79 Fall 2025 Proceedings robust workforce, from fishermen, barge line operators, Coast Guard employees, boat builders, ferry workers, marine welders, whale watching staff, marine biologists, salmon hatchery workers, fish permit clerks, and a host of others. The maritime industry touches every part of the Southeast Alaska economy, particularly the seafood sec- tor and natural resource industries depen dent on mari- time logistics, such as the mining sector, as well as the Coast Guard and the AMHS. The maritime economy of Southeast Alaska blends tradition, innovation, oppor- tunity, and challenge. Continued collaboration between industry stakeholders, communities, and regulatory agencies—including the pivotal role played by the Coast Guard—will remain vital to sustainably navigating the region’s economic future. About the authors: Meilani Schijvens is the owner and director of Rain Coast Data, a Juneau-based firm specializing in Alaska economic analysis, publica- tions, socioeconomic studies, and surveys. With a master’s degree in sci- ence from the University of Oregon and a bachelor’s degree from Colby College, she has authored hundreds of economic publications. She previ- ously served as Southeast Conference’s executive director, taught Alaska natural resource history, worked at a mine, and was a staffer for a U.S. Senate minority leader. Charles L. Westmoreland is energy coordinator for Southeast Confer- ence, the federally designated economic development organization serv- ing Southeast Alaska. He also is a proud Army veteran. LT Catherine Cavender is a 2017 graduate of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in marine transpor- tation. She serves as a marine safety officer in the Coast Guard. She recently completed an assignment as Waterways Management and Facilities division chief at Sector Southeast Alaska. Endnotes: 1. Schijvens, Meilani. “Southeast Alaska by the Numbers 2024.” Southeast Conference, 2024, www.seconference.org/publication/southeast-alaska-by- the-numbers-2024/. Original data from Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development and U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis; analysis by Rain Coast Data. 2. Ibid. 3. Schijvens, Meilani. “The Maritime Economy of Southeast Alaska.” Southeast Conference, 2013, www.seconference.org/sites/default/files/Maritime%20 by%20the%20Numbers.pdf. Data updated to 2023 figures. 4. Schijvens, Meilani. “Southeast Alaska by the Numbers 2024.” Southeast Conference, 2024, www.seconference.org/publication/southeast-alaska-by- the-numbers-2024/. Additional analysis from Rain Coast Data based on data from the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development. 5. Ibid. 6. U.S. Coast Guard. “Coast Guard Business Intelligence (CGBI).” Database. Access restricted to USCG personnel. 7. Schijvens, Meilani. “Southeast Alaska by the Numbers 2024.” Southeast Conference, 2024, www.seconference.org/publication/southeast-alaska-by- the-numbers-2024/. 8. Ibid. 9. Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development. “Alaska Monthly Employment Statistics.” Alaska Economic Trends, 2024, https://labor.alaska. gov/trends/. 10.Schijvens, Meilani. “Southeast Alaska Business Climate Survey 2024.” Southeast Conference, 2024, www.raincoastdata.com/project/southeast- alaska-business-climate-survey-2024/. 11. Schijvens, Meilani. “Southeast Alaska by the Numbers 2020.” Southeast Conference, 2020, www.raincoastdata.com/project/southeast-alaska-by-the- numbers-2020/. 12. Schijvens, Meilani. “Southeast Alaska Business Climate Survey 2024.” Southeast Conference, 2024, www.raincoastdata.com/project/southeast- alaska-business-climate-survey-2024/. 13. Ibid. 14. Ibid. 15. Ibid. 16. Nelson, Heather. Community Affairs and Engagement Specialist, Hecla Greens Creek Mine. Personal communication. 2024. 17. Hecla Mining Company. “Hecla Mining Company Annual Report 2023.” https://s29.q4cdn.com/244919359/files/doc_financials/2023/ar/HMC_2023_ ACO-10K_040924.pdf. 18. Coeur Mining Inc. “Coeur Mining Inc. 2023 Annual Report.” https://s201. q4cdn.com/254090064/files/doc_financials/2023/ar/2023-annual-report.pdf. The 280-foot-long MV Hubbard, a ferry operated by the Alaska Marine Highway System, is docked in Ketchikan. The vessel, which entered service in 2023, can carry up to 300 passengers and 53 vehicles. Pabradyphoto | iStock/Getty Images
