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About Save Bristol Bay
Trout Unlimited’s Alaska Program works to preserve, protect and restore wild salmon and trout populations throughout Alaska. Through sound scientific data, strong grassroots outreach and advocacy, and hands-on involvement in conservation projects we protect some of the most pristine and prized rivers on the planet, restore those that need some help, and engage the next generation of coldwater stewards in Alaska’s natural heritage.
Bristol Bay, Alaska's economy depends almost entirely on salmon: UAA ISER study
Bristol Bay, Alaska's economy depends almost entirely on salmon: UAA ISER study
August 4, 2006
Alaska Report (AK)
By LAINE WELCH
Bristol Bay's rivers support the largest sockeye salmon fishery in the world. It is Alaska's most valuable salmon fishery and has the most permit holders, topping 2,800 people. Nearly one third of all earnings from Alaska salmon fishing come from Bristol Bay. Those are just a few of the findings in a report called Economics of Wild Salmon Watersheds at Bristol Bay, unveiled by the University of Alaska's Institute for Social and Economic Research. It says the region is salmon ecosystem dependent and accounts for nearly 64 percent of all employment with an associated payroll of about $190 million dollars last year.
"The fish and the entire environment around the salmon drives not only the commercial fishery but also almost all the recreation and tourism activity. The tourism activity is about another $100 million plus, mostly for fishing but also for wildlife viewing and other activities in the region."
Scott Goldsmith co–authored the study which was funded by Trout Unlimited. He says next to commercial fishing and processing, sportfishing is the second most important economic engine in Bristol Bay.
"Total spending on sport fishing in the region is about $122 million, mostly from non resident and a very large share of that is non Alaskans coming up to fish the high end lodges."
Salmon represent 52 percent of the region's subsistence harvests. Goldsmith says the extreme seasonal nature of Bristol Bay's economy is startling.
"As an economist what was most interesting for me was to be able to quantifiy how much variation there was between the summer and winter there was an the level of economic activity that's going on out there. About five times as many jobs in the summer than in the winter. That is unprecedented... it's really amazing."
Bristol Bay's population is about 7,000 people in 25 communities. A proposed copper and gold mine and road would be located in the heart of the region.
Date: 8/4/2006
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