Alaska’s Nushagak River system hosts the largest run of king salmon on the planet. A British mining conglomerate wants to build Pebble Mine, the world’s largest open-pit gold mine at its headwaters.

If you don’t want to trade Alaska’s king salmon for a foreign company profit, you can learn how to fight the plan at www.RenewableResourcesCoalition.org.

British mining conglomerate Anglo-American and its partners’ plan includes 10-square-mile-lake of toxic mine waste laced with sulfuric acid, industrial chemicals and heavy metals.

Beyond the obvious detrimental effects to the salmon fishery, additional potential dangers exist as well. One strong earthquake, or gradual leaching over time, could make the world’s best fishery no more than a memory, ruining Bristol Bay as well.

Bristol Bay is the home of the world's largest sockeye salmon fishery as well as runs of king, silver, and chum salmon. In addition to commercial fishing, the area is also very popular for sport fishing, hunting, and tourism.

The important natural resources located in the Bristol Bay watershed are in danger with the proposal of the Pebble Mine plan to extract a multibillion-dollar lode containing copper and gold.

Potential Detrimental Effects Sockeye Population
Existing mining projects similar to the proposed Pebble Mine are usually located in dry areas, not watersheds containing abundant natural resources.

The amount of rainfall at Bristol Bay would make it harder to contain pollution and nearby fault lines are also a major concern. The watershed's soft ground would deliver toxins into salmon-spawning areas. If even 2-8 parts per billion of copper were to find its way into Bristol Bay's salmon spawning streams it would affect the ability of the fish to find their way back to the streams to spawn.

The by-product of the Pebble Mine plan would be billions of tons of toxic waste which would need to be stored behind walls the size of the Hoover Dam. The proposed plan for Pebble Mine includes a 15 square mile complex with a 2 by 1.5 mile open pit with a 1700 ft. depth.

The facility for storing waste from the mine would use water from critical salmon and trout streams. Wild Alaskan fish are a valuable renewable resource to the state, one that we shouldn't risk trading for a non-renewable mining venture.

Want to help?
Want to help protect and maintain commercial, subsistence, and sport fisheries and Alaska's renowned hunting and fishing heritage for future generations?

The Renewable Resources Coalition (RRC) is dedicated to helping save Alaska's hunting and fishing resources, including the Bristol Bay watershed from the proposed Pebble Mine. One of the easiest ways to become involved in the protection of Alaska's renewable resources is to become a member of the RRC. Learn more at www.RenewableResourcesCoalition.org.

* Source: Renewable Resource Coalition

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