Bristol Bay Needs A Voice
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bryan szeliga
Feb 6, 2011, 8:42:56 PM2/6/11
to Portland Chefs Collaborative
Good day Chefs and PDX farmers. I know you are very busy, however a
few minutes of your time just might save 60 million WILD salmon. To
put 60 million salmon into perspective pre Lewis and Clark the
Columbia River supported 16 million chinook salmon. Now we believe
350,000 returning chinook is a huge year and typically only 250,000
chinook return annually. In 2010 the entire Alaska commercial salmon
harvest was 801,630,000 pounds (32% of this harvest was of hatchery
origin). Bristol Bay's truly wild salmon accounted for 21% of the
total harvest weight at 168,650,000 pounds. Trout Unlimited is
spearheading the campaign to spread awareness on the proposed pebble
mine at the headwaters of Bristol Bay. Below is an email from TU with
information on how to contact local government officials to let them
know how important wild salmon are to PDX and the region.
I am asking that you please take a minute to write or call the local
government officials listed below. This week copper reached an all
time high and as the value of copper and gold increases the investors
of Pebble Mine will have a greater vested interest in seeing the
permits for the mine approved. It has become more important then
ever that we speak out on this issue. Please feel free to contact me
directly with any questions.
I thank you in advance for your time and support.
Cheers,
Bryan
Bryan Szeliga
716 NW 18th Ave
Portland OR, 97209
303-910-2999 (cell)
bryanjoh...@gmail.com
www.bryanszeliga.com
twitter: bryanszeliga
Dear Chefs and Salmon Lovers,
Washington and Oregon’s U.S. Senators are in a position where they can
help protect our last great wild salmon fishery in Bristol Bay,
Alaska. Bristol Bay Native tribes and commercial salmon fishermen
approached the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) last fall, asking
that the EPA use a section of the Clean Water Act as a way to protect
Bristol Bay's most critical freshwater salmon habitat from large-scale
mining (ie, the proposed Pebble Mine). The EPA is still weighing their
request and needs to hear from our nation's lawmakers, urging them to
make a proactive decision on this issue. This is where you can help.
If you can take two minutes to call your Senators' offices and/or send
them a personal letter (doesn’t need to be long!) sometime over the
next two weeks telling them that you want to see Bristol Bay's salmon
fishery protected, then this will go a long way in helping us get
Bristol Bay’s salmon fishery the protection that it needs and
deserves. A sample letter with some highlighted (bold) talking points
is below. You can also learn more about what’s happening in Bristol
Bay and ways to take action at: www.savebristolbay.org. Or contact me
directly for more detailed "talking points" and background
information. Ultimately, WA and OR's Senators just need to hear that
this is an issue that YOU care about. With enough calls and letters
they will begin to care about it too.
Lastly, we'll now be sending out monthly action alerts re: Bristol Bay
to help you stay updated and engaged. Please feel free to share these
emails with others in the food community. We're at a really critical
point in the Save Bristol Bay campaign and need all hands on deck!
Very best,
elizabeth dubovsky
WhyWild Director
edub...@tu.org
907.586.2588
Contact your U.S. Senators and ask for protection of Bristol Bay
WASHINGTON Residents Contact:
Senator Maria Cantwell
202.224.3441
511 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Senator Patty Murray
202.224.2621
173 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
OREGON Residents Contact:
Senator Jeff Merkley
202.224.3753
107 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Senator Ron Wyden
202.224.5244
223 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
SAMPLE LETTER TO U.S. SENATORS:
Dear Senator:
As chefs, restaurateurs, and members of Washington/Oregon's food
community, we seek your help in protecting one of our nation’s most
sustainable and healthy foods, Bristol Bay sockeye salmon. Unlike
many of our wild salmon stocks here in Washington/Oregon, Bristol Bay
sockeye is abundant and supports a thriving and sustainable fishery.
It also faces unprecedented threats from large-scale mining
development, such as the proposed Pebble Mine. That is why we are
writing you, to ask that you encourage the Obama Administration to
protect Bristol Bay’s irreplaceable fishery.
With up to 60 million wild salmon returning each summer to Bristol
Bay, Alaska, it is our nation’s largest and most valuable salmon
fishery, making it a critical food and revenue source for thousands of
Americans. The Bristol Bay fishery employs over 4,000 people each
summer and generates hundreds of millions of dollars for America’s
economy annually. Bristol Bay’s fishery not only sustains the
livelihoods of fishermen and processors, it also greatly impacts those
of us who rely on sustainable wild salmon fisheries for our
businesses. Wild Pacific salmon is a distinct and irreplaceable
ingredient in our Washington/Oregon cuisine, which makes it an
essential part of our businesses.
Although Bristol Bay is a salmon stronghold, the region’s healthy
ecosystem could be severely damaged if plans for the development of
the proposed Pebble Mine go forward. Located in the headwaters of two
of Bristol Bay’s major salmon-producing rivers, Pebble is a massive
gold and copper sulfide deposit. If developed, it would be one of the
world’s largest open-pit metal mines. Scientists have identified a
slew of risks associated with this project, including acid mine
drainage, industrial discharges, and toxic waste that would require
perpetual treatment.
As chefs, restaurateurs, retailers, and food lovers, we feel these
risks to Bristol Bay are unacceptable. If we allow the Pebble Mine
project to advance, we endanger a delicious and nutrient-rich food
that thousands of Washingtonians/Oregonians value and demand. Bristol
Bay presents an opportunity to protect this wild food source that
sustains an irreplaceable ecosystem and an invaluable marketplace.
It’s a chance to apply what we’ve learned throughout the West Coast
about the importance of protecting salmon habitat. Therefore, we urge
you to contact the Environmental Protection Agency, telling them that
you want permanent protection of Bristol Bay.
Respectfully yours.
Trout Unlimited Alaska
office: 907.586.2588
419 Sixth St, Suite 200
Juneau, AK 99801
edub...@tu.org
few minutes of your time just might save 60 million WILD salmon. To
put 60 million salmon into perspective pre Lewis and Clark the
Columbia River supported 16 million chinook salmon. Now we believe
350,000 returning chinook is a huge year and typically only 250,000
chinook return annually. In 2010 the entire Alaska commercial salmon
harvest was 801,630,000 pounds (32% of this harvest was of hatchery
origin). Bristol Bay's truly wild salmon accounted for 21% of the
total harvest weight at 168,650,000 pounds. Trout Unlimited is
spearheading the campaign to spread awareness on the proposed pebble
mine at the headwaters of Bristol Bay. Below is an email from TU with
information on how to contact local government officials to let them
know how important wild salmon are to PDX and the region.
I am asking that you please take a minute to write or call the local
government officials listed below. This week copper reached an all
time high and as the value of copper and gold increases the investors
of Pebble Mine will have a greater vested interest in seeing the
permits for the mine approved. It has become more important then
ever that we speak out on this issue. Please feel free to contact me
directly with any questions.
I thank you in advance for your time and support.
Cheers,
Bryan
Bryan Szeliga
716 NW 18th Ave
Portland OR, 97209
303-910-2999 (cell)
bryanjoh...@gmail.com
www.bryanszeliga.com
twitter: bryanszeliga
Dear Chefs and Salmon Lovers,
Washington and Oregon’s U.S. Senators are in a position where they can
help protect our last great wild salmon fishery in Bristol Bay,
Alaska. Bristol Bay Native tribes and commercial salmon fishermen
approached the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) last fall, asking
that the EPA use a section of the Clean Water Act as a way to protect
Bristol Bay's most critical freshwater salmon habitat from large-scale
mining (ie, the proposed Pebble Mine). The EPA is still weighing their
request and needs to hear from our nation's lawmakers, urging them to
make a proactive decision on this issue. This is where you can help.
If you can take two minutes to call your Senators' offices and/or send
them a personal letter (doesn’t need to be long!) sometime over the
next two weeks telling them that you want to see Bristol Bay's salmon
fishery protected, then this will go a long way in helping us get
Bristol Bay’s salmon fishery the protection that it needs and
deserves. A sample letter with some highlighted (bold) talking points
is below. You can also learn more about what’s happening in Bristol
Bay and ways to take action at: www.savebristolbay.org. Or contact me
directly for more detailed "talking points" and background
information. Ultimately, WA and OR's Senators just need to hear that
this is an issue that YOU care about. With enough calls and letters
they will begin to care about it too.
Lastly, we'll now be sending out monthly action alerts re: Bristol Bay
to help you stay updated and engaged. Please feel free to share these
emails with others in the food community. We're at a really critical
point in the Save Bristol Bay campaign and need all hands on deck!
Very best,
elizabeth dubovsky
WhyWild Director
edub...@tu.org
907.586.2588
Contact your U.S. Senators and ask for protection of Bristol Bay
WASHINGTON Residents Contact:
Senator Maria Cantwell
202.224.3441
511 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Senator Patty Murray
202.224.2621
173 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
OREGON Residents Contact:
Senator Jeff Merkley
202.224.3753
107 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Senator Ron Wyden
202.224.5244
223 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
SAMPLE LETTER TO U.S. SENATORS:
Dear Senator:
As chefs, restaurateurs, and members of Washington/Oregon's food
community, we seek your help in protecting one of our nation’s most
sustainable and healthy foods, Bristol Bay sockeye salmon. Unlike
many of our wild salmon stocks here in Washington/Oregon, Bristol Bay
sockeye is abundant and supports a thriving and sustainable fishery.
It also faces unprecedented threats from large-scale mining
development, such as the proposed Pebble Mine. That is why we are
writing you, to ask that you encourage the Obama Administration to
protect Bristol Bay’s irreplaceable fishery.
With up to 60 million wild salmon returning each summer to Bristol
Bay, Alaska, it is our nation’s largest and most valuable salmon
fishery, making it a critical food and revenue source for thousands of
Americans. The Bristol Bay fishery employs over 4,000 people each
summer and generates hundreds of millions of dollars for America’s
economy annually. Bristol Bay’s fishery not only sustains the
livelihoods of fishermen and processors, it also greatly impacts those
of us who rely on sustainable wild salmon fisheries for our
businesses. Wild Pacific salmon is a distinct and irreplaceable
ingredient in our Washington/Oregon cuisine, which makes it an
essential part of our businesses.
Although Bristol Bay is a salmon stronghold, the region’s healthy
ecosystem could be severely damaged if plans for the development of
the proposed Pebble Mine go forward. Located in the headwaters of two
of Bristol Bay’s major salmon-producing rivers, Pebble is a massive
gold and copper sulfide deposit. If developed, it would be one of the
world’s largest open-pit metal mines. Scientists have identified a
slew of risks associated with this project, including acid mine
drainage, industrial discharges, and toxic waste that would require
perpetual treatment.
As chefs, restaurateurs, retailers, and food lovers, we feel these
risks to Bristol Bay are unacceptable. If we allow the Pebble Mine
project to advance, we endanger a delicious and nutrient-rich food
that thousands of Washingtonians/Oregonians value and demand. Bristol
Bay presents an opportunity to protect this wild food source that
sustains an irreplaceable ecosystem and an invaluable marketplace.
It’s a chance to apply what we’ve learned throughout the West Coast
about the importance of protecting salmon habitat. Therefore, we urge
you to contact the Environmental Protection Agency, telling them that
you want permanent protection of Bristol Bay.
Respectfully yours.
Trout Unlimited Alaska
office: 907.586.2588
419 Sixth St, Suite 200
Juneau, AK 99801
edub...@tu.org
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