Abstract
The News Focus story, “Fishing for gold in the last frontier state” (S. Kean, 15 January, p. [263][1]) highlights the importance of habitat and the qualities of landscape, whether marine or terrestrial, to protecting diversity and abundance of animals, in this case the salmon of Bristol Bay and the adjacent watersheds. The News story discusses mining but does not mention the many other threats to this ecosystem. Bristol Bay is scheduled for oil and gas exploration in the near future; large tanker traffic passing through Unimak Pass and the edge of Bristol Bay is increasing ([ 1 ][2]); and industrial fishing in the Bering Sea with high rates of bycatch is common ([ 2 ][3]). We should be asking not what mining will do to Bristol Bay salmon, but whether mining in the Bristol Bay watershed will be the straw that breaks the salmon's back. 1. [↵][4] Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, “Risk of vessel accidents and spills in the Aleutian Islands: Designing a comprehensive risk assessment” (Special Report 293, 2008). 2. [↵][5] 1. V. Morell , Science 326, 1340 (2009). [OpenUrl][6][Abstract/FREE Full Text][7] [1]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.327.5963.263 [2]: #ref-1 [3]: #ref-2 [4]: #xref-ref-1-1 View reference 1 in text [5]: #xref-ref-2-1 View reference 2 in text [6]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DScience%26rft.stitle%253DScience%26rft.issn%253D0036-8075%26rft.aulast%253DMorell%26rft.auinit1%253DV.%26rft.volume%253D326%26rft.issue%253D5958%26rft.spage%253D1340%26rft.epage%253D1341%26rft.atitle%253DCan%2BScience%2BKeep%2BAlaska%2527s%2BBering%2BSea%2BPollock%2BFishery%2BHealthy%253F%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1126%252Fscience.326.5958.1340%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F19965733%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [7]: /lookup/ijlink/YTozOntzOjQ6InBhdGgiO3M6MTQ6Ii9sb29rdXAvaWpsaW5rIjtzOjU6InF1ZXJ5IjthOjQ6e3M6ODoibGlua1R5cGUiO3M6NDoiQUJTVCI7czoxMToiam91cm5hbENvZGUiO3M6Mzoic2NpIjtzOjU6InJlc2lkIjtzOjEzOiIzMjYvNTk1OC8xMzQwIjtzOjQ6ImF0b20iO3M6MjU6Ii9zY2kvMzI3LzU5NzIvMTQ1Mi4xLmF0b20iO31zOjg6ImZyYWdtZW50IjtzOjA6IiI7fQ==
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
