The Alaska Board of Fisheries today took no action on Proposal 13, which would have had the board send the state Legislature a resolution calling for creation of a Bristol Bay "fish refuge."
Instead, the board decided to send a letter to the Legislature noting that a lot of people expressed concerns at today's meeting about the potential for the proposed Pebble mine to hurt the region's abundant salmon and trout stocks.
The letter will recommend legislators adopt additional regulations, if warranted, to protect the fish and fish habitat, board member Karl Johnstone told me.
Sentiment among the 79 people who testified on Proposal 13 ran about two to one in favor, he said.
But the word "refuge" worried some people who felt development or existing land uses could be curtailed.
The board is aiming to have its letter drafted by the time its Anchorage meeting ends Tuesday.
Showing posts with label fish refuge. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fish refuge. Show all posts
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Proposal 13
The Alaska Board of Fisheries, in the midst of an eight-day meeting in Anchorage, is devoting all of today to Proposal 13, which advocates establishment of a "fish refuge" for Bristol Bay's Kvichak and Nushagak river drainages.
The proposal never specifically mentions the proposed Pebble copper and gold mine, but that's what it's all about.
The Proposal 13 sponsors — they include small salmon processor Leader Creek Fisheries plus some sportfishing and Native representatives — clearly hope a fish refuge might serve as a bulwark against Pebble development.
They're careful, by the way, to say their proposal "is not intended to impinge in any way on subsistence, recreational and commercial fishing."
Proposal 13, we should note, would not in itself create the fish refuge. Rather, it urges the board to pass a resolution asking the Alaska Legislature to do it.
Pebble opponents have been pushing the board and Legislature to establish a fish refuge since 2007, but they haven't made much headway.
Could Proposal 13 be the start of a different outcome?
The board might vote on the proposal tonight. Deckboss of course will try to bring you the news.
The proposal never specifically mentions the proposed Pebble copper and gold mine, but that's what it's all about.
The Proposal 13 sponsors — they include small salmon processor Leader Creek Fisheries plus some sportfishing and Native representatives — clearly hope a fish refuge might serve as a bulwark against Pebble development.
They're careful, by the way, to say their proposal "is not intended to impinge in any way on subsistence, recreational and commercial fishing."
Proposal 13, we should note, would not in itself create the fish refuge. Rather, it urges the board to pass a resolution asking the Alaska Legislature to do it.
Pebble opponents have been pushing the board and Legislature to establish a fish refuge since 2007, but they haven't made much headway.
Could Proposal 13 be the start of a different outcome?
The board might vote on the proposal tonight. Deckboss of course will try to bring you the news.
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