AFE 2021: A Subsistence Way of Life – Before and After the 1989 Exxon Valdez Oil Spill

The 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill (EVOS) significantly altered wild food harvest practices and ways of life in many coastal communities including Cordova, Chenega, Tatitlek, Nanwalek, and Port Graham. The Division of Subsistence at the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) has conducted household surveys to assess subsistence harvests in these communities since the 1980s. In collaboration with the Prince William Sound Regional Citizens’ Advisory Council, the Division created a database of responses to the survey questions. The database was used to assess the recovery of communities after EVOS, along with other economic, social, and cultural factors that have affected subsistence harvest. This session will dive into the key study findings, implications for subsistence communities, and the value of subsistence harvest data in natural resource management and disaster preparedness.

Presenters:
Robin Dublin, Southern Region Program Manager, Alaska Department of Fish and Game
David Koster, Lead Research Analyst, Alaska Department of Fish and Game

Moderator: Austin Love, PWSRCAC,