I make my living taking people out fishing. As the owner/operator of Baranof Wilderness Lodge, I know I’m lucky. As anyone else who lives here well knows, Southeast Alaska is one of the most wild, beautiful and biologically productive places left in America. The fact that I get to spend my days taking visitors and locals alike to some of the best fishing spots on the planet isn’t lost on me. I get it. We’re blessed to have all five species of Pacific salmon spawn in healthy numbers here, not to mention the wealth of ground fish, herring, shellfish and dive-caught species that live and thrive in our local waters. So don’t get me wrong when I say the following – we need to do more to manage our backyard, the Tongass National Forest, with fish as priority number one. When I say that, I’m not whining. The fact is, right now, we’re not doing it. Fish simply aren’t the Forest Service’s focus. Consider that nearly 7,000 miles of salmon-producing waterways course through the mountains and muskegs of the Tongass. But 70 percent of those streams are not managed with fish in mind. In fact, only 100 feet of land on either side of those waterways is set aside for fish habitat.
Only about 30 percent of anadromous (salmon-producing) streams are in protected status.
This isn’t acceptable. Not when Southeast Alaska produces a third of all salmon harvested in Alaska; not when the panhandle contains 84 percent of all cutthroat trout habitat in the whole state; not when it’s home to half of all steelhead habitat in Alaska.
These fish are too valuable to mess with. Instead of being relegated to the back of the bus as far as management priorities, fish should come first. It makes economic sense.
Fishing, be it sport, commercial, hatchery or subsistence-related, generates nearly $1 billion in economic output every year, according to a recent study by Trout Unlimited. That same report pointed out that close to one in 11 Southeast Alaska residents has a full- or part-time job that is tied to fishing, more than 7,200 local residents.
What does this mean? It means that our economy and lifestyle are heavily tied to fishing, and because that’s the case, the forest surrounding us should be managed for fish first. More watersheds that produce large volumes of fish should be managed as fish factories where the clean water and undisturbed habitat that produce these fish are left in their natural state so that they can continue to give back, year after year.
As it always is with the Tongass, there are currently several issues that could affect the future of our fish. Two of our three Congressional delegates have recently unveiled bills that are intended to address longstanding land claims. I’m not opposed to giving Sealaska what it’s due. It’s time to resolve this issue and move on. But I hope that as the public debates the merits and drawbacks of these bills that they keep in mind what we have in Southeast Alaska. We’re one of the few places left where wild salmon and trout still thrive. We could be doing more to protect this valuable economic and cultural asset that sets us apart from Everywhere Else, U.SA.
• Trotter is the owner and operator of the Baranoff Wilderness Lodge in Sitka.
Comments (66)
Add commentwhat a self serving rant
Thanks Empire for exposing Trotter for what he is, a self-serving profiteer with zero tolerance for other users of the Tongass Forest!
1 out of 11 live off fish exploitation, so screw the other ten of us Mike, really that is your logic?
Not Enough??
Aren't there enough rats with gills invading the forests already? What's the problem??
Good article. Brads just
Good article. Brads just upset because it is contrary to what Sealaska wants, to clear cut the globe. You do realize don't you Brad that even if they get everything they want, it won't trickle down to you and the other shareholders?
what is good about it?
what is good about a person serving their own interest at the expense of 10 out of 11 residents of Southeast?
you have a strange value system kpawsuh.
Brad states the Alaska Internetwork is unbiased
Like Fox News is your source of fair and biased news - riiight.
Hey Brad, what was that attack on William Paul Sr. all about in November at the NAGPRA review committee? You, as an ANB Grand Camp officer, Ethel Lund (former Sealaska board member), Sealaska Heritage, Richard Rinehart (Jr. & Sr.), et al launched a huge attack on William Paul Sr. on the gift of the REPLICA raven hat to the Alaska State Museum - called him every name in the book. There would be no ANB, Central Council or ANCSA corporations without William Paul, the email and affidavits Sealaska and others entered into the record are amazing - and you say you honor your ancestors? All you were led by Rosita Worl, who claims that she filed and typed William Paul legal work as a school age child and teenager, even though she lived in Alaska and he lived in Seattle -- tell me how that it done?
Sealaska doesn't honor the land, elders, ancestors, or traditions if they get in the way of management's desire to make more money.
Thanks Empire comments.....
Thanks Empire for exposing Alaska Internet and Brad for what he is, a self-serving profiteer with zero tolerance for other users of the Tongass Forest than creating bonuses for Sealaska's management.
Just because 1 out of 11 get
Just because 1 out of 11 get their income directly from fishing does not mean that the other 10 dont care about it. Not everyone likes clearcutting Brad. I have no problem with logging. I spent hours one day watching a guy doing selective logging in Washington hauling the trees out with a team of draft horses. It was sublime! I still love the feeling of watching a tree fall. However, what has happened to much of SE is gross. It is not sustainable and is very short sighted. I remember flying into I think it was Lake Kathleen(?) on Admiralty, it was a primo world class cutthroat trout lake. It was logged as far a the eye could see. No trees, no bushes, I swear they used a lawn mower. It felt like there wasnt anything bigger than 3". It was disgusting. That lake has been destroyed by silting, so I have been told. I havent been back.
I would be interested in seeing how many of those 11 are tied to logging.
seadoggy
No one attacked William Paul Sr., simply corrected an action he took when he did not have the authority to give Clan property away. Dr. Worl, Dr. Lund, the Rinehart's and myself stood with the Clan and regained its rightful property.
Everyone makes mistakes, even William Paul Sr.
btw, the ANB existed before William Paul Sr. came on the scene and he is not a Founding Father. No one argues the contribution he made to the efforts of the ANB, but really, get your history facts straight!
Dominic!
You have managed to stay out of State institutions for another year, congratulations!
New meds?
Brad is right about the ANB founders
The ANB was founded in 1912, with 12 founding fathers. One of which (James Watson) was my adopted sister, Julie's, father. We adopted her in the early 60's after he passed away.
"The founders were 12 Christian Native men who had been educated at the Sheldon Jackson Training School, a Presbyterian mission school that later became a liberal arts college. The charter group included Peter Simpson, Sitka (originally from Metlakatla); Ralph Young, Sitka; Chester Worthington, Wrangell; James C. Johnson, Klawock; Paul Liberty, Sitka; Seward Kunz, Juneau; Frank Mercer, Juneau (originally from Klukwan); Frank Price, Sitka; George Field, Klawock; Eli Katanook, Angoon; James Watson, Juneau; and William Hobson, Angoon. Marie Orson of Klukwan served as the organization's secretary and Andrew Wanamaker of Sitka was named Honorary Founder."
Brad........
Why can't you admit that your wife and you draw your income from Sealaska, and you are an ex employee of Sealaska, and your wife supports you.
No one buys your unbiased and un-slanted BS.
I wouldn't talk about institutions if I were you, your friends outed you as a bi-polar heavy duty smoker of the weed, with big time personal problems.
Brad Fluetsch dba
Brad Fluetsch dba Akinternetwork is an Alaskan Native folks
and he is why everyone of us should do what we can to protect the Tongass National Forest.
This federal forest is Public Land now, but greedy Ak Natives like Brad want it logged for money.
This logging will destroy the ecosytems that support our fisheries.
the Ak Natives should do the right thing and allow this Forest to remain as it stands now for the greater good.
Seriously Brad?
In your "unbiased" view, people who make their living catching salmon are now fish exploiters. Then what shall we call the small percentage of Sealaska employees and board who are profiting off the timber exploitation?
Unlike the salmon, which are truly a renewable resource, the gigantic clearcuts aren't going to grow back anytime soon, and when they do they won't be worth as much as old growth.
The moonscape around Lake Kathleen was cut courtesy of Shee Atika, the Sitka native corporation. They are also responsible for the wide swath across Admiralty Island that is so visible from the ferry. Despite objections from Angoon, they went ahead and cut - sound familiar?
Just curious....
Personally, I think the 1 out of 11 figure is misleading - - that many people may have full or part-time jobs in fishing, but many, many more of us benefit year-round from being able to fish ourselves, or knowing someone who has a job fishing - many times around here someone recieves a gift of fish or a day on someone else's boat.
I'm just curious then - how many shareholders of Sealaska are there?
Dominic!
Yes, my wife is employed at Sealaska Heritage, but you can ask anyone she pulls her own weight. I might even be negative baggage she has to carry too! Yes I did work at Sealaska, not in this century.
As for friends, that doesn't sound like something friends would say about other friends, so you must be confused.
lastly, if you bothered to go to www.alaskainternetnetwork.com and see what our news is and through your fog it will become obvious even to you, we publish what is seen and heard from the speakers mouth with some q&a from the audience.
Do appreciate you guys giving me the opportunity to clarify your mistakes!
20,000ish
Sealaska's shareholder enrollment has grown with the addition of those born post 1971.
Back to the Article here... and what Mr.Trotter isn't saying
#1. There's a big difference between "giving Sealaska what it’s due" (which of course it already has uncontested and on file with the BLM) and giving Sealaska a pen to rewrite ANCSA as they wish, and coming off the backs of taxpayers and rural communities.
#2. There's a big difference between Sealaska Corporation ownership and treatment of lands (which will only continue to operate under the same rapacious business plan), and public ownership of National Forest (which requires far more protections than Sealaska operates under.)
#3. Mr. Trotter is not revealing the full picture of what is quietly being marketed by Trout Unlimited and The Nature Conservancy, and that is, pushing privatization of the Tongass National Forest on a far grander scale than Sealaska's desire of 85,000 acres out of the agreed upon boxes.
TU/TNC is also pushing for even FURTHER privatization (now there's how to tell the difference between TU/ TNC and actual conservation organizations) which includes another 50-70,000 acres as well.
Makes one wonder who pays these groups to put the "CON" in "conservation?"
They don't call this "The Wrong Kind of Green" for nothing.
Trees don't grow back?
Seinerak that is breaking news, except everyone in Juneau has seen the old photos of town at the turn of the century and Juneau was in the midst of a.... clear cut!
can't you come up with something like real facts and info Seiner?
Sealaska & its tribal member shareholders
too bad, the US Department of the Interior doesn't consider the ANCSA corporations a tribe:
http://www.cr.nps.gov/nagpra/DOCUMENTS/Solicitors_Memo_ANCSA_03182011.pdf
"In conclusion, NAGPRA clearly does not include Alaskaregional andvillage corporations
within its definition of Indian tribes. Furthermore, the legislative history confirms that this was
anintentional omissionon the part of Congress. Therefore, the National NAGPRA Program's
list of Indian tribes for purposes ofNAGPRA must not include the Alaska regional and village
corporations. The Program is, however, currently bound by its regulations that differ from the
statutory definition on this point. As noted above, we therefore suggestthat the regulations be
changed as soonas feasible to address this issue, followed by a corresponding change in the list."
The ANCSA corporations are not listed on the Bureau of Indian Affairs federal register of tribal organizations, and the GAO has concluded that ANCSA corporations (including Huna Totem and Sealaska) are NOT tribes.
So let's get back to the question - if not for William Paul, there would be no Central Council or Sealaska, so why the attack on a REPLICA? It was not an original raven hat, but a commissioned reproduction, get it? That means any piece you create a tribal organization can make a claim on if they state it is part of clan property. Do you know how much Chilkat blankets cost on commission, if the clan thinks they own it, they can claim it. Sealaska thinks it owns everything and owes nobody anything.
@AKInterNetwork: everything
@AKInterNetwork: everything "grows back" given enough time. That's not the issue. The issue is loss of habitat. Until the forest grows back into a climax state, all the organisms that depended on that environment will have to go elsewhere. All the land that was held together by those trees' root systems will begin to erode away (which is a big issue with salmon streams). All of the symbiotic relationships between organisms disappear or change for a period of time, causing intense environmental stress on all parties involved.
try going out in the woods Brad
I never said trees don't grow back. Try rereading. They don't grow back "soon". Have you ever tried walking in a clearcut that has been cut in the last few decades? Then you might have some understanding of the difference between clearcut and old growth.
It's obvious that Sealaska logging is not sustainable if they are continually talking about shutting down their timber operations if the lands bill doesn't go through.
I know you support tree farms so I'm not going to bother going over that issue. What is being addressed in the letter is the importance of the salmon industry to Southeast Alaska, and the economic value of the watersheds which need to be left intact.
Thinking about Juneau
We have clear-cut the place and the trees grew back and the fish are still here.
We have mined gold and other metals and filled the wetlands with tailings and we drink the water, play on the fields and work in the buildings built up it and the fish still swim, crabs crawl, birds fly, deer run
We have dumped millions of tons of sewage and other chemicals into the Channel over the past 100 years and the fish swim here still with seals and Orcas visiting regularly.
Given all that has been done in the Tongass as far as resource utilization, the one group hurting halibut more than anyone is the fishing industry. The one group hurting the King Salmon stock more than anyone else is the fishing industry.
Seadoggy
While William Paul Sr. is an important and key figure in our history, I think you do a huge dis-service to all the others who worked by his side by saying there would be no CCTHITA or Sealaska if not for him. In fact, I would say you are completely wrong about that.
Frankly it seems you have a fundamental disagreement with the Clan and should take your grievance to them. This question was taken all the way to the NAGPRA review board which I assume you would have made the replica argument there and it failed. From my perspective, the Clan said that was theirs and the State was interfering with its appropriate use, NAGPRA review board agreed.
If you didn't testify then and there, it seems you are whining that you left the barn door open and the critters all escaped.
gunal cheesh for a well
gunal cheesh for a well written, and thoughtful considerate letter. IF there is a study of some sort proving the streams buffer zones are not adequate to protect the life of our streams, please forward that to the AK Board of Forestry so they can make changes to the AK Forest Practices Act that governs our streams buffer zones.
Unfortunately, over the past few years it's fact that tourism and fisheries alone cannot sustain our southeast Alaska 'rain country' economy. We've experienced the highest unemployment rates, and are now being redistricted because of our population decline.
The only solution to these negatives that have presented themselves to boost our economy is harvesting our timber. I would gladly support another way to take care of our economy and population declines, but none has presented itself. The affects of a poor economy to my lifelong home island is a drop in our population by approximately 1000. My people are being forced to jobs away from their home.
My hope is that you will forward your material about how to better protect our streams, the buffers will reflect protecting the life of our streams, and the bill will pass to bring our people and jobs back. OR, another way to boost our economy with jobs will present itself.
Again, gunal cheesh.
She pulls your weight and The Delete Networks too......Brad
So much for the most unbiased reporting in Alaska propaganda.
Can I post on your network "Hoonah's Legacy" or Bob Loescher comments about educating Sealaska Shareholders not to make the Tongass part of our Corporation balance sheet ever again. Or any other evidence that would give an objective view of the Sealaska Corporation and the Sealaska bill?
http://vimeo.com/10319712
I love it when.....
Someone's argument for doing something unsavory is essentially - "Little Johnny does it, so why shouldn't I?".
Clearly, some folks never had a mom like mine, who stopped you in your tracks with the "If your friend jumped off a bridge....." question.
We don't mine the way we used to for a reason.
We shouldn't log the way we used to for a reason.
You do get that the planet is a closed system, right?
Not surprisingly, Brad also didn't answer my question about how many shareholders - the website says 20,000 - so apparently for Brad 1 out of 11 is no good, but around 2.5 out of 11 is just fine.
Dominic
I don't let you post anywhere!
unbiased does not mean anything goes.
Nice
I’m not a big fan of forced entities designed to fail from the start. ANSCA was done with the Federal Government being in bed with the outside oil companies looking to develop a natural resource blocked by Aborigines’ of this great Land. More on this after the next oil spill. Back in the day of fishing life was good. Not too many non- residents in the state of Alaska to put up with and the ones who were present respected our boundaries and we co-existed just fine. It wasn’t about color only when one side did not get its way. Hmmm, sobs, then the fight began. Outnumbered as always we Aborigines survive but, losing a God giving right to prosperity to a state of affairs called the Alaska/Canada Salmon treaty. From being the biggest fishing fleet we were forced to look elsewhere for work. At the time Native Corporations were in an all out battle with the Tongass National forest selling logs to the world. Yes, the Government was busy flooding the market with logs which they called their own. Tongass National Forest was the biggest exporter of a natural resource called lumber. A tactic used to drive the price of logs down to keep the war of selling logs at an all time low. History proves when the Aborigines of any state are doing better than the government it is not tolerable and must be stopped. But, we still do what we need to do to survive in this day and age. Shame on us for prospering and growing self-sustaining in today’s economy. Please don’t get me wrong we could have done well as individuals’ giving the original ANCSA bill was passed without the tampering and we were given what is our just due. Spilled milk, so we put up with two unaccepted entities Corporations shoving down our throats what they feel is right for us and the State trying to regain jurisdiction over an allied state of people who have been here over ten thousand years give or take.
swimmergirl
swim a little higher in the post and you will see 20,000ish.
other than than, what?
Half of Sealaska Shareholders live outside Alaska.
it seems you have your apples confused with oranges.
You mean no questions asked, don't you Brad?
Does it mean that if anyone wished to counter the propaganda at your Sealaska Brown Nose Network (SBNN) you wouldn't allow it?