Human Dimensions of a Fishery at a Crossroads: Resource Valuation, Identity, and Way of Life in a Seasonal Fishing Community

Abstract

Bristol Bay, Alaska, is the largest sockeye salmon fishery in the world and one of the last sustainable salmon fisheries in the United States. Proposed development of Pebble Mine at the headwaters of Bristol Bay's salmon-producing rivers introduces the potential for major changes in the natural and social environments. A study of one seasonal fishing community indicates that community members value natural resources, their identity as fishers, their community, and their way of life. They think Pebble Mine poses unacceptable risk to these things they value, and are therefore generally against the mine and associated development. The perception of risk contributes to cultural stress and adversely affects community members’ well-being and quality of life. This study establishes a baseline on fishers’ attitudes toward and experiences with the natural and social worlds in this seasonal community, and applies identity theory to examine and explain the relationship between people and the environment.