SEAGO RESEARCH 2024 IMPACT STUDY
The Economic Power of Southeast Alaska Sport Fishing
Independent research documents the jobs, businesses, visitor spending, and public revenue supported by guided sport fishing across Southeast Alaska.
Commissioned by SEAGO · Prepared by McKinley Research Group · Published January 2025
$271MTotal spending supported
1,750Jobs supported
$65MTotal labor income
$11M+State and local revenue
THE REGIONAL FOOTPRINT
84,000 anglers. 176,000 days on the water.
Sport fishing is one of Southeast Alaska’s most important visitor activities—and the economic reach extends well beyond the charter boat or lodge.
Angler spending supports local employees, small businesses, transportation providers, fish processors, restaurants, retailers, fuel suppliers, mechanics, and coastal communities throughout the region.
ALASKA SPORT FISHING
74%of guided fishing activity came from visitors who traveled to Southeast Alaska expressly for sport fishing.
FROM ANGLER SPENDING TO REGIONAL IMPACT
Visitor dollars keep working.
The study separates direct spending from the additional economic activity created as those dollars circulate through Southeast Alaska.
$202M
Direct spending
Spending attributable to sport fishing participants—including charter and lodge purchases and related visitor spending in the region.
$69M
Ripple effects
Additional indirect and induced spending supported when businesses purchase locally and workers spend their earnings.
1,750
Total jobs
The industry directly supported 1,300 jobs, with another 450 jobs supported through the broader economic ripple.
Charter boats moored in a Southeast Alaska harbor beneath forested mountains.
THE WORK BEHIND THE NUMBERS
Boats are only the beginning.
Every guided trip activates a much larger economic network: captains, guides, deckhands, lodge staff, fish processors, mechanics, fuel suppliers, transportation providers, retailers, and local service businesses.
PARTICIPATION & VISITOR BEHAVIOR
Fishing brings people here—and keeps them here longer.
Fishing lodge guests accounted for 63% of guided angler days, while day charters represented 37%. Together, these visitors generated 176,000 guided angler days in 2024.
The number of angler days grew 24% between 2014 and 2023, underscoring the industry’s continued importance to Southeast Alaska’s visitor economy.
AN INDUSTRY BUILT ON SMALL BUSINESS
Local operations. Regional reach.
Guided sport fishing connects a diverse network of owner-operators, guides, crew, seasonal employees, local vendors, and supporting businesses.
300
Businesses provided guided sport fishing services in 2024.
650
Guides were employed across Southeast Alaska.
9 in 10
Guiding businesses employed five or fewer guides.
90%
Guided sport fishing keeps 90% of its non-payroll spending in Southeast Alaska, supporting local transportation, marine services, fuel suppliers, retailers, food distributors, and more.
ECONOMIC REACH ACROSS SOUTHEAST
A regional industry rooted in coastal communities.
Guided fishing activity takes place throughout Southeast Alaska. The largest shares of 2023 angler days were recorded in Ketchikan, Prince of Wales, Sitka, and the Hoonah–Angoon area.
Every trip connects visitors to local businesses and services—from air carriers and barge operators to marine mechanics, fuel sellers, sporting goods stores, food distributors, and fish processors.
Estimated share of guided angler days by borough or census area, 2023. Figures are rounded.
INSIDE THE REPORT
A clearer picture of the industry.
The full report profiles participation, business activity, employment, spending, economic impacts, and public revenue.
- Sport fishing volume and visitor categories
- Day charters, in-town lodges, and remote lodges
- Participant and business spending
- Direct, indirect, and induced economic impacts
- State and municipal taxes and fees
HOW THE STUDY WAS BUILT
Independent research. Multiple data sources.
SEAGO contracted with McKinley Research Group to estimate the economic impacts of guided sport fishing in Southeast Alaska.
- Alaska Department of Fish and Game business and activity data
- 38 industry interviews and 26 business surveys
- Published rates, offerings, and regional tax information
- IMPLAN economic impact modeling
- McKinley Research Group visitor research
PUT THE FINDINGS TO WORK
Evidence for better conversations.
Use the study to explain how sport fishing supports people, businesses, and public services across Southeast Alaska.
01
For policy decisions
Bring regional jobs, spending, and public-revenue data into fisheries and resource-management discussions.
02
For community planning
Show how visitor activity and sport fishing businesses contribute to coastal-community economies.
03
For industry outreach
Help members, partners, and the public understand the scale and reach of Southeast Alaska sport fishing.
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Take the numbers with you.
Choose the concise two-page overview or explore the complete 2024 economic impact study, including methodology, industry profiles, and detailed findings.