Doc Meister - Economic Trends & Statistics

for Chignik Bay Community Plan

Economic Trends & Statistics (ID: 969)

As is typical of villages in the region, commercial fishing and subsistence activities are the mainstays of the economy. Sixteen residents hold commercial fishing permits. Two fish processing plants operate in Chignik: Norquest and Trident Seafoods. Salmon and halibut are processed here; several hundred people come to Chignik to fish or work in the plants each summer. Residents depend on subsistence foods, including salmon, trout, crab, clams, caribou and moose.

The employment structure shows that 58.3% of the potential labor force is employed, 29.2% is unemployed and 16.9% is not seeking jobs. The singularity of these results, as well as its accuracy to represent social reality needs to be understood in the context of a community completely dominated by a seasonal industry. Censuses, with their tendency to project a \'snapshot\' of a community are not well equipped to represent communities that in fact are extremely variable across the year. An staggering 26.7% of the population is below the line of poverty. The per capita income was $13,843 with the median household income having been $34,250 in Chignik Bay in the year 2000.

During the March 2005 planning session, residents were quick to point out that Chignik's past and future will always be tied in some shape, way or form to the renewable resources teeming offshore. Residents suggested diversifying their fisheries, buying back IFQ's possibly through a CQE (Community Quota Entity), and pursuing limited entry of other fisheries.

Public testimony at the planning session indicated mixed feelings about the newly formed Chignik Fisheries Cooperative. Some believe that the Co-op has led to a net decline in overall jobs in the community, due to the limited number of vessels participating in the Co-op.

There was considerable interest in leveraging Chignik's position as a subregional hub for the area, particularly once the Chignik Road Intertie project is completed.

Photo By: TJ Aklin
Trident Dry Dock Storage