Summary of Input from Subsistence Interviews with Residents of Angoon, August 2008
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recognizes the great importance of subsistence resources and uses for residents of the Alaska Native community of Angoon. To better understand what these resources are, and, further, to take those resources and uses into account in the development of airport and access road alternatives, the FAA asked the EIS consultant team to conduct interviews with local subsistence users in August 2008. During public scoping meetings in October 2008, many Angoon residents requested to see the results of the interviews. While we are committed to keeping confidential the exact locations of personal hunting and gathering areas entrusted to us by interviewees, we are happy to share a general summary of what we learned during the interviews. The intent of this summary is to provide a brief compilation of the existing resources and associated concerns expressed by Angoon residents at that time.
The August 2008 interviews reveal the importance of subsistence activities to this community's lifestyle and cultural identity, and demonstrate the contributions of wild food items and raw materials to Angoon’s mixed subsistence and cash-based economy. Angoon residents described a wide variety of terrestrial and aquatic resources they depend on. They frequently referred to Favorite Bay as the breadbasket of the community, and described harvesting Dungeness crab, harbor seals, shrimp, clams, gumboots, herring, pink salmon, silver salmon, and chum salmon from the upper end of the bay. Additionally, Favorite Creek was specifically mentioned as an important fishery for both pink and chum salmon. Important terrestrial elements of their subsistence harvest include Sitka black-tailed deer, waterfowl, wood, berries, and a variety of other plants used for food and traditional medicines or crafts. These resources are typically gathered along easily accessed corridors, including the shorelines of Favorite Bay, Mitchell Bay, Kanalku Bay, and Pehan Bay, as well as along existing roads.
Interviewees expressed their concerns regarding potential airport and access road impacts on subsistence. These concerns include the potential loss of habitat for subsistence resources (such as Sitka black-tailed deer and waterfowl) that would be caused by locating the airport across Favorite Bay. Some interviewees worried the construction and placement of one or more bridges across Favorite Bay could have a significant impact on shellfish harvesting areas. Residents also discussed the potential for negative impacts to subsistence resources that might occur from any airport locations on the Angoon side of Favorite Bay, particularly to Sitka black-tail deer habitat and wood- and berry-gathering areas adjacent to existing roads in and around Angoon. Additionally, interviewees discussed the possibility that new access roads to locations specified in any of the alternatives could allow for increased access by competing subsistence users and nonresident sport hunters. Conversely, residents also pointed out the positive impacts to subsistence uses that might stem from any of the preliminary airport alternatives, particularly the possibility of improved access to subsistence resources via new airport access roads. Some interviewees felt that any new roads for airport locations across Favorite Bay would facilitate the gathering of subsistence resources in upper Favorite Bay, at Favorite Creek, and in Admiralty Island National Monument–Kootznoowoo Wilderness.
We will continue to gather subsistence data to ensure an accurate disclosure of subsistence impacts in the Angoon Airport EIS process. We appreciate the input and help that residents of Angoon have given us as part of this process, and we thank them for their generosity and openness in sharing their knowledge of subsistence resources and uses in the area.