76 Proceedings Fall 2025 and 27 million more pounds of dog salmon. But the per pound value of species were down considerably. The overall gross value of the catch decreased 20 percent compared to 2022, a $66 million decline. Total workforce earnings across the seafood sector dropped by $77 mil- lion. The COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s near-record salmon harvest in 2023 contributed to an overabundant global salmon supply, leading to depressed prices across all species. Overall job numbers were flat, so workers earned a lot less than in 2022, even after bringing in a bigger harvest. In 2023, the five salmon species—pink, sockeye, chum, coho, and Chinook—represented 82% of the regional seafood catch by pounds landed, and 54% of the overall value. Halibut, black cod, crab, and the dive fisheries accounted for just 10 percent of the pounds landed, but 41 percent of the total harvest value. Most of the statewide catch of Chinook, coho, chum, shrimp, Dungeness crab, and the dive fisheries typically occurs in Southeast Alaska. Seafood processing values were also down signifi- cantly in 2023. Shore-based seafood facilities in Southeast Alaska processed 229 million pounds of seafood in the region, with a wholesale value of $508 million, including shore-based processors and direct marketers. This rep- resents a 34% decrease in value over 2022, as 28 million fewer pounds of seafood were processed. While the full 2024 harvest numbers are not in yet, the catch totals are down and fish prices remain low. Nearly three-quarters (73%) of seafood industry leaders called the early 2024 Southeast Alaska business climate poor or very poor, with 43 percent projecting that the next 12 months will be worse or much worse.12 Continued chal- lenges are expected for regional fishermen and proces- sors moving into 2025. The Coast Guard plays a decisive role in managing and safeguarding Alaska’s fisheries, an industry that earned upwards of $261 million in Southeast Alaska in 2023.13 Coast Guard units such as cutters, boat stations, and shore-based units ensure sustainable practices and enforce fishing regulations by patrolling the waters to prevent illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, which can threaten marine ecosystems and deplete fish stocks. Additionally, the Coast Guard supports search and rescue operations for fishermen in distress and has noted a 52 percent increase in search and rescue cases from 2017 to 2024. Recognizing the demanding work and the uniquely large commercial fishing vessel exam workload in Alaska, headquarters signed a provision to allow marine science technicians in Alaska to use the commercial fish- ing vessel examiner qualification as an acceptable quali- fication toward advancement. This is a huge commitment to prioritizing the needs of individual communities. Mining The discovery of gold in the 1880s brought thousands of miners and their families to the area by ship. By 1920, the Juneau-based AJ Mine was the largest low-grade gold mine in the world. Today, approximately 200,000 tons of concentrate—the processed form of raw ore where valuable minerals have been separated from waste mate- rial—containing zinc, lead, gold, and silver continue to ship out of Southeast Alaska annually on freight ships and barges. More than 1,000 people work year-round in the mining industry.14 Mining jobs in Southeast Alaska were up by 6% and wages were up by 12% in 2023 when compared to 2022.15 The average annual mining wage was $126,100 in 2022, more than twice the overall regional wage. Three mines in the region account for nearly all mining employment. • Hecla Greens Creek is one of the largest silver mines in the world. In 2024, the mine had 520 full- time permanent employees and continues to ramp Fishermen off the coast of Kodiak Island, Alaska, pull in a net full of salmon. Twildlife | iStock/Getty Images
