JUNEAU—On Tuesday, the House Fisheries Committee passed House Bill 119 sponsored by Representative Andy Josephson (D-Anchorage). The bill seeks to protect the world-famous Bristol Bay fisheries from the harmful impacts of any large-scale metallic sulfide mine located within the boundaries of the existing Bristol Bay Fisheries Reserve. “In a couple of months thousands of stakeholders […]
Dillingham, AK- Wednesday, Senators Joe Manchin (WV) and David Vitter (LA) reintroduced legislation (SB 54) that would eliminate from the Clean Water Act a provision that authorizes EPA to limit or restrict discharge of dredged or fill material from mining deposits into waters of the United States. The provision, commonly known as 404(c), gives the […]
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The federal government’s Commerce, Justice, and Science (CJS) budget for fiscal year 2015 includes several provisions written and advanced by Senator Lisa Murkowski. Among them are items to support Alaska’s world class fisheries, improve Arctic navigation, and protect the state’s coastline from the continued debris related to the 2011 Japanese tsunami. The […]
In December 2012, NOAA Fisheries declared four subspecies of ringed seals, including the Arctic ringed seal in Alaskan waters, as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). After extensive input from local and state governments, Native partners, and the public to determine proposed critical habitat areas, NOAA Fisheries today is releasing those proposed […]