Board asks for evaluation of permit process

Published on February 17th, 2010

By BRISTOL BAY TIMES STAFF

The Alaska Board of Fisheries, in a Jan. 30 letter addressed to Alaska State Legislature's speaker of the House Rep. Mike Chenault and Senate president Sen. Gary Stevens, expressed its concern about the proposed Pebble mine given that, if it is developed, it could be larger than any mining operation thus far in Alaska. The board, in its December meeting, heard much public concern about the protection of the Bristol Bay fisheries because of the proposed mine's close proximity to the salmon spawning streams and the Nushagak and Kvichak rivers, which drain into Bristol Bay.

"Because the habitat of the potentially affected drainages is so critical to the fish and game resources of Bristol Bay, the BOF respectfully requests that the Legislature conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the permitting protections and standards, including regulations and statutes, which provide safeguards against environmental damage. After such evaluation, we further request that the legislature enact any additional safeguards which are considered prudent to provide strict protections to the fish and game habitat of the drainages to prevent any chance of environmental damage," writes Vince Webster, chairman, Alaska Board of Fisheries.

The letter goes on to request that "subsistence hunting, fishing, and gathering; commercial fishing; personal use; and sport hunting and fishing activities on state lands in this region continue to be protected for the local residents and all Alaskans."

A group of commercial, subsistence and sport fishermen responded to the Board of Fish letter with a news release.

"This strong letter to the legislature sends a clear message that Alaskan lawmakers need to act now to protect our jobs and our way of life," wrote Norman Van Vactor, of Leader Creek Fisheries. He was one of the authors of Proposal 13, which asked the Board of Fish to call on the Alaska Legislature to adopt higher standards of protection for the Nushagak and Kvichak river drainages in Bristol Bay.

The board devoted an entire day of its December 2009 Bristol Bay Finfish meeting to Proposal 13.

"We're happy that the fish and those who depend on them finally won today. There was a lot of misinformation put out there by Proposal 13 opponents but the public provided the board with a combination of sound science, from-the-heart stories, and powerful economic arguments for higher protective standards in the Bristol Bay watershed. All this clearly helped the board reach the right decision," said Brian Kraft, another author of Proposal 13 and the owner of two Bristol Bay fishing lodges.

Dillingham area tribal leader and Proposal 13 co-author Tom Tilden expressed his deep appreciation to board members and staff for, "taking the time needed to do this issue justice.

"They not only took the time to listen, they really heard what we were saying," said Tilden, who fishes both commercially and for subsistence in Bristol Bay. "This is an important first step. Now our elected officials need to follow the lead of the Board of Fish and provide better protections for Bristol Bay, its salmon and the people who depend on them."