Latest News

December 28, 2011 – KDLG radio has an excellent interview with EPA's Rick Parkin, who is coordinating the agency’s Bristol Bay watershed assessment.
December 28, 2011 – A new report places the overall value of the Bristol Bay fishery between $4 billion and $5 billion per year. Check out the report at KDLG radio and in Fishermen's News Online.
December 26, 2011 – A new television program on NBC Sports (formerly Vs.) will include an episode about fishing in Bristol Bay. Check out the awesome trailer for Season on the Edge, featuring host Ken Baldwin (a supporter of our efforts to protect Bristol Bay).
December 21, 2011 – E&E Publishing's Greenwire published a series about the fight for Bristol Bay. Read the first installment, "Battle for Bristol Bay, a resource struggle for the ages."
December 21, 2011 – SAA's Scott Hed has been named one of the “Twelve Apostles” featured this year in The Drake Magazine.
December 9, 2011 – Recognizing Bristol Bay, Alaska as one of the last pristine freshwater habitats for wild salmon, the Responsible Sourcing Vendor Partner (RSVP) program, by recommendation from FishWise, has decided to fund Trout Unlimited in their work to ensure that Bristol Bay’s fishery gets the protection it deserves.
December 8, 2011 – The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recently announced it will begin evaluations to find Southeast Alaska salmon streams most in need of restoration according to the Juneau Empire.
December 7, 2011 – The political blog for Esquire magazine just discovered the proposed Pebble Mine project…and the blogger is none too impressed.
December 7, 2011 – A Sitka-based commercial fisherman wrote an opinion piece in the Juneau Empire arguing that the U.S. Forest Service budget should focus more on fishing and tourism – the real money-makers of Southeast Alaska’s ecomony.
December 7, 2011 – The third, and final, installment in Field & Stream magazine’s Best Wild Places” feature on the Tongass National Forest showcases Southeast Alaska's salmon and halibut fishing.
December 6, 2011 – The Bend Bulletin in Oregon features a terrific opinion editorial about Bristol Bay and the proposed Pebble Mine by longtime SAA friend and supporter (and not half-bad angler) Brian O'Keefe.
December 6, 2011 – A new poll shows strong opposition to the proposed Pebble Mine, with 77% opposed in the Lower 48 and 59% opposed in Alaska. The poll also shows strong support for EPA to take action protecting Bristol Bay if it is deemed that the mine would pollute the region’s land and waters.
December 3, 2011 – The Alaska Dispatch reports that the Pacific Seafood Processors Association has announced its opposition to the proposed Pebble Mine. It’s a change in position for the PSPA, which was willing to give Pebble the benefit of the doubt through the permit application process just 4 years ago, and the first time the organization has opposed a single development project.
December 2, 2011 – A restaurant owner and chef from Oregon wrote a tremendous letter in the Daily Astorian and the fact that nearly 100 members of her family fish in Bristol Bay each season.
December 1, 2011 – KDLG radio discusses the Day in Our Bay film project that debuts at the Anchorage International Film Festival this week. The film was created using footage shot by Bristol Bay residents on October 15, 2011 and highlights what is important to residents of the region. See the official Day in Our Bay Web site where you can see some of the clips used in the film.
December 1, 2011 – The Wrangell Sentinel reports that a group of local guides and outfitters have expressed their opposition to the Sealaska lands bill.
December 1, 2011 – OnEarth magazine featured an article with the CEO of Tiffany & Co. including much discussion of the company’s rationale behind their opposition to the proposed Pebble Mine project.
December 1, 2011 – Field & Stream magazine’s Best Wild Places 2011 feature continues with the second installment from the Tongass National Forest, this time catching Dolly Varden near Juneau.
November 30, 2011 – Field & Stream magazine partnered with Trout Unlimited on the second annual Best Wild Places” series. Southeast Alaska’s Tongass National Forest is featured this year, the link is the journal entry for the start of the trip – a hunt for Sitka blacktail deer.
November 29, 2011 – The Outdoor Reporter, published by the New Mexico Wildlife Federation, includes a terrific article about why protecting Bristol Bay is important to New Mexico sportsmen. Check out Too Good to Lose which is chock full of quotes from well-known figures in New Mexico’s hunting and angling community.
November 28, 2011 – The Santa Fe radio program Living Juicy featured an interview with Melanie Brown (commercial fisherwoman) and Dr. Sam Snyder (campaign leader) to discuss Bristol Bay, the proposed Pebble Mine, and what folks in New Mexico can do to help the cause.
November 23, 2011 – KDLG radio (click to listen) reports that opposition to the proposed Pebble Mine has grown to 81% among Bristol Bay Native Corporation shareholders, up 12% since 2007. Read about the poll results in the Alaska Dispatch.
November 22, 2011 – KCAW radio reports that a panel of citizens who advise Gov. Parnell’s administration on federal issues has come out against the pending Sealaska lands bill in Congress.
November 21, 2011 – The Alaska Resource Development Council’s annual conference included a presentation on the proposed Pebble Mine by the Pebble Partnership’s CEO. View the presentation here (large video file) and see the accompanying slide show.
November 16, 2011 – Bristol Bay commercial fishermen have launched their new web site, Commercial Fishermen for Bristol Bay, according to the Cordova Times.
November 16, 2011 – National Jeweler and YubaNet report that Alaska natives and fishermen are pressing Signet Jewelers, the world’s largest jewelry retailer and parent company of Kay Jewelers and Jared the Galleria of Jewelry, to join the 50 leading jewelers who have signed the Bristol Bay pledge.
November 16, 2011 – Fishermen's News Online reports that the early projection for 2012 Bristol Bay sockeye run is 32 million fish.
November 16, 2011 – Jewelry industry icon, Tiffany & Co. has been a leader in the efforts to protect Bristol Bay. Recently, the company launched its own sustainability website.
November 15, 2011 – Our friends at Recycled Fish have named Sam Snyder – one of SAA’s allies in the Bristol Bay fight – as their Steward of the Week.
November 15, 2011 – The Juneau Empire reports that Alaska’s Citizen’s Advisory Commission on Federal Areas finds fault in the Sealaska lands bill. A copy of the CACFA letter to Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) may be seen here.
November 14, 2011 – The wild seafood web portal Vital Choices reports on a terrific essay by a Bristol Bay commercial fisherman that points out the fatal flaws of the proposed Pebble Mine.
November 12, 2011 – KDLG radio reports that the Bristol Bay sockeye salmon fishery was the most valuable salmon fishery in Alaska in 2011.
November 11, 2011 – A new report indicates that 2011 was a record year for Southeast Alaska salmon harvests.
November 8, 2011 – The Bristol Bay Native Corporation released recent poll results showing a majority of Alaskans are opposed to the proposed Pebble Mine. Only 32% of respondents are in favor of Pebble. Listen to a short news story on the poll results at KDLG radio.
November 8, 2011 – The Drake magazine ran an online opinion piece about mistakes and legacies, discussing the historic runs of salmon in the Pacific Northwest and the current salmon stronghold of Bristol Bay.
November 8, 2011 – Trout Unlimited and Field & Stream magazine just announced their 2011 Best Wild Places project, which will include Southeast Alaska’s Tongass National Forest.
November 7, 2011 – The Anchorage Daily News reports that a hearing has been set for January 10 in the dispute over the Lake & Peninsula Borough’s recently passed Save Our Salmon initiative, which is being challenged by the Pebble Limited Partnership as well as the State of Alaska.
November 6, 2011 – One of the campaign leaders for the effort to save Bristol Bay was interviewed by a crew from the Outdoor Channel.
November 5, 2011 – Alaska Magazine has a terrific feature The Forest of the Future in the November issue. The article is the product of a media trip to the Tongass organized and hosted by SAA.
November 4, 2011 – Northern Dynasty Minerals’ CEO blasted the recently passed Save Our Salmon initiative according to this article in the Anchorage Daily News.
November 4, 2011 – Mining Weekly reports that the State of Alaska has joined the Pebble Limited Partnership in a bid to strike down the Save Our Salmon initiative.
November 4, 2011 – The radio program Living on Earth covered the debate over the proposed Pebble Mine in an interview with the news director from the public radio station in Dillingham, AK.
November 4, 2011 – The November issue of Alaska Economic Trends from the AK Department of Labor discusses the Bristol Bay region and its reliance on the fishing industry.
November 4, 2011 – The blog Headwaters of History discusses the economic impacts of the Bristol Bay fishery, but also the values that are more difficult to measure.
November 3, 2011 – The two Save Bristol Bay Road Show participants who spoke at every event wrote a nice summary of the tour.
November 3, 2011 – Northern Dynasty Minerals (part of the Pebble Limited Partnership) issued a press release about the State of Alaska’s constitutional challenge to the recently passed Save Our Salmon initiative in the Lake & Peninsula Borough.
November 2, 2011 – An NYC-based blogger wrote about last night’s Save Bristol Bay event in New York, check it out at Deadbait. The event featured the CEO of Tiffany & Co., as well as several of NYC’s top chefs.
November 1, 2011 – The Denver Post outdoor section covered the Save Bristol Bay Road Show stop in Denver.
October 30, 2011 – Pebble Watch, a web site administered by the Bristol Bay Native Corporation, reports on pending federal legislation that could affect development of the proposed Pebble Mine.
October 30, 2011 – The Denver Post's outdoor columnist attended the Bristol Bay Road Show event this week, and wrote a nice column on the issue.
October 28, 2011 – The journal Science reported on the American Association for the Advancement of Science discussion of the proposed Pebble Mine at the AAAS Arctic Division annual meeting. It’s a very in-depth look at the Pebble proposal from the perspective of scientists involved.
October 27, 2011 – The Daily Kos reports on this week’s Bristol Bay Road Show stop in Santa Fe, NM where SAA Director Scott Hed served as the emcee.
October 26, 2011 – SAA Director Scott Hed was the emcee at the Santa Fe stop of the Save Bristol Bay Road Show last night. Read a recap of the evening here.
October 26, 2011 – The Juneau Empire reports on a new large timber sale on Kupreanof Island in the Tongass. Official USFS information on the sale can be found here.
October 25, 2011 – American Rivers provided an update on the Save Our Salmon initiative vote and there’s also a terrific 7-minute video about Pebble and the in-region opposition to the mine found here.
October 24, 2011 – The Anchorage Daily News reports that the State of Alaska has rejected a petition against the proposed Chuitna coal mine on the west side of Cook Inlet.
October 24, 2011 – The Pebble Partnership will not contest the results of the Save Our Salmon ballot initiative, according to the Anchorage Daily News. Instead, the measure will be in front of a state judge in early November to determine its enforceability.
October 23, 2011 – A columnist in the Alaska Dispatch calls many of the arguments of those opposed to the proposed Pebble Mine project hyperbole” and lies.
October 21, 2011 – Alaska Native News reprints an in-depth look at the science that will shape decisions about Pebble Mine and the strong interest by local residents in participating in the development of those findings.
October 21, 2011 – While not specific to Alaska, a major court ruling today upheld the 2001 Roadless Rule on 49 million acres of national forests and grasslands. Read Angling Trade for reaction to the decision from the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership.
October 20, 2011 – Alaska Business Monthly reports on new legislation introduced today in the U.S. Senate to address a virus outbreak in Pacific salmon.
October 19, 2011 – Mineweb reports that the passage of the Save Our Salmon initiative may be a big blow to the proposed Pebble Mine project. However, it is headed to court so this is not over yet.
October 19, 2011 – The Alaska Dispatch reports that work goes on at the site of the proposed Pebble Mine, while the Save Our Salmon initiative heads for court.
October 19, 2011 – The Los Angeles Times blogged about the recent Save Our Salmon initiative vote in the Lake & Peninsula Borough with some interesting tidbits about ballot irregularities.
October 19, 2011 – The October issue of Alaska Business Monthly features a story on a direct-market seafood business that depends on the healthy habitats of the Tongass National Forest for its success.
October 18, 2011 – The Alaska Journal of Commerce covers the Save Our Salmon initiative, which passed a vote in the Lake & Peninsula Borough, but is also headed into Alaska’s court system as it has been challenged by the Pebble Partnership.
October 18, 2011 – Renowned photographer Robert Glenn Ketchum has a series of photos and discussion of the proposed Pebble Mine at National Geographic.
October 18, 2011 – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awarded an environmental education grant for $19,094 to the Bristol Bay Guide Academy project.
October 18, 2011 – The Anchorage Daily News editorialized on the Save Our Salmon vote results and the fact that the results of the EPA’s ongoing watershed assessment might be more powerful than the SOS initiative when all is said and done.
October 18, 2011 – KUOW’s EarthFix program interviewed Red Gold director Travis Rummel about making the award-winning documentary that is featured on the Save Bristol Bay Road Show.
October 18, 2011 – The Save Bristol Bay Road Show kicked off last night in Seattle; read the account of what sounds like a great evening, and see the tour when it comes to your area.
October 18, 2011 – The web journal Sustainable Business Oregon highlights the ties between Oregon commercial fishermen and Bristol Bay, as the Save Bristol Bay Road Show prepares to make a stop in Portland this week.
October 17, 2011 – KPLU public radio in Seattle provides a good overview of the Bristol Bay Road Show including quotes from two of the participants who are traveling the country over the next two weeks.
October 17, 2011 – The Associated Press reports on the Save Our Salmon initiative voting results with some good quotes from supporters and opponents of the measure.
October 17, 2011 – The Anchorage Daily News is reporting that the Save Our Salmon initiative passed in the Lake & Peninsula Borough. Now it goes back to the courts…
October 17, 2011 – KDLG public radio in Dillingham reports on the ballot counting for the Save Our Salmon initiative in the Lake & Peninsula Borough.
October 16, 2011 – The Peninsula Clarion reports on a Kenai Peninsula Borough ordinance passed last summer that could affect the proposed Chuit coal mine.
October 15, 2011 – The Anchorage Daily News reports on a new study about the risks and potential rewards of the proposed Chuit coal mine on the west side of Cook Inlet, which would remove more than 11 miles of salmon streams and dump more than 7 million gallons of mine waste per day into the Chuit River.
October 14, 2011 – The blog Headwaters of History discusses the attempt to streamline the mine permitting process in Alaska even further, when many argue that it’s already not stringent enough.
October 13, 2011 – SAA Director Scott Hed was interviewed on Bob Gerding's Fishing Report with morning show host T.J. Trout on Albuquerque’s KZZR 94 Rock. Both of the hosts have fished Bristol Bay and the discussion focused on the Pebble Mine issue and the upcoming Save Bristol Bay Road Show stop in Santa Fe.
October 13, 2011 – Field & Stream magazine’s Fly Talk blog covered the upcoming start of the Save Bristol Bay Road Show.
October 13, 2011 – The Seattle Weekly blog has some new info from the makers of the award-winning documentary Red Gold, which it refers to as salmon advocates’ favorite Bristol Bay film.
October 12, 2011 – Amazon.com’s Al Dente blog reports on Bristol Bay sockeye salmon, a small Bristol Bay salmon processing business, and the fact you can order this amazing seafood through Amazon’s web site (but only if you live in the Seattle area).
October 12, 2011 – E&E News’ On Point program features an interview with the CEO of the Bristol Bay Native Corporation, who is urging the EPA to block the proposed Pebble Mine project in Bristol Bay.
October 7, 2011 – National Geographic ran a feature story about Bristol Bay in December 2010, and they just did an online update on the situation.
October 5, 2011 – The final salmon harvest numbers for the 2011 Bristol Bay commercial fishing season are reported in the Homer News. The official ADF&G press release also has more details.
October 4, 2011 – Forbes covered the Lake & Peninsula Borough’s vote on the Save Our Salmon initiative; the deadline to vote was today. Results should be known after the middle of October.
October 4, 2011 – The Orvis News is helping to promote the Save Bristol Bay Road Show which kicks off on October 17 and will visit seven cities in the following two weeks. RSVP today!
October 4, 2011 – The Alaska Dispatch reports that world markets and local opposition are causing investors to be skittish on the proposed Pebble Mine project and the companies that comprise the Pebble Limited Partnership.
October 3, 2011 – An article titled Pebble Mine: A Vote for Southwest Alaska's Future? ran in the Alaska Dispatch and discussed at length this week’s vote on the Save Our Salmon initiative in the Lake & Peninsula Borough.
October 3, 2011 – The October issue of the Alaska Sporting Journal discusses the entry by a Lower 48 Senator into the debate over the proposed Pebble Mine and the EPA’s role in the process.
October 2, 2011 – The Anchorage Daily News reports on this week's vote on the Save Our Salmon initiative in the Lake & Peninsula Borough.
October 2, 2011 – An Alaska native subsistence hunter and fisherman wrote an opinion editorial in the Anchorage Daily News in response to the Pebble Partnership’s recent tactic of bringing a South African group to the Bristol Bay region to attempt to sway local residents into accepting the risks posed by the proposed Pebble Mine.
September 30, 2011 – KDLG radio in Dillingham runs an update about a recent trip with the Pebble developers to the mine site, the upcoming Save Our Salmon Initiative and a new YouTube video documenting some of the potential problems found at Pebble’s exploratory drill sites.
September 30, 2011 – The October issue of the Alaska Journal of Commerce reports on Sealaska Corporation’s performance during the down economy, including mention of the controversial Sealaska lands bill pending in Congress.
September 29, 2011 – Of all places, the National Enquirer ran something about the proposed Pebble Mine. Of course, it was very Palin-centric, but it certainly will reach a lot of people who’ve never heard of this issue before.
September 29, 2011 – National Public Radio interviewed their local Dillingham affiliate about the debate over the proposed Pebble Mine.
September 28, 2011 – A Superior Court Judge in Anchorage has sided with the State of Alaska in a lawsuit which challenged the constitutionality of the exploratory permits which the Pebble Partnership has been operating under. There is a high likelihood this case will be appealed to the Alaska Supreme Court.
September 26, 2011 – The popular fishing podcast Fish Schtick features an interview (beginning at 20:00) with the two women anglers of Team Bear Trail,” the winners of this year’s 24-Hour Fish-A-Thon from Recycled Fish. The team raised money to help fight for Bristol Bay and against the proposed Pebble Mine.
September 26, 2011 – The President of the Alaska Senate, Gary Stevens, preached caution about the proposed Pebble Mine in this interview with KDLG radio.
September 25, 2011 – A geologist and director of the pro-development Truth About Pebble group responds to the September 17 opinion editorial (below) with another op-ed in the Anchorage Daily News.
September 24, 2011 – Another volley from the pro-Pebble side in the escalating opinion editorial battle in the Anchorage Daily News.
September 23, 2011 – The CEO of the billion-dollar Bristol Bay Native Corporation pens an eloquent and convincing opinion editorial as to why the BBNC and the vast majority of the residents of the region do not favor development of the proposed Pebble Mine project.
September 21, 2011 – The Fishermen's News Online reports that ballots for the Save Our Salmon initiative are in the mail. The vote is coming up on October 4.
September 19, 2011 – The Anchorage Daily News reports on the spending increase in advance of the Lake & Peninsula Borough’s upcoming vote on the Save Our Salmon initiative on October 4.
September 17, 2011 – An Anchorage radio and television show host wrote an opinion editorial in the Anchorage Daily News about the mistruths being promoted by the Pebble Partnership to attempt to sway voters in the upcoming Save Our Salmon initiative.
September 14, 2011 – The Anchorage Press has a story that outlines the history of the Pebble claim and discusses the political battle shaping up over the future of Bristol Bay.
September 12, 2011 – U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), the ranking member on the Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources issued a press release in response to yesterday’s report that U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) plans to ask EPA to use its authority under the Clean Water Act to protect Bristol Bay. Senator Murkowski warns that a preemptive veto by the EPA in the case of Bristol Bay would trample the scientific process.
September 12, 2011 – Here is the letter to the EPA from U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) asking the agency to use its authority under the Clean Water Act to protect Bristol Bay. Senator Cantwell is the first U.S. Senator to take this big public step in defense of Bristol Bay.
September 12, 2011 – The Associated Press reports on the letter from U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) to the EPA on the subject of Bristol Bay. More coverage from KDLG-Dillingham.
September 11, 2011 – U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) is planning to send a letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) asking the agency to consider using the Clean Water Act to protect Bristol Bay from the proposed Pebble Mine. See the advance story on the political battle that this is likely to touch off in this McClatchy Newspapers exclusive.
September 9, 2011 – A newspaper columnist in British Columbia wrote a column about the risks of the proposed Pebble Mine in the Squamish Chief.
September 9, 2011 – Reuters did a brief piece about Five Facts on the Pebble Mine Project.
September 9, 2011 – The Financial Post reports on the risks associated with the proposed Pebble Mine project, and the efforts by Northern Dynasty to sell their share of the project. Potential buyers are mentioned in the article.
September 7, 2011 – In response to the Sept. 3 opinion editorial (below), a leader in the Save Our Salmon initiative effort lists the inaccuracies in the previous editorial.
September 3, 2011 – A pro-development editor of an Anchorage web paper (with ties to Pebble to boot), wrote an opinion editorial in the Anchorage Daily News decrying the upcoming Save Our Salmon initiative vote, saying it’s nothing but an effort to protect wealthy anglers.
September 1, 2011 – The latest edition of Brian O’Keefe’s online Catch magazine features a photo essay on Alaska float trips. It’s the first in a series of Alaska photo essays, so keep an eye on future editions. There are also a few great Alaska images under the Red” photo essay section of the current issue.
August 26, 2011 – A former Alaska Attorney General has a thought-provoking two-part opinion editorial about the proposed Pebble Mine. Part one discusses the history of resource development and environmental protection in America. Part two entertains the idea of an industry-funded fisheries safety net in the form of a guaranteed income pool.
August 30, 2011 – The current issue of Alaska Business Monthly magazine has a feature touting the Pebble Partnership’s work to create an Environmental Baseline Document for the area around the mine site.
August 29, 2011 – An attorney for conservation interests in Southeast Alaska wrote an opinion editorial about Sealaska Corporation’s response to the U.S. Forest Service’s Tongass management transition plans.
August 25, 2011 – Silicon India reports that Anglo American’s CEO Cynthia Carroll has been listed among the most powerful business women in the world.
August 25, 2011 – Here’s a story about a tremendous successful restoration project in the Tongass National Forest that was years in the making.
August 24, 2011 – In the second of a two-part feature, Indian Country Today details the tangled web of inter-connected companies behind the proposed Pebble Mine and the massive amounts of money the developers are spending in an attempt to influence public opinion in the region. Again, this is a very good article – please share far and wide.
August 23, 2011 – In the first of a two-part feature, Indian Country Today chronicles the recent history of the proposed Pebble Mine debate. This is a terrific piece to share with someone just learning about Pebble.
August 22, 2011 – KDLG radio from Dillingham reports on the new owners of the Bristol Bay Times. The new owner has business dealings with the Pebble Partnership, but wishes to assure readers that will have no bearing on editorial content in the paper.
August 20, 2011 – The Bristol Bay Times reports that the commercial salmon season is winding down with lower than expected final numbers. Also, there’s a blurb about the Save Our Salmon initiative.
August 20, 2011 – The Juneau Empire reports on the visit to Southeast Alaska by a high-ranking USDA official to discuss transitional management of the Tongass National Forest. You can listen to an interview with USDA Undersecretary for Natural Resources and the Environment from KCAW.
August 18, 2011 – The Alaska Supreme Court has ruled that the Lake & Peninsula Borough will be allowed to vote on the Save Our Salmon ballot initiative this fall, according to the Anchorage Daily News. Additional coverage can be found at Mining Weekly. This ruling does not preclude the Pebble Partnership from advancing a lawsuit challenging the initiative after the vote takes place.
August 17, 2011 – A new poll shows Bristol Bay commercial fishermen overwhelmingly oppose the proposed Pebble Mine. Read more in the Anchorage Daily News.
August 16, 2011 – Next time you think about buying a can of tuna, consider canned salmon instead. That’s what noted food author Paul Greenberg says in Seattle Weekly.
August 14, 2011 – The Anchorage Daily News reports on the escalating advertising battle for Alaskans’ opinions about the proposed Pebble Mine project.
August 12, 2011 – The Bristol Bay Native Corporation as asked the State to stay out of the Save Our Salmon ballot initiative court battle regarding the Lake & Peninsula Borough’s possible vote this fall which the Pebble Partnership is protesting, according to this story in the Bristol Bay Times.
August 12, 2011 – The Bristol Bay Times runs a good story about how the proposed Pebble Mine is different from other alaska mines.
August 9, 2011 – The Boulder (CO) Daily Camera profiles a local fisherman who fishes commercially in Bristol Bay and markets the wild sockeye back home on the Front Range. The article also yielded a very nice letter to the editor about the risks facing Bristol Bay.
August 4, 2011 – Listen to a story on the conclusion of the Bristol Bay sockeye season at Alaska Public Radio.
August 3, 2011 – The Anchorage Daily News reports that the developers behind the proposed Pebble Mine is trying to block a vote by citizens in the Lake & Peninsula Borough which could ban projects deemed harmful to salmon resources.
August 3, 2011 – A U.S. Appeal Court has overturned four logging projects in the Tongass National Forest, from a story in the Juneau Empire.
August 3, 2011 – A recently retired USFS research fisheries biologist and an owner of a salmon marketing business in Southeast Alaska teamed up on a great opinion editorial in the Juneau Empire about the value of intact watersheds and salmon to Southeast Alaska and the Tongass National Forest.
August 2, 2011 – The Alaska Dispatch did a story on the "Pebble Mine Girl" who has been featured in the Pebble Partnership’s television commercials. Incidentally, you can view a lot of information about the media work being done in Alaska by those opposed to the proposed Pebble Mine at Alaska Wild Salmon Protection, Inc.
August 1, 2011 – The current status of the proposed Pebble Mine is laid out in this piece from AllBusiness.com.
August 1, 2011 – The Pebble Partnership has filed an emergency petition with the Alaska Supreme Court to review the Save Our Salmon” ballot initiative in the Lake & Peninsula Borough, according to this story in the Bristol Bay Times.
July 27, 2011 – KFSK radio reports that two resource development groups have filed to join a lawsuit to exclude Alaska's two national forests from the national roadless rule.
July 27, 2011 – An Alaska Superior Court Judge has deferred ruling on the Lake & Peninsula Borough’s Save Our Salmon” ballot initiative until after the October election, according to the Bristol Bay Times.
July 25, 2011 – The online literary magazine n + 1 features an exceptional description of Bristol Bay commercial fishing and the fight to save the fishery from the proposed Pebble Mine, written by a third-generation Bristol Bay fisherman.
July 25, 2011 – The June/July 2011 issue of First Alaskans magazine has an essay about the Bristol Bay subsistence salmon fishery.
July 21, 2011 – Energy & Environment News reports on Trout Unlimited’s lobby efforts to protect EPA’s authority to exercise veto powers under the Clean Water Act from legislative assaults the agency is facing in Congress.
July 21, 2011 – The Huffington Post featured a story on why wild salmon is worth the fight, including a video with acclaimed food author Paul Greenberg who recently visited Bristol Bay.
July 18, 2011 – The Bristol Bay sockeye harvest topped 20 million fish, and the escapement goals were met for all systems in the region. Escapement numbers topped 7.6 million sockeye. See the details for Bristol Bay and other Alaska salmon fisheries in this article.
July 19, 2011 – The August issue of The Leader, official publication of the Steelhead and Salmon Conservation Society, features a lot of good information about Bristol Bay (and a terrific cover image from good SAA friend Brian O’Keefe).
July 18, 2011 – Sporting Classics magazine recently featured a story about fishing in the Tongass National Forest, based on the trip that SAA organized in summer 2010. The trip also yielded a nice award for Alaska's Boardwalk Lodge which graciously hosted a share of the trip for SAA.
July 15, 2011 – The Bristol Bay region and all its fish, wildlife, and culture are explored in this great feature from Indian Country Today.
July 14, 2011 – A columnist in the Washington Examiner opines about how the big green” community is trying to kill Pebble Mine. Of course, no mention of the opposition from hard working commercial fishermen, or big game hunting guides, or the sport fishing and hunting products industry.
July 14, 2011 – SitNews reports on the legislation introduced by Alaska’s Congressional delegation which would repeal the 2001 roadless rule in Alaska’s Tongass and Chugach National Forests.
July 14, 2011 – KFSK radio details reaction to yesterday's passage of the Sealaska lands bill in the House Natural Resources Committee. Debate and vote on the House floor is not expected until after the August Congressional recess.
July 13, 2011 – A resident of Togiak, in the Bristol Bay region, writes eloquently about the subsistence lifestyle and the threat it faces from the proposed Pebble Mine in this Bristol Bay Times opinion piece.
July 13, 2011 – Alaska’s Congressional delegation introduced legislation that would repeal the 2001 roadless rule” on Alaska’s Tongass and Chugach national forests. The Juneau Empire has an good story on the situation.
July 13, 2011 – The July issue of Pacific Fishing features an excellent call to action by a lifelong Bristol Bay commercial fisherman, asking you to support the EPA’s work in Bristol Bay.
July 12, 2011 – Commercial fishing updates: Read about the salmon season to date in The Tundra Drums and this season’s wholesale salmon prices in the Anchorage Daily News.
July 11, 2011 – KFSK radio did a story on Rep. Don Young’s (R-AK) version of the Sealaska lands bill which will be in committee on Wednesday.
July 7, 2011 – KBRK radio has a story about two potential mining projects that could impact roadless areas in the Tongass National Forest.
July 7, 2011 – EPA’s Region 10 Regional Administrator wrote a blog post about his recent trip to Bristol Bay as part of the agency’s ongoing watershed assessment.
July 6, 2011 – An owner of an Oregon-based fishing travel business wrote an impassioned guest editorial in the Oregonian about his history in Bristol Bay and the need to protect it.
July 5, 2011 – KDLG radio did a story on the recent trip to Bristol Bay by a group of influential people in the food world to learn about the proposed Pebble Mine.
July 1, 2011 – The largest online retailer of quality diamonds and fine jewelry, Blue Nile, has signed the Bristol Bay pledge making a commitment to responsible gold sourcing.
July 1, 2011 – Check out the short video Where Are They Now?” profile of Ruben Hastings, a Bristol Bay native and graduate of the BB Fly Fishing & Guide Academy.
June 30, 2011 – A top official from EPA’s Office of Water posted this blog report about her trip to Bristol Bay this spring.
June 28, 2011 – A new poll released today shows overwhelming support by Alaskans for salmon habitat.
June 27, 2011 – A tour operator wrote an opinion editorial questioning the impacts of the proposed Sealaska lands bill on the ever-growing tourism industry in Southeast Alaska.
June 27, 2011 – The July 2011 issue of Desert Leaf magazine features an article on the Tongass National Forest by a writer who took part in SAA’s trip to Prince of Wales Island last summer.
June 22, 2011 – The Washington Post covered the Bull Moose Sportsmen’s Alliance lobby trip to Washington, DC. The relatively new group unveiled an 18-point agenda that featured the need to protect Bristol Bay.
June 22, 2011 – A commercial fisherman from Bristol Bay wrote an opinion piece in the Fishermen’s News supporting the EPA and their work in Bristol Bay.
June 22, 2011 – Fish & Fly featured a really cool promotion by artist and Bristol Bay guide Tim Pearson, who is painting for the cause of protection for Bristol Bay. SAA will receive the proceeds! Follow Tim’s work at the Angling Artist blog.
June 22, 2011 – E&E TV’s OnPoint program features an interview with the Pebble Partnership's CEO John Shively about the timeline of the proposed Pebble Mine, how he believes the mine and Bristol Bay’s fishery can coexist, and more. Click the link to watch the interview and read the transcript.
June 20, 2011 – The Juneau Empire covered the State of Alaska filing two motions against the recent reinstatement of the federal roadless rule on the Tongass National Forest. See the official press release on the challenge from the State of Alaska and the office of Gov. Sean Parnell.
June 20, 2011 – The State of Alaska has filed a legal challenge to the U.S. Roadless Rule and also appealed a district court decision from earlier this year which invalidated the George W. Bush Administration’s exemption for the Tongass National Forest from the roadless rule.
June 17, 2011 – The Globe and Mail discusses the current outlook for Northern Dynasty’s stock, which has dropped 60% from its high in February. Northern Dynasty is the junior mining company from Canada who is 50% partner in the proposed Pebble Mine project in Bristol Bay.
June 17, 2011 – In response to a pro-development opinion piece written on May 31 (see below) in The Hill, a very prominent former Alaska lawmaker wrote a moving piece about the economic and jobs benefits of the Bristol Bay fishery.
June 15, 2011 – Ivan Moore, and Anchorage-based pollster for both Republicans and Democrats, commented on the British Ambassador to the US visit to Alaska in the Anchorage Press. Sounds like a good share of the ambassador’s presentation in Anchorage was devoted to British business interests in Alaska, including Anglo American’s proposed Pebble Mine project.
June 14, 2011 – Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) wrote an opinion editorial in the Juneau Empire to address the controversy of the Sealaska lands bill that she is sponsoring.
June 12, 2011 – Another day, another set of dueling opinion editorials about the Sealaska lands bill in the Juneau Empire. For and against this controversial bill, with the piece against the bill written by a Sealaska shareholder.
June 11, 2011 – KDLG radio in Dillingham reports on the just completed Bristol Bay Fly Fishing & Guide Academy.
June 8, 2011 – Sealaska Corporation responded to the recent opinion editorial by the Territorial Sportsmen about the current Sealaska lands bills in Congress, in this Juneau Empire Op Ed.
June 8, 2011 – The Bristol Bay Times reports on the EPA's listening session in Dillingham to address the agency’s ongoing watershed assessment in the region. Turnout was great with unanimous opinion that massive mining development is a threat to Bristol Bay and its renewable resources.
June 8, 2011 – The Bristol Bay Working Group’s spring newsletter is now available for your reading pleasure. Lots of good stories from all corners of the campaign.
June 6, 2011 – The Salt Lake Tribune covered the recent visit to Utah’s Bingham Canyon copper mine by a group of Bristol Bay residents. The Alaskans came away knowing that they don’t want something like that in Bristol Bay.
June 5, 2011 – A columnist in The Olympian writes about the coming commercial fishing season in Bristol Bay and the dark cloud of the proposed Pebble Mine that hangs over the world’s most productive wild salmon fishery.
June 1, 2011 – The June issue of Alaska Airlines Magazine has a seven page feature about the Bristol Bay fishery.
June 1, 2011 – The Alaska Dispatch reports on the lawsuit filed by the Pebble Partnership against the Lake and Peninsula Borough over the borough’s certification of a ballot initiative that would allow citizens to vote on the Save Our Salmon” initiative.
June 1, 2011 – The Anchorage Daily News editorialized on EPA’s visits to Bristol Bay villages this week as part of the agency’s watershed assessment. In the words of the ADN: This one we need to get right the first time.
June 1, 2011 – The president of the largest sportsman group in Southeast Alaska wrote an opinion editorial in the Juneau Empire discussing how the Sealaska lands bill is a bad deal for hunters and anglers.
June 1, 2011 – The new issue of This Is Fly includes a bit by SAA Director Scott Hed about the Bristol Bay fight, and the magazine also ran the EPA support advertisement from the sport fishing and hunting community.
May 31, 2011 – A blogger on The Hill, a DC-focused media outlet, used the EPA’s involvement in Bristol Bay as an example of how the agency is stifling job creation. What about the thousands of fishing jobs at risk in Bristol Bay?
May 31, 2011 – The president of the American Fly Fishing Trade Association wrote an opinion editorial supporting EPA’s science assessment of Bristol Bay and urging the agency to use its authority under the Clean Water Act to protect the region from the threat of large mine development.
May 31, 2011 – Win a fishing trip for two to Alaska’s Bristol Bay. ExOfficio and Trout Unlimited announced today the Keep the Bugs Away® in Bristol Bay” contest. Co-sponsored by SAA, anyone can enter the contest online or in stores during June to win airfare, lodging, guiding and adventure clothes.
May 31, 2011 – The Alaska Sporting Journal cut to the chase in an editorial about the proposed Pebble Mine. In short, to hell with the Pebble Mine.” The editorial references the hundreds of sporting groups and businesses which SAA has organized in support of Bristol Bay.
May 30, 2011 – A biologist from Anchorage wrote a very eloquent opinion editorial about the Sealaska lands bill in the Juneau Empire.
May 28, 2011 – An Alaska radio and television host wrote an opinion editorial in the Anchorage Daily News about the Pebble Partnership’s lawsuit against the Lake & Peninsula Borough and the Borough Clerk. The lawsuit was filed because the clerk certified a petition to allow borough residents a vote on whether or not to allow major resource extraction that would harm salmon in the borough.
May 27, 2011 – The Bristol Bay Times reported on the 2011 Bristol Bay Fly Fishing and Guide Academy held near King Salmon. Thirteen Bristol Bay young people participated in this year’s academy.
May 27, 2011 – U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) has sponsored legislation in the Senate that would curtail protections for federal roadless areas. There is a companion bill in the House. The Ketchikan Daily News editorialized in favor of the legislation.
May 26, 2011 – A retired forest economist wrote an opinion editorial on the Sealaska lands bill in the Anchorage Daily News.
May 26, 2011 – The Juneau Empire provides a recap of this week's Congressional hearings on the Sealaska lands bill in the U.S. Senate and House.
May 26, 2011 – The Anchorage Daily News reports on yesterday’s U.S. Senate hearing on the controversial Sealaska lands bill.
May 25, 2011 – The Alaska legislature has re-appropriated $750,000 from 2010 that was to study proposed mining impacts in Bristol Bay. Instead the funds will be used to examine state laws, permitting requirements, and processes related to mining development in Alaska.
May 25, 2011 – A federal judge in Anchorge issued his final decision, making final a March decision to reinstate the roadless rule on the Tongass National Forest.
May 25, 2011 – Canadian officials are refusing to talk about the recent flooding of a tailings pond at the defunct Giant Mine near Yellowknife, raising concerns about mining waste potentially contaminating a nearby creek and the Great Slave Lake.
May 25, 2011 – KFSK radio reports that the Sitka Assembly has expressed "concerns" about the proposed Sealaska lands bills which received hearings in Congress this week. The story details the nearly three hour public meeting and debate in the community.
May 23, 2011 – A commercial fisherman from Sitka wrote a nice opinion piece in the Anchorage Daily News about how the Sealaska lands bill will have damaging impacts to salmon in the Tongass National Forest.
May 22, 2011 – The controversial Sealaska lands bills will receive hearings in Congress this week. Read the latest on the situation in the Anchorage Daily News.
May 20, 2011 – The Alaska Journal of Commerce reports on the escalating showdown between the vast majority of Bristol Bay residents who oppose the Pebble Mine project and a newly-formed, Pebble-funded group representing a small minority of residents of the region.
May 19, 2011 – The Cordova Times reports that Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) has expressed her opposition to the US Forest Service’s proposed settlement that would result in roadless protections for the Tongass National Forest. Read Senator Murkowski’s official press release on the matter.
May 18, 2011 – SAA friend and supporter Kyle Perkins wrote a nice blog entry over at Compleat Thought about the need to get involved with the battle for Bristol Bay.
May 17, 2011 – KTUU reports that enough signatures have been collected in the Lake and Peninsula Borough for a local ballot measure to put the brakes on the proposed Pebble Mine. If the petition signatures are validated, the vote could take place in October.
May 17, 2011 – SAA Director Scott Hed and TU’s Bristol Bay National Outreach Director co-wrote an urgent call to action to the sport fishing community. It should be surfacing various places online, but you can read it now on Ted Williams’ blog at Fly Rod+Reel Online.
May 17, 2011 – The Juneau Empire reports that six members representing small Southeast Alaska communities have withdrawn from the Tongass Futures Roundtable. The Roundtable is meeting this week in Hydaburg with 22 remaining members.
May 17, 2011 – Today, American Rivers named the Nushagak and Kvichak Rivers of Bristol Bay to the group’s list of America's Most Endangered Rivers. Click the link to take action.
May 14, 2011 – The Ketchikan Daily News editorialized with much criticism for the recent announcement that the roadless rule (with some important exemptions) has been reinstated on the Tongass National Forest .
May 13, 2011 – Greenwire reports that the Obama administration and the state of Alaska are at odds over which development projects should be exempt from the roadless rule.
May 11, 2011 – The Juneau Empire ran two guest editorials discussing the State of Alaska’s (and others’) decision to withdraw from the Tongass Futures Roundtable process and instead form a timber task force. Guest editorials by a Sealaska Corporation board member who endorses the Tongass Futures Roundtable process and a forester who served as deputy director of the Alaska Dept. of Fish & Game Habitat Division on how the timber task force may provide better opportunity for open engagement in forest management issues in Southeast Alaska.
May 11, 2011 – The Juneau Empire ran a guest editorial by a Southeast Alaska lodge owner about how the Tongass National Forest should be managed as a "salmon forest."
May 11, 2011 – The Capital City Weekly featured a story on how the Sitka Conservation Society is working with the US Forest Service on a project that enhances habitat for deer and salmon, produced jobs for local loggers, firewood for local residents, and a research project for the local high school. It’s a terrific example of projects that could become the future of the Tongass National Forest if the USFS moves toward a more sustainable management model focusing on second-growth harvest and restoration projects instead of old-growth harvest.
May 9, 2011 – The Huffington Post featured the Tongass National Forest and the awareness project done by acclaimed photographer Amy Gulick, Salmon in the Trees. Check out the online slide show, then get a copy of this terrific book.
May 6, 2011 – The Bristol Bay Times reports on a newly-formed non-profit group in Anchorage to advocate for resource development in southwest Alaska. The new group represents the small minority of residents of the region, and has ties to the Pebble Partnership. Read the response from the vast majority of the region’s residents to this new group here.
May 4, 2011 – Fishermen's News Online gives an update on recent happenings with the proposed Pebble mine, including a discussion of a newly formed in region advocacy group called Nuna Resources, Inc. Nuna represents the small minority opinion of residents from the Bristol Bay region in support of the mine project, as 80% of regional residents remain opposed.
May 3, 2011 – SAA Director Scott Hed had a feature on the Bristol Bay campaign in the Blue Collar Issue of the online fly fishing magazine Blood Knot.
May 2, 2011 – Northern Dynasty Minerals announced the Pebble Partnership has approved $91 million in expenditures for 2011, with the goal of preparing the Pebble project for permitting in 2012.
April 27, 2011 – KSKA radio has the audio files and PowerPoint presentations from the recent 2011 Southwest Alaska Salmon Science Symposium, given by two University of Washington professors who co-authored a landmark study of Bristol Bay salmon habitat.
April 26, 2011 – A new fisheries resource report based on three years of field study documents the presence of wild salmon in streams atop the Pebble Mine prospect in Bristol Bay, according to this story in the Bristol Bay Times.
April 25, 2011 – A timber economist lists five myths about the Sealaska land bill in this opinion editorial from the Juneau Empire.
April 22, 2011 – The London Mining Network reports on the Anglo American annual shareholder meeting, which includes a section on attendees expressing concern over the controversial Pebble Mine proposal in Bristol Bay.
April 21, 2011 – A diverse set of voices posted this letter in The Guardian expressing their concerns about the proposed Pebble Mine project to Anglo American on the day of Anglo’s annual general shareholder meeting in London. The signers included Alaska Native leaders, commercial fishing leaders, anglers, royal jewelers, U.K. politicians, and fisheries conservationists.
April 21, 2011 – As Anglo American and Rio Tinto (two global mining giants with ownership in the proposed Pebble Mine project) gathered for their annual shareholder meetings, Robert Redford called on the companies to abandon the controversial project in the Huffington Post.
April 21, 2011 – A scientist with over 60 years of experience working with salmon in Alaska wrote an excellent opinion editorial in the Anchorage Daily News about the proposal to build a coal mine on the west side of Cook Inlet which would impact salmon habitat.
April 21, 2011 – Northern Dynasty Minerals, one half of the Pebble Partnership, is looking to sell its stake in the proposed Pebble Mine according to the Alaska Journal of Commerce. Recently, Mitsubishi Corporation divested itself from its holdings in Northern Dynasty.
April 19, 2011 – Gavel to Gavel has the audio recordings of the hearing before the Alaska Supreme Court in the case of State v. Nondalton Tribal Council, et al. This is the case challenging the validity of the 2005 Bristol Bay Area Plan which has contributed greatly to the threat of massive mining projects which threaten Bristol Bay.
April 19, 2011 – Nasdaq.com reports that Cynthia Carroll, CEO of Anglo American, will be meeting with Bristol Bay leaders in London this week to discuss the proposed Pebble Mine project. The article also notes that Mitsubishi Corporation recently sold its 11% share of Northern Dynasty Minerals.
April 15, 2011 – U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today released a discussion draft of legislation designed to revitalize the nation’s critical minerals supply chain. Murkowski is asking for public comments on the draft by May 6. This could play a role in efforts to protect Bristol Bay or to allow mining in the region. Read the press release here.
April 12, 2011 – Researchers from the University of Washington used 50 years of data available on Bristol Bay sockeye to show the necessity of population diversity. They presented their findings at a program in Anchorage, which was covered in The Arctic Sounder.
April 12, 2011 – A coalition of nearly 30 investment organizations representing over $170 billion in assets is asking the EPA to use its authority under the Clean Water Act to review potential impacts to Bristol Bay from the proposed Pebble Mine. The signers to the letter hold over 13 million shares in Anglo American plc, the UK-based mining company behind the proposed mine.
April 12, 2011 – The Bristol Bay Times reports that the Lake & Peninsula Borough has approved a mining ballot initiative application which could lead to a public vote later this year on whether or not to allow mining development in the area.
April 9, 2011 – The Los Angeles Times reports on the small Southeast Alaska town of Kake’s experience with the U.S. Forest Service's new approach to logging in the Tongass National Forest.
April 6, 2011 – Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) reintroduced the latest version of the Sealaska lands bill today.
April 2, 2011 – Native Peoples magazine featured a Bristol Bay photo essay by Nick Hall that celebrates the Alaska Native culture of region and its reliance on the fishery.
March 31, 2011 – The March 2011 issue of Salmon Trout Steelheader featured a story on fishing Southeast Alaska based on last summer’s outdoor media trip organized by the Sportsman’s Alliance for Alaska.
March 31, 2011 – SAA Director Scott Hed was interviewed on the Outdoor Talk Network radio program about the Bristol Bay campaign and the role of hunters and anglers in the battle.
March 31, 2011 – The World Fishing Network provides a good overview of the activities in Washington DC during Bristol Bay Wild Salmon Week.
March 31, 2011 – Paul Greenberg (author of Four Fish: The Future of the Last Wild Food) has an idea that Bristol Bay should be declared a "Strategic Seafood Reserve."
March 31, 2011 – The Associated Press reported on this week’s lobby trip to Washington, DC by Alaska Natives, commercial fishermen, chefs, and sportsmen to raise awareness of the need to protect Bristol Bay.
March 30, 2011 – The Washington Current covered the release of a letter from over 200 chefs asking for EPA to protect Bristol Bay.
March 30, 2011 – Paul Greenberg (author of Four Fish: The Future of the Last Wild Food) writes about our nation’s history of sacrificing salmon stocks in the name of progress.
March 30, 2011 – The Juneau Empire editorialized on the EPA's planned study of the potential effects of large-scale development in the Bristol Bay region.
March 27, 2011 – According to an article in the Anchorage Daily News, the Pebble Limited Partnership spent the most money to lobby the Alaska legislature in 2010, a full 61% more than the next-highest spender.
March 25, 2011 – KSTK radio in Wrangell reports that the Sealaska Corporation had initial success in profitably harvesting second-growth timber in 2010. It’s only a beginning, but Sealaska is anticipating further harvest of second-growth stands in 2011 and 2012.
March 20, 2011 – The Bozeman Daily Chronicle previewed a showing of Red Gold in town, featuring comments from Camille Egdorf (student at Montana State University, and also featured in the film) and Ben Knight (one of the filmmakers).
March 20, 2011 – The Juneau Empire covered the team of Bristol Bay residents who are in the Alaska Capitol to educate state legislators about the EPA’s role in the Bristol Bay mining debate.
March 19, 2011 – A food blog did a profile of a French chef and Kodiak businessman who is working to educate seafood consumers and the Alaska legislature on the threat to the world’s most productive wild salmon fishery in Bristol Bay.
March 18, 2011 – The New York Times details dueling lobby visits to Washington, DC by groups opposed to the proposed Pebble Mine and those who want the project to move forward in Bristol Bay.
March 17, 2011 – Over in the United Kingdom, the All Party Parliamentary Group for tribal people has expressed concern over Anglo American’s plans for the proposed Pebble Mine in Bristol Bay. Read the motion which acknowledged the opposition Anglo is facing both in region, in the USA, and in the U.K.
March 17, 2011 – The Bristol Bay Times had an article about the promising outlook for fisheries and their economic impact in the Bristol Bay region.
March 17, 2011 – The Juneau Empire reports that U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) pressed EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson on the EPA’s plans in Bristol Bay during a Senate hearing. Murkowski stated that the EPA’s planned scientific assessment of Bristol Bay is in response to the environmental community.” (Actually, it’s in response to Native interests, commercial fishing interests, hunters, anglers, etc.)
March 16, 2011 – The Juneau Empire did a story on a team of Bristol Bay residents who are lobbying state lawmakers about the need for the EPA’s scientific assessment of the Bristol Bay watershed.
March 15, 2011 – The Anchorage Daily News reports that a state-funded effort to study the proposed Pebble Mine project has stalled after a legislative paned failed to agree on how to approach the study.
March 15, 2011 – The New York Times editorialized about the reinstatement of roadless protections for the Tongass National Forest.
March 13, 2011 – The Anchorage Daily News published an opinion editorial by Dr. Carol Ann Woody discussing how the Fraser River in Canada ought not be used as a comparison for the proposed Pebble Mine in Bristol Bay.
March 8, 2011 – The Bristol Bay Times reports that despite the continued assurances of the Pebble Partnership that mining and the world’s largest wild salmon fishery can co-exist, the Bristol Bay Native Corporation remains skeptical.
March 8, 2011 – The New York Times covered the reinstatement of the roadless rule for the Tongass National Forest.
March 7, 2011 – KFSK radio in Petersburg did a story about the potential for an appeal to the recent ruling to reinstate the roadless rule for the Tongass National Forest.
March 7, 2011 – The Los Angeles Times wrote a nice piece about the recent judge’s ruling to afford protection to roadless areas in the Tongass National Forest.
March 7, 2011 – More coverage of the reinstatement of the roadless rule in the Tongass National Forest can be found in SitNews from Ketchikan.
March 5, 2011 – The Anchorage Daily News reports that biologists with the Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game are forecasting a commercial salmon bounty this coming season.
March 5, 2011 – BREAKING NEWS: A federal judge in Anchorage has overturned an exemption of the Tongass National Forest from the roadless rule.” Read the AP story, reaction from conservation groups in the Juneau Empire, a critical editorial in the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, and reaction from Senator Lisa Murkowski.
March 4, 2011 – The Anchorage Daily News provides a summary of Anglo American CEO Cynthia Carroll’s address in Anchorage yesterday. Mining and fisheries can co-exist according to her, and she demonized anyone opposed to Pebble stating that outside interests have no legitimacy in the debate.
March 3, 2011 – Cynthia Carroll, chief executive of Anglo American, addressed the Resource Development Council in Anchorage. She discusses the state of the Pebble project and takes on opponents of the proposed Pebble Mine in this video. She claims there is no mine plan” and that the company will stand by its promise to not build the mine if they are not welcome. It’s an interesting speech, so take a listen. Remember, mining and fishing can co-exist!
March 3, 2011 – To mark today’s planned visit to Alaska by Anglo American’s CEO, a coalition of Alaska commercial seafood and Native organizations ran an ad in the Anchorage Daily News. In 2008, Cynthia Carroll stated that "I will not go where people don’t want us."
Feb. 27, 2011 – A long-time Alaska Republican who served 24 years in the state legislature wrote an opinion editorial in the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner making the argument that the proposed Pebble Mine is too risky due to the size, location, and type of the deposit.
Feb. 27, 2011 – KFSK radio in Petersburg, Alaska, reports that some tribal leaders in Southeast Alaska are concerned about changes to the Sealaska lands bill, specifically related to the selection process for sacred sites.
Feb. 25, 2011 – National Parks Traveler gave some terrific coverage to yesterday’s announcement of the fishing and hunting community’s letter to the EPA asking for protections for the Bristol Bay region. The proposed Pebble Mine lies just 14 miles from the preserve boundary of Lake Clark National Park & Preserve.
Feb. 25, 2011 – Jim Martin, former director of fisheries for the Oregon Dept. of Fish & Wildlife, authored a great opinion editorial about the need for the EPA to protect Bristol Bay. Read it in the Oregonian newspaper online.
Feb. 25, 2011 – A small-scale tour operator in Southeast Alaska wrote a good opinion piece in the Juneau Empire about the need for the Sealaska lands bill to address the concerns of all user groups in the region.
Feb. 24, 2011 – BREAKING NEWS: At a press conference today, leaders from hunting and fishing conservation groups, the sporting products industry, and an Alaska lodge owner called on the Environmental Protection Agency to use all of its authority to protect Bristol Bay from large-scale developments, such as the proposed Pebble Mine. Today also marked the release of a letter organized by the Sportsman’s Alliance for Alaska, which rallied support from over 360 sporting groups and businesses from across the country in a letter to the EPA, demonstrating how critically important this issue is to America’s hunters and anglers. Listen to audio of the press conference by clicking here.
Feb. 24, 2011 – Sealaska Corporation’s vice president and general counsel gave some arguments in favor of the Sealaska lands bill in a Juneau Empire opinion editorial.
Feb. 24, 2011 – KDLG radio in Dillingham did a story about the letter from 360+ sporting groups to the EPA which was released today.
Feb. 24, 2011 – The Huffington Post is running a slide show featuring a handful of images from the brand new book Hidden Alaska - Bristol Bay and Beyond by National Geographic photographer Michael Melford and text by Alaska writer Dave Atcheson.
Feb. 23, 2011 – Northern Dynasty Minerals, one of the foreign companies involved in the Pebble Partnership, released a preliminary assessment and an updated development scenario. But the development proponents continue to say that there is nothing to oppose since there is no mine plan. How do they expect to be taken seriously?
Feb. 23, 2011 – Two lifelong residents of Bristol Bay, a pair of young women who are intimately involved with the campaign to protect the lands and waters of their home region, co-authored a very personal opinion piece in the Bristol Bay Times about the EPA’s plans to study the potential effects of large-scale development in the Kvichak and Nushagak River watersheds.
Feb. 23, 2011 – In a study funded by Northern Dynasty, the results show the proposed Pebble Mine project could be very profitable for its foreign owners. While the full report is not yet available, Northern Dynasty’s issuance of a press release on the report was not approved by its larger partner in the project – Anglo American. The story in the Anchorage Daily News has some very good information, including some new assumptions about the size, lifespan, and employment numbers for the project.
Feb. 20, 2011 – The vice president of Snopac Products, and Alaska seafood processor, had an opinion editorial run in the Seattle Times praising the EPA for their intention to study the potential impacts of large-scale development, such as the proposed Pebble Mine, in the Bristol Bay region.
Feb. 19, 2011 – The Ketchikan Daily News editorialized on the need to pass the latest version of the Sealaska lands bill, a contentious piece of legislation that has failed to pass Congress in 2007 and 2009 and is likely to be introduce soon in the 112th Congress.
Feb. 17, 2011 – KFSK radio in Petersburg, AK has a story about the upcoming meetings on the new Sealaska lands bill.
Feb. 16, 2011 – Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today sent a letter to the head of the Environmental Protection Agency, cautioning the agency against overreaching” in their planned scientific study of the Bristol Bay watershed. Just last week (see Feb. 7 press release) the Senator praised EPA on their decision to study the potential effects of mining and other development projects in the Bristol Bay region.
Feb. 16, 2011 – The Juneau Empire ran an opinion editorial from an economist who discusses how the U.S. Forest Service’s new, more sustainable, management vision for the Tongass National Forest can help Southeast Alaska's economy. Transitioning from old-growth clear-cutting to development of renewable energy, restoration projects which benefit fish and game habitat, and second-growth timber harvest can spur economic benefits.
Feb. 14, 2011 – Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) has posted a draft of the Sealaska lands bill on her Web site. The Senator’s Energy & Natural Resources Committee staff will be holding meetings to discuss changes in the bill in Ketchikan (Feb. 21) and Craig (Feb. 22).
Feb. 14, 2011 – The New York Times editorialized on last week's EPA announcement about the agency's intent to study the potential effects of large-scale development in the Bristol Bay region.
Feb. 12, 2011 – The vice president of the United Fishermen of Alaska praised the EPAs science-based approach to studying the effects of potential development in Bristol Bay in this opinion piece in the Anchorage Daily News.
Feb. 10, 2011 – KFSK radio in Petersburg, AK ran a story about a recent study by the Southeast Conference ( indicating the amount of second-growth timber may be overstated on the Tongass National Forest. Incidentally, the Southeast Conference’s timber committee’s 2011 work plan urges members to use phrases like mature timber” instead of old growth” and a transfer of ownership and/or management of federal (national forest) lands into private hands.
Feb. 10, 2011 – Tom Rosenbauer at Orvis dedicated today’s Orvis fly fishing podcast to the EPA announcement about Bristol Bay. Listen to a great interview with Tim Bristol from TU's Alaska program. This is worth 20 minutes of your time.
Feb. 10, 2011 – The Tongass Futures Roundtable held its latest meetings last week. The Juneau Empire editorialized in favor of the continued efforts of the diverse user groups on the Tongass to keep working together to determine the future for America’s largest national forest.
Feb. 9, 2011 – Award-winning fishing and conservation author Robert Montgomery covered the latest developments in the Bristol Bay campaign on his site The Activist Angler. Major content from SAA’s press release from earlier this week as well as info on jewelry industry involvement with the campaign.
Feb. 8, 2011 – The Arctic Sounder has a very good article summarizing yesterday’s important EPA announcement on Bristol Bay along with responses from residents of the region, mining officials, and Alaska’s U.S. Senators.

Feb. 7, 2011 – BREAKING NEWS: The largest wild salmon fishery on the planet needs your help. Please take action today to protect Alaska's famed Bristol Bay region. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said today that it will review the suitability of large-scale development projects – such as the proposed Pebble mine – in the Bristol Bay watershed. Read SAA’s press release, the official EPA release, and the first news story from the Anchorage Daily News. Watch for more news in the coming days of this important announcement.
Feb. 7, 2011 – The Washington Post and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer both ran good stories on today’s EPA announcement on Bristol Bay.
Feb. 7, 2011 – The Anchorage Daily News editorialized in favor of the EPA’s involvement in the study of development plans for Bristol Bay.
Feb. 7, 2011 – Alaska’s two U.S. Senators weighed in on today’s EPA announcement on Bristol Bay. See the statements issued by ranking member of the Senate Energy & Natural Resources committee Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Mark Begich (D-AK). Both Senators praised the EPA’s approach to study the potential impacts of large-scale development in the Bristol Bay region.
January 28, 2011 – The Alaska Journal of Commerce is running a two-part series on the proposed Pebble Mine. Part 1 examined the rhetoric vs. the realities in the advertising used by both sides in the Pebble Mine debate. Part 2 posed questions to the end-user groups (ex. Jewelry industry) who have expressed opposition to Pebble.
January 27, 2011 – The Anchorage Press ran a story about how Alaska Natives hope to leverage their stronger standing in dealings with the U.S. government in the effort to protect Bristol Bay from the proposed Pebble Mine. The story includes an update on the court case involving Pebble in Alaska state court.
January 25, 2011 – The Bristol Bay Fly Fishing & Guide Academy has been receiving some good press recently. Alaska magazine did a story in their Feb. 2011 issue, and Angling Trade magazine issued a call-to-action for the fly fishing industry to support the academy.
January 24, 2011 – Last November, the Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association convened a panel discussion at Fish Expo (a commercial fishing trade show in Seattle). Video summaries of the discussion, which features fisheries biologists, experts on mining impacts, economic analysis, and sport fishing can be found here.
January 23, 2011 – Here’s a story in the Bristol (VA) Herald-Courier about the Tongass National Forest and collaborative efforts to work on conservation there. The story is a direct result of a trip that SAA organized for a few outdoor writers to visit southeast Alaska last summer.
January 22, 2011 – The Russian Orthodox bishop of San Francisco recently visited several villages in the Bristol Bay region to officiate "the Great Blessing of Water" ceremony. Read the story in the Anchorage Daily News as well as a follow up letter to the editor suggesting that the proposed Pebble Mine wouldn’t receive such a blessing.
January 17, 2011 – A new study, commissioned by Trout Unlimited, places the estimated economic impact of Southeast Alaska’s salmon and trout fisheries at nearly $1 billion and account for over 10% of jobs in the region. Read the press release, executive summary, and full report at the TU web site. The Alaska Business Insider section of the Anchorage Daily News provided additional coverage.
January 14, 2011 – KFSK radio in Petersburg, AK began a six-part series on the Sealaska Lands Bill today. All six segments can be read and listened to from this page.
January 14, 2011 – The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reports that the proposed Pebble Mine is now estimated to require 350 megawatts of power. This is being used to promote the viability of a natural gas pipeline or a huge hydropower dam on the Susitna River. In the same article, the Pebble Partnership's CEO said the project will likely begin applying for permits in 2012.
January 7, 2011 – Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) issued an update on the Sealaska Lands Bill as the 112th Congress convenes. Her stated goals are to hold a series of in-region public meetings in early 2011, reaching a final compromise by late winter 2011, and reintroducing the bill with hopes of it passing Congress.
January 6, 2011 – The Anchorage Daily News reported on the new collaborative restoration project that will aim to improve habitat along the Sitkoh River in the Tongass National Forest.
January 5, 2011 – Feds, state and conservation groups partner to restore key salmon river in Alaska's Tongass National Forest. Read a press release and briefing paper about this collaboration between the US Forest Service, AKDG&G, Trout Unlimited, and the Sitka Conservation Society to restore the Sitkoh River near Sitka.