The Bristol Bay River Academy (formerly the Bristol Bay Fly Fishing & Guide Academy) merges salmon and river education, with recreation and conservation principles to educate, engage and inspire Bristol Bay young adults to become local leaders in salmon stewardship and prepared for jobs based on healthy salmon in their home rivers. The river-side course prepares young local leaders by equipping them with the knowledge, values and skills necessary to be conservation advocates in their communities and link visitors to the salmon and trout conservation issues in the region. The Academy accomplishes this in two primary ways.
To Americans, and even to westerners, the enormity of "wild" Alaska is truly unfathomable. It is like talking about Bill Gates' money or the distance between the closest star and planet Earth; the vastness transcends our human understanding. I have spent 5 summers in Alaska – flying, guiding, filming, fishing, loving, and living. And every year, when I return to the Great Land, my jaw drops, and my fish bum brain short-circuits, preventing any worldly comprehension. Amidst it all, the subtlest miracles are occurring. Millions of salmon are running to their spawning grounds, balls of smolt are fleeing to the sea, and a pure and intact ecosystem comes to life right in front of our eyes with the dawn of summer. The mystery overcomes me, a rush surges through my spine, and the only things tangible are the goose bumps. That is the infinity moment that we all seek as human beings – a truly scarce resource in this day in age.
Bristol Bay, Alaska is host to one of the last great salmon fisheries on earth. It's our last chance to get it right the first time. We must protect this national treasure and its salmon fishery; incredible sport fishing and recreation; fishing jobs and economy; and a native way of life that's thousands of years old from the specter of the Pebble Mine, proposed as one of the largest open-pit mines on earth. Pebble will generate up to 10 billion tons of toxic mine waste that must be stored, treated and monitored "in perpetuity" in the heart of the watershed. EPA has the power to stop this dangerous project under the Clean Water Act and we need you to urge them to do so now.
Because this issue is so important to sport fishing jobs in Bristol Bay, Crystal Creek Lodge is offering a chance to win an incredible 4-day trip for two to fish Bristol Bay, Alaska. Win the fishing trip of a lifetime by using the Tell a Friend feature after you take action. When you urge a friend to comment, you'll be automatically entered for this amazing trip to an award-winning lodge on the Naknek River.
This is a must read by Ryan Peterson on the DrakeMag.com. There is a real war being waged on salmon - let's do something. Voice your opinions with the state of Alaska.
The teaser for The Last Salmon Forest filmed on location in South East Alaska. For more information on how to help preserve our last largest Temperate rain forest please check out- americansalmonforest.org/ tu.org/conservation/alaska flyfilmfest.com/IF4/ Produced by Detonation Studios. Director of Photography- Ian Majszak Cameras- Ian Majszak, Bryan Gregson Logistical coordinator- Bryan Gregson. Editor- Ian Majszak Music credit- Emancipator- track titled "safe in the steep cliffs."
"We can be the first to do it right, or the last to do it wrong." Take it from us at Fly Out - Bristol Bay is one of the last sacred places. Let's not compromise this special ecosystem. Take action today at www.savebristolbay.org/takeaction.
Unfortunately, Bristol Bay's water and fish are currently threatened by development of the proposed Pebble Mine. That's why you've seen an unprecedented group of allies come together to oppose Pebble and ask for special protections for Bristol Bay's fish, wildlife and existing jobs.
We need the fishing and hunting community to speak up for Bristol Bay! More than 500 hunting and fishing businesses and group, tribes, jewelers, 200 chefs and restaurants, and 75 plus commercial fishing organizations have banded together in opposition to Pebble and are actively working to put protections in place for Bristol Bay. This is your chance to help ensure that Bristol Bay's incredible fishing opportunities are around for future generations of sportsmen and women to experience and enjoy.
Click the image above to learn more about donating.
The other day I tagged our recommended lodges and adventures on the Trout Unlimited and Renewable Resource Coalition map that outlines the "Potential Mining Footprint on Bristol Bay's Wild Salmon and Trout Waters". It is clear from this image that the Alaska sport fishing and adventure community has a stake (responsibility) in protecting this region. For one area to support the lodge density and the number of reputable operations (indicated by the blue bubbles), it is obvious there are incredible fishing opportunities in this area - not to mention wildlife viewing, flightseeing, photography, etc. Many of these lodges fly out to the Nushagak River to fish it's famous King Salmon run in June and early July. Some of them fish locally right on the Kvichak River for giant rainbows. These are the drainages at risk.
Even if you've never visited Bristol Bay, stand up for a truly sacred place - where you can enjoy clean water, fresh air, and all the wild things that make Alaska special. You can help by going to savebristolbay.org/take-action. Do it today!
The Alaska Wilderness League is a friend of AlaskaFlyOut.com and partner in the effort to preserve Alaska's wild lands and waters, including the Tongass National Rainforest, by engaging citizens and decision makers with a courageous, constant, victorious voice for Alaska.
See their cornerstone website www.tourthetongass.com to see the wonders of the Tongass region. You can see our recommended lodges from the region on our lodge map page.
