Saving Seafood

Republican push to block controversial Alaskan gold mine gains the White House’s attention

August 21, 2020 — Federal approval of a controversial gold and copper mine in Alaska that would be the largest in North America may be put on hold after a small group of influential Republicans — including the president’s son, Fox News host Tucker Carlson, a wealthy Trump donor and one of the vice president’s former top aides — launched a full-court press to block the project.

The proposed Pebble Mine was on the verge of winning a key permit from the Trump administration despite concerns from environmentalists that it could significantly damage Alaska’s world-renowned sockeye salmon fishery in nearby Bristol Bay.

That also happens to be a fishing spot of Donald Trump Jr., who made an impassioned case against the mine to his father during an early August fundraiser he hosted at his Bridgehampton, N.Y., home. Andrew Sabin, a Trump donor who was at the seaside gathering, also told the president that the mine was a bad idea. And last week, Carlson argued against the proposed mine on his television show.

Read the full story at The Washington Post

GINA FRICCERO: Why risk the crown jewel of Alaska’s fisheries?

August 20, 2020 — This year has left a lot of us starving for good news. Well, I’ve got some: Once again, for the sixth year in a row, more than 50 million sockeye salmon returned to Bristol Bay, eclipsing any other wild salmon run on the planet.

What could be better than wild salmon that return in numbers vast enough to sustain the health of thriving Yup’ik, Alutiiq and Dena’ina communities; a $1.5 billion a year commercial fishing industry with 14,000 jobs; world-class sportfishing that people travel from around the world to experience; and a bear viewing industry that injects more than $34 million into the economy each year — especially since, if we can only prevent the destruction of the watershed that makes it possible, those benefits could last forever?

For generations, my family has been blessed to benefit from this incredible natural wonder. I started tendering in Bristol Bay in the summer of 1975. That was the year Limited Entry was going on the ballot. I got lucky and found a boat and permit for a good deal. I met my husband in 1980, we started fishing together in ‘81, and he has been running a boat in Bristol Bay every year since way back then. This season, he, our daughter and the rest of the Bristol Bay fleet again worked tirelessly to provide for our family and for America’s food security.

Read the full opinion piece at the Juneau Empire

Alaska Symphony of Seafood – 2020-21 Changes and Call for Product

August 18, 2020 — The following was released by the Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation:

AFDF is proud to announce the 2020-21 Alaska Symphony of Seafood, including the Call for Product (due Oct. 06, 2020), exciting changes to the event and new major sponsor, Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association (BBRSDA). Since 1994, AFDF has hosted and organized the “Symphony”, a competition for value‐added products made from Alaska seafood. The Symphony is an exciting platform that encourages companies to invest in product development, helps them promote those new products and competitively positions Alaska Seafood in national and global markets. Product development is critically important to the entire Alaska Seafood industry and the fishing communities that depend on it. Innovative new products position the industry to remain competitive and relevant to consumers, which is especially important in today’s COVID-19 market.

Previous winners and entrants have leveraged the Symphony platform and continue to see increased sales and market exposure of their products. Bullwhip Hot Sauce, by Barnacle Foods, was a triple winner last year (Retail category, Juneau People’s Choice and Grand Prize). Upon receiving the Grand Prize, Barnacle Foods commented, “When [Alaska] kelp is paired with piri piri pepper, tomatoes, and fresh garlic, the delicious flavor makes you want to put this sauce on everything! The Alaska Symphony of Seafood encourages all seafood processors to prioritize innovation in product development.”

Read the full release here

Biden voices opposition to Pebble Mine

August 11, 2020 — Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden said over the weekend that he would oppose the proposed Pebble Mine in Bristol Bay, Alaska, if he wins the November election.

In a prepared statement, the former vice president said he would uphold the Obama-era ruling that the proposed gold and copper mine would cause extensive damage to the Bristol Bay watershed and its prolific sockeye salmon run, the world’s largest.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Biden Vows to Block Alaska Mine Project if Elected

August 10, 2020 — Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden said on Sunday that if he’s elected, his administration would stop a proposed copper and gold mine in Alaska’s Bristol Bay region.

“It is no place for a mine,” the former vice president said in a statement to news media. “The Obama-Biden Administration reached that conclusion when we ran a rigorous, science-based process in 2014, and it is still true today.”

The Environmental Protection Agency under the Obama administration proposed restricting development in the Bristol Bay region but never finalized the restrictions. The agency retains the option to invoke that so-called veto process again if it decides to do so.

The mine would be built near headwaters of the Bristol Bay salmon fishery about 200 miles southwest of Anchorage. Conservation and local tribal groups say they fear the mine will devastate the fishery.

Biden said the salmon fishery is an economic powerhouse that should be protected for Alaska Natives and fishermen, according to The Anchorage Daily News.

Read the full story from the Associated Press at The New York Times

It’s Trump Jr. vs. Trump Sr. Over an Alaskan Mineral Mine

August 7, 2020 — Donald Trump Jr., President Trump’s eldest son, took a break this week from his relentless Twitter attacks on Democrats to express his concern toward a different target: his father’s administration.

The younger Mr. Trump and Nick Ayers, the former chief of staff to Vice President Mike Pence, tweeted on Tuesday their opposition to final government approval of the Pebble Mine, a vast gold and copper mine to be dug near salmon fisheries not far from the pristine Bristol Bay in Alaska.

The two men said they hoped the president would block development of the mine by a Canadian company in the interest of protecting the area’s sensitive environment.

“This should be stopped and I believe @POTUS will do so!” Mr. Ayers wrote.

Left unsaid was that the mine’s opening was set in motion three years ago by the president’s business-friendly administration, which has pushed the project forward ever since.

Read the full story at The New York Times

Trump Says He’ll Listen to Both Sides on Alaska Mine Project

August 6, 2020 — President Donald Trump said Wednesday he would “listen to both sides” after his eldest son and a campaign adviser urged him to intervene to block a proposed copper and gold mine in Alaska’s Bristol Bay region.

Donald Trump Jr. on Tuesday agreed with a tweet from Nick Ayers, a former aide to Vice President Mike Pence and a senior adviser to the Trump campaign, expressing hope the president would direct the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to block the proposed Pebble Mine.

Trump Jr., in response, wrote: “As a sportsman who has spent plenty of time in the area I agree 100%. The headwaters of Bristol Bay and the surrounding fishery are too unique and fragile to take any chances with.”

The EPA has said the Bristol Bay watershed supports the largest sockeye salmon fishery in the world and contains significant mineral resources. An environmental review released by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers last month — and assailed by critics as deficient — stated that under normal operations, the alternatives it looked at “would not be expected to have a measurable effect on fish numbers and result in long-term changes to the health of the commercial fisheries in Bristol Bay.”

The corps has yet to make a permitting decision. When it does, it could issue a permit, approve a permit with conditions or issue a denial. The project, should it advance, also would face a state permitting process.

Read the full story at U.S. News

President’s son Donald Jr. on Twitter calls for blocking Alaska mine in sensitive fishing area

August 5, 2020 — The president’s namesake and the vice president’s former top staffer both tweeted Tuesday asking President Trump to block a giant gold and copper mine from being built at the headwaters of the world’s greatest sockeye salmon fishery in Alaska.

Just last month, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued a final environmental analysis allowing a small Canadian firm to go ahead with its Pebble Mine near Bristol Bay. The Army Corps in its new report said the project would not cause grave harm to the region’s watershed.

But Nick Ayers, Vice President Pence’s former chief of staff, said in a tweet that “Like millions of conservationists and sportsmen, I am hoping @realDonaldTrump will direct @EPA to block the Pebble mine in Bristol Bay. A Canadian company will unnecessarily mine the USA’s greatest fishery at a severe cost. This should be stopped and I believe @POTUS will do so!”

Read the full story at The Washington Post

Sen. Cantwell Slams Pebble Project, Applauds President’s Son for Coming Out Against Proposal

August 5, 2020 — The following was released by The Office of Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA):

Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) released the following statement as more Republicans, including the president’s son, increasingly express concerns about the proposed Pebble Mine in Bristol Bay, Alaska, with some calling on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to review or halt the proposal:

“I’m glad to see at least one Trump believes the mine is too risky. The science is clear—you can’t put a gold and copper mine on top of the most productive salmon run in the world and not have substantial and permanent damage. Salmon and mining simply do not mix. The construction and operation of the Pebble Mine would have devastating impacts on salmon habitat, salmon populations, the Alaska Native communities that rely on subsistence fisheries, as well as the broader $1.5 billion commercial and recreational sockeye salmon fishery. Let’s prevent this disaster before it happens. I urge the EPA to follow the science, protect our fishermen, and use their authority under the Clean Water Act stop the Pebble Mine for good.”

Senator Cantwell has long fought to protect the Bristol Bay watershed and its important environmental and economic place in the Pacific Northwest. In January of 2014, she called on the Obama administration to protect Bristol Bay from mining after a report showed the proposed mine would threaten salmon runs and damage the commercial and recreational fishing industry. In July of 2014, Cantwell praised proposed science-based protections for the Bristol Bay watershed. In October of 2017, Cantwell and other members of the Washington state congressional delegation urged President Trump to listen to Washington fishermen and businesses before removing protections from Bristol Bay. In May 2018, Cantwell called on the Trump administration to hold public meetings in Washington state on the proposal and increase transparency for the permitting process. And in July 2019, Cantwell slammed the Trump administration’s decision to withdraw protections for Bristol Bay.

ALASKA: Pandemic pushes fishing activists to call for more government support

July 30, 2020 — Before this year’s salmon season, federal disaster funding was mostly unavailable to small-boat fishing businesses. Then, Congress amended the Paycheck Protection Program at the beginning of July so that fishermen could apply. A little later, it extended the program’s application deadline until August 8.

That was a big relief for many fishermen in Alaska.

“My family and I are salmon fishermen,” said Jamie O’Connor, a Bristol Bay set-netter who fishes in Ekuk and serves as the Working Waterfronts director for the Alaska Marine Conservation Council. “It was really difficult for us to quantify our impacts before our season had happened, so we were really happy to see that there had been an extension and some alterations to the program to allow us to participate.”

At the peak of this year’s sockeye run, O’Connor’s processor put the fleet on limits — the company, and many others in Bristol Bay, told fishermen not to fish due to freezer and capacity issues.

“We missed probably half to a third of our season in those three days,” O’Connor said. “It was a hard thing to sit through, especially with all of the effort that went into preparing for this season. To have done more on the front end to make sure we could do this safely and then just sit out the run was crushing.”

Read the full story at KTOO