April 10 2019 — Several Bristol Bay fishermen, with financial backing from the Pebble Limited Partnership, have filed a lawsuit against the Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Association (BBRSDA) for what they allege is misuse of the BBRSDA’s funds.

The lawsuit is challenging more than USD 250,000 (EUR 221,900) in BBRSDA contracts with two organizations – United Tribes of Bristol Bay and SalmonState – that oppose Pebble Mine, a proposed open pit gold, copper, and molybdenum at the headwaters that feed the world’s largest sockeye salmon run.

But Andy Wink, executive director of the BBRSDA, which has the stated purpose of maximizing the value of Bristol Bay’s seafood, said supporting educational campaigns against the proposed Pebble Mine is directly in line with its mission statement.

“Consumers choose to pay more for wild sockeye salmon because it’s a healthy, abundant, premium wild salmon species from a pristine and unspoiled environment. It’s a unique resource unlike anything else in the world,” Wink said in statement released earlier this week. “The Pebble Mine could jeopardize that, and at the very least we believe it’s important to engage in the permitting process so that if the mine does proceed, it’s built with adequate safeguards for fishermen, residents, and sockeye consumers.”

Read the full story at Seafood Source