Save Bristol Bay, Alaska

The wilds of Alaska have often been singled out as some of the most untouched and well-preserved acres of wilderness left in our great nation. And for good reason, size wise, I'm told Alaska is larger than Texas, California, and Montana combined; that Texas could actually fit inside of Alaska two times over. You can talk about its massive size until you're blue in the face, but until you have the opportunity to see it for yourself, you will not be able to fully grasp the wonder and beauty that is found everywhere in Alaska.

There are many lakes and ocean outlets found all over the Alaskan frontier. Some of the best fishing in the world can be found in Bristol Bay, a leading source of salmon throughout many parts of the world. Currently, Bristol Bay is under threat from the possible construction of a mine to be built sitting at the head of two rivers that feed into this local economic system. The production of such a mine could forever damage the economic systems found in Bristol Bay and as such, there is a grassroots movement underway to stop the construction of the mine and subsequently save Bristol Bay. This effort to save Bristol Bay can be supported by simply educating yourself on others of the importance of preserving local ecosystems, not to mention the livelihoods of many people and families. You don't have to live in Alaska to care or to make a difference.

I consider myself to be a pretty big fisherman. More than the taste of fish, I love the feeling of hours of patience paying off when I feel a strong tug on the line of my fishing reel. My father instilled within me a love for fishing at an early age when he took me out to the Pacific Ocean at the age of 7 to do some early morning deep-sea fishing. We left at 5:00 in the morning, and it seemed to me as if the ocean smelled even saltier in the early hours of the morning. As the ship left the harbor for the open seas, we were escorted out by a large flock of seagulls.

It was unbelievably refreshing to feel the crisp ocean air beat on my face as we made our way out to the better fishing spots of the ocean. It was here that my father taught me how to properly rig a line with bait. After getting our lines rigged, we cast them out into the open seas. I expected a fish to immediately grab my line and start tugging, but I soon discovered that fishing was a sport of patience. Since then, I have loved fishing, and that is why we need to save Bristol Bay. It is important to save Bristol Bay because it is a big fishing center.