Fight Is On Between Pro-fish Camp, Mine Defenders

MARY PEMBERTON

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — The fight is on between backers of an Alaska mine being developed near the world's most productive wild salmon streams and 13 Seattle restaurants.

This week, the establishments are featuring wild Alaska salmon on their menus, dished up with warnings about the future of Bristol Bay salmon if the copper, gold and molybdenum mine is permitted and built in southwest Alaska.

One of the Pebble Mine's most prominent supporters over the weekend called for a boycott of the restaurants taking part in Trout Unlimited's Savor Bristol Bay campaign.

Gail Phillips, the president of Truth about Pebble, a group of mine supporters, sent out her appeal for a boycott via e-mail to her "family and friends" — including the chefs — following an Associated Press story featuring chef Kevin Davis at the Steelhead Diner and chef Seth Caswell at Emmer & Rye. The chefs are among those participating in the Trout Unlimited campaign.

The e-mail from Phillips, also a former Alaska state legislator, prompted food blogger Ronald Holden — Seattle's Global Gourmet — to ask a question Monday.