Abundance
All five pacific salmon species return annually to the Chilkat watershed which includes the Chilkat River and its many tributaries. According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G), the Chilkat River drainage produces the third to fourth largest run of Chinook salmon and is the second largest Coho salmon stock in Southeast Alaska (source: Elliott and Power 2015, 1).
Commercial Fishery
The salmon fishery plays an essential role in the Chilkat Valley economy. According to Haines’ Economic Baseline Report, the seafood industry is the second largest economy (after tourism). In 2016, it brought in $6 million to the local area in 2016 and employed an estimated 350 people (source: Baseline Report). The fishing industry employees local workers on fishing vessels, tenders and within local businesses that process and distribute salmon such as Haines Packing Co. and Dejon Delights.
The salmon fishery is regulated by the Alaska Department of Fish & Game (ADF&G) in order to ensure that salmon continue to support jobs and produce revenue for generations to come. In this way, the salmon fishery has the potential to remain a steady and sustainable source of economic vitality in the Chilkat Valley.