June 02, 2014
Monday PM

Recently, the Ketchikan Daily News reported that ADFG is concerned about king salmon not meeting escapement goals for the past 2 years on the Unuk River. King salmon fishing in northern Behm Canal is closed from May 27-June 30 and only one king can be harvested per day in eastern Behm. Meanwhile the rest of Southeast has a limit of 3 kings per day. Restricted fishing is bad news for a community that markets itself as “Salmon Capital of the World”.

The Unuk has actually been in trouble for years. The traditional subsistence fishery for ooligan on the Unuk has not opened for the past 7 years. For centuries the Unuk provided local tribes with ooligan, an important food source in the early spring. Whatever conditions led to the disintegration of the ooligan harvest might also affect salmon.

In 1998 the Eskay Creek mine opened in British Columbia, about 20 miles from the US border. Although it is considered a small mine, and operated for only 10 years, it contains sulfide bearing rocks that release acid when exposed. That acid drainage flows into the Unuk River. Although ADFG has been counting Unuk salmon for more than 35 years, there have not been any water quality studies done on the river. State agencies have no baseline data that would indicate the amount of acid being released by the Eskay mine or if current exploration for KSM is affecting water quality.

In late March of this year, Southeast tribes, businesses and commercial fishermen sent 5 people to Washington, D.C. to meet with our delegation and discuss problems with transboundary mines. Senators Murkowski and Begich plus Congressman Young responded by sending a letter to the Secretary of State asking that our concerns be addressed by Canadian and British Columbia governments. Issues affecting transboundary rivers require the consultation of U.S., Canadian and sovereign tribal governments.

Unfortunately, the State of Alaska is complacent in regards to the KSM proposal. In September of 2013 Seabridge opened a 45 day comment period; neither ADFG, Department of Environmental Conservation nor the Department of Natural Resources responded. Seabridge gives assurances that blasting apart 3 mountains, mining under a glacier, and treating 119,000 millions of gallons of water PER MINUTE with untested technology poses no risks.

If you are concerned about the future of the Unuk and other rivers in Southeast, contact our Washington delegation or State agencies. If you need further information contact: riverswithoutborders.org, seacc.org or americansalmonforest.com. Alaskans have a responsibility to protect our fish stocks and the habitat that is essential for their long term survival.

Victoria McDonald
Ketchikan, Alaska

Received May 27, 2014 - Published June 02, 2014

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