Salmon fishers, Tribes, and associated businesses in Bristol Bay, Alaska, U.S.A. have welcomed a recent legal filing regarding Pebble Mine, claiming the Trump administration is backing their opposition to the development of Pebble Mine.
“We thank President Trump for defending this one of a kind natural resource from short term exploitation by foreign controlled interests,” SalmonState Executive Director Tim Bristol said in a statement. “Bristol Bay’s world class salmon runs generate upwards of USD 2.2 billion (EUR 1.9 billion billion) in economic activity, are a vital source of clean, nutritious food, and represent one of the great hunting and angling destinations on the planet. Simply put, Bristol Bay is the biggest and the best and it’s clear the President knows this based on his wise decision today.”
The state’s salmon sector has long opposed development of Pebble Mine by Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada-based Northern Dynasty, arguing that the project could negatively impact the salmon fishery in Bristol Bay. During Trump’s first term, the federal government denied a permit to Pebble Mine, with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) later determining that the site was not suited for toxic waste storage under the Clean Water Act.
Northern Dynasty ultimately sued the U.S. government over those determinations in March 2025 in an attempt to reopen development of the mine. Reports emerged in July that the Trump administration was considering letting the mine move forward after all, with Northern Dynasty announcing that it was in talks with the EPA.
“We are pleased to be in discussions with the EPA, because we see this as the fastest path forward for withdrawal of the veto. They have asked for additional information to assist in finalizing that decision,” Northern Dynasty President and CEO Ron Thiessen said in a statement.
However, salmon fishing advocacy groups claim the Trump administration will defend the original EPA decision and continue to fight against Pebble Mine after a 17 July legal filing. Northern Dynasty announced that it did not reach an agreement with the government and is now seeking an expedited decision from the court in the Pebble Mine case.
“President Trump stands with Alaskan fishermen and with fishing communities nationwide today. We applaud this decision to protect America’s greatest salmon stronghold, a place that supports tens of thousands of American fishing jobs and is revered by sportsmen and women across the nation,” Wild Salmon Center CEO Guido Rahr said in a statement.
Over the last week, Northern Dynasty stocks have plummeted, with three company directors selling hundreds of thousands of shares.
