OCTOBER 2016 Economic Impact Analysis SoutheastSoutheast AlaskaAlaska TransboundaryTransboundary WatershedsWatersheds PREPARED FOR SalmonState PREPARED BY Southeast Alaska Transboundary Watersheds: Economic Impact Analysis Prepared for: SalmonState Prepared by: Juneau Anchorage October 2016 Table of Contents Executive Summary .................................................................................................................. 1 Introduction and Methodology ............................................................................................... 6 List of Acronyms and Definitions ........................................................................................... 10 Description of Transboundary Watersheds ........................................................................... 12 Taku River Watershed ............................................................................................................. 14 Profile of the Taku River Watershed ........................................................................................ 14 Taku River Fisheries ................................................................................................................ 15 Taku River Commercial Salmon Fisheries ........................................................................................... 15 Value of Taku River Salmon Fisheries ................................................................................................. 18 Taku River Sport Fishing ................................................................................................................... 21 Taku River Personal Use Fishery ......................................................................................................... 23 Visitor Industry Activity in the Taku River Watershed .............................................................. 23 Tour Operations ............................................................................................................................... 23 Recreation Activity in the Taku River Watershed ..................................................................... 25 Recreation Properties ........................................................................................................................ 25 Hunting and Trapping ...................................................................................................................... 26 Taku River Watershed Economic Impacts ............................................................................... 27 Stikine River Watershed ......................................................................................................... 29 Profile of the Stikine River Watershed ..................................................................................... 29 Stikine River Fisheries .............................................................................................................. 30 Stikine River Commercial Salmon Fisheries ........................................................................................ 30 Value of Stikine River Salmon Fisheries .............................................................................................. 34 Stikine River Sport Fishing ................................................................................................................. 36 Stikine River Personal Use Fishery ...................................................................................................... 38 Visitor Industry Activity in the Stikine River Watershed ........................................................... 39 Tour Operations ............................................................................................................................... 39 Recreation Activity in the Stikine River Watershed .................................................................. 40 Recreation Properties ........................................................................................................................ 41 Hunting and Trapping ...................................................................................................................... 42 Stikine River Watershed Economic Impacts ............................................................................ 43 Unuk River Watershed ............................................................................................................ 45 Profile of the Unuk River Watershed ....................................................................................... 45 Unuk River Fisheries ................................................................................................................ 45 Unuk River Commercial Salmon Fisheries .......................................................................................... 46 Value of Commercial Unuk River Salmon Fisheries............................................................................. 49 Unuk River Sport Fishing ................................................................................................................... 50 Unuk River Personal Use Fishery ........................................................................................................ 52 Visitor Industry and Recreation Activity in the Unuk River Watershed ..................................... 52 Recreation Properties ........................................................................................................................ 53 Hunting and Trapping ...................................................................................................................... 53 Unuk River Watershed Economic Impacts............................................................................... 54 Nass and Skeena Rivers .......................................................................................................... 55 Other Transboundary Economic Activity ............................................................................... 56 List of Tables Table 1. Estimated Commercial Taku River Salmon Harvest, Number of Fish, 2005-2014 ............................. 18 Table 2. Estimated Total Annual Ex-Vessel Value of Taku River Salmon, in $000s, 2005-2014 ....................... 19 Table 3. Estimated Annual First Wholesale Value of Taku River Salmon, in $000’s, 2005-2014 ...................... 20 Table 4. Taku Commercial Salmon Participation by Gear Type, 2005-2014 .................................................. 20 Table 5. Estimated Taku Chinook and Coho Sport Harvest, 2005-2014 ........................................................ 21 Table 6. Estimated Taku River Chinook and Coho Sport Angler Days Fished and Total Annual Expenditures, 2005-2014 .................................................................................................................................................. 22 Table 7. Taku River Personal Use Fishery Permits and Harvest, 2010-2014 .................................................... 23 Table 8. Total Number of Helicopter Tour Visitors to the Taku River Watershed, by USFS Permitted Helicopter Landings, 2011-2015 ................................................................................................................................... 24 Table 9. Taku River Watershed U.S. Forest Service Cabins Annual Number of Nights and Revenue, 2010-2014 .................................................................................................................................................................... 26 Table 10. Annual Average Hunting Effort and Success in the U.S. Portion of the Taku River Watershed, 2010- 2014 ............................................................................................................................................................ 26 Table 11. Summary of Taku River Watershed Economic Impacts .................................................................. 27 Table 12. Estimated Stikine River Salmon Commercial Harvest, Number of Fish, All Gear Types, 2005-2014 33 Table 13. Estimated Annual Ex-Vessel Value of Stikine River Salmon, in $000’s, 2005-2014 .......................... 34 Table 14. Estimated Annual First Wholesale Value of Stikine River Salmon, in $000’s, 2005-2014 ................. 35 Table 15. Estimated Participation in Stikine River Salmon Commercial Fishery by Gear Type, 2005-2014 ..... 36 Table 16. Annual Stikine Chinook and Coho Sport Harvest, 2005-2014 ....................................................... 37 Table 17. Estimated Stikine River Chinook and Coho Sport Angler Days Fished and Total Annual Expenditures, 2005-2014 .................................................................................................................................................. 38 Table 18. Stikine River Personal Use Fishery Permits and Harvest (Number of Fish), 2010-2014 .................... 38 Table 19. Stikine River Watershed U.S. Forest Service Cabins Annual Revenue, by Cabin, 2007-2014 ........... 41 Table 20. Annual Average Hunting Effort and Success in the U.S. Portion of the Stikine River Watershed, 2010- 2014 ............................................................................................................................................................ 42 Table 21. Average Per Day Expenditures in Alaska by Hunters in Alaska, by Type of Expenditure .................. 43 Table 22. Summary of Stikine River Watershed Economic Impacts ................................................................ 43 Table 23. Estimated