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Tuesday, March 12, 2019

Weekly Post, "NO PEBBLE MINE Pictures from Ground Zero" by Robert Glenn Ketchum

NO PEBBLE MINE Pictures from Ground Zero 
by Robert Glenn Ketchum

Since 1998, I have been working to protect the spectacular resources of southwest Alaska and the fishery of Bristol Bay. Two Aperture books, a national traveling exhibition, a massive coalition of concerned users, and a lot of personal lobbying, had it looking like we were almost there. Then Donald Trump took office claiming he would always put America, and American jobs first. SO WHY destroy a BILLION-dollar-a-year, RENEWABLE salmon fishery and over 100,000 jobs for a group of international mineral speculators that will leave us with a Superfund site to clean up, and NO fishery left edible? And yet, he did,..so please, keep saying NO TO THE PEBBLE MINE!
~Robert Glenn Ketchum






Tuesday, March 5, 2019 

NO PEBBLE MINE #338, Pictures from Ground Zero
NO PEBBLE MINE #338:  Because we are in a boat with a shallow draft and a lot of power, we continue to push up into the headwaters of the Goodnews River, even through some sketchy shallows, and rapids. My two hosts, enforcement officers from the ADF&G, patrol this river daily though, so they know exactly what we are doing, and I am just along for the ride and the view. We are now at a point where the embankments have flattened out, and the tundra rolls off in every direction around us. The Goodnews is also shallow, narrow, and meandering enough to make it impossible for a plane to land, so we are beyond the realm of floaters, fishing and camping. There is no one else out here but us,..and a lot of animals. Because the terrain is navigable, they want me to take a hike onshore they think will prove interesting. Of course, they tag along as my bodyguards, both sporting holstered pistols, and rifles over their shoulders. The consensus here is that the views are expansive enough that we will see whatever animals (bear) might be out there, before they become of danger to us. We do see several moose, we hear wolves, and then over one of the rolls in the landscape, this nicely constructed beaver pond and lodge complex appears, replete with busy beavers, another moose, and several eagles. In a light, on-and-off rain, we snack here while watching the activity, and then work our way back to the boat.

photograph(s) © copyright, ROBERT GLENN KETCHUM, 2019, @RbtGlennKetchum @LittleBearProd @NRDC @OrvisFlyFishing #NoPebbleMine #LittleBearProd

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Tuesday, February 26, 2019 

NO PEBBLE MINE #337, Pictures from Ground Zero
NO PEBBLE MINE #337:  The spectacular sunset of the previous night (last two posts) ushers in weather from the Pacific, so we awake to a blustery, cold, and rainy morning. It is nice to be able to have a casual breakfast in the warmth of the cabin in which my two hosts reside while doing their summer enforcement patrols on the Goodnews River for the Alaska Department of Fish & Game. Back out in the boat and on the river, it is another story, and we all fleece-up and put on raingear. Their camp is situated in the last really broad section of the river, and as we move upriver, closer to headwaters, the river narrows, and the banks steepen and grow taller. We do not see many floaters on the river this morning, probably because of the lousy weather, but we do find many still in camp. We are now deeply into Native land, upon which there is no trespass to camp or fish. Nonetheless, we make several stops to inform groups that they need to remove their encampments from the shore, and find a sandbar where they can camp legally. Curious about how enforcement plays out, I ask if the penalty of being fined accomplishes anything, AND what about the houseboat guy we encountered yesterday? They tell me they reported him last night on the radio in the cabin, and Native enforcement officers will deal with him, arresting him for trespass, seizing his illegal fish catch and fish-wheel, and, likely, breaking down his boat. My hosts assure me working it this way will be far more effective, then if they took action. They also point out that many floaters who are fishing, are with local guides, and the guide can loose their license if the floaters break the law.

photograph(s) © copyright, ROBERT GLENN KETCHUM, 2019, @RbtGlennKetchum @LittleBearProd @NRDC @OrvisFlyFishing #NoPebbleMine #LittleBearProd

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Tuesday, February 19, 2019 

NO PEBBLE MINE #336, Pictures from Ground Zero
NO PEBBLE MINE #336:  I am sure the two Alaska Department of Fish & Game officers, in whose cabin I am having dinner, think I am a little nuts, because I keep leaving our meal to go back outside. As you see in the last post, there is quite a show going on, and this is SUMMER in Alaska, so the show goes on for a LONG time. The sun doesn’t set until 10pm or so. Although the wind does not pick up, the temperature drops dramatically as night falls, causing patches of ground fog to appear, disappear, and re-appear. I assure my hosts that my behavior comes with my job, and it is likely getting great results. I also thank them for hosting me in their very trick camp. The cabin is very cozy, but is too tight to sleep three, so I have my tent and there is a nice soft-sand floor quite close to the cabin where I pitch. As the cabin is relatively bear-proof, they want me to divest my tent of EVERYTHING, so there are no scent traces that might attract a bear,..except for mine. Then, they hand me a shotgun with hand-loaded slug shells, and suggest I keep it next to me “in case.” They do say, however, they have never had a bear visit this bar when they have been here, and frankly, it is Southwest, there are bears everywhere I go. I can’t say that I am used to them, but I have learned to sleep soundly.

photograph(s) © copyright, ROBERT GLENN KETCHUM, 2019, @RbtGlennKetchum @LittleBearProd @NRDC @OrvisFlyFishing #NoPebbleMine #LittleBearProd

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SOCIAL MEDIA by #LittleBearProd: @LittleBearProd
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Tuesday, February 12, 2019 

NO PEBBLE MINE #335, Pictures from Ground Zero
NO PEBBLE MINE #335:  As the two Alaska Department of Fish & Game enforcement officers and I work our way up the Goodnews River, I go ashore and climb low hills in many places, in spite of the unsettling evidence of grizzlies on the first beach at which we stop. The river remains wide, and in many places there are sizable sandbars around which we carefully navigate. One of these, further upstream, hosts our camp. I am amazed at the number of float groups fishing the river, many of whom do not have necessary permits or fishing license. I find it depressing that there are SO many that want to cheat the system. They have come great distances to fish trophy-class waters, for which, apparently, they have little regard, and they refuse to acknowledge there must be management to prevent overfishing. Our most amazing encounter is a 60-ish, white male, who tells us he was born in state, lives part of the year farther north, and then during salmon season, he comes here to fish for his “winter supplies.” The ADF&G officers know him, so we stop to board the houseboat he has built for himself, which is presently anchored to trees on the riverbank. He has no license. He has no permits. He has an illegal fish wheel trap, which he denies using. He also has WAY MORE fish iced than seems even close to legal. YET, he yells at us, saying because he was born in state, none of the laws apply to him, because he had these rights before the laws existed. The officers have heard it before, and issue him several citations. He is one of our last encounters for the day, and about 1/2 hour further upriver, we come to a section with a massive sandbar in the middle that sports a shed, a cabin, a small dock, and a lot of “Alaskan gear.” We are home. As it is getting dark, my hosts start dinner, and I wander out on to the bar to watch the unfolding of the evening’s stunning sunset. We are looking downriver, and to the west. It HAS been a good day on the Goodnews, and now, real food not freeze-dried.

photograph(s) © copyright, ROBERT GLENN KETCHUM, 2019, @RbtGlennKetchum @LittleBearProd @NRDC @OrvisFlyFishing #NoPebbleMine #LittleBearProd

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SOCIAL MEDIA by #LittleBearProd: @LittleBearProd
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Tuesday, February 5, 2019 

NO PEBBLE MINE #334, Pictures from Ground Zero
NO PEBBLE MINE #334:  The two river enforcement officers who are helping me explore the Goodnews drainage and headwaters, have told me that I can go ashore anywhere that looks interesting, so there will be more variation to my shoot, than just from the water. After our first few early morning encounters with float fishermen, checking permits, etc., we come to section of the river with deep current along one shore, but a huge sandbar extending from the other side, and some access to a marsh area, formed in the bend of a meander (previous post). We all disembark on the sandbar, but as we do, I note that both of them break out their shotguns. I have an armed guard! Without the wind off the river, the day is sunny and warm. Being ashore offers me a very different take on the terrain, I make many pictures, and push further back from the river, into the marshy meander. Until we arrive here! It is a nice view of what apparently is a VERY popular area. The female officer also has a biology degree and identifies 9 different species of bird tracks (foreground, middle & right) in the sand. However, there are also some MUCH larger prints, going out of the frame to the left - it is a VERY big grizzly bear, and it has just walked through recently because some of the tracks still hold water. Stopping for this shot makes both my hosts nervous, so they are grateful I do it quickly, and we beat a quiet retreat to the boat. Perhaps it is time to move to another location.

photograph(s) © copyright, ROBERT GLENN KETCHUM, 2019, @RbtGlennKetchum @LittleBearProd @NRDC @OrvisFlyFishing #NoPebbleMine #LittleBearProd

Follow Robert Glenn Ketchum's Photographic Activism Online:
SOCIAL MEDIA by #LittleBearProd: @LittleBearProd
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Tuesday, January 29, 2019 

NO PEBBLE MINE #333, Pictures from Ground Zero
NO PEBBLE MINE #333:  The Goodnews is a big, long river that has a considerable volume at its mouth, hence the ADF&G enforcement officers that are helping me explore the drainage, work with a powerful boat that has considerable thrust to forge upstream travel. It also has a fully enclosed cabin to keep us out of the wind, and because the weather is often so horrible. The officers have a job mission to fulfill, which they do EVERY DAY, working from a cabin camp about mid-river. They patrol up and down the river length, checking the endless stream of fishermen that fly in from all over the world to fish southwest Alaska. Some of those obey the laws, have the appropriate permits, and respect the catch limitations, others don’t. Certain ones believe because they are “Alaskan,” they can fish where and when they choose without limits. EVERYONE is armed. It makes my trips with them interesting. Another uniquely Alaskan issue here is Native land trespass, which my associates also enforce. Most fish the Goodnews on 10-day float trips, being dropped by air below the headwaters, and then camping while drifting to Goodnews village to be flown out. However most land on either bank is Native owned, and there is NO trespass. The floaters MUST camp only on river sandbars, which are not always where they might want to be. Many times they also disembark on select river banks to fish prime spots, which is not allowed either. We stop them, explain the rules, and issue expensive tickets. Some people are told to immediately leave the river. Some guide groups are also fined for allowing their guests to abuse the rules. It is an interesting process to watch. When not doing any of that, these officers offer to take me anywhere I might like, and they will stop so I can shoot from the land, whenever that might help.

photograph(s) © copyright, ROBERT GLENN KETCHUM, 2019, @RbtGlennKetchum @LittleBearProd @NRDC @OrvisFlyFishing #NoPebbleMine #LittleBearProd

Follow Robert Glenn Ketchum's Photographic Activism Online:
SOCIAL MEDIA by #LittleBearProd: @LittleBearProd
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Tuesday, January 22, 2019 

NO PEBBLE MINE #332, Pictures from Ground Zero
NO PEBBLE MINE #332:  I am in the small Native village of Goodnews, awaiting two river enforcement officers from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game to pick me up in their patrol boat, and take me to explore the Goodnews river drainage and headwater. This is the first time I have worked with ADF&G, so I have no idea what to expect, so at the moment, I sit by the small river dock with my gear, waiting, only to be occasionally cruised by teenagers from the village riding 4-wheelers. It is a beautiful, warm day and quite peaceful by the river, so it is very clear when the officers arrive, because I can hear the noise of their engine. There are, indeed, two officers, armed with serious, holstered handguns and wearing badges. One is female. We exchange greetings, they grab my gear, and we are off. With such a great day, I go to work immediately and start shooting, while in-between, we discuss what I am hoping to do with this project. At the start of the trip, basically the delta of the Goodnews, the land is very flat and brushy. There is a downstream wind building that makes the leaves ashore shimmer as it gusts through their branches. It seems to be a good day in Goodnews!

photograph(s) © copyright, ROBERT GLENN KETCHUM, 2019, @RbtGlennKetchum @LittleBearProd @NRDC @OrvisFlyFishing #NoPebbleMine #LittleBearProd

Follow Robert Glenn Ketchum's Photographic Activism Online:
SOCIAL MEDIA by #LittleBearProd: @LittleBearProd
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Tuesday, January 15, 2019 

NO PEBBLE MINE #331, Pictures from Ground Zero
NO PEBBLE MINE #331:  Delivered to Goodnews by a plane from Dillingham, I await an upriver boat pick-up from colleagues in the Department of Fish and Game. While waiting, I am surveying this small Native village, and considering what it must be like to live here throughout the year - at the edge of the Arctic Circle, on a gravel-scrub-tundra shoreline, facing into the north Pacific, and without much supportive infrastructure to speak of - this is a rugged lifestyle! Of course, everyone fishes. Freshwater fish and spawning salmon are in the Goodnews river, and Goodnews Bay opens into one of the most productive marine fisheries in the world. No one in this village, however, is a “commercial” fisherman. There are no industrial fishing boats here. This is the fishing “fleet” for the village. It is a flotilla of Lund’s! In one of these, a skilled hunter might catch fish, or marine mammals, hunt seals, and raid cliffside bird rookeries for their eggs. It takes a distinct skill set, and some considerable confidence to go out hunting by yourself, in one of these.

photograph(s) © copyright, ROBERT GLENN KETCHUM, 2019, @RbtGlennKetchum @LittleBearProd @NRDC @OrvisFlyFishing #NoPebbleMine #LittleBearProd

Follow Robert Glenn Ketchum's Photographic Activism Online:
SOCIAL MEDIA by #LittleBearProd: @LittleBearProd
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