Petition to List Lynn Canal Pacific Herring under the Endangered ...

linking the combined impacts of pollution, habitat loss, and other coastal human
stresses to declines of the Lynn Canal spawning stock is, in part, circumstantial,
similar declines have been noted elsewhere, particularly near coves, inlets, and
estuaries. For example, the loss of historically important herring spawning habitat
has been documented in Nanaimo, Pender and Ladysmith Harbors, British
Columbia (DFO Canada 2004 website), as well as in Eagle Harbor, Puget Sound
(Chapman et al. 1941). Relative to other areas where herring spawning continues,
these bays have been substantially altered by human settlement, industrial
development, log storage, and marine transport.
(Williams et al. 2004).
The following sections outline the many projects that are slated to occur in the
range of Lynn Canal Herring in the very near future. Taken together, the developments
in and around Berners Bay and eastern Lynn Canal will impact the remaining spawning
areas.
1. Kensington Gold Mine Project
The Kensington Gold Mine Project will destroy habitat for virtually every species
that lives in the Lynn Canal and Berners Bay region. Much of the environmental review
for the project focused on ESA-listed Steller Sea Lion and Humpback Whale, which rely
on Lynn Canal Herring and other forage fish (NMFS 2005a). The future of the Lynn
Canal Herring population was one of the main concerns of NMFS, USFWS and the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the reviewing the Kensington Mine (NMFS
2005a). NMFS Alaska Regional Office cited, among many impacts, the disturbance to
herring spawning sites, which are permanently lost once destroyed.
The proposed action considered in this biological opinion involves the activities
of two federal agencies. The ACOE proposes to authorize Goldbelt Inc. to place
dredged or fill materials into waters of the United States pursuant to section 404
of the Clean Water Act and section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act to construct
a marine terminal at Cascade Point in Berners Bay, and the Coeur D’Alene Mines
Corporation and Coeur Alaska’s (Coeur) to construct a marine terminal at Slate
Creek Cove in Berners Bay. The USFS proposes to approve an amendment to
Couer’s Plan of Operations for the Kensington Gold Project pursuant to the
National Forest Management Act consistent with the 1997 Tongass Land Forest
Management Plan.
The proposed action, known as the Kensington Gold Project, involves the
development of an underground gold mine located approximately 48 km north of
Juneau, Alaska. The mine site is located in the Tongass National Forest adjacent
to Berners Bay, a sheltered saltwater bay and estuary. The Kensington Gold
Project involves the construction of two marine terminals, one at Slate Creek
Cove on the north side of the bay and one at Cascade Point on the south side of
the bay, and ferry transit across the bay multiple times daily to transport crew and
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