Summary
We recently read about the billion dollar wild salmon industry in Alaska and its well documented problems. Some, inflicted by climate change, and how this is crippling a this billion dollar industry. In the short term we appear to be helpless. However, to see the latest developments out of Bristol Bay's hard rock mining venture, and to realize what this could mean to the industry and for wild life, is unconscionable.
Analysis
The billion dollar salmon industry has faced, and continues to face, daunting tasks to regroup and try to recover, if indeed recovery to its former commercial health is possible. We know about climate change, about the warming of the oceans and rivers, about overfishing. Yet even now with more oversight and climate change awareness we see this mining operation come to fruition, boggles the mind.
"The Bristol Bay watershed with its massive salmon runs provide food for grizzlies, wolves, eagles, beluga whales and orcas. The salmon-rich waters also support commercial, recreational and subsistence fishing. Despite the Bay's ecological and economic importance, its health is immediately threatened by the construction of the massive Pebble Mine", reports Jacob Scherr. Not only do we see a potential ecological disaster in the making but it appears that nothing will be or can be done about it.
As I have stated before, if the species supported by the salmon do not continue to exist, we may very well be next. We continue to see the total disregard for what is directly in front of us. Yes this is just another sub species and we can survive without out, really we have seen this before, right. Well, no we have not. Read my latest on the year 2050, that may tend to alter some thinking on allowing more and more "supply side" raw food products (if you want to look at it in this light) to be eliminated through our direct interference.
These types of scenarios can and must be altered and adjusted to take into consideration other species. We must work together for the survival of these absolutely essential fish. The industry should demand it, and we should not sit by and allow another nail to be driven into the coffin of the northern pacific wild salmon population. Too much depends on it.
James Aliucci consults with leading institutions through GLG
Analyses are solely the work of the authors and have not been edited or endorsed by GLG.
