How Alaska’s only Native reservation saved its fishing culture

​A half-century ago, the Indigenous Tsimshian village of Metlakatla, in Southeast Alaska, preserved its reservation when others in Alaska were terminated. Today, the reserve sustains a thriving fishing industry — and the tribe is fighting in court to expand its territory.

The Metlakatla Indian Community on the Annette Islands Reserve is the only Native reservation in Alaska that successfully preserved its fishing culture by opting out of the 1971 Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA). While 22 other reservations in Alaska were dissolved in exchange for land and cash payouts, Metlakatla chose to maintain its federal reservation status and the exclusive fishing rights that came with it. 


Key Factors in Saving Their Culture

• Reservation Sovereignty: By remaining a reservation, the community retained local control over its waters, creating a "safe haven" for tribal fishers.
• Exclusive Fishing Zone: A 1916 presidential proclamation by Woodrow Wilson established a 3,000-foot exclusive fishing strip around Annette Island. Only tribal members can fish in these waters, protecting them from outside commercial competition.
• Exemption from State Permits: Unlike other Alaskans who must buy expensive "limited entry" state permits—often costing six figures—Metlakatla tribal members can fish within their reserve for a nominal fee (as little as $25).
• Economic Resilience: The tribe manages its own Annette Island Packing Co.
   cannery and hatchery, providing local jobs and ensuring that the economic benefits of the harvest stay within the community. 
  
  

Current Challenges and Legal Battles

Despite their success, the "salmon people" (as they call themselves) face ongoing hurdles:
 

• The "Cage" of the 3,000-foot Strip: Local leaders argue that the 3,000-foot zone is no longer enough to sustain the community.
• Federal Lawsuit: Since 2020, Metlakatla has been in a legal battle with the state of Alaska to expand their fishing rights to traditional waters outside the current boundary without needing state permits.
• Recent Wins: In 2023, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals sided with the tribe, recognizing an implied right to fish in a larger area (up to 50 miles away in some contexts) for non-exclusive commercial and subsistence use. The Metlakatla Indian Community is currently advancing both its legal reach and its biological sustainability through a major federal lawsuit and an extensive hatchery program.
  
  
• Legal Arguments: Expanding the "3,000-Foot" Limit
• The ongoing lawsuit, Metlakatla Indian Community v. Dunleavy, centers on whether the tribe's fishing rights extend beyond the current 3,000-foot boundary around Annette Island. 
  
  
• Implied Rights: The tribe argues that the 1891 Act establishing the reservation implicitly granted off-reservation fishing rights. They contend Congress intended for the community to be economically self-sustaining, which historically required fishing in traditional waters outside the reserve.
• The "Indian Canon": In 2023, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals used the Indian Canon of Construction—which requires courts to interpret laws liberally in favor of tribes—to rule that the tribe does have an implied, non-exclusive right to fish in nearby waters without state permits.
• Current Dispute: While the right was recognized, the exact geographical scope (how many miles out) is still being litigated in lower courts. The state of Alaska argues that the tribe must prove a specific history of fishing in those exact southern panhandle waters. 
  
• Hatchery: Fueling a Million-Fish Harvest ​
• The tribe operates the largest tribally-managed salmon fishery in the U.S., harvesting an average of 1.59 million salmon annually. 
• Species Managed: The hatchery and fishery focus on Pink, Chum, Coho, King (Chinook), and Sockeye salmon.
• Economic Security: The hatchery ensures high volumes of fish for the Annette Island Packing Co., providing year-round jobs and security for the local fleet.
• Sustainability & Certification: The fishery is MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) certified. Staff monitor daily "escapement" levels to ensure enough salmon reach local spawning grounds to maintain natural wild runs alongside hatchery production.
• Federal Funding: In 2024, the tribe received $2 million in federal funding to upgrade its hatchery—the only tribe in Alaska to receive such funds because of its unique reservation status

Your browser does not support viewing this document. Click here to download the document.

Your browser does not support viewing this document. Click here to download the document.

Your browser does not support viewing this document. Click here to download the document.