Tom Conner’s recent My Turn criticizing SalmonState was a messy mashup of insults and misinformation that read suspiciously like talking points whipped up by a PR firm hired by industry to discredit our work.
SalmonState has offices in Juneau and Anchorage. Our staff live in Alaska, raise families here and in the case of about half of us, were born here. We work closely with people from across the political and social spectrum to defend the incredible lands and waters that make Alaska so special and allow us to still call ourselves the Salmon State.
Conner is correct, however, that SalmonState has worked with tribes, fishermen and a wide range of Alaskans to successfully advocate against development of the Pebble Mine in Bristol Bay. He’s correct that we have joined forces with Southeast Alaskan tribes and communities to hold British Columbia more accountable for mine development on the Taku, Stikine and Unuk Rivers — something that has accelerated in recent years, not “halted,” as he claims. Indeed, there are more than 100 Canadian mines in some stage of operation, abandonment, exploration or development just over the Southeast Alaska border, with all the risks and none of the benefits reaching Alaskans downstream — and Alaskans are currently denied a meaningful voice in the future of these shared wild salmon rivers.
Finally, Conner is correct that SalmonState has asked for better oversight of the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority. In the case of AIDEA, we have hired experienced Alaskan economists to ask the question whether Alaskans are getting good value from AIDEA, which gambles, wastes and gives away hundreds of millions of Alaskan dollars on private projects. At a time of decreased revenues, slashed state services and vigorous debate over spending priorities, it seems appropriate to ask if a state-owned entity should be sitting on a billion-dollar slush fund of state money — especially when 40-plus years of experience have shown AIDEA’s projects are more likely to fail than succeed. Those of us at SalmonState believe local communities and tribes should be in the lead when it comes to the future of our lands, waters and homes, and we work in many ways across the state to support that, including supporting locally led, sustainable economic development.
Conner then tries to paint us as somehow anti-fishing. Nothing could be further from the truth. Many of us are current or former Alaska fishermen. We promote independent seafood producers through the SalmonState Marketplace. Last year, we filed a friend of the court brief in support of Southeast Alaska trollers’ right to fish. We also did much other work to support trollers, including sharing stories from trollers on social media and via video. Trollers’ ultimate success in the lawsuit that could have stopped this small-boat fishery was one of our Top Ten wild salmon happenings of 2024.
What Conner failed to differentiate in his blunt attack is that SalmonState’s concerns have centered specifically around the bycatch associated with trawlers in the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea. Federal officials who testified in front of the Alaska Legislature estimate the annual amount of non-target marine life caught in huge trawl nets and thrown away (bycatch) at about 141 million pounds annually. That total includes salmon, halibut, crab, black cod, herring and other species. Recent polling and the amount of positive feedback we receive from the public for our work to reduce the negative impacts of trawlers show Alaskans are squarely behind us. Statewide support for our work is something reflected by the more than 1,416 individual Alaskans, residents of every borough in Alaska, who have chosen to donate to us — something we deeply appreciate and put to good use.
We are SalmonState are honored and privileged to live and work here in the greatest of the United States. We believe that what makes Alaska incredible are the lands, waters, people, salmon, and ways of life that are possible here — and nowhere else on the planet. While we may disagree with Conner as to what makes this place incredible and how to keep it that way, he should understand we are his neighbors, we have deep roots, we care deeply about this place, and we are not going anywhere. To learn more about us please visit www.salmonstate.org.
• Tim Bristol is the executive director of SalmonState. He lives in Juneau and celebrated his 33rd year as an Alaskan resident in October.
