Pebble Mine Update: Battle Lost / War Rages

Last week while standing knee deep in a massive sockeye salmon run throwing egg and occasional mouse patterns to wild rainbow trout, very few things worried me. For the most part I was content to concern myself with drag free drifts, radical application of bug spray, the landing fish, and keeping abreast of the position of the area's resident grizzly bears.

I found myself not really thinking about the proposed Pebble Mine project and plans to plop a cyanide laced tailing pond and world's largest open pit mine right in the middle of what I now know first hand to be one of the world's best fisheries. In Anchorage it had been top of mind as our hotel television was filled with ads imploring Alaskans to vote for the clean water act and against the "mining shutdown" as the opp/for would have it spun. Even more signs began showing up just as soon as we got off the air taxi in the village of Iliamna, Alaska.



Not "Black Helicopters" but no less nefarious

Iliamna is a town with a booming population of 102 people and oddly enough a rather busy airport. What made it different from many of the other back country landing strips I had seen was the seemingly never ending stream of helicopters carrying under slung cargo from the tiny air terminal to an unknown location. Later I would learn from my fishing guide that most of these loads were destined for the "Pebble Project."

The signs were visible on our lodge's jet boats in the form of No Pebble Mine stickers on each bow. Talk around the dinner table was of the fellow who came to the lodge by boat a few days before, on his way into Iliamna to cast his vote on Proposition 4. No one had asked him how he planned to vote but it was clear from the distance that he covered that he was quite committed to his point of view.

When I asked the lodge staff about the "Pebble Project" I got a lot of pained expressions and head shakes indicating that things could go very badly. When one guest asked about why the staff was so worried, a quick course in gold extraction and tailing ponds was given with emphasis on cyanide and its effect on salmon runs.

On one of our fly outs I overheard our pilot talking on the radio to a beaver pilot and asking where he was heading. The reply of "coming back from hauling some big wigs up to the Pebble Project" took my attention from a view of the American River in my window. I was reminded that this project is fast becoming an integral part of the economy of this region and that in and of itself is going to be difficult to fight.

One guest from another part of the world looked at me at one point during our stay and said that with the economy the way it is and the price of copper and gold so high, it's pretty much inevitable, isn't it?

A young fishing guide and exceptionally talented artist who's livelihood comes from fishing, made a point to ask me if, I was "planning to write something about the Pebble Mine?"

Sitting in my hotel room in Anchorage later that week nursing a bad chest cold and upon learning that the Clean Water Initiative failed by what some might call a large margin, I found myself worrying that if I ever made it back to this part of the world, it might turn out to be a very different place.


Copper River Rainbow (you'll just have to trust me about the front end of the tape)

Now for some good news from the midst of this cough syrup induced gloom, even with this major setback, support for the fight against the Pebble Project continues to grow thanks to groups like the Renewable Resources Coalition and the Sportsman's Alliance for Alaska who have garnered support from thousands of retailers, manufacturers, and outdoor enthusiasts. This quote from Scott Hed, Director of the Sportsman's Alliance sums things up nicely:

I’ve said it before, and it rings true today more than ever. Nothing worth saving comes without a fight. And the fight for Bristol Bay will continue to be a monumental battle that the Sportsman’s Alliance for Alaska is proud to engage in.

Editor's Note: More excellent information on this subject was recently posted by Tom Chandler over at Trout Underground. Be sure to read his take.

Brother let me tell you it's a long hard ride...

News from Trout Unlimited:

Brothers Bicycle from Alaska to Argentina to Protect Bristol Bay

ANCHORAGE, Alaska, August 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.

Seth and Parker Berling, of San Francisco and San Diego, Calif., left Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, in early July to begin a 17,000-mile journey to Tierra del Fuego, at the southernmost tip of South America. The Berling brothers are making the trip to raise awareness about the proposed Pebble mine and how it could harm the world’s largest sockeye salmon fishery, located in Southwest Alaska’s Bristol Bay. The Pebble deposit is located in the headwaters of the Nushagak and Kvichak Rivers, two of the major salmon-producing rivers of Bristol Bay. If developed, Pebble would be one of the world’s largest open-pit mines. A diverse coalition of commercial and sport fishermen, Alaska Natives, lodge owners, guides, outfitters, scientists and others say the project is likely to expose the region to acid mine drainage, industrial discharges and habitat destruction.

The self-described “Pebble Pedalers” first became aware of the mine project and the threat it poses to Bristol Bay from watching a trailer of the award-wining documentary, Red Gold (www.redgoldfilm.com.) The movie depicts the vital role that wild salmon play in the Bristol Bay region and how the fish are a cornerstone of Alaska Native culture. The film illustrates what how Alaska’s most valuable fishery, and one of the world’s last remaining wild salmon runs, could be lost if the massive open-pit mine gets built.

“Our Dad raised us fly-fishing and we’d always hear about California rivers and how great they once were before the salmon runs were destroyed. In Alaska, you still have an untouched working ecosystem right at your doorstep. It’s unsurpassed for wild salmon. Why would you possibly consider jeopardizing it?” said Seth.

The bicycle journey is also a fundraiser for Trout Unlimited Alaska, a non-profit conservation organization based in Juneau that is organizing efforts to stop the Pebble mine and to protect the Bristol Bay watershed.

“We’ve fished all around the world but we had never been to Alaska before this summer. Bristol Bay blew us way. It totally surpassed our expectations. We caught huge rainbow trout, arctic char, Dolly Varden and grayling. We were a little early for the salmon but we plan to go back,” said Parker.

The brothers hope to complete the bike journey across 15 countries, two hemispheres and two continents in one-and-a-half to two years. As avid fishermen, their arrival in Argentina will depend on how much time they take to catch and release along the way.

“We’re already a little behind schedule because of the fishing trips we did in Bristol Bay and in the Tangle Lakes area along the Denali Highway,” Seth said.

For more information about the Pebble Pedalers, go to: http://pebblepedalers.com.

Learn more about Bristol Bay and the Pebble mine at: www.savebristolbay.org.

Join Trout Unlimited at: www.tu.org

Native Alaskans file Suit to Stop Pebble Disaster

Bristol Bay Residents Assert Pebble Exploration Violates State Constitution
Exploration permits could be suspended as a result of lawsuit filed today

Anchorage, Alaska—A Bristol Bay Alaska Native organization and several individuals, including former Alaska First Lady Bella Hammond and Alaska Constitutional Convention delegate Victor Fischer, filed a civil suit in Anchorage Superior Court today asserting that the Alaska Department of Natural Resources (DNR) repeatedly violated the Alaska Constitution in granting permits for Pebble mine exploration. The lawsuit asserts that the agency failed to consider the public’s interest in sustaining the region’s rich salmon, wildlife, and subsistence resources, which are negatively affected by exploration activities. Plaintiffs are asking the court to halt exploration until the case is resolved.

“DNR has neglected its legal and moral obligation to protect Bristol Bay’s subsistence resources,” said Bobby Andrew, spokesman for Nunamta Aulukestai, a lead plaintiff. “Current exploration is having a serious impact on water and wildlife, yet the agency continues to rubber stamp permits and ignore the public interest.”

The lawsuit filed today asserts that DNR has violated multiple sections of Article VIII of the Alaska Constitution in repeatedly issuing exploration permits without public notice and without analyzing whether exploration or the mine itself are in the public interest.

Plaintiffs have asked the court for a preliminary injunction prohibiting the State from granting or extending permits for exploration and water use on mining claims held by the Pebble Limited Partnership, effectively stopping further exploration until the court makes a final decision – or until the State Legislature enacts a new regulatory framework for onshore mining exploration. The injunction would not apply to mining activities elsewhere in the state. Plaintiffs have also asked the court to void all exploration permits already issued by DNR to the Pebble Limited Partnership, Pebble East Corp., and Pebble West Corp.

Public interest law firm Trustees for Alaska filed the six-count civil action on behalf of Nunamta Aulukestai, an organization comprising eight Native village corporations, including Ekwok, Koliganek, New Stuyahok, Clarks Point, Aleknagik, Togiak, Manakotak and Dillingham. Joining in the suit as co-plaintiffs are Nondalton resident Jack Hobson, Nondalton resident Ricky Delkittie, Sr., Naknek resident Violet Willson, former Alaska First Lady Bella Hammond, and former Alaska legislator and Alaska Constitutional Convention delegate Victor Fischer.

Leading UK Jewelers Say “No” to Dirty Gold

Leading UK Jewelers Say “No” to Dirty Gold from Alaska Mine
Pledge Support for World’s Greatest Wild Salmon Fishery

London, England—Six prestigious UK jewelry retailers and designers representing 260 stores today pledged their support for Bristol Bay, Alaska, by announcing that they will not buy gold from Anglo American’s proposed “Pebble” mine, a massive open-pit operation being considered in the bay’s headwaters. The Bristol Bay watershed supports the world’s most productive wild sockeye salmon fishery, which is critical to the state’s economy and to the livelihoods of many Alaska Native communities. The UK is the largest consumer of Bristol Bay canned sockeye salmon.

UK jewelers Goldsmiths, Beaverbrooks, Mappin & Webb, Watches of Switzerland, Fifi Bijoux and April Doubleday took this step at the invitation of local Alaskans who seek to protect wild salmon, clean water and their traditional ways of life from the damaging effects of industrial metal mines.

"We at Beaverbrooks support the protection of Alaska's Bristol Bay watershed from large scale mining,” said Mark Adelstone, managing director of Beaverbrooks the Jewellers. “We need to be mindful and respectful of the Bristol Bay salmon fishery and the communities that depend on it. We feel that the precious metals that we sell need to be mined responsibly and in environmentally friendly ways and if this means looking to other places to source gold, then so be it."

In pledging not to source gold mined at Pebble, the UK jewelers join eight U.S. retailers who endorsed the pledge last year, including Tiffany & Co. (which has seven stores in the UK), Helzberg Diamonds, and Ben Bridge Jeweler. The threat to the Bristol Bay fishery has generated an unusual and diverse array of allies, including Alaska’s commercial fishing industry, over 140 sportfishing businesses, the Alaska Intertribal Council (a consortium of 231 Alaska Tribes), and numerous conservation groups.

“The support demonstrated by these respected UK jewelers is greatly appreciated and will help us to protect the wild salmon fishery that has sustained our economy and people for generations,” said Thomas Tilden, board member of the Choggiung Native Corporation.

The proposed Pebble gold-copper mine is a project of UK-based Anglo American, one of the world’s largest mining companies, and Northern Dynasty Minerals of Canada. The mine is projected to generate an estimated 9 billion tons of waste, much of it containing acids and toxic metals to be stored on site in what is now pristine Alaska wilderness.

“Sustainable development is surely a necessary value which is core to any 21st century business,” said Vivien Johnston of Fifi Bijoux. “I am surprised that Anglo American would pursue a programme in Bristol Bay which is clearly not in the best interests of the long term sustainability of the local community or the conservation of important ecosystems. I would ask them to revise their strategy and review their CSR standards to ensure that any new mining site need not compromise their vision of environmental integrity and community consultation.”

Alaska Native communities’ way of life, and Alaska’s largest private sector employer – the fishing industry – are heavily dependent on the continued health of Bristol Bay. Bristol Bay’s commercial fishery generates $320 million a year and 12,500 jobs. Bristol Bay residents harvest and consume an average of 315 pounds (143 kilograms) of fish per person per year, making the salmon a primary source of food. Unlike many of the world’s wild salmon populations, which are in serious decline, the pristine rivers and undeveloped landscape of the Bristol Bay watershed continue to support a sustainable world-class salmon fishery that supplies healthy seafood to consumers around the world. A third of the world’s commercial sockeye salmon are harvested there, according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

These UK and U.S. retailers who have signed on to the Bristol Bay protection pledge have also endorsed the “Golden Rules” of the No Dirty Gold consumer campaign spearheaded by EARTHWORKS, which has called on mining companies to meet environmental and social standards. So far, some 55 retailers worldwide have endorsed the Golden Rules. A complete list can be found on the No Dirty Gold website. More than 100,000 consumers in over 100 countries have also signed the No Dirty Gold pledge, urging mining companies to provide alternatives to “dirty” gold.

“The Pebble mine would imperil one of the world’s most pristine and productive ecosystems,” said Bonnie Gestring of international mining reform group EARTHWORKS. “We applaud the jewelry retailers for signing on to the Bristol Bay protection pledge, and demonstrating their commitment to responsible sourcing.”

How about some Pebble Gold with your Conflict Diamonds?

Via Moldy Chum comes word that a group of major jewelers have annouced that they won't be using gold from Alaska's planned Pebble Mine in their bling bling. With Valentine's day upon us the timing of their press release couldn't have been better.

As shoppers rush to buy last-minute Valentine's gifts, five of the nation's leading jewelry retailers -- Tiffany & Co., Ben Bridge Jeweler, Helzberg Diamonds, Fortunoff, and Leber Jeweler, Inc. -- today pledged their support to permanently protect Alaska's Bristol Bay watershed from large-scale metal mining, including the massive proposed Pebble gold mine. The retailers, who had $2.2 billion in sales in 2006, took this step at the invitation of local Alaskans, who seek to protect wild salmon, clean water, and traditional Alaskan ways of life from the damaging effects of industrial metal mines.

Pebble Mine Developers Fined for Improper Water Use

The developers behind the Pebble Mine Project in Alaska, will be paying a $45,000 fine for improper use of water at their drilling sites. Permits have been suspended. However, it probably won't last very long. The Anchorage Daily News reports:

The settlement followed a state-led investigation that began after the Pebble Partnership last fall reported using water from unauthorized locations. The settlement required the companies to pay $1,000 for each of 45 violations over the past three years.

The Department of Natural Resources wrote to the mining companies on Jan. 14 that the violations were "at a minimum, a trespass against the state's property and resource interests." While the violations didn't appear to cause environmental damage, the partnership breached state rules and its land-use permit.

Bristol Bay: Checking it out First Hand...

I'll be heading for Alaska this weekend to spend a few days at the Rainbow Point Lodge where I plan to do just as much fishing for Rainbow trout as the Editorial Trophy Wife will allow. One part of the trip I am excited about is getting a first hand look at the fishery that stands to suffer most at the hands of the forces behind the Pebble Gold Mine. If things go against those who are trying to protect the fishery such as the Sportsman's Alliance for Alaska, this may turn out to be a true "once in a lifetime" trip. I am bring along a few gigs of digicam memory and an ample supply of Mini DV tapes in hopes of documenting what I find.

Don't expect much in the way of blogging while I am in the area. The laptop will be left behind in Carolina (my 70lb float plane allotment being taken up with more important things) and the crackberry should be well out of its operational range. I asked the proprietor about Internet access and he mentioned that they might be able to make something work with the satellite phone. I wisely told him not to worry about it.

By fortuitous coincidence we might even run into FlyFishMagazine.com's Western Correspondent, Ali Hassan as he has rescheduled his "work" trip so that our paths might cross on Sunday night. He will be refining processes and trying to get his allotment of Silver Salmon. Me, I am looking for big bow's on mouse flies (however, eggs are more likely this time of year). The trophy wife wants to see glaciers, Moose, Elk, and Grizzly Bears. Hopefully all will be successful.

With all that said, Here is a dispatch we received from the American Fly Fishing Retailers Association that calls for action by Alaskans and concerned fly anglers.

VOTE YES ON BALLOT MEASURE #4

AFFTA and the fly fishing industry are adamantly opposed to the development of The Pebble Mine in Bristol Bay, Alaska. All Alaska residents need to stop this potential environmental boondoggle next week by voting YES on Ballot Measure #4. If you are not a resident of Alaska but you know someone who is, urge him or her to vote YES on Ballot Measure #4 on August 26.

Robert Kaplan with Alaskans for Clean Water asked AFFTA to forward the following information to all fly fishing enthusiasts

The mining industry has just dropped another $3.5 million into the campaign to defeat Ballot Measure #4. They have pulled out all the stops and are saying and doing whatever they can to defeat us. The result of this unprecedented onslaught of lies is that voter support for Ballot Measure #4 has started to slip.

If we are to stop the slide, and undertake additional efforts in the face of this unprecedented onslaught, then we now must raise money NOW to ensure we are competitive with our media and mail, and to turn out our voters on election day. Because our message is stronger, we still don't need to match the mining industry dollar-for dollar, we just need to remain competitive with our message. If we cannot do that, then we will lose the election. There are no limits on how much anyone can contribute and corporate contributions are acceptable. Contributions of $1,000, $2,500, $5,000 or more are urgently needed and would be greatly appreciated. Checks can be payable to "Alaskans For Clean Water" and sent via overnight mail to 1503 W. 31st Avenue, Anchorage, Alaska 99503. Contributions can also be made online at www.alaskansforcleanwater.com.

The website also has updated information on the campaign, including several of our recent television commercials. Without a change of law by a vote of the people, change is slow... if it ever comes. In the fight to stop Pebble Mine, time is not on our side. Passage of Ballot Measure #4, creates the change we all want...now.

More Pebble Mine News

Homernews.com has more information on the proposed Pebble Mine in Alaska. It seems the developers continue to pour massive amounts of cash into the effort to build the gold mine despite public concern about environmental issues.

As 2006 drew to a close, Northern Dynasty had invested $126 million into its Pebble exploration project. Bruce Jenkins, chief operating officer for the Canadian mining firm, said he anticipates the company will spend another $30 million to $45 million in 2007.

Also we got an email from Scott Hed of The Sportsman's Alliance for Alaska to remind us that the period for public comment about the proposed mine has been extended until Feb. 5th 2007.

Pebble Mine Update

The spin doctors are hard at work in the battle to establish a fish refuge in the Bristol Bay drainage around the proposed Pebble Mine. The State Board of Fisheries voted to create a panel to evaluate a possible refuge. Both sides claimed the decision as a victory.

"Board of Fisheries resists pressure to establish fish refuge in Bristol Bay," crowed a statement from Northern Dynasty Mines Inc., the company exploring Pebble.

Meanwhile:

Trout Unlimited, a sportfishing group that supports the refuge concept, proclaimed: "Alaska Board of Fisheries sends message that fish come first in Bristol Bay!"

The real story no doubt lies in a smoke filled room somewhere. The battle continues.

Pebble Creek Mine Plan Altered

The company that proposed the Pebble Creek Mine in Alaska has decided to abandon plans for a copper mine on the site and instead create a conservation minded "destination club resort."

This "mine-centric conservation community" will include trophy trout fishing on a private lake surrounded by a gated "executive estate community". The newly hired Vice President of Development for the resort, Donny Badger, indicated that such a change in course was a "no brainer" for investors in the project. "After all, the price of copper goes up one day and down the next, but people of high net worth will always pay big bucks to fish exclusive water while keeping away from the common riff-raff."

An artists rendering of the proposed design for the community accompanies this article. Luxury home sites will start at $500,000 with "mine rim view lots" running in excess of seven figures.

Save Patagonia

The younger, much cooler, Murdock (my son) dropped me an email postcard today from the BioGems website. He has been following our coverage of the Pebble Mine issue (and sports a No Pebble Mine pin on his school backpack) and wanted to remind us of another issue going on South of the Equator in Patagonia. He remembers those rivers he saw in the original Trout Bum Diaries I video and was rightly concerned by what he read.

Today, though, two energy companies, Endesa and Colbun, are pushing to build hydro-electric dams on at least half a dozen rivers in Patagonia. The scheme would lay waste to this thriving region, flooding thousands of acres of irreplaceable wildlife habitat. As part of the same plan, Brookfield Consortium, a Canadian company, would clearcut a 1,400-mile swath through five national parks and two wilderness reserves to make way for the world's largest transmission line.

I also pointed him to our friends at Patagonia (the company) who are also involved in this fight. Here is a link to their page about the issue.

Bristol Bay Salmon Plan Massive Suicide Protest

(Iliamna, AK) Insider sources within the piscatorial community recently revealed plans for a massive protest against the proposed Pebble Mine project within the Bristol Bay region of Alaska. The source, who for the sake of anonymity we shall refer to as "Hookjaw", and who is a member of a group known as the "Bristol Bay Reds" revealed a highly coordinated plan in which millions of Sockeye and other specie of salmonid plan to give their lives later this year. The mass suicide is intended as a means of protesting the possible fouling of their birth waters by what they refer to as the "Pebble Mine disaster."

Our insider further revealed that massive numbers of the fish are planning to gather off of the Alaska coast before starting the long journey upstream to the home of their youth. Once they have made the perilous trek past commercial fishing vessels, recreational anglers, grizzly bear, and other threats, their plan is to locate a member of the opposite sex for one last fling. The female salmon will then go about the business of laying their eggs while the males stand watch and skirmish among themselves and the region's massive rainbow trout (who hope to make a meal on the salmon's eggs).

Those who survive and complete their procreation will gather one last time and die together in what they hope the world will view as a huge show of solidarity for the cause of fish everywhere. "We will be giving our lives so that both our fry and the very lifestyle of the Bristol Bay region can continue to exist" said one participant. "We only hope that the land dwelling people will take notice and stop this before it all comes to an end."

A spokesperson for company behind the mining project said, "We hear rumors of this sort of thing every year." "While we sympathize with the effect this has on the land dwelling people of Bristol Bay, we really can't concern ourselves with the actions of a radical fringe group such as the Sockeye."

Wolves in Salmon's clothing?

We received an interesting heads up from the folks fighting against the Pebble Mine project at the Sportsman's Alliance for Alaska. It's a copy of an ad allegedly being shopped to outdoor publications. The ad is sharp looking with pretty fish and a conservation message. However, anyone giving it more than a glance will notice that it is not all that it appears to be. It seems the folks behind the project are taking a page from the SAA's media playbook and attempting to purchase pro-Pebble ad space in publications aimed directly at hunters and anglers.

The purported ad (see the leaked photo above) states that Alaska is home to healthy fish and wildlife populations and also to one of the world's most important mineral (be sure to get enough vitamins and gold in your cereal boys and girls) discoveries. It also goes on to say that any final decisions on the project are years away but their commitment to fish and wildlife is already firmly in place.

Scott Hed, Director of the Sportsman's Alliance for Alaksa, wasn't exactly surprised by this latest development. "They understand the clout that sportspersons have, and they are obviously concerned that we’ve been doing such a good job bringing this issue onto the radar screens of so many hunters and anglers." Mr. Hed continued to remind his fellow sportsmen and women that, "We must counter any attempts to cloud the fact that what is being proposed in Bristol Bay would forever change one of the most incredible places for fish and game on the planet – and not for the better."

In our opinion, the real story here will be which, if any, "outdoor" publication chooses to accept the ad.

Be sure to remember the Sportsman's Alliance for Alaska's Bristol Bay charity ebay auction. Lots of great gear, great prices, and a worthy cause.

Link to our previous coverage of this issue

Pebble Mine: Just In case you had forgotten...

Here is Felt Soul Media's trailer "Red Gold" for their new film about the quest to stop the Pebble Mine in Alaska. Think barrels of cyanide at the headwaters of the worlds largest salmon fishery. This video took top honors at the Drake Magazine's five minutes of fly fishing video awards. Special thanks to WayUpStream for getting this out via Youtube.

BLM Still Pushing for Bristol Bay Mining District

Editor's Note: The following information comes from Scott Hed, Outreach director for the Sportsman's Alliance for Alaska:

ACTION ALERT: BLM Still Pushing for Bristol Bay Mining District!

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) accepting public comments on its Draft Resource Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement (RMP/EIS) for 2.5 million acres in the Bristol Bay and Goodnews Bay region over the next couple of weeks with a comment deadline of Friday, January 5.

As many of you know, the State of Alaska is currently reviewing permits for the proposed massive Pebble Mine north of Lake Iliamna. To compound the potential problem for Bristol Bay’s magnificent fish and game resources, BLM's "preferred" alternative recommends that the agency create a major mining district in Bristol Bay by taking the following actions:

*OPENING another 1 million acres of Bristol Bay lands to mining development, including tributaries of the Nushagak, Mulchatna, and Kvichak Rivers.

*REJECTING public nominations for a special management designation that would recognize the threats posed by the proposed Pebble Mine, and apply protections to the area's fish and wildlife habitat.

*ADOPTING changes to allow the permitting of new mining operations, which could ultimately become "sources of irretrievable loss of wildlife habitat and subsistence resources" (dRMP at 4-118)

What’s at Stake?
- World class salmon and rainbow trout fisheries within tributaries of the Kvichak, Mulchatna, and Nushagak Rivers.
- Critical big game migration corridors, calving and winter grounds for the Mulchatna caribou herd, as well as forage for trophy brown bear and moose.
- A thriving sport fishing and hunting industry in this remote corner of southwest Alaska.

What are the Alternatives?

Alt. A (No Action) - maintain current management direction that is keeping BLM lands closed to mineral development and providing untarnished habitat for wildlife habitat.

Alt. B (Pro-Resource Development) – all BLM lands would be opened to mining.

Alt. C (Pro-Resource Conservation) – designate an Area of Critical Environmental Concern for BLM lands. They would be opened to mineral development, but a special Fish and Wildlife habitat management plan would be created to limit negative impacts.

Alt. D (BLM’s “Preferred” Alternative) – mirroring Alt. B, this choice would open ALL one million acres of federal public lands in the Bristol Bay watershed to mineral entry and development. No special management plan would be created for fish and wildlife.

What are the Potential Impacts?
Privatization of federal lands for mining operations and the construction of roads, bridges, and infrastructure to support commercial developments would likely lead to:

• Habitat fragmentation • Increased road access into wildlife habitat
• Increased competition • Disturbance to wildlife behavior and migration
• Increased poaching and trespass • Concentrated hunting along new road corridors
• Decrease in water quality • Decline in fisheries and spawning habitat


Submit written comments via

BLM Anchorage Field Office
Attn: Bristol Bay draft RMP
6881 Abbott Loop Road
Anchorage, Alaska 99507-2599
akbayrmp@blm.gov

View the draft plan at: http://www.blm.gov/ak/ado/BayRMP01.html

Scott Hed
Outreach Director
Sportsman's Alliance for Alaska
(605) 336-6738 office
scott@sportsmansalliance4ak.org

Fly Fishing Headline News: Brownline Edition

April 1st, 2009

All the news that's fit to print, brought to you today from the FlyfishMagazine.com Northern base of operations in Cherry Hill, NJ:

An obscure fly fishing industry think tank, today announced the creation of the "IBFFA" or "International Brownline Fly Fishing Association." Among the stated mission of the exclusive and secretive organization is to "maintain an official Brownline Hall of Fame which would be a repository for specie specific records relating to rough fish." In addition to certification of the usual line class records, the IBFFA would also maintain "effluent class requirements" relating to the minimum pollution requirements found in the water wherein record candidate fish was caught.

*******

In a related story, it has been reported that Tom Chandler of the Trout Underground, today filed seeking trademark protection for the following terms:

Greenline Fly Fishing - Fly fishing only those areas with a median family income in excess of $100k per year.

Grayline Fly Fishing - Fly fishing only in areas frequented by tour buses.

Redline Fly Fishing - Fly fishing only in active war zones.

Thin Blueline Fly Fishing - Fly Fishing only in high crime areas.

******

Captain Gordon Churchill, still distraught from the elimination of his Duke Blue Devils from this year's NCAA tournament, has announced his efforts to garner favor from newly converted brownline anglers for his beloved Redfish by hereafter referring to them as "Sea Carp."

******

Proponents of Alaska's proposed Pebble Mine see good things in store for brownliner's should their open pit gold mine come to fruition. "Anglers should think of the mine and its tailings as the world's largest and newest brownline fishery."

******

Finally, insert your own version of headline here re: Newly formed video production company embraces brownlining, selects "Carp Bums" as name.

Attention Hunters - Sportsman's Alliance Fundrasier

The folks fighting the Pebble Mine remind us that fishermen aren't the only sportsmen who will be impacted if the giant open pit mine is allowed to become operational. Make a donation and get a chance at some sweet gear and a 10 day guided moose hunt. Hunters can help a great cause and get a chance to win that is better than playing the lottery.

Do you want your fishing hole to look like this?

I just got off the plane from New York state and hadn't planned on posting tonight. However, when I got home I found this important email from Scott Hed of the Sportsman's Alliance for Alaska. Scott is a dedicated angler and conservationist and is one of the key players leading the fight against the Bristol Bay Mine. He has asked us to pass his email along to you:

Greetings fly fishing enthusiast,

Thank you for your support for the world’s greatest wild salmon and trophy rainbow trout fishery! Over the early months of 2007, the Sportsman’s Alliance for Alaska attended 11 fly fishing shows across the country. You joined several thousand conservation-minded anglers in signing the Fly Fishing Petition for Bristol Bay which is now available online at http://www.sportsmansalliance4ak.org/FlyFishingPetition_BristolBay.html.

Please forward this message to all of your fishing friends so they can become involved too. If each one of you asks a couple friends, we can easily add thousands more anglers in support of Bristol Bay’s renewable resources.

Individual anglers such as yourself are being joined by the American Fly Fishing Trade Association (AFFTA) and over 40 of its member companies, Trout Unlimited, the Federation of Fly Fishers, Dallas Safari Club, commercial fishermen and organizations, native villages in the region, and others in the campaign to keep Bristol Bay from being developed into a massive mining district, anchored by the proposed Pebble Mine project located north and east of Lake Iliamna. A major strength of this campaign is the diversity of individuals and groups standing up and stating “No Mines in Bristol Bay.”

Things you can do:

1) Encourage all of your fishing friends and fellow club members to sign the Fly Fishing Petition for Bristol Bay online. http://www.sportsmansalliance4ak.org/FlyFishingPetition_BristolBay.html

2) Visit www.tu.org/bristolbay and click on the “New Project” to learn about RED Gold: The Southwest Alaska Salmon Treasure. The award-winning fly fishing filmmakers at FeltSoul Media are spending two months in Alaska this summer to produce a documentary on Bristol Bay’s world renowned fisheries and pristine waters, focusing on the mining development that threatens these critical resources. This project needs your support!

3) Visit www.sportsmansalliance4ak.org to learn more about the threat to Bristol Bay. You can view the AFFTA industry support ad that has run in most of the major fly fishing publications under the “Latest News” tab, and you can join the Sportsman’s Alliance for Alaska by clicking the “Join Us” tab. There is no cost to join, however you will be kept up to date on Alaska issues of importance to sportspersons. Presently, the Sportsman’s Alliance for Alaska is working on the Bristol Bay campaign and the efforts to protect the remaining highly productive watersheds of the Tongass National Forest in Southeast Alaska.

Again, thank you for taking action to keep mining out of Bristol Bay. Please forward this message to your friends to make the campaign even stronger.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

With sincere gratitude,

Scott Hed
Outreach Director
Sportsman's Alliance for Alaska
(605) 336-6738 office
scott@sportsmansalliance4ak.org
www.sportsmansalliance4ak.org
NOTE: If you get an error replying to this email address, please send your message to scotthed@hotmail.com. Sorry for any inconvenience.

Take a few moments this Friday morning and follow Scott's suggestions. Be sure to sign the petition against the Bristol Bay mine. This is a simple step that every angler can take to help protect a great resource.

Want to Produce a Movie?

Chapel Hill North Carolina native, Ben Knight, of Felt Soul Media snapped this excellent photo while working on their new film "Red Gold." Red Gold is part of Trout Unlimited's educational effort to save the Bristol Bay, Alaska area from becoming "an open pit mining district" aka the Pebble Creek mine.

You can help by donating funds towards the production of the film. Donations are tax deductible and if you give more than $500 to this worthy cause your name will be featured in the credits of the film.

Think of it as your big break into show business all the while helping preserve a beautiful and yet unspoiled part of the world.

Link to the Felt Soul Media site.

Link to their blog, "The Wire."

Photo: Ben Knight

Sure we'll replace your lake...

Scott Hed, Director of the Sportsman's Alliance for Alaska points us towards this article via WLTribune.com that tells of one mining company's plan to replace fish habitat lost due to mining operations by building a lake.

Taseko Mines presented a new $10 to $12-million fish compensation plan for its Prosperity project to the provincial and federal governments late last week.
It calls for a brand new lake, similar in size and depth to Fish Lake, to offer fish habitat and improved fish spawning channels.

Prosperity Lake would be created using a dam, and sit roughly eight kilometres east of Fish Lake, and would be 113 hectares in size and 17 metres deep. Fish Lake is 111 hectares and 14 metres deep.

The plan is to compensate for the loss of fish habitat if the copper and gold mine is built, and Fish Lake, 125 kilometres southwest of Williams Lake, is drained. A dam would be built to create a tailings pond upstream of Fish Lake.

From Scott's email:

Hopefully you guys will appreciate this…especially the part where citizens of the area will get to vote on whether this newly created lake will be home to big fish or little fish.

Taseko, the mining company in this article, is a sister company to Northern Dynasty with the Pebble project. Maybe if this is successful in Canada, we’ll get to choose what kind of fish we’d like to have in Bristol Bay. I vote for really big rainbow trout and lots and lots of wild salmon. Oh yeah, that’s what is already there.