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In 1982 I signed legislation creating the preserve on the Chilkat River near Haines dedicated to perpetuating the world's largest gathering of bald eagles in their natural habitat. The preserve also protects the eagle's historically abundant salmon food resource. Creation of the preserve is one of finest examples of how people with seemingly irreconcilable differences can resolve conflicts by working together instead of trying to tear each other apart.

A commercial jet boat tour operator introduced baiting eagles with air-injected herring in 1998. As a consequence, the area research biologist observed eagles became habituated to the sound of the boat engines and left their nests with increasing frequency to follow the boat until food was delivered.

Many of those who worked so hard to create the preserve feel it an injustice to their intent and effort should eagle baiting be allowed. Of all places it would seem The Eagle Preserve should guarantee Alaskan visitors an authentic wildlife experience in a natural setting.

Equally troubling is that these commercial jet boat tours are said to be damaging important king, silver and sockeye salmon spawning and rearing areas in the preserve. We learned an important lesson on the Kenai River, where biologists and tour operators agreed to limit engine size to 35 horsepower to reduce adverse impact.

On the Chilkat River commercial jet boat tours use twin 150 horsepower engines which create large wakes that erode river banks and negatively impact salmon spawning and rearing areas.

In order to protect salmon habitat, in 2002 the Alaska Department of Fish and Game's habitat director recommended closing a highly productive salmon area to the large boats, with the suggestion that if evidence could be presented that the motorized tour was not harming the resource, the restriction would be removed.

At this time DNR officials are considering the tour operator's request to remove this habitat-protecting restriction. Unfortunately, however, there now is no habitat director at ADF&G to advocate prioritizing habitat protection. A memo released by ADF&G this year states: "It is a fact that large boat wakes are disturbing critical salmon habitat" inside the preserve. Yet ADF&G is not objecting to removing this restriction for most of the tour season. Those of us who believe in our constitution's mandate that resources be "managed for the maximum benefit" of all Alaskans urge ADF&G and DNR to keep protection of this sensitive habitat their highest priority.

To lift habitat protection restrictions for any salmon stream where Alaskans depend on the commercial, sport and subsistence harvest of that resource flies in the face of that constitutional mandate. Never is this more the case than when scientific evidence indicates restrictions should be retained. Couple this with an amplifying legislative mandate to protect salmon spawning and rearing habitat and the "bar" seems especially high in the eagle preserve. Let's not knock it down and tarnish the remarkably cooperative efforts of all those who helped create this wondrous treasure.

• Jay Hammond was governor of Alaska from 1974 to 1982.