on the Nushagak-Mulchatna drainage has been shut down. Read the story in the Anchorage Daily News. One can only imagine that having the massive proposed Pebble Mine in the headwaters could not help but place further pressure on this fishery.
July 9, 2010 – In the Summer 2010 issue of Fly Rod & Reel Ted Williams provides an update and timeline summary of the proposed Pebble Mine project. Click here to view the article, reprinted with permission of Mr. Williams and FR&R.
July 8, 2010 – In case you hadn’t heard…Sarah Palin is working on a reality show for the Discovery Channel about wild Alaska or something like that. Apparently, she was out in Bristol Bay filming the commercial salmon season recently. Check out this blog post about a Dillingham restaurateur and his "No Pebble" sticker – allegedly, the Palin camp asked him to remove the picture of the former governor from his Facebook page – and he told them no way!
July 8, 2010 – U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) made a brief stop in Petersburg and fielded many comments and questions regarding the pending Sealaska lands bill. The Petersburg Pilot and KFSK public radio in Petersburg provide a good account of the meeting.
July 5, 2010 – While not technically a “news” story, here’s an interesting piece from the Anchorage Daily News written by a long-time Bristol Bay commercial fisherman that provides a behind-the-scenes look at the cost you pay at the store for wild sockeye salmon.
July 3, 2010 – The Juneau Empire reports that revisions to Sen. Lisa Murkowski’s Sealaska lands bill (S.881) fail to adequately address conservation concerns with the legislation, which could be taken up by the Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee in July.
July 1, 2010 – U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) released changes to the Sealaska lands bill today. View the official press release which includes a list of place names still included in this controversial bill. Despite the changes to the bill, there is still much opposition to the legislation from residents of Southeast Alaska. KCAW "Raven Radio" has a good story on the release of the revised bill. At this time, there still has not been an official hearing for the bill scheduled for the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, where Murkowski is the ranking Republican member.
June 30, 2010 – Eight Southeast Alaska communities have asked U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski to withdraw the controversial Sealaska lands bill. Read the story in the Anchorage Daily News.
June 30, 2010 – The American Fisheries Society included mention of the proposed Pebble Mine (along with examples of numerous mines which have caused impacts to watersheds) in a feature article about the need to update the 1872 Mining Law. Check out the latest issue of Fisheries, the official AFS publication.
June 28, 2010 – KDLG radio from Dillingham has an audio story about several lower 48 chefs visiting Bristol Bay last weekend as part of Trout Unlimited’s Why Wild program. The chefs, who all serve wild salmon already, were there to learn more about where the salmon come from and about efforts to protect the region. KGW television from Portland, Ore., did a nice story on a local Portland chef that participated in the trip to Bristol Bay.
June 25, 2010 – Alaska Governor Sean Parnell let stand a $750,000 appropriation to fund an independent third-party study of the potential effects of large-scale mining in the Bristol Bay region. Parnell had been under pressure from mining interests to veto the funding for such a study. Read the story in the Alaska Journal of Commerce.
June 16, 2010 – The Pebble Partnership has begun its summer exploration work, and their top man boldly states “where the project is there are no streams at all.” Read the story in the Bristol Bay Times.
June 15, 2010 – A staff member with the Nature Conservancy in Alaska is spending the summer with a commercial fishing boat in Bristol Bay. Follow the entries on this blog throughout the season.
June 15, 2010 – Revisions to the controversial Sealaska lands bill are coming soon. At least that’s the story on Stikine River Radio and in the Juneau Empire. This bill could have a tremendous impact on fishing, hunting, and outdoor recreation in Southeast Alaska and the Tongass National Forest. Meanwhile, a biologist who worked 17 years for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game weighed in with his views on the Sealaska bill on MongaBay.com. For the Sealaska side of the story, a recent news story and guest opinion piece ran in the Juneau Empire. It’s unlikely that all the concerns raised by residents of the region, including hunting and angling interests, have been addressed in the forthcoming amendments. Stay tuned.
June 8, 2010 – Mitsubishi Corporation owns roughly 11% of Northern Dynasty’s share of the proposed Pebble Mine project. Take a minute to sign an online petition to Mitsubishi, opposing their involvement in this ill-conceived project. The petitions will be delivered at Mitsubishi’s annual shareholder meeting in Tokyo on June 24.
June 7, 2010 – The Natural Resources Defense Council recently delivered another 28,000 petitions opposing the proposed Pebble Mine project to Anglo American’s office in London. Read the blog entry about that London meeting, as well as some notes from Northern Dynasty’s recent presentation to a mining investment conference in NYC. Good old Bruce Jenkins from Red Gold fame was the presenter.
June 4, 2010 – KTUU television did a three-minute story on the Bristol Bay sockeye salmon report published in Nature. Tim Bristol from Trout Unlimited Alaska and the Pebble Partnership’s John Shively are interviewed for the story.
June 2, 2010 – In this story from the Juneau Empire, efforts to address concerns over the Sealaska lands bill and its effect on the Tongass National Forest were unsuccessful in a series of private meetings between Sealaska and several environmental groups. The bill is awaiting amendments before potentially receiving action in Congress.
June 2, 2010 – A Seattle Times story reports that sockeye salmon from Bristol Bay, Alaska, make up one of the world's most valuable and dependable fisheries — largely because of the variety of ecological niches the species occupies and the varied life cycles the fish have developed as a result. The story is based on a University of Washington study published Tuesday in the journal Nature. You can also read a press release from Trout Unlimited Alaska in response to the study.
May 28, 2010 – SAA's sport show tour from last winter was included in the Bristol Bay Working Group spring newsletter.
May 26, 2010 – The U.S. Forest Service Alaska Region issued a news release proposing moving management of the Tongass National Forest from old-growth timber harvest toward a more diversified economic model for Southeast Alaska. Read the Associated Press story in the Anchorage Daily News and the response to the Forest Service’s announcement from Senator Mark Begich (D-AK).
May 21, 2010 – Two Alaska Legislators wrote a tremendous opinion piece in the Anchorage Daily News, detailing the necessity for an independent third-party study of the potential impacts of large-scale mining in the Bristol Bay watershed. The Alaska legislature appropriated $750,000 for such a study in the 2010 session, but Governor Sean Parnell has been lobbied heavily by pro-development groups to veto the funding for this study.
May 20, 2010 – ESPN Outdoors provided a review of a terrific new book on the Tongass National Forest. Salmon in the Trees by acclaimed nature photographer Amy Gulick documents the largest temperate rainforest on the planet as well as the fish, game, and people who make their homes in Southeast Alaska. You can also watch a YouTube video preview of the book, but be warned…it'll have you dreaming of heading to Alaska soon.
May 20, 2010 – This story in the Alaska Journal of Commerce highlight’s the opposition by the proponents of the Pebble Mine to the Alaska Legislature’s $750,000 appropriation for an independent third-party study of the potential impacts of large mine development in the Bristol Bay region. (SAA editorial content: If this project isn’t going to cause problems, why not have an independent review arrive at that conclusion instead of relying on the “promises” of the developers?)
May 19, 2010 – A Kodiak commercial fisherman wrote a very compelling opinion piece on the proposed Pebble Mine in the Tundra Telegraph.
May 16, 2010 – One of the men at the center of the opposition to the proposed Pebble Mine near Iliamna Lake visited a couple of Southeast Alaska communities last week to make his case against the mine. KDLG radio in Dillingham has the story.
May 7, 2010 – The Alaska Journal of Commerce has a very good feature on the Pebble Partnership’s public relations efforts to gain support of Alaskans for their proposed mine in Bristol Bay.
May 5, 2010 – Bobby Andrew and George Wilson, two Bristol Bay native leaders, wrote an opinion piece asking Anglo American’s CEO to honor her company’s promise to not develop the Pebble Mine project if local communities did not support it. Read the piece in the Bristol Bay Times.
May 4, 2010 – Bob Gillam, the President of McKinley Capital Management, and one of the biggest opponents to the Pebble Mine was in Soldotna, yesterday, to speak to the Soldotna Chamber of Commerce about ongoing efforts of Renewable Resources to stop the Pebble Mine, near Illiamna. Gillam told his audience that he is pro-development. He supports oil exploration in ANWR. However, he doesn’t agree with Pebble. Check out the story here.
May 4, 2010 – Three former top administrators with the state Department of Fish and Game are warning Gov. Sean Parnell about a bill that would allow a Native corporation to hand-pick lands in the Tongass National Forest. Read the full story in the Anchorage Daily News.
May 2, 2010 – Tim Bristol, Trout Unlimited’s Alaska program director, wrote an excellent opinion piece on the need to protect the Koktuli River in the Anchorage Daily News.
April 28, 2010 – The Koktuli River, one of the rivers threatened by the proposed Pebble Mine and a major tributary of the Mulchatna River in the Nushagak River watershed, has been named as one of 2010’s Ten Waters to Watch by the National Fish Habitat Action Plan. This designation will result in US Fish & Wildlife Service funds, along with matching funds from other public and private entities, being used to continue studies of fish distribution and water flows in the Bristol Bay region. These studies should result in additional miles of waters being added to Alaska’s anadramous waters catalog – meaning more protections for these waters from potential development. Click here to read the press release on this important news on the Koktuli.
April 25, 2010 – The Alaska Department of Natural Resources reinstated the land, water and fish habitat permits to the Pebble Partnership. This decision will allow field work on the proposed Pebble Mine to resume in southwest Alaska. Read the story in the Juneau Empire.
April 23, 2010 – Most of the Alaskans planning to attend Anglo American’s annual shareholder conference were unable to travel due to the Icelandic volcano situation. There were dueling press conferences held yesterday from Native groups both opposed and supportive of the proposed Pebble Mine. Read the story in the Anchorage Daily News and watch a clip from KTUU television.
April 23, 2010 – The Spring 2010 issue of the Wild Sheep Foundation’s membership magazine features a story on the proposed Pebble Mine. While there may be no direct impacts to wild sheep from the Pebble project, the article lays out a terrific argument for why this issue should matter to all of us. Read the article here, and visit the Wild Sheep Foundation Web site to learn more about this organization.
April 22, 2010 – Congressional leaders call for protection of BLM lands in Bristol Bay. Sportsman’s Alliance for Alaska and Trout Unlimited issued a press release thanking Representatives Moran and Dicks. Read the letter these Congressmen sent to the BLM and view the press release here.
April 20, 2010 – An independent review of the proposed Pebble Mine project may be in the works through action in the Alaska legislature. Read in the Kodiak Daily Mirror.
April 14, 2010 – The recent announcement by Zale’s stating the major jewelry retailer will not purchase gold from the proposed Pebble Mine drew a “Big Deal” response from the Pebble Partnership’s chief executive. Field & Stream's Field Notes blog takes issue with that cavalier attitude. Click on the blog entry and add your comments.
April 13, 2010 – A dozen additional jewelry retailers, including Zale’s (the second largest in the USA), have joined the campaign to boycott gold from the proposed Pebble Mine and advocate for permanent protection of the Bristol Bay region. Read about this major development in the Anchorage Daily News, International Diamond Exchange, and National Jeweler.
April 12, 2010 – Listen to a short radio news story about a shift in US Forest Service management plans for the Tongass National Forest. This story from KFSK in Petersburg discusses a shift from harvesting of old-growth timber to restoration projects.
April 12, 2010 – The debate over the Sealaska bill is featured in this story in the Los Angeles Times. The story about the Tongass National Forest in Southeast Alaska features some great photos and video.
April 10, 2010 – As if we needed another reason to protect Bristol Bay…A new study indicates that wild Alaska fish boast the best protein for your diet. Want to Save Wild Salmon? Eat One!
April 8, 2010 – Please take a moment to read this beautiful essay and opinion piece written by Alaska Native Lydia Olympic for the Bristol Bay Times. Lydia was raised in the small village of Igiugig on the shores of Lake Iliamna, and is one of the activists who will be traveling to London for the second consecutive year to raise awareness of the proposed Pebble Mine threat during Anglo American’s annual shareholder meeting next week.
April 7, 2010 – Robert Kennedy, Jr. and Jean-Michel Cousteau co-wrote an excellent piece about the proposed Pebble Mine on the Huffington Post.
April 5, 2010 – Captain Sig Hansen, star of the hit television show Deadliest Catch, talked with Trout Unlimited Alaska about why he opposes the proposed Pebble Mine in Bristol Bay.
April 5, 2010 – Scott Newman, an Alaska Master Guide, wrote an opinion piece in the Anchorage Daily News about how the proposed Sealaska lands bill will negatively impact guides and outdoor recreation opportunities in Southeast Alaska.
March 22, 2010 – In a joint hearing of the Alaska state Senate Resources and House Fisheries committees, a discussion of Alaska’s large mine permitting process as it relates to the proposed Pebble Mine project was held. Click here to read a report in Laws for the SEA (a weekly roundup of fisheries issues before the Alaska legislature).
March 17, 2010 – USA Today ran a very good article on the debate over the Sealaska lands bill and its potential effects on the Tongass National Forest.
Feb. 25, 2010 – Click here for a quick story on the Pebble Partnerships announced plans for 2010. No permits yet, but they’re continuing work in the region – including a “public affairs program to engage project stakeholders and local communities.” They realize they don’t have the support of the vast majority of people in the Bristol Bay region.
Feb. 24, 2010 – The current issue of Alaska Magazine has a very good article about Bob Gillam, perhaps the wealthiest individual in Alaska – and also a huge opponent of the proposed Pebble Mine.
Feb. 19, 2010 – Trout Unlimited has applied for special protection for the Koktuli River in Bristol Bay. The Koktuli is a tributary of the Mulchatna/Nushagak system – the largest king salmon producing system in Alaska, and also one of the major drainages threatened by the proposed Pebble mine. Read about the Outstanding National Resource Waters process, which provides protection through the Clean Water Act, in the Anchorage Daily News and the Bristol Bay Times. Listen to a story from KDLG in Dillingham, AK. TU’s fact sheet about the ONRW designation for the Koktuli may be viewed here.
Feb. 17, 2010 – Read another story about the Pebble Partnership’s permit violations for unauthorized use of water in the Homer Tribune.
Feb. 12, 2010 – The Associated Press just released a news story about the controversial Sealaska lands bill, which could have a dramatic impact on hunting and fishing in the Tongass National Forest.
Feb. 11, 2010 – The city council of the Southeast Alaska community of Petersburg recently heard testimony from residents on the pending Sealaska lands bill which could dramatically impact land uses and access in the Tongass National Forest. Read the story in the Petersburg Pilot. This legislation could see action in the United States Senate in the next month, so be ready to take action!
Feb. 6, 2010 – After a few months’ delay, the Alaska Board of Fisheries (see news item below from Dec. 5, 2009) has delivered a letter to the State House and Senate leaders asking for a comprehensive legislative review of the state's permitting system in light of the proposed Pebble Mine in Southwest Alaska. See several bits of news coverage: Anchorage Daily News, AK Public Radio Network (audio clip), KTUU (tv news), and KDLG (radio clip).
Feb. 5, 2010 – Read a local Southeast Alaska resident’s view on the Sealaska Lands bill from The SitNews. This bill could see action in the U.S. Senate in the next month, so be prepared to contact your Senators in defense of prime fish and game habitat in the Tongass National Forest.
February 1, 2010 – For a rather scathing indictment of the proposed Pebble Mine project, check out this opinion piece on Wild on the Fly.
Jan. 22, 2010 – Debate in Dillingham, AK about the proposed Pebble Mine. Big news: Pebble Partnership won’t be applying for permits in 2010! Listen here on KDLG radio.
Jan. 20, 2010 – Check out the report from the opening weekend of “sport show season” in Denver at the Compleat Thought blog. There are three videos featuring Curt “Ole” Olson and Dave Egdorf (both featured in “Red Gold”), who attended our Friday night party in Denver. Many thanks to Kyle Perkins at Compleat Thought for helping with logistics on the ground in Denver, leading to such a successful weekend!
Jan. 20, 2010 – Alaska Master Guide/Outfitter Phil Shoemaker wrote a terrific piece about Bristol Bay and the proposed Pebble Mine in the January/February 2010 issue of Successful Hunter magazine. This is just the type of support we need to expand awareness of the threats facing Bristol Bay among the hunting community.
Jan. 15, 2010 – Alaska Alpine Adventures hosted the trip for Men’s Journal magazine in 2008 which resulted in the MJ article about Pebble Mine. Click the link to view a new five-minute video about the trip.
Jan. 15, 2010 – The January issue of Science magazine includes an article about the proposed Pebble Mine and its potential impacts on the Bristol Bay fishery.
Dec. 28, 2009 – Click here to read a first-hand account of a visit to the Pebble Mine site this past summer, written by a Trout Unlimited national trustee.
Dec. 21, 2009 – The Bristol Bay Native Corporation is feeling the heat for its opposition to the Pebble Mine project. Read about reaction from several village corporations in the Bristol Bay Times.
Dec. 17, 2009 – The great folks at Sage are selling a special “Save Bristol Bay” hat, and $5 of the purchase price goes to TU’s Alaska program to fight for Bristol Bay. Order yours today!
Dec. 11, 2009 – Click here to listen to a Dillingham radio news story on this latest development.
Dec. 11, 2009 – BREAKING NEWS: Bristol Bay Native Corp. Opposes Pebble – The Bristol Bay Native Corp. board voted Friday, Dec. 11 to oppose the development of the massive copper and gold Pebble prospect in Southwest Alaska. Click here to read the story from the Anchorage Daily News.
Dec. 5, 2009 – Alaska Board of Fisheries approves letter to protect fisheries near Pebble Mine. See the tv news clip here. The board will now send a letter to Alaska’s state legislature, asking for additional protections for state lands in Bristol Bay. You can read stories in the Anchorage Daily News here (12/06/09) and here (12/09/09).
Nov. 27, 2009 – An Alaska judge has denied the injunction to stop exploratory work at Pebble. However, the same judge did not dismiss the suit filed by eight village corporations and several individuals. Read the story in the Anchorage Daily News.

Sig Hansen from Deadliest Catch
Sig Hansen from the hit television show Deadliest Catch.

Nov. 23, 2009 – Sig Hansen from the hit television show Deadliest Catch blogged about the attempt by the Pebble folks to boycott the Seattle restaurants featuring Bristol Bay salmon on their menus.
Nov. 22, 2009 – The Seattle Post-Intelligencer ran a column about the proposed boycott of the Seattle restaurants promoting wild Alaska salmon and awareness of the threat the proposed Pebble Mine poses to Bristol Bay.
Nov. 19, 2009 – A Bristol Bay commercial salmon fisherman writes an opinion piece in the Anchorage Daily News, thanking the jewelry industry for taking a stand for Bristol Bay’s fishery and cultural traditions.
Nov. 16, 2009 – The Seattlest blog has an entry about a leader of “Truth About Pebble” calling for a boycott of the Seattle restaurants participating in this week's Savor Bristol Bay event. The Associated Press picked up on the story and it ran in the New York Times.
Nov. 14, 2009 – The Natural Resources Defense Council published a new online brief about the fight over the Pebble Mine in Bristol Bay.
Nov. 3, 2009 – Want to save wild salmon? Eat one! If you are in the Seattle area, be sure to check out Bristol Bay Wild Salmon Week from Nov. 15-21. Several local restaurants will be featuring wild Alaska salmon on their menus. Even if you aren’t in the Seattle area, click the link and you can find out how to purchase wild Bristol Bay salmon from family-owned fishing businesses.
Nov. 2, 2009 – A young girl from Pedro Bay, on the shores of Lake Iliamna, made a very good short video about how her village might be affected by the Pebble Mine project. The video was shown at the Native Youth Film Festival.
Oct. 29, 2009 – A new investor advisory released today raises significant questions about the risks associated with Anglo American plc's Pebble Mine Project in southwest Alaska. The advisory details the growing list of regulatory, legal, engineering and political challenges facing the London-based mining giant as its struggles to secure permits for the controversial gold-copper mine. Read the press release, and also view the full report.
Oct. 22, 2009 – View a few news stories about the efforts undertaken in Washington, D.C., during Bristol Bay Wild Salmon Week.
Oct. 19, 2009 – SAA Director Scott Hed participated in Bristol Bay Wild Salmon Week, organized by Trout Unlimited in Washington, D.C. It was the first opportunity for Alaska Native residents of the Bristol Bay region, commercial fishing interests, and sport fishing interests to raise awareness about Bristol Bay among members of Congress, Administration staff, and staff at agencies such as the Bureau of Land Management, Environmental Protection Agency, and Army Corps of Engineers.
Oct. 14, 2009 – Natural Resources Defense Council published "Fighting for Precious Ground," an article about Bristol Bay and Pebble Mine in their online magazine OnEarth.
Oct. 13, 2009 – The Natural Resources Defense Council announced today a new BioGem campaign to save Alaska’s Bristol Bay, the world’s most productive salmon fishery, from the development of Pebble Mine, one of the largest gold and copper mines ever proposed.
Oct. 2009 – View the ad in National Jeweler from jewelry icon Tiffany & Co. in which they explain why the company is opposed to mining in Bristol Bay.
Oct. 2, 2009 – Send a note of thanks to the jewelers pledging to not buy gold from Pebble Mine!
Oct. 1, 2009 – Class ring makers join fight, pledge to not buy gold from the Pebble Mine. Read the stories in the Juneau Empire, MineWeb, and National Jeweler.
Sept. 23, 2009 – In this Wall Street Journal blog, former Alaska governor (and current Bristol Bay set-netter) Sarah Palin commented about Bristol Bay’s amazingly productive salmon fishery in a speech given in Hong Kong. Here’s her best quote: “Over 70% of our exports came from wild organic fresh Alaska seafood, and our potential for more is massive because Alaska has the world’s richest seafood industry. We have the world’s most abundant salmon spawning grounds right there in Bristol Bay.”
Sept. 22, 2009 - The Alaska Department of Fish & Game issued their Summary of the 2009 Bristol Bay Salmon Season …Wow, over 40 million sockeye returned!
Sept. 22, 2009 – The Anchorage Daily News editorialized on the problems with pollution at the Red Dog zinc mine in northwest Alaska and the effect that those problems may have on the proposed Pebble mine project.
Sept. 22, 2009 – A new poll shows that a huge majority of Bristol Bay residents oppose development of the Pebble Mine. There’s also an article from television station KTUU that interviews some of the people involved with the poll and reaction from Pebble to the results.
Sept. 2009 – For a peek behind the Northern Dynasty curtain, here’s a presentation they gave at a mining conference recently about the Pebble project. Some technical stuff, some feel-good PR stuff, some maps showing proposed road corridor and ideas for power supply, etc.
Sept. 17, 2009 – Trout Unlimited also sent an action alert, allowing you to send a note to Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar and BLM Director Bob Abbey about protecting federal lands in Bristol Bay. Visit TU's Web site now and send your comments!
Sept. 5, 2009 – National Wildlife Federation sent an action alert about Bristol Bay’s BLM lands. Visit the NWF Web site to send a comment to BLM Director Bob Abbey asking for protections for Bristol Bay.
Aug. 26, 2009 – Read the Anchorage Daily News story by Elizabeth Bluemink, "Groups seek mining ban across the Bristol Bay watershed."
Aug. 26, 2009 – SAA helped organize a letter from 275 sporting interests to the new Director of the BLM regarding management of federal lands in Bristol Bay. Read about the effort on the American Fly Fishing Trade Association site.
Aug. 7, 2009 – Read the Alaska Journal of Commerce story about the bounty of Bristol Bay and the big season that commercial fishermen had this summer.
Aug. 5, 2009 – Two brothers are bicycling from Alaska to Argentina to draw attention to Bristol Bay wild salmon and the threat the fishery faces from a proposed open-pit copper and gold mine. Visit the Pebble Pedalers Web site and/or Download the Press Release from Trout Unlimited.
July 29, 2009 – Bristol Bay Residents Assert Pebble Exploration Violates State Constitution – Exploration permits could be suspended as a result of lawsuit filed today. Read the press release ...
Time Magazine just ran a Postcard from Bristol Bay, a short piece on the Time/CNN Web site.”
As a result of the Bristol Bay campaign’s trip to London this spring, and a London screening of “Red Gold,” The Ecologist just ran a very good overview of the Bristol Bay issue. Read it here.
The National Parks Conservation Association recently awarded Lake Clark National Park & Preserve the highest cultural resources score of any of the more than 60 parks assessed to date, a fine tribute to the region's rich history and park managers' dedication to recording and sharing the story of the people of Lake Clark and Bristol Bay. The report also finds that the Pebble mining district, proposed on lands directly adjacent to Lake Clark preserve, poses the most urgent threat to Bristol Bay's clean waters, wild salmon, traditional lifestyles and our national parks. Check out the report and the new NPCA Lake Clark Web page here.
National Parks Traveler also recently featured Lake Clark National Park & Preserve with an article that highlights the threat to the park and the Bristol Bay region from proposed mining, including the Pebble project. Read the article here.
SAA Director Scott Hed was profiled in his home newspaper, the Argus Leader, on July 8, 2009. See the story here.

Outside Magazine has an article in the June 2009 issue about the fight for Bristol Bay.

Outside Magazine has an article in the June 2009 issue about the fight for Bristol Bay. One of the main persons featured in the article is none other than Lindsey Bloom, a commercial fishing captain who works for Trout Unlimited’s Alaska program when she’s not running her boat and crew. Click here for a photo gallery of images from the story.
The-Fisheries.net is a relatively new sportfishing Web site. They just posted an interview with Dr. Carol Ann Woody, a fisheries research scientist working in Bristol Bay, about the efforts to document waterways that are important for salmon in the Bristol Bay region. This is an important aspect to the Bristol Bay campaign, and having documented scientific evidence of salmon habitat will be helpful in the fight to protect the Bay’s resources.
June 2009 – Click here to view a series of new educational/science ads being run by some of SAA's allies in Alaska – the Renewable Resources Coalition and Renewable Resources Foundation. The ads focus on effects of copper on salmon, the amount of water it would take to operate Pebble Mine, and the risk of seismic activity in the Bristol Bay region. The ads most recently ran in Kenai, Seward, and in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley.
May 2009 –Click here for an article on Bristol Bay and Pebble Mine from the current issue of Salmon & Steelhead Journal (PDF File Size 390k). The article is written by a great guy that lives on the Kenai Peninsula and works for the Renewable Resources Foundation to protect Bristol Bay.
Summer 2009 – The Summer 2009 issue of the Nature Conservancy magazine features a great story about the scientific work being done to study the salmon runs in Bristol Bay, and includes some good images.
Spring 2009 – The spring 2009 issue of the National Parks Conservation Association magazine has a fine article about the potential impact on Lake Clark National Park and Preserve by the proposed Pebble Mine. Read the Pebble Mine article in NPCA magazine.
Mar. 31, 2009 – Anchorage Daily News article, "Anglo American mining executive visits Alaska," PEBBLE PROSPECT: Moody-Stuart defends mining giant's record.
Mar. 28, 2009 – SAA Director Scott Hed was interviewed on the Dan Small Outdoors Radio program about the Bristol Bay campaign. Listen to Episode 413 here, and skip to the 19:00 mark to listen to just the SAA interview.
Mar. 28, 2009 – The Chairman of London-based Anglo-American (major partner in the Pebble Mine proposal) visited Dillingham, Alaska, on the weekend of March 28. View a press release about Dillingham’s response to the visit HERE along with pictures of the rally HERE.
Mar. 6, 2009 – Interview with Alaska Master Hunting Guide Tony Lee about Bristol Bay/Pebble Mine. View video here.
Mar. 6, 2009 – SAA Director Scott Hed interviewed at the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation’s 25th Anniversary Elk Camp event in Fort Worth TX. View video here.
Mar. 3, 2009 – Outdoor Life magazine’s March 2009 issue has a short Q&A with Lauren Oakes of Trout Unlimited’s Alaska office about the “Red Gold” film project. Click here (to open PDF) to read it. Also, another interview with Travis Rummel the co-director of “Red Gold” at Felt Soul Media can be found online at Outdoor Life's Web site.
Mar. 1, 2009 – SAA Director Scott Hed was interviewed by Lee Murdock of FlyFishMagazine.com at a sport show in Charlotte in February. Check out the interview here.
Feb. 12, 2009 – Read a brand new article about the Pebble Mine project and the battle for Bristol Bay in the March issue of Men’s Journal ...
Feb. 3, 2009 – The Orvis News recently ran another story on Bristol Bay. Read the article here ...
Jan. 30, 2009 – Sportsman’s Alliance for Alaska Teams Up with StoneFly Vineyards - Raising a Glass to Watershed Conservation in Bristol Bay. More ...
Special Edition “No Pebble Mine / James Prosek Sockeye Salmon” T-Shirt Now Available! More ...
Oct. 1, 2008 – Field & Stream, Salmon Paradise Under Fire. Take a trip with Hal Herring to fish Alaska's Koktuli River, one of the salmon fisheries threatened by the effects of the Pebble Mine.
On Aug. 27, 2008 the Renewable Resources Coalition (RRC) published a news release stating, "The RRC would like to acknowledge the tens of thousands of Alaskans who supported Proposition 4 as we did and the hundreds of volunteers who worked so diligently on this issue. The fight to save Bristol Bay’s wild salmon is hardly over, and the results of this election simply show how much work we still have ahead of us." Read more ...
July 31, 2008 – Letter from the American Sportfishing Association (ASA) to Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska regarding Proposals to Create Mining District in Portions of Bristol Bay Watershed. Read it now ...
Summer 2008 – Click here to read an article by David Oakes of Dallas Safari Club about the field trip organized by SAA that brought delegates from leading hunting conservation groups to Southeast Alaska in the summer of 2007 to learn about management of the Tongass National Forest (PDF File Size 1273 k).
July 2008 edition of Fish Alaska magazine features an article by Troy Letherman, "Hard-rock Mining, Pebble and the Fight for Iliamna." Read it now ...
July 4, 2008 – EFTTA members pledge support to Alaskan Bristol Bay campaign. More ...
On May 16, 2008, the Secretary of Interior announced that the BLM would defer additional oil and gas leasing around Teshekpuk Lake. More ...
Special News Report, "The Battle of Bristol Bay" from the March 2008 issue of Angling International. Read the full article ...
On Jan. 25, 2008, the U.S. Forest Service released the new Tongass Land Management Plan. More ...

How Open-Pit Mines Operate
Click Image to view full article or visit
www.fieldandstream.com.

Read Kirk Deeter's March 2008 Field & Stream article, "Salmon Roulette." Graphics show how open pit mines operate and the author writes about how Pebble Mine could destroy one of the world's best fisheries.
Abel (www.abelreels.com) will produce a limited edition of engraved red reels and donate a portion of the proceeds to the Sportsman’s Alliance for Alaska. Read the Press Release ...
A recent article by Joseph E. Daniel in Wild On The Fly magazine (www.wildonthefly.com) summarizes the mining threat to Bristol Bay, Alaska. Download and read the article (PDF file size 591k) ...
Want more information about Bristol Bay and Pebble Mine? Read Bill Battles' recent article in Fly Fish America magazine titled, "Ground Zero - Where Water is More Precious Than Gold."
Read about one of the leaders of the resistance to Pebble Mine, Brian Kraft, in American Angler magazine. Don't miss this great story by Tim Bristol, who runs Trout Unlimited’s Alaska program on the Bristol Bay area and the threat it faces from mining development. Visit AmericanAngler.com NOW ...
Read Scott Hed's recent article from the Dallas Safari Club's Spring 2007 issue of Game Trails, "Pebble Mine Proposal Threatens Bristol Bay" (PDF file size 2.5M).

Sport Fishing Industry Campaign

The Sportsman’s Alliance for Alaska has rallied the support of many leading companies in the fly fishing industry to engage in the campaign to protect habitat in Bristol Bay that supports the world’s largest runs of wild salmon, trophy rainbow trout, brown bears, caribou, and a strong commercial and sport-fishing economy. This region has provided food for the local inhabitants for thousands of years. All of this is at risk if plans to develop a major mining district in the Bristol Bay region are not stopped.

Ads like the one below have been running in major fly fishing publications since 2007 and were designed by the Sportsman's Alliance for Alaska.

Sport Fishing Industry Campaign

Click HERE to read the press release from Trout Unlimited and the American Fly Fishing Trade Association regarding the ads showing support for Bristol Bay’s fishery resources.

Do you support the Pebble Mine project?

You might, even if you don’t realize it.

The major companies in the Pebble Mine project are Northern Dynasty (NAK), Anglo-American (AAUK) and Rio Tinto (RTP). If you hold any of these mutual funds in your portfolio, you could be passively supporting the Pebble Mine.

Click HERE for the latest listing (Sept. 28, 2008) of mutual funds which hold stock in these mining companies.

Disclaimer: Funds buy and sell assets often, so it’s important to have your advisor double check. This information will be updated periodically on this Web page. This type of investing is known as “socially responsible investing” and is gaining publicity and momentum. Simply ask your investment professional if there are other funds with similar (or better!) returns which do not hold stocks in the Pebble project partners.

"Wild Heritage" article in Sporting Classics

By Todd Tanner

In case you haven’t heard, we’re getting ready to trade part of the pristine wilderness that sits atop Lake Iliamna, one of North America’s most important angling destinations, for a pile of gold and copper. And if, in our shortsightedness and greed, the Pebble Mine happens to destroy what may well be the finest wild trout and salmon fishery on the planet . . .

Read Todd Tanner's complete article from the January 2008 issue of Sporting Classics (PDF file size 298k).

From Sporting Classics Magazine, Jan. 2008
Click image to view entire article.

Thank you to Sporting Classics for allowing us to post this article.
Visit their Web site at www.sportingclassics.net.

U.S. House Passes Favorable Tongass Amendment

On June 26, 2007 the US House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed an amendment which helps protect the remaining road-free watersheds of the Tongass National Forest. These habitats support healthy populations of fish and game as well as the region’s commercial fishing industry and a growing outdoor recreation industry which includes sport fishing and hunting. The ad shown below, sponsored by the Sportsman’s Alliance for Alaska and Wildlife Forever, ran in Congress Daily to show support from sportspersons for the amendment.

Tongass Ad
Click image to view full size ad.