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Viewpoints: Letters / Opinions

What's at stake for Southeast Alaska

By Emily Chapel

 

October 27, 2014
Monday PM


Alaskan’s love fish! Instead of “mama” or “dada” my son’s first word was “fishy” – and I was okay with that. During the summer months, we regularly spend long hours on the boat, fostering our love for fish. I am sure we are not alone in these pursuits. Our community’s sentiments around fish are summed up in Ray Troll’s piece “Fish Worship, Is it Wrong?”. Since it is such a beloved resource and lifeblood, it is also important that we know the potential pressures that may create changes to the way we utilize, and see fish.

There are currently multiple transboundary mines proposed along the Alaska/Canada border. Some of the most significant are the KSM and Schaft Creek which are both slated at being able to process 130,000 tons of ore per day (Pebble is slated at 200,00) putting these mines in the category of “mega mines”. The KSM mine proposal is located upstream on the Unuk River, just outside our back door. With a King Salmon run that is nothing compared to what long time residents remember and other species runs tentatively hanging on, we can’t risk anymore unneeded pressure on these populations. What we can do, is educate ourselves on what the proposals mean for us, ask what protections are in place, and ensure our politicians do a good job protecting the resources that are so precious.

For the love of fish, do something!

Join presenters Dr. David Chambers, geophysicist and former mine engineer, and Sarah O'Neal, a fisheries biologist whose expertise is fish/hard rock mining interactions on October 30, 6-8 PM at the Southeast Discovery Center to learn more about what's at stake for Alaska. This presentation is free to the public. Transboundary mines here are in reference to mines constructed in Canada on rivers that flow into Alaska.

Presentations dates and times:

Wrangell, Tuesday October 28 at the Nolan Center.  6 pm
Petersburg, Wednesday October 29 at the high school.  6 pm.
Ketchikan, Thursday October 30 at the Southeast Alaska Discovery Center

Emily Chapel
Ketchikan, Alaska

 

Received October 26, 2014 - Published October 27, 2014

 

 

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