Help Protect Bristol Bay Salmon – Eat One!

Posted by Paula Dobbyn on June 5th, 2009 in Conservation, Protection

As part of its national campaign to build consumer demand for wild salmon and to help protect Southwest Alaska’s Bristol Bay watershed from the threat of large-scale mining, Trout Unlimited (TU) is holding a public event in Anchorage this month in conjunction with a local seafood supplier.

TU and Arctic Choice Seafood are sponsoring “Eat Wild!” at the South Anchorage Farmer’s Market on June 27. Organizers will give away free samples of grilled Bristol Bay sockeye salmon along with recipes and information about Bristol Bay and the risks this fishery faces from the proposed Pebble gold and copper mine, some 200 miles southwest of Anchorage.

The Anchorage “Eat Wild!” event launches a series of summer activities around the nation organized by TU to promote consumer awareness of Bristol Bay salmon, including its taste and nutritional value and its importance to Alaska’s economy and culture.  The goal is to spotlight how one of the world’s largest and last remaining wild salmon fisheries is under threat from Pebble, a massive sulfide deposit that developers hope to turn into one of the world’s largest hard rock mines.

The public is urged to do its part to save Alaska’s wild salmon – by eating these healthy and sustainably harvested fish! “Eat Wild!”  takes place on June 27 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Arctic Choice Seafood Booth at the South Anchorage Farmers’ Market. In addition to free samples, fresh sockeye will be available for purchase from Arctic Choice Seafood.The market is located at the Subway/Cellular One Sports Centre near the corner of Old Seward Highway and O’Malley Road.

Copies of Red Gold, the award-winning documentary about Pebble and Bristol Bay, will be available for purchase.

More information is available at www.whywild.org or www.redgoldfilm.com.