There’s been a flutter of attention lately in the fly fishing world about the Stand for Salmon Initiative which will be voted on this November in Alaska. In part, the current discussion was prompted in part by the sharing of this article (pic above) – Salmon Systems Are Out of Balance – in the Anchorage Daily News.
ADN didn’t provide a link to the actual initiative in their article, so with a little digging it was easy to find the Stand for Salmon site. And with a bit of digging, there actually was a not-prominently-displayed link to the actual Stand for Salmon Initiative (the legal document Alaskans will be voting on November).
Two Critical Points Not Addressed
One, with salmon stocks in decline (maybe even precipitous decline is the better descriptor) this year in particular (see this, this, this, and this), no one seems to be able to actually put a finger on the “why”, eerily similar to the decimation of runs and inane mismanagement that’s been happening for decades in Washington and Oregon. (Argue that point about WA/OR if you must, but show with objective data that ANY intervention undertaken in the last thirty years has made ANY large-scale, sustainable improvements in steelhead or salmon runs there.)
Two, the Stand for Salmon Initiative as written has drawn a fair amount of disdain. Impressively, the 12-land based Alaska Native corporations have voted unanimously to oppose it (read details here, including the interesting point that the Initiative was initially deemed unconstitutional after review by the Alaska Dept. of Law, yet overturned in a quick turnaround ruling by the State SC).
Some members of the state legislature appear to feel the measure is well-intended but ill-constructed (here), and at least two industry groups have composed what appear to be reasonably evidence-based arguments against it (here and here). Scoff about “industry groups” providing commentary if you choose, yet if their points aren’t addressed, this metaphorical dog probably won’t hunt in November.
Something needs to be done to restore Alaskan salmon to their previous abundant glory; the solution will neither be simple nor painless for those in the salmon game. And yes, Bristol Bay mining still is and always has been a terrible choice, but there’s much more pathology than future mining pollution impacting salmon stocks today. Is the Stand for Salmon Initiative the answer or an over-reach destined to miss the mark and fail? This one will be interesting to follow…
