On Tuesday, in a video posted online, President Obama announced his plan to designate Bristol Bay as off-limits to oil and gas leasing. With this decision, Obama has safeguarded the rich fishing waters in the south Bering Sea that provides the country with 40% of the wild-caught seafood and provides a $2 billion a year payday to the fishing industry.

The waters of Bristol Bay, with the largest wild sockeye runs in the world,  provides income for commercial fishermen, but also brings in over $100 million in recreational fishing and tourism activity for the state. The Bristol Bay area is also a habitat for many species such as Stellar’s eider, sea otters, seals, walruses, Beluga and Killer whales, and the endangered North Pacific Right Whale.

Although 5.6 million acres in the area was slated to open up for a lease sale for drilling in 2011, President Obama temporarily withdrew the area from consideration in a temporary order in 2010. That order was set to expire in 2017. The decision on Tuesday, now withdraws the area from consideration indefinitely.

Prior to the scheduled 2011 lease sale, a lease sale was held in 1988, opening up the area for oil and gas development. But, the Exxon Valdez oil spill took pace in 1989, and it was that incident that showed the risks of development in Alaska’s pristine fishing areas and Congress postponed the exploration on the leases.

The United Tribes of Bristol Bay applauded the move by the president in a statement released after the announcement. UTBB President, Robert Heyano said in their statement, that UTBB is grateful for the president’s announcement “to indefinitely protect Bristol Bay from offshore oil and gas exploration and drilling. His acknowledgement of the immense cultural and economic value of Bristol Bay and recognition of our country’s last great wild salmon resource is welcomed news that many of us have fought for decades to hear. We appreciate that he has listened to Alaska Natives and has secured Bristol Bay’s future as a national treasure.”

In the recent election, 66% of Alaskans supported the “Bristol Bay Forever” ballot initiative, signaling strong public support for preservation of Bristol Bay’s fisheries-based economy.  Senator Begich issued a statement supporting the decision, and already had endorsed protection of Bristol Bay from oil and gas drilling.

Alaska’s Senator Lisa Murkowski also responded to the president’s announcement. “Given the lack of interest by industry and the public divide over allowing oil and gas exploration in this area, I am not objecting to this decision at this time,” Murkowski said. “I think we all recognize that these are some of our state’s richest fishing waters.  What I do not understand is why this decision could not be made within the context of the administration’s upcoming plan for offshore leasing – or at least announced at the same time.”

“It is incredibly frustrating that this administration looks at Alaska – with oil production at a fraction of the level it could be at, and with low oil prices about to force steep across-the-board budget cuts – and decides that conservation is our most pressing need,” Murkowski said. “We are not asking to produce everywhere – but right now, we are not being allowed to produce anywhere.  Despite strong support, we are seeing development blocked in the Chukchi, the Beaufort, in NPR-A, and on the Coastal Plain. What we need are decisions to open lands and waters in Alaska, not the familiar and frustrating pattern of shutting everything down.”

The president’s decision to safeguard Bristol Bay from development will prevent the waters of Bristol Bay from being offered for oil and gas leases in the Interior Department’s next five-year plan that is due to be released in the coming weeks.

  bristol bay, development, gas, lease, murkowski, obama, oil, president, sale, united tribes