SPECTRUM: It’s up to us all to be a voice for the salmon

It’s up to us all to be a voice for the salmon

Community Spectrum by Brad Kirr

Depressing headlines that spell trouble for Alaska's prized Chinook salmon have dominated news outlets throughout Alaska over the past several weeks. As an angler and a sport fishing business owner, these headlines cut me to the core and remind me that numerous changes need to be made. But, in the end it's up to all users of our salmon resources - sport fishing business owners, commercial fisherman, processors, personal use and subsistence users, and recreational fisherman - to be a voice for the salmon they benefit from and to protect the habitat these fish require to survive.

Perched at the top of the Cook Inlet and near three of Southcentral's mighty glacial rivers, I am pleased to call Palmer home. A teacher by trade and a fishing guide by passion, I spend the school years educating the next generation of Alaskans and enjoy Alaska's endless summers while sharing the Kenai River with anglers from around the world who have traveled here to experience a prolific salmon river at its finest. I am one of 2500 fishing guides in the state that help facilitate the dreams of Alaskan visitors: catching salmon to share with friends and family, chasing some the biggest rainbow trout found anywhere in the world, and marveling at the endless life the river supports while swatting away mosquitos. Each year the sport fishing industry contributes 1.4 billion dollars to Alaska's economy. This is reliable employment and income for Alaskans and the state, assuming we are proper stewards of our fisheries and their needs. Maintaining the health of our fish habitat is good for business, good for Alaskans, and good for Alaska.

Last winter I was shell shocked when a dam was proposed in the headwaters of the Kenai River, potentially choking off critical flows and completely altering the natural cycles of the river. Overnight one of Alaska's most loved and accessible salmon rivers, which drives the Kenai Peninsula economy and defines the region, was at risk to succumbing to some of the same mistakes as many Pacific Northwest salmon rivers. I was concerned for the future of my guide business and shuddered at the thought of my two young boys being robbed of the opportunity to know the true Kenai River flowing wild and free. Fortunately for us, Chugach Electric hosted town halls, heard the overwhelming opposition, and wisely chose to no longer pursue the project. This opportunity for valuable public participation and input is something that all large projects within important salmon habitat should be subjected to.

Alaska wild salmon face a slew of issues that challenge their survival. Some of these issues are outside of our control. But many are well within our power to influence. Loss and degradation of fish habitat was a key contributor to the more than 400 populations of Pacific wild salmon and steelhead have been lost along the west coast and is one of the most easily avoidable impacts to fish. In this modern era, it is becoming clear that we need to update our fish habitat permitting laws to better reflect modern development projects and avoid repeating mistakes made elsewhere. As a teacher, I am constantly reminding my students to learn from their mistakes, and in this instance, knowingly destroying entire streams and watersheds is a mistake. Alaskan voters recently put an initiative on the ballot to help avoid these mistakes with record-setting participation from Alaskans across the state.

Recent mischaracterizations of the effort to update Alaska's fish habitat permitting laws attempt to suggest that normal-everyday Alaskans will face a mountain of red tape when they want to go fishing, to build a dock on private property, or to take on any number of activities many of us engage in regularly. The truth is, updating our fish habitat laws isn’t about burdening everyday Alaskans, slowing down important infrastructure projects, or stopping development. Rather, it’s about ensuring future development occurs in a smart way that ensures our state’s fisheries remain the valuable resource they are today. Responsible development that has a small impact on our fisheries will have a green light while large impact projects, like the Pebble mine, for instance, would receive appropriate scrutiny. The updates are about improving the permitting process with scientific standards, allowing opportunity for Alaskans to comment on projects that impact their livelihoods and impact resources that belong to all Alaskans as guaranteed by our Alaska Constitution, and ensuring a prosperous future for salmon by establishing a high standard for large-impact projects.

Alaska needs mining. I know that, I get that, and I benefit from that. But we don’t need to say "yes" to every proposal simply because it promises jobs while putting the risk on the businesses, jobs, and lives that are already built around Alaska's fisheries. The Alaska Constitution reserves the fish, wildlife, and waters of the state for it's residents, and our permitting laws should reflect that through sound science and public participation.