An environmental campaign group has delivered to Lt. Gov. Byron Mallott a letter signed by more than 6,000 Alaskans urging an international agreement to protect Southeast Alaska rivers abundant with salmon.
Thousands of people who rely on the Taku, Stikine and Unuk Rivers want to see enforceable protections and financial assurances not possible in a non-binding, unfunded statement of cooperation, said Jill Weitz, campaign manager for Salmon Beyond Borders, who delivered the letter to Barbara Blake, special advisor to the lieutenant governor on Sept. 20.
Salmon Beyond Borders describes itself as a campaign driven by sport and commercial fishermen, community leaders, tourism and recreation business owners and other concerned citizens, in collaboration with tribes and First Nations, across the Alaska/British Columbia border.
The state of Alaska plans to sign the statement of cooperation with British Columbia within a couple of weeks, but signers of the letter said more effort is needed through federal involvement. The U.S. State Department has the authority under the Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909 to pursue protections for Southeast Alaska’s fish and clean water, the letter said.
Their concern is that mines in operation and planned along the Canadian side of these transboundary waterways could adversely impact salmon habitat, which is critical to the economy and lifestyle of Southeast Alaska.
The letter signers want the administration of Alaska Gov. Bill Walker to join with federal officials in securing an international solution for this issue.
More than 10 large-scale open-pit hard rock mines are in various stages of development in British Columbia, and the group contends that these mines could potentially pollute the Taku, Stikine and Unuk rivers originating in British Columbia and flowing downstream into Southeat Alaska.
More information about Salmon Beyond Borders is online at
www.salmonbeyondcorders.org
