News

Obama Administration Criticized for Caving to Fracking Industry

Submitted by Ben Kryzinski on Sat, 05/25/2013 - 16:14

Earlier this month, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), released an updated draft of a proposed revision to rules that would govern hydraulic fracturing (also known as fracking) on federal public lands. The proposed rule updates have been criticized by many as insufficient, though some groups -- such as the Sportsmen for Responsible Energy Development coalition, -- have called the rules a "step forward" while acknowledging that more work needs to be done.

Fracking Waste Pit
A poorly constructed fracking waste pit in Doddridge County, West Virginia (photo: Ed Wade Jr./Wetzel County Action Group).

The SFRED stated that the "updated [rules] regulating hydraulic fracturing practices on federal public lands was welcomed ... [and] commended the Bureau of Land Management for moving forward with regulations that will improve transparency and the management of all fluids in the drilling process." According to the SFRED, the new rules would "update current regulations, which are more than 30 years old ... are outdated and do not address modern fracking activities, including their impacts on water quality and quantity."

1 Week Left: Speak Up for Bristol Bay, Win a Trip to Alaska

Submitted by Ben Kryzinski on Sat, 05/25/2013 - 12:21

On Friday, May 31, the EPA will close the currently open public comment period regarding the feasibility of large scale, open pit mining in the Bristol Bay region of Alaska. In late April, the EPA released an updated draft of its assessment of risks related to mining operations in this sensitive salmon habitat. The assessment made it clear that mining proposes grave risks to the salmon rivers of Bristol Bay and that, even without any accidents or failures, mining operations in Bristol Bay would result in the loss of over 24 miles of salmon streams and the destruction of almost 5,000 acres of wetland habitat.

Crystal Creek Lodge in Bristol Bay, Alaska
This could be you.

As we reported earlier this month, the results of a recent study by researchers at the University of Alaska estimated the annual value of Bristol Bay's salmon fishery. The study determined the combined value of the bay's commercial, subsistence and recreational fisheries to be worth $1.5 billion annually, a number which seriously challenges even arguments which weight solely the economic benefits of mining.

Florida Keys Flats Fishing: Worth More Than You Thought

Submitted by Ben Kryzinski on Wed, 05/22/2013 - 10:42

Studies that endeavor to estimate the values of a particular fishery aren't rare. They form the basis for a number of planning and policy decisions, many of which pit conservation against development. And these studies often produce big numbers, as they calculate the cumulative values of immense commercial fishing operations, sport fishing and tourism, and more. When numbers for these diverse fisheries reach into the hundreds of millions or even billions, as was the case with the recent results of a study on the value of Bristol Bay, Alaska's fishery, most people aren't overly shocked. However, when a virtually purely recreational fishery like that of the Florida Keys bonefish, tarpon and permit flats is deemed to be worth over $400 million each year, it serves to turn some heads.

Florida Keys from Space
A shot of the Florida Keys from the International Space Station.

According to the study, which was commissioned by the Bonefish and Tarpon Trust, the recreational sport fishery that surrounds the bonefish, tarpon and permit of the Florida Keys generates an estimated $427 million annually. The study considered the multiplier effects of angler expenditures, the wages and salaries generated by angler spending, the jobs created, and the federal and state taxes resulting from flats fishing expenditures. Data was collected through surveys of licensed resident and non-resident anglers and flats fishing guides.

Report: Bristol Bay Wild Salmon Fishery Worth $1.5 Billion Annually

Submitted by Chad Shmukler on Fri, 05/10/2013 - 11:54

On the heels of last week's release of the EPA's updated risk assessment regarding the potential impacts of mining operations in the Bristol Bay watershed, the University of Alaska Anchorage's Institute of Social and Economic Research has released the findings of a study which estimate the annual value of Bristol bay's salmon fishery to be 1.5 billion dollars. The study was performed at the request of the Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association, as part of an effort to increase the amount of data available to individuals and organizations undertaking the task of evaluating the feasibility of large scale mining, such as Pebble Mine, at the headwaters of the prolific Nushagak and Kvichak rivers.

Commercial fishing vessels in Bristol Bay, Alaska.
Commercial fishing vessels in Bristol Bay, Alaska.

The valuation figures produced by the study take into account commercial harvesting, processing, and retailing Bristol Bay salmon and the multiplier effects of these activities. The study does not include the economic value of the sport-fishing industry in Bristol Bay, which previous studies have estimated to be around $60 million annually.

The report by UAA also noted the importance of the economic impact of Bristol Bay's wild salmon fishery to other geographic regions of the United States, particularly the Pacific Northwest, where the report states most of the commercial fishing companies that operate in Bristol Bay are based. It details that "The Bristol Bay salmon industry is a major part of the broader Alaska and Pacific Northwest seafood industry, and pays for an important share of the fixed costs of many fishing and processing operations. Without the Bristol Bay salmon industry, fixed costs would be higher and profits lower in the rest of the seafood industry. The Bristol Bay salmon industry is a major supporter of infrastructure and utilities in the Bristol Bay region, a major taxpayer, and a very important source of local jobs and income."

Engaging Documentary Exposes Effects of Salmon Farms on Wild Pacific Salmon

Submitted by Ben Kryzinski on Thu, 05/09/2013 - 13:33

A recently released documentary highlights the effects of the farming of Atlantic Salmon in the waters of the Canadian Pacific Northwest. The feature length film, which is freely available for viewing online, tracks the findings a number of scientific studies which have found evidence of european salmon diseases -- commonly found in farmed salmon -- in wild pacific salmon. These studies have presented evidence that links the transmission of these diseases, specifically the incredibly lethal disease ISA, from farmed salmon to wild salmon to previously unexplained declines in Canadian sockeye salmon runs.

Salmon Confidential: Effects of Salmon Farming on Wild Pacific Salmon

ISA has long been a problem for salmon farming operations in the waters off Norway, Scotland, eastern Canada and Chile. The virus, by infecting the red blood cells, causes severe anemia in affected fish, often leading to death. Mortality rates in infected farming operations as high as 100% have been observed. Loss rates of 70% are not uncommon. There is no treatment for the disease once a fish is infected and vaccines designed to prevent infection are considered less than effective and difficult to administer.

Catch & Release Fishing: 10 Tips for a Successful Release

Submitted by Chad Shmukler on Mon, 05/06/2013 - 12:35

The ranks of the catch and release fisherman, whether fly or otherwise, are growing. Even if you're not a no-kill fisherman, it stands to reason that if the fish you're targeting isn't intended for your dinner plate, it is wise to take care to insure that fish is released safely. Not just released, mind you, but released in a manner that takes all reasonable measures to insure that -- once released -- that fish will survive and live on to be caught another day and hopefully spawn. The fact of the matter is that simply releasing a fish does little to insure it's survival if that fish isn't played and handled correctly.

Gardiner River Brown Trout
Keeping your fish in or near the water's surface makes for excellent photos, too.

Following are 10 tips for insuring that your catch makes it back into the water for another angler to pursue. While these guidelines are written from the perspective of the trout and salmon fisherman, virtually all of these guidelines apply to other species as well.

Angler Lands Atlantic Salmon in the Bronx?

Submitted by Colin K. Breck on Sun, 05/05/2013 - 12:03

There likely isn't an angler east of the Mississippi River that doesn't long for the days when wild Atlantic Salmon teemed in eastern waters ranging as far south as Long Island Sound and northward to Newfoundland and Quebec. Before the dams and pollution of the industrial revolution wiped out these formally abundant stocks of Atlantic Salmon, beginning in rivers such as the Connecticut, Merrimack, and Androscoggin, a tale of an angler in the northeastern US wetting a line and hooking up one of these prized fish wouldn't have been considered noteworthy. These days, however, it is quite the contrary. Given such, you can imagine the surprise of New York City resident Pierre Champion when he did just that just over one week ago.

Atlantic Salmon Caught in The Bronx - Long Island Sound
Pierre Champion is seen here with the wild Atlantic Salmon he caught last week in the Bronx, NY.

Champion, a dedicated fly fisherman, paddleboarder and kayaker who religiously plies the urban waters of New York City in search of striped bass and other expected species, was searching some submerged structure off City Island in the Bronx, when he encountered a most unexpected quarry. On Champion's second exploratory cast, he hooked up a fish that he immediately noted did not fight like a striped bass or bluefish, species that he would have expected to encounter this time of year in the western reaches of Long Island Sound. Suspecting a weakfish, Champion reeled the fish in after a relatively short fight to discover a trout like fish that was hooked through the gills and bleeding badly.

Speak Up for Bristol Bay Now, Stop Pebble Mine

Submitted by Ben Kryzinski on Tue, 04/30/2013 - 13:12

On Friday, the EPA released an updated version of its Bristol Bay watershed assessment and initiated a public comment period extending until May 31, 2013. The purpose of the assessment is to evaluate the potential impacts of hard rock mining, such as that proposed by foreign mining companies Northern Dynasty and Anglo American, to the environment and economy of the Bristol Bay region of Alaska. In order to assure that it is "using the best available science and that [it has] heard and considered all comments", the EPA is giving anyone with an opinion to express an opportunity to make their voice heard.

A fishing vessel in Bristol Bay Alaska.
A fishing vessel in Bristol Bay Alaska (photo: Nick Hall).

The EPA's assessment notes that even without any failures in the operational safety measures in place at the proposed mines, the construction of these mines and their related facilities will lead to extensive habitat loss. The prospects of a failure at any of the on or off site facilities that will store and transport mining products or the more than 10 billion pounds of expected toxic mining waste are much more grim. The assessment not only addresses the sensitivity of the aquatic and terrestrial habitat in which the Pebble Mine and other operations are proposed, but notes that opportunities for mitigation and remediation of any spills, leaks or other failures would be virtually non-existent.

2013 Fly Fishing Photo Contest Announced

Submitted by Colin K. Breck on Thu, 04/25/2013 - 17:56

We're pleased to formally announce our photo contest for this year. For the most part, the contest will be the same as in years past. That said, we will be doing just a few things differently this year, for a bit of a chance of pace.

This year, once the contest entry period has closed, we'll be opening up the submissions to our readers. We'll ask all of you to vote for your favorites and the judges will make their selections from amongst those that the readers liked the most (along with a few that the judges will select themselves). In addition to giving the readers a say in who wins, we're also running this years contest for most of the season, giving everyone more time to capture that winning photo.

Into the Salmon World

Submitted by Paul Vecsei on Tue, 04/23/2013 - 11:46

Swimming with the salmon in a temperate rainforest stream is unforgettable. Recording the moment with a good photograph is the highest accolade for that memory. I struggle with several major challenges each time I go. First is getting close enough to my subject. I have to get very close in order for the wide-angle effect to become dramatic. If the Dolly Varden are not trying to bite my nose or camera dome port, I’m nowhere near close enough. Next is perspective. My view of things can be ordinary but easily changed to extraordinary by a slight shift in my angle of view.

And then there is the light; the single most important element in a really great image. It is what keeps me going back, day after day, because no moment is the same. The fish may be there for weeks but how their world is lit can vary between seconds. For example, the shot of the Coho school was taken during a week of non-stop rain. I swam alongside a pod of fish, ready to shoot if something interesting happened. Well nothing happened for hours and then, suddenly, the dusty beams of light appeared. My heart almost stopped.

Into the Salmon World - Paul Vecsei

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