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Larsen BayHarvest and Use of Wild Resources in Akhiok, Old Harbor, and Larsen Bay, 2018. Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Subsistence Technical Paper Number 477. Published 2021. By Lauren A. Sill, Jacqueline M. Keating, and Gayle P. Neufeld

Study OverviewIn February 2019, ADF&G researchers, in collaboration with local tribal governments, conducted comprehensive subsistence harvest surveys in Akhiok, Old Harbor, and Larsen Bay. The purpose of the surveys was to document information about subsistence harvest practices and areas used for harvesting wild foods, and overall use of subsistence resources in the participating communities. In addition, researchers spoke at length with several knowledgeable residents to learn more about how subsistence practices and subsistence resources have changed over time, and to document local and traditional knowledge of sockeye salmon in the Olga and Akalura lakes region of Kodiak Island. Project results will help ensure the sustainable management of local resources and continued provision of reasonable opportunity to harvest subsistence resources. The research was funded by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Office of Subsistence Management.

Harvest Survey Results: Larsen BayIn Larsen Bay, researchers interviewed 21 of the 30 households in 2018 (70%). Every household interviewed used some kind of subsistence resource during 2018, and 100% used salmon, nonsalmon fish, large land mammals, marine invertebrates, and vegetation. Smaller percentages of households used birds and eggs (33%), small land mammals (19%), and marine mammals (19%). The 10 resources used by the most households are shown in Table 1. These are similar to the resources with the most harvest weight, but with some notable differences. For example, while Pacific herring was the sixth most harvested resource, it was not among the resources used by the most households. Another key exception is that red king crab composed less than 1% of the overall harvest weight, but this resource was used by 52% of community households. Salmon species are among the most harvested and most used resources by Larsen Bay households. The majority

of the 2018 harvest was salmon; more than 1,800 salmon were harvested, equaling 7,503 lb, or 112 lb per person (Figure 1). Nonsalmon fish and land mammals were the next most harvested, followed closely by marine invertebrates. Birds and eggs and marine mammals made up the smallest proportion of the harvest weight.

COMMUNITY SUMMARY - Technical Paper No. 477

7,503

2,738 2,545

160 45

1,953

1,122

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,000

Salmon Nonsalmonfish

Landmammals

Marinemammals

Birds andeggs

Marineinvertebrates

Vegetation

Estim

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har

vest

(usa

ble

poun

ds)

Top used resources

Percentage of households

usingTop harvested

resourcesEstimated total

harvest (lb)Deer 100.0% 1. – 1. Sockeye salmon 5,512.5Sockeye salmon 95.2% 2. – 2. Deer 1,913.1Pacific halibut 95.2% 2. – 3. Coho salmon 1,774.5Coho salmon 71.4% 4. – 4. Pacific halibut 1,527.4Octopus 71.4% 4. – 5. Octopus 560.0Butter clams 66.7% 6. – 6. Pacific herring 542.9Raspberry 61.9% 7. – 7. Butter clams 535.7Salmonberry 57.1% 8. – 8. Raspberry 459.8

Red king crab 52.4% 9. – 9.Pacific (gray) cod 297.1

Tanner crab, bairdi 52.4% 9. – 10.

Fiddlehead ferns 294.6

Ranka

Source ADF&G Division of Subsistence household surveys, 2019.a. Resources used by the same percentage of households share the highest rank value instead of having sequential rank values.

Table 1.–Top wild resources used and harvested, Larsen Bay, 2018.

Figure 1.–Estimated pounds harvested by category, Larsen Bay, 2018.

Larsen Bay Cannery, February 2019. Photo by Jacqueline M. Keating, ADF&G

“Everybody is pretty good about sharing around here. Especially once you get to know people. It’s a pretty good community in that aspect. ... Everybody is good. I get lots of deer, and I give people deer meat, all they want.” –Larsen Bay resident, 2019

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Figure 2.–Wild resources search areas and harvest locations, Larsen Bay, 2018.

This map is a partial representation of areas used for resource harvesting in Larsen Bay,

Alaska in 2018. The total survey sampleincluded 21 of 30 households (70.0%), 21 of

which provided spatial data. Resource harvest areas change over time, therefore areas not used in 2018 may be used in other years.

Each polygon represents a harvest location for one or more households.

Source:Alaska Department of Fish & Game (ADF&G)

Division of Subsistence, 2019.North American Datum 1983.

Alaska Albers Projection.

Map created by: Margaret Cunningham

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Note Error bars represent the upper and lower bounds of the 95% confidence interval.

Figure 3.–Historical estimated harvests, by category in pounds per capita, Larsen Bay, 1982, 1986, 1989–1993, 1997, 2003, and 2018.

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Most of the documented subsistence harvesting in 2018 occurred within an 18-mile radius of the community (Figure 2). Because researchers only asked about activities in 2018 and did not interview every household during this project, the map likely does not show all of the areas that are important for subsistence. ADF&G researchers have conducted similar studies estimating subsistence harvests since 1982 (Figure 3). The total harvest amount varies across study years, but the composition of the subsistence harvest has remained relatively consistent, with salmon and nonsalmon fish composing the majority of the harvest. Like other Kodiak Island communities, the marine mammals harvest in 2018 declined notably compared to 1982.

Key Respondent InterviewsThe harvest survey captured in-depth information about harvesting activities during 2018. It provided a snapshot of community life and subsistence activities, but could not provide the necessary context for understanding all the results. Through key respondent interviews, residents created a broader picture of life in the community and the important role subsistence activities play. This qualitative information also provided a temporal component that was unavailable through the harvest surveys. Researchers spoke with four individuals in Akhiok, six in Old Harbor, and one in Larsen Bay. Overall, several themes emerged during these interviews, focused on:

• The importance of salmon and subsistence;• Perceptions of abundance of subsistence

resources;• Changes in quality of subsistence resources;• Access to subsistence resources;

• Local commercial fishing effects;• ADF&G management practices;• Observations of environmental patterns and

changes;• Salmon harvest and processing methods;• Sharing of resources;• Characteristics of rural life;• Subsistence practices and culture;• Changes in community composition; and• Habitat changes and use of Olga and Akalura

lakes.

AcknowledgmentsDivision of Subsistence staff acknowledge all those who helped make this research possible. In particular, thanks are extended to the Native Village of Akhiok, Alutiiq Tribe of Old Harbor, and Native Village of Larsen Bay for approving this research. In Old Harbor and Akhiok, the tribal staff allowed researchers the use of their buildings as the center of our research efforts, for which we are very grateful. In Larsen Bay, we appreciate the use of the clinic apartment for lodging and fieldwork. Without Frieda Panamaroff in Larsen Bay, Jeanetta Rastopsoff in Akhiok, and Katherine Alexanderoff and Lepani Nadore in Old Harbor, our survey efforts would have been nowhere near as successful as they were. Finally, we would like to especially acknowledge all the people in these communities who opened their homes to us, talked for hours about subsistence and community life, took us on tours of the town, participated in the survey, and made us feel welcome. We hope that this summary and information in the report will be useful to the residents of these communities.

“One of the elders in the village is … a great, great friend of mine. She’s probably … in her 70s. When she was a little girl she was raised up in Uyak Bay up here, on Alf Island. It used to freeze up enough that they could walk to shore. Does not happen at all, hasn’t happen since I’ve been here. It is warmer than it was 50 years ago.” –Larsen Bay resident, 2019

Goldeneyes viewed from beach at Larsen Bay. Photo by Jacqueline M. Keating, ADF&G

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Subsistence Harvests on Kodiak IslandDuring this study, researchers documented subsistence harvests and uses in three Kodiak Island communities in 2018: Akhiok, Old Harbor, and Larsen Bay. Most households in all the communities used subsistence resources during the study year, and nearly all households hunted, fished, or gathered wild resources (Figure 4).

0 100 200 300 400 500 600

LarsenBay

OldHarbor

Akhiok

Estimated per capita harvest (pounds usable weight)

Salmon Nonsalmon fish Large land mammals Small land mammals

Marine mammals Birds and eggs Marine invertebrates Vegetation

239

579

370

0%

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Akhiok Larsen Bay Old Harbor

Perc

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Use Attempt Harvest Receive Give

Source for this informationSill, Lauren A., J.M. Keating, and G.P. Neufeld. 2021. Harvest and use of wild resources in Akhiok, Old Harbor, and Larsen Bay, 2018. Alaska Department of Fish and Game Division of Subsistence, Technical Paper No. 477.

Electronic copy of this reporthttp://www.subsistence.adfg.state.ak.us/TechPap/TP477.pdf

Community Subsistence Information System (CSIS)http://www.subsistence.adfg.state.ak.us/CSIS

Figure 5 shows the harvests of wild resources in each study community as estimated in pounds usable weight per person. Harvests ranged from 252 lb per person in Larsen Bay to 578 lb per person in Old Harbor. Sharing of subsistence resources was widespread: in Akhiok, 82% of households gave away a subsistence resource, as did 91% and 93% of households in Larsen Bay and Old Harbor. More than 90% of households received subsistence resources during the study year. Salmon composed the largest part of the overall estimated harvest, but the composition of the salmon harvest varied among the three communities. Salmon harvests in Larsen Bay and Akhiok were dominated by sockeye salmon (73% of the total harvest in Larsen Bay, 60% in Akhiok), followed by coho salmon at 24% and 18% of harvests, respectively (Figure 6). The converse was true in Old Harbor: sockeye salmon composed only 26% of the harvest while coho salmon composed 48%. Chum and pink salmon were also important components of the harvest in Akhiok and Old Harbor, but few Chinook salmon were harvested in any community.

DIVISION OF SUBSISTENCELauren A. Sill PO Box 110024Juneau, AK 99811907-465-3617

ÊÊÊ

Gayle P. Neufeld333 Raspberry Rd.Anchorage, AK 99518907-267-2317

Jacqueline M. Keating 333 Raspberry Rd.Anchorage, AK 99518907-267-2368

ADF&G complies with OEO requirements as posted at http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=home.oeostatement.

Figure 4.–Estimated household participation, all communities, 2018.

Figure 5.–Estimated per capita harvest, by resource category, all communities, 2018.

Figure 6.–Salmon harvest composition, all communities, 2018.

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Akhiok Larsen Bay Old Harbor

Perc

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Sockeye salmon Chinook salmon Chum salmon Coho salmon Pink salmon