Representatives from environmental and conservation groups, local Oregon government officials, Northwest tribal government representatives, and federal agencies representing fisheries interests and departments of energy have been struggling to find an answer to questions surrounding the use of hydroelectric dams in the Columbia River basin. The river basin was once home to between 10 and 30 million wild salmon, but modern development - including the introduction of the dams, pollution, overfishing, and destruction of natural habitats - has resulted in dramatic decreases in those numbers. Dozens of populations are already extinct, and a great number are listed as endangered or threatened, a fact which is forcing regional policymakers to look more carefully at the programs currently in place for protecting the animals, both as a species and a natural resource.
A previous plan supported by the Bush administration has come under intense scrutiny, as a U.S. District Court Judge has stated that the plan is inadequate for protection of the salmon. The judge has not ruled out the possibility of requiring the removal of some of the dams - an option that has those agencies in charge of administering electricity to the region up in arms. All parties continue to look for a solution that will satisfy both environmental concerns with the region’s energy dependence upon hydropower.
A coalition of Alaskan fishermen, Alaska natives, and conservation groups are coming together this week at the Seattle Fish Expo to urge President-elect Barack Obama to re-establish protection of the fishing waters in Bristol Bay and parts of the Bering Sea.These waters account for over 40% of the U.S. national seafood harvest, a $2 billion fishing industry, and are rich with a number of commercially important species, including halibut, pollock, cod, flatfish, herring, king crab, and the world’s largest sockeye salmon run.
These fishing grounds had long been protected – until 2007, when the Bush administration lifted the ban on offshore oil leasing.The Minerals Management Service (MMS) has scheduled a lease sale in these waters for 2011, even though the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has warned against it, fearing destruction of natural habitat and subsequent damage to regional economies.The sale is opposed by a number of diverse groups, including the Alaska Marine Conservation Council and the World Wildlife Fund.Others cite the infamously bad weather as an argument against drilling, suggesting that the operations would be too dangerous for employees and too unstable for safe oil containment purposes.The MMS has refused a public forum on the topic.Meanwhile, the Alaska Independent Fishermen’s Marketing Association (AIFMA) and others continue to fight for the reinstatement of the protection of the region.
Here’s some good news for a change, and a great example of responsible living and collective stewardship.The MCA foundation, along with dozens of local groups and communities, has cleaned up over one million pounds of trash from 34,000 miles of Alaska’s coastline.That’s enough garbage to fill four 747 jumbo jets:“It’s a lot of junk and a real accomplishment,” said the program coordinator.
Clean-up crews worked in Juneau, Kodiak, Prince William Sound, Bristol Bay, Yakutat, Port Heiden, the Shelikof Strait, the Aleutian Islands, and the Pribilofs to remove the waste, most of which had washed up on the shore after being carried by ocean currents, often for great distances.Unlike beach trash further south, which is primarily made up of packaging for consumables - cans, bags, and cigarette packs, for example - much of the garbage removed from the Alaskan coast was fishing-related, and from as far away as Asia.
The MCA has spent nearly $1 million in clean-up projects, much of which comes from federal funding.Citizens and participants hope that the effort will increase the health and beauty of the natural environment, protect resources, and help maintain both ecological and economic systems through responsible action.Water quality, marine and shore life, and the fishing industry all depend on clean beaches.
![[del.icio.us]](http://www.alaskaharvest.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/delicious.png)
![[Digg]](http://www.alaskaharvest.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/digg.png)
![[Facebook]](http://www.alaskaharvest.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/facebook.png)
![[Google]](http://www.alaskaharvest.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/google.png)
![[MySpace]](http://www.alaskaharvest.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/myspace.png)
![[Newsvine]](http://www.alaskaharvest.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/newsvine.png)
![[StumbleUpon]](http://www.alaskaharvest.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/stumbleupon.png)
![[Twitter]](http://www.alaskaharvest.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/twitter.png)
![[Yahoo!]](http://www.alaskaharvest.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/yahoo.png)
![[Email]](http://www.alaskaharvest.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/email.png)
