NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-NWFSC-85

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

National Marine Fisheries Service

Community Profiles

for West Coast and

North Pacific Fisheries

Washington, Oregon, California, 

and other U.S. States

November 2007
NOAA Technical Memorandum

NMFS-NWFSC Series

The Northwest Fisheries Science Center of the National

Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, uses the NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-NWFSC series to issue scientific 

and technical publications. Manuscripts have been peer 

reviewed and edited. Documents published in this series 

may be cited in the scientific and technical literature.

The NMFS-NWFSC Technical Memorandum series of the 

Northwest Fisheries Science Center continues the NMFSF/NWC series established in 1970 by the Northwest & 

Alaska Fisheries Science Center, which has since been 

split into the Northwest Fisheries Science Center and the 

Alaska Fisheries Science Center. The NMFS-AFSC Technical Memorandum series is now being used by the Alaska 

Fisheries Science Center.

Reference throughout this document to trade names does 

not imply endorsement by the National Marine Fisheries 

Service, NOAA.

This document should be referenced as follows:

Norman, K., J. Sepez, H. Lazrus, N. Milne, C. Package, 

S. Russell, K. Grant, R.P. Lewis, J. Primo, E. Springer, M. 

Styles, B. Tilt, and I. Vaccaro. 2007. Community profiles 

for West Coast and North Pacific fisheries–Washington, 

Oregon, California, and other U.S. states. U.S. Dept. Commer., NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-NWFSC-85, 602 p.
NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-NWFSC-85

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

National Marine Fisheries Service

Community Profiles

for West Coast and

North Pacific Fisheries

Washington, Oregon, California, 

and other U.S. States

Karma Norman, Jennifer Sepez,* Heather Lazrus,

Nicole Milne, Christina Package,* Suzanne Russell,

Kevin Grant, Robin Petersen Lewis, John Primo,

Emilie Springer, Megan Styles, Bryan Tilt,*

and Ismael Vaccaro

Northwest Fisheries Science Center

Socioeconomics Program

2725 Montlake Boulevard East

Seattle, Washington 98112

Alaska Fisheries Science Center

Economic and Social Sciences Research Program

7600 Sand Point Way Northeast

Seattle, Washington 98115

November 2007

*
Most NOAA Technical Memorandums

NMFS-NWFSC are available online at the 

Northwest Fisheries Science Center

web site (http://www.nwfsc.noaa.gov)

Copies are also available from:

National Technical Information Service

5285 Port Royal Road

Springfield, VA 22161

phone orders (1-800-553-6847)

e-mail orders (orders@ntis.fedworld.gov)

ii
iii

Table of Contents

Executive Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii

Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix

Abbreviations and Acronyms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi

Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Related Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Determining Fishing Dependence and Engagement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Selection of Communities for Profiling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Indicators, DEA, and the Community Selection Process. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Site Visits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Profile Structure and Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Demographic Figures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

People and Place. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Infrastructure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Community Profiles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Washington . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Aberdeen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Anacortes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

Bay Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

Bellingham . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

Blaine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

Bothell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

Cathlamet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

Chinook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

Edmonds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

Everett. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

Ferndale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108

Fox Island . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112

Friday Harbor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116

Gig Harbor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120

Grayland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124

Ilwaco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128

La Conner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132

Lakewood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137

La Push . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141

Long Beach. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145

Lopez Island . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149

Mount Vernon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153

Naselle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157

Neah Bay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162

Olympia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167

Port Angeles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171

Port Townsend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177

Raymond. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
iv

Seattle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187

Seaview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193

Sedro-Woolley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197

Sequim. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201

Shelton. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206

Silvana. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210

South Bend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214

Stanwood. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219

Tacoma . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223

Tokeland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227

Westport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231

Woodinville. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236

Oregon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241

Astoria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243

Bandon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247

Beaver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251

Brookings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254

Charleston . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258

Clatskanie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261

Cloverdale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265

Coos Bay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269

Depoe Bay. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273

Florence. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278

Garibaldi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282

Gold Beach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286

Hammond . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290

Harbor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293

Logsden . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297

Monument . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301

Newport and South Beach. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304

North Bend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312

Pacific City . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316

Port Orford . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320

Reedsport. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 324

Rockaway Beach. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328

Roseburg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332

Seaside. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335

Siletz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340

Sisters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 344

Tillamook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347

Toledo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351

Warrenton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 355

Winchester Bay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 360

California . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 365

Albion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 367

Arroyo Grande. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 370

Atascadero. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 374

Avila Beach. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 378

Bodega Bay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 382

Corte Madera. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 386

Costa Mesa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 390

Crescent City. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 394
v

Culver City . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 399

Dana Point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403

Dillon Beach. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 406

El Granada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 410

El Sobrante . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 414

Eureka. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 418

Fields Landing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 422

Fort Bragg. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 426

Half Moon Bay. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 431

Kneeland. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 435

Lafayette. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 439

Long Beach. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 443

Los Angeles (including San Pedro and Terminal Island). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 447

Los Osos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 456

Marina. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 459

McKinleyville. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 463

Monterey. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 467

Morro Bay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 472

Moss Landing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 476

Novato . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 481

Oxnard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 485

Pebble Beach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 490

Point Arena. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 494

Port Hueneme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 497

Princeton. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 501

San Diego . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 505

San Francisco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 511

San Jose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 517

Santa Ana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 522

Santa Barbara . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 526

Santa Cruz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 530

Santa Rosa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 535

Sausalito . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 538

Seaside . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 543

Sebastopol. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 546

Sunset Beach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 550

Tarzana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 553

Torrance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 558

Trinidad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 562

Ukiah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 566

Valley Ford. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 570

Ventura . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 573

Other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 577

Pleasantville, New Jersey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 579

Seaford, Virginia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 583

Appendices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 587

Appendix A: Invalid Communities due to DEA Nonconvergence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 589

Appendix B: Place-based Communities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 591

Appendix C: Authors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 593

Appendix D: List of Common and Scientific Names. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 599
vi
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Executive Summary

This document profiles 125 fishing communities in Washington, Oregon, California, and two other U.S. states 

with basic social and economic characteristics. Various federal statutes, including the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 

Conservation and Management Act of 1976 as amended and the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 as 

amended, among others, require federal agencies to examine the social and economic impacts of policies and 

regulations. These profiles can serve as a consolidated source of baseline information for assessing community 

impacts in these states.

The profiles are provided in a narrative format with four sections: 1) People and Place, 2) Infrastructure, 3) 

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries, and 4) Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries. Census place-level geographies 

were used where possible to define communities, yielding 125 individual profiles.

“People and Place” includes information on location, demographics (including age and gender structure of the 

population, racial, and ethnic make up), education, housing, and local history.

“Infrastructure” covers current economic activity, governance (including city classification, taxation, and 

proximity to fisheries management and immigration offices), and facilities (transportation options and connectivity, 

water and waste water, solid waste, electricity, schools, police, public accommodations, and ports).

“Involvement in West Coast Fisheries” and “Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries” detail community activities 

in commercial (processing, permit holdings, and aid receipts), recreational, and subsistence fishing.

The community selection process assessed involvement in commercial fisheries using quantitative data from the 

year 2000, in order to coordinate with 2000 U.S. Census data. Quantitative indicators looked at communities with 

commercial fisheries landings (weight and value of landings, number of unique vessels delivering fish to a 

community) and communities home to documented participants in the fisheries (state and federal permit holders and 

vessel owners). Indicators were assessed in two ways, as a ratio to the community’s population and as a ratio of 

involvement within a particular fishery. The ranked lists generated by these two processes were combined and 

communities with scores one standard deviation above the mean were selected for profiling.

The Washington communities selected and profiled in this document are Aberdeen, Anacortes, Bay Center, 

Bellingham, Blaine, Bothell, Cathlamet, Chinook, Edmonds, Everett, Ferndale, Fox Island, Friday Harbor, Gig 

Harbor, Grayland, Ilwaco, La Conner, La Push, Lakewood, Long Beach, Lopez Island, Mount Vernon, Naselle, Neah 

Bay, Olympia, Port Angeles, Port Townsend, Raymond, Seattle, Seaview, Sedro-Woolley, Sequim, Shelton, Silvana, 

South Bend, Stanwood, Tacoma, Tokeland, Westport, and Woodinville.

The Oregon communities are Astoria, Bandon, Beaver, Brookings, Charleston, Clatskanie, Cloverdale, Coos Bay, 

Depoe Bay, Florence, Garibaldi, Gold Beach, Hammond, Harbor, Logsdon, Monument, Newport, North Bend, 

Pacific City, Port Orford, Reedsport, Rockaway Beach, Roseburg, Seaside, Siletz, Sisters, South Beach, Tillamook, 

Toledo, Warrenton, and Winchester Bay.

The California communities are Albion, Arroyo Grande, Atascadero, Avila Beach, Bodega Bay, Corte Madera, 

Costa Mesa, Crescent City, Culver City, Dana Point, Dillon Beach, El Granada, El Sobrante, Eureka, Fields Landing, 

Fort Bragg, Half Moon Bay, Kneeland, Lafayette, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Los Osos, Marina, McKinleyville, 

Monterey, Morro Bay, Moss Landing, Novato, Oxnard, Pebble Beach, Point Arena, Port Hueneme, Princeton, San 

Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, San Pedro, Santa Ana, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, Sausalito, Seaside, 

Sebastopol, Sunset Beach, Tarzana, Terminal Island, Torrance, Trinidad, Ukiah, Valley Ford, and Ventura.

Two of the selected communities are in other states: Pleasantville, New Jersey, and Seaford, Virginia.
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ix

Acknowledgments

This project could not have been completed without the generous assistance of a number of people and 

institutions. The Northwest Fisheries Science Center, Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC), and Southwest 

Fisheries Science Center provided funding, staff time, and support services for this project. The Pacific States Marine 

Fisheries Commission provided personnel and administrative support under a cooperative agreement with AFSC. 

The National Marine Fisheries Service Northwest Regional Office, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration’s Alaska Region RAM (Restricted Access Management) Division, and Pacific Coast Fisheries 

Information Network provided data and advice. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Oregon 

Department of Fish and Wildlife, the California Department of Fish and Game, the Alaska Department of Fish and 

Game, and the Alaska Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission provided an extensive amount of data through online 

sources and by filling special requests including advice and clarification when needed.

Terry Hiatt and Patrick Marchman were instrumental in examining and organizing the data for analytical 

purposes, and Ron Felthoven spearheaded the Data Envelopment Analysis ultimately used in the community selection 

process. The University of Washington’s program in Environmental Anthropology and its School of Marine Affairs 

provided personnel and access to university resources. Additional personnel joined the project from anthropology 

departments at the University of Georgia and Oregon State University.

In addition, the team wishes to acknowledge the following people who provided advice or assistance to the 

project: Susan Abbott-Jamieson, Mark Blaisdell, Merrick Burden, Courtney Carothers, Dave Colpo, William Daspit, 

Jane DiCosimo, Toni Fratzke, Peter Fricke, James Hastie, Nicole Kimball, Kevin Kinnan, Steve Koplin, Jennifer 

Langdon-Pollock, Peggy Murphy, Joe Terry, and Sherrie Wennberg. These individuals helped inform and improve 

this work.
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Abbreviations and Acronyms

ADF&G Alaska Department of Fish and Game

AFA American Fisheries Act

AFSC Alaska Fisheries Science Center

AKFIN Alaska Fisheries Information Network

AKRO Alaska Regional Office

BSAI Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands

CDFG California Department of Fish and Game

CDP Census-Designated Place

CFEC (Alaska) Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission

CPI Consumer Price Index

DEA Data Envelopment Analysis

EA Environmental Assessment

EEZ Exclusive Economic Zone

EIS Environmental Impact Statement

EPA Environmental Protection Agency

ESA Endangered Species Act

FFP Federal Fisheries Permit

FMP Fisheries Management Plan

GIS Geographic Information Systems

GOA Gulf of Alaska

HMSP Highly Migratory Species

IFQ Individual Fishing Quota

LLP License Limitation Program

MARFIN Marine Fisheries Initiative

MFCMA Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976

MRC Marine Resource Committee

MSFCMA Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act

NEPA National Environmental Policy Act of 1969

NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS National Marine Fisheries Service

NMFS HQ National Marine Fisheries Service Headquarters

NP North Pacific

NPFMC North Pacific Fishery Management Council

NWFSC Northwest Fisheries Science Center

ODFW Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

OMB Office of Management and Budget

PacFIN Pacific Coast Fisheries Information Network

PPI Producer Price Index

PFMC Pacific Fishery Management Council

PSMFC Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission

RAM Restricted Access Management

RFA Regulatory Flexibility Act

SD standard deviation

SWFSC Southwest Fisheries Science Center

USCIS United States Citizenship and Immigration Services

USCG United States Coast Guard

WC West Coast

WDFW Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

ZCTA Zip Code Tabulation Area
xii
1.0 Introduction

1.1 Overview

This document profiles 125 communities significantly involved in commercial fisheries in the marine 

environments of Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and California, including state and federally managed waters along 

their coastlines. For the purposes of this project, these latter areas are collectively referred to as the West Coast, 

indicative of the Pacific coastlines of Washington, Oregon, and California. The North Pacific refers to the marine 

environs surrounding Alaska. In terms of fisheries management, the West Coast fisheries areas herein referred are 

under the authority of the U.S. Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC). The U.S. North Pacific Fishery 

Management Council (NPFMC) manages North Pacific areas.

To distinguish marine fishing areas of the West Coast from terrestrial coastal and inland areas of the 

communities, inland areas are referred to as the Western States. Many residents of Western State communities 

profiled participate in fisheries of the West Coast and the North Pacific, namely, the Bering Sea, the Aleutian Islands, 

and the Gulf of Alaska. The community profiles contained within this document reflect this reality. This volume is 

preceded by a document1

 that profiles Alaska communities involved in North Pacific fisheries.

1.1.1 Fishing Communities in Law and Policy

Several federal laws make clear the imperative for the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to consider 

the human communities involved in fisheries.

National Standard 8 of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSFCMA) 

states:

Conservation and management measures shall, consistent with the conservation requirements of this 

Act (including the prevention of overfishing and rebuilding of overfished stocks), take into account 

the importance of fishery resources to fishing communities in order to (A) provide for the sustained 

participation of such communities, and (B) to the extent practicable, minimize adverse economic 

impacts on such communities.

In addition, the National Environmental Policy Act requires that agencies assess impacts of major federal 

actions on the environment, including the human environment. Typically, Environmental Assessments and 

Environmental Impact Statements include a description of the social environment and an assessment of the impacts of 

alternative policy choices on that environment.

Other laws and policies mandating attention to impacts on human communities include Executive Order 

12898 on Environmental Justice, which directs agencies to assess impacts that may disproportionately affect low 

income and minority populations; Executive Order 12866 on Regulatory Planning and Review, which requires 

agencies to assess the costs and benefits of proposed regulations and alternatives; and the Regulatory Flexibility Act 

(RFA) of 1980, which requires agencies to assess impacts of proposed policies on regulated small entities, such as 

small businesses, organizations, and governmental jurisdictions as defined in the RFA and the Small Business Act.2

In order to facilitate implementation of these laws and improve available information on affected 

communities, NMFS engaged in a nationwide effort to profile fishing communities. Analyses of social impacts often 

use a geographic scale larger than the community, such as county or region, to analyze the data. These decisions are 

generally due to the greater availability of data at these geographic levels, and because the resources are not available 

to conduct analyses with finer geographical resolutions. Detailed analysis at the community level usually focuses on 

those communities most likely to experience the most significant impacts—an approach that is appropriate given the 

limited time allotted to most impact assessments. Thus there are dozens of communities that may be impacted by 

policy matters that cannot be analyzed on an individual basis.

For the North Pacific, in addition to regional economic profiles3 and detailed profiles of a subset of 

communities most heavily involved in federal fisheries,4 136 Alaska communities involved in North Pacific fisheries 

have been described at the community level.5 For western states communities involved in fisheries, only county level 
2

profiles are available,6 and only West Coast (non-North Pacific) fishing is documented in those profiles. The profiles 

given here may be particularly useful in providing basic information on fishing communities not included in existing 

reports.

1.1.2 Fishing Community Profiles

The profiles of western states fishing communities in this document are part of the national endeavor, and 

form the first phase of the Northwest Fisheries Science Center’s (NWFSC) efforts and the Alaska Fisheries Science 

Center’s (AFSC) continuing efforts. The AFSC has already compiled 130 profiles including 136 Alaskan fishing 

communities. Selected information from these profiles will be entered into the national database, along with 

information from communities across the nation profiled by other NMFS fisheries science centers, which will be 

updated on a regular basis.

Fisheries considered in these profiles include state and federal fisheries in commercial, recreational, and 

subsistence sectors. In part this is because, from the perspective of a community dependent on or engaged in fishing, 

whether a particular fishery is under state or federal jurisdiction is of less importance to the health and resilience of 

the community than the strength and sustainability of the fishery itself. Furthermore it can be challenging to use 

available databases to identify whether a documented fish delivery was taken under a state or federal fishery. This 

occurs particularly where there are parallel seasons for the same species and gear types, and where much of the 

available information concerning involvement in fisheries is not fishery-specific. This combined state and federal 

approach is the recommended method for the national profiling project. NWFSC and AFSC profiles comply with the 

larger effort.

The communities profiled were selected by a quantitative assessment method. This method was based on 

commercial fisheries data because this is what was available in a usable and relatively consistent form. Recreational 

and subsistence fishing may be of great importance socially, culturally, and economically to a community; therefore, 

the profiles also include information on these fishing activities. In future efforts, indicators of recreational and 

subsistence fisheries will be quantified and included in the selection process and maintained in the narrative where 

practicable. Sportfishing selection criteria may include the number of sportfish charter boats operating or making 

landings in a community and the number of sportfishing licenses sold in the community or held by residents. 

Subsistence fishing selection criteria may include the percentage of local households participating in subsistence 

fishing, making subsistence fishery landings, or using subsistence fishery resources.

1.1.3 Joint AFSC/NWFSC Community Profiles Justification

This document represents the outcome of a joint project between NWFSC and AFSC. All communities 

profiled in this document are involved in either West Coast or North Pacific fisheries, and the majority is involved in 

both. Because many communities involved in North Pacific fisheries are not located in Alaska, they were not 

included in the AFSC’s earlier work to profile 136 Alaska fishing communities.

Similarly, Faces of the Fisheries, produced in 1994 by NPFMC, profiled communities in Alaska, 

Washington, and Oregon and characterized their involvement in North Pacific commercial fisheries. Faces of the 

Fisheries did not discuss the involvement of these communities, notably those in Oregon and Washington, in the 

adjacent marine fisheries of the West Coast.

Therefore, this document includes communities outside Alaska, which were involved in the West Coast and 

North Pacific fisheries, and represents communities in Washington (40 communities), Oregon (31), California (52), 

New Jersey (1), and Virginia (1).

Taken together, AFSC’s Community Profiles for North Pacific Fisheries–Alaska7 and this document present 

an enhanced update of Faces of the Fisheries. The two documents describe the links between Alaskan communities 

and North Pacific fisheries, as well as western states communities and their involvement in both North Pacific and 

West Coast fisheries.
3

1.2 Related Projects

Other NMFS regional offices and science centers are also in the process of profiling communities involved in 

commercial fisheries. Nationally, NMFS has begun an effort to develop a model or set of statistical methodologies 

that will aid in analyzing community data for profiling in all fisheries regions.

The profiling of communities involved in fishing is related to but not necessarily the same as the designation 

of fishing communities according to MSFCMA definitions. NMFS social science staff are drafting the process for 

designating MSFCMA fishing communities. It will likely bear similarities to the process used in this project to decide 

which communities to profile, but will have differences. The results of the MSFCMA fishing communities 

designation process may have an effect on which communities are selected for profiling when this document is 

updated.

Finally, management councils, commissions, and other fisheries management and information groups have 

undertaken a number of projects that involve narrative profiling of fishing communities. These include the 2004 West 

Coast Marine Fishing Communities, completed at the county level by Jennifer Langdon-Pollock of the Pacific States 

Marine Fisheries Commission (funded by NMFS and the PFMC); the 2001 New England’s Fishing Communities by 

Madeleine Hall-Arber et al. at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sea Grant Program, funded by the Marine 

Fisheries Initiative (MARFIN) of NMFS; the 2004 Mid-Atlantic Fishing Communities by Bonnie McCay et al.; the 

Faces of the Fisheries produced by the NPFMC; and 2005’s Comprehensive Baseline Commercial Fishing 

Community Profiles: Unalaska, Akutan, King Cove and Kodiak, Alaska, authored by EDAW and Northern Economics 

Inc.

Notes

1. J.A. Sepez, B.D. Tilt, C.L. Package, H.M. Lazrus, I. Vaccaro. 2005. Community profiles for North Pacific fisheries-Alaska. U.S. Dept. 

Commer., NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-AFSC-160.

2. Small businesses are defined in section 3 of the Small Business Act, 15 U.S.C, 632, and in the SBA’s regulations at 13 C.F.R. 121.201 

(2002), 5 U.S.C. 601(3). Small organizations are any nonprofit enterprises independently owned and operated and not dominant in their fields 

(for example, private hospitals and educational institutions), 5 U.S.C. 601(4). Small governmental jurisdictions are governments of cities, 

counties, towns, townships, villages, school districts, or special districts with a population of less than 50,000. The size standard used by the 

Small Business Administration to define small businesses varies by industry; however, the SBA uses a cutoff of fewer than 500 employees when 

making an across-the-board classification. Quoted from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Regulatory Flexibility Act 

Procedures online at http://www.eeoc.gov/policy/regflexibilityact.html [accessed 30 April 2007].

3. Northern Economics Inc. and EDAW Inc. 2002. Sector and regional profiles of the North Pacific groundfish fisheries-2001. North 

Pacific Fishery Management Council, Anchorage, AK. Online at http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/misc_pub/misc_pub.htm [accessed 17April 

2007].

4. Community level profiles are included in the Social Impact Assessment sections of various NMFS Environmental Impact Statements. 

NOAA 2004 offers an example profile. See the NMFS Alaska Groundfish Fisheries Revised DRAFT Programmatic Supplemental 

Environmental Impact Statement (September 2003) online at http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/sustainablefisheries/seis/intro.htm [accessed 17 April 

2007] for an example profile.

5. See note 1.

6. J. Langdon-Pollock. 2004. West Coast marine fishing community descriptions. Online at http://www.psmfc.org/efin/docs/

communities_2004/communities_entirereport.pdf [accessed 26 February 2007].

7. See note 1.
4
5

2.0 Methods

The task of compiling a document about the communities involved in West Coast and North Pacific fisheries, 

areas of vast scale and diversity, presented several methodological challenges. The complexity of describing 

communities that may be active in these two regions, as well as in state and federally managed fisheries, is reflected in 

the research methods used. In compiling profiles of communities, the goal has been to bring together data from 

disparate sources in order to produce a document that can serve as baseline data for policy analysts, stakeholders, and 

decision-makers, and a starting point for social scientists conducting more complex analytical research.

In this section the research methods, including the community selection process, data sources, and how the 

data was treated, are explained in detail. In many cases, online data sources available to any researcher were used, 

and these are cited in this section as endnotes or in the profiles themselves. In other cases, specific data requests were 

made to management agencies in order to obtain the necessary information. Unless otherwise stated, all data pertains 

to the year 2000, which is also the year for which U.S. Census socioeconomic information is available. This section 

also discusses some of the methodological challenges confronted during the course of the project, and explains how 

they were resolved.

2.1 Determining Fishing Dependence and Engagement

The joint Northwest Fisheries Science Center (NWFSC) and Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC) project 

is an effort to profile communities significantly involved in commercial fisheries in the marine environs of Alaska, 

Washington, Oregon, and California, including state and federally managed waters along the coastlines of these states.

As well as being selected on the basis of involvement in two different management regions, communities 

were selected by two different measurements of fishery participation. These measurements are indicative of: 1) the 

community’s dependence on fishing, and 2) the community’s engagement in a specific fishery. The selection process 

represents both the AFSC and the NWFSC experimental approach towards quantifying fishing involvement; however, 

it is not the only way of estimating participation nor is it the singular approach sanctioned by National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries. In effect, the project described here presents a means of quantifying 

the legal language spelled out in the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSFCMA):

The term “fishing community” means a community substantially dependent on or substantially engaged in 

the harvest or processing of fishery resources to meet social and economic needs, and includes fishing vessel owners, 

operators, and crew and United States fish processors that are based in such community. 16 U.S.C. 1802 §3 (16).

In this project, the terms “dependence” and “engagement” are quantitatively defined, and then used in the 

community selection process for profile production. A community’s dependence on fishing is “a measure of the level 

of participation in a fishery relative to other community activities, and relative to all other communities linked to 

fishing in some way.” A community’s engagement in fishing is “a measure of the level of participation relative to the 

overall level of participation in a fishery.”

Two approaches were used to measure levels of involvement in the region: 1) dependence on commercial 

fisheries and 2) engagement in commercial fisheries. This definitional and methodological approach to “dependence” 

and “engagement” was presented to social scientists from other National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) science 

centers at a national meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana, in October 2004. In this study, dependence has been 

determined through a comparison of community involvement in fishing to community population. Engagement is 

determined by comparing indicators that measure a community’s participation in a fishery or fisheries relative to the 

aggregate participation in a fishery or fisheries. Engagement refers to community participation by specific fishery, 

which required the separation of data by fishery for each data element (e.g., weight or value of landings). In this case, 

all landings made in a community are broken down by fishery, and the community’s relative involvement in a specific 

fishery is measured.

The specific fisheries used to indicate engagement are different for the North Pacific and West Coast 

fisheries, reflecting the diversity of the regions. For the North Pacific, the categories represent the major fisheries 

management plan (FMP) categories of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC) (crab, Bering Sea 

and Aeutian Islands [BSAI] groundfish, Gulf of Alaska [GOA] groundfish, scallops), other major fisheries in Alaska 
6

(halibut, herring, salmon), and all remaining fisheries in Alaska divided between finfish and shellfish (other finfish, 

other shellfish). For the West Coast, the conventions followed are those used in the Pacific Fisheries Information 

Network (PacFIN) database, the primary data source for commercial fishing data. PacFIN uses Federal Management 

Groups to sort species into eight species categories: coastal pelagic, crab, groundfish, highly migratory species, 

salmon, shellfish, shrimp, and other species. These categories are further broken down by state to specify state 

management of each species. Data related to the federally managed groundfish fishery was included as a separate 

category as well.

Determining fishing dependence and engagement involves considering multiple dimensions of fishing 

history, infrastructure, specialization, social institutions, gentrification trends, and economic characteristics. Due to 

the limitations of available data, the quantitative measurements of dependence and engagement have been based only 

on data about commercial fish landings, permit holdings, and vessel ownership for the West Coast and North Pacific 

fisheries. However, recognizing that such indicators only provide a partial picture of fishing involvement, historical, 

demographic, and other qualitative information have been included in the narrative profiles. Importantly, while each 

community profile is intended to stand alone, fishing communities are not economic or social isolates but contributors 

to regional (and often international) networks of labor pools, marine services, fisheries knowledge, and other 

socioeconomic phenomena.1

2.2 Selection of Communities for Profiling

Hundreds of communities in U.S. western states and other areas participate in commercial fishing off the 

coasts of Washington, Oregon, California, and Alaska, and would be worthy of profiles reflecting their involvement. 

Nevertheless, in any large scale analysis, time and budgets are inevitably constrained. The profiles presented here 

required a defensible methodological approach to limiting their numbers.

Use of a quantitative selection process reduced the communities to be profiled to a more manageable number. 

The profiled communities are those that demonstrated the highest involvement in commercial fisheries relative to the 

others. An array of quantitative indicators based on permit and landings data from the year 2000 were used to 

measure a variety of types of involvement in West Coast and North Pacific fisheries.

According to the MSFCMA, a fishing community is a place-based community “substantially dependent on or 

substantially engaged in the harvest or processing of fishery resources to meet social and economic needs, and 

includes fishing vessel owners, operators, and crew and United States fish processors.”2

 While this definition 

includes commercial, recreational, and subsistence fishing, data on recreational and subsistence fishing were not 

consistently available for all states and therefore could not be incorporated in the community selection process. 

Communities were selected on the basis of their involvement with commercial fishing only. Information on 

recreational and subsistence fisheries was added to the community narratives wherever possible given the availability 

of relevant data. In the selection process, however, the indicators referred entirely to dependence and engagement in 

commercial fishing.

The community selection process used up to 92 quantitative indicators of commercial fishing involvement in 

the West Coast and the North Pacific. The 92 indicators include information specific to state and federally managed 

commercial fisheries, across various species and different types of involvement in those fisheries, for Alaska, 

Washington, Oregon, and California. The indicators showed communities that have landings in different commercial 

fisheries and communities that are home to vessel owners as well as state and federal permit holders. Additional data, 

which could not be included in the selection process for a variety of reasons, were included in the community profiles 

themselves (detailed in subsection 2.4).

Datasets were selected on the basis of availability and informational value. The community selection process 

used indicators chosen from all available datasets to best indicate a high level of involvement in commercial fisheries. 

One of the difficult aspects of interpreting the huge amount of data obtained was analyzing all the indicator values 

simultaneously. Analyzing one indicator at a time make ranking simple; greater values imply greater involvement. 

However, when considering multiple indicators, determinations must be made on how to weight and aggregate the 

level of involvement across all the indicators to gauge total involvement. Although this is a daunting and complex 

task, it was important to consider the full range of involvement in fisheries simultaneously. By doing so, communities 
7

that do not stand out in any one particular area (indicator value) but are actively engaged in a broad range of fishing 

activities were not overlooked.

For this reason, a quantitative selection process based on Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) was developed. 

DEA is a mathematical programming technique that allows the comparison of multivariate data from several entities 

(here, communities) and ranking of each entity relative to one another. In this context, the ranking was based on 

involvement in fisheries, which was represented by the various indicators already compiled. Two separate DEA 

models were constructed to rank communities according to two different set of indicators. The first model ranked 

communities according to dependence; the second model generated rankings based on engagement (as explained in 

more detail in subsection 2.3).

The results of each model included a score for each community in the analysis.3 The scores ranged between 

zero and one, with one being the highest possible score (indicating higher dependency on or engagement in fishing), 

and zero being the lowest possible score (indicating lower dependency on or engagement in fishing). The 

communities were then ranked in descending order to generate a list of communities that were dependent or engaged 

in commercial fishing to varying degrees.

The second step in the selection process determined the break point for the most dependent or engaged 

communities, which would subsequently be profiled. The first step was to compute the mean and standard deviation 

for each set of model results (scores). All communities whose score was one standard deviation (SD) or more above 

the mean were selected for profiling. This threshold was selected not for theoretical reasons, but for practical 

purposes. It produced a list of communities of manageable size which, given the time and budget limitations of the 

project, had been estimated at between 100 and 150 communities.

The process identified 125 communities outside of Alaska. Alaska communities were not considered because 

they had already been selected and profiled by the AFSC.4 Policy needs of the Southwest Fisheries Science Center 

(SWFSC) dictated certain centers of fisheries landings be included in the West Coast analysis. These communities 

were: Chinook, Ilwaco, and Westport in Washington; Monterey, Moss Landing, Port Hueneme, San Pedro, Santa 

Barbara, Terminal Island, and Ventura in California; and Astoria in Oregon. Nevertheless, all community profiles 

specifically requested by the SWFSC appeared in the DEA model, and had scores equal to or greater than one 

standard deviation above the mean. This meant these communities would have been selected in any event, given the 

approach to analysis ultimately used.

2.2.1 Census Place-level Communities and Noncensus Place-level Communities

The place based, community level focus of this project makes it unique among comprehensive documents on 

fishing participation along the West Coast; however, it is not always clear what qualifies as a community and what are 

a community’s boundaries. Generating a list of eligible communities generally started with those localities listed as 

such in the various databases supplied to us by commercial fisheries data sources, including Alaska Department of 

Fish and Game (ADF&G), Alaska Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission (CFEC), NMFS Alaska Regional Office, 

NMFS AFSC, NMFS Headquarters, PacFIN and the various state agencies which supply PacFIN with its data, 

including the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife 

(ODFW), and the California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG).

For profiling purposes, any location that the 2000 U.S. Census treats as a “place”5 was generally treated as a 

community. A place was either an incorporated community, or a “census-designated place” (CDP) for unincorporated 

areas recognized as place level communities by the U.S. Census. Twenty-two profiled communities (18%) are 

exceptions to this rule; these communities are noted in Table 1. The communities were included for a variety of 

reasons which pertained to their level of involvement in fishing.

Profiling a community not described as a “place” by the U.S. Census proved to be a somewhat difficult task. 

There are numerous reasons a community was included despite a lack of “place” recognition by the U.S. Census. 

Including these communities required different approaches to obtain demographic information. Communities 

profiled were either simply excluded as places by the U.S. Census or because they existed as communities within 

larger CDPs. These communities were termed “nested, place-based communities” and the organization of their 

demographic information was on an ad hoc basis. Most of the details of that process are described in Appendix B: 

Place-based Communities.
8

Table 1. Non-CDP communities.

Non-CDPs State Basis for profile

Albion CA High dependence score

Avila Beach CA High dependence score

Fields Landing CA High dependence score

Kneeland CA High dependence score

Los Osos CA High combined engagement score

Pebble Beach CA High combined engagement score

Princeton CA High dependence score

San Pedro CA High dependence score

Sunset Beach CA High combined engagement score

Tarzana CA High combined engagement score

Terminal Island CA High dependence score

Valley Ford CA High dependence score

Charleston OR High combined engagement score

Hammond OR High dependence score

Logsden OR High dependence score

South Beach OR High dependence score

La Push WA High dependence score

Lopez Island WA High combined engagement score

Seaview WA High dependence score

Sedro-Woolley WA High combined engagement score

South Bend WA High combined engagement score

Seaford VA High combined engagement score

2.2.2 Port Group Communities

It is important to note many communities in this document are very intertwined socially and economically 

with neighboring communities. It is also the case that community boundaries are defined and recognized differently 

by different agencies and in different situations. Two of the most important data sources, the U.S. Census and 

PacFIN, did not always correspond in their treatment of intertwined communities. In some instances, the U.S. Census 

gives place level information for a community that PacFIN has associated to a port group. PacFIN uses the aggregate 

level of port group for reporting data from clusters of small communities (see Table 2). By aggregating landings data, 

information can be reported that would otherwise remain confidential because of the few numbers recorded for each 

community.

Some indicator data, however, involved self-reported information or data obtained directly from state 

management agencies (e.g., WDFW, ODFW, and CDFG) and linked fishing activities to specific communities within 

PacFIN’s port groups. For example, the value of fish landings for the community of South Bend, Washington, 

actually included the value of all landings in the Willapa Bay port group, including the communities of Bay Center, 

Nahcotta, Naselle, Raymond, and Tokeland, and were reported as such and subsequently used in this aggregate form. 

Nevertheless, data was also used on the residences of fishing vessel owners, 21 of whom listed their home addresses 

in South Bend (see the South Bend community profile). For this reason, many communities for which landings are 

reported in aggregate form still appear as individual communities in other indicator categories.

2.2.3 Community Locations

A distinguishing feature of the joint project between the NWFSC and the AFSC is the multiregional 

approach. Accounting for participation in both the West Coast and North Pacific marine regions illustrated how 

interconnected these fishery management zones are for western communities. The research jurisdictions of three 

fisheries science centers are encompassed by the project: AFSC, NWFSC, and SWFSC. Communities in each region 

may be involved in fishing in other regions. For example, many vessels that fish in the North Pacific are owned by 

residents of Washington, Oregon, and California. Likewise, many fishermen and crew members living in these states 

hold North Pacific permits. This multiregionalism is an important part of the fishing strategy for many western
9

Table 2. Port groups and communities. Italics indicate a community was selected for profiling as a place named in the data by the 

method described above.

Port group (identifier) Communities

Other North Puget Sound ports 

(ONP)

Coupeville, Deer Harbor, Point Roberts, Stanwood, West Beach, Whidbey Island

Grays Harbor ports (GRH) Aberdeen, Bay City, Hoquiam, Oakville, 

Willapa Bay ports (WLB) Bay Center, Nahcotta, Naselle, Raymond, South Bend, Tokeland

Other Washington Coastal ports 

(OWC)

Grayland, Grayland Beach, Hoh, Kalaloch, Long Beach, Moclips, Queets, Quillayute, 

Taholah, 

Ilwaco/Chinook (LWC) Chinook, Ilwaco, Skamokawa

Other Columbia River ports 

(OCR)

Altoona, Brookfield, Camas, Carrolls, Cathlamet, The Dalles, Frankfort, Gray’s Bay, 

Kalama, Kelso, Longview, Megler, Pacific County, Pillar Rock, Puget Island, Ridgefield, 

Skamania, Stella, Vancouver, Washougal, Woody Island

Tillamook/Garibaldi (TLL) Garibaldi, Tillamook

Charleston/Coos Bay (COS) Charleston, Coos Bay

Other Humboldt County ports 

(OHB)

Arcata, Blue Lake, Carlotta, Crannel, Ferndale, Fortuna, Garberville, Honeydew, 

Humboldt, King Salmon, Loleta, McKinleyville, Miranda, Moonstone Beach, Orick, 

Petrolia, Ruth, Scotia, Shelter Cove, Weott

Other Mendicino County ports 

(OMD)

Almanor, Anchor Bay, Caspa, Elk, Little River, Medocino, Ukiah, Westport, Willits

Other Sonoma and Marin County 

Outer Coast ports (OSM)

Bolinas, Cloverdale, Corte Madera, Dillon Beach, Drakes Bay, Forest Knolls, Greenbrae, 

Guerneville, Hamlet, Healdsburg, Inverness, Jenner, Kentfield, Marconi, Marshall, Mill 

Valley, Millerton, Muir Beach, Nicasio, Novato, Occidental, Petaluma, Rohnert Park, San 

Quentin, San Rafael, Santa Rosa, Sebastopol, Sonoma, Stewarts Point, Stinson Beach, 

Tiburon, Windsor

Other San Francisco Bay and San 

Mateo County ports (OSF)

Alamo, Albany, Alviso, Antioch Bridge, Antioch, Benicia, Bird Landing, Brentwood, 

Burlingame, Campbell, China Camp, Collinsville, Concord, Crockett, Daly City, 

Danville, El Cerrito, El Sobrante, Emeryville, Fairfield, Farallone Island, Foster City, 

Fremont, Glen Cove, Hayward, Lafayette, Livermore, Los Altos, Los Gatos, Martinez, 

Martins Beach, McNears Point, Moss Beach, Mountain View, Napa, Newark, Oakley, 

Pacifica, Palo Alto, Pescadero, Pigeon Point, Pinole, Pittsburg, Pleasant Hill, Pleasanton, 

Point Montara, Point San Pedro, Port Costa, Redwood City, Rio Vista, Rockaway Beach, 

Rodeo, San Bruno, San Carlos, San Francisco area, San Jose, San Leandro, San Mateo, 

South San Francisco, Suisun City, Sunnyvale, Vacaville, Vallejo, Walnut Creek, 

Yountville

Princeton/Half Moon Bay (PRN) Half Moon Bay, Princeton

Other Santa Cruz and Monterey 

County ports (OCM)

Aptos, Big Sur, Capitola, Carmel, Davenport, Felton, Fort Ord, Freedom, Gilroy, 

Hollister, Lucia, Marina, Mill Creek, Monterey, Morgan Hill, Pacific Grove, Pebble 

Beach, Point Lobos, Salinas, San Juan Bautista, Seaside, Soquel, Watsonville, Willow 

Creek

Other San Luis Obispo County 

ports (OSL)

Arroyo Grande, Atascadero, Baywood Park, Cambria, Cayucos, Grover City, Nipomo, 

Oceano, Paso Robles, Pismo Beach, San Luis Obispo, San Miguel, San Simeon, Shell 

Beach

Other Los Angeles and Orange 

County ports (OLA)

Alhambra, Anaheim, Avalon, Balboa, Beaumont, Bell Gardens, Bloomington, 

Capistrano, Carson, Catalina Island, Chatsworth, Corona Del Mar, Costa Mesa, Covina, 

El Segundo, Elsinore, Fountain Valley, Fullerton, Gardena, Glendale, Granada Hills, 

Harbor City, Hawaiian Gardens, Hermosa Beach, Huntington Beach, Inglewood, Irvine, 

La Canada, Laguna, Lancaster, Los Alamitos, Los Angeles Area, Los Angeles, Lynwood, 

Malibu, Manhattan Beach, Mission Viejo, Newhall, Norco, Norwalk, Ocean Park, 

Ontario, Orange, Pacific Palisades, Paramount, Pasadena, Playa Del Ray, Point Dume, 

Rancho Palos Verdes, Redondo Beach, Reseda, Riverside, San Bernardino, San 

Clemente, Santa Ana, Santa Monica, Seal Beach, South Gate, Sunset Beach, Topanga 

Canyon, Torrance, Upland, Venice, Vernon, Walnut, West Los Angeles, Westminster, 

Whittier
10

communities. However, it is not strongly bidirectional. In other words, while residents of many West Coast 

communities fish both the West Coast and North Pacific, few residents of Alaska communities fish the West Coast.

The vast majority of fishing communities involved in West Coast and North Pacific commercial fisheries are 

located in the coastal states contiguous to the waters that support the fisheries. However, residents of non-Western, 

non-Alaska communities also participate in West Coast and North Pacific fisheries, and these communities were 

considered in the selection analysis. For two of these communities, Seaford, Virginia, and Pleasantville, New Jersey, 

their engagement in a particular fishery was significant enough to trigger selection through the DEA model.

2.3 Indicators, DEA, and the Community Selection Process

The first step in profiling communities was to assemble a comprehensive list of communities which were, 

through indicator data, linked to the commercial fisheries of the North Pacific and the West Coast. A community 

could be home, for example, to just one individual who held a West Coast salmon permit during the year 2000, and 

the community would therefore appear in the initial analysis. Since communities located in Alaska had previously 

been analyzed and profiled by the AFSC document, they were excluded. The initial analysis produced a list of 1,560 

communities.

Once the community list was assembled, an appropriate methodology was used to rank order the 1,560 

communities based on a level of involvement in West Coast and North Pacific fisheries. One important consideration 

in model selection was a desire to simultaneously consider a wide range of indictors of fishery participation. These 

indicators had been selected on the basis of availability, informational value, and consistency across all states.6

 The 

result was 92 different indicators of participation in commercial West Coast and North Pacific fisheries. One 

framework that would accommodate the large number of variables and generate the rank-ordering results desired was 

Data Envelopment Analysis. DEA is an established analytical method that easily handles a broad range of variables 

simultaneously.

DEA is a nonparametric approach used to compare entities in various ways. Entities being compared are 

assumed to use “inputs” (in this application, the community population) to create “outputs” (fishery involvement). 

Fortunately this method does not require that the nature of the structural relationship between inputs and outputs be 

specified, which allows for flexibility in the estimation of a frontier of fisheries participation. This frontier represents 

the greatest level of outputs (highest levels of the fishing involvement) from the set of communities.

DEA produces an efficient frontier based on multiple quantitative indicators; proximity to that frontier 

presents a means of comparing each community to the most heavily involved community (based on the full set of 

indicators) (See figure on next page and Table 3). Communities that lie along or close to the frontier have 

demonstrated strong participation according to the 92 indicators. Regardless of a community’s score either for 

dependence or engagement in West Coast or North Pacific fisheries, the amount of attention devoted to profiling the 

particular community was not affected. All communities, once selected through the rank ordering of their DEA 

scores, were given the same treatment in the narrative profiles.

The distance of each community to the frontier is represented by an efficiency score that is calculated by the 

model, and that score ranges from zero to one. The score is calculated for each community by weighting each of their 

fishing involvement indictors in a way that maximizes their efficiency score. Thus the analysis generates a score for 

each community by putting the most weight on those indicators that are favorable for each community (i.e., 

indicatorvalues for which each community has a relative advantage). This aspect of the model helps us avoid making 

subjective decisions regarding the relative importance of different types of involvement that may increase one 

community’s score but lower another’s.

2.3.1 Dependence Model

Given the interest in considering fishing engagement and dependence separately, two separate runs of the 

DEA model were implemented, of which both were output oriented. The single input specified in the dependence

model was the population7 of each community, and the outputs were given by counts within each indicator category. 

For example, for the community of Cathlamet, Washington, the input was a population of 565, and outputs were 

counts in the number of West Coast fisheries permits held, number of fishing vessels owned by Cathlamet 
Graphic representation of the DEA fisheries involvement frontier. The value P, with a relatively low 

DEA score, therefore appears distant from the frontier for all data. The point P prime appears on the 

same line, but directly on the frontier, indicating that it scored highly for a single indicator or combination 

of indicators.

11

Table 3. Place classification schemes used in Washington, Oregon, and California. 

State Place classification scheme

Washington a) A first class city has a population of 10,000 or more at the time of organization or reorganization 

that has adopted a charter or home rule (10 in the state).

b) A second class city has a population more than 1,500 at the time of organization or reorganization 

that does not have a city charter and does not operate as a code city under the optional municipal 

code (15 in the state).

c) A town has a population of less than 1,500 at the time of its organization and does not operate 

under the optional municipal code (75 in the state).

d) The Optional Municipal Code (Title 35A RCW) was created in 1967 and provides an alternative 

to the basic statutory classification system of municipal government. It was designed to provide 

broad statutory home rule authority in matters of local concern. Any unincorporated area having a 

population of at least 1,500 may incorporate as an optional municipal code or “code city,” and any 

city or town may reorganize as a code city. Optional municipal code cities with populations more 

than 10,000 may also adopt a charter (180 code cities in the state).

Oregon Communities are designated as either incorporated or unincorporated, with no distinctions between 

types of incorporated cities. Throughout the state there are 240 incorporated cities, of which 2 are 

officially designated as ghost towns. Most of incorporated cities are “full service” municipalities, 

offering a full range of municipal services. A few may not have police or fire services, for example, 

and these are provided by special arrangements with the county or neighboring towns.

California There are two kinds of cities: charter cities and general law cities (105 of California’s 477 total 

cities are charter cities). General law cities and jurisdictions are also known as the “home rule” 

option; both cities and counties have this option.

Charter cities are governed by the provisions of their own adopted charter unless the state has stated 

specifically that its laws take precedence. General law cities are governed under the California 

Government Code. San Francisco is an exception as it is both a county and city government 

because the city comprises the entire county. It is also possible for communities and areas to be 

unincorporated.
12

residents, number of North Pacific fishing permits held by Cathlamet residents, and the number of North Pacific 

fishing vessel owners residing in Cathlamet. All of these outputs put Cathlamet up at the frontier of the model, giving 

it a DEA score in terms of fishing dependence of 1.000.

More specifically, in determining dependence, aggregated tallies of activity in all species categories were 

used and indicators were not broken down by specific fishery. Sixteen indicators representing fishing dependence 

were run through the DEA model to create an output list of 1,560 communities in multiple states. For each of the 

following five data types, two (or in the case of permit data, more than two) indicators represent participation in West 

Coast and North Pacific fisheries, resulting in the total of 16 indicators of fishery dependence (as specified in each of 

the 16 statements under the five data categories below):

1. Pounds of fish landed in the community. Equivalent weight of landings in metric tons of West Coast fish 

landed in the community. Metric tons of North Pacific fish landed in the community.

2. Value of fish landed in the community. Value in U.S. dollars of West Coast fish landed in the community. 

Value in U.S. dollars of North Pacific fish landed in the community.

3. Vessels delivering to the community. Number of unique vessels that made deliveries to the community as 

their primary port for landings and were involved in West Coast fisheries. Number of unique vessels that 

made deliveries to the community as their primary port for landings and were involved in North Pacific 

fisheries.

4. Permits by community. Number of permits for West Coast fisheries registered to individuals residing in the 

community. Number of permits for North Pacific fisheries registered to individuals residing in the 

community. Number of individuals who hold federal permits for West Coast fisheries. Number of 

individuals who hold federal permits for North Pacific fisheries. Number of North Pacific halibut individual 

fishing quotas (IFQs) registered to individuals residing in the community. Number of North Pacific sablefish 

IFQs registered to individuals residing in the community. Number of individuals who hold state permits for 

West Coast fisheries. Number of individuals who hold state permits for North Pacific fisheries.

5. Number of fishing vessels owned by residents of the community. Number of vessels owned by individuals 

residing in the community that were involved in West Coast fisheries. Number of vessels owned by 

individuals residing in the community that were involved in North Pacific fisheries.

2.3.2 Engagement Model

In the engagement model, per capita comparisons were not desired so all input values for each community 

were normalized to one. In addition, rather than specifying the participation of communities in various categories in 

counts, each community’s share of each indicator value (e.g., the share of landings in the salmon fisheries comprised 

by residents of a given community) using catch and permit data for the West Coast and North Pacific fisheries was 

examined.

Specifically, each data element was broken down by specific fishery to illustrate the importance of a 

particular community’s participation in that fishery relative to the participation of other communities. The 92 

indicators representing fishing engagement were run through the DEA model to create an output list of 1,764 

communities in multiple states. For each of the following three data types, several indicators from the West Coast and 

North Pacific represent participation in the regions’ fisheries resulting in the 92 indicators of fishery engagement (as 

specified below):

1. Total value of fish landed in the community by fishery. West Coast fisheries: coastal pelagic, crab, 

groundfish, highly migratory, salmon, shellfish, shrimp, and other species. North Pacific fisheries: crab, 

BSAI groundfish, GOA groundfish, halibut, herring, salmon, shellfish, and other finfish.

2. Permits by fishery. Number of permits held for West Coast fisheries by community and fishery: federal 

groundfish, Oregon coastal pelagic, Oregon crab, Oregon groundfish, Oregon highly migratory species, 

Oregon salmon, Oregon shellfish, Oregon shrimp, Oregon other species, Washington coastal pelagic, 

Washington crab, Washington groundfish, Washington salmon, Washington shellfish, Washington shrimp, 

Washington other species, California coastal pelagic, California crab, California groundfish, California highly 

migratory, California salmon, California shrimp, and California other species.
13

Number of permits or quota shares held for North Pacific fisheries by community and fishery: American 

Fisheries Act (AFA) catcher/processor permits, AFA catcher vessel permits, high seas fishing compliance act 

permits, crab License Limitation Program (LLP) permits, federal fisheries permits (FFPs), groundfish LLP 

permits, scallop LLP permits, halibut IFQ quota shares, sablefish IFQ quota shares, Commercial Fisheries 

Entry Commission (CFEC) crab permits, CFEC other finfish permits, CFEC Gulf of Alaska (GOA) 

groundfish permits, CFEC BSAI groundfish permits, CFEC halibut permits, CFEC herring permits, CFEC 

salmon permits, CFEC scallop permits, and CFEC shellfish permits.

Number of individuals holding North Pacific permits or quota shares by community and fishery: number of 

owners of North Pacific AFA catcher/processor permits who reside in the community, number of owners of 

North Pacific AFA catcher vessel permits who reside in the community, number of holders of North Pacific 

high-seas fishing compliance act permits who reside in the community, number of holders of North Pacific 

FFPs or crab or groundfish LLPs who reside in the community, number of holders of North Pacific halibut 

IFQ quota shares who reside in the community, number of holders of North Pacific sablefish IFQ quota shares 

who reside in the community, and number of holders of North Pacific scallop LLPs who reside in the 

community.

3. Total number of fishing vessels owned by community and fishery. Vessels participating in West Coast 

fisheries by vessel owner residence and fishery: federal groundfish, Oregon coastal pelagic, Oregon crab, 

Oregon groundfish, Oregon highly migratory species, Oregon other species, Oregon salmon, Oregon 

shellfish, Oregon shrimp, Washington coastal pelagic, Washington crab, Washington groundfish, Washington 

other species, Washington salmon, California coastal pelagic, California crab, California other species, 

California salmon, and California shrimp. Vessels participating in North Pacific fisheries by vessel owner 

residence and fishery: crab, BSAI groundfish, finfish, GOA groundfish, halibut, herring, salmon, shellfish, 

and scallops.

The most striking examples to emerge from the model were Seaford, Virginia, and Pleasantville, New Jersey. 

While it may be surprising to consider East Coast coastal communities as worthy of profiles in a document aimed at 

the fisheries of the North Pacific and West Coast, these communities appear due to the means by which engagement in 

Pacific fisheries was methodologically conceptualized. In terms of connections to the North Pacific and West Coast 

fisheries, these communities are exclusively linked to the North Pacific scallop fishery. Because this fishery is small 

in terms of the numbers of people involved, and because it is relatively tightly controlled, the reach of its value is 

particularly apparent in these two Eastern seaboard communities. While they are not dependent on the North Pacific 

scallop fishery for the bulk of their livelihoods, as their profiles attest, the scallop fishery may in fact be dependent 

upon the engagement of these two communities for its existence as a fishery as opposed to simply an unutilized 

population of shellfish. As social scientists have observed, a fishery is as much defined by the human beings who are 

engaged in it as it is by the fish.8

2.3.3 DEA Results

The engagement and dependence models yielded a ranked list of 1,764 communities with multiple scores for 

West Coast fishery dependence, North Pacific fishery dependence, combined West Coast and North Pacific 

dependence, and engagement for each fishery region independently as well as engagement for both regions combined. 

Scores generated from the model ranged from 0.0016 to 1.0000. The communities were located in 48 states (except 

Alabama and North Dakota). The mean score of all communities was 0.0870 for the dependence based DEA model 

with a SD of 0.1948, reflecting combined dependence on West Coast and North Pacific fisheries.

In the engagement based version of the DEA model, two sets of results were considered. The first was 

engagement in the combined fisheries of the West Coast and North Pacific, while the second was West Coast only. 

The results for engagement in the combined fisheries of the West Coast and North Pacific presented a mean score of 

0.0699, and a SD equal to 0.1652. A second run of the model resulted in a DEA mean score for West Coast-only 

fisheries engagement of 0.0853, and a SD of 0.1809. Engagement results solely for North Pacific fisheries were not 

considered, since these communities were likely covered in the excluded Alaska profiles.

The 125 selected communities (those above mean +1 SD) included 18 communities with scores of 1.000. 

There were six Washington communities (Bellingham, Blaine, Cathlamet, Seattle, Tokeland, and Westport), three 

Oregon communities (Astoria, Newport, and Port Orford), and nine California communities (Bodega Bay, Crescent 
14

City, Fields Landing, Fort Bragg, Moss Landing, San Diego, San Pedro, Santa Barbara, and Terminal Island). The 

median score of selected communities was 0.4065, and the lowest was 0.2353. The mean was 0.5442.

2.4 Site Visits

The predecessor and template for this document is the AFSC document Community Profiles for North Pacific 

Fisheries–Alaska.

9

 In both the Alaska and Western states profiling process, small and large communities were 

selected for short-term research site visits by research team members. In selecting the communities, the joint AFSC/

NWFSC research team used state boundaries as regional partitions. Site visit selections were based on regional and 

community size considerations and to represent as much diversity as possible among visited communities. Additional 

selection parameters included fisheries involvement, accessibility, and size diversity.10 Communities from each of the 

three major West Coast states were selected for site visits: Chinook, Friday Harbor, Ilwaco, and Seattle for 

Washington; Astoria, Coos Bay, Port Orford, and Warrenton for Oregon; and San Diego, Moss Landing, and San 

Pedro for California.

The regional approach employed in site visits for Alaska communities and western state communities is 

beneficial in that it divides broad study areas into manageable pieces.11 Selected communities, however, are not 

intended to be representative of other, neighboring communities. As noted in a site selection discussion in a recent 

academic article by AFSC and NWFSC staff, “such case studies are thus limited to being an example rather than 

being exemplary of other communities in the state or region.”12 In future efforts to research the communities profiled 

herein, established methodologies could be employed in selecting representative communities for more intensive field 

visits.13

2.5 Profile Structure and Sources

Each community profile contains four sections: 1) People and Place, 2) Infrastructure, 3) Involvement in West 

Coast Fisheries, and 4) Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries. In general, People and Place describes the location, 

history, and basic demographic structure of the community. Infrastructure provides a view of the current economic 

situation, governance structure, and community facilities. Involvement in West Coast Fisheries and Involvement in 

North Pacific Fisheries detail the nature and level of community involvement in commercial and sportfishing for both 

regions separately. Subsistence fishing information, where available, is described in the Involvement in West Coast 

Fisheries subsection.

What follows is a description of how data was compiled and used to assemble narrative socioeconomic 

profiles for the 125 selected fishing communities. Several data elements pertaining to fisheries common to all 

communities involved in West Coast and North Pacific fisheries were used as fishing indicators in the quantitative 

community selection process. Fishing data and other information came from Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and 

California agencies, PacFIN, NMFS, other agencies and organizations, and from site visits to a limited number of 

communities. For each data element used to describe community involvement in West Coast and North Pacific 

fisheries, the following provides a definition, description of the data availability and sources, and an explanation of 

the purpose and usefulness. Also discussed are some of the methodological challenges encountered and how they 

were resolved.

2.5.1 People and Place

The intent was to situate each community in time and space by providing information on the current condition 

of the community and on its historical development. Each community is first described in terms of geographic 

location14 and demographics, followed by a brief account of local history. Data came from the U.S. Census Bureau15

and official city Web sites, as well as scholarly and popular works.

The depth of existing information at the community level was highly variable. Much information is 

available, for example, about urban centers and most towns, while information about smaller and more remote 

communities is scarcer. This is reflected in the level of detail provided in the history and development of each 

community. For insight into the demographic composition of the communities, all profiles report the population, a 
15

short demographic evolution when possible, the gender structure, median age, educational attainment, racial and 

ethnic composition, and how many residents were foreign-born. Some profiles have additional information if it 

helped illustrate the character of the community, such as age structure, percentage of individuals living in family 

households,16 and ancestry.

To compile brief accounts of local history, information was taken from relevant Web sites and print material, 

and cross checked for verification between multiple sources. Where available, full accounts of the development and 

evolution of the local fishing industry is supplied and regional characteristics are noted. Where there was a lack of 

historical information, the best possible illustration of a community’s origins was given but may not adequately 

portray its past. In a few cases community history has been reported at the county level because of a lack of more 

detailed local information.

2.5.2 Infrastructure

The infrastructure section is an overview of the economic, governmental, and physical infrastructure that 

supports the community. The description of the current economy is useful for understanding where fishing stands in 

relation to other economic opportunities in a community, and predicting how a community might be affected by a 

change in fishing patterns. Physical infrastructure—as the foundation for supporting economic and social activities—

is also indicative of how a community may respond to economic, regulatory, or environmental change.

Economic information includes major businesses and employers in the community, the employment structure, 

information about community members’ reliance on subsistence, per capita income, median household income, 

percent of the population below poverty level, and the number of housing units17 and the percentage which are 

unoccupied for various reasons as well as which are owner versus renter occupied. The U.S. Census Bureau and other 

publicly available resources provided data on current economic conditions in each community. Several dimensions of 

community employment structure were included: employment status, employment in agriculture, fishing, and 

hunting, and employment with government affiliation. Employment status is illustrated by three different values: 

unemployed community residents, percent employed, and percent not in the labor force.18

Unemployment calculations report community residents who are in the labor force but are unemployed. This 

is in an attempt to differentiate it from the indicator which references all residents, even those who are not in the labor 

force. However, the graphical representations of employment structure do not make this distinction in order to have 

all three measures as proportions of the total community population 16 years of age and older. The number reported 

for a community’s employment in fishing is most likely an underestimate of the total number of fishermen in the 

community. The U.S. Census may not accurately capture this demographic because many fishermen are self 

employed, a category not distinguished on U.S. Census forms.

There is some variation between governance structures throughout Washington, Oregon, and California. For 

an explanation of place classification in the three states see Table 3. In all three states, nested fishing communities are 

under the governance of larger jurisdictions and, as a result, are subject to the governing systems of these 

jurisdictions. For example, the community of San Pedro is under the governance of Los Angeles. While the political 

importance of these larger governmental structures cannot be denied, nested communities often have important 

formal and informal systems of governance. Other community organizations are therefore also noted, such as 

neighborhood and fishermen’s associations. For example, in San Pedro, California, and Astoria, Oregon, the local 

fishermen’s associations play an important role in uniting and representing fishermen’s concerns.19

These systems of governance and civil society may serve as vehicles for empowerment, political 

representation, and collaboration, and may act to preserve and validate identity.20 The potential significance of 

systems of governance required their inclusion in the profiles. As community governance structures and nongovernmental organizations give voice to some, they may disempower others by not representing their concerns. It is 

important to note the narratives are not intended to be definitive representations of communities, but are instead 

informational sketches offering data and insights on local realities.

Descriptions of physical and even social infrastructure may have a tendency to treat communities in isolation; 

however, the ways in which a community is connected to other places is a critical element of how it functions. 

Connectivity or isolation can affect language, culture, trade, tourism, health, opportunity, and quality of life; though it 

is not always possible to say in what manner. Connectivity or isolation can also be difficult to measure, as actual 
16

travel is more than a matter of mere distances. Cost, for example, may be more prohibitive of travel than distance. 

Weather patterns and landing or docking facilities may also affect connectivity and isolation.

In many cases, the primary rationale for offering descriptions of facilities is to show the accessibility of the 

outside world to community members, particularly with regard to communication and travel. This is especially 

significant given the emphasis on stakeholder participation in fisheries management, wherein frequent fishery 

management council meetings are held in differing locations in each management region. Facilities descriptions also 

offer insight into a community’s investment and dependence in the industry and the relative importance of particular 

assets. A community, for example, with one fish processing plant may be especially vulnerable to any fish allocation 

decisions in its associated region. In addition, information about schools, healthcare, utilities, and public safety 

facilities are important because such amenities factor into people’s decisions about where to live. Marine facilities are 

described to illustrate the physical infrastructure supporting the local fishing industry in its commercial and 

recreational dimensions. This information has been primarily sourced from the Web sites of harbors and marinas and 

when possible or necessary supplemented by telephone communication with harbor staff.

Extensive information about taxes on fisheries-related activities particular to each state has been included in 

the Overview section. Tax types include those levied on personal property (including commercial fishing vessels, 

charter boats, and oceanographic research vessels), fish landings (based on weight and species), ballast water 

management and other marine services, commercial fish licenses and permits, and fuel. Washington has additional 

enhanced food, fish, and shellfish taxes paid by the commercial processor of food fish and shellfish at different rates 

assigned to various species. In 1950 the Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act, commonly known as the DingellJohnson Act, created a program to assist in the management, conservation, and restoration of fishery resources. The 

Sport Fish Restoration Program is funded through a 10 percent excise tax on fishing equipment, a 3 percent tax on 

electric motors and sonar fish finders, taxes on motorboat and small engine fuels, and import duties on fishing tackle 

and pleasure boats.21 The 1984 Wallop-Breaux Amendment added new provisions to the act by extending the excise 

tax to previously untaxed sport fishing equipment.22

In addition to distance and travel information to larger cities, the location of the nearest offices of several 

governmental organizations important to the fishing industry are provided: NOAA Fisheries,23 the relevant state 

agency in charge of managing fish,24 and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS),25 formerly known 

as U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service, and the location of the nearest possible North Pacific or Pacific 

fishery management council meeting venue. As key bodies regulating fisheries, access to NOAA and state 

departments can help with the flow and clarification of information as well as influencing a community’s 

enfranchisement in a regulatory system. In addition, the location of a USCIS office can affect the labor practices of 

industry, particularly the seafood processing sector, through level and intensity of monitoring, and may also affect use 

of local services by undocumented residents.

2.5.3 Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

The section on fishing involvement in West Coast fisheries contains information on dependence and 

engagement in the fisheries and in most cases is the most in-depth and detailed section of the community profiles. 

The fishing sections seek to provide the most comprehensive picture of commercial, recreational, and subsistence 

fishing practice and patterns possible given available data. Fisheries characterization is in terms of the nature and 

degree of involvement. The commercial fishing section contains information on landings (weight, value, and vessels 

making deliveries), permits (number of permits held by residents of a community and number of residents holding 

permits), and vessel owners as well as information on participatory groups and processing activities.

PacFIN provided much of this information as well as state management agencies. Each data element is 

discussed below, including its availability, how it was treated, and any associated caveats. Some landings data, permit 

information, and details about vessel owners were used in the community selection process described above (see 

subsection 2.3) and are more thoroughly explained here.

Commercial fishing—All data associated with commercial fish landings in Washington, Oregon, and 

California came from PacFIN and pertain to the year 2000. Data elements extracted from this dataset include weight 

and value of landings, number of vessels delivering, and vessels by participatory group. Federally specified 

management groups (coastal pelagic, crab, groundfish, highly migratory species, salmon, shellfish, shrimp, and other 
17

species)26 were used to provide fishery-specific information. Landings data are associated to the principal port 

community for the vessel making the landings. Landings data provide information about community members’ 

involvement in commercial fisheries, and is comparable between different communities.

PacFIN provides the following information about the data it collects, manages, and supplies to researchers 

and policy makers. Landings are reported in pounds of round (live) weight for all species or groups except univalve 

and bivalve mollusks such as clams, mussels, oysters and scallops, which are reported as pounds of meat (excludes 

shell weight). The dollar values of landings are reported as nominal (current at the time of reporting) values. Users 

can use the Consumer Price Index or the Producer Price Index to convert these nominal values into real (deflated) 

values. In reporting PacFIN data, all figures were rounded to whole numbers, unless that meant a figure was rounded 

to zero in which case two decimal places were reported. PacFIN data was obtained from fish tickets and information 

reported to it by other agencies including state fisheries management offices and the U.S. Coast Guard.

Federal statutes prohibit public disclosure of landings (or other information) that would allow identification 

of the data contributors and possibly put them at a competitive disadvantage. To comply with confidentiality 

measures, the word “confidential” substitutes for compromising figures in the narrative descriptions of fishing 

involvement.

Landings by weight are reported for each commercial West Coast fishery in equivalent round weight of 

landings in metric tons. Landings are reported for each commercial West Coast fishery in U.S. dollars. The number 

of unique vessels delivering landings in each commercial West Coast fishery are also reported.

PacFIN data identifies vessels participating in tribal commercial, commercial, personal use, or aquaculture 

groups. The number of vessels participating in each is reported. For aquaculture, its presence in the community is 

only noted and not quantified for reasons of confidentiality.

The number of vessels that were part of the voluntary groundfish fishing capacity reduction program is 

reported. The Groundfish Vessel Buyback Program involved the federal buyback of vessels participating in the 

groundfish fishery and was implemented in 2003 by NMFS. The purpose of the program was to reduce the number of 

vessels and permits endorsed for operation of groundfish trawl gear in order to increase productivity in the groundfish 

fishery, help financially stabilize the fishery, and conserve and manage fish. The program also involved fishing 

capacity reduction in the Washington, Oregon, and California Dungeness crab and pink shrimp fisheries.27

Total number of fishing vessels owned by community residents by fishery is reported. Unique vessel 

identifiers were matched to permit data to determine participation in specific fisheries, and vessel owner residence 

was used to link vessels to a community. WDFW, ODFW, CDFG, and PacFIN supplied the vessel and permit data.

Some problems were encountered in processing this data element. Two California fisheries, groundfish and 

highly migratory species, were partially or completely open access fisheries in 2000, therefore, no permit data exists 

to indicate participation in these efforts. To overcome this problem as best as possible, vessels were matched to 

landings data as well as permit data to match them to a fishery. Additionally, the data did not provide matches 

between permits and vessels for the California shellfish and Washington shellfish and shrimp fisheries. Discrepancies 

and data problems occurred due to the open access nature of some fisheries in 2000, or because fisheries were too 

small to be adequately represented. The research team dealt with these problems by denoting these fisheries with NA 

to indicate data was not available for the listed reasons. The NA notation signifies there may have been participation 

in the fishery, but it is undocumented in the data sources. Where other supplementary information on these and other 

fisheries could be found through background research, that information was included in the profiles.

Permit data were supplied by WDFW (Washington fisheries), ODFW (Oregon fisheries), and PacFIN (for 

California and the federally managed groundfish fisheries) and pertain to the year 2000. Some open access fisheries, 

such as albacore in Oregon, and several California fisheries are not illustrated by the permit data. In such cases the 

research team attempted to include information from other sources on these fisheries, such as qualitative or anecdotal 

information from a wide variety of sources. As occurred in the application of permit data to determine participation 

of vessels in specific fisheries, the permit data did not yield information pertaining to the California shellfish fishery.

Records for the year 2000 for two other California fisheries also caused discrepancies in our data. These are 

the groundfish fishery and the highly migratory species (HMSP) fishery that were largely unpermitted at the time. 

This means the permit data do not accurately reflect the level of participation in these two significant fisheries. 

Groundfish was an open access fishery in 2000. HMSP fishermen would have had high seas permits if they fished at 
18

certain offshore depths, but these are not associated with the actual species. Only the drift gillnet fishery targeting 

swordfish and thresher shark would have required permits in 2000. In terms of the California HMSP fishery, 99% of 

the target species in 2000 would have been: 1) tuna, 2) swordfish, and 3) shark (thresher and mako). However, by 

2005 measures were in place to have all the HMSP fisheries permitted.28

Data for total number of state and federal permits held by community residents by fishery describes how 

many permits community members held, but does not specify how permits are distributed among individuals. For 

example, one person could hold five permits associated to a community, or each of five permits could be held by a 

separate individual.

Data for the number of community residents holding state and federal permits by fishery describes how many 

community members held permits.

Baseline information about the number of fish processors operating in a community (the company itself may 

be based elsewhere), the average number of employees, and the species the facility processed, all for the year 2000, 

were obtained from the Processed Products Survey.29 This survey also detailed the weight and value of fish processed 

by the facilities in 2000. This level of detail was reported in the narrative profiles only when confidentiality 

stipulations allowed. Further information was taken from online resources and site visits and was included in the 

narrative profiles where it added relevant material.

Tribal participation in commercial fisheries is a significant aspect of several West Cost fisheries. Where 

possible, the team included information on any such involvement; however, data pertaining to tribal participation in 

commercial fisheries at the community level is difficult to obtain in some cases. For this reason, relevant information 

was taken from online sources and site visits and included in the profiles where possible, depending on data reliability 

and availability.

Sportfishing—Information about community involvement in sportfishing reflects another form of 

participation in fisheries not captured when commercial information alone is reported. At the time of compiling the 

profiles, sportfishing data was not readily or consistently available for all states. For this reason relevant data was 

used wherever possible, and sometimes reported data for years other than 2000 to include useful information rather 

than excluding data that did not fit the predetermined timeframe. When data was not available from the year 2000, 

data from the most recent year available was used.

Information about the number of sportfishing operators (charter businesses) in the community was supplied 

by WDFW, ODFW, and CDFG. Unless otherwise stated, listing the charter businesses in a community profile 

indicates the location of the business office. Information also is included on where charter vessels are homeported, 

and distinctions are made between the business owner’s city of residence versus the city of operation when these are 

different and data is available. Where the data distinguishes between business operator licenses for salmon (which 

additionally includes sturgeon and bottomfish species) and nonsalmon (all other species) species, the distinction is 

reported.

Information about the number of sportfish license vendors in the community was supplied by WDFW, 

ODFW, and CDFG, where available, and taken from online resources. The figures reported represent active 

sportfishing license agents.

Information about the number and value of sportfishing licenses30 sold in the community was supplied by 

WDFW, ODFW, and CDFG, where available, and taken from online resources managed by these state agencies.

Information about sportfish landings and species fished was supplied by WDFW, ODFW, and CDFG, where 

available, and taken from online resources. In almost all cases, the data has been recorded and reported at aggregate 

levels, and often correspond to beach or management areas which are not directly associated with specific 

communities. Where possible, this is mentioned in the profiles and noted that recreational landings data are for 

contiguous areas.

2.5.4 Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

This section contains information on dependence and engagement in the fisheries off the coast of Alaska. All 

data are for the year 2000. Characterization of fisheries is in terms of the nature and degree of involvement. The 

commercial fishing section contains information on landings (weight, value, and vessels owned by community 
19

members making deliveries), permits (number of permits held by residents of a community and number of residents 

holding permits), IFQ shares (number of halibut and sablefish IFQ shares held by residents of the community), vessel 

owners (number of vessel owners in the community that fish North Pacific fisheries), and crew members (number of 

Alaska commercial fishing crew member licenses held by community members). The sportfishing section includes 

sportfishing businesses (number of sportfishing businesses in the community which are involved in fishing Alaska 

waters) and sportfishing licenses (number of Alaska sportfishing licenses sold to individuals in the community).

The data sources for the elements included in the section Involvement in the North Pacific Fisheries include 

ADF&G, CFEC, NMFS Alaska Regional Office (AKRO), NMFS AFSC, and NMFS Headquarters. Each data 

element is discussed below. Some landings data, permit and IFQ information, and details about vessel owners were 

also used in the community selection process described above (see subsection 2.3), and are more thoroughly 

explained here.

Commercial fishing—Data on the number of vessels owned by community members that fish in the North 

Pacific came from Alaska CFEC Commercial Vessel License lists and NMFS AKRO Federal Fisheries Permit (FFP) 

lists.

Data on weight and value of landings and the number of vessels making those landings by vessels owned by 

community members is included for the following fisheries: crab, other finfish, GOA groundfish, BSAI groundfish, 

halibut, herring, salmon, scallop, and shellfish. The data shown in the profiles represents landings in metric tons/

value of landings/number of vessels landing.

The count of vessels owned by residents by fishery data were extracted from NMFS AKRO blend catch 

estimates and FFP lists, Alaska CFEC fish tickets, and commercial vessel license lists. The landings in tons and 

dollars by owner residence by fishery was extracted from NMFS AKRO blend catch estimates and FFP lists, NMFS 

AFSC ex-vessel prices from Table 18 of the SAFE Economic Status Report,31 ADF&G fish tickets, and Alaska CFEC 

commercial vessel license lists. The fisheries were defined by landed species.

Data on the number of community members that held crew member licenses for commercial fishing in the 

North Pacific, issued by the ADF&G, were provided by ADF&G and totals by community were tabulated.

Data on the number of state and federal permits include Alaska and federal North Pacific fishery permits 

registered to community members summed. The data were extracted from NMFS AKRO: Restricted Access 

Management Division License Limitation Program permit lists, AFA permit lists, and FFP lists; NMFS HQ High Seas 

Fisheries Compliance Act permit lists, and Alaska CFEC commercial fishing permit lists.

Data on individuals holding federal permits include the number of individuals in the community who held 

federal permits to fish the North Pacific. The data were extracted from NMFS AKRO: Restricted Access 

Management Division License Limitation Programs permit lists, FFP lists, AFA permit lists, IFQ share lists, and from 

NMFS HQ High Seas Fisheries Compliance Act lists.

Data on individuals holding state permits include the number of individuals in the community that held state 

permits to fish in Alaska. The data were extracted from Alaska CFEC commercial fishing permit lists.

Data on the number of permits held by community residents by type and fishery include the number of 

permits registered to community residents for North Pacific fisheries by type and fishery.

Sportfishing—Information about community involvement in sportfishing reflects another form of 

participation in fisheries not captured when commercial information alone is reported.

The number of sportfishing operators (charter businesses) in the community that are involved in fishing 

Alaskan waters is given. Also provided is the number of Alaska sportfishing licenses sold to individuals in the 

community.

2.6 Demographic Figures

In addition to the narrative community profiles, each community has an associated set of graphical displays of 

demographic data. There are four graphs per community, each displaying data discussed in the narrative section. The 

four graphs in each community are for the following social indicators: population structure, race, ethnicity, and 
20

employment structure. All data for the graphs come from the 2000 U.S. Census. The following is a brief description 

of the types of information conveyed in each graph, along with a graph with the information for Washington, Oregon, 

California, and the United States. These may be referred to later to provide context for the individual community 

graphs.

2.6.1 Population Structure

A “population pyramid” is a bidirectional bar chart that indicates both age (in 10 year intervals) and gender 

(male: left bars; female: right bars) of the population. Many population pyramids in fishing communities show a 

distinct bulge of working age males that is unusual when compared to more typical population pyramids. For 

comparison of general shapes, the population pyramids for Washington, Oregon, California, and the United States are 

reproduced below. The state and national structures are included because they provide relevant geographic units 

against which a particular community may be compared. Ten-year intervals were used to create smoother diagrams 

for each community.

600,000 400,000 200,000 0 200,000 400,000 600,000

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Washington population structure

Male Female

300,000 200,000 100,000 0 100,000 200,000 300,000

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Oregon population structure

Male Female

3,000,000 2,000,000 1,000,000 0 1,000,000 2,000,000 3,000,000

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 California population structure

Male Female

60 40 20 0 20 40 60 80

Percentage of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 United States population structure

Male Female
21

2.6.2 Race

Graphed data are taken from U.S. Census, using the mandated minimum five categories: American Indian or 

Alaska Native, Asian, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, and White. For space 

reasons in the graphs, we shorten three of the terms as follows: Native (for American Indian or Alaska Native), Black 

(for Black or African American), and Pacific Islander (for Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander). Graphs are produced 

for Washington, Oregon, California, and the United States.

2000 Washington racial structure

White

81.8%

Asian 

5.5%

Pacific Islander 

0.4%

Other

3.9%

Two or more races

3.6%

Black

3.2%

Native

1.6%

2000 Oregon racial structure

White

86.6%

Asian 

3.0%

Other

4.2%

Pacific Islander 

0.2%

Native

1.3%

Black

1.6%

Two or more races

3.1%

2000 California racial structure

Two or more races

4.7%

Other

16.8%

Pacific Islander 

0.3%

Asian 

10.9%

Native

1.0%

Black

6.7%

White

59.5%

2000 United States racial structure

White

75.2%

Pacific Islander

0.1%

Asian

3.6%

Native

0.9%

Black

12.3%

Other

5.5%

Two or more races

2.4%
22

2.6.3 Ethnicity

The Office of Management and Budget, under the Executive Office of the President, issued Race and Ethnic 

Standards Policy Directive No. 15 in 1977. This directive set the standard for decennial censuses, population surveys, 

and data collections necessary for meeting statutory requirements associated with civil rights monitoring and 

enforcement, and for other administrative program reporting.32 Therefore, the U.S. Census Bureau designates 

Hispanic or Latino identity as an ethnic rather than a racial category. Federal agencies are required to comply with 

U.S. Census standards in reporting this information.33 Thus, the two possible ethnicities, shortened for space reasons 

in the charts to Hispanic and non-Hispanic, are reported in a pie-chart format separate from race. Hispanics and 

Latinos may be of any race. Graphs are produced for Washington, Oregon, California, and the United States.

2000 Washington Hispanic ethnicity

Hispanic

7.5%

Non-Hispanic

92.5%

2000 Oregon Hispanic ethnicity

Hispanic

8.0%

Non-Hispanic

92%

2000 California Hispanic ethnicity

Hispanic

32.4%

Non-Hispanic

67.6%

2000 United States Hispanic ethnicity

Hispanic

12.5%

Non-Hispanic

87.5%
23

2.6.4 Employment Structure

Graphs displaying information about employment, including percentages for employed, unemployed, and 

persons not seeking employment, are produced for Washington, Oregon, California and the United States.34

2000 Washington employment structure

Employed

62.4%

Unemployed

4.1%

Not in labor force

33.5%

2000 Oregon employment structure

Employed

61.0%

Unemployed

4.2%

Not in labor force

34.8%

2000 California employment structure

Unemployed

4.3%

Not in labor force

37.6%

Employed

58.1%

2000 United States employment structure

Employed

60.2%

Unemployed

3.7%

Not in labor force

36.1%
24

Notes

1. J. Sepez, K. Norman, A. Poole, and B. Tilt. 2006. Fish scale: Scales and method in social science research for North Pacific and West 

Coast fishing communities. Hum. Organ. 65:280-293.

2. U.S. Federal Register. No date. 16 U.S.C. 1802 §3 (16).

3. A score for some communities in each of the two models could not be computed. In some cases this occurred because there were no 

data for the specific indicators used in the DEA model (although the community may have been involved in fisheries in other ways). In other 

instances the necessary data were available, but computational issues developed related to the particular indicator mix and the scale of the 

different indicators relative to other communities. These communities were removed from the analysis after analyzing each in a more 

qualitative manner. For a list of the communities that were removed and the reason for their removal, see Appendix A: Communities removed 

due to DEA non-convergence.

4. J.A. Sepez, B.D. Tilt, C.L. Package, H.M. Lazrus, I. Vaccaro. 2005. Community profiles for North Pacific fisheries–Alaska. U.S. 

Dept. Commer., NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-AFSC-160.

5. Place refers to one of the geographies used by the U.S. Census Bureau. Census geographies also include geographic designations that 

are larger than “place” such as states and counties, as well as geographic designations that are generally smaller than “place,” such as the area 

encompassed by a zip code or a block group.

6. The lack of similar data in one or more states would allow for a state-based bias to develop, reflecting a preponderance of communities 

from data-rich states. Such indicators were disqualified.

7. U.S. Census data SF 1 population counts of all persons were used. These counts sometimes differ from SF 3 population estimates, 

which come from the population and housing long-form collected by the U.S. Census from a one-in-six sample and weighted to represent the 

total population U.S. Census Bureau. The U.S. Census is available at www.census.gov.

8. S. Russell. 2003. An inquiry into the use of social sciences in the federal management of U.S. marine fisheries. Thesis. University of 

Washington, School of Marine Affairs, Seattle.

9. See note 4.

10. See note 4.

11. See note 4.

12. See note 4.

13. See note 4.

14. Latitude and longitude provided by USGS National Mapping Information Web site for populated place: http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/

gns/web_uery.gns_web_query_form; distance to major cities determined by MapQwest city-to-city: http://www.mapquest.com/directions/

main.adap?bCTsettings =1.

15. U.S. Census data for the year 2000 available at the U.S. Census Bureau’s American FactFinder Web site. No date. Online at http://

factfinder.census.gov/home/saff/main.html [accessed 17 April 2007].

16. The U.S. Census Bureau provides this definition of household: “A household includes all of the people who occupy a housing unit. A 

housing unit is a house, an apartment, a mobile home, a group of rooms, or a single room occupied (or if vacant, intended for occupancy) as 

separate living quarters. Separate living quarters are those in which the occupants live separately from any other people in the building and that 

have direct access from the outside of the building or through a common hall. The occupants may be a single family, one person living alone, 

two or more families living together, or any other group of related or unrelated people who share living quarters.” 

17. The U.S. Census Bureau provides this definition of housing unit: “A house, an apartment, a mobile home or trailer, a group of rooms, 

or a single room occupied as separate living quarters, or if vacant, intended for occupancy as separate living quarters. Separate living quarters 

are those in which the occupants live separately from any other individuals in the building and which have direct access from outside the 

building or through a common hall. For vacant units, the criteria of separateness and direct access are applied to the intended occupants 

whenever possible.”

18. This information was sourced from the 2000 U.S. Census, has been calculated as follows: 1) unemployed residents equals total 

unemployed divided by total in labor force; 2) percent employed equals total civilian employed plus total armed forces divided by total 

community population 16 years and above; 3) percent not in labor force equals total not in labor force divided by total community population 16 

years of age and older.

19. Municipal Research and Services Center of Washington. Online at http://www.mrsc.org/subjects/governance/locgov31.aspx [accessed 

17 April 2007]. Oregon Economic and Community Development Department. On line at http://www.oregon.gov/ECDD/index.shtml [accessed 

17 April 2007]. California Institute for Local Government. On line at http://www.ilsg.org/index.jsp?displaytype=§ion=about&zone=ilsg 

[accessed 17 April 2007].

20. See note 4.

21. More information on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s federal aid in sport fish restoration is online at http://federalaid.fws.gov/sfr/

fasfr.html [accessed 17 April 2007].

22. More information on the Environment, Energy, and Transportation Program is online at http://www.ncsl.org/programs/natres/

FISHHUNTWILD.htm [accessed 17 April 2007].

23. The NOAA Fisheries’ contacts page provides a list of all branch offices in the country. Online at http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/

contact.htm [accessed 30 April 2007].

24. Alaska Department of Fish and Game. No date. Online at http://www.adfg.state.ak.us/ [accessed 17 April 2007]. Washington 

Department of Fish and Wildlife. No date. Online at http://wdfw.wa.gov/ [accessed 17 April 2007]. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. 

No date. Online at http://www.dfw.state.or.us/ [accessed 17 April 2007]. California Department of Fish and Game. No date. Online at http://

www.dfg.ca.gov/ [accessed 17 April 2007].
25

25. More information on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, formerly Immigration and Naturalization Service, is online at 

http://uscis.gov/graphics/aboutus/thisisimm/index.htm [accessed 12 September 2007].

26. In order to separate fishing participation into specific fisheries, the research team used federally specified management groups, 

however, state agencies do not necessarily collect and manage data according to the same system. Open access sectors increased the 

imprecision of this approach but, in the absence of a more exact system, it was followed consistently throughout the project. The largest 

problem encountered in this respect was in matching vessels to fisheries through permit information. Where complete vessel lists were 

available, this was more accurate. However, California has fisheries that limited the accuracy of this approach, such as open access, statemanaged prawn trawl, and cucumber trawl.

27. More information on the Groundfish Vessel Buyback Program is online at http://www.pcouncil.org/groundfish/gfbuy.html [accessed 

17 April 2007].

28. More information on highly migratory species is online at http://www.pcouncil.org/hms/hmsback.html [accessed 17 April 2007].

29. Response to the 2000 Fishery Products Report: U.S. Processors-Annual Survey, which is mailed out on an annual basis, is voluntary. 

There are many different ways of defining processors and the output products. In this dataset the definitions are based on the actual 

transformation of the product. For instance, a processor is a company where fish is canned, cured, cut, or reduced for meal oil etc., not simply 

frozen. Similarly, a processed product has been canned, cured, cut, reduced etc., not simply frozen.

30. More information on sportfishing license vendors from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Licensing Sales Reporting 

System is online at http://wdfw.wa.gov/lic/vendors/vendors.htm [accessed 17 April 2007].

31. T. Hiatt, R. Felthoven, and J. Terry. 2001. Stock assessment and fishery evaluation report for the groundfish fisheries of the Gulf of 

Alaska and Bering Sea/Aleutian Island area: Economic status of the groundfish fisheries off Alaska. Alaska Fisheries Science Center, Resource 

Ecology and Fisheries Management Division. Online at http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/refm/stocks/Historic_Assess.htm [accessed 17 April 2007].

32. Additional information about the Race and Ethnic Standards Policy Directive No.15 is online at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/ 

[accessed 17 April 2007].

33. An explanation of these categories and standards is online at http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/race/racefactcb.html 

[accessed 17 April 2007].

34. The graphic representation of employment structure varies slightly from the description of employment status in the narrative text of 

the community profiles. The difference is in the percentage of population that is unemployed. In the narratives, this has been calculated by 

dividing the unemployed population by the population actually in the workforce. This gives an indication of the number of people who are 

unemployed, yet may be seeking employment. In the graph, the percentage of the population that is unemployed has been calculated by 

dividing the unemployed population by the total community population 16 years of age and older to render this indicator comparable to the 

other two indicators of percent employed and percent in the labor force.
26
27

3.0 Overview

This project aimed to identify and profile communities across the United States involved in West Coast and 

North Pacific fisheries in the year 2000. Analyses of quantitative data identified 125 communities from Washington, 

Oregon, California, New Jersey, and Virginia that were dependent on or engaged in West Coast and North Pacific 

fisheries (as defined in Methods, section 2.0). The process identified 1,764 U.S. communities from 49 states 

(excluding North Dakota) and ranked them using fishery participation data (i.e., fisheries landings, vessel, and permit 

data); 1,529 were located in states outside of Alaska. This study profiles approximately 7.1% of the communities 

(8.2% of those outside of Alaska) involved in West Coast or North Pacific fisheries.

The majority of fishing communities involved in West Coast and North Pacific commercial fisheries are 

located in coastal states contiguous to the waters that support the fisheries. However, the Data Envelopment Analysis 

(DEA) model selected two nonwestern, non-Alaska communities (Seaford, Virginia, and Pleasantville, New Jersey) 

due to their residents’ heightened participation in West Coast or North Pacific fisheries. Additionally, three New 

Jersey communities and eight communities in Virginia appeared in the list ultimately ranked by the DEA model. Of 

the ranked communities along the U.S. West Coast, 14.3% of Washington communities (40 of 279), 15.9% of Oregon 

communities (31 of 195), and 9% of California communities (52 of 579) were selected for profiling in this study.

The U.S. Census reports 522 “places” or “census-designated places” (CDPs) in Washington, 309 in Oregon, 

1,081 in California, 505 in New Jersey, and 371 in Virginia. These are cities, towns, boroughs, and population centers 

otherwise defined as “places” by the U.S. Census. The 2000 U.S. Census recognized a majority of the communities 

(83.2%, 104 of 125) profiled in this project as “places” or CDPs, with the exception of 21 communities, including 3 in 

Washington (La Push, Lopez Island, and Seaview), 4 in Oregon (Charleston, Hammond, Logsden, and South Beach), 

13 in California (Albion, Avila Beach, Fields Landing, Kneeland, Los Osos, Pebble Beach, Princeton, San Pedro, 

Sunset Beach, Tarzana, Terminal Island, Valley Ford, and Ventura), and 1 in Virginia (Seaford).

Data on fisheries involvement for all states reveal several points about the nature of community involvement 

in commercial fishing in West Coast and North Pacific waters. First, the geographic distribution of the communities 

shows the highest level of community participation in states contiguous to the West Coast where dependence on 

marine resources might be expected to be high, drops off slightly in the Midwest (with the exception of several Great 

Lakes states), and rises slightly in East Coast states. Second, it is evident from the number of communities associated 

with West Coast or North Pacific fisheries, specifically in Washington, Oregon, and California, that fishery-related 

activity has important social and economic significance to numerous community members and their communities.

This overview section of the profile document provides aggregate information for the communities selected 

for this project, the states where they are located, and a context in which to interpret the information.

3.1 People and Place

3.1.1 Location

The majority of the profiled communities are located in Washington, Oregon, and California. From southern 

California to northern Washington, these coastal states vary significantly in geography, demography, economy, and 

ecology. Pleasantville, New Jersey, and Seaford, Virginia, are on the East Coast and participate primarily in East 

Coast fisheries. These communities are included in this document because in 2000, residents of Pleasantville and 

Seaford were involved in North Pacific fisheries, specifically the commercial scallop fishery and Alaska sportfishing.

The map on page 28 shows the location of the 125 communities selected for profiling. The majority of the 

profiled communities participate in fisheries in waters adjacent to the southern U.S. West Coast, in the North Pacific, 

and in Alaska. Community Profiles for North Pacific Fisheries–Alaska1 provides information on the geography and 

ecology of Alaska communities and associated fisheries.

Washington, bordered by the Pacific Ocean on the west and the Columbia River on the south, has 

considerable variation in its ecological zones. The coast is characterized by a maritime climate, the Olympic 

Peninsula has temperate rainforest conditions, and the areas east of the Cascade Mountains are semiarid. The state’s
28

.

Communities profiled for West Coast and North Pacific fisheries.
29

marine and freshwater environments sustain several species of salmon, rockfish, shellfish, and other marine fishes as 

well as various marine mammal populations including harbor seals, orcas, and gray whales.

In the 2000 U.S. Census, Washington ranked fourteenth in total population, generating a population density of 

88.6 people per square mile of land. Washington ranked twenty-fifth for density. There are 29 federally recognized 

Indian tribes or nations in Washington. Tribal communities play an important cultural and political role.

Historically Washington’s economy was heavily dependent on natural resources: forests, fisheries, and 

agriculture. While residents still participate in livelihoods dependent on natural resources, the state also supports 

thriving computer software developers (e.g., the Microsoft Corporation), aircraft design and manufacturing 

companies (e.g., The Boeing Company), and a growing tourism industry. The Strait of Juan de Fuca connects Puget 

Sound to the Pacific Ocean. The sound extends from Admiralty Inlet in the north to Olympia in the south. There are 

14 prominent islands in Puget Sound: Anderson, Bainbridge, Blake, Camano, Fidalgo, Fox, Harstine, Indian, 

Marrowstone, Maury, McNeil, Squaxin, Vashon, and Whidbey.

The three major cities on Puget Sound are Olympia, Tacoma, and Seattle. The waterway also supports 

extensive commercial shipping and recreational boating, and many Washington communities host waterfront 

festivals, salmon celebration events, and annual tributes to the fishing fleets. The Washington coast has no major 

metropolitan cities.

Oregon is bordered by the Pacific Ocean on the west, the Columbia River on the north, and the Snake River 

on the northern portion of its eastern boundary. The fertile Willamette Valley is located between the Pacific Coast and 

Cascade mountain ranges that run north and south along the West Coast. The Willamette River flows through the 

valley, creating an important agricultural region that contributes berries, vegetables, greenhouse and nursery stock, 

and wine to Oregon’s economy. Coastal and freshwater areas in Oregon support numerous species of fish and 

shellfish.

Ranked twenty-eighth in the nation in total population, according to the 2000 U.S. Census, Oregon has a 

population density of 35.6 persons per square mile of land. Oregon ranked thirty-ninth for density. Oregon has 10 

federally recognized Indian tribes. Oregon’s physical geography is diverse, ranging from semideserts in southeastern 

Oregon to dense forests and accessible coastlines in the west. The Oregon coast has no major metropolitan cities.

Industries dependent on natural resources include commercial fishing, ranching, timber, and agriculture. 

Several Oregon communities host festivals or special days commemorating salmon, signifying the important role of 

the species in the lives of residents and local economies.

California spans 770 miles north to south. According to the U.S. Census, California ranks first in total 

population with more than 33 million residents. California has a population density of 217.2 persons per square mile 

of land, ranking it twelfth in the nation. California’s cultural, economic, and ecological landscapes are rich and 

diverse. There are several major metropolitan cities on the California coast, including San Diego, Los Angeles, San 

Jose, and San Francisco, all home to ethnically diverse populations.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 32.4% of California’s population identified as Hispanic and 10.9% as 

Asian. Nearly half (47.4%) of the population identified as non-Hispanic/white. Historically home to large Native 

American populations, California had tribes such as the Chumash, Miwok, and Pomo that relied heavily on the area’s 

natural resources. At present California has 11 federally recognized tribes and numerous unrecognized tribes. 

Reservations and rancherias are found throughout the state.

Agriculture is California’s primary industry. Regions such as California’s Central Valley and the northern 

wine country are major producers and exporters of dairy, vegetables, nuts, fruit, and wine. The state is also 

recognized for its thriving entertainment industry and Silicon Valley, the heart of California’s computer technology 

industry. The state has hundreds of miles of scenic shoreline, arid deserts, volcanic mountain ranges, and large central 

valleys.

3.1.2 Demographic Profile

The communities selected for profiling share a common involvement in fishery-related activities and 

represent a wide range of demographic, socioeconomic, and historical conditions. In terms of population, size, and 

geographic area, some cities like Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, and Seattle are large municipalities that 
30

serve as regional economic centers, while other communities have only a few hundred residents, are relatively 

isolated, and have very limited economic opportunities.

Washington’s community classification system includes first class and second class cities and towns. 

Additionally, the Optional Municipal Code (Title 35A RCW), created in 1967, provides an alternative framework to 

the basic statutory classification system of municipal government. The municipal code system was designed to 

provide broad statutory home rule authority in matters of local concern. Communities with more than 1,500 residents 

may incorporate or reorganize as an optional municipal code or “code city.” First class cities have populations of 

10,000 or more at the time of organization or reorganization and have adopted a charter or home rule. If a community 

has a population more than 1,500 at the time of organization or reorganization but does not have a charter or operate 

as a code city under the optional municipal code, the community is classified as a second class city. Washington also 

has unincorporated communities that are recognized as CDPs (see Table 4). As of 2003 the Municipal Research and 

Service Center of Washington identified 10 first class cities, 15 second class cities, 72 towns, and 213 code cities in 

Washington.2

Oregon designates communities as either incorporated or unincorporated, with no distinctions between types 

of incorporated cities. Oregon has 240 incorporated cities, of which two are officially designated as ghost towns. 

Most of the other cities are “full service” municipalities, meaning they offer a wide range of services. Some 

communities may not have police or fire services, for example, and often these are provided through special 

arrangements made with neighboring communities or the county (see Table 4). As of 2005 the Population Research 

Center at Portland State University identified 243 incorporated cities.

There are two types of cities in California, charter cities and general law cities. Charter cities are governed by 

the provisions of their own adopted charter unless the state has stated specifically that its laws apply. General law 

cities are also known as the “home rule” option and are governed under the framework of the California Government 

Code. There is one exception. San Francisco is both a city and a county government because the city comprises the 

entire county. California also has several unincorporated areas or communities (see Table 4). In 2005 the League of 

California Cities identified 108 charter cities and 370 general law cities in California.3

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population of Washington was 5,894,121, Oregon 3,421,399, 

California 33,871,648, New Jersey 8,414,350, and Virginia 7,078,515. Of the profiled communities, the top 10 in 

population were: Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco, Seattle, Long Beach, Santa Ana, Tacoma, 

Oxnard, and Santa Rosa. All are in California except Seattle and Tacoma, Washington.

Table 4. Types and numbers of profiled communities by states.

State and community type Number of communities

Washington

First class city 5

Second class city 1

Optional “code” city 20

Town 3

Unincorporated 7

Not a census-designated place (NCDP) 3

Governed by tribe 1

Oregon

Incorporated 23

Unincorporated 4

NCDP 4

California

Charter city 14

General law/ Home rule 20

CDP 6

NCDP 12
31

 In Washington 55% (22) of the 40 profiled communities have fewer than 5,000 residents, with 15% (6 

communities) having fewer than 500 residents. By comparison, in Washington approximately 67.7% of the 537 

CDPs have fewer than 5,000 residents with 21.6% (116) having fewer than 500 residents (see Table 5).

Of the 31 profiled communities in Oregon, 71% (22 communities) have fewer than 5,000 residents, and 

16.1% (5 communities) have fewer than 500 residents. By comparison, in Oregon approximately 71.2% (240) of the 

337 CDPs have fewer than 5,000 residents and 34.4% (116) have fewer than 500 residents (see Table 5).

In California a total of 26.9% (14 communities) of the 52 profiled communities have fewer than 5,000 

residents, and 15.4% (8 communities) have fewer than 500 residents. By comparison, in California approximately 

44.6% (486) of the 1,089 CDPs have fewer than 5,000 residents and 10% (109) have fewer than 500 residents (see 

Table 5). The populations of Pleasantville, New Jersey, and Seaford, Virginia, comprise roughly 0.23% and 0.05% of 

each state’s population respectively.

 To achieve a snapshot of the nation’s population as revealed in the decennial U.S. Census, the population is 

segmented into racial categories (white, black, American Indian and Alaska Native, Asian, Native Hawaiian and 

Other Pacific Islander, some other race, and two or more races) as well as ethnic categories (Hispanic and nonHispanic). The community profiles supply this snapshot for each selected community, which is followed by an 

historical account of the community to help explain and contextualize the contemporary composition of the specific 

communities’ populations.

In 2000 about 75.1% of the United States were white, according to the U.S. Census. By comparison, about 

81.2% of the population of Washington were white, 86.8% of Oregon, 60.9% of California, 69.9% of New Jersey, and 

71.1% of Virginia. For the communities profiled in this document, the average percentage of white residents was 

81.9%, with a range from 11.3% to 97.5% (see Table 6). Approximately 89% (111) of the profiled communities had a 

population that was more than 50% white in 2000. Many profiled communities with high percentages of white 

residents are located in areas where there are low numbers of Native Americans, Asian Americans, and Hispanics, the 

three racial or ethnic groups that tend to play more prominent roles in other communities due to the location of tribal 

reservations or large influxes of immigrant populations.

The United States consisted of 12.3% black residents in 2000. By comparison, the black populations in the 

five states involved in this project were 3.3% in Washington, 1.6% in Oregon, 6.1% in California, 13.3% in New 

Jersey, and 19.1% in Virginia. On average, those communities selected for profiling were approximately 2% black, 

with a range from 0% to 48.2% (see Table 7). A total of 92 (74%) of the profiled communities include residents who 

identified themselves as black.

In 2000 the United States was about 0.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, whereas Washington was 

about 1.6%, Oregon 1.3%, California 1.0%, New Jersey 0.9%, and Virginia 0.3%. Of the profiled communities, the 

average composition was about 3.5% American Indian and Alaska Native. The communities ranged from 0.1% 

American Indian and Alaska Native to 82.8% (see Table 8). The vast majority (96%) of the profiled communities 

included some percentage of American Indian and Alaska Natives.4 La Push and Neah Bay, Washington, located on 

the Quileute and Makah Indian reservations respectively, both indicated greater than 75% American Indian and 

Alaska Native populations.

In 2000 about 3.6% of the population of the United States was Asian. Washington State’s population was 

approximately 5.5% Asian, Oregon’s was 3.0%, California’s was 10.9%, New Jersey’s was 5.7%, and Virginia’s was 

3.7%. Of the profiled communities, Asians accounted for 3.8% of the population on average, with a range from 0% to 

30.8% (see Table 9). The communities with the largest percentages of Asian residents are primarily in California.

In 2000 about 0.1% of the population of the United States was comprised of Native Hawaiian and Other 

Pacific Islanders. By comparison, Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders made up about 0.4% Washington’s 

population, 0.2% in Oregon, 0.3% in California, 0% in New Jersey, and 0.1% in Virginia. The average percentage of 

the profiled communities was 0.2%, with a range from 0% to 2.1% (see Table 10). About 66% of the profiled 

communities include Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders, but only 3% of the communities include a Native 

Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander population that is greater than 1% of the total community population.

In 2000 about 12.5% of the population of the United States identified as Hispanic. Hispanics comprised 7.5% 

of Washington’s population, 8% of Oregon’s, 32.4% of California’s, 13.3% of New Jersey’s, and 4.7% of Virginia’s. 

On average, communities selected for profiling were 10% Hispanic, with a range of 0% to 76% (see Table 11).
32

Table 5. Profiled communities and all CDPs in Washington, Oregon, and California.

Population

Profiled

communities Total CDPs

Washington

500 6 (15%) 116 (21.6%)

501-5,000 16 (40%) 248 (46.2%)

5,001-25,000 9 (22.5%) 130 (24.2%)

>25,000 9 (22.5%) 48 (8.9%)

Number of communities 40 537

Oregon

500 5 (16%) 90 (26.7%)

501-5,000 17 (54.8%) 150 (44.5%)

5,001-25,000 8 (25.8%) 76 (22.6%)

>25,000 0 (0 %) 21 (6.2%)

Number of communities 31a 337

Californiab

500 8 (15.4%) 109 (10%)

501-5,000 6 (11.5%) 377 (34.6%)

5,001-25,000 14 (26.9%) 331 (30.4%)

>25,000 22 (42.3%) 266 (24.4%)

Number of communities 52c 1,089

a One Oregon community, Charleston, does not contain detailed demographic information.

b Two California communities, San Pedro and Terminal Island, do not contribute population data for this table, therefore, the 

percentages for California do not equal 100%.

c Two California communities are included in the Los Angeles profile, San Pedro and Terminal Island.

Table 6. Top profiled communities by white percentage of population in descending order (source: 2000 U.S. Census).

Community State 2000 population % White

Cloverdale OR 242 97.5

Chinook WA 457 96.5

Winchester Bay OR 488 96.1

Florence OR 7,263 95.9

Kneeland CA 244 95.9

Sisters OR 959 95.8

Rockaway Beach OR 1267 95.8

Port Orford OR 1153 95.4

Monument OR 151 95.3

Lopez Island WA 2,179 95.1

Grayland WA 1,002 95.1

Avila Beach CA 797 95.1
33

Table 7. Top profiled communities by black percentage of population in descending order (source: 2000 U.S. Census).

Community State 2000 population % Black

Pleasantville NJ 19,012 57.7

Long Beach CA 461,522 14.9

Marina CA 25,101 14.4

Seaside CA 31,696 12.6

Lakewood WA 58,211 12.3

El Sobrante CA 12,260 12.2

Culver City CA 38,816 12.0

Los Angeles CA 3,694,820 11.2

Tacoma WA 193,556 11.2

Seattle WA 563,374 8.4

Table 8. Top profiled communities by American Indian and Alaska Native percentage of population in descending order (source: 

2000 U.S. Census).

Community State 2000 population % Native

La Push WA 371 82.8

Neah Bay WA 794 78.2

Siletz OR 1,133 21.0

Bay Center WA 174 14.4

Logsden OR 251 9.6

Crescent City CA 4,006 6.1

Tokeland WA 194 5.7

Princeton CA 489 4.9

McKinleyville CA 13,599 4.6

Eureka CA 26,128 4.2

Fields Landing CA 213 4.2

Table 9. Top profiled communities by Asian percentage of population in descending order (source: 2000 U.S. Census).

Community State 2000 population % Asian

San Francisco CA 776,733 30.8

Torrance CA 137,946 28.6

San Jose CA 894,943 26.9

Marina CA 25,101 16.3

San Diego CA 1,223,400 13.6

Seattle WA 563,374 13.1

El Sobrante CA 12,260 12.5

Long Beach CA 461,522 12.0

Culver City CA 38,816 12.0

Seaside CA 31,696 10.1
34

Table 10. Top profiled communities by Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander percentage of population in descending order 

(source: 2000 U.S. Census).

Community State 2000 population

% Native Hawaiian or 

Other Pacific Islander 

Marina CA 25,101 2.1

Lakewood WA 58,211 1.8

Seaside CA 31,696 1.3

Long Beach CA 461,522 1.2

Tacoma WA 193,556 0.9

Blaine WA 3,770 0.7

Shelton WA 8,442 0.7

Costa Mesa CA 108,724 0.6

Seattle WA 563,374 0.5

Fields Landing CA 213 0.5

Port Hueneme CA 21,845 0.5

San Diego CA 1,223,400 0.5

San Francisco CA 776,733 0.5

Table 11. Top profiled communities by Hispanic percentage of population in descending order (source: 2000 U.S. Census).

Community State 2000 population % Hispanic

Santa Ana CA 337,977 76.1

Oxnard CA 170,358 66.2

Los Angeles CA 3,694,820 46.5

Port Hueneme CA 21,845 41.0

Long Beach CA 461,522 35.8

Valley Ford CA 60 35.0

Santa Barbara CA 92,325 35.0

Seaside CA 31,696 34.5

Costa Mesa CA 108,724 31.8

San Jose CA 894,943 30.2

Much like the states of Washington, Oregon, California, New Jersey, and Virginia, the majority of profiled 

communities have a fairly even ratio of men to women (see Table 12). Males comprise the following percentage of 

the population in each state: Washington 49.8%, Oregon 49.6%, California 49.8%, New Jersey 48.5%, and Virginia 

49%. By comparison, the world’s population is 50.4% male and the United States is 49.1% male. The percentage of 

profiled communities in each state (WA, OR, CA, NJ, VA) that had male populations greater than the state average 

were 22.5%, 26%, 40%, 0%, and 100% respectively.

A total of 85 communities (68%) selected for profiling have more females than males (see Table 13). Similar 

to the states in which these communities are found, the ratio of women to men in the majority of profiled communities 

is relatively balanced. Females comprise the following percentage of the population in each state: Washington, 

50.2%; Oregon, 50.4%; California, 50.2%; New Jersey, 51.5%; and Virginia, 51%. Overall the United States has 

slightly more females (50.9%). The percentage of profiled communities in each state (WA, OR, CA, NJ, VA) that had 

female populations greater than the state averages were 77%, 50%, 50%, 100%, and 0% respectively.

Many communities that have the highest ratio of women to men are in Washington (see Table 13). 

Communities in which the economy is increasingly comprised of tourist and retirement enterprises also tend to be 

those where the male/female balance skews toward female. This may be due to the fact that tourist sector jobs are 

service-oriented jobs that have historically been held by women, and because the demographics of elderly and 
35

Table 12. Top profiled communities by male percentage of population in descending order (source: 2000 U.S. Census).

Community State 2000 population % Male 

Marina CA 25,101 57.2

La Push WA 371 57.1

Neah Bay WA 794 55.3

Sunset Beach CA 1,097 54.6

Monument OR 151 54.3

Moss Landing CA 300 54.0

Winchester Bay OR 488 53.9

Valley Ford CA 60 53.3

Fields Landing CA 213 53.1

Half Moon Bay CA 11,842 53.0

Table 13. Top profiled communities by female percentage of population in descending order (source: 2000 U.S. Census).

Community State 2000 population % Female 

Sequim WA 4,334 57.7

Sebastapol CA 7,774 55.2

Cathlamet WA 565 55.2

Long Beach WA 1,283 55.2

Bandon OR 2,833 55.0

La Conner WA 761 54.8

Gig Harbor WA 6,465 54.5

Friday Harbor WA 1,989 54.3

Florence OR 7,263 54.1

Port Townsend WA 8,334 53.9

retirement communities often reflect the greater life expectancies of females. The Washington communities of 

Sequim, for example (with its tourist-orientation, lavender production, and weather-related retirement draw) and La 

Conner (the center of Washington’s tulip industry and the site of a large retirement home) are in the top 10 in terms of 

an imbalance of women over men. Similarly, Bandon, Oregon, recognized as an idyllic coastal town for many 

retirees, also appears in the top 10 of predominantly female communities.

The average age of residents of communities selected for profiling is 40 years, somewhat older than the U.S. 

average of 35.3 years. Approximately 26.4% of the communities profiled in this document have a lower median age 

than the U.S. average (see Table 14). Approximately 73.6% of the communities profiled in this document have a 

higher median age than the U.S. average (see Table 15). Median ages could not be ascertained for three of the 

communities (San Pedro and Terminal Island, California, and Charleston, Oregon). The average age of the profiled 

communities in each state was 39.7 in Washington, 43.2 in Oregon, 38.2 in California, 32.7 in New Jersey, and 41.2 in 

Virginia. The average age of residents in profiled communities varied greatly between states and communities. 

Several contain large populations of middle-aged individuals with families while others were retirement communities 

with few younger persons. Communities with tertiary education institutions often contained larger numbers of young 

to middle-aged individuals.
36

Table 14. Top 10 profiled communities by lowest age median of population (source: 2000 U.S. Census).

Community State 2000 population Age median 

Santa Ana CA 337,977 26.5

La Push WA 371 27.5

Neah Bay WA 794 28.9

Oxnard CA 170,358 28.9

Seaside CA 31,696 29.5

Fields Landing CA 213 29.8

Bay Center WA 174 30.0

Port Hueneme CA 21,845 30.3

Bellingham WA 67,171 30.4

Valley Ford CA 60 30.7

Table 15. Top 10 profiled communities by highest age median of population in descending order (source: 2000 U.S. Census).

Community State 2000 population Age median 

Harbor OR 2,622 59.5

Sequim WA 4,334 59.3

Avila Beach CA 797 58.9

Pebble Beach CA 4,590 57.2

Florence OR 7263 55.8

Pacific City OR 1,027 53.2

Rockaway Beach OR 1,267 52.5

Dillon Beach CA 319 51.5

Bodega Bay CA 1,423 50.9

Port Orford OR 1,153 50.5

3.1.3 History

Washington, Oregon, and California share some historical commonalities due to their contiguous positions 

along the West Coast. Most anthropologists agree the first North Americans descended from Siberian hunters who 

entered North America near the end of the Pleistocene Era over the Bering land bridge that linked the Asian and North 

American continents. As these populations migrated south and new migration waves occurred, distinct communities 

developed along the West Coast. Similarities between distinct cultural groups of the Northwest are evident in 

linguistic systems and lifestyles, particularly within geographic regions. Linked by man-made (trails, roads) and 

natural (coastal waters, mountain passes) features, the West Coast states were once home to large Indian populations 

that traveled throughout their ecological footprint and seasonally utilized local natural resources.

In 1803 the Louisiana Purchase initiated U.S. interest in exploration of the west. President Thomas Jefferson 

arranged for the Lewis and Clark Expedition to explore the newly acquired territory. Gradually the U.S. population 

spread west. The growth of the frontier and ensuing development of transportation systems (railways, roads, air, and 

water systems) have physically united residents across the nation.

Now individuals from around the United States participate in West Coast and North Pacific fisheries. The 

histories of Washington, Oregon, and California are discussed in this subsection. The histories of Pleasantville, New 

Jersey, and Seaford, Virginia, are contained in their individual community profiles.

Washington history—At one time the Northwest had as many as 125 distinct tribes and 50 distinct 

languages. Prominent productive activities among all local Native Americans included salmon fishing. For the outer 

coast tribes, ocean fishing (e.g., halibut) and marine mammal hunting were more important. Cedar trees also played 

an important role in the lives of local tribes and were used to construct longhouses and large canoes.
37

In 1775 the first regional contact between Indians and Europeans occurred with the arrival of the Spanish 

Captain Don Bruno de Heceta aboard the vessel Santiago, and Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Quadra aboard the 

Sonora. Three years later British explorer Captain James Cook sighted Cape Flattery. The Strait of Juan de Fuca was 

explored in 1779 by Captain Charles W. Barkley. Other expeditions followed, notably Captain George Vancouver’s 

1792 explorations, and there was a short-lived Spanish fort at Neah Bay, also in 1792. In 1790 an agreement between 

Spain and Great Britain opened the northwest to trappers and explorers, primarily from Britain and the United States. 

Around this same time, Captain Robert Gray discovered and named the Columbia River and in 1805 the Lewis and 

Clark Expedition entered Washington State. The Oregon Trail facilitated overland migration into the area known 

today as Puget Sound. Washington Territory was formed from a portion of Oregon Territory in 1853 after the first 

settlement of New Market (Tumwater) was established in 1846.

Agriculture and timber industries developed in the mid to late nineteenth century. Eastern Washington and 

the San Juan Islands were known for their apple orchards while Western Washington’s dense forests supplied timber 

(primarily Douglas fir) to shipping yards located on Puget Sound. In the 1850s California investors built the first 

lumber mills on the Kitsap Peninsula to meet demand created by the gold rush economy in California. The Northern 

Pacific Railroad, completed in the early 1880s, facilitated development of new markets to the east for lumber and 

agricultural products and dramatically affected economic opportunities for these important Washington products. 

Fishing, mining, and salmon canning also expanded.

In 1889 Washington became the forty-second state. At the time Seattle, Aberdeen, and Tacoma had already 

gained recognition as community centers. Seattle, a commercial location from the beginning, had a significant boat 

building industry and was an appropriate location to become a primary port for trade with Alaska, other areas of the 

country, and overseas. Aberdeen, the industrial center of Grays Harbor County, has been historically dependent upon 

the timber industry and was once known for excessive gambling and violence. The economy of Tacoma, south of 

Seattle, surged in the late 1800s when the Northern Pacific Railroad chose the area as its westernmost terminus. 

Tacoma was well known for its smelters, which produced gold and copper.

In 1937, coinciding with America’s Great Depression, the Bonneville Lock and Dam were completed on the 

Columbia River. The dam provided employment opportunities and hydroelectric power to plants in the area and 

enabled travel more than 150 miles upstream on the Columbia. Since the construction of the Bonneville Dam, several 

others have been built on the Columbia, providing irrigation, hydroelectric power, recreation opportunities, and jobs 

on both the Washington and Oregon sides of the river. Today the Columbia River basin has more hydroelectric 

development than any other river system in the world with 14 dams. These include three in British Columbia, seven 

in Washington and four along the Oregon-Washington border. Agriculture benefits greatly from irrigation. Dams, 

however, create obstructions for salmon migration. As a result, fish ladders were built on many of the Columbia 

River dams to facilitate the movement of diadromous fish and provide access to upstream spawning locations.

Many residents still practice livelihoods dependent on natural resources such as fishing, primarily in 

communities along the coast and many of the state’s rivers. Native Americans also play a prominent role in natural 

resource use in Washington State. A U.S. vs. Washington court decision in 1974, commonly known as the Boldt 

Decision, reaffirmed the treaty tribes’ reserved rights to fish in usual and accustomed locations. Similar harvest 

privileges have since been extended to other natural resources including shellfish. Some communities profiled in this 

document consist primarily of Indian tribal members; these communities have governing laws and unique 

socioeconomic structures distinct from other, predominantly non-Native communities.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Washington has about 5.9 million people. While some residents 

participate in the fishing, agriculture, and timber industries, more predominant businesses include computer software 

development, electronics, aircraft design and manufacturing, aluminum production, and tourism.

The Washington State Board of Education regulates Washington’s public education. Major areas of authority 

include accountability, basic education assistance, high school graduation requirements, home school testing and 

school approval, and accreditation. Institutes of higher education include the University of Washington, Washington 

State University, Eastern Washington University, Central Washington University, Western Washington University and 

Evergreen State College. Further information on Washington schools can be researched through the Board of 

Education Web site (http://www.sbe.wa.gov). There also are a number of private higher education institutions.
38

Oregon history—The Chinook, Nez Perce, Klamath, and Coos were among the first Indian tribes to reside 

in the Oregon area, subsisting off the region’s rich natural resources, particularly salmon, nuts, and berries. Several 

expeditions brought Native Americans into contact with Euro-Americans, most notably explorations by Captain 

James Cook in 1778 and Lewis and Clark in 1805–1806. Oregon Country was dominated by fur companies 

throughout the first half of the 1800s. Functioning as a de facto government prior to large-scale settlement, the 

Hudson’s Bay Company dominated the fur trade throughout much of British-controlled North America. In the early 

1840s settlers began to arrive in the Northwest using the Oregon Trail. In 1848 following the decision to define the 

U.S.-Canadian border at the 49th parallel, the Oregon Territory was organized. In 1859 Oregon became a state.

The latter half of the nineteenth century was characterized by the forced relocation of Indian populations to 

reservations, coupled with Euro-American settlement. Railroads entering the region in the 1880s allowed Oregon 

residents to market agricultural and timber products, encouraging development of cities. During the Industrial 

Revolution, the railway served to centralize populations in urban areas and encourage the development of small 

communities throughout Oregon’s countryside. During this time Chinese and Japanese immigrant populations 

increased dramatically.

Oregon’s economy is characterized by timber, agriculture, and most recently technology, service, and 

tourism. The Willamette Valley provides many agricultural products including dairy, potatoes, cattle, fruits, and 

hazelnuts. One of four major growing regions in the world, Oregon produces approximately 95% of the domestic 

hazelnuts. The state is also a leading U.S. producer of softwood lumber. The Portland metropolitan area has several 

large technology companies and retail business headquarters for multinational corporations such as Nike, with 

headquarters in nearby Beaverton.

The Oregon Department of Education administers public education. Priorities have been set to develop 

sustainable funding sources to address the achievement gap for minorities and disadvantaged students, support family 

and community involvement in public education, and improve efficiency in education management. There are seven 

public campuses in Oregon: Eastern Oregon University, Western Oregon University, Oregon Institute of Technology, 

Oregon State University, Portland State University, Southern Oregon University, and the University of Oregon. There 

are also many private higher education institutions. Further information on Oregon schools is available at the 

Department of Education Web site (http://www.ode.state.or.us).

California history—California’s 1,200 miles of coastal shoreline features natural harbors and plentiful 

beaches. The physical terrain of California is diverse with elevations ranging from the peak of 14,495 foot Mount 

Whitney to Death Valley, 282 feet below sea level. The Coast Range Mountains dominate the landscape from 

California’s northern border with Oregon south to Marin County, where the Peninsular and Transverse mountain 

ranges begin and continue along the Pacific. The Klamath and Cascade mountains, as well as the Modoc Plateau are 

on the state’s northern border. South of these are the Sacramento and San Joaquin river valleys. These valleys extend 

400 miles and are bounded by the Coastal Mountains and the Sierra Nevadas, the state’s largest mountain range. The 

arid Mojave Desert and the Salton Trough are east of the Sierra Nevadas in Southern California. Climatic conditions 

in California are also varied, with heavy snows in the high mountain ranges, mild temperatures along the coast, and 

dry conditions in the desert.

Native Americans populated the region long before European explorers arrived during the sixteenth century. 

Large Indian populations lived along the West Coast and hunted sea mammals, fished for salmon, and gathered 

shellfish, nuts, and berries. California’s Indian communities were diverse in their political organization with large 

nations such as the Chumash, Miwok, and Pomo and smaller bands and tribes occupying the resource rich coastal 

environments.

In 1769 Spain colonized the coastal areas. In 1821 California became part of the Mexican Republic following 

the Mexican War of Independence. Approximately 20 years later California was taken by the United States during the 

Mexican-American War of 1846–1848. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ended the war, and Mexico ceded 

California to the U.S. in exchange for $15 million. The California Gold Rush followed on the heels of the war and 

brought about 90,000 additional U.S. immigrants into the state. California became a state in 1850.

California’s complex geophysical landscape has helped shape its contemporary geographies and economies. 

Migration into California accelerated during the twentieth century due to completion of major transcontinental 

railroads and highways. California immigrants quickly recognized the region’s agricultural capacity and began 
39

irrigating during the summer months to facilitate production, particularly fruit. Today California’s predominant 

industry is agriculture, including fruit, nuts, vegetables, dairy, and wine.

California’s coastal waters supported subsistence, recreational, and commercial fisheries for centuries. 

Chinese fishermen played a major role in the early development of abalone and squid fisheries in the Monterey area 

around 1850. In San Francisco, and later in San Diego and also Monterey, Italian fishermen established themselves in 

the rock cod, sardine, halibut, and tuna fisheries.

Farming and fishing contributed prominently to California’s history and continue to employ many California 

residents.

There are several large urban centers in California, many of them on the coast, including San Diego, Los 

Angeles, San Jose, and San Francisco. Significant iconic economic resources are also affiliated with these cities, 

including the Hollywood entertainment industry, Silicon Valley’s computer and technology products and services, and 

the celebrated wine producing areas of Santa Barbara and Northern California. Important seaports are the Port of 

Oakland, the Port of Los Angeles, and the Port of Long Beach. The ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles form the 

largest port complex in the nation, managing approximately a quarter of all container and break-bulk cargo traffic in 

the United States.

A state constitutional mandate requires 40% of the state’s revenue be spent on public education. California 

has two major collegiate education structures. The University of California system consists of nine general campuses 

and several federal laboratories, and is the state’s leading research institution. The California State University system 

consists of 23 campuses. In addition, California has numerous private, religious, and special-purpose schools at the 

elementary, secondary, and collegiate levels.

3.2 Infrastructure

3.2.1 Current Economy

In 2000 the U.S. Census Bureau conducted an Economic Census that profiled American businesses from 

national to local levels. Conducted every five years, the Economic Census uses the North American Industrial 

Classification System (NAICS), which breaks industries down into 20 economic sectors. These sectors are: 1) 

agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting; 2) mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction; 3) utilities, 4) 

construction, 5) manufacturing, 6) wholesale trade, 7) retail trade, 8) transportation and warehousing, 9) information, 

10) finance and insurance, 11) real estate and rental and leasing, 12) professional, scientific, and technical services; 

13) management of companies and enterprises, 14) administrative and support and waste management and 

remediation services, 15) education services, 16) health care and social assistance, 17) arts, entertainment, and 

recreation; 18) accommodation and food services, 19) other services (except public administration), and 20) public 

administration. Employment data on “agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting” and “public administration” are 

available through the 2000 U.S. Census in Summary File 3 (SF3), which presents detailed population and housing 

data.

The NAICS, developed in cooperation with Canada and Mexico, is based on a production-oriented 

conceptual framework that groups establishments into industries based on the activity in which they are primarily 

engaged. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics defines an industry as a group of establishments 

primarily engaged in producing or handling the same product or group of products or in rendering the same services. 

See Table 16 for the top five industries in Washington, Oregon, and California.

One way of analyzing the importance of a given economic sector to the state’s economy is to compare the 

value or sale of products and payroll and employment levels across industry groups (see Table 17 through Table 19). 

Data collected during the 2002 Economic Census enumerates establishments, product values, annual payroll, and paid 

employees. Definitions for data categories vary across sectors because each has unique operating practices and 

organizational structures. See the U.S. Census Bureau Web site (www.census.gov) for additional information on the 

economies of Washington, Oregon, and California.

Employment data on the industrial sector of agriculture, forestry, fishing, hunting, and mining were captured 

in a sample of the population (generally one-in-six) who participated in the 2000 U.S. Census. According to the 
40

Table 16. Top five industries by number of establishments in Washington, Oregon, and California. These data rankings do not 

consider “public administration” and “agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting” (source: http://www.census.gov/econ/

census02/guide/geosumm.htm).

Top five industries Number of establishments

Washington

Retail trade 22,564

Construction 21,701

Professional, scientific and technical services 16,963

Health care and social assistance 16,493

Accommodation and food services 13,699

Oregon

Retail trade 14,277

Construction 11,854

Professional, scientific and technical services 10,141

Health care and social assistance 9,975

Accommodation and food services 8,816

California

Retail trade 108,941

Professional, scientific and technical services 100,284

Health care and social assistance 88,249

Construction 69,023

Accommodation and food services 66,568

sample, the percentages of the employed civilian population 16 years of age and older employed in farming, fishing, 

or forestry occupations in Washington, Oregon, and California were 1.6%, 1.7%, and 1.3% respectively. On a 

national scale, 0.7% of the population was employed in farming, fishing, or forestry occupations.

There are two important reasons why data on employment in farming, fishing, and forestry might be 

artificially low. The first reason concerns why fishing may be missed in occupational census data, even when 

demographic data on fishermen are otherwise included in the census. The second reason indicates the means by 

which the census may miss fishermen altogether. A more thorough investigation of the analysis of these occupations 

may be warranted in order to fully explain the complexities.

1. The Census “reference week” method of counting employment based on job activities undertaken in the one 

week before completing census forms. Many commercial fishing occupations are not permanent or full time 

and the individual may identify with one or more other occupations when completing the census.

2. In general fishermen might be unavailable for long periods of time, including those periods during which the 

U.S. Census is conducted. Some research suggests fishermen, particularly crew, are a highly mobile and 

therefore marginalized population. Without long-term stable residences, some fishermen may be missed in 

census counts.5

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the percentages of the potential labor force employed in Washington, 

Oregon, and California were 66.2%, 65.1%, and 65.2% respectively. The unemployment rates for Washington, 

Oregon, and California in 2000 were 8.3%, 8.1%, and 7.6% respectively. The national averages for the percent of 

population in the labor force, percent employed, and unemployment rate were 65.9%, 60.8%, and 7.2% 

respectively.The 2000 U.S. Census reports 10.6%, 11.6%, and 14.2% of the respective populations in Washington, 

Oregon, and California lived below the poverty level in 1999. The national average was 12.4%. The median 

household incomes in 1999 in Washington, Oregon, and California were $45,776, $40,916, and $47,493 respectively. 

The per capita income in these three states in the same year was $22,973, $20,940, and $22,711. The national 

averages for median household income and per capita income in 1999 were $41,994 and $21,587 respectively.
41

Table 17. Top five industries by production valuea ($1,000)/measurement in Washington, Oregon, and California. These data 

rankings do not consider “public administration” and “agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting” (source: http://

www.census.gov/econ/census02/guide/geosumm.htm).

Top five industries Production valueb ($1,000) measurement

Washington

Wholesale trade 84,634,499/ Sales

Manufacturing 79,313,884/ Value of shipments

Retail trade 65,262,333/ Sales

Construction 27,916,123/ Dollar value of work completed

Health care and social assistance 24,707,761/ Receipts

Oregon

Wholesale trade 56,585,958/ Sales

Manufacturing 45,864,552/ Value of shipments

Retail trade 37,896,022/ Sales

Health care and social assistance 13,860,847/ Receipts

Construction 13,772,785/ Dollar value of work completed

California

Wholesale trade 655,954,708/ Sales

Manufacturing 378,661,141/ Value of shipments

Retail trade 359,120,365/ Sales

Construction 150,527,556/ Dollar value of work completed

Health care and social assistance 136,397,384/ Receipts

a Production value varies in response to each industry sector’s measure of productivity. Examples: in construction the 

production value equals the dollar value of the work completed; in wholesale trade the production value equals the total sales; in 

professional, scientific and technical services the production value equals the receipts from clients. Production value categories 

are further explained according to each industry report.

b For California, there is no “production value” information available for the categories of information, finance and 

insurance, or utilities. 

The following statistical information on housing units comes from the Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF1) 

and can be found on the U.S. Census Web site (www.census.gov). In 2000 Washington had 2,451,075 housing units, 

Oregon 1,452,709, and California 12,214,549. Total housing units in the United States were 115,904,641. Of all 

occupied housing units, 64.6%, 64.3%, and 56.9% were by owner and 35.4%, 35.7%, and 43.1% were by renter in 

Washington, Oregon, and California. These figures compare to the national percentage of 66.2% by owner and 33.8% 

by renter.

In Washington, Oregon, and California about 7.3%, 8.2%, and 5.8% of the housing units were vacant, of 

which 2.5%, 2.5%, and 1.9% were vacant due to seasonal, recreational, or occasional use. On a national level, 5.8% 

of the housing units were vacant, and 1.9% of these vacancies were due to seasonal, recreational, or occasional use as 

defined by the U.S. Census.

3.2.2 Governance

West Coast communities generate revenue in a variety of ways depending on a community’s municipal 

structure within the state and the regulations applicable to each state. Washington has first class and second class 

cities, and optional “code” cities and towns. Oregon communities are either incorporated or unincorporated. 

California cities are either charter cities or general law cities. Section 3.1.2 provides more detail on the systems of 

community structure particular to each state. The community profiles provide a more detailed description of each 

community’s governance. Individual profiles also contain information on the sales and lodging taxes levied by each.
42

Table 18. Top five industries by annual payroll ($1,000) in Washington, Oregon, and California. These data rankings do not 

consider “public administration” and “agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting” (source: http://www.census.gov/econ/

census02/guide/geosumm.htm).

Top five industries Annual payroll ($1,000)

Washington

Construction 27,916,123

Manufacturing 11,163,873

Health and social assistance 10,328,590

Information 10,262,455

Professional, scientific and technical services 7,566,562

Oregon

Manufacturing 7,173,223

Health and social assistance 5,561,201

Retail trade 3,998,810

Professional, scientific and technical services 3,594,757

Construction 3,103,299

California

Manufacturing 66,468,561

Professional, scientific and technical services 61,995,937

Health and social assistance 51,786,504

Finance and insurance 42,647,825

Wholesale trade 39,060,893

Table 19. Top five industries by paid employees in Washington, Oregon, and California. These data rankings do not consider 

“public administration” and “agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting” (source: http://www.census.gov/econ/census02/

guide/geosumm.htm).

Top five industries Number of paid employees

Washington

Health and social assistance 301,315

Retail trade 296,507

Manufacturing 265,010

Accommodation and food services 199,652

Construction 167,874

Oregon

Manufacturing 184,151

Wholesale trade 183,706

Health and social assistance 165,787

Accommodation and food services 130,010

Construction 87,977

California

Manufacturing 1,616,504

Wholesale trade 1,525,113

Health and social assistance 1,434,479

Professional, scientific and technical services 1,164,306

Accommodation and food services 1,145,536
43

Washington tax information—Several taxes directly impact commercial and recreational fishermen. 

Commercial fishermen operating in Washington waters are subject to the state’s Business and Occupation Tax under 

the “extraction” classification (0.48%); those fishing outside of Washington waters but selling fish within Washington 

are subject to the tax under either the wholesaling or retailing classifications (0.48% and 0.47% respectively), unless 

the fish are sold in interstate or foreign commerce.6 Those who both catch and sell fish in Washington are eligible for 

a Multiple Activities Tax Credit.7

Washington levies a Food, Fish, and Shellfish Tax, paid by the first commercial processor of food fish or 

shellfish, including Chinook, coho, and chum salmon or eggs (5.62%); sea urchins/cucumbers (4.92%); sockeye and 

pink salmon or eggs (3.37%); shellfish and other food fish or eggs (2.25%); and oysters (0.09%). Tuna, mackerel, and 

jackfish are exempt from this tax. Additionally, an Enhanced Food Fish Tax applies to the first possession of 

enhanced food fish by an owner in Washington state and is based on the value of the enhanced food fish at the point of 

landing.8 The rate of the tax depends upon the species of fish or shellfish.

Vessels used part-time for commercial fishing purposes are subject to an annual Washington Watercraft 

Excise Tax levied at 0.5% of the boat’s fair market value. Vessels used for commercial fishing purposes full-time are 

subject to personal property taxes at a base rate levied by the state. Washington also levies a 10% excise tax on 

fishing equipment, a 3% tax on electric motors and sonar fish finders, and import duties on tackle and pleasure boats 

to fund sportfish restoration programs.9 The state levies a motor vehicle fuel tax of $0.28 per gallon. Since most of 

this tax is used to maintain roads, Washington boaters are entitled to a refund of about $0.17 per gallon. The 

difference includes state sales tax and a penny per gallon contribution to the Coastal Protection Fund. Most diesel 

fuel sold at docks is already free of this tax.10

Income from participation in treaty fishing rights is not subject to Washington taxes. This benefit is limited to 

fishing businesses exclusively owned and operated by Indians or tribes who have treaty fishing rights.

Washington has no state income tax, relying primarily on a statewide sale tax for general revenue. Further 

Washington tax information can be researched through the Washington Department of Revenue (http://dor.wa.gov/).

Oregon tax information—Oregon has no general sales tax, relying primarily on a state income tax for 

general revenue. A 1% overnight lodging tax funds the Oregon Tourism Commission. Property tax is determined by 

a permanent rate set for the taxing district. The rate ranges from $7 to $15 per $1,000 of real market value. Assessed 

values are limited to a 3% annual growth rate.

Fishing businesses in Oregon, or deriving income from Oregon resources, pay a corporate excise or income 

tax totaling 6% of their net Oregon income. Wholesale fish dealers, canners, and bait dealers pay a landing fee 

determined on a percentage of the value of the food fish purchased from commercial harvesters. Salmon and 

Steelhead Restoration and Enhancement landing fees are $0.05 per pound for round, $0.0575 per pound for dressed, 

and $0.0605 per pound for dressed with heads off. Other regular landing fees are based on value; salmon and 

steelhead are at 3.15% of value (including eggs and parts). All other fish and shellfish are at 1.09% of value, and 

near-shore species are at 5% of value.

Vessel owners pay registration and title fees and marine fuel taxes that support boating facilities, marine law 

enforcement, and boating safety education. Fishing boats and equipment may be taxed as personal property if they 

are valued at less than $1 million. If their value exceeds this amount, they are taxed as industrial property. In 2004 

title transfer fees were $30 and registration fees were $3 per foot based on center length of vessel. Oregon levies a 

fuel tax of $0.24 per gallon. The Oregon Department of Agriculture administers four commodity commissions, 

Oregon Albacore Commission, Oregon Dungeness Crab Commission, Oregon Salmon Commission, and Oregon 

Trawl Commission. Fishermen pay fees to these commissions for marketing and lobbying on behalf of fishermen 

involved in the specific fisheries.

Income from participation in treaty fishing rights related activity is exempt from state or federal taxes.

Individuals seeking to operate a shellfish operation on state-owned tidal lands can apply for a lease to 

cultivate clams or mussels. If the application is approved, the Oregon Department of Agriculture collects cultivation 

fees and use taxes.

Further Oregon tax information can be researched through the Oregon Department of Revenue (http://

www.oregon.gov/DOR/).
44

California tax information—California assesses commercial vessels, charter boats, and oceanographic 

research vessels at 4% of their full cash value.11 Vessels registered with the Department of Motor Vehicles or the U.S. 

Coast Guard are assessed property taxes by the county where it is moored.12 Some commercial vessels are also 

subject to a Ballast Water Management Fee of about $500 per voyage.13 California levies a fuel tax of $0.18 per 

gallon, of which a portion goes to marine safety and education programs and boating facility administration and 

development.14

California levies landing taxes paid by fishermen and fish processors involved in the retail sale of fish 

products. These taxes vary by species and range between $.0013 and $.0125 per pound.15 The California Department 

of Agriculture administers two commodity commissions, the California Salmon Council and the California Sea 

Urchin Commission, which charge fees for marketing and lobbying on behalf of fishermen involved in the fisheries.16

In some cases fishing services employers in California are responsible for reporting wages paid to their 

employees and paying Unemployment Insurance and an Employment Training Tax. The Employment Development 

Department defines wages as remuneration for services performed, including cash payments, commissions, share of 

the boat’s or boats’ catch, bonuses, and the reasonable cash value of nonmonetary payments such as meals, sleeping 

quarters, and employee benefits.17

California levies a statewide sales and use tax and a state income tax. Most California counties levy a tax on 

overnight lodging that ranges from 4% to 12%.18

3.2.3 Facilities

Roads—The communities profiled in this document vary in accessibility. Major road systems that connect 

Washington, Oregon and California include U.S. Highway 101 (also known as the Pacific Coast highway) and 

Interstate Highway 5, which runs about 1,376 miles from San Diego, California, to Blaine, Washington. Washington 

State is also the westernmost terminus for Interstate Highway 90 that crosses 13 states from Seattle, Washington, to 

Boston, Massachusetts. Each state also has its own highway system.

Seaports—Major port facilities and operations include activity in marine cargo and shipping, commercial 

fishing, passenger vessels (such as ferries), and recreational and transient vessels (i.e., sail boats, sport crafts). The 

largest West Coast fishing ports (in consideration of value and quantity of fish landings) include: Westport, IlwacoChinook, and Bellingham in Washington; Astoria, Newport, and Coos Bay-Charleston in Oregon; and Los Angeles, 

Port Hueneme-Oxnard-Ventura, and Moss Landing in California.

Major international airports include: Los Angeles (LAX), San Francisco (SFO), Portland (PDX), and Seattle/

Tacoma (SEA). Many other communities have smaller airport facilities.

Rail systems—Historically significant, railroad transport for passengers and cargo is available between 

Washington, Oregon, and California. Several cities provide public railways as an important component of metro 

transport systems. Notable examples include the San Diego trolley system, the Los Angeles rail system, San 

Francisco’s Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) and Caltrain, and Portland’s Metropolitan Area Express (MAX).

Utility systems and fire/medical systems—Because the range of communities in the Washington, 

Oregon, and California coastal regions is diverse, utility, fire, and medical facilities are difficult to generalize. Most 

communities have access to basic utilities such as electricity, water and wastewater services, and telephone coverage. 

More advanced utility features such as cable networks, cellular phone service providers, and high speed or wireless 

internet are also common. Smaller communities without water and wastewater services that match services of more 

urban areas are subject to growth limitations. Though medical facilities or educational institutions may also be more 

limited in the smaller coastal towns, transportation systems and communication networks generally allow the public 

access to necessary services within a reasonable time frame. The environmental setting of the western states, 

however, is such that geologic features (such as mountains and earthquake zones) and dynamic weather (rain, snow, 

high winds) may make it difficult to assume completely consistent utility features along the Pacific coast.

Tourism—Tourists are drawn to coastal communities in Washington, Oregon, and California to explore 

diverse outdoor environments. Attractions include marine reserve sites, ecotourism developments, historical ports, 

lighthouses, mission sites, art galleries, shopping, fishing, and local seafood. Many West Coast communities boast of 

their maritime and commercial fishing history to help attract visitors. For example Monterrey, California, touts itself 
45

as the setting for John Steinbeck’s literary classic Cannery Row and the home of the Monterrey Bay Aquarium. 

Elephant seals of San Simeon and sea lions in San Francisco are advertised as tourist attractions. Astoria, Oregon, 

holds an annual “Fisher Poet’s Gathering” to bring together writers with creative descriptions about the local fishing 

industry. Washington’s San Juan Islands are well-known as home to the southern resident killer whales. The 

community of Port Townsend promotes itself as a Victorian seaport with historic homes converted into vacation bed 

and breakfast locations and maritime themed restaurants and art galleries.

3.3 Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

3.3.1 Commercial Fishing

Federal and state fisheries are conducted in the marine waters of the U.S. West Coast. The National Oceanic 

and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries Service oversees federal fisheries management. The Pacific 

Fishery Management Council (PFMC) manages fisheries in the West Coast region. It is one of eight regional councils 

established by the 1976 Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act (reauthorized 12 January 2007). This 

agency creates management plans for fisheries in the exclusive federal economic zone (3 to 200 miles offshore). 

Major fisheries include coastal pelagic species, highly migratory species (HMSP), ground fish, and salmon. Fourteen 

representatives from Washington, Oregon, California and Idaho comprise the PFMC.

State agencies manage fisheries inside 3 nautical miles and include the Washington Department of Fish and 

Wildlife, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the California Department of Fish and Game. The Alaska 

Department of Fish and Game also contributes information relevant to West Coast fishermen, who also fish in Alaska.

Several tribal coalitions are organized for fisheries issues, including the Klamath River Intertribal Fish and 

Water Commission (Klamath Basin, Northern California), the Columbia River Intertribal Fish Commission (Portland, 

Oregon) and the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission (Olympia, Washington).

Other major fishery research agencies include Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission (Portland), 

National Sea Grant Program (at universities in California, Oregon, and Washington), the North Pacific Marine 

Science Organization (PICES) (Sydney, British Columbia), the Pacific Salmon Commission (Vancouver, British 

Columbia), and the International Pacific Halibut Commission (Seattle, Washington).

Federally managed coastal pelagic species—Coastal pelagic species include northern anchovy, market 

squid, Pacific bonito, Pacific saury, Pacific herring, Pacific sardine, Pacific (chub or blue) mackerel, and jack 

(Spanish) mackerel.

Pacific sardines caught in the California region accounted for 23% of the 2004 landings by volume on the 

West Coast. In 2005 the top three California ports for sardine landings were Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, and 

Monterey. Sardines are also landed in Astoria, Oregon.

Historically the Pacific sardine fishery grew as a food fishery during World War I and peaked in 1936. The 

California agricultural sector also expanded rapidly at this time and though the use of sardines for fish meal fertilizer 

(rather than a human food fishery) was controversial, there were many ways that processing plants developed the fish 

meal sector.

In the 1930s and 1940s sardines were the largest fishery in the Western Hemisphere. From the 1940s to the 

1960s, the fishery gradually declined, culminating in a legislative emergency moratorium in 1967 which developed 

into a complete moratorium in 1974. The moratorium was lifted in 1986 and the fishery is now considered fully 

recovered. The product is generally used for fishmeal, oil, live and frozen bait, or canned for human consumption.

Sardine seine fishing in Washington currently operates under a trial basis, and the Makah tribe informed the 

PFMC in 2006 of its intent to enter the fishery.

Market squid are discussed in more detail in the state-managed fishery subsection.

Most coastal pelagic species live in large schools relatively close to the surface. They are targeted with 

round-haul gear such as dip nets, purse seines, drum seines, lampara gear (a semicircle surrounding net with the leadline shorter than the float-line, hauled by a single vessel). Many nets are regulated by mesh size and/or fathom 

restrictions. The southern California fleet is commonly known as the wetfish fleet.
46

Incidental catch or bycatch of coastal pelagic species can occur with mid-water trawls, pelagic trawls, gill 

nets, trammel nets (gill nets that are set at or near the ocean floor), trolls, pots, hook-and-line, and jigs.

Coastal pelagic species often exist in dynamic boom or bust biomass cycles and can complicate fisheries 

management due to extreme annual variation. Research suggests sardines and anchovies vary in abundance by 

oceanic temperature regimes with anchovies favoring cold water cycles and sardines favoring warm water cycles. 

Squid populations also vary widely due to water temperature.

Highly migratory species—These species include tuna, sharks, bill fish, sword fish and others. Though 

managed by PFMC, a large portion of these fish are landed outside the continental United States. For example in 

1999, 78% of tuna landings for the U.S. purse seine fleet went to American Samoa.19

Albacore tuna is the primary species harvested in this category and in 1903 was a popular canned species in 

San Pedro Bay, California. Direct fishing efforts gradually caught on in Northern California, Oregon, and 

Washington and eventually extended farther west into the central Pacific Ocean.

Common gear used to harvest HMSP include troll, drift gill net (most commonly used for swordfish and 

shark), harpoon, long line, and seine. Gear selection depends on the species.

Highly migratory species require international monitoring and cooperative management efforts. Only a very 

small portion of the fishing actually occurs inside U.S. waters within 200 miles of the West Coast. The PFMC works 

with the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council to create appropriate management plans. Other treaties, 

agreements and organizations include the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission and the United Nation’s 

Conservation and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks. Major contemporary 

concerns include overfishing of bigeye tuna, incidental take of sea turtles and dolphins, and the vulnerability of sharks 

to the illegal activity of “shark finning.”

Major research institutes such as Stanford University’s Tuna Research and Conservation Center in Monterey 

Bay work to bring together academics, fishermen, scientists, and volunteers to advance the understanding of some of 

these issues.

Groundfish—PFMC manages more than 82 species of ground fish, grouped into five categories: rockfish, 

flatfish, roundfish, sharks and skates, and “other.” The majority of the commercial groundfish fisheries occurs along 

the Pacific shelf and slope area.

Pacific whiting/hake is a high-volume, low-value roundfish that accounts for 24% of fishery landings by 

weight on the West Coast. The fishery has three sectors: the catcher-processor fleet processes fish on-board, mother 

ship processors take deliveries from catcher vessels at sea, and some catcher vessels deliver fish to shoreside 

processing plants. Major ports for Pacific whiting delivery are Eureka, California, and Astoria and Newport in 

Oregon.

Hake has been commercially pursued since before 1900, however, in the early 1900s hake was primarily an 

incidental catch. In 1964 the industry expanded with mid-water trawl telemetry techniques. Much like the walleye 

pollock industry in Alaska, the hake fishery attracted foreign trawlers from Japan and Korea until the Magnuson 

Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976, which initiated a period of rapid expansion in the domestic fleet.

In the 1980s and 1990s, the shore-based delivery of Pacific whiting increased significantly. At the time, the 

primary ports of delivery were Eureka and Crescent City, California. In 1996 the Makah Tribe in Washington 

requested and later received an allocation to fulfill tribal entitlements defined in U.S. vs. Washington (Boldt Decision).

Rockfish species are managed by the location where they are most often caught. Location categories include 

nearshore, shelf and slope. The offshore environment is considered relatively stable while the nearshore area is more 

subject to pollution and habitat alteration.

Groundfish are primarily caught using trawl gear. Trawling began on the Pacific coast in 1876 when nets 

were towed between sail vessels. Steam power replaced sails and diesel engines replaced steam in the 1920s. 

Washington trawlers historically fished as far north as Queen Charlotte Sound in British Columbia until Canada 

closed these waters to U.S. fishermen in 1978.
47

The wide variety of species allows for a diversity of capture methods including troll, long line, pots, and gill 

nets. These gear types historically harvest sablefish, rockfish, and lingcod. Gill nets (including trammel nets set near 

the bottom) historically harvest halibut, flounder, rays, and skates.

In January 2000 the U.S. Secretary of Commerce declared the West Coast groundfish industry a disaster. In 

1999 nine West Coast groundfish stocks were considered overfished: bocaccio, canary rockfish, cowcod, 

darkblotched rockfish, lingcod, Pacific ocean perch, Pacific whiting, widow rockfish, and yelloweye rockfish.20 

Pacific whiting, generally a very productive species and commercially important, has since recovered and is no longer 

considered an overfished stock.21

In 2003 NOAA implemented a fisheries capacity reduction program (buyback) which removed 91 trawl 

vessels from the West Coast groundfish fisheries. These vessels had endorsements for several other fisheries in the 

West Coast and Alaska region.

The PFMC is considering alternatives to develop a Trawl Individual Quota program. This is intended to 

improve management of the Pacific whiting fishery. Complexities of the program include determination of 

appropriate eligibility, processor shares, permit leasing and permit stacking, and further analysis of privatization of 

the resource.

Salmon—State, federal, and tribal entities jointly manage salmon. The PFMC fishery management plan 

(FMP) is designed to attain optimum yield of commercial salmon in Washington, Oregon, and California that can be 

caught in the council’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) jurisdiction. Salmon species managed by the council are 

Chinook, coho and odd-year pink salmon. Other salmon species (even-year pink, sockeye, chum, steelhead, and searun cutthroat) are not included in the FMP.

The council coordinates with international and local agencies in order to effectively approach the wide range 

of issues and concerns related to successful and sustainable salmon management in Pacific coastal areas. A salmon 

advisory subpanel comprised of several stakeholder groups (tribes, processors, sport/charter interests, commercial 

gear groups) and a salmon technical team advise the council on annual salmon related decisions.

Salmon are typically harvested by troll (hook-and-line gear suspended from poles), seine (a net capture 

method which draws fish into a “purse” or “bag”) or drift net (webbing entangles the salmon directly). Some tribal 

subsistence fisheries use dip nets. Salmon seasons vary depending on species and location.

Due to urban expansion and correlated habitat reduction in the Pacific Northwest, Pacific salmon have 

declined to only 5% of their historic abundance. Fifteen different groups of Pacific salmon and steelhead are now 

listed under the Endangered Species Act, which requires implementation of salmon recovery areas. In the Pacific 

Northwest recovery areas include Puget Sound, Upper Columbia, Middle Columbia, Snake River, Oregon Coast, 

Lower Columbia/Willamette River, southwest Washington, southern Oregon, and northern Oregon Coast.

In August 2005 Oregon and California salmon fisheries were declared commercial failures. For several years 

prior to the declaration, drought conditions in the Klamath Basin of northern California seriously degraded critical 

salmon habitat and contributed to fatal parasitic conditions and high mortality rates.

Market conditions for wild salmon have been affected by competition from farmed salmon. Industry growth 

has occurred on a domestic and international scale.

State-managed crab fisheries—Dungeness crab is named for the small community of Dungeness, 

Washington, located on the Strait of Juan de Fuca. This was the first known commercial fishing location for the 

species and is said to be the oldest known shellfish fishery of the North Pacific coast. A small fishery began in 1848 

and grew through the late 1800s. It is the only commercially important crab within Washington’s territorial waters.22

In 1997 a congressional decision gave authority to Washington, Oregon, and California to manage Dungeness 

crab in state waters (0–3 nautical miles offshore) and federal waters (3–200 nautical miles offshore). This species 

accounts for 28% of the value of all species landed in West Coast ports. Under the Pacific States Marine Fisheries 

Commission, the three states have developed a consultation agreement called the Dungeness Crab Tri-State Process to 

reduce effort shifting.
48

In all three states, the basic management strategy is referred to as 3-S, which stands for sex, size, and season. 

The 3-S rule stipulates only male crabs of a certain size in an appropriate season can be commercially harvested. All 

others must be returned to the sea.

Crab is caught with pot gear from December until March, though the Puget Sound fishery occasionally starts 

earlier. Puget Sound fishermen generally use smaller boats and lighter pots than those who work on the outer coast. 

Crab pots are set in places where they can easily target the appropriate species; there is very little bycatch in this 

fishery.

State-managed shellfish—Shellfish (i.e., oysters, Pacific geoduck, and Manila clams) are valuable statemanaged species.

Washington is the primary West Coast oyster producer. Harvested species include Olympia, Pacific, Eastern, 

and Kumamoto oysters. Olympia oysters are native to the area and are generally quite small. In the early 1900s 

California also contributed to the national oyster industry, especially in San Francisco Bay and Morro Bay. 

Eventually these locations became unsuitable due to increased population and industrial pollution. Today Humboldt 

Bay grows oysters suitable for market.

Washington law authorizes specific tidal tracts for the harvest of geoduck clams in the Willapa Bay area. The 

Manila clam was accidentally introduced to Washington State in oyster seed shipments from Japan. The animal 

quickly acclimated to West Coast waters and is now found from British Columbia to northern California.23

Shellfish can be cultivated on natural tidal flats or in holding tanks. Shellfish are filter feeders. Due to 

concentrations of chemicals, bacteria, viruses, or marine bio-toxins, commercial shellfish can only be grown or 

harvested in certified harvest sites and licensed facilities. Attention to these issues provides secondary benefits to 

human health and the environment in places where commercial shellfish operations occur. However, shellfish are 

also susceptible to disease, and the U.S. Food and Drug administration frequently issues warnings regarding closure 

areas or contaminated stocks. Oysters are of particular concern because they are typically consumed raw.

Nearshore fisheries (and other marine species harvest)—Herring fisheries in Washington 

historically occur inside Puget Sound and include a sport bait fishery and a spawn-on-kelp fishery. Oregon herring 

are extremely sparse with only one commercial fishery that occurs in Yaquina Bay on the north coast. Herring 

fisheries are pursued in four districts in California: San Francisco Bay, Tomales Bay, Humboldt Bay, and the Crescent 

City Harbor area.

Salmon, though generally harvested in nearshore areas, are jointly managed by the state and federal 

government. Salmon fisheries are described in greater detail in the federal overview.

Squid (pelagic invertebrates) are commercially targeted by seine vessels during the summer spawning season 

in depths of 50–150 feet. They are primarily harvested in near shore areas where eggs are deposited over sandy ocean 

floor. The fishery typically occurs at night with the use of bright lights that attract the squid to the surface. The use of 

lights has a controversial history. They were banned in the Monterey area from 1959 to 1988 due to the occurrence of 

light use on piers and to collect squid with dip nets.24 Major squid fisheries occur in central California near Monterey 

and southern California near the Channel Islands and San Diego County. California market squid are used for 

calamari and bait.

Pacific kelp is one of the top 10 marine products by weight processed in the West Coast region. It is the only 

plant species that appears on Table 20. Kelp is generally harvested from kelp forests in the Monterey area or Southern 

California. Kelp is a source of algin, a thickening and gelling agent used in foods as well as pharmaceutical and 

cosmetic products. In the early 1900s kelp was harvested as a source of acetone and potash and used to manufacture 

explosives during World War I.25

Commercial fishing summary—In 2004 fish landings in Washington, Oregon, and California totaled 

86,581.4 metric tons, 133,698.7 metric tons and 171,793 metric tons respectively. The combined fish landings in 

Washington, Oregon, and California amounted to 392,073.1 metric tons. A few key species contribute the majority of 

this harvest. Hake/Pacific whiting and Pacific sardine are especially significant (see Table 20). By the same token, 

key species such as Dungeness crab and Pacific oyster contribute the most value to landings (see Table 21).
49

Table 20. Top 10 species by landings (weight) in Washington, Oregon, and California combined.*

Rank State Species

Landings 

(metric tons)

% of total landings 

(all species)

1 OR Hake/Pacific whiting 59,076 15.0%

2 CA Pacific sardine 44,218 11.3%

3 CA California market squid 39,964 10.2%

4 OR Pacific sardine 36,111 9.2%

5 CA Seaweed/kelp 33,724 8.6%

6 WA Hake/Pacific whiting 31,351 8.0%

7 OR Dungeness crab 12,370 3.0%

8 CA Dungeness crab 11,285 2.9%

9 WA Pacific sardine 8,934 2.3%

10 WA Albacore tuna 8,185 2.0%

Top 10 species combined 285,218 72.5%

Total landings (all species) 392,073 100%

* Source: NOAA annual commercial landings statistics, 2004. Online at http://www.st.nmfs.gov/st1/commercial/landings/

annual_landings.html.

Table 21. Top 10 species by landings (value) in Washington, Oregon, and California combined.*

Rank State Species Value

% of total value

(all species)

1 OR Dungeness crab $42,957,084 10.6%

2 CA Dungeness crab $40,625,137 10.0%

3 WA Dungeness crab $29,023,544 7.0%

4 WA Pacific oyster $29,016,179 7.0%

5 WA Pacific geoduck clam $25,582,794 6.3%

6 CA California market squid $19,723,439 4.9%

7 CA Chinook salmon $17,746,439 4.4%

8 WA Albacore tuna $15,657,327 3.9%

9 WA Manila clam $15,395,568 3.8%

10 OR Chinook salmon $12,237,372 3.0%

Top 10 species combined $247,964,883 60.9%

Total value of landings (all species) $404,656,280 100%

* Source: NOAA annual commercial landings statistics, 2004. Online at http://www.st.nmfs.gov/st1/commercial/landings/

annual_landings.html.

3.3.2 Fish Processing, Landings and Value

Processing companies—The majority of West Coast processing firms are multispecies, multimarket plants 

that annually modify their plans in accordance with regional trends and projected catch rates. Some fish are iced 

whole for direct fresh markets, some are filleted and frozen, and some are frozen for additional processing later. 

Other products, such as crab and shrimp, are generally cooked before they are sold in public markets. In addition to 

primary production tasks, secondary processes include carcass reduction, disposal, and sales.

Large scale processing requires navigational channels (or potential for future development), docks, moorage 

and unloading facilities; cold-storage, and access to transportation. Waste management is also an important 

consideration. Appropriate facilities must be available for wastewater and byproduct disposal.26
50

Fifteen West Coast processing companies have more than $10 million in annual sales (see Table 22). Several 

companies have branches in more than one state. Seven have branches in Washington, 8 have branches in Oregon and 

10 have branches in California. Two companies also have branches in Alaska (see Table 23).

Table 22. West Coast processing companies with more than $10 million in annual sales (source: Pacific States Marine Fisheries 

Commission, 2000).

Company Location

Bornstein Seafoods of Oregon WA, OR

Caito Fisheries Inc. CA

California Shellfish Company OR, CA

Crystal Ocean/Sea Products WA, OR, CA

Del Mar Seafoods Inc. OR, CA

Depoe Bay Fish Company-Tyson AK, OR

Eureka Fisheries OR, CA

Merino’s Seafoods Inc. WA

Monterey Fish Company Inc. CA

Ocean Beauty AK, WA, OR

Olympic Fish Company WA

Pacific Choice Group AK, WA, OR, CA

Sea K Fish Company Inc. WA, CA

State Fish Company Inc. CA

Tri Marine Canning LLC CA

Table 23. West Coast processing companies with plants in more than one state (source: Pacific States Marine Fisheries 

Commission, 2000).

Company Location

Pacific Choice Seafood AK, WA, OR, CA

California Shellfish Company OR, CA

Eureka Fish OR, CA

Crystal Ocean/Sea Products WA, OR, CA

Sea-K Fish Company WA, CA

Ocean Beauty AK, WA, OR

Depoe Bay Fish Company-Tyson AK, OR

Bornstein Seafood WA, OR

East Point Seafood Company AK, WA

Icicle Seafoods Company AK, WA

Dory Seafoods Inc. AK, WA

Jessie’s Ilwaco Fish Company WA, OR

Bell Buoy Crab Company WA, OR

Kingfisher Trading Company WA, OR

Trident AK, OR

Delmar Seafoods OR, CA

Fishhawk Fisheries AK, OR

Spencer OR, CA
51

Fishery landings and value—Table 24 and Table 25 list the top 10 West Coast fishing communities by 

weight and value of landings.

In Washington Shelton demonstrates an interesting feature regarding the value of fish landed. The top 

landings in this port were salmon (502 tons) valued at $647,094, and shellfish (245 tons) valued at $1,878,716. The 

shellfish contribute to a specialized local industry not found in other places. Bellingham is another community that 

stands out. The fish landings that contribute to Bellingham’s relatively high rank include Dungeness crab 

andgroundfish (both of which contributed several million dollars in 2000) as well as salmon and shellfish (also worth 

at least $1 million in 2000).

In Oregon Astoria is the top-ranked community for largest ex-vessel ship weight. This is primarily the result 

of 79.1 million pounds of Pacific sardine landings. Newport is slightly behind Astoria in total weight, but the fish 

landed in Newport in 2004 were $10 million more valuable than those in Astoria. The products that explain this value 

difference include Dungeness crab, Albacore tuna, and sablefish. Both ports also had high quantities of hake landings 

in 2004.

Table 24. West Coast (WC) and U.S. rankings of top 10 communities by 2004 landings (ex-vessel weight) for Washington, 

Oregon, and California combined (source: http://www.st.nmfs.gov/pls/webpls/mf_lport_yearp.results).

Rank

Community State

Landings 

WC U.S. (millions of lbs)

1 9 Astoria OR 135.8

2 11 Newport OR 111.2

3 16 Los Angeles CA 92.1

4 17 Westport WA 91.2

5 18 Port Hueneme-Oxnard-Ventura CA 70.1

6 21 Moss Landing CA 55.5

7 31 Ilwaco-Chinook WA 31.1

8 33 Coos Bay-Charleston OR 29.8

9 36 Bellingham WA 23.5

10 38 Eureka CA 19.4

Combined landings 659.7

Table 25. West Coast (WC) and U.S. rankings of top 10 communities by 2004 landings (ex-vessel value) for Washington, 

Oregon, and California combined (source: http://www.st.nmfs.gov/pls/webpls/mflport_year.results).

Rank

Community State

Value 

WC U.S. (millions of $)

1 22 Newport OR 29.6

2 26 Shelton WA 27.3

3 30 Coos Bay-Charleston OR 25.2

4 32 Bellingham WA 21.9

5 37 Westport WA 20.5

6 39 Crescent City CA 20.1

7 40 Astoria OR 19.9

8 43 Port Hueneme-Oxnard-Ventura CA 17.7

9 47 Los Angeles CA 16.3

10 9 Bay Center-South Bend WA 15.2

Combined landings 213.7
52

Several Oregon ports have buying stations, where fish can be delivered but are then transported to larger 

regional facilities. A 2003 Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife report suggests a consolidation of processors is 

occurring as a result of changing marine resources and market impacts.27

In California the key species for quantity and value differ significantly from the Washington and Oregon 

ports. Los Angeles and Port Hueneme-Oxnard-Ventura (the southernmost California ports) rely on anchovy, 

mackerel, sardines, tuna, and squid. Moss Landing (in Monterey Bay, central California) has significant landings of 

anchovy, several varieties of rockfish, sardine, sablefish, tuna, squid, and Chinook salmon. Eureka (Humboldt Bay, 

northern California) is heavily reliant on Dungeness crab but also has significant landings of sablefish, several 

varieties of rockfish, flat fish (such as sole), and whiting/hake, though considerably less than the hake delivered to 

Oregon ports.

Employment and licensing—The fishing industry provides a variety of employment opportunities 

including fishing, processing, transportation, dock, and harbor work. Shellfish farming and marketing also offer 

employment opportunities. For those employed on commercial vessels, the species available at different times of the 

year result in fishing vessels and crew members shifting from one location to another depending on seasons and 

alternatives.

West Coast states have varying license requirements to participate in commercial fishing in state-managed 

waters. In addition, distinctions are made depending on position category: captains (many of who are vessel owners 

or limited entry permit holders) and crew members.

Though fishermen generally have a home base, both the continual transfer of labor across state borders and 

the fact that fishermen are often self-employed make it difficult to formally identify laborers and the state where they 

reside.

In Washington the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife regulates the licensing process for 

commercial fishing. Some fisheries in Washington have a restricted number of permit holders. This is called limited 

entry. Limited entry fisheries include salmon, herring, crab, shrimp, sea cucumber, sea urchin, and whiting. Fish 

buyers and dealers must also acquire appropriate licenses to operate in Washington.

In Oregon the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife publishes information for vessel owners and crew 

explaining how to obtain commercial fishing licenses. General regulations mandate anyone on board a commercial 

fishing vessel who participates in the harvest of fish must have a valid commercial harvest license and a vessel cannot 

carry illegal fishing gear. Furthermore, commercial harvesters must sell their fish to licensed Oregon fish buyers, 

cannot retain fish for private use without first selling it to a licensed buyer, cannot kill marine mammals except in 

protection of human life, and cannot wantonly waste and destroy any fish or shellfish.

The cost of a commercial fishing license is $50 for residents and $100 for nonresidents. A commercial crew 

license is $85. In addition to individual licenses for fishermen and crew, vessels intended for commercial fishing 

must be registered. The fee for a resident-owned vessel is $200 and $400 for a nonresident.

In California the permit and license system is complex. In addition to standard crew license requirements, 

some fisheries require that crew members hold a particular stamp or license endorsement. The general requirement 

for crew members states anyone 16 years of age or older who uses, operates, or assists in using or operating any boat, 

aircraft, net, trap, line, or other means to take fish for commercial purposes or who contributes materially to the 

activities on board a commercial fishing vessel must obtain a crew member license. The license fee is $101.50 for 

residents and $304 for nonresidents.

California has variations in fisheries business licenses as well. These include multifunction fish business, fish 

importer’s license, fish receiver’s license, and the fisherman’s retail license, among others. More information is 

available from the California Department of Fish and Game.

Employment summary—Data collected by the U.S. Census may underestimate employment statistics of 

individuals in the fishing industry. Despite the reliance on census data for profiles contained in this document, 

employment data on fishing was not reported in the profiles because of its deficiencies. Possible reasons for the 

artificially low estimates include the aforementioned: the census reference week methodology, the undisclosed nature 

of self-employment, and fishermen absent from their homeport at the time the census is conducted.
53

3.3.3 Sportfishing

Sportfishing is commonly referred to as recreational fishing. People participate in sportfishing for 

entertainment, trophy fishing, or personal consumption. Each state publishes a lengthy and informative handbook of 

current sportfishing regulations, of which many are variable depending on target species and location.

Washington is developing a new, updated sportfishing plan. The plan is especially concerned with the 

sustainable sport harvest of salmon and steelhead. General information in the pamphlet includes information related 

to wire tagged species, safe boating, private property rights, and invasive species. Washington anglers are required to 

comply with fish and game data collection efforts upon request.

Oregon offers one free fishing weekend per year when sport fishermen can introduce friends and family to 

this pastime. Many regulations still apply during this free weekend, for example, salmon, steelhead, sturgeon, and 

halibut must be recorded immediately on a permit tag.

In California the Department of Fish and Game publishes a document with all sportfishing regulations. 

Regulations are specific to the intended harvest species. California offers free public pier fishing in designated 

locations. Bag and size limits still apply. Like Oregon, California has two days per year when anyone can fish 

without a license.

Sportfishing summary—Sport fishing is an important part of West Coast recreational culture and 

contributes to the tourism economy in many locations. Opportunities for recreational fishing vary widely by region. 

With the expanse of Puget Sound, Washington offers an array of inner coastal waters as well as opportunities to fish in 

the Pacific Ocean. Oregon and California both offer coastal opportunities and marine species such as salmon can be 

caught in river and stream locations.

Although revenues generated from sport fishing license sales and guide and charter businesses are important, 

they are by no means the only forms of community development that stem from the sport fishing industry. 

Communities with a reputation for good fishing also tend to be linked to the tourism industry in general, with more 

tourism infrastructure such as lodging accommodations, restaurants, and other amenities. Sportfishing in many cases 

is but one component of a growing tourism industry.

3.3.4 Subsistence Fishing

Subsistence fishing rights and opportunities in the West Coast region vary by state and are rarely documented 

clearly.

In Washington the 1974 Boldt Decision granted 50% of Washington fishery resources to tribal entities and 

generated the establishment of resource comanagement between the tribes and the state and federal governments. 

This arrangement facilitates and ensures tribal access to fisheries for subsistence, cultural, or market purposes. The 

tribes created the North West Intertribal Fish Commission to provide more standardized and uniform management of 

tribal fisheries in the Washington.

In Oregon the Columbia River Intertribal Fish Commission was implemented so tribes on the Columbia River 

could focus their interest and awareness through renewed salmon management authority. According to the Columbia 

River System Treaty Indian Fishery,28 as described by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, subsistence 

fishing on the Columbia River is permitted for Indian personal use or for trade with other treaty Indians. Fish taken 

for subsistence purposes can not be traded or sold to nontreaty Indians.

California has approximately 100 recognized tribes but tribal land use and resource rights are minimal. 

Currently the California Department of Fish and Game uses the term “recreational” for fishermen who do not earn 

revenue from their catch but fish for pleasure or for personal consumption. Information on subsistence fishing in 

California is captured within the broader scope of sportfishing data.

In northern California tribal entities that once relied on salmon resources from the Klamath River have been 

involved in efforts to improve federal regulations and management of water rights on the river. Community attempts 

to improve Klamath water policies have been largely unsuccessful, and Klamath fisheries are currently in a declared 

state of disaster.
54

Subsistence fishing summary—At one time tribes along the West Coast relied on natural resources as a 

source of food, nutrients, and trading commodities. Over time the opportunity to engage in traditional use fisheries 

has been dramatically limited by political forces and population expansion. Native American natural resource 

initiatives along the West Coast have resulted in an array of contemporary outcomes. In the Pacific Northwest the 

sometimes controversial Boldt Decision represents one such outcome.

3.4 Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

3.4.1 Commercial Fishing

There are federal and state-managed fisheries in the marine waters of the U.S. North Pacific region. NOAA 

Fisheries Service oversees federal fisheries management. The Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC) is in Seattle, 

Washington, and the Alaska Regional Office is in Juneau, Alaska.

Fisheries management in the North Pacific region is supervised by the North Pacific Fishery Management 

Council (NPFMC), one of eight regional councils established by the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and 

Management Act of 1976. Alaska’s two federal fisheries regions are the BSAI and the GOA. Together these areas 

form a 900,000 square mile EEZ.

The NPFMC is primarily responsible for groundfish management (walleye pollock, Pacific cod/grey cod, 

Atka mackerel, various species of rockfish, and flatfish), crab, scallops, and high seas salmon. The Alaska 

Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) supervises in-season crab management for the council, and the council 

works in conjunction with the International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) to manage halibut and sablefish/

black cod. The NPFMC has 11 voting members: 6 from Alaska, 3 from Washington, 1 from Oregon, and 1 federal 

representative. ADF&G is the agency with oversight and management responsibilities in marine regions of Alaska.

Academic institutions that focus on Alaska fisheries include the University of Washington’s College of 

Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, the University of Alaska Fairbanks (the state’s designated Sea Grant institution), which 

has fisheries programs in both Fairbanks and Juneau, and the University of Alaska Anchorage’s Institute of Social and 

Economic Research. The North Pacific Research Board (NPRB) is a congressionally funded marine science institute 

whose mission is to enhance understanding of the North Pacific, Bering Sea, and Arctic Ocean ecosystems and 

fisheries. Many individuals who sit on the NPRB board are also affiliated with NPFMC, AFSC, and other related 

research agencies.

Introduction—Due to the large number of West Coast residents who participate in North Pacific fisheries 

as vessel owners, license holders, seafood company managers, and crew, there are several labor and industry 

organizations in the Pacific Northwest with specific involvement in the Alaska fishing industry. Examples include the 

Deep Sea Fisherman’s Union, the Alaska Crab Coalition, At-Sea Processors Association, Groundfish Forum, United 

Catcher Boats, and the North Pacific Fishing Vessel Owner’s Association—all based in Seattle—and the Seafood 

Producers Cooperative, based in Bellingham.

A 2000 report by CFEC states onshore processing plants employed 2,282 Alaska residents and 6,494 

nonresidents, and the offshore processing sector employed 187 Alaska residents and 3,465 nonresidents.

Offshore processing labor is primarily recruited through company offices in the Seattle region and the labor 

force is often comprised of multinational workers. Under federal regulations, a potential employee must be: a) a 

citizen of the United States, or b) a permanent legal immigrant (green card holder), or c) able to provide legal 

documentation allowing work in the United States.29 If labor is conducted onboard a vessel that fishes, all members 

of the crew are required to hold a valid crew license. At sea processing workers who work on processing platforms or 

barges that process but do not catch fish are not considered to be commercial fishing vessel crew members and do not 

need an Alaska crew member license.

In 2005 Alaska issued 7,979 nonresident and 9,877 Alaska resident crew licenses, a reduction in the annual 

number of licenses sold in recent years. The 2006 total of 17,856 crew licenses was down from the 28,752 licenses 

purchased in 1996. In 2005 Alaska residents held 16,883 active gear operator permits (permit to fish in a particular 

fishery) and nonresidents held 4,960 permits. This also represents a reduction since 1996, from 27,569 to 21,843.
55

Information provided on crew licenses are public records and a full database can be purchased from ADF&G 

for $350. Information on licenses includes full name, mailing address, age, gender, citizenship, time of Alaska 

residency (if applicable), license class (sport/commercial/hunting or fishing), date of issue, and whether or not the 

license is a duplicate. Crew member licenses are good for all Alaska fisheries, and the database does not contain 

information on the specific fisheries in which license holders participated. Alaska gear operator permit holders are 

not required to have a crew member license to serve as crew on other fishing vessels and in other Alaska fisheries. 

Information on gear operator permits is available on the CFEC Web site (www.cfec.state.ak.us/).

Vessel ownership and number of license holders for each state are described in more detail below.

In Washington Seattle is a hub for North Pacific fisheries vessels and companies, especially for the very large 

vessels. Approximately 490 Washington residents own federal fishing permits for either of the two North Pacific 

marine regions: BSAI or GOA. The top five communities are: Seattle 211 permits, Bellingham 28 permits, Edmonds 

20 permits, Shoreline 17 permits, and Anacortes 16 permits.

In Oregon 82 residents own federal fishing permits for Alaska. The permits are not concentrated in one 

particular area. Newport (15 permits) and Woodburn (10 permits) have the largest number of permits. Woodburn is 

inland near Portland.

In California there are few North Pacific fishing licenses registered to individuals with California addresses. 

NOAA’s Restricted Access Management Database lists 23 licenses with no notably congregated location.

Summary of commercial involvement in North Pacific fisheries—Alaska and the marine regions 

that surround it are very large and geographic proximity does not necessarily dictate involvement in fisheries. Fishing 

companies with large factory vessels are often willing to send their vessels substantial distances to participate in 

lucrative fisheries. Even some smaller vessels are willing to do this.

The fishery resources available in the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea face few of the industrial, urban, and 

agricultural activities and general population pressures that contribute to habitat degradation, fish mortality, disease, 

and reduced reproductive success on the West Coast.

3.4.2 Sportfishing

Many Alaska communities boast sportfishing opportunities as key tourist attractions, and it is often a vital 

part of the local economy in coastal communities accessible to visitors by boat, aircraft, or vehicle. In 2005 

nonresidents purchased 57% of the 335,327 sportfishing licenses sold that year. Many came from Washington, 

Oregon, and California. ADF&G runs a comprehensive and informative Web site with many links to various fisheries 

of interest to sport anglers. Regulatory information, choice locations and species and other sportfishing information 

are clearly outlined. Typical saltwater species of interest include salmon, halibut, and rockfish. Shellfish can also be 

harvested with sport licenses on beaches in Alaska.

3.4.3 Subsistence Fishing

In Alaska subsistence rights include customary uses of fish and game. There are no legal requirements that 

define eligibility based on Native or non-Native heritage, except as specified under certain federal laws such as the 

Marine Mammal Protection Act and the ESA. The current rural subsistence harvest in Alaska is about 354 pounds of 

food per person per year.30 About 65% of the subsistence harvest is fish, including salmon, halibut, herring, 

whitefish, cod, and Arctic char. Subsistence hunters also take marine animals such as seal, sea lion, sea otter, walrus, 

polar bear, and whale. These animals may be used for products other than food such as clothing, home goods, 

ceremonial products, and arts and crafts. Subsistence products are important features of Alaska Native culture. 

Further information about Alaska community participation in local subsistence activities is not included in this 

document, but may be found in the Community Profiles for North Pacific Fisheries–Alaska.31

Notes

1. J. A. Sepez, B. D. Tilt, C. L. Package, H. M. Lazrus, I. Vaccaro. 2005. Community profiles for North Pacific fisheries—Alaska. U.S. 

Dept. Commer., NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-AFSC-160.
56

2. Municipal Research and Services Center of Washington. 2006. Online at http://www.mrsc.org/Subjects/Governance/locgov31.aspx 

[accessed 19 January 2007].

3. League of California Cities. 2006. Online at http://www.cacities.org/index.jsp?zone=locc [accessed 19 January 2007].

4. Five non-CDP communities gave no indication whether there were American Indian or Alaska Native people living in the vicinity.

5. K. Kitner. 2006. Beeliners, pinkies, and kitties: Mobility and marginalization in the South Atlantic snapper grouper fishery. Hum. 

Organ. 65(3).

6. Washington State Department of Revenue. 2004. Commercial fishing. Online at http://dor.wa.gov/content/taxes/other/

tax_enhancefish.aspx [accessed 19 January 2007].

7. Washington State Department of Revenue. 2002. Information on Washington’s tax structure: Fish taxes. Online at http://dor.wa.gov/

content/taxes/industry/fish/default.aspx [accessed 19 January 2007].

8. Washington State Department of Revenue. 2001. Commercial fishing. Online at http://dor.wa.gov/content/taxes/Industry/Fish/

default.aspx#enhanced [accessed 19 January 2007].

9. National Conference of State Legislatures. 2004. Environment, energy, and transportation program: Fishing, hunting, and wildlife. 

Online at http://www.ncsl.org/programs/natres/FISHHUNTWILD.htm [accessed 19 January 2007].

10. Washington State Department of Revenue. 2007. Petroleum products tax. Online at http://dor.wa.gov/content/taxes/other/

tax_petroprod.aspx [accessed 19 January 2007].

11. California Board of Equalization. No date. Property tax rules, Rule 151. Vessels subject to the 4% assessment. Online at http://

www.boe.ca.gov/proptaxes/pdf/r151.pdf [accessed 19 January 2007].

12. California Department of Motor Vehicles. 2003. How to register a vessel. Online at http://www.dmv.ca.gov/boatsinfo/

boatreg.htm#how [accessed 19 January 2007].

13. California Board of Equalization. 2004. Ballast water management fee. Online at http://www.boe.ca.gov/sptaxprog/bllstweb12.htm 

[accessed 19 January 2007].

14. U.S. Department of Transportation. 2001. Provisions governing the distribution of state motor fuel tax receipts: California. Online at 

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/ohim/hwytaxes/2001/california.htm [accessed 19 January 2007].

15. State of California. No date. Fish and game code section 8040–8070. Online at http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/

displaycode?section=fgc&group=08001-09000&file=8040-8070 [accessed 19 January 2007].

16. California Department of Agriculture. 2004. List of marketing programs. Online at http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/mkt/mkt/mktbrds.html 

[accessed 19 January 2007].

17. California Employment Development Department. No date. Information sheet. Online at http://www.edd.ca.gov/Taxrep/de231cf.pdf 

[accessed 19 January 2007].

18. California Board of Equalization. 2001. California counties transient lodging tax revenue, rate and date for fiscal year 2000-01. 

Online at http://www.sco.ca.gov/ard/local/locrep/adhoc/county/0001cotranslodgtax.pdf [accessed 16 April 2007].

19. SWFSC. 2000. The 1999 U.S.-Central Western Pacific tropical tuna purse seine fishery. Administrative report. Online at http://

swfsc.nmfs.noaa.gov/frd/HMS/PDFs/lj0010.pdf [accessed 19 January 2007].

20. NOAA Fisheries Northwest Regional Office. No date. Online at http://www.nwr.noaa.gov/Groundfish-Halibut/Groundfish-Fishery

-Management/Groundfish-Status.cfm [accessed 19 January 207].

21. Department of Commerce. Federal Register. Vol. 69, No. 84. 30 April 2004. 50 CFR Part 660. Online at http://www.nwr.noaa.gov/

Groundfish-Halibut/Groundfish-Fishery-Management/Whiting-Management/upload/2004Final_Specs.pdf [accessed 19 January 2007].

22. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. No date. Online at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/shelfish/crabreg/comcrab/history.shtml 

[accessed 19 January 2007].

23. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. No date. Online at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/shelfish/beachreg/1clam.htm [accessed 19 

January 2007].

24. California Department of Fish and Game. 2001. California’s living marine resources: A status report. December, pp. 295-298. 

Online at http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mrd/status/ [accessed 19 January 2007].

25. California Department of Fish and Game. No date. Pacific kelp status report. Online at http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mrd/status/report2003/

giantkelp.pdf [accessed 19 January 2007].

26. Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission. 2000. Description of the U.S. West Coast commercial fishing fleet and seafood 

processors. Online at http://www.psmfc.org/efin/docs/fleetreport.pdf [accessed 19 January 2007].

27. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. 2003. Oregon’s commercial fishing industry: Review of years 2000 and 2001. Preliminary 

estimate for 2002. Outlook for 2003. Online at http://www.dfw.state.or.us/fish/commercial/commercial_fishing_report.pdf [accessed 19 

January 2007].

28. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. No date. Administrative rules. Columbia River system treaty Indian fishery. Online at 

http://www.dfw.state.or.us/OARs/41.pdf [accessed 19 January 2007].

29. Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development. No date. Online at http://www.labor.state.ak.us/esd_alaska_jobs/

warning.htm [accessed 19 January 2007].

30. Alaska Department of Fish and Game. No date. Online at http://www.subsistence.adfg.state.ak.us/geninfo/about/subfaq.cfm#q1 

[accessed 19 January 2007].

31. See note 1.
57

4.0 Community Profiles

4.1 Washington

4.2 Oregon

4.3 California

4.4 Other States
58
59

4.1 Washington

Aberdeen

Anacortes

Bay Center

Bellingham

Blaine

Bothell

Cathlamet

Chinook

Edmonds

Everett

Ferndale

Fox Island

Friday Harbor

Gig Harbor

Grayland

Ilwaco

La Conner

Lakewood

La Push

Long Beach

Lopez Island

Mount Vernon

Naselle

Neah Bay

Olympia

Port Angeles

Port Townsend

Raymond

Seattle

Seaview

Sedro-Woolley

Sequim

Shelton

Silvana

South Bend

Stanwood

Tacoma

Tokeland

Westport

Woodinville
60
61

Aberdeen

People and Place

Location

Aberdeen, known as the “Gateway to the Olympic 

Peninsula,” is on the southern shore of the Olympic 

Peninsula, where the Wishkah and Chehalis rivers 

converge. Situated in Grays Harbor County, the city 

encompasses 12.2 square miles of land and 1.6 square 

miles of water. The nearest major U.S. city is Seattle, a 

109-mile drive to the northeast. Aberdeen’s geographic 

coordinates are lat 46°58′32′′N, long 123°48′52′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Aberdeen’s 

population was 16,461 and has remained stable since the 

1990 count of 16,565 residents. The gender composition 

was 50.5% female and 49.5% male. The median age of 

34.9 was similar to the national median of 35.3. 

Aberdeen’s age structure demonstrated a significant 

population drop between the ages of 18 and 24, typical 

for a community without a major tertiary education 

provider. Of the population 18 years of age and older, 

90.0% had a high school education (including 

equivalency) or higher, 10.3% had earned a bachelor’s 

degree or higher, and 2.6% had attained a graduate or 

professional degree; the national averages were 79.7%, 

22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The vast majority of Aberdeen’s racial structure 

recorded by the 2000 U.S. Census was white (84.9%), 

followed by people who identified with another race 

(5.2%), American Indian and Alaska Native (3.7%), 

people who identified with two or more races (3.6%), 

Asian (2.1%), black (0.5%), and Pacific Islander (0.1%). 

Ethnicity data indicate that 9.2% identified as Hispanic. 

In 2000 7% were foreign-born, with the majority from 

the Americas (outside of the United States) and Asia.

History

Coastal Salish-speaking Indians have inhabited this 

region since before European contact. The Lower 

Chehalis people inhabited the area of present-day Grays 

Harbor and relied heavily on marine resources, including 

fish, seals, clams, and other shellfish. They traded up and 

down well-established trade routes throughout the coastal 

Pacific Northwest.1

Aberdeen obtained its name (which means 

“confluence of two rivers”) from early Scottish 

immigrants who settled in the area and named it in honor 

of Aberdeen, Scotland. The town grew up around a saw

1,500 1,000 500 0 500 1,000 1,500

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure

Male Female

2000 Racial structure 

White

84.9%

Black

0.5%

Asian

2.1%

Pacific Islander

0.1%

Other

5.2%

Native

3.7%

Two or more races

3.6%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity 

Non-Hispanic

90.8%

Hispanic

9.2%
62

mill that was established in 1884. Only a few decades 

earlier the area was a stopping-off point for miners 

headed to Canada. The few European American families 

that settled in Aberdeen during the early years were 

dependent on neighboring Chehalis Indians for resources 

and transport. By the first decade of the 1900s, a 

significant infrastructure had developed and dozens of 

lumber and shingle mills lined the harbor as the timber 

industry grew to dominate the economy of the settlement. 

With the construction of a salmon cannery at the mouth 

of the Wishkah River, fishing became the other economic 

leg supporting the town.2

The historical Aberdeen shipyard is home to the 

flagship of Washington State, the sailing vessel (SV) 

Lady Washington. Built in Aberdeen, it is an historic 

reproduction of the ship Captain Robert Gray sailed on 

his first northwest voyage. Gray was the first European 

American to discover Grays Harbor and the first 

American to circumnavigate the world. Grays Harbor 

Historical Seaport contains exhibits about shipbuilding 

and a replica of the SV Columbia Rediviva Gray 

commanded as he explored the Northwest coast and 

established the U.S. claim to the Oregon country in 1792. 

Today Aberdeen is a community that depends heavily on 

natural resource industries, including timber and fishing. 

Because of its location on U.S. Highway 101, Aberdeen 

also receives a great deal of traffic from tourists on their 

way to the scenic Olympic Peninsula.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

At the time of the 2000 U.S. Census, 52.8% of 

Aberdeen’s potential labor force 16 years of age and 

older were employed, 5.8% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 9.9% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

41.4% were not in the labor force, compared to the 

national average of 36.1%. The largest employment 

sectors were sales and office occupations (25.4%), 

management, professional, and related occupations 

(21.9%), and local, state, and federal governments (15%).

Aberdeen’s economy also relies on commercial and 

charter fishing, shellfish harvesting, seafood processing, 

tourism, and wood processing. Natural resource jobs 

including agriculture, forestry, fishing, hunting, and 

mining employed 7% of the population 16 years of age 

and older in 2000, but this percentage may be artificially 

low given that many fishermen are self-employed and are 

underrepresented in these data. The Weyerhaeuser 

Company mill in Aberdeen is Grays Harbor County’s 

largest employer, employing and contracting more than 

2,000 workers.3

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

41.4%

Unemployed

5.8%

Employed

52.8%

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the per capita 

income in 1999 was $16,092 and the median household 

income was $30,683. In 1999 22.2% lived below the 

poverty line, much higher than the national average of 

12.4%. In 2000 there were 7,536 housing units in 

Aberdeen, with 58.4% owner occupied and 41.6% renter 

occupied. The housing unit vacancy rate was 13.5%, 

with 3.5% vacant due to seasonal, recreational, or 

occasional use.

Governance

Incorporated in 1890, the City of Aberdeen is one of 

four municipalities in Grays Harbor County.4 The city 

operates under a mayor-council form of government, 

with a mayor and a 12-member city council. Grays 

Harbor County levies an 8.3% sales tax and a 3% lodging 

tax. See the Governance subsection (page 43) in the 

Overview section for a more detailed discussion of taxes 

affecting fisherman and processors in Washington.

The nearest National Marine Fisheries Service 

Regional Office and the U.S. Citizenship and 

Immigration Services District Office are in Seattle. 

Meetings of the Pacific Fishery Management and North 

Pacific Fishery Management councils are routinely held 

in the Seattle-Tacoma area. The nearest Washington 

Department of Fish and Wildlife Regional Office is 11 

miles east in Montesano. The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) 

Station Grays Harbor is in Westport (22 miles west) at 

the entrance to Grays Harbor and oversees Grays Harbor 

bar, one of the most hazardous in the Pacific Northwest. 

The USCG station has four vessels and is responsible for 

marine safety between Queets River and Ocean Park and 

from Preacher’s Slough to 50 nautical miles offshore.

Facilities

Aberdeen is accessible by land, sea, and air. U.S. 

Highway 12 (east-west) connects Aberdeen to the 
63

Interstate 5 corridor (north-south). U.S. Highway 101 

(north-south), which circumscribes the Olympic 

Peninsula, runs through Aberdeen. The Grays Harbor 

County Airport, available for public use, has one runway 

and is located immediately adjacent to the harbor, 1 mile 

north of Aberdeen. The Seattle-Tacoma International 

Airport, located 88 miles to the northeast, is the closest 

airport offering international service.

Aberdeen School District No. 5 has six public 

elementary schools, two middle schools, and two high 

schools, plus one school that offers instruction to 

students grades K–12.5

 There is also one private 

elementary school and one two-year accredited college. 

Grays Harbor Public Utility District administers 

electricity for city residents. The City of Aberdeen’s 

Sewer Plant and Water Department provides residents 

and businesses with sewer and water services. The 

Aberdeen Police Department, with assistance from the 

Grays Harbor County Sheriff’s Department, provides 

public safety. The Aberdeen Fire Department provides 

fire protection and emergency services. Grays Harbor 

Community Hospital in Aberdeen offers major medical 

services. The tourism industry in Aberdeen is well 

developed with more than 10 hotels and motels located 

within the city.

Aberdeen’s waterfront facilities are part of the Port 

of Grays Harbor complex. This facility is the largest 

coastal marina in the Pacific Northwest and is home to 

Washington State’s largest charter fishing fleet.6

 With a 

650 vessel moorage capacity (for vessels up to 200 feet), 

the Westport Marina offers boat manufacturing and 

repair services, refrigerated shoreside processing 

facilities, and vessel supplies.

There are several nonprofit organizations based in 

Aberdeen that focus on fishery-related issues, including 

Friends of Grays Harbor, a volunteer citizen’s group 

made up of crabbers, fishermen, oyster growers, and 

citizens dedicated to fostering and promoting the 

economic, biological, and social uniqueness of a healthy 

Grays Harbor estuary.7

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

There were at least two fish processors operating in 

Aberdeen in 2000, Associated Seafoods Company and 

Brady’s Oysters Inc.

Of the 44 unique vessels that delivered landings to 

the Port of Grays Harbor in 2000, 37 were commercial 

vessels and the remaining were for tribal commercial, 

personal use, and aquaculture. Landings data for 

Aberdeen were recorded as part of the Grays Harbor Port 

Group that includes the nearby communities of Bay City, 

Oakville, and Hoquiam. Reported landings for this port 

group in 2000 were in the following West Coast fisheries 

(data shown represent landings in metric tons/value of 

said landings/number of vessels landing): coastal pelagic 

confidential/confidential/2; crab 186.5 t/$925,167/18; 

salmon 1.6 t/$4,340/4; and shellfish confidential/

confidential/1.

Aberdeen residents owned 55 vessels in 2000 that 

participated in West Coast fisheries, including 31 vessels 

that participated in the federally managed groundfish 

fishery. The number of vessels owned by Aberdeen 

residents that participated in each said fishery by state 

(WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 2/0/0, crab 21/0/0, 

groundfish 6/0/NA, highly migratory species NA/0/NA, 

salmon 24/10/2, shellfish NA/0/NA, shrimp NA/1/0, and 

other species 8/0/0.8

Seven Aberdeen residents held six federally 

managed groundfish fishery permits in 2000. The 

number of Aberdeen residents holding permits in each 

said fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 19/0/0, 

groundfish 1/0/0, highly migratory species NA/0/0, 

salmon 33/9/0, shellfish 4/0/2, shrimp 7/1/0, and other 

species 3/0/0.9

Available data indicate that 115 state and six federal 

permits were registered to Aberdeen residents in 2000. 

The number of permits held by these community 

members in each said fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

crab 32/0/0, groundfish 3/0/0, highly migratory species 

NA/0/0, salmon 52/8/3, shellfish 4/1/NA, shrimp 8/0/0, 

and other species 4/0/0.10

Though several tribes along the West Coast 

participate in commercial fishing, little data exist on 

tribal commercial fishing in the Aberdeen area. Pacific 

Coast treaty Indians includes the Hoh Tribe, the Makah 

Nation, the Quileute Tribe, and the Quinault Indian 

Nation. The closest treaty Indian nation to Aberdeen is 

the Quinault, with a tribal center located approximately 

45 miles north in Taholah in Grays Harbor County. 

According to the Boldt Decision,11 the Quinault’s usual 

and customary fishing area includes the Clearwater, 

Queets, Quinault, Raft, Moclips, and Copalis rivers, and 

Salmon and Joe creeks. Ocean fisheries are utilized in 

the waters adjacent to their territory, between Destruction 

Island and Point Chehalis.12 The closest nontreaty Indian 

tribe is the Shoalwater Bay Tribe, located 32 miles south 

in Tokeland on the north end of Willapa Bay. To help 

pay for tribal natural resource management programs, 

tribes collect taxes from tribal members who sell fish and 

shellfish. The Shoalwater Bay Tribe and the Quinault 

Indian Nation most likely compete for similar fishery 

resources as nontribal fishermen fishing out of Aberdeen.
64

Sportfishing

Sport fishermen in Aberdeen are involved in the 

West Coast and Alaskan fisheries. In 2000 five salmonid 

charter fishing operators serviced sport fishermen and 

tourists. Four Aberdeen residents operated three charter 

vessels in Aberdeen and one in Long Beach. One Long 

Beach resident operated a vessel out of Aberdeen. There 

are four licensed agents selling fishing permits in 

Aberdeen. In 2003 there were 12,108 sportfishing 

license transactions valued at $181,398 in Aberdeen.

In Catch Record Card Area 2-2 (Grays Harbor) the 

2000–2001 sport catch, based on catch record cards, was 

2,736 fish including 842 Chinook salmon, 1,554 coho 

salmon, and 349 jack salmon (immature males). In the 

same year 105 sturgeons were caught in the coastal river 

systems.

Subsistence

Subsistence hunting, fishing, and gathering 

activities are fundamental to the way of life of some 

coastal community members. Today members of the 

Quinault Indian Nation, the Shoalwater Bay Tribe, and 

other nontribal subsistence fishermen obtain fishery 

resources from the waters surrounding Aberdeen. While 

tribal and nontribal individuals participate in subsistence 

fishing, tribal catches are reserved for tribal use only. 

Subsistence fishing is not discussed in great detail in this 

community profile due to the lack of available data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Aberdeen residents owned 17 vessels in 2000 that 

were involved in North Pacific fisheries. In the same 

year community members landed fish in the following 

North Pacific fisheries (data shown represent landings in 

metric tons/value of said landings/number of vessels 

landing): crab confidential/confidential/1, Bering Sea and 

Aleutian Islands (BSAI) groundfish confidential/

confidential/1, Gulf of Alaska groundfish confidential/

confidential/3, halibut confidential/confidential/1, 

herring confidential/confidential/1, salmon 243 t/

$415,660/11, shellfish confidential/confidential/1, and 

other finfish confidential/confidential/2.

In 2000 25 residents held 40 registered permits, 

including 25 state permits and 15 federal permits (note: it 

is possible for individuals to hold more than one permit at 

a time). Community members held three groundfish 

North Pacific License Limitation Program permits. 

Residents also held 1 crab, 4 BSAI groundfish, 1 halibut, 

2 herring, 13 salmon, and 9 shellfish Commercial 

Fisheries Entry Commission permits. Residents held 

130,519 halibut and 377,352 sablefish individual fishing 

quota shares in 2000.

In 2000 43 Aberdeen residents held crew member 

licenses for North Pacific fisheries.

Sportfishing

Aberdeen community members purchased 109 

Alaska sportfishing licenses in 2000. No Aberdeen 

sportfishing businesses participated in the Alaskan 

fisheries in 2000.

Notes

1. Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis. No date. The 

Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis. Online at http://www 

.chehalistribe.org/ [accessed 30 January 2007].

2. Grays Harbor Chamber of Commerce. No date. City of 

Aberdeen. Online at http://www.graysharbor.org/cities/aberdeen.php 

[accessed 30 January 2007].

3. Grays Harbor Economic Development Council. No date. 

Grays Harbor County manufacturing. Online at http://www.ghedc 

.com/ghmanuf.html [accessed 30 January 2007].

4. City of Aberdeen. 2004. Home. Online at http://www.ci 

.Aberdeen.wa.us/index.htm [accessed 30 January 2007].

5. National Center for Education Statistics. No date. Search for 

schools, colleges, and libraries. Online at http://nces.ed.gov/

globallocator/ [accessed 30 January 2007].

6. Port of Grays Harbor. No date. Westport Marina. Online at 

http://www.portofgraysharbor.com/westport/index.html [accessed 30 

January 2007].

7. Friends of Grays Harbor. No date. Home. Online at http://

www.fogharbor.org/index.html [accessed 30 January 2007].

8. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

9. See note 8.

10. See note 8.

11. Center for Columbia River History. No date. Boldt 

Decision. Online at http://www.ccrh.org/comm/river/legal/boldt.htm 

[accessed 30 January 2007].

12. Pacific Fishery Management Council. 2004. Groundfish 

bycatch programmatic DEIS. Online at http://www.pcouncil.org/

groundfish/gfbdpeis/apdxd.pdf [accessed 30 January 2007].
65

Anacortes

People and Place

Location

Anacortes, the gateway to the San Juan Islands, is on 

the northern shore of Fidalgo Island. Situated in Skagit 

County, the city encompasses more than 12 miles of 

saltwater shoreline and encompasses 10.6 square miles of 

land and 2.4 square miles of surface water. The nearest 

major U.S. city is Seattle, a 90-mile drive south, while 

Bellingham is a 40-mile drive northeast. Anacortes’ 

geographic coordinates are lat 48°30′46′′N, long 

122°36′41′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Anacortes’ 

population was 14,557, an increase of 27.1% from 1990. 

The gender composition was 51.7% female and 48.3% 

male. The median age of 42.6 was higher than the 

national median of 35.3. The population had an even age 

distribution. Of the population 18 years of age and older 

87.4% had received a high school education (including 

equivalency) or higher, 25.7% had earned a bachelor’s 

degree or higher, and 7.4% had attained a graduate or 

professional degree; the national averages were 79.7%, 

22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The vast majority of Anacortes’ racial structure 

recorded in the 2000 U.S. Census was white (92.7%), 

followed by people who identified with two or more 

races (2.6%), Asian (1.6%), people who identified with 

another race (1.5%), American Indian and Alaska Native 

(1.1%), black (0.3%), and Native Hawaiian and other 

Pacific Islander (0.1%). Ethnicity data indicate that 3.2% 

identified as Hispanic. In 2000 5% were foreign-born, 

with 26.8% from Canada, 12.1% from Mexico, and 9.1% 

from the Philippines.

In 2000 83.2% of Anacortes’ population lived in 

family households.

History

Skagit County was created in 1883 from the 

southern portion Whatcom County. The county derived 

its name from the Indian tribe that lived along the river 

known by the same name, the largest watercourse in the 

north Cascade Mountains.

For more than 10,000 years people have lived in the 

Fidalgo Island and Guemes Island areas. Native people 

belonging to the Samish Indian Nation and Swinomish 

Tribe were signatories to the 1855 Point Elliot Treaty. 

The treaty gave Western Washington tribes the right to 

1,500 1,000 500 0 500 1,000 1,500

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure

Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

92.7%

Black

0.3%

Asian

1.6%

Other

1.5%

Native

1.1%

Pacific Islander

0.1% Two or more races

2.6%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity 

Hispanic

3.2%

Non-Hispanic

96.8%
66

self-governance and set aside several reservations, 

including one for the Swinomish Indian Tribal 

Community on southeastern Fidalgo Island, home to 

2,664 Swinomish tribal members (2000 U.S. Census) and 

a smaller reservation located beyond Sedro-Woolley, 

home to about 238 Upper Skagit tribal members.

In the 1700s Spanish, British, and Russian explorers 

and fur traders were the first nonnatives to enter the 

Skagit region. The first nonnative settlers, Richard and 

Shadrack Wooten, arrived in present-day Anacortes in 

1865 and established claims along the western shoreline 

of Fidalgo Bay. The Cap Sante area, then called The 

Portage, was home to a few homestead families around 

1870. Others lived along Guemes Channel, now known 

as Ship Harbor. In 1877 Amos and Anna Bowman, 

residents of Ship Harbor, established a post office and 

named it Anacortes, derived from Anna Curtis, Anna’s 

maiden name.1

Fishing and logging industries began to dominate 

the town during its incorporation in 1891. Over the next 

several years salmon canning and codfish curing 

industries became established. By the early 1900s 

hundreds of Anacortes residents were employed in about 

a dozen fish processing plants in town. In 1925 the 

Anacortes Pulp Mill began operation and remained in 

production until 1978. Fieldwork indicates that the 

lumber industry is less prominent in the community 

today; the Port of Anacortes has ceased logging 

operations and only one log export yard remains.2 Over 

the past 50 years the Anacortes economy has changed. 

Shell and Texaco built oil refineries on March Point in 

the 1950s. By the 1960s most of the fish processing 

plants had closed; only three processors remain in 

operation today. Large housing developments were built 

in the 1960s to meet the needs of people coming to the 

area, some of whom were retirees. The tourism industry 

in Anacortes also has grown, providing lodging, 

restaurants, shops, and marinas to incoming visitors. 

Several festivals attract visitors to the area including the 

Anacortes Arts Festival in August, the Waterfront 

Festival, and the annual “Oyster Run,” which draws 

thousands of motorcycle enthusiasts.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

At the time of the 2000 U.S. Census, 53.2% of 

Anacortes’ potential labor force 16 years of age and older 

were employed, 2.9% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 5.1% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

44% were not in the labor force, compared to the national 

2000 Employment structure

Employed

53.2%

Unemployed

2.9%

Not in labor force

44%

average of 36.1%. The largest employment sectors were 

management, professional, and related occupations 

(33.1%), sales and office occupations (23.9%), and local, 

state, and federal governments (18.5%).

Industries dependent upon natural resources, 

particularly commercial fishing, in Anacortes have 

employed the lowest number of workers but have paid 

some of the areas highest salaries. In 2000 the annual 

average wage for commercial fishermen in the county 

was $57,810.3 Finfish was the major fishery, employing 

53 workers making $83,016 annual average pay.4 And in 

the same year, only 91 Skagit County residents identified 

themselves as commercial fishermen.5

 The economy of 

Anacortes today relies less on fishing and logging than it 

did throughout the 1900s. Natural resource jobs 

including agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting 

employed 2.3% of the population 16 years and older in 

2000, but this percentage may be artificially low given 

that many fishermen are self-employed and are 

underrepresented in these data.

The top employers in the Anacortes area were 

(number of employees) Puget Sound Refining Company 

(378), Tesoro Northwest Company (375), the Anacortes 

School District (240), Swinomish Casino and Bingo 

(218), Island Hospital (200), and Trident Seafoods (200). 

Sugiyo USA Inc. (100) and SeaBear Inc. (50) were 

included among the top 15 employers.6

 Boat building, 

repair, and service industries also are quite large in 

Anacortes, with more than 40 businesses operating in the 

community.

According to 2000 U.S. Census, the per capita 

income was $22,297 in 1999 and the median household 

income was $41,930. In 1999 7.7% lived below the 

poverty level, lower than the national average of 12.4%. 

In 2000 there were 6,551 housing units in Anacortes, 

with 68.8% owner occupied and 31.2% renter occupied. 
67

The housing unit vacancy rate was 7.1%, with 25.2% 

vacant due to seasonal, recreational, or occasional use.

Governance

Incorporated in 1891, the City of Anacortes has a 

council-mayor form of government, with a mayor and a 

seven-member city council. Skagit County levies an 8% 

sales tax and a 2% lodging tax. See the Governance 

subsection (page 43) in the Overview section for a more 

detailed discussion of taxes affecting fisherman and 

processors in Washington.

The nearest National Marine Fisheries Service 

Regional Office and the U.S. Citizenship and 

Immigration Services District Office are in Seattle. 

Meetings of the Pacific Fishery Management and North 

Pacific Fishery Management councils are routinely held 

in the Seattle-Tacoma area. The closest Washington 

Department of Fish and Wildlife Regional Office is 60 

miles southeast in Mill Creek. Anacortes falls within the 

U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Station Bellingham’s area of 

responsibility, which includes the San Juan Islands north 

to the Canada border and south to Admiralty Inlet. The 

USCG station was established in 1947 and has six 

vessels.

Facilities

Anacortes is accessible by ground, water, and air. 

Anacortes is located approximately 15 miles west of the 

Interstate 5 corridor (north-south). The western terminus 

of Washington Highway 20 (east-west) runs through 

Anacortes. There is a Greyhound bus terminal located in 

Mount Vernon (20 miles east). Skagit Transit provides 

public transportation between the cities of Mount 

Vernon, Burlington, Sedro-Woolley and Anacortes, and 

upriver through Concrete. Washington State Ferries run 

from Anacortes to the San Juan Islands and Vancouver 

Island, British Columbia. Amtrak’s Cascade Corridor 

Service, stopping in Mount Vernon, provides national 

and international rail transport. The Anacortes Municipal 

Airport and the Skagit Regional Airport in Burlington 

(17 miles east) offer flights between Anacortes and the 

San Juan Islands, Bellingham, and Victoria, British 

Columbia, among others. The nearest airport certified 

for commercial carriers is located 40 miles northeast in 

Bellingham. The Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is 

the nearest facility offering national and international 

flights other than to Canada.

The Anacortes School District has four elementary 

schools, one middle school, and one high school. Puget 

Sound Energy administers electricity. A city owned and 

operated regional water treatment plant on the east bank 

of the Skagit River near Mount Vernon provides drinking 

water. The Anacortes Wastewater Treatment Plant 

provides wastewater treatment. Cascade Natural Gas 

offers services to residents of Skagit County. The 

Anacortes Police and Fire departments administer public 

safety. Island Hospital in Anacortes serves Skagit 

County, North Whidbey Island, and the San Juan Islands.

The City of Anacortes has several community 

services and organizations including the Anacortes 

Public Library, the Anacortes History Museum, a senior 

citizen center, and more than 3,000 acres of city-owned 

forestlands and parks, including the 220-acre Washington 

Park. The city holds several activities including the 

Waterfront Festival in May and the Anacortes Arts 

Festival in August. The tourism industry in Anacortes is 

well developed with more than 10 hotels.

The Port of Anacortes was established in 1926 and 

serves as the primary public cargo port in Skagit County. 

The port is located approximately 93 nautical miles 

eastward of the Pacific Ocean and 30 nautical miles south 

of the U.S.-Canada border. The port operates three 

marine terminals, covered storage warehouses, and 

serves as an offloading site for commercial fishermen. 

Curtis Wharf, primarily used for commercial boat and 

ships, provides temporary vessel moorage to a range of 

users. Several maritime companies including Dakota 

Creek Industries, Inc., a major shipbuilder and repair 

company, operate from the Port of Anacortes.7

Cap Sante Boat Haven, established in the 1950s, 

contains 1,050 slips, a fueling dock, boatyard, 

boathouses, and a small craft float. The Boat Haven has 

two docks, or 100 slips, dedicated to commercial vessels 

(i.e., fishing vessels, tugs, etc.) and 100–120 commercial 

fishing vessels moor at the Haven each year.8

 Fieldwork 

revealed that community members foresee the need for 

bigger slips and deeper waterways to accommodate 

larger vessels, as insufficient accommodations for the 

working fleet will only have a negative impact on 

commerce.9 Several facilities exist for commercial 

fishermen at the Boat Haven including a loading or 

unloading dock, a forklift, two storage buildings (56 

individual lockers), and an upland storage facility. The 

Boat Haven does not provide cold storage facilities or 

ice. Cap Sante Marine, Ltd., is located onsite and 

provides full-service boat construction, maintenance, and 

repair services.

There are only three large seafood processors in the 

Anacortes area today; however local fishermen sell 

seafood to several smaller companies including Thibert’s 

Crab Market, Knudson’s Crab Market, Wild Ocean 

Seafood, and Strom’s Shrimp. For 42 years Thibert’s has 

been buying crab, salmon, clams, and oysters from local 

fishermen. Thibert’s sells their products retail and 

wholesale, and travels around Washington State 

providing Dungeness crab for local crab bakes. 
68

Fieldwork indicates that Thibert’s is the only business in 

the community that provides cold storage facilities for a 

small fee, allowing fishermen to store bait (e.g., clams, 

squid, and herring).10

Two aquaculture facilities are currently operating in 

the Anacortes area. Northwest Sea Farms LLC and 

Cypress Island Inc. are owned by Pan Fish USA Ltd., 

based in Campbell River, British Columbia. Pan Fish 

USA operates two hatcheries and six saltwater sites in 

Puget Sound and remains the only commercial salmon 

farming company in Washington State providing Atlantic 

salmon to the American market.11

The Skagit County Marine Resource Committee 

(MRC), a Northwest Straits Marine Conservation 

Initiative, alternates monthly meetings between 

Anacortes and Mount Vernon. The purpose of the MRC 

is to bring a scientific and grassroots approach to 

protecting and restoring marine resources in the area. 

Serving on the MRC are representatives from the 

scientific community, local and tribal governments, and 

economic, recreational, and conservation interests. Other 

community organizations include the Fidalgo Chapter of 

the Puget Sound Anglers, and several Seattle-based 

groups such as Puget Sound Vessel Owners Association, 

Puget Sound Gillnetters Association, and Puget Sound 

Crabbers Association.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Anacortes had at least three processor plants 

(Trident Seafoods, Sugiyo USA Inc., and SeaBear Inc.) 

that employed on average 107 people in 2000. That year 

the top three processed products were pollock, salmon, 

and yellowfin tuna, however the estimated total weight 

processed and value is confidential. Currently the same 

three processors are in Anacortes. Trident Seafoods built 

a secondary processing facility in the area in 1989 and 

boasts a large cold storage operation. The Anacortes 

plant, with roughly 225 employees, can produce 60 

million pounds of finished product per year.12

In 2000 the total West Coast fisheries landings in 

Anacortes were 924,000 metric tons valued at 

$3,655,818.

Of the 284 unique vessels that delivered landings to 

Anacortes, 163 were tribal commercial vessels and 114 

were commercial vessels. The remaining vessels were 

personal and aquaculture vessels. Reported landings in 

2000 were in the following West Coast fisheries (data 

shown represent landings in metric tons/value of said 

landings/number of vessels landing): crab 612 t/

$2,923,899/205; highly migratory species confidential/

confidential/2; salmon 104 t/$192,040/91; shellfish 4 t/

$66,159/7; shrimp 30 t/$95,460/14; and other species 89 

t/$209,502/37).

Anacortes residents owned 100 vessels in 2000 

including 39 vessels that participated in the federally 

managed groundfish fishery. The number of vessels 

owned by Anacortes residents participating in each said 

fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 2/0/3, 

crab 26/0/0, groundfish 9/0/NA, highly migratory species 

NA/0/NA, salmon 31/0/1, shellfish NA/0/NA, shrimp 

NA/0/0, and other species 16/0/0.13

One Anacortes resident held a single federally 

managed groundfish fishery permit in 2000. The number 

of Anacortes residents holding permits in each said 

fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 1/0/5, 

crab 34/0/1, groundfish 1/0/0, highly migratory species 

NA/0/0, salmon 59/0/1, shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 5/0/0, 

and other species 7/0/4.14

Available data indicate 177 state and federal permits 

were registered to Anacortes residents in 2000. The 

number of permits held by community members in each 

said fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was as follows: 

coastal pelagic 1/0/8, crab 76/0/1, groundfish 0/3/0, 

highly migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 65/0/1, 

shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 7/0/0, and other species 9/0/5.15

Many seafood processors operating in the area have 

closed, including Shannon Point Seafoods, Whitney 

Fidalgo, and Nelbro Packing Company. However 

several seafood companies from Western Washington 

come to Cap Sante Boat Haven to purchase product from 

local fishermen, including Best Fish (Seattle), Blaine 

Crab (Ferndale), Brant Island Seafood (Bellingham), 

Camco Seafood (Seattle), McDonald Fish (La Conner), 

Orient Seafood (Fife), Pacific Urchin Product (Tacoma), 

Trilogy Crab (Bellingham), Shannon Point Seafood (La 

Conner), New Day Fisheries (Port Townsend), and the 

Waterfront Fish Company (Everett).16 Fieldwork 

indicates that many fishermen have “broken down and 

purchased wholesale licenses” in order to sell fresh 

product from their vessels at Cap Sante Boat Haven. 

Boat Haven personnel view this as a positive trend due to 

the educational benefits the experience of buying “fresh 

seafood directly from the boat” affords the consumer.17

The tribal commercial fishery also plays a 

significant role in the local industry. According to the 

Boldt Decision,18 the usual and accustomed fishing areas 

of the Swinomish Tribal Community include the Skagit 

River and its tributaries, the Samish River and its 

tributaries and the marine areas of northern Puget Sound 

from the Fraser River in British Columbia south to and 

including Whidbey, Camano, Fidalgo, Guemes, Samish, 

Cypress, and the San Juan Islands, and including 
69

Bellingham Bay and Hale Passage adjacent to Lummi 

Island.

Sportfishing

In 2000 four salmonid charter fishing business 

operated in Anacortes. At least five salmonid and one 

nonsalmonid charter fishing businesses operated in 

Anacortes in 2003. Internet fishing guide sources 

indicate that there are at least 10 charter boat companies 

in the Anacortes area offering fishing, whale watching, 

and ecotourism excursions; however fieldwork indicates 

that only five companies are directly involved in 

sportfishing in the area: Anacortes Highliner Charters, 

Catchmore Charters, Salmonater, Sea Hawk Salmon 

Charters, and R&R Charters.19 There are two licensed 

agents selling sportfishing permits in Anacortes. In 2003 

there were 8,704 sportfishing license transactions valued 

at $121,250 in Anacortes.

In Catch Record Card Area 7 (San Juan Islands) the 

2000 sport catch, based on catch record cards, was 7,178 

fish including 4,495 Chinook salmon, 2644 coho salmon, 

21 chum salmon, and 18 sockeye salmon. Marine 

anglers made 30,627 trips in the sport salmon fishery. In 

2000 boat-based anglers in Area 7 caught 75,897. The 

recreational harvest of clams (lbs) and oysters (#) for 

Area 7 was estimated to be 115,273 and 0 respectively; 

harvest occurred over an estimated 19,752 user trips.

Subsistence

Subsistence hunting, fishing, and gathering 

activities are fundamental to the way of life of some 

coastal community members. Tribal and nontribal 

individuals participate in subsistence fishing. Today 

members of the Swinomish Tribe and other nontribal 

subsistence fishermen obtain fishery resources from the 

waters surrounding Anacortes. Subsistence fishing is not 

discussed in great detail in this community profile due to 

the lack of available data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Anacortes residents owned 109 vessels in 2000 

involved in North Pacific fisheries. Community 

members landed fish in the following North Pacific 

fisheries (data shown represents landings in metric tons/

value of said landings/number of vessels landing): Bering 

Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) groundfish 62,234 t/

$16,043,900/4; other finfish 21 t/$31,950/11; Gulf of 

Alaska (GOA) groundfish 2166 t/$2,141,830/18; halibut 

499 t/$2,852,150/15; herring 728 t/$233,080/4; salmon 

3180 t/$3,510,960/60; and shellfish confidential/

confidential/1.

In 2000 Anacortes residents held 204 registered 

state and federal permits, including 98 individuals who 

state permits and 64 individuals who held federal permits 

(note: it is possible for individuals to hold more than one 

permit simultaneously). Anacortes residents held 1 crab 

and 25 groundfish License Limitation Program permits in 

2000. Residents also held 6 crab, 1 finfish, 22 halibut, 28 

BSAI groundfish, 2 GOA groundfish, 3 shellfish, and 76 

salmon Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission 

permits. Anacortes residents held 4,734,015 halibut and 

5,728,263 sablefish individual fishing quota shares.

In 2000 164 Anacortes residents held crew member 

licenses for North Pacific fisheries.

Sportfishing

Anacortes residents purchased 192 Alaska 

sportfishing licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. Port of Anacortes. No date. Anacortes comprehensive plan. 

Online at http://www.portofanacortes.com/pdf/pdfemailed_102201/

Introduction%20I-1.pdf [accessed 30 January 2007].

2. Field notes, Port of Anacortes, Anacortes, WA, 12 October 

2004.

3. Skagit County. 2002. Skagit County profile. Online at http:/

/www.wa.gov/esd/lmea/pubs/profiles/skagit.pdf [accessed 30 January 

2007].

4. See note 3.

5. See note 3.

6. Anacortes. No date. Major employers and manufacturers. 

Online at http://www.anacortes.org/demographics.cfm?menuid=3 

&pagedemo=4# [accessed 30 January 2007].

7. See note 1.

8. Field notes, Cap Sante Boat Haven, Anacortes, WA, 20 

October 2004.

9. See note 8.

10. Field notes, Thibert’s Crab Market, Anacortes, WA, 21 

October 2004.

11. Pan Fish USA. 2003. Annual report 2003. Online at http://

www.panfish.no/static/2003eng/2003-Report.pdf [accessed 30 

January 2007].

12. Trident Seafoods. 2001. Northwest plants. Online at 

http://www.tridentseafoods.com/navigate.asp?SecVar=b&SubSecVar 

=b7&SubSec2Var=b7b [accessed 30 January 2007].

13. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due 

to few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted 

nature of a fishery in 2000.

14. See note 12.

15. See note 12.

16. See note 8.

17. See note 8.

18. Ninth Circuit Court. 2000. Muckleshoot Indian Tribe v. 

Lummi Indian Nation. Online at http://www.ce9.uscourts.gov/web/

newopinions.nsf/0/9909aaf534e2be87882569b40066c5ec 

?OpenDocument [accessed 30 January 2007].

19. Field notes, R&R Charters, Anacortes, WA, 21 October 

2004.
70

Bay Center

People and Place

Location

Bay Center is in southwestern Washington on Goose 

Point Peninsula near the center of the eastern edge of 

Willapa Bay at the mouth of the Palix River. In recent 

geologic history, the mouth of the Columbia River was in 

Willapa Bay, but the river has since migrated southward. 

Sandy sediments deposited by the Columbia River along 

its former course formed Long Beach Peninsula, the 

western border of the bay, and Goose Point Peninsula.1

 

Situated in Pacific County, Bay Center encompasses 0.39 

square miles. The nearest major U.S. city is Portland, 

Oregon, a 126-mile drive to the southeast, while Seattle 

is a 144-mile drive northeast. Bay Center’s geographic 

coordinates are lat 46o37′54′′N, long 123o57′13′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Bay Center’s 

population was 174. Because Bay Center was not 

recognized as a place during the 1990 U.S. Census, data 

indicating patterns of demographic evolution were not 

available. The gender composition in 2000 was 51.7% 

male and 48.3% female. The median age of 30 was more 

than 5 years younger than the national median of 35.3. 

Of the population 18 years of age and older, 

approximately 80% had a high school education 

(including equivalency) or higher, 19.1% had earned a 

bachelor’s degree or higher, and 13% had completed a 

graduate or professional degree. The highest level of 

educational attainment for 37.4% was a high school 

degree. In 2000 the high school graduation rate for Bay 

Center was comparable to the national rate of 79.7% in 

2000, but the rate of college graduation was less than the 

national rate of 22.3%. The proportion of the population 

with a graduate or professional degree in Bay Center was 

significantly larger than the national proportion of 7.8%.

The vast majority of Bay Center’s racial structure 

recorded by the 2000 U.S. Census was white (68.4%), 

followed by American Indian and Alaska Native 

(14.4%), people who identified with another race (9.2%), 

people who identified with two or more races (7.5%), and 

Asian (0.6%). Ethnicity data indicate that 10.3% 

identified as Hispanic. In 2000 1.7% were foreign-born, 

with all from Columbia.

Bay Center’s population in 2000 lived in 70 

households, with 82.8% in family households.

20 15 10 5 0 5 10 15 20

Number of Individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure

Male Female

2000 Racial structure 

White

68.4%

Native

14.4%

Two or more races

7.5%

Asian

0.6%

Other

9.2%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity 

Hispanic

10.3%

Non-Hispanic

89.7%
71

History

North Pacific County historically has been home to 

native peoples from the Chehalis, Chinook, and Willapa 

language groups.2 Goose Point Peninsula was inhabited 

predominately by the Chinook, whose overall territory 

included the region bordering the Columbia River and 

much of the area surrounding Willapa Bay.3 Chinook 

groups depended heavily on fishing and coastal resources 

and developed extensive trade networks within the 

region. They harvested native oyster species in Willapa 

Bay and fished for salmon and sturgeon in the Columbia 

River and other area rivers. Starting in the 1850s native 

populations throughout the region were devastated by 

introduced diseases and conflicts with European 

American settlers. While native populations in other 

areas were decimated or removed to reservations, the 

Chinook community in Bay Center remained 

comparatively large.

In the summers of 1890 and 1891, anthropologist 

Franz Boas conducted linguistic research in Bay Center, 

reportedly the only location where he was able find 

elders with knowledge of the lower Chinook dialect.4

 

Today native residents comprise 14.4% of the Bay Center 

population, and the contemporary Chinook Nation, a 

tribal organization that represents individuals descended 

from several Chinook groups, holds a summer gathering 

in the town each year.5

 Some members of the Shoalwater 

Bay Tribe, a federally recognized Chinookan Tribe with 

a reservation across Willapa Bay in Tokeland, (41 miles 

via land) also reside in Bay Center, where the tribe 

operates a small oyster farm.6 Other native residents may 

have membership in the Quinault Indian Nation, which 

controls reservation land on the southwestern portion of 

the Olympic Peninsula.

At low tide half of Willapa Bay is exposed, creating 

40,000 intertidal acres that provide ideal habitat for 

native oysters.7 In 1849 a schooner searching for oyster 

beds entered Willapa Bay and made contact with native 

residents who supplied oysters in exchange for trade 

goods. News of the abundant oyster beds and timber 

resources in the area soon spread, attracting the area’s 

first white settlers. With the California Gold Rush in full 

swing, entrepreneurs streamed into the bay and began 

harvesting oysters at a feverish pace for the lucrative 

California market. The first permanent white settler on 

Goose Point Peninsula established residence in 1853. 

Others soon followed and these settlers temporarily 

adopted the native name Palix, meaning “slough covered 

with trees,” for the community. In 1875, following a 

community-wide contest to choose a new name for the 

town, Palix became Bay Center, a reference to the town’s

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

57.4%

Employed

42.6%

Unemployed

0%

central position within Willapa Bay.8 By 1900 residents 

of many faiths had constructed so many churches that the 

town was locally known as “New Jerusalem” or “Saints 

Rest.”9

Bay Center continued to grow throughout the 

nineteenth century, and entrepreneurs established many 

successful oyster harvesting and processing companies. 

A short-lived salmon cannery operated from 1886–1889, 

employing a substantial number of Chinese laborers 

whose descendants have since left the area. Before the 

construction of roads connecting Goose Point Peninsula 

to other bay communities, Bay Center residents traveled 

mainly by boat. As a result, the city’s pier functioned as 

the community’s “main street” and the center of social 

and commercial activity. When native oyster populations 

declined significantly in the late 1800s, Bay Center 

residents established oyster farms in an attempt to revive 

the industry. In 1891 the Washington State Legislature 

allowed oyster growers to purchase or lease areas of the 

bay that they had been farming, creating the system of 

private ownership that structures the Willapa Bay oyster 

industry today. Attempts to farm native oysters were not 

highly successful, but the industry was fully revitalized in 

the late 1920s, when farmers began raising the Pacific 

oyster, a native of Japan.

Oyster farming remains a driving force behind the 

contemporary Willapa Bay economy, and Bay Center 

hosts a number of seafood farming operations and 

processors that produce oysters for the international 

market. At least one of these companies, Goose Point 

Oysters (Nisbet Oyster Company), operates a 

technologically advanced, highly automated processing 

facility with cold pasteurization equipment and a 

machine that preshucks oysters using intense, directed 

pressure. Oysters processed using this equipment 

maintain a shelf life of up to 17 days and can be shipped 

on the half shell to markets as far away as China.10 
72

Commercial fishing and processing of Dungeness crab, 

Pacific salmon, and Manila clams also are important 

activities in contemporary Bay Center.11

Infrastructure

Current Economy

At the time of the 2000 U.S. Census, 42.6% of Bay 

Center’s potential labor force 16 years of age and older 

were employed, and the unemployment rate was a 

remarkable 0%. In addition, 57.4% did not participate in 

the labor force, compared to the national average of 

36.1%. The largest employment sectors were retail trade 

(26.5%), wholesale trade (24.5%), manufacturing 

(12.2%), education, health, and social services (8.2%), 

local, state, or federal governments (6.1%), and 

accommodation and food services (4.1%). Natural 

resources jobs including agriculture, forestry, fishing, 

and hunting employed (10.2%), but this percentage may 

be artificially low given that many fishermen and seafood 

farmers are self-employed and not represented in these 

data.

Bay Center supports a number of aquaculture and 

seafood processing operations that employ local residents 

and form the foundation of the local economy. The 

majority of these operations specialize in harvesting and 

processing oysters. Employers in the seafood and fishing 

industry include Goose Point Oysters (Nisbet Oyster 

Company), Ekone Oysters, and Bay Center Farms (Bay 

Center Mariculture). The Shoalwater Bay Oyster 

Company, which is owned by the Shoalwater Bay Tribe, 

employs eight tribal members.12 Some Bay Center 

residents also may commute to the many farms and 

processors located in neighboring communities. The Bay 

Center Marina and the Bay Center Kampgrounds of 

America (KOA), as well as a number of small bait shops, 

employ residents and provide services for fishermen and 

tourists. Weyerhaeuser and a number of other mills and 

logging companies active in the Willapa Bay region are a 

potential source of employment for Bay Center residents.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the per capita 

income was $19,325 in 1999 and the median household 

income was $38,409. In 1999 13.4% lived below the 

poverty level, slightly higher than the national average of 

12.4%. In 2000 there were 92 housing units in Bay 

Center with 64.3% owner occupied and 35.7% renter 

occupied. The housing unit vacancy rate was 23.9%, 

with 68.1% vacant due to seasonal, recreational, or 

occasional use.

Governance

Under Washington State law, an area cannot be 

incorporated as a city unless it houses a minimum of 

1,500 residents. Bay Center is therefore classified as an 

unincorporated area governed by Pacific County. Bay 

Center has neither a city council nor its own separate 

municipal tax structure. Residents elect county officials, 

whose offices are located in the county seat of South 

Bend, 15 miles northeast on U.S. Highway 101. Pacific 

County, organized in 1851, has a 7.8% sales tax and a 

9.8% lodging tax. See the Governance subsection 

(page 43) in the Overview section for a more detailed 

discussion of taxes affecting fisherman and processors in 

Washington.

The nearest National Marine Fisheries Service 

Regional Office and the U.S. Citizenship and 

Immigration Services District Office are in Seattle. 

Meetings of the Pacific Fishery Management and North 

Pacific Fishery Management councils are routinely held 

in the Seattle-Tacoma area. The nearest Washington 

Department of Fish and Wildlife office is 45 miles 

northeast in Montesano. The nearest U.S. Coast Guard 

(USCG) Group/Air Station Astoria is in Warrenton, 

Oregon (51 miles south), and the USCG operates the 

National Motor Lifeboat School in Ilwaco (32 miles 

south).13

Facilities

Bay Center is just west of U.S. Highway 101 (northsouth). Residents must travel to nearby South Bend or 

Raymond (19 miles north) to access major retail stores 

and other amenities. The Willapa Harbor Airport in 

Raymond provides an unattended paved runaway that is 

open to the public. The Portland (Oregon) International 

Airport is the nearest facility offering service.14 A KOA 

campground is located just outside of Bay Center, but the 

nearest hotels and motels are located in South Bend and 

Raymond.

Bay Center is in the South Bend School District, but 

there are no public schools located in the community 

itself.15 The district has an elementary school, a middle 

school, and a high school, and students travel by bus to 

schools in South Bend. Public Utility District No. 2 of 

Pacific County administers electricity for community 

residents. Residents and businesses within Section 8 and 

17 of Township 13 North, Range 10 West, which consists 

of 21 commercial customers and 176 residential 

customers, are served by the Bay Center Water System 

through Public Utility District No. 2. Residents located 

outside of this area rely on private wells. Bay Center is 

not served by a sewer district and residents rely on 

private septic systems. Public safety is administered by 
73

the Pacific County Sheriff’s Office and the Pacific 

County Fire District #6 (located in Bay Center). The 

Willapa Harbor Hospital in South Bend and Ocean Beach 

Hospital in Ilwaco are the two nearest medical facilities.

The Bay Center Marina, which is considered part of 

the larger Port of Willapa complex, provides mooring 

space for 20 vessels. The marina hosts only commercial 

vessels at a rate of $20 per month and space is granted on 

a first-come, first-serve basis (no reservations available). 

The facility is regularly dredged to a depth of 10 feet 

below mean low tide. Construction on new steel pilings, 

aluminum gangways, and 6-foot wood-planked mooring 

floats was completed in the fall of 2002.16

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries 

Commercial Fishing

There were at least two oyster processors operating 

in Bay Center in 2000, the Nisbet Oyster Company Inc. 

and the Ekone Oyster Company. The estimated total 

weight and value of their processed products in 2000 is 

confidential.

The Nisbet Oyster Company was founded in 1975 

by David Nisbet. Today Goose Point Oysters is the 

registered trademark owned by Nisbet Oyster Company. 

The company has grown from its original 10 acres to 

more than 500 acres of tideland on Willapa Bay with a 

15,000 square foot oyster processing plant. The 

company is able to shuck about 80,000 gallons of Pacific 

oysters and ship approximately 1.2 million pounds of inshell product annually. Internet resources indicate that 

the company has 45 full-time employees.17

The Ekone Oyster Company was founded in 1982 as 

a small smokehouse and has grown to employ 

approximately 50 people. Ekone is still known for its 

smoked oysters and farms on more than 350 acres of 

Willapa Bay tideland.

In available records, vessel types and landings data 

for the Bay Center Marina are aggregated with data for 

the larger Port of Willapa Bay. Of the 276 unique vessels 

that delivered landings at Willapa Bay, 209 were 

commercial, 18 were tribal commercial, 6 were 

aquaculture, and 43 were personal vessels. Reported 

landings in 2000 were in the following West Coast 

fisheries (data shown represent landings in metric tons/

value of said landings/number of vessels landing): 

coastal pelagic confidential/confidential/1; crab 444.9 t/

$1,941,008/44; groundfish 4.6 t/$3,889/6; salmon 

122.5 t/$178,084/71; shellfish 26.8 t/$73,534/63; shrimp 

399.9 t/$397,143/8; and other species 13.1 t/$31,242/51.

Bay Center residents owned 19 vessels in 2000 that 

participated in West Coast fisheries, including six that 

participated in the federally managed groundfish fishery. 

The number of vessels owned by Bay Center residents 

that participated in each said fishery by state (WA/OR/

CA) was: coastal pelagic 3/0/0, groundfish 0/0/NA, 

highly migratory species NA/0/NA, salmon 4/1/0, 

shellfish NA/0/NA, shrimp NA/0/0, and other species 1/

0/0.18

No individuals living in Bay Center in 2000 held 

federal groundfish fishery permits. The number of Bay 

Center residents holding permits in each said fishery by 

state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 6/0/0, highly migratory 

species NA/0/0, salmon 4/1/0, shellfish 6/0/NA, shrimp 

2/0/0, and other 1/0/0.19

Available data indicate that 21 state permits were 

registered to Bay Center residents in 2000. The number 

of permits held by these community members in each 

said fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 8/0/0, 

highly migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 4/0/0, shellfish 

6/0/NA, shrimp 2/0/0, and other species 1/0/0.20

Sportfishing

Because the Bay Center Marina provides moorage 

space only for commercial vessels, tourists and nonlocal 

sport fishermen may choose larger nearby marinas and 

ports on Willapa Bay. Many visitors choose Bay Center, 

however, as a place to recreationally harvest oysters and 

clams. Rhodesia Beach, just outside of Bay Center, is a 

popular site for sport fishermen interested in digging 

Pacific oysters, Eastern softshell clams, and Manila 

clams. In addition, many local Bay Center residents 

engage in sportfishing within the Willapa Bay area and 

along the Pacific Coast. According to the WDFW, there 

are no sportfish license vendors operating in Bay Center. 

In 2003 and 2004 no Bay Center residents owned or 

operated charter boats in Washington State.

In Catch Record Card Area 2-1 (Willapa Bay) the 

2000–2001 sport catch, based on catch record cards, was 

870 fish including 468 Chinook salmon, 354 coho 

salmon, and 48 jack salmon (immature males). The total 

catch is down from 2,137 salmon recorded in the 1999–

2000 season. The number of marine angler trips in the 

2000 sport salmon fishery is not available. The 2000–

2001 sport sturgeon catch was 96 fish.

Subsistence Fishing

Members of the Chinook Nation remain heavily 

involved in subsistence fishing in the area. However, 

because the tribe does not have federal recognition, 

members have no formal fishing rights within the region. 

In the past, military intervention has been used to stop 

native fishermen from using traditional fishing grounds 

without permits. No specific data on native subsistence 
74

fishing is available because of its controversial nature, 

but tribal members maintain that fishing remains central 

to Chinook identities and livelihoods. The restoration of 

traditional fishing rights is one of the driving forces 

behind continuing efforts to establish federal recognition 

for the tribe.21

Although the Chinook Nation is the prominent tribe 

on the lower Columbia River and Willapa Bay, the 

Shoalwater Bay Tribe traditionally extracts fish and 

shellfish resources from Willapa Bay. The Shoalwater 

Bay Tribe, located in Tokeland, resides on the north end 

of Willapa Bay in Pacific County. The tribe has 237 

enrolled members and a resident service population of 

1,148.22 Subsistence fishing and shellfish harvesting by 

the Shoalwater Bay Tribe is not discussed in great detail 

in this community profile due to the lack of available 

data. Many Shoalwater tribal members, by accepting 80-

acre allotments on the larger Quinault reservation, have 

attained the privilege of Quinault treaty rights,23 however 

specific data on Quinault participation in resource 

harvesting in Willapa Bay is not available.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Five Bay Center residents held crew member 

licenses for North Pacific fisheries in 2000.

Sportfishing

Bay Center residents purchased three Alaska 

sportfishing licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. University of Washington. No date. Historical geology. 

Univ. Washington, Biology Dept. lab, Seattle. Online at http://

www.ess.washington.edu/research/research.html#SE [accessed 30 

January 2007].

2. Willapa Bay Organization. 2004. Communities in north 

Pacific County, Washington. Online at http://www.visit.willapabay 

.org/pages/communities.html [accessed 30 January 2007]. 

3. University of Oregon. 2004. Chinook Tribes. Univ. Oregon, 

Linguistics Dept., Eugene. Online at http://logos.uoregon.edu/

explore/oregon/chtribes.html [accessed 30 January 2007].

4. F. Boas. 1894. Chinook texts. Smithsonian Institution, 

Washington, DC.

5. Chinook Nation. 2004. Home page. Online at http://

www.chinooknation.org [accessed 30 January 2007].

6. U.S. Forest Service. 2001. Economic action programs: One 

success story from Shoalwater Bay Tribe, Pacific County, 

Washington. Online at http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/coop/programs/rca/

stories/wa_pacific_2001.pdf [accessed 30 January 2007].

7. D. Wilson. 2001. Made for each other: Oysters and Willapa 

Bay. Chinook Observer, Long Beach, WA, 28 November 2001, C2.

8. H. Clark. 1970–1971. The Bay Center story. Pacific County 

Historical Society and Museum Sou’wester, South Bend, WA. Vol. 5, 

No. 3 and Vol. 6, No. 1. Online at http://www.pacificcohistory.org/

sw1955_1.htm [accessed 30 January 2007].

9. Tacoma Public Library. 2004. Washington place names. 

Online at http://search.tpl.lib.wa.us/wanames [accessed 30 January 

2007].

10. N. Butterfield. 2001. Goose Point oysters on cutting edge 

of new technology. Chinook Observer, Long Beach, WA, 28 

November 2001, C2.

11. See note 3.

12. See note 7.

13. U.S. Coast Guard. 2005. U.S. Coast Guard. Online at 

http://www.uscg.mil/d13/units/gruastoria/cd.htm [accessed 30 

January 2007].

14. Pacific County Economic Development Council. 2004. 

Transportation. Online at http://www.pacificedc.org/transportation 

.htm [accessed 30 January 2007].

15. South Bend School District. 2003. Location of OBSD/

schools. Online at http://www.southbend.wednet.edu/ [accessed 30 

January 2007].

16. Port of Willapa Harbor. No date. Bay Center Marina. 

Online at http://www.portofwillapaharbor.com/pages/fac_baycenter 

.html [accessed 30 January 2007].

17. Nisbet Oyster Company, Inc. 2002. About us. Online at 

http://www.goosepoint.com/aboutNisbet.html [accessed 30 January 

2007].

18. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due 

to few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted 

nature of a fishery in 2000.

19. See note 18.

20. See note 18.

21. University of Idaho. 2004. Recognition and U.S. relations. 

Online at http://l3.ed.uidaho.edu/ShowOneObject.asp?SiteID=68 

&ObjectID=697 [accessed 30 January 2007].

22. Shoalwater Bay Tribe. No date. The Shoalwater Bay Tribe. 

Online at http://www2.ihs.gov/PortlandAO/about/shoalwater.asp 

[accessed 30 January 2007].

23. See note 22.
75

Bellingham

People and Place

Location

Bellingham is on Bellingham Bay in north Puget 

Sound, protected by Lummi Island, Portage Island, and 

the Lummi Peninsula. Situated in Whatcom County, the 

city encompasses 25.6 square miles of land and 6.1 

square miles of surface water. The nearest major U.S. 

city is Seattle, a 90-mile drive south, while Vancouver, 

British Columbia, is a 54-mile drive north. Bellingham’s 

geographic coordinates are lat 48°45′01′′N, long 

122°28′30′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Bellingham’s 

population was 67,171, an increase of 28.7% from 1990. 

The gender composition was 51.4% female and 48.6% 

male. The median age of 30.4 was lower than the 

national median of 35.3. Approximately 67.1% were 

between the ages of 18 and 60. Of the population 18 

years of age and older, 90.0% had a high school 

education (including equivalency) or higher, 25.1% had 

earned a bachelor’s degree or higher, and 8% had 

obtained a graduate or professional degree; the national 

averages were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The vast majority of Bellingham’s racial structure 

recorded by the 2000 U.S. Census was white (87.9%), 

followed by Asian (4.2%), people who identified with 

two or more races (3.1%), people who identified with 

another race (2.2%), American Indian and Alaska Native 

(1.5%), black (1.0%), and Pacific Islander (0.2%). 

Ethnicity data indicate that 4.6% identified as Hispanic. 

In 2000 9.1% were foreign-born, with 38.1% from the 

Americas outside of the United States, 34.6% from Asian 

countries, and 25.7% from Europe.

In 2000 61.1% of Bellingham’s population lived in 

family households.

History

At the time of the first European settlement, 

thousands of native people lived in Whatcom County, 

utilizing forest and marine resources to make their living. 

Whatcom (meaning “noisy waters”) County, derived its 

name from the sound of a waterfall at the mouth of 

Nooksack Creek. The tribal population around 

Bellingham was quite diverse when Europeans first 

arrived. In 1857 Edmund Fitzhugh, the first Indian agent 

of Washington Territory, reported a population of 510 

Lummis, 450 Neuk-sacks, 150 Samish, and about 200 

Sticks or Neukwers and Sia-man-nas.1

10,000 8,000 6,000 4,000 2,000 0 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 10,000

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure

Male Female

2000 Racial structure 

White

87.9%

Two or more races

3.1%

Other

2.2%

Pacific Islander

0.2%

Black

1%

Native

1.5%

Asian

4.2%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity 

Non-Hispanic

95.4%

Hispanic

4.6%
76

The Lummi Peninsula, located on the northwest side 

of Bellingham Bay, was once home to the Lummi people, 

while the Nooksacks lived upstream on Nooksack River. 

The Lummi were instrumental in the development of the 

bay’s first European settlement, transporting the 

Europeans to Bellingham Bay by canoe, helping 

construct the first buildings, and providing food 

resources to the early settlers;2

 however conflict between 

the native peoples and settlers did exist. In 1898 

European Americans drove several native reefnetters 

from the shores of the Frazier River in British Columbia 

where the Lummi caught and dried fish.3 Judicial 

decisions made in favor of nontribal individuals further 

frustrated traditional Lummi fishing practices in the 

area.4

The English explorer Captain George Vancouver 

discovered Bellingham Bay in 1792. In 1853, a year 

after landing at the foot of Whatcom Falls, Russell 

Peabody built the first mill house and post office in what 

is now Bellingham. Four separate towns (Whatcom, 

Sehome, Bellingham, and Fairhaven) were settled, 

platted, and in most cases incorporated on Bellingham 

Bay before they finally came together to be known as the 

City of Bellingham in 1903.

The first town, Whatcom, boomed during the 1858 

gold rush on the Fraser River in British Columbia as 

thousands awaited the completion of trails north into 

Canada and the gold fields. Whatcom residents built 

long wharves and dredged waterways to navigate 

mudflats and gain access to Bellingham Bay. The area 

that was Whatcom is now called Old Town. In the mid1800s the second town, Sehome, was dominated by a 

company from San Francisco that built a coal mine, 

which facilitated the bay’s economy. Later the company 

provided funds for a local railroad to explore additional 

coal resources. Today what was Sehome is Bellingham’s 

downtown. The third community, Fairhaven, located just 

south of Bellingham, experienced periods of economic 

success and adversity. Today the name Fairhaven is used 

for the commercial and suburban area on Bellingham’s 

south side. In the early 1860s the Union Coal Company 

developed on Bellingham Bay and the surrounding 

community was called Unionville. Over the next two 

decades other enterprises failed. In 1888 a Fairhaven 

developer purchased several empty lots on the bay and 

the area became part of Fairhaven on its incorporation in 

1890. When the four towns decided to consolidate in 

1903, the City of Bellingham had a population of 22,000 

which grew to over 30,000 during the next decade.5

The Lummi Tribe continues to have a strong 

presence in the Bellingham area. The tribal offices are 

2000 Employment structure

Unemployed

6.8%

Not in labor force

33.6%

Employed

59.6%

located in Bellingham, as are centers of fitness, family 

services, employment and training, a police station, and 

an extensive Natural Resources Department. According 

to 2000 U.S. Census data, 4,193 tribal members lived on 

the Lummi reservation 7 miles northwest of Bellingham. 

The Nooksack tribal offices are in Deming 15 miles 

northeast.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

At the time of the 2000 U.S. Census, 59.6% of 

Bellingham’s potential labor force 16 years of age and 

older were employed, 6.8% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 10.3% (calculated by dividing 

the unemployed population by the labor force). In 

addition, 33.6% were not in the labor force, compared to 

the national average of 36.1%. The largest employment 

sectors were management, professional, and related 

occupations (33.3%), sales and office occupations 

(28.4%), and local, state, and federal governments 

(16.8%). Natural resource jobs including agriculture, 

forestry, fishing, and hunting employed 0.9%, but this 

percentage may be artificially low given that many 

fishermen are self-employed and are underrepresented in 

these data.

The top employers in the City of Bellingham are St. 

Joseph Hospital (1,775) and Western Washington 

University (1,570).6 Bellingham’s economy today relies 

less on mining, salmon canneries, and lumber than it did 

throughout the majority of the 1990s, and is more 

oriented toward tourism, retail, and the burgeoning 

academic population surrounding Western Washington 

University.7 Lumber and fishing are still important 

economic activities in Bellingham, but the scale and 

method of production has evolved; mass production has 

slowed to meet specialized consumer demand and 
77

mediate environmental concerns. During World War I 

Bellingham enjoyed a growth of shipbuilding and repair 

businesses and the industry has remained an important 

part of Bellingham’s economic base. The shipbuilding 

industry is focused on metal fabrication, commercial and 

governmental shipbuilding and repair, and the 

construction of aluminum boats.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the per capita 

income in 1999 was $19,483 and the median household 

income was $32,530. In 1999 20.6% lived below the 

poverty level, compared to the national average of 

12.4%. In 2000 there were 29,474 housing units in 

Bellingham, with 48.2% owner occupied and 51.8% 

renter occupied. The housing unit vacancy rate was 5%, 

with 9.1% vacant due to seasonal, recreational, or 

occasional use.

Governance

Incorporated in 1903, the City of Bellingham has a 

council-mayor form of government. The mayor is 

elected to four-year terms as the city’s chief executive 

and administrative officer. Whatcom County levies an 

8.3% sales tax and a 4% lodging tax. See the 

Governance subsection (page 43) in the Overview 

section for a more detailed discussion of taxes affecting 

fisherman and processors in Washington.

The nearest National Marine Fisheries Service 

Regional Office and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 

Services District Office are in Seattle. Meetings of the 

Pacific Fishery Management and North Pacific Fishery 

Management councils are routinely held in the SeattleTacoma area. The nearest Washington Department of 

Fish and Wildlife Regional Office is 70 miles south in 

Mill Creek. The U.S. Coast Guard Station (USCG) 

Bellingham’s area of responsibility includes the San Juan 

Islands north to the Canada border and south to 

Admiralty Inlet. The USCG station works in close 

partnership with the Canadian Coast Guard and is 

occasionally involved in international search and rescue, 

and law enforcement operations. It was established in 

1947 and maintains six vessels.

Facilities

Bellingham is accessible by ground, sea, and air. 

Bellingham is located on the Interstate 5 (north-south) 

corridor. The major east-west highways are Interstate 90 

in Seattle and Canadian National 1, approximately 50 

miles north in Vancouver, British Columbia. Amtrak’s 

Cascade Corridor Service, stopping in Bellingham, 

provides national and international rail passenger service. 

Bellingham International Airport is 3 miles northwest of 

the city and is served by United Express, West Isle Air, 

and Alaska Airlines. The Vancouver (British Columbia) 

International Airport and Seattle-Tacoma International 

Airport are the nearest major facilities. Bellingham 

serves as a departing point for northbound travelers 

aboard the Alaska Marine Highway’s ferries, operating 

year round to numerous ports throughout Alaska. 

Additional foot ferry services and charter vessels run 

from the Port of Bellingham’s Cruise Terminal to 

Victoria, British Columbia, and the San Juan Islands in 

Washington.

The Bellingham School District has 13 elementary 

schools, 4 middle schools, and 10 high schools. There 

are 12 private schools in the Bellingham area and the 

Whatcom Home School Association provides assistance 

for families involved in home-school efforts. There are 

several universities and colleges in Bellingham, 

including Western Washington University, Whatcom 

Community College, Bellingham Technical College, and 

the Northwest Indian College.

Puget Sound Energy administers electricity for city 

residents. The City of Bellingham supplies water, with 

Lake Whatcom, located east of Bellingham, the major 

source. The City of Bellingham’s Wastewater Division 

within the Department of Public Works provides 

wastewater treatment. Cascade Natural Gas offers 

service to Bellingham and surrounding communities. 

The Bellingham Police and Fire departments administer 

public safety. St. Joseph’s Hospital in Bellingham is the 

only major medical facility in Whatcom County and 

provides a full range of inpatient and outpatient services.

The City of Bellingham has numerous community 

services and organizations, including the Whatcom 

Museum of History and Art, the Bellingham Public 

Library Main Library and Fairhaven Branch, nearly 100 

parks, and a civic stadium. The tourism industry in 

Bellingham is well developed with more than 100 hotels 

and motels in the area. The city is also home to 

Bellingham’s Maritime Heritage Center, an urban park 

where you can fish for salmon and steelhead on 

Whatcom Creek and learn about the Whatcom Creek 

Hatchery operation. Sport fishermen return to the creek 

every year during salmon season 1 August–31 December.

The Port of Bellingham’s facilities include a bulk 

and break-bulk shipping terminal (channel depth 32 feet; 

berthing space 1,360 feet), the Bellingham cruise 

terminal, and two harbors. The Port of Bellingham’s 

Squalicum and Blaine harbors provide moorage for 

commercial and pleasure boats in the Bellingham area. 

At Squalicum Harbor, the port is developing a 

fishermen’s wharf facility for direct marketing of spot 

prawns, salmon, and Dungeness crab. Blaine Harbor, 

located at the U.S.-Canada border, is homeport to more 

than 600 commercial and pleasure boats and has more 

than 700 feet of visitor moorage. Bellingham Cold 
78

Storage is a full-service public refrigerated warehouse 

located on the waterfront providing services for a variety 

of food and seafood products in addition to freezing, 

boxing, ice sales, ship loading and unloading, and cargo 

pooling.

A number of aquaculture and hatchery 

organizations, facilities, and their associated supply 

businesses are located in Bellingham, including the 

Washington Farmed Salmon Commission, Lummi 

Shellfish Hatchery, Whatcom Falls Trout Hatchery, and 

Whatcom Creek Hatchery. The Lummi Shellfish 

Hatchery specializes in the culture of geoduck clams, 

Manila clams, and oysters. The Whatcom Creek 

Hatchery, established in 1978, works to enhance local 

salmon runs. The Whatcom Creek Hatchery at the 

Maritime Heritage Center in Bellingham is operated by 

students in the fisheries technology program at 

Bellingham Technical College; the program prepares 

students for employment in a variety of fishery-related 

occupations with an emphasis on aquaculture. The 

facility has the capacity to raise around 6 million fish 

annually and donates more than 2 million eggs to other 

enhancement groups.

There are several nonprofit organizations working in 

Bellingham that focus on fishery-related issues. The 

local marine resource committee (MRC), part of the 

Northwest Straits Marine Conservation Initiative, brings 

a scientific and grassroots approach to protecting and 

restoring marine resources works in the Bellingham area. 

Serving on the MRC are representatives from the 

scientific community, local and tribal governments, and 

economic, recreational, and conservation interests. Other 

community organizations include the Nooksack Salmon 

Enhancement Association and the Nooksack Recovery 

Team, working to restore fish habitat in the Nooksack 

watershed. The Puget Sound Action Team, based in 

Olympia, has several ongoing watershed, public 

involvement, and education projects in the Bellingham 

area.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Bellingham had at least nine seafood processors in 

2000: Arrowac Fisheries Inc., Bornstein Seafoods Inc., 

Cascade Seafoods, Icicle Seafoods Inc., New West 

Fisheries Inc., San Juan Seafoods Inc., Trans-Ocean 

Products, Trident Seafoods, and Trilogy Pacific Inc. 

These processors had 676 employees in 2000. Many of 

those employed by processors in the area are Hispanic.8 

In 2000 an estimated 59,412,691 pounds of fish were 

processed and valued at $98,844,938. In 2000 the top 

three processed products in the community in terms of 

pounds and revenue earned were: pollock 39,519,145 lbs/

$44,844,078; salmon 6,520,820 lbs/$14,533,181; and 

halibut 5,751,304 lbs/$19,820,649. Bornstein Seafoods, 

historically a groundfish processing and distribution 

company, is expanding to process and distribute Oregon 

seafood products. In the 1990s the company invested in 

a processing plant in Astoria, Oregon, specializing in bait 

sardine processing, and purchased an Ocean Beauty plant 

in Newport, Oregon. New West also has invested in 

facilities to process sardines.9

 Seafood Producer’s 

Cooperative, a large and successful fishermen’s 

cooperative, is based in Bellingham; members produce, 

process, and market troll salmon and longline fish. 

Wildcatch Seafood, a business dedicated to improving 

the lives of independent fishermen in Alaska, markets 

wild salmon to co-ops, natural food stores, and other 

high-end retailers.

Landings data for Bellingham includes records from 

the nearby community of Marietta. Of the 1,268 unique 

vessels that delivered landings to Bellingham and 

Marietta in 2000, 735 were tribal commercial vessels, 

375 were commercial vessels, 157 were for personal use, 

and 1 was for aquaculture. Landings were in the 

following West Coast fisheries (data shown represents 

landings in metric tons/value of said landings/number of 

vessels landing): coastal pelagic confidential/

confidential/1; crab 1,300 t/$6,000,290/368; groundfish 

5,461 t/$4,699,501/77; salmon 1,117 t/$2,373,443/669; 

shellfish 276 t/$1,447,756/234; shrimp 27 t/$302,812/53; 

and other species 621 t/$3,998,297/82.

Bellingham residents owned 224 vessels in 2000, 

including 97 vessels that participated in the federally 

managed groundfish fishery (10 vessels became part of 

the Groundfish Vessel Buyback Program in 2003). The 

number of vessels that participated in each said fishery 

by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 7/11/6, crab 

58/2/0, groundfish 23/0/NA, highly migratory species 

NA/0/NA, salmon 83/0/0, shellfish NA/0/NA, shrimp 

NA/0/0, and other species 30/0/0.10

Three Bellingham residents held three federally 

managed groundfish fishery permits in 2000. The 

number of Bellingham residents that held permits in each 

said fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 

16/14/63, crab 50/1/0, groundfish 8/0/0, highly migratory 

species NA/0/0, salmon 208/1/0, shellfish 0/0/NA, 

shrimp 3/0/0, and other species 22/0/1.11

Available data indicate that 551 state and federal 

permits were registered to Bellingham residents in 2000. 

The number of permits held by community members in 

each said fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal 

pelagic 17/14/141, crab 89/0/0, groundfish 21/0/0, highly 

migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 236/0/0, shellfish 0/0/

NA, shrimp 3/0/0, and other species 26/0/1.12
79

The tribal commercial fishery plays a significant 

role in local fishing industry. The Lummi Natural 

Resource Department has offices in Bellingham 

encompassing several divisions, including Natural 

Resource Harvest Management, Shellfish Operations, 

and Water Resources. Shellfish Operations provides a 

sustainable shellfish program through the sale of oyster 

and clam products using the shellfish hatchery, Lummi 

Island Sea Pond, and tribal tidelands.

According to the Boldt Decision,13 in addition to 

several reef-net locations (i.e., Orcas, San Juan, Lummi, 

and Fidalgo islands, and near Point Roberts and Sandy 

Point), the usual and accustomed fishing grounds of the 

Lummi Indians at treaty times included the marine areas 

of northern Puget Sound from the Fraser River in British 

Columbia south to the northern outskirts of Seattle (as 

they existed in 1974), and particularly Bellingham Bay. 

Freshwater fisheries included the river drainage systems, 

especially the Nooksack River, emptying into the bays 

from Boundary Bay south to Fidalgo Bay.

Sportfishing

In 2000 there were at least one salmonid and one 

nonsalmonid charter fishing operators in Bellingham. In 

2003 at least two salmonid charter fishing businesses 

operated in Bellingham. There were nine licensed agents 

selling fishing permits in Bellingham. In 2003 there 

were 20,090 sportfishing license transactions valued at 

$339,527.

In Catch Record Card Area 7 (San Juan Islands) the 

2000 sport catch, based on catch record cards, was 7,178 

fish, including 4,495 Chinook salmon, 2,644 coho 

salmon, 21 chum salmon, and 18 sockeye salmon. 

Marine angler made 30,627 trips in the sport salmon 

fishery in 2000. Boat-based anglers caught 5,897 

bottomfish in Area 7. The recreational harvest of clams 

(lbs) and oysters (#) for Area 7 in 2000 was estimated to 

be 115,273 and 0 respectively; harvest occurred over an 

estimated 19,752 user trips.

Subsistence

Subsistence hunting, fishing, and gathering 

activities are fundamental to the way of life of some 

coastal community members. Tribal and nontribal 

individuals participate in subsistence fishing. Today 

members of the Lummi Tribe and other nontribal 

subsistence fishermen obtain fishery resources from the 

waters surrounding Bellingham. Subsistence fishing is 

not discussed in great detail in this community profile 

due to the lack of available data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 Bellingham residents owned 220 vessels 

that were involved in North Pacific fisheries. 

Community members landed fish in the following North 

Pacific fisheries (data shown represent landings in metric 

tons/value of said landings/number of vessels landing): 

crab confidential/confidential/3; Bering Sea and Aleutian 

Islands (BSAI) groundfish 7,312.7 t/$2,970,760/6; other 

finfish 1.2 t/$610/5; Gulf of Alaska (GOA) groundfish 

1,487.6 t/$1,230,280/17; halibut 171.5 t/$985,480/10; 

herring 1,878.6 t/$614,360/38; salmon 8,386.3 t/

$7,416,500/136; shellfish 36.6 t/$154,710/9; and scallops 

confidential/confidential/1.

In 2000 Bellingham residents held 357 state and 

federal registered permits, including 201 individuals who 

held state permits and 85 who held registered federal 

permits (note: it is possible for individuals to hold more 

than one permit at a time). Community members held 9 

crab, 27 groundfish, and 1 scallop License Limitation 

Program permits in 2000. Residents held 2 crab, 33 

BSAI groundfish, 18 halibut, 66 herring, 165 salmon, 1 

scallop, and 16 shellfish Commercial Fisheries Entry 

Commission permits in 2000. Bellingham residents held 

3,380,256 halibut and 1,678,178 sablefish individual 

fishing quota shares in 2000.

Bellingham residents held 367 crew member 

licenses for North Pacific fisheries in 2000.

Sportfishing

Bellingham community members purchased 521 

Alaska sportfishing licenses in 2000. That year six 

Bellingham sportfishing businesses participated in 

Alaskan fisheries.

Notes

1. Northwest Waterfront. 2000. Bellingham, Washington. 

Online at http://www.nwwf.com/profile/whabel.htm [accessed 31 

January 2007].

2. Whatcom Museum. 2004. History of Bellingham. Online at 

http://www.whatcommuseum.org [accessed 31 January 2007].

3. T. Schlosser. 1978. Washington’s resistance to treaty Indian 

commercial fishing: The need for judicial apportionment. Online at 

http://www.msaj.com/papers/commfish.htm [accessed 31 January 

2007].

4. See note 3.

5. See note 2.

6. Johnson Real Estate Team. No date. Top employers. Online 

at http://www.johnsonteamrealestate.com/relo_topemployers.cfm 

[accessed 31 January 2007].

7. Bellingham Herald. 2002. Bellingham. Online at http://

cityguide.bellinghamherald.com/fe/communities/profile.asp 

?businessid=1042 [accessed 31 January 2007].
80

8. H. J. Brown. 2002. Processing is entry into fishing industry. 

The Bellingham Herald, Bellingham, WA, 3 March 2002, S4.

9. ODFW (Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife). 2003. 

Oregon’s commercial fishing industry: Review of years 2000 and 

2001, preliminary estimates for 2002, outlook for 2003. Online at 

http://www.dfw.state.or.us/odfwhtml/commercial/

commercial_fishing_report.pdf [accessed 27 January 2007].

10. NA refers to data that were available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

11. See note 8.

12. See note 8.

13. Center for Columbia River History. No date. Boldt 

Decision. Online at http://www.ccrh.org/comm/river/legal/boldt.htm 

[accessed 31 January 2007].
81

Blaine

People and Place

Location

Blaine is on Drayton Harbor at the northernmost 

edge of the Puget Sound, just south of the U.S.-Canada 

border. Situated in Whatcom County, the city 

encompasses 5.5 square miles of land and 3.0 square 

miles of water. The nearest major U.S. city is Seattle, a 

111-mile drive south. Blaine’s geographic coordinates 

are lat 48°59′38′′N, long 122°44′45′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Blaine’s 

population was 3,770, a significant increase from 2,489 

in 1990. The gender composition was 51.4% female and 

48.6% male. The median age of 38.6 years was above 

the national average of 35.3. The age structure in Blaine 

demonstrated usual population trends for a community 

without a major tertiary education provider. Of the 

population 18 years of age and older, 80.6% had a high 

school education (including equivalency) or higher, 

20.7% had earned a bachelor’s degree or higher, and 

8.2% had attained a graduate or professional degree; the 

national averages were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% 

respectively. For 28.2% a high school degree or 

equivalent was the highest level of educational 

attainment.

The vast majority of Blaine’s racial structure 

recorded by the 2000 U.S. Census was white (87.7%), 

followed by Asian (4.2%), people who identified with 

two or more races (3.8%), people who identified with 

another race (1.3%), black (1.2%), American Indian and 

Alaska Native (1.1%), and Native Hawaiian and other 

Pacific Islander (0.7%). Ethnicity data indicate that 4.4% 

identified as Hispanic. In 2000 19.3% were foreign-born, 

with the majority from the Americas outside of the 

United States, followed by people from Europe. Of the 

people identifying ancestry, most were German, English, 

or Irish.

In 2000 84% of Blaine’s population lived in family 

households.

History

At the time of the first European settlement, more 

than 1,000 native people lived in Whatcom County 

utilizing forest and marine resources. Whatcom 

(meaning “noisy waters”) County, derived its name from 

the sound of a waterfall at the mouth of Nooksack Creek. 

Initially known as Semiahmoo, Blaine was already an 

300 200 100 0 100 200 300

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure

Male Female

2000 Racial structure 

White

87.7%

Two or more races

3.8%

Other

1.3%

Pacific Islander

0.7%

Black

1.2%

Native

1.1%

Asian

4.2%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity 

Hispanic

4.4%

Non-Hispanic

95.6%
82

ambitious settlement by 1858, although it was not 

incorporated until 1890. The initial name came from the 

tribe of Salish Indians who inhabited the Semiahmoo Bay 

area at a time when commercial interests attracted 

proprietors and European American settlers. Blaine was 

officially settled in 1856, corresponding with the U.S. 

Boundary Survey Commission’s survey of the 49th 

parallel. During the falls and winters of 1857–1859, 

soldiers were stationed in the area to complete the 

construction of the boundary line. Within a few years, 

the town had begun to prosper significantly from 

outfitting gold miners heading north to the Fraser River 

in British Columbia. Blaine was the site of Whatcom 

County’s first salmon cannery, built in 1881, which later 

became the Alaska Packers Association. Reaching a 

productive peak in the 1950s, the cannery eventually was 

sold and, indicating the economic changes at the turn of 

the century, is now the current location of a four-star 

resort.1

Prior to this recent stage of the immediate area’s 

history, the Semiahmoo people dominated the region 

from Boundary Bay to the north and Birch Bay to the 

south. A 328-acre reservation now runs along the 

international border. During the mid-1800s, Snokomish 

people who survived the devastating smallpox epidemics 

joined the Semiahmoo, subsequently making the 

Semiahmoo heirs to the Snokomish territory.2 The 

Semiahmoo belong to a group of tribes called the Straight 

Salish, a division of the Coast Salish. The Straight Salish 

are distinguished from their neighbors through their 

unique language and their most important subsistence 

practice, reef-net fishing during annual salmon runs. 

Distinct from smaller mobile nets and traps used for 

stream fishing by their neighbors to the north and south, 

the elaborate reef nets were used by the Semiahmoo in 

saltwater channels off the southern shore of Vancouver 

Island in British Columbia and the San Juan Islands.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

At the time of the 2000 U.S. Census, 54.6% of 

Blaine’s potential labor force 16 years of age and older 

were employed, 4% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 6.9% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

41.3% were not in the labor force, compared to the 

national average of 36.1%. The major employment 

sectors were education, health, and social services 

(15.2%), local, state, and federal governments (14.4), 

retail (14.3%), and manufacturing (11.3%).

Blaine’s economy was historically based on natural 

resource extraction industries. While the agriculture, 

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

41.3%

Employed

54.6%

Unemployed

4%

fishing, and timber sectors have declined in the latter part 

of the twentieth century, they remain strong elements of 

the county’s contemporary economy. Although the 

annual average income in agriculture, forestry, and 

fishing industry combined is lower than the statewide 

salary average, the fishing, hunting, and trapping industry 

has typically offered the highest average salaries in the 

county. However in 2000 only 77 people participated in 

that industry.3

Since 1970 the number of jobs in the county has 

increased by 275% compared to a statewide increase of 

245%, although this trend shows signs of reversing in 

recent years. The largest proportion of new jobs has been 

in trade and services, due largely to periods of 

particularly favorable rates of exchange between U.S. 

and Canada currencies.4

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the per capita 

income in 1999 was $20,333 and the median household 

income was $36,900. In 1999 15.5% lived below the 

poverty level, higher than the national average of 12.4%. 

In 2000 there were 1,737 housing units in Blaine, with 

57% owner occupied and 43% renter occupied. The 

housing unit vacancy rate was 14%, with 45.6% vacant 

due to seasonal, recreational, or occasional use.

Governance

The City of Blaine has a council-manager form of 

government. There are seven elected city council 

members who appoint a city manager. The city manager 

is responsible for the efficient administration of all city 

government, including appointing the heads of the city 

departments. Whatcom County, including Blaine, levies 

an 8.3% sales tax and a 4% lodging tax. See the 

Governance subsection (page 43) in the Overview 

section for a more detailed discussion of taxes affecting 

fisherman and processors in Washington.
83

The nearest National Marine Fisheries Service 

Regional Office and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 

Services District Office are in Seattle. Meetings of the 

Pacific Fishery Management and North Pacific Fishery 

Management councils are routinely held in the SeattleTacoma area. The nearest Washington Department of 

Fish and Wildlife Regional Office is 93 miles south in 

Mill Creek. Blaine falls within the U.S. Coast Guard 

(USCG) Station Bellingham’s area of responsibility, 

which includes the San Juan Islands north to the Canada 

border and south to Admiralty Inlet. The USCG works in 

close partnership with the Canadian Coast Guard and is 

occasionally involved in international search and rescue 

and law enforcement operations. The Bellingham station 

(21 miles south) was established in 1947 and maintains 

six vessels.

Facilities

Blaine is accessible by ground, sea, and air. Blaine 

is located on the Interstate 5 corridor (north-south). The 

nearest major east-west highways are Interstate 90 (in 

Seattle) and Canadian National 1, approximately 50 

miles north in Vancouver, British Columbia. Amtrak’s 

Cascade Corridor Service provides national and 

international rail passenger service. The Blaine 

Municipal Airport, a small airport with self-service 

facilities such as fueling and tie-down, is nearby. The 

Bellingham Airport is the nearest facility offering 

passenger service. Vancouver (British Columbia) 

International Airport and Seattle-Tacoma International 

Airport are the nearest major facilities.

The Blaine School District has two primary schools, 

one elementary school, one middle school, and one high 

school. The City of Blaine provides water, sewer, storm 

water, and electrical services. The Blaine Police and Fire 

departments administer public safety. St. Joseph’s 

Hospital, Whatcom County’s only major medical facility, 

is in Bellingham. The tourism industry in Blaine is well 

developed with numerous hotels and motels.

Blaine Harbor, managed by the Port of Bellingham, 

serves as a U.S. port of entry. The newly renovated 

harbor has nearly 600 state-of-the-art boat slips for 

commercial and pleasure boats. The harbor provides 

year-round permanent moorage, more than 700 feet of 

visitor moorage, and several marine service facilities 

including marine supply stores, a fueling dock, portable 

pump-out stations, and new concrete floats. The harbor 

also offers a public meeting room, waterfront trails, 

restaurants and a complimentary shuttle service into 

town, free parking, and 24-hour onsite staff.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing 

There were at least two seafood processors 

operating in Blaine in 2000, Boundary Fish Company 

and Sea K. Fish Company. Of the 471 unique vessels 

that delivered landings to Blaine, 236 were commercial 

vessels, 165 were tribal commercial vessels, and 70 were 

for personal use. Reported landings were in the 

following West Coast fisheries (data shown represent 

landings in metric tons/value of said landings/number of 

vessels landing): crab 581 t/$2,637,349/192; groundfish 

2,026 t/$1,301,259/26; highly migratory species 

confidential/confidential/1; salmon 375 t/$898,579/177; 

shellfish 2 t/$6734/9; shrimp 2 t/$15,790/9; and other 

species 174 t/$462,062/39.

Blaine residents owned 41 vessels in 2000, 

including 22 that participated in the federally managed 

groundfish fishery. The number of vessels owned by 

Blaine residents in 2000 participating in each said fishery 

by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 4/1/0, crab 

23/2/0, groundfish 26/0/NA, highly migratory species 

NA/0/NA, salmon 30/0/0, shellfish NA/0/NA, shrimp 

NA/0/0, and other species 14/0/0.5

Five Blaine residents held four federally managed 

groundfish fishery permits in 2000. The number holding 

permits in each said fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

coastal pelagic 3/1/6, crab 24/0/0, groundfish 7/0/1, 

highly migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 46/0/0, 

shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 2/0/0, and other species 2/0/0.6

Available data indicate that 271 state and federal 

permits were registered to Blaine residents in 2000. The 

number in each said fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

coastal pelagic 3/1/141, crab 38/0/0, groundfish 27/0/0, 

highly migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 52/0/0, 

shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 2/0/0, and other species 2/0/1.7

The tribal commercial fishery also plays a 

significant role in the local fishing industry. The Lummi 

Natural Resource Department has offices in nearby 

Bellingham encompassing several divisions including 

Natural Resource Harvest Management, Shellfish 

Operations, and Water Resources. The Shellfish 

Operation provides a sustainable shellfish program 

through the sale of oyster and clam products using the 

shellfish hatchery, Lummi Island Sea Pond, and tribal 

tidelands.

According to the Boldt Decision,8 in addition to 

several reef-net locations (i.e., Orcas, San Juan, Lummi, 

and Fidalgo islands, and near Point Roberts and Sandy 

Point), the usual and accustomed fishing places of the 

Lummi Tribe at treaty times included the marine areas of 

northern Puget Sound from the Fraser River in British 
84

Columbia south to the northern outskirts of Seattle (as 

they existed in 1974), and particularly Bellingham Bay. 

Freshwater fisheries included the river drainage systems, 

especially the Nooksack River, emptying into the bays 

from Boundary Bay south to Fidalgo Bay.

Sportfishing

In 2000 there was at least one salmonid charter 

fishing operator in Blaine. As of May 2005, two licensed 

agents were selling fishing permits in Blaine. In 2003 

there were 5,332 sportfishing license transactions in 

Blaine valued at $66,342.58.

In Catch Record Card Area 7 (San Juan Islands) the 

2000 sport catch, based on catch record cards, was 7,178 

fish, including 4,495 Chinook salmon, 2,644 coho 

salmon, 21 chum salmon, and 18 sockeye salmon. 

Marine anglers made 30,627 trips to the sport salmon 

fishery. Boat-based anglers caught 5,897 bottomfish in 

Area 7. The recreational harvest of clams (lbs) and 

oysters (#) for Area 7 in 2000 was estimated to be 

115,273 and 0 respectively; harvest occurred over an 

estimated 19,752 user trips.

Subsistence

Subsistence hunting, fishing, and gathering 

activities are fundamental to the way of life of some 

coastal community members. Tribal and nontribal 

individuals participate in subsistence fishing. Today 

members of the Lummi Tribe and other nontribal 

subsistence fishermen obtain fishery resources from the 

waters surrounding Blaine. Subsistence fishing is not 

discussed in great detail in this community profile due to 

the lack of available data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 Blaine residents owned 22 vessels involved 

in North Pacific fisheries. Community members landed 

fish in the following North Pacific fisheries (data shown 

represent landings in metric tons/value of said landings/

number of vessels landing): Bering Sea and Aleutian 

Islands (BSAI) groundfish confidential/confidential/1; 

other finfish confidential/confidential/2; Gulf of Alaska 

(GOA) groundfish 2,513 mt/$898,440/4; halibut 

confidential/confidential/2; herring confidential/

confidential/1; salmon 3,621 mt/$1,709,500/18; and 

shellfish confidential/condfidential/2.

In 2000 Blaine residents held 50 state and federal 

registered permits, including 12 individuals who held 

state permits and 30 who held federal permits (note: it is 

possible for individuals to hold more than one permit 

simultaneously). Blaine residents held five groundfish 

License Limitation Program permits. Community 

members held 6 BSAI groundfish, 4 halibut, 5 herring, 

26 salmon, and 2 shellfish Commercial Fisheries Entry 

Commission permits. Residents held 273,967 halibut 

individual fishing quota shares.

Blaine residents held 64 crew member licenses for 

North Pacific fisheries in 2000.

Sportfishing

Blaine residents purchased 54 Alaska sportfishing 

licenses in 2000. That year there was one sportfishing 

business in Blaine that participated in Alaskan fisheries.

Notes

1. History of Blaine. No date. City of Blaine. Online at http://

www.ci.blaine.wa.us/ [accessed 31 January 2007]. 

2. The Territory of the Semiahmoo People. No date. The 

territory of the Semiahmoo. Online at http://members.shaw.ca/

j.a.brown/Territory.html [accessed 31 January 2007].

3. Whatcom County Profile. 2001. Whatcom County profile. 

Online at http://www.wa.gov/esd/lmea/pubs/profiles/whatcom.pdf 

[accessed 31 January 2007].

4. See note 3.

5. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

6. See note 5.

7. See note 5.

8. Center for Columbia River History. No date. Boldt Decision. 

Online at http://www.ccrh.org/comm/river/legal/boldt.htm [accessed 

31 January 2007].
85

Bothell

People and Place

Location

Bothell is on the Sammamish River northeast of 

Lake Washington in the central Puget Sound region. 

Situated in King and Snohomish counties, the city 

encompasses 12.1 square miles of land. The nearest 

major U.S. city is Seattle, a 20-mile drive southwest. 

Bothell’s geographic coordinates are lat 47°45′45′′N, 

long 122°12′15′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Bothell’s 

population was 30,150, an increase of 244% from 12,345 

in 1990. This particularly large increase in population 

size was due to the annexation of Canyon Park and 

Thrasher’s Corner, virtually doubling Bothell’s 

population.1 The gender composition was 51% female 

and 49% male. The median age of 36 was comparable to 

the national median age of 35.3. Of the population 18 

years of age and older, 91.7% had a high school 

education (including equivalency) or higher, 35.8% had 

earned a bachelor’s degree or higher, and 8.4% had 

attained a graduate or professional degree; the national 

averages were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The vast majority of Bothell’s racial structure 

recorded by the 2000 U.S. Census was white (87.3%), 

followed by Asian (6.0%), people who identified as two 

or more races (3%), people who identified as another race 

(1.8%), black (1.2%), American Indian and Alaska 

Native (0.6%), and Native Hawaiian or other Pacific 

Islander (0.2%). Ethnicity data indicate that 4.4% 

identified as Hispanic. In 2000 11.2% were foreign-born, 

with 44.3% from Asia (20.9% east Asia, 16.1% southeast 

Asia, and 5.7% south-central Asia), 28% from the 

Americas outside of the United States, and 24.4% from 

Europe. The highest percentage of people denoting 

ancestry was German (15.6%), followed by English 

(11.2%), Irish (9.5%), and Norwegian (7.4%).

History

Prior to the arrival of white settlers, the area 

historically was inhabited by the Simump Tribe of the 

Duwamish; the Simump referred to the region as the 

“Squak,” meaning a swampy lowland for the heavily 

forested, swampy nature of the area. White settlers came 

to the area in the 1870s and the community of Bothell 

began its transformation into a logging camp and popular 

steamboat stop on the Squak Slough, now known 

3,000 2,000 1,000 0 1,000 2,000 3,000

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure

Male Female

2000 Racial structure 

White

87.3%

Two or more races

3.0%

Other

1.8%

Pacific Islander

0.2%

Native

0.6%

Black

1.2%

Asian

6%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity 

Non-Hispanic

95.6%

Hispanic

4.4%
86

as the Sammamish River or the Sammamish Slough. In 

1884 the first merchant set up a business in the 

community and other businesses soon followed.2 The 

first school was built in 1885 and a church was 

established shortly thereafter.3

 In 1889 David C. and 

Mary Ann Bothell filed the first plat of what today is 

called Bothell. In 1903 a newspaper was founded and 

five years later the first community bank opened. In 

1908 a major fire in the community destroyed five 

buildings.4

In 1909 Bothell was incorporated with a population 

of about 600 people. It is reported that the first 

postmaster said: “There are so many Bothells in town, 

let’s call it Bothell.” The first mayor and elected council 

were Bothell family members; George Bothell and A. F. 

Bothell, respectively. In 1911 another fire occurred in 

the community, destroying all 11 of the buildings on 

Main Street. The early days in Bothell were fed by the 

production of lumber and shingles; the Bothell Company 

mill produced 125,000 shingles per day in its height.5 

Various other mills were located in the area, but as the 

timber was harvested the lumbermen gradually were 

replaced by farmers. By 1950 the population was 1,000.6 

Since then Bothell has developed into a “suburban 

bedroom community and, within the last decade, a 

regional employment center.”7

Infrastructure

Current Economy

At the time of the 2000 U.S. Census, 70.5% of 

Bothell’s potential labor force 16 years of age and older 

were employed, 2.8% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 3.9% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

26.6% were not in the labor force, compared to the 

national average of 36.1%. The largest employment 

sectors were educational, health, and social services 

(16.7%), local, state, and federal governments (16%), 

manufacturing (13.2%), retail trade (11.7%), and 

professional, scientific, and technical services (9%). 

Natural resources jobs including agriculture, forestry, 

fishing, and hunting employed 0.4%, but this percentage 

may be artificially low given that many fishermen are 

self-employed and are underrepresented in these data.

The top employers in Bothell in 2002 were AT&T 

Wireless (2,562), ATL Ultrasound (1,290), Washington 

Mutual (960), Matsushita (480), Seattle Times (447), 

ICOS (429), Puget Sound Energy (366), Allstate (337), 

Philips Electric (312), and Home Depot #4712 (285).8

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the per capita 

income in 1999 was $26,483 and the median household 

income was $59,264. In 1999 5.1% lived below the 

2000 Employment structure

Employed

70.5%

Not in labor force

26.6%

Unemployed

2.8%

poverty level, much lower than the national average of 

12.4%. In 2000 there were 12,303 housing units in 

Bothell, with 68% owner occupied and 32% renter 

occupied. The housing unit vacancy rate was 3.1%.

Governance

The City of Bothell has a council-manager form of 

government, with a seven-member city council 

comprised of a mayor, a deputy mayor, and five council 

members. The council hires a city manager who runs the 

city’s daily operations. The council-manager 

government has an optional municipal code. Because the 

City of Bothell is situated in two counties, there are two 

separate sales tax rates; the sales and use tax rates levied 

by King and Snohomish counties are 8.8% and 8.9% 

respectively. Additionally, a lodging tax is levied by 

King (1%) and Snohomish (2%) counties. See the 

Governance subsection (page 43) in the Overview 

section for a more detailed discussion of taxes affecting 

fisherman and processors in Washington.

The nearest National Marine Fisheries Service 

Regional Office and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 

Services District Office are in Seattle. Meetings of the 

Pacific Fishery Management and North Pacific Fishery 

Management councils are routinely held in the SeattleTacoma area. The nearest Washington Department of 

Fish and Wildlife Regional Office is 7 miles north in Mill 

Creek. The 13th U.S. Coast Guard District headquarters 

are in Seattle.

Facilities

Bothell is accessible by ground and air. It is located 

off U.S. Highway 405, Washington Highway 522, and 

Washington Highway 527, the Bothell-Everett Highway. 

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is the nearest major 

facility.

Bothell is in the Northshore School and the Everett 

School districts. There are 23 public schools listed in the 
87

community, including 15 elementary schools, 6 

secondary schools, and 2 alternative schools. In addition 

there are five private schools located in the city. Bothell 

is home to four colleges or universities: Cascadia 

Community College, ITT Technical Institute, the Mars 

Hill Graduate School, and the University of Washington 

Bothell Campus.

The Snohomish County Public Utility District 

Number 1 and Puget Sound Energy (PSE), administer 

electrical service in the area. PSE also provides natural 

gas for customers in both counties. Alderwood Water 

District, Woodinville Sewer and Water District, the City 

of Bothell Sewer, and the Northshore Utility District 

supply water and sewer utility services to Bothell 

residents, depending on their location. The City of 

Bothell Police and Fire departments and Emergency 

Medical Services administer public safety. Evergreen 

Hospital and Medical Center, n Kirkland, 4 miles south, 

is the nearest hospital. There are at least seven hotels, 

motels, or inns serving the tourism industry within the 

community.9

Historically the Sammamish River has played an 

important role in marine transportation. However 

currently there are no marine facilities located in Bothell. 

Today the Sammamish River is well known for its parks 

and the Sammamish River Trail.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 recorded data indicate that there were zero 

landings delivered to Bothell and there were no known 

processors operating in the community. In 2000 Bothell 

residents owned six vessels, including one that 

participated in the federally managed groundfish fishery. 

The number that participated in each said fishery by state 

(WA/OR/CA) was: crab 1/0/0, groundfish 0/0/NA, 

highly migratory species NA/0/NA, salmon 3/0/0, 

shellfish NA/0/NA, shrimp NA/0/0, and other species 1/

0/0.10

In 2000 the number of Bothell residents holding 

permits in each said fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

crab 2/0/0, highly migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 8/0/

0, and shellfish 0/0/WA.11

Bothell residents held nine registered state permits 

in 2000. The number in each said fishery by state (WA/

OR/CA) was: crab 1/0/0, highly migratory species NA/0/

0, salmon 8/0/0, and shellfish 0/0/NA.12

Sportfishing

In 2000 there was at least one salmonid charter 

fishing business located in Bothell. There were two 

licensed vendors selling fishing permits. In 2003 there 

were 5,215 sportfishing license transactions in Bothell 

valued at $9,014.

The closest Catch Record Card Area to Bothell is 

Area 10, Seattle-Bremerton (south from the Apple Cove 

Point-Edwards Point line to a line projected true eastwest through the north tip of Vashon Island). The 2000 

sport catch, based on catch record cards in Area 10, was 

15,681 fish, including 4,042 Chinook salmon, 11,568 

coho salmon, 58 chum salmon, and 13 sockeye salmon. 

Marine anglers made 49,865 trips in the sport salmon 

fishery. Boat-based anglers caught 7,022 bottomfish in 

Area 10. The recreational harvest of clams (lbs) and 

oysters (#) in Area 10 was estimated to be 6,936 and 

26,200 respectively; harvest occurred over an estimated 

2,745 user trips in 2000.

The Sammamish River provides a link between 

Lake Sammamish and Lake Washington for anadromous 

fish such as salmon and steelhead.13 The river also offers 

fishing for trout and other game fish.

Subsistence

Tribal and nontribal community members may be 

engaged in subsistence fishing in the area. Subsistence 

fishing is not discussed in detail in this community 

profile due to the lack of available data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 Bothell residents owned nine vessels that 

were involved in North Pacific fisheries. Community 

members landed fish in the following North Pacific 

fisheries (data shown represent landings in metric tons/

value of said landings/number of vessels landing): 

herring confidential/confidential/1 and salmon 225 t/

$280,480/7.

In 2000 Bothell residents held 73 permits, including 

13 residents who held federal commercial fishing permits 

and 28 who held state permits (note: it is possible for 

individuals to hold more than one permit at a time). 

Community members held two crab and five groundfish 

License Limitation Program permits. Residents held 22 

crab, 1 Gulf of Alaska groundfish, 20 Bering Sea and 

Aleutian Islands groundfish, 2 halibut, 2 herring, and 11 

salmon Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission 

permits. Residents also held 46,010 halibut and 280,751 

sablefish individual fishing quota shares.

In 2000 Bothell residents held 49 crew member 

licenses for North Pacific fisheries.
88

Sportfishing

Bothell residents purchased 390 Alaskan 

sportfishing licenses in 2000. There was one sportfishing 

business in Bothell involved in Alaskan fisheries that 

year.

Notes

1. City of Bothell. No date. Welcome to Bothell. Online at 

http://search.ci.bothell.wa.us/documents/cm/visitorguide/2.pdf 

[accessed 31 January 2007].

2. City of Bothell. No date. Landmark preservation. Online at 

http://www.ci.bothell.wa.us/html/about/History/historytimeline.html 

[accessed 31 January 2007].

3. See note 1.

4. See note 2.

5. See note 2.

6. See note 2.

7. See note 2.

8. City of Bothell. 2002. Statistics and demographics. Online 

at http://www.ci.bothell.wa.us/html/demographics.html [accessed 31 

January 2007].

9. City of Bothell. No date. Hotels. Online at http://

search.ci.bothell.wa.us/documents/cm/visitorguide/5.pdf [accessed 31 

January 2007].

10. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due 

to few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted 

nature of the fishery in 2000.

11. See note 10.

12. See note 10.

13. Trails.com. No date. Sammamish River. Online at http://

www.trails.com/tcatalog_trail.asp?trailid=CGW027-021 [accessed 31 

January 2007].
89

Cathlamet

People and Place

Location

Cathlamet is on the north bank of Cathlamet 

Channel on the Columbia River in southwestern 

Washington. Situated in Wahkiakum County, the town 

encompasses 0.4 square miles of land. The nearest major 

U.S. city is Portland, Oregon, a 74-mile drive southeast. 

Cathlamet’s geographic coordinates are lat 46°12′12′′N, 

long 123°22′55′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Cathlamet’s 

population was 565, an increase of 11.2% from 508 in 

1990. The gender composition was 55.2% female and 

44.8% male. Women 75 years of age and older (52.1%) 

significantly outnumbered men (47.9%). Residents 75 

years of age and older represented 18% of the population 

in Cathlamet, compared to 5% of the national population. 

The community’s skewed age structure may be related to 

the census count of individuals living in the Columbia 

View Nursing Home, an elder care facility with 53 beds. 

In 2000 the median age of 48.8 was almost 14 years older 

than the national median age of 35.3. Of the population 

18 years of age and older, 83.5% had a high school 

education (including equivalency) or higher, 17.9% had 

earned a bachelor’s degree or higher, and 7.7% had 

attained a graduate or professional degree; the national 

averages were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% respectively. For 

25.8% a high school degree was the highest level of 

education.

The vast majority of Cathlamet’s racial structure 

recorded by the 2000 U.S. Census was white (94.2%), 

followed by people who identified as two or more races 

(2.5%), American Indian or Alaskan Native (1.6%), 

Asian (0.9%), black (0.5%), and people who identified as 

another race (0.4%). Ethnicity data indicate 0.5% 

identified as Hispanic. In 2000 2.5% were foreign-born, 

with 78.6% from Europe (Great Britain, Ireland, and 

Austria) and 21.4% from Mexico.

In 2000 there were 236 households in Cathlamet, 

with 68% living in family households. Due to the 

Columbia View Nursing Home and another assisted 

living facility located within the community, 10.3% (57 

residents) lived in institutionalized group quarters.

60 40 20 0 20 40 60

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure 

White

94.2%

Asian

0.9%

Native

1.6%

Black

0.5%

Other

0.4%

Two or more races

2.5%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity 

Hispanic

0.5%

Non-Hispanic

99.5%
90

History

Cathlamet derives its name from a band of Chinook 

Indians living along the stretch of the Columbia River 

from Tongue Point to Puget Island. The Cathlamet band 

inhabited a large village in the vicinity of the modern 

town of Cathlamet and participated heavily in the salmon 

trade on the Columbia River. They spoke a distinct 

dialect of the Chinook language. When Lewis and Clark 

visited the area in 1806, they estimated the native 

population of Cathlamet at 300. As European 

exploration and settlement escalated, the Cathlamet band 

was largely displaced and incorporated into neighboring 

Chinook groups. Many descendants of these native 

groups remain in the region today.

In 1846 James Birnie, a Scottish immigrant and a 

member of the Hudson’s Bay Company, established a 

small trading post at the site of contemporary Cathlamet. 

He named the post Birnie’s Retreat and made his 

reputation facilitating trade between native residents, 

European settlers, and entrepreneurs traveling along the 

Columbia River. Birnie’s Retreat grew and was 

eventually renamed Cathlamet as settlers arrived in the 

region to take advantage of opportunities for logging, 

fishing, and farming. Cathlamet became the Wahkiakum 

county seat in 1854 and was officially incorporated in 

1907.1

Logging and fishing dominated the economic and 

social life of Cathlamet until the latter part of the 

twentieth century. Beginning in the 1840s a number of 

successful lumber mills in the Cathlamet vicinity 

harvested and processed softwoods (mainly cedar and fir) 

and furniture-grade maple and alder for export. 

Prominent lumber, pulp, and paper companies, such as 

Crown-Zellerbach and Weyerhaeuser, remained major 

employers within the region until the onset of the timber 

industry’s steep decline in the 1980s. At its Cathlamet 

mill, Crown-Zellerbach annually employed 

approximately 260 workers from 1961 until 1981, when 

it initiated its first substantial wave of layoffs.2

 Today 

several smaller logging companies operate near 

Cathlamet and self-employed contractors continue to log 

on land owned by Weyerhaeuser and other major forest 

product manufacturers. Some neighboring communities 

still support paper and pulp mills, but the scale of these 

logging enterprises has diminished greatly.

Like the logging industry, commercial and 

recreational fishing in Cathlamet have undergone 

dramatic transformations over the past 100 years. Native 

populations and early European settlers depended heavily 

on the abundance of salmon in the Columbia River. The 

early salmon trade in Cathlamet focused on salting and 

exporting fish purchased from native fisherman. In the 

1860s entrepreneurs constructed numerous salmon 

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

51.7%

Unemployed

4.7%

Employed

43.6%

canning facilities throughout the region. These canneries 

quickly became significant employers. Operations such 

as the Warren and Waterford canneries in Cathlamet 

initially owned boats and equipment and employed 

fisherman to harvest salmon. As the cost of fishing 

technology rose, canneries began contracting with selfemployed fisherman but continued to advance fisherman 

the cost of gear until the 1970s. Area fishermen mainly 

harvested salmon via gillnetting, but traps and seines also 

were popular technologies. During the height of the 

salmon boom, Wahkiakum County canneries processed 

85% of the salmon pack on the Columbia River.3

The salmon industry crashed throughout the 

Cathlamet region in the latter part of the twentieth 

century, and the last cannery operating in Wahkiakum 

County closed in 1994. Despite the decline of the salmon 

industry, commercial fishing remains an important 

industry in Cathlamet. Salmon gill-net fishing continues, 

but decreased fishing effort in the area has made it more 

difficult to fund channel maintenance necessary to 

prevent damage to nets.4 To supplement income earned 

by fishing on the Columbia River, some commercial 

fishermen based in Cathlamet travel to Alaska seasonally 

or fish in nearby Willapa Bay, Grays Harbor, or Puget 

Sound. Some also engage in albacore tuna trolling on the 

coast. In 1971 the Town of Cathlamet constructed the 

Elochoman Slough Marina, which is used heavily by 

sport fishermen seeking sturgeon on the Elochoman 

River or salmon on the Columbia River.5 Sportfishing 

plays an increasing role as a revenue generator for the 

town. The Cathlamet Town Council also constructed a 

public dock on the Columbia River in the 1980s to attract 

fishermen, kayakers, and other river travelers.

Today Cathlamet maintains a working commercial 

waterfront and symbolic links to its history as a logging 

community, but the town also is increasingly reliant on 

its status as a destination for tourists and other 
91

recreational visitors. Many homes and public buildings 

in Cathlamet are more than a century old, making the 

town a popular site for film crews; the community has 

been featured in at least two major motion pictures.6

 

Several events are held throughout the year, including 

Bald Eagle Days, celebrating local history and honoring 

the contributions of groups and individuals to community 

service. The Cathlamet Wooden Boat Festival & Salmon 

Barbeque, held each year at the Elochoman Marina, 

celebrates the community’s economic and cultural 

dependence on the Columbia River and the Pacific 

Ocean. Educational and entertaining festival activities 

include a wooden boat-building contest, a U.S. Coast 

Guard (USCG) fly-over and mock water rescue, a 

nautical swap meet, and blindfolded dinghy races.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

At the time of the 2000 U.S. Census, 43.6% of 

Cathlamet’s potential labor force 16 years of age and 

older were employed, 4.7% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 9.7% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

51.7% were not in the labor force, compared to the 

national average of 36.1%. The major employment 

sectors were education health, and social services 

(29.7%, with the majority [77.6%] in health care and 

social assistance), local, state, and federal governments 

(24.4%), public administration (11.3%), manufacturing 

(10.8%), and arts, entertainment, and food services 

(10.3%). Natural resource jobs, including agriculture, 

forestry, fishing, and hunting employed 11.3%, but this 

number may be artificially low because it does not 

include fisherman, loggers, and other contractors 

classified as self-employed.

The contemporary economy in Cathlamet relies 

heavily on jobs in health care, education, public 

administration, and businesses related to the longtime 

regional staples of tourism, fishing, and logging. Major 

employers include the Columbia View Nursing Home, 

regional hospitals in Longview (25 miles southeast) and 

Astoria, Oregon (31 miles west), the Cathlamet Town 

and Wahkiakum County governments, Wahkiakum 

School District 200, the nearby Judith Butler Hansen 

National Wildlife Refuge, and the Elochoman Slough 

Marina. Some Cathlamet residents work for local 

logging contractors and others commute to 

manufacturing jobs in nearby communities, such as the 

Longview Fiber Company’s pulp and paper mill. 

Although its importance has decreased some over the 

years, the Columbia River still generates considerable 

economic activity. Brusco Tug & Barge, a tow outfit 

based in Longview, operates a maintenance facility in 

Cathlamet, and local commercial fishermen seine, trap, 

and engage in gill netting for salmon and other 

marketable species in the area. A substantial number of 

Cathlamet fishermen now fish seasonally in Alaska, 

where they may be able to earn more income than by 

fishing regionally.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the per capita 

income in 1999 was $18,588 and the median household 

income was $33,409. In 1999 15.1% lived below the 

poverty level, slightly higher than the national average of 

12.4%. There were 278 housing units in 2000, with 

56.9% owner occupied and 43.1% renter occupied. The 

housing unit vacancy rate was 11.5%, with 34.3% due to 

seasonal, recreational, or occasional use.

Governance

Because its population falls well under the 1,500 

needed to incorporate as a city under Washington State 

law, Cathlamet is designated as a town. The Town of 

Cathlamet was incorporated in 1907 and is governed by a 

mayor and a five-member town council. As the 

Wahkiakum County seat, Cathlamet houses the main 

office and services associated with the county 

government. Wahkiakum County and the Town of 

Cathlamet levy a 7.5% sales tax and no additional 

lodging tax. See the Governance subsection (page 43) in 

the Overview section for a more detailed discussion of 

taxes affecting fisherman and processors in Washington.

The nearest National Marine Fisheries Service 

Northwest Regional Office is in Seattle. The nearest 

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services District 

Office and the nearest meetings of the Pacific Fishery 

Management and North Pacific Fishery Management 

councils are in Portland. The Washington Department of 

Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Southwest Regional Office is 

in Vancouver (65 miles). The nearest USCG Group/Air 

Station Astoria is in Warrenton, Oregon (37 miles west), 

and the USCG operates the National Motor Lifeboat 

School in Ilwaco (51 miles west).7

Facilities

Cathlamet is accessible by land and water. 

Washington Highway 20, the Ocean Beach Highway, is 

on the north edge of town and runs east-west along the 

Columbia River. Cathlamet residents must use it to reach 

the nearest airports, hospitals, and other amenities. 

Interstate 5 is the nearest major highway north-south and 

is reachable via Washington Highway 20 through 

Longview. Portland International Airport is the nearest 

major airport. The Kelso-Longview Regional Airport 

(26 miles) in Kelso provides an unattended paved runway 
92

that is open to the public. The Astoria Regional Airport 

provides certified carrier operations.

The Wahkiakum School District 200 serves all 

residents countywide. Both of the schools —Wahkiakum 

High School and J. Wendt Elementary/Wahkiakum 

Middle School, a combined K-8 facility—are in 

Cathlamet. The Wahkiakum Public Utilities District, 

headquartered in Cathlamet, administers electric 

services.8 The Cathlamet Water and Sewer Plants 

provide drinking water and sewer services. The 

Wahkiakum County Sheriff’s Office and the Cathlamet 

Fire Department administer public safety.9 The Hospice 

Care Center Hospital and Peacehealth St. John Medical 

Center in Longview and Columbia Memorial Hospital in 

Astoria are the nearest medical facilities.

The Elochoman Slough Marina is located within 

walking distance of downtown Cathlamet at the mouth of 

the Elochoman River. The marina is in a secluded, 

protected harbor and features a boat launch, spaces for 

yachts and fishing boats to moor overnight, and sites for 

recreational vehicles and tent camping. The marina 

charges $5 per boat for use of the launch and $10 per 

night for overnight mooring. The marina is used heavily 

during salmon and sturgeon seasons on the Elochoman 

and the lower Columbia rivers.10 The town also 

maintains a public dock and float on the Columbia River 

that draws fisherman and river tourists businesses. There 

are several bed and breakfasts located in Cathlamet, but 

the nearest major chain hotels are in Longview.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Landings data for Cathlamet were recorded as part 

of the Other Columbia River Port Group that includes the 

Washington communities of Altoona, Brookfield, 

Camas, Carrolls, Kalama, Longview, Pillar Rock, 

Skamania, Washougal, Vancouver, Stella, Ridgefield, 

Puget Island, Megler, Kelso and Frankfort, and the 

Oregon communities of Gray’s Bay, Woody Island, and 

The Dalles. Reported landings for this port group in 

2000 were in the following West Coast fisheries (data 

shown represent landings in metric tons/value of said 

landings/number of vessels landing) was: salmon 354 t/

$481,947/355; shellfish confidential/confidential/1; and 

other species 34 t/$127,830/119. Commercial fishing 

remains a lucrative sector of Cathlamet’s economy, but 

the community’s involvement in local West Coast 

fisheries has waned since the crash of the area’s salmon 

industry. Because there are no longer any processors or 

canneries located in the community, fish caught by 

fishermen living in Cathlamet are most likely landed and 

processed elsewhere.

In 2000 Cathlamet fisherman involved in the West 

Coast fisheries owned 37 vessels, including 15 that 

participated in the federally managed groundfish fishery. 

The number that participated in each said fishery by state 

(WA/OR/CA) was: crab 2/2/0, groundfish 0/0/NA, 

highly migratory species NA/0/NA, salmon 12/14/1, 

shellfish NA/0/NA, shrimp NA/0/0, and other species 6/

0/0.11

No individuals living in Cathlamet in 2000 held 

federal groundfish fishery permits. The number in each 

said fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 4/1/0, 

highly migratory species NA/0/0, other species 7/0/0, 

salmon 25/14/1, shellfish 6/0/NA, and shrimp 2/0/0.12

Available data indicate 47 state permits were 

registered to Cathlamet residents in 2000. The number in 

each said fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 5/0/0, 

highly migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 32/0/2, 

shellfish 0/0/NA, and other species 8/0/0.13

Sportfishing

Cathlamet is a popular destination for sport 

fishermen because of its proximity to the Elochoman and 

Columbia rivers. According to the WDFW, there are two 

official sport license vendors in Cathlamet. In 2000 no 

Cathlamet residents owned or operated charter boats in 

Washington State.

A number of Cathlamet residents engage in 

sportfishing along the Columbia River and the nearby 

Pacific Coast. Numerous charter vessels operate out of 

the Port of Cathlamet, such as motor vessel Lucky Dog, 

owned by Sea Breeze Charters in Ilwaco.14 Cathlamet is 

also a popular boat-launching site for local anglers 

fishing for trout, salmon, and steelhead on the Columbia 

River.

The closest Catch Record Card areas to Cathlamet 

are Area 1 (Ilwaco) and 1A (Ilwaco–Buoy 10). Area 1 

includes the marine zone west of the Buoy 10 line at the 

mouth of the Columbia River, extending north to 

Leadbetter Point. Area 1 is subdivided and includes Area 

1A. Area 1A is the freshwater region east of Buoy 10, 

continuing west along the Columbia River to the Rocky 

Point-Tongue Point line. The 2000–2001 sport catch, 

based on creel survey estimates in these areas, was 

27,889 (1) and 16,335 (1A). This data (1/1A) include 

Chinook salmon (1,630/2,972) and coho salmon (26,259/

13,363). Marine anglers made 16,243 trips in Area 1 and 

42,061 trips in Area 1A. Sport fishermen caught 106 

steelhead in Area 1A. The coastal bottomfish catch was 

8,388 for Area 1 and 631 for the Ilwaco Jetty.
93

Subsistence

Subsistence hunting, fishing, and gathering 

activities are fundamental to the way of life of some 

coastal community members. Tribal and nontribal 

individuals participate in subsistence fishing. Today 

members of the Chinook Tribe and other nontribal 

subsistence fishermen may obtain fishery resources from 

waters of the Columbia and nearby tributaries near 

Cathlamet. However, subsistence fishing is not 

discussed in great detail in this community profile due to 

the lack of available data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries 

Commercial Fishing

Since the crash of the local salmon fishery, many 

commercial fishermen based in Cathlamet have become 

increasingly involved in North Pacific fisheries. In 2000 

Cathlamet fishermen owned 38 vessels active in North 

Pacific fisheries. In the same year community members 

landed fish in the following North Pacific fisheries (data 

shown represent landings in metric tons/value of said 

landings/number of vessels landing): crab confidential/

confidential/1; finfish confidential/confidential/1; Bering 

Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) groundfish confidential/

confidential/1; Gulf of Alaska (GOA) groundfish 49.5 t/

$479,390/4; halibut confidential/confidential/1; herring 

confidential/confidential/2; and salmon 725.7 t/

$784,650/26.

In 2000 65 Cathlamet residents held state and 

federal permits, with 10 individuals holding federal 

permits and 47 holding state permits (note: it is possible 

for individuals to hold more than one permit at a time). 

Community members held 2 crab and 2 groundfish 

License Limitation program permits and 3 crab, 6 BSAI 

groundfish, 2 halibut, 3 herring, and 44 salmon 

Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission permits. 

Cathlamet residents held 1,644,188 halibut and 

1,952,810 sablefish individual fishing quota shares.

In 2000 55 Cathlamet residents held crew member 

licenses for North Pacific fisheries.

Sportfishing

Cathlamet residents purchased 53 Alaska 

sportfishing licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. Martin. 1997. Beach of heaven: A history of Wahkiakum 

County. Washington State University Press, Pullman.

2. See note 1.

3. See note 1.

4. See note 1.

5. Wahkiakum Merchants Association. 2004. Things to see 

and do in Wahkiakum County. Online at http://www 

.welcometowahkiakum.com/thingstodo.html [accessed 31 January 

2007].

6. Wahkiakum County Visitor Information. No date. Movies 

filmed in Wahkiakum County. Online at http://

wahkiakumchamber.com/visitor_information.htm [accessed 31 

January 2001].

7. U.S. Coast Guard. 2004. Pacific Northwest unit list. Online 

at http://www.uscg.mil/d13/publicaffairs/pacific_northwest_unit 

_alpha.htm [accessed 31 January 2007].

8. Wahkiakum County Government. 2004. Welcome to 

Wahkiakum County. Online at http://www.co.wahkiakum.wa.us/ 

[accessed 31 January 2007].

9. Town of Cathlamet. 2004. Town of Cathlamet home page. 

Online at http://www.cwcog.org/cathlamet.htm [accessed August 

2004, site under construction 31 January 2007].

10. Wahkiakum County Visitor Information. No date. 

Boating—Elochoman Slough Marina. Online at http://

wahkiakumchamber.com/visitor_information.htm [accessed 31 

January 2007]. See also endnote 5.

11. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due 

to few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted 

nature of a fishery in 2000.

12. See note 11.

13. See note 11.

14. Sea Breeze Charters. 2005. Fishing trips. Online at http://

www.seabreezecharters.net/html/trips.html [accessed 31 January 

2007].
94

Chinook

People and Place

Location

Chinook is in southwestern Washington on Baker 

Bay on the north shore of the Columbia River. Baker 

Bay, which covers an area about 15 square miles, is 

separated from the river by a low-lying sand bar known 

as Sand Island. Nearby Cape Disappointment forms the 

northern portion of the mouth of the Columbia River as it 

flows into the Pacific Ocean. Situated in Pacific County, 

Chinook encompasses 1.02 square miles of land. 

Chinook shares Baker Bay with the larger city of Ilwaco, 

7 miles to the northwest. Astoria, Oregon, is 10 miles 

southeast on the opposite side of the Columbia. The 

nearest major cities are Seattle (72 miles northeast) and 

Portland, Oregon (100-miles southeast). Chinook’s 

geographic coordinates are lat 46°16′23′′N, long 

123°56′39′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Chinook’s 

population was 457. The gender composition was 51% 

female and 49% male. The median age was 47.6, more 

than 12 years older than the national median of 35.3. Of 

the population 18 years of age and older, 74.6% had a 

high school education or higher, 19.1% had a bachelor’s 

degree or higher, and 10% had a graduate or professional 

degree; the national averages were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 

7.8% respectively.

The majority of Chinook’s racial structure was 

white (96.5%), followed by people who identified with 

two or more races (1.8%), American Indian or Alaskan 

Native (0.9%), Asian (0.7%), and people who identified 

with another race (0.2%). Ethnicity data indicate 2% 

identified as Hispanic. In 2000 5.3% were foreign born, 

with 77.3% of those from Canada and 22.7% from 

France.

In 2000 82.7% of the population lived in family 

households.

History

Chinook derives its name from native peoples 

inhabiting the area near the mouth of the Columbia 

River. The Chinook Indians were historically a group of 

linguistically related people whose territory included the 

lower Columbia River in Washington and Oregon west 

of The Dalles, Oregon.1 They depended heavily on 

fishing and coastal resources and developed extensive 

trade networks within the region. The Lower Chinook,

40 30 20 10 0 10 20 30 40

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure

Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

96.5%

Two or more races

1.8%

Native

0.9%

Other

0.2%

Asian

0.7%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity 

Non-Hispanic

98%

Hispanic

2%
95

who dominated the vicinity of today’s community of 

Chinook, traded frequently with British and American 

companies and hosted Lewis and Clark in 1805 when the 

explorers neared the Pacific Ocean. Lewis and Clark 

estimated the local population of Chinook Indians at 

about 400 in 1805. Disease and rapid European 

settlement soon devastated the native population in the 

area.

In the 1850s the town of Chinookville was 

established at the site of a long-standing Chinook Indian 

village on the Columbia River by nonnative settlers 

interested in the prospects for trade and fishing. 

Chinookville was the county seat of Pacific County from 

1852 to 1854 and the county’s first salmon cannery was 

established there in 1870. During the 1880s erosion 

along the Columbia River marked the beginning of the 

end for Chinookville as homes and businesses were 

destroyed in large numbers. The community soon 

became a ghost town and disappeared completely due to 

continued erosion during the nineteenth century.2

As Chinookville eroded into obscurity, the 

contemporary community of Chinook was established to 

the southwest along Baker Bay, a location that drew 

residents interested in the region’s lucrative fishing 

industry. Land claims in the area were purchased in the 

1860s, but the community did not flourish until the 1880s 

when the first fish traps were sunk in Baker Bay. 

According to legend the salmon fishing boom that 

followed temporarily made Chinook the richest town per 

capita in the United States.3 Many of the community’s 

buildings and homes were built near the turn of the 

century with wealth derived from this initial boom. 

Baker Bay is also dotted with rotting pilings that are the 

remains of now-abandoned salmon traps from this earlier 

period.

Although salmon fishing no longer generates the 

wealth it once did, Chinook still relies heavily on fishing 

and community members clearly identify with the 

industry. Each June the community hosts the Chinook 

Sturgeon Derby and most local jobs are linked to fishing. 

The Port of Chinook, the smallest of three ports in the 

area, provides 300 boat slips and a crab processing plant 

operated by Bell Buoy Crab Company.

Chinook residents often struggle to maintain the 

economic viability of the local fishing industry as nearby 

towns compete to attract sport and commercial fishing 

revenue and related businesses. In 2003 the community 

faced a potential economic disaster when the Port of 

Chinook was designated as a low-use port for which 

dredging would no longer be provided.4, 5 The port 

suffered from severe silt build up, such that fisherman 

could only access it at very high tides. Depths were as 

low as 4 feet in some areas. Local businesses and 

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

44.6%

Unemployed

1.8%

Employed

53.6%

fishermen lobbied legislators to reverse the decision not 

to dredge, and eventually won support and funding 

within the U.S. Congress. In September 2004 about 

80,000 cubic yards of material were removed from the 

Columbia River between Chinook and the head of Sand 

Island.

Chinook is also the site of a different sort of political 

struggle. The contemporary Chinook Nation, a tribal 

organization that represents individuals descended from 

the historic family of Chinook groups, maintains its 

primary office there. In 2001 the tribe was tentatively 

granted federal recognition after 20 years of appeals. The 

Bureau of Indian Affairs rescinded federal recognition in 

2002 on the grounds that the tribe did not satisfy the 

mandated criteria for recognition. The tribe has appealed 

and, at the time of this writing, state and federal 

documents still noted that federal recognition is 

pending.6, 7, 8 Chinook tribal members argue federal 

recognition is needed to help restore and safeguard the 

traditional fishing and land rights needed to maintain 

native identities and sustain tribal members 

economically.9

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 53.6% of 

Chinook’s potential labor force 16 years of age and older 

were employed, 1.8% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 3.3% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

44.6% were not in the labor force, compared to the 

national average of 36.1%. The top employment sectors 

were education, health, and social services (25.1%), retail 

trade (15.6%), construction (13.8%), and local, state, or 

federal governments (9.6%). Roughly 3.3% were 

employed by the military. Natural resource jobs 
96

including agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting 

employed 3.6%, but this percentage may be artificially 

low because many fishermen are self-employed and are 

underrepresented in the data.

Chinook continues to rely heavily on commercial 

fishing and tourism associated with sportfishing, coastal 

recreation, and nearby Fort Columbia State Park, now 

recognized as Lewis and Clark National Park. The Fort 

Columbia park was established at the site of a military 

installation built in 1896 to defend the mouth of the 

Columbia River. Bell Buoy Crab Company, with total 

annual sales of $7 million on 2 million pounds of crab, is 

a major employer and the second largest crab processor 

in Washington. It is estimated the decision to dredge the 

Port of Chinook prevented the loss of 50 full-time and 

100 seasonal jobs at the Bell Buoy Crab Company, 350 

jobs associated with businesses that rely on the port, and 

$2.9 million in direct economic impact from the average 

10,000 annual boat trips into the port.10

Chinook’s per capita income was $17,198 in 1999, 

compared to the national per capita income of $21,587. 

The median household income was $30,417, compared to 

the national median household income of $41,994. In 

2000 18.2% lived below the poverty level, higher than 

the national average of 12.4%.

In 2000 there were 263 housing units in Chinook, of 

which 79.8% were occupied and 20.2% were vacant. Of 

the occupied units, 77.1% were by owner and 22.9% 

were by renter. Of the vacant units, 81.1% were due to 

seasonal, recreational, or occasional use.

Governance

Chinook is an unincorporated area governed by 

Pacific County, which was organized in 1851. The 

county seat is South Bend, 44 miles north on U.S. 

Highway 101. Pacific County has a 7.8% sales tax and a 

9.8% lodging tax. See the Governance subsection 

(page 43) in the Overview section for a more detailed 

discussion of taxes affecting fisherman and processors in 

Washington.

The nearest office of the National Marine Fisheries 

Service is in Seattle. The nearest district office of the 

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is in Portland. 

Meetings of the Pacific Fishery Management and North 

Pacific Fishery Management councils are also held in 

Portland. The Washington Department of Fish and 

Wildlife (WDFW) Southwest Regional Office is in 

Vancouver and the nearest U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) 

Group and Air Station is in Warrenton, Oregon (13 miles 

south). The USCG also operates the National Motor 

Lifeboat School in Ilwaco.11

Facilities

Chinook is accessible by land, sea, and air, and is 

located on U.S. Highway 101. Residents travel to Ilwaco 

or Long Beach (9 miles north) and to Astoria to access 

major retail stores and other amenities. The Port of 

Ilwaco Airport is an unattended paved runaway that is 

open to the public. Portland International Airport is the 

nearest major airport. There are several campgrounds 

and recreational vehicle parks in Chinook, but the nearest 

hotels and motels are in Ilwaco and Long Beach.

Chinook is in the Ocean Beach School District, but 

there are no public schools in the community.12 Students 

travel by bus to schools in Ilwaco and Long Beach. In 

addition to traditional elementary, middle, and high 

schools, the district also offers a small alternative high 

school in Long Beach. Pacific County’s Public Utility 

District No. 2 supplies electricity. The Chinook Water 

District draws the water supply from a reservoir created 

by a 26-foot earthen dam on a portion of the Columbia 

River.13 Residents rely on septic systems because 

Chinook is not served by a sewer district. The Pacific 

County Sheriff’s Office and the Pacific County Fire 

District No. 2, Chinook Valley (located in Chinook) 

administer public safety. Ocean Beach Hospital in 

Ilwaco, Columbia Memorial Hospital in Astoria, and 

Willapa Harbor Hospital in South Bend are the nearest 

medical facilities.

The Port of Chinook has 300 boat slips, a boat 

launch ramp, and a boat hoist, which can accommodate 

vessels from 16 to 60 feet long.14 The port also has a 

fueling facility and power and water hook-ups on some 

docks. The Port of Ilwaco supports a larger number of 

boats and is used more heavily.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Landings data for Chinook were recorded as part of 

the Ilwaco/Chinook Port Group, which includes the 

communities of Skamokawa and Ilwaco. Most vessels 

based in Chinook participate in West Coast fisheries. In 

2000 338 vessels, including 40 personal vessels and 298 

commercial vessels, delivered landings to Ilwaco. 

Reported landings in 2000 were in the following West 

Coast fisheries (data shown represent landings in metric 

tons/value of landings/number of vessels landing): 

coastal pelagic confidential/confidential/2; crab 861.9 t/

$3,864,427/104; groundfish 2,350.7 t/$634,261/35; 

highly migratory species 1,907.1 t/$3,595,659/119; 

salmon 184.7 t/$468,717/98; shrimp confidential/

confidential/2; and other species 1,907.1 t/$183,071/81. 
97

See the Ilwaco community profile for additional 

information.

According to the Port of Chinook, it supports 35 

commercial vessels and harbors 265 sport vessels during 

the fishing season. In 2003 more than 4,000 recreational 

vehicles used the port’s boat ramp.15 Major commercial 

species landed at the port include crab, tuna, and salmon, 

but no landings data specific to this port are available.

Chinook residents owned 29 vessels in 2000 that 

participated in West Coast fisheries, including 14 that 

participated in the federally managed groundfish fishery. 

The number of vessels owned by Chinook residents that 

landed fish in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

crab 12/3/0, groundfish 1/0/NA, highly migratory species 

NA/0/NA, salmon 13/3/0, shellfish NA/0/NA, shrimp 

NA/0/0, and other species 3/0/0.16

One Chinook resident held a federal groundfish 

fishery permit in 2000. The number of Chinook residents 

that held permits in each state fishery by state (WA/OR/

CA) was: crab 11/4/0, highly migratory species NA/0/0, 

salmon 13/3/1, shellfish 6/0/NA, shrimp 0/2/0, and other 

species 3/0/0.17

Chinook fisherman involved in West Coast fisheries 

held 41 permits in 2000, including 39 state and 2 federal 

permits. The number of permits held by these 

community members in each fishery by state (WA/OR/

CA) was: crab 18/0/0, highly migratory species NA/0/0, 

salmon 15/0/2, shellfish 0/0/NA, and other species 4/0/

0.18

The Bell Buoy Crab Company operates a crab 

processing plant in Chinook, providing 50 full-time and 

100 seasonal jobs.19 The company also receives tuna, but 

these fish are processed elsewhere.20

Sportfishing

Two sportfishing license vendors operate in 

Chinook. In 2003 more than 4,000 recreational boaters 

used the ramp at the Port of Chinook and an estimated 

295 sportfishing vessels use the port each fishing 

season.21 According to state records, no Chinook 

residents owned or operated charter boats in Washington 

in 2003 or 2004.

The closest Catch Record Card areas to Chinook are 

Area 1 (Ilwaco) and 1A (Ilwaco–Buoy 10). The 2000–

2001 sport catch was 27,889 (1) and 16,335 (1A). Area 

1/1A includes Chinook salmon (1,630 in 2000 and 2,972 

in 2001) and coho salmon (26,259 and 13,363). Marine 

anglers made approximately 16,243 and 42,061 trips in 

areas 1 and 1A respectively in the sport salmon fishery. 

Sport fishermen caught 106 steelhead in Area 1 

(Columbia River–Leadbetter Point). In 2000 the coastal 

bottomfish catch was 8,388 for Area 1 (Ilwaco) and 631 

for the Ilwaco Jetty.

Subsistence

Members of the Chinook Nation are heavily 

involved in subsistence fishing, but because the tribe 

does not have federal recognition, members have no 

formal fishing rights within the region. In the past 

military intervention has been used to stop Native 

fishermen from using traditional fishing grounds without 

permits. No specific data on native subsistence fishing is 

available because of its controversial nature, but tribal 

members maintain fishing remains central to their 

identities and livelihood. The restoration of traditional 

fishing rights is one of the major forces behind 

continuing efforts to establish federal recognition.22

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Thirteen vessels based in Chinook participated in 

North Pacific fisheries in 2000. Residents landed fish in 

the following North Pacific fisheries (data shown 

represent landings in metric tons/value of landings/

number of vessel landings): other finfish confidential/

confidential/1, herring confidential/confidential/3, and 

salmon 238.3 t/$357,610/11.

Chinook fishermen held 17 North Pacific permits. 

Six held federal permits and 13 held state permits, 

including 3 groundfish License Limitation Program 

permits, 3 Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission 

(CFEC) herring and 11 CFEC salmon permits. Under 

Alaska’s individual fishing quota system, Chinook 

fishermen were allotted 1,390,684 halibut shares and 

1,208,136 sablefish shares.

In 2000 Chinook residents held 16 crew member 

licenses for North Pacific fisheries.

Sportfishing

Chinook residents purchased 10 sportfishing 

licenses for Alaska fisheries in 2000.

Notes

1. University of Oregon. 2004. Chinook Tribes. Univ. Oregon, 

Dept. Linguistics, Eugene. Online at http://logos.uoregon.edu/

explore/oregon/chtribes.html [accessed 7 February 2007].

2. Tacoma Public Library. 2004. Washington place names. 

Online at http://search.tpl.lib.wa.us/wanames [accessed 7 February 

2007].

3. Chinook Observer. 2004. Chinook, kingdom of salmon. 

Chinook Observer, Long Beach, WA. 22 March 2004. Online at 

http://www.chinookobserver.info/Main.asp?SectionID=21 

&SubSectionID=88&ArticleID=5774 [accessed 7 February 2007].
98

4. U.S. House of Representatives. 2003. Baird secures $3 

million for channel deepening and dredging of Columbia River. 

Online at http://www.house.gov/apps/list/speech/wa03_baird/

spec061804.html [accessed 7 February 2007].

5. U.S. Senate. 2004. Murray honored for saving hundreds of 

jobs in the southwestern Washington. Online at http://murray.senate 

.gov/news.cfm?id=219861 [accessed 7 February 2007].

6. Washington State Governor’s Office of Indian Affairs. 2004. 

Washington State tribal directory. Online at http://www.goia.wa.gov/

Tribal-Information/Map.htm [accessed 7 February 2007].

7. I. Gunn. 2001. U.S. recognizes Chinook Tribe. BBC News 

Online. 4 January 2001. Online at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/

americas/1099968.stm [accessed 7 February 2007].

8. L. Paskus. 2002. Chinook Tribe loses recognition. High 

Country News 43(15), 19 August 2002. Online at http://www.hcn 

.org/servlets/hcn.Article?article_id=11350 [accessed 7 February 

2007].

9. University of Idaho. 2004. Recognition and U.S. Relations. 

Online at http://l3.ed.uidaho.edu/ShowOneObject.asp?SiteID=68 

&ObjectID=697 [accessed 7 February 2007].

10. See note 6.

11. U.S. Coast Guard. 2004. Pacific Northwest unit list. Online 

at http://www.uscg.mil/d13/default.htm [accessed 7 February 2007].

12. Ocean Beach School District. 2003. Location of OSBD/

schools. Online at http://www.ocean.k12.wa.us/location.htm 

[accessed 7 February 2007].

13. Washington State Department of Ecology. 2004. Chinook 

water supply dam failure. Online at http://www.ecy.wa.gov/

programs/wr/dams/chinook.html [accessed 7 February 2007].

14. Economic Development Council of Pacific County. 2004. 

Transportation. Online at http://www.pacificedc.org/transportation 

.htm [accessed 7 February 2007].

15. Field notes, Port of Chinook, Chinook, WA, September 

2004.

16. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

17. See note 16.

18. See note 16.

19. See note 6.

20. See note 15.

21. See note 15.

22. See note 9.
99

Edmonds

People and Place

Location

Edmonds is on the east shore of north-central Puget 

Sound. Situated in Snohomish County, the city 

encompasses 8.9 square miles of land and 9.5 square 

miles of water. The nearest major U.S. city is Seattle, a 

14-mile drive south. Edmonds’ geographic coordinates 

are lat 47°48′39′′N, long 122°22′34′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Edmonds’ 

population was 39,515, an increase of 22.2% since 1990. 

The gender composition was 52.7% female and 47.3% 

male. The median age of 42 was higher than the national 

median age of 35.3. Of the population age 18 years of 

age and older, 92.3% had a high school education 

(including equivalency) or higher, 33.8% had received a 

bachelor’s degree or higher, and 11% had attained a 

graduate or professional degree. This was ahead of the 

national averages of 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% 

respectively.

The vast majority of Edmonds’ racial structure 

recorded by the 2000 U.S. Census was white (87.7%), 

followed by Asian (5.6%), people who identified as two 

or more races (3.0 %), black (1.3%), people who 

identified as another race (1.3%), American Indian and 

Alaska Native (0.8%), and Native Hawaiian or other 

Pacific Islander (0.3%). Ethnicity data indicate that 3.3% 

identified as Hispanic. In 2000 11% were foreign-born, 

with 38.8% from Asia, 31.1% from Europe, and 25.1% 

from the Americas. The highest percentage of those 

reporting ancestry was German (12.6%), followed by 

English (11%), Irish (7.8%), and Norwegian (7.7%).

History

The shoreline of Edmonds once served as a fishing 

ground to the Snohomish Tribe, which harvested fish, 

clams and oysters.1

 The community, settled more than 

100 years ago as a logging camp, was home to numerous 

shingle mills and a popular destination for steamships 

carrying timber.2

 In 1876 George Brackett started a 

logging operation in what later became the City of 

Edmonds.3 Edmonds was incorporated in 1890 and 

Brackett became the community’s first mayor.4 In 1891 

the Great Northern Railroad began service in Edmonds 

and brought further growth to the community.5 The 

timber industry remained an important component of the 

local economy until the 1950s, when the last shingle mill 

4,000 3,000 2,000 1,000 0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure

Male Female

2000 Racial structure 

White

87.7%

Pacific Islander

0.3%

Native

0.8%

Black

1.3%

Other

1.3%

Asian

5.6%

Two or more races

3.0%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity 

Non-Hispanic

96.7%

Hispanic

3.3%
100

in Edmonds closed.6 Today Edmonds is known for its 

designated marine sanctuaries and an underwater park at 

Brackett’s Landing that attracts divers from around the 

country.7

Infrastructure

Current Economy

At the time of the 2000 U.S. Census, 62.1% of 

Edmond’s potential labor force 16 years of age and older 

were employed, 2.3% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 3.6% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

35.6% were not in the labor force, comparable to the 

national average of 36.1%. The major employment 

sectors were educational, health, and social services 

(20.5%), local, state, and federal governments (15.5%), 

retail trade (13.5%), professional, scientific, 

management, administrative, and waste management 

services (11.4%), manufacturing (9.8%), professional, 

scientific, and technical services (7.6%), and construction 

(7.5%). Agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting 

employed 0.7% but this percentage may be artificially 

low given that many fishermen are self-employed and are 

underrepresented in these data.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the per capita 

income in 1999 was $30,076 and the median household 

income was $53,522. In 1999 4.6% lived below the 

poverty level, much lower than the national average of 

12.4%. In 2000 there were 17,508 housing units, with 

68.1% owner occupied and 31.9% renter occupied. The 

housing unit vacancy rate was 3.4%.

Governance

The City of Edmonds, incorporated in 1890, is the 

oldest city in Snohomish County. The community 

operates under a mayor-council form of government, 

comprised of an elected mayor and seven city council 

members. Edmonds levies an 8.9% sales and use tax. In 

addition Snohomish County levies a 2% lodging tax. See 

the Governance subsection (page 43) in the Overview 

section for a more detailed discussion of taxes affecting 

fisherman and processors in Washington.

The nearest National Marine Fisheries Service 

Regional Office and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 

Services District Office are in Seattle. Meetings of the 

Pacific Fishery Management and North Pacific Fishery 

Management councils are routinely held in the SeattleTacoma area. The nearest Washington Department of 

Fish and Wildlife Regional Office is in Mill Creek 

(11 miles north). The 13th U.S. Coast Guard District 

headquarters are in Seattle.

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

35.6%

Unemployed

2.3%

Employed

62.1%

Facilities

Edmonds is accessible by ground, air, and sea. The 

community is located along the Interstate 5 corridor 

(north-south). The nearest major east-west highway is 

Interstate 90 to Seattle. Amtrak provides national and 

international rail service. The Washington State Ferries 

system links Edmonds to Kingston, directly west across 

Puget Sound on the Kitsap Peninsula. The SeattleTacoma International Airport is the nearest major 

facility.

The Edmonds School District serves the 

Washington communities of Edmonds, Brier, Lynnwood, 

Mountlake Terrace, and Woodway. The district has 35 

schools, including: 20 elementary schools, 1 home school 

program, 1 highly capable program, 4 K-8 schools, 4 

middle schools, and 5 high schools. There are three 

private schools located in Edmonds. The Snohomish 

County Public Utilities District administers electricity. 

The City of Edmonds provides sewer and water services. 

The Edmonds Police and Fire departments administer 

public safety. Stevens Hospital is in Edmonds, and three 

additional hospitals are located within 10 miles of the 

community. Visitors to Edmonds can choose between 

two bed and breakfast establishments and three hotels.

The Port of Edmonds operates the largest covered 

moorage facility on the West Coast and provides wet or 

dry storage for 1,200 boats up to 55 feet. Additional 

services include a public sling launch, fueling facilities, a 

live bait shop, and overnight moorage.8

 Until recently 

Edmonds was home to the largest charter fishing fleet in 

Puget Sound.9 The port also operates a boat repair 

facility, permitting vessel owners to work on their vessels 

or to utilize local vendors.10
101

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Recorded data indicates that there were no landings 

delivered to Edmonds in 2000. There were no known 

processors operating in the community. In 2000 

Edmonds residents owned 24 vessels, including 9 that 

participated in the federally managed groundfish fishery. 

The number that participated in each said fishery by state 

(WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 1/0/1, crab 5/1/0, 

groundfish 2/0/NA, highly migratory species NA/0/NA, 

salmon 11/2/2, shellfish NA/0/NA, shrimp NA/0/0, and 

other species 8/0/0.11

In 2000 two Edmonds residents held two federal 

groundfish fishery permits. The number in each said 

fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 1/0/4, 

crab 4/1/0, highly migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 21/

3/1, shellfish 0/0/NA, and other species 8/0/0.12

Available data indicate that Edmonds residents held 

52 registered permits in 2000. The number in each said 

fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 1/0/5, 

crab 5/1/0, highly migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 24/

3/2, shellfish 0/0/NA, and other species 11/0/0.13

Sportfishing

In 2000 there was at least one salmonid charter 

fishing business operating in Edmonds. The public 

saltwater fishing pier in Edmonds is open all year and 

provides marine sportfishing for residents without 

watercraft. The closest Catch Record Card Area to 

Edmonds is Area 9 (Admiralty Inlet: all waters inside and 

south of the Partridge Point–Point Wilson line, south and 

west of a line from Possession Point 110° true to 

shipwreck, north of the Hood Canal Bridge, and north of 

the Apple Cove Point–Edwards Point line). In Area 9 the 

2000 sport catch, based on catch record cards, was 

12,608 fish, including 4,351 Chinook salmon, 8,253 coho 

salmon, and 4 chum salmon. Marine anglers made 

43,629 trips in the sport salmon fishery. In Area 9 boatbased anglers caught 1,745 bottomfish. The recreational 

harvest of clams (lbs) and oysters (#) for Area 9 was 

estimated to be 84,233 and 6,091 respectively; harvest 

occurred over an estimated 14,151 user trips in 2000. 

Sport fishermen caught 18 sturgeon during 2000–2001.

Subsistence

Tribal and nontribal community members may be 

engaged in subsistence fishing in the area. Subsistence 

fishing is not discussed in detail in this community 

profile due to the lack of available data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 Edmonds residents owned 97 vessels 

involved in North Pacific fisheries. In the same year 

community members landed fish in the following North 

Pacific fisheries (data shown represent landings in metric 

tons/value of said landings/number of vessels landing): 

crab 800 t/$5,077,160/8; Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands 

(BSAI) groundfish 53,249 t/$18,357,830/12; other finfish 

0.9 t/$240/6; Gulf of Alaska (GOA) groundfish 455 t/

$808,650/5; halibut 203 t/$1,134,430/4; herring 447 t/

$125,760/6; and salmon 3,853 t/$2,825,440/46.

Edmonds residents held 224 commercial fishing 

permits in 2000, including 77 individuals who held 

federal and 80 who held state permits (note: it is possible 

for individuals to hold more than one permit at a time). 

Community members held 26 crab and 44 groundfish 

License Limitation Program permits in 2000. Edmonds 

residents held 19 crab, 1 GOA groundfish, 29 BSAI 

groundfish, 9 halibut, 12 herring, 49 salmon, and 1 

shellfish Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission 

permits. Community members held 5,113,740 halibut 

and 6,581,698 sablefish individual fishing quota shares.

Edmonds residents held 134 crew member licenses 

for North Pacific fisheries in 2000.

Sportfishing

Edmonds residents purchased 422 Alaskan 

sportfishing licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. City of Edmonds. 2004. Visitor’s guide, Edmonds’ past: 

Character for the future. Online at http://www.ci.edmonds.wa.us/

vg_past.stm [accessed 31 January 2007).

2. City of Edmonds. 2004. Welcome to the City of Edmonds. 

Online at http://www.ci.edmonds.wa.us/ [accessed 31 January 2007).

3. Key to the City. No date. Edmonds. Online at http://

www.usacitiesonline.com/wacountyedmonds.htm [accessed 31 

January 2007).

4. See note 1.

5. See note 3.

6. Edmonds-South Snohomish County Historical Society. No 

date. About the Edmonds Historical Museum. Online at http://

www.historicedmonds.org/museum/about.html [accessed 31 January 

2007).

7. Snohomish County. No date. Edmonds. Online at http://

www.snohomish.org/index.php?page_id=467 [accessed 31 January 

2007).

8. Greater Edmonds Chamber of Commerce. 2004. About 

Edmonds, the waterfront. Online at http://www.edmondswa.com/

Edmonds/Waterfront/index.html [accessed 31 January 2007).

9. See note 8.

10. See note 8.
102

11. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due 

to few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted 

nature of the fishery in 2000.

12. See note 11.

13. See note 11.
103

Everett

People and Place

Location

Everett is on the eastern shore of Puget Sound. 

Situated in Snohomish County, the city encompasses 

32.5 square miles of land and 15.2 square miles of 

surface water. The nearest major U.S. city is Seattle, a 

29-mile drive south. Everett’s geographic coordinates 

are lat 47°58′45′′N, long 122°13′33′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Everett’s 

population was 91,488, a 30.8% increase since 1990. 

The gender composition was 50.9% male and 49.1% 

female. The median age of 32.2 was slightly lower than 

the national median of 35.3. In 2000 there was an even 

age distribution between males and females. Of the 

population 18 years of age and older, 82.6% had a high 

school education (including equivalency) or higher, 

15.8% had received a bachelor’s degree or higher, and 

4.6% had attained a graduate or professional degree; the 

national averages were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% 

respectively.

The vast majority of Everett’s racial structure 

recorded by the 2000 U.S. Census was white (81.1%), 

followed by Asian (6.3%), people who identified as two 

or more races (4.2%), black (3.3%), people who 

identified as another race (3.1%), American Indian and 

Alaska Native (1.6%), and Pacific Islander (0.4%). 

Ethnicity data indicate that 7.1% identified as Hispanic. 

In 2000 12.4% were foreign-born, with 41.8% from 

Asian countries and 18.5% from Mexico.

History

The area known as Port Gardner Bay was once 

home to members of the Snohomish Tribe. Following 

the Indian Wars in the 1850s, the Snohomish and other 

local tribes, restructured as the confederation known as 

Tulalip, were moved to a reservation established at 

Tulalip Bay.1 European settlers arrived on homestead 

grants lured by the economic opportunities provided by 

local natural resources, particularly timber and ore. 

Wealthy East Coast and regional investors, believing the 

area was a West Coast terminal for the Great Northern 

Railroad, began clearing the land in the 1890s to support 

the industrial town. Lumber and shingle mills, along 

with a nail factory, a paper mill, and a barge works began 

operations in the late 1890s.

10,000 8,000 6,000 4,000 2,000 0 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure 

White

81.1%

Two or more races

4.2%

Other

3.1%

Pacific Islander

0.4%

Black

3.3%

Asian

6.3%

Native

1.6%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity 

Hispanic

7.1%

Non-Hispanic

92.9%
104

In 1893 Everett was incorporated and named after 

the son of an investor, Charles Colby. Designers set 

aside Everett’s waterfront for industrial purposes that by 

the 1900s included shipbuilders, fisheries, and canneries 

alongside the lumber companies. The city’s population 

tripled over the next decade and reached 24,000 in 1910.2

 

During the next two decades Everett’s economy was 

dominated by the lumber-shingle trade and by the 1920s 

the city’s importance as a regional and international port 

was established. Everett was known as the “Lumber 

Capital of the World” in the early 1900s due to the 

Weyerhaeuser mill that employed more than 1,500 

workers.3

Snohomish County and the City of Everett 

welcomed the arrival of The Boeing Company in the 

1960s. Over the next 40 years Everett’s economy 

diversified to include telecommunications, computer 

technology, electronics, health care, education, and 

tourism. Local residents and tourists enjoy several 

community events that are associated with the maritime 

industry, including Salty Sea Days and Jetty Island Days. 

Today Everett’s working waterfront shares the shoreline 

with a Navy homeport, established during the 1990s.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

At the time of the 2000 U.S. Census, 63.5% of 

Everett’s potential labor force 16 years of age and older 

were employed, 5.3% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 7.7% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

31.2% were not in the labor force, compared to the 

national average of 36.1%. The major employment 

sectors were management, professional, and related 

occupations (27.2%), sales and office occupations 

(25.9%), production, transportation, and material moving 

occupations (17%), and local, state, and federal 

governments (11.8%). Natural resource jobs including 

agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting employed 0.5% 

in 2000, but this percentage may be artificially low given 

that many fishermen are self-employed and are 

underrepresented in these data. Everett’s economy also 

relies on its deepwater port, naval station, and tourism 

sector.4

The city’s top employers in 2001 were The Boeing 

Company (23,700), Providence Hospital (2,500), 

Snohomish County (2,478), and Verizon (1,659).5

 

Several shipbuilding and repair companies are located in 

Everett, including Everett Shipyard, Hansen Boat 

Company, Nexus Marine Corporation, The Corner Boat 

Shop, and The Fishermen’s Boat Shop Inc.

2000 Employment structure

Employed

63.5% Unemployed

5.3%

Not in labor force

31.2%

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the per capita 

income in 1999 was $20,577 and the median household 

income was $40,100. In 2000 12.9% lived below the 

poverty level, comparable to the national average of 

12.4%. There were 38,512 housing units in Everett in 

2000, 46% owner occupied and 54% renter occupied. 

The housing unit vacancy rate was 56.8%, with 3.4% due 

to seasonal, recreational, or occasional use.

Governance

The City of Everett was incorporated in 1893 and 

has a mayor-city council form of government. The 

mayor is elected and heads the Office of Administration. 

Six additional individuals serve in the Office of 

Administration, providing support and guidance to the 

city council. The city council has seven members and 

provides policy direction to the administrative branch of 

the city government. Snohomish County levies an 8.9% 

sales tax and a 2% lodging tax. See the Governance 

subsection (page 43) in the Overview section for a more 

detailed discussion of taxes affecting fisherman and 

processors in Washington.

The nearest National Marine Fisheries Service 

Regional Office and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 

Services District Office are in Seattle. Meetings of the 

Pacific Fishery Management and North Pacific Fishery 

Management councils are routinely held in the SeattleTacoma area. The nearest Washington Department of 

Fish and Wildlife Regional Office is 12 miles south in 

Mill Creek. The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) maintains 

the motor vessel Henry Blake and 28 active personnel in 

Everett, charged with ensuring the waterways are safe 

and that navigational instruments are functional. In 

addition they perform search and rescue operations, 

maritime law enforcement, and marine environmental 

protection. The USCG Bellingham Station, home to six 

vessels, also is responsible for the Everett area. The 
105

Bellingham Station’s area of responsibility includes the 

San Juan Islands north to the Canada border and south to 

Admiralty Inlet.

Facilities

Everett is accessible by ground, air, and water. 

Interstate 5 (north-south) runs through the city. Interstate 

90 in Seattle is the nearest major east-west thoroughfare. 

The city provides local bus transportation to nearby 

towns, the Seattle area, and Vancouver, British 

Columbia. Commuter rail service operates daily between 

Everett and Seattle, and there is an Amtrak station in 

Everett that provides national and international 

connections. The Snohomish County Airport Paine Field 

in Everett is certified for carrier operations. The SeattleTacoma International Airport is the closest major airport.

The Everett Public School District has 16 

elementary schools, 5 middle schools, and 4 high 

schools. Everett Community College serves more than 

8,000 students. Everett’s Public Works Department 

provides electricity, water, wastewater, and solid waste 

services to city residents. The Everett Police and Fire 

departments administer public safety. The Providence 

Everett Medical Center is the only hospital in Everett. 

The tourism industry is fairly developed with more than 

20 hotels located in the city. Community businesses 

include the Everett Public Library, the Everett Center for 

the Arts, the Snohomish County Museum, the Children’s 

Museum, and several places of worship.

The Port of Everett, situated on Port Gardner Bay at 

the mouth of the Snohomish River, was created in 1918. 

The Everett Port District has jurisdiction over a large 

portion of western Snohomish County, including the City 

of Everett and half of the City of Mukilteo, 7 miles 

southwest of Everett. The port currently operates eight 

berths, a 4,000-ton refrigerated warehouse, and 

additional cold storage space. The Port of Everett Marina 

is a full-service marina, providing moorage space for 

approximately 2,050 vessels. The marina predominantly 

serves recreational vessels; however there is moorage 

space available for commercial fishing vessels ranging 

from 32 to 65 feet. The commercial fishing vessel rate is 

$4.49 per foot per month. There are numerous amenities 

at the port including restaurants, showers, laundry, and a 

fuel dock. The port is also home to stores that sell fishing 

licenses, bait, tackle, charts, and ice. The Port of Everett 

boatyard, located within the marina, offers haul-out 

services, and local boat businesses can provide 

mechanical, electrical, and structural repair assistance. 

The port is served by the Burlington Northern/Santa Fe 

Railroad.

There are several fishery-related organizations in the 

area including the Everett Steelhead and Salmon Club 

and the Snohomish Sportsmen’s Club. The Snohomish 

Sportsmen’s Club sponsors the Annual Everett Coho 

Derby on the waters of north-central Puget Sound in 

September. These clubs plus the Mukilteo Saltwater 

Anglers also are active in youth programs such as The 

Salmon and Plants for Kids Program that encourages 

school-aged children to plant and monitor native 

vegetation along salmon streams.

Several Everett residents serve on the Snohomish 

County Marine Resources Committee (MRC), an 11-

member group of citizen volunteers established in 1999 

to address local issues related to marine resource 

management and advise county officials. Of the 

Northwest Straits counties, Snohomish County is the 

most populous and has the largest amount of modified 

shoreline (99 of 133 miles), which is mainly because of 

the railroad bed that has existed for more than a century. 

The Snohomish MRC has been involved in several 

activities, including juvenile crab habitat projects, a 

Dungeness crab stewardship plan, nearshore restoration 

projects, as well as numerous public involvement and 

education activities.6

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Fishing has been an important activity for Everett 

residents, dating back to the early 1900s. Although 

fishing is not as economically significant to the economy 

as in the past, residents still participate in crabbing and 

fishing for bottomfish, salmon, and other species.7

In 2000 394 vessels delivered landings to Everett, 

including 160 commercial, 157 tribal commercial, and 77 

personal-use vessels. Landings in the community were in 

the following West Coast fisheries (data shown represent 

landings in metric tons/value of said landings/number of 

vessels landing): crab 185 t/$915,210/98; groundfish 

confidential/confidential/2; salmon 494 t/$795,325/313; 

shellfish confidential/confidential/2; shrimp 21 t/

$70,585/8; and other species 59 t/$333,197/7.

Everett residents owned 32 vessels in 2000, 

including 17 that participated in the federally managed 

groundfish fishery. The number in each said fishery by 

state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 2/0/2, crab 4/0/0, 

groundfish 5/0/NA, highly migratory species NA/0/NA, 

salmon 19/1/0, shellfish NA/0/NA, shrimp NA/0/0, and 

other species 6/0/0.8

In 2000 recorded data indicate that the number of 

Everett residents holding permits in each said fishery by 

state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/1/3, crab 6/0/0, 

groundfish 1/0/0, highly migratory species NA/0/0, 

salmon 35/1/1, shellfish 0/0/NA, and other species 2/0/1.9
106

According to available data, 58 state permits were 

registered to Everett residents in 2000. The number in 

each said fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal 

pelagic 0/1/3, crab 8/0/0, groundfish 3/0/0, highly 

migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 38/0/2, shellfish 0/0/

NA, and other species 2/0/1.10

There was at least one seafood processor operating 

in Everett in 2000. Quality Seafood Services LLC, was 

started in 1998 and now serves as a processor and cold 

storage plant for seafood products primarily from Puget 

Sound and Alaskan fisheries. During halibut and salmon 

season the company packs primarily fresh fish, but it also 

specializes in filleting, vacuum-packing, and freezing 

salmon, halibut, black cod, and crab.11 Located at the 

Port of Everett, Quality Seafood Services provides offloading services for local vessels. Additionally there are 

several businesses in the community engaged in seafood 

retail such as the Waterfront Fish Company, located at 

the Port of Everett.

The tribal commercial fishery plays a significant 

role in the Everett fishing industry. Tulalip tribal 

members living on the Tulalip Reservation, bordered to 

the east by the City of Marysville and to the south by 

Snohomish River, are engaged in commercial and 

subsistence fishing in the Everett area. See the 

Marysville community profile (page 43) for more 

information on the Tulalip’s natural resources.

Sportfishing

Everett is home to nine licensed agents selling 

fishing permits. In 2003 47,481 sportfishing license 

transactions were made valued at $474,413. In Catch 

Record Card Area 8-2 (Port Susan and Gardner) the 2000 

sport catch, based on catch record cards, was 12,798 fish, 

including 3,208 Chinook salmon, 9,574 coho salmon, 4 

chum salmon, and 12 pink salmon. Marine anglers made 

33,536 trips in the sport salmon fishery. Sport fishermen 

caught 70 sturgeon in Area 8-2. In 2000 boat-based 

anglers caught 1,449 bottomfish in Area 8-1 (Deception 

Pass, Hope Island, and Skagit Bay) and Area 8-2. There 

was no recreational harvest estimate of clams and oysters 

for Area 8-2 in 2000. In 2000 and 2003 there was at least 

one salmonid charter fishing operator in Everett.

Subsistence

Subsistence hunting, fishing, and gathering 

activities are fundamental to the way of life of some 

coastal community members. Tribal and nontribal 

individuals participate in subsistence fishing. Tulalip 

Tribes members are highly engaged in subsistence 

fishing for finfish and shellfish, however specific data is 

unavailable.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 Everett residents owned 109 vessels that 

were involved in North Pacific fisheries. Community 

members landed fish in the following North Pacific 

fisheries (data shown represent landings in metric tons/

value of said landings/number of vessels landing): Bering 

Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) groundfish confidential/

confidential/1; other finfish confidential/confidential/3; 

Gulf of Alaska (GOA) groundfish confidential/

confidential/2; halibut 135 t/$754,640/4; herring 263 t/

$61,820/9; salmon 1787 t/$1,985,640/40; and shellfish 

confidential/confidential/2.

Everett residents held 131 state and federal permits 

in 2000, including 67 individuals who held state permits 

and 37 who held federal permits (note: it is possible for 

individuals to hold more than one permit at a time). 

Community members held one crab and eight groundfish 

License Limitation Program permits. Residents held 12 

crab, 16 BSAI groundfish, 11 halibut, 18 herring, 55 

salmon, and 2 shellfish Commercial Fisheries Entry 

Commission permits in 2000. Everett residents were 

allotted 2,476,296 halibut and 4,966,915 sablefish 

individual quota shares.

Everett residents held 134 crew member licenses for 

North Pacific fisheries in 2000.

Sportfishing

Everett residents purchased 487 Alaska sportfishing 

licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. City of Everett. 2006. A brief history of Everett, 

Washington. Online at http://www.everettwa.org/default.aspx?ID

=575 [accessed 31 January 2007].

2. See note 1.

3. Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission. 2004. West 

Coast marine fishing community descriptions. Online at http://

www.psmfc.org/efin/abstracts-data.html [accessed 31 January 2007].

4. City of Everett. No date. Community profile. Online at 

http://www.everettwa.org/Business/default.asp?sectionid=7&parentid

=2 [accessed 31 January 2007].

5. City of Everett. 2001. Major employers. Online at http://

www.everettwa.org/Get_PDF.aspx?pdfID=139 [accessed 31 January 

2007].

6. Snohomish County Marine Resource Committee. 2003. The 

role of the Snohomish County Marine Resources Advisory Committee 

in the Northwest Straits Marine Conservation Initiative. Online at 

http://www.psat.wa.gov/Publications/03_proceedings/PAPERS/

ORAL/10b_johns.pdf [accessed 31 January 2007].

7. See note 3.

8. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

9. See note 8.
107

10. See note 8.

11. Field notes, Quality Seafood Services, Everett, WA., 22 

September 2004.
108

Ferndale

People and Place

Location

Ferndale is in the rain shadow of the Olympic 

Mountain range on the shore of northeastern Puget 

Sound. Situated in Whatcom County, the city 

encompasses 6.2 square miles of land and 0.1 square 

miles of water. The nearest major U.S. city is Seattle, a 

98-mile drive south, while Vancouver, British Columbia, 

is a 43-mile drive north. Ferndale’s geographic 

coordinates are lat 48°50′48′′N, long 122°35′23′′W.

Demographic Profile

At the time of the 2000 U.S. Census, Ferndale’s 

population was 8,758, an increase from 5,398 in 1990. 

The gender composition was 51.1% female and 48.9% 

male. The median age of 32 years was below the 

national average of 35.3. The age structure demonstrates 

usual population trends for a community without a major 

tertiary education provider. Of the population 18 years of 

age and older, 81.8% had a high school education 

(including equivalency) or higher, 16.4% had received a 

bachelor’s degree or higher, and 5.2% had attained a 

graduate or professional degree; the national averages 

were 79.9%, 22.3%, and 7.8% respectively. For 37.2%, a 

high school degree or equivalent was the highest level of 

educational attainment.

The vast majority of Ferndale’s racial structure 

recorded by the 2000 U.S. Census was white (84.8%), 

followed by people who identified with another race 

(5.3%), people who identified with two or more races 

(3.8%), American Indian and Alaska Native (2.6%), 

Asian (2.4%), black (0.8%), and Hawaiian or other 

Pacific Islander (0.3%). Ethnicity data indicate that 9% 

identified as Hispanic. In 2000 3.7% were foreign-born, 

with the majority from the Americas outside of the 

United States, followed by people form Europe. The 

largest numbers of people denoting ancestry were 

German, English, Irish, and Norwegian.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 87.6% lived in 

family households in 2000.

History

Ferndale is located close to the homes of the Lummi 

and Nooksack tribes, and the ancient history of the area 

involves the Coast Salish people who lived by hunting, 

fishing, gathering, and trading in the region. European 

explorations in the late 1700s followed by trappers, 

traders, and gold miners in the early 1800s were 

1,000 800 600 400 200 0 200 400 600 800

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure 

White

84.8%

Two or more races

Other 3.8%

5.3%

Pacific Islander

0.3%

Asian

2.4%

Native

2.6%

Black

0.8%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity 

Hispanic

9%

Non-Hispanic

91%
109

harbingers of major changes to come. In 1855 the 

Lummi signed the Treaty of Point Elliot with the United 

States. The Nooksack never signed a treaty with the 

United States and in 1873 were ordered to move to the 

Lummi Reservation on the coast. However, because the 

Nooksack did not feel an affinity toward the Lummi, 

most returned upriver to their ancestral lands. In the 

1970s, after receiving federal recognition as a tribe, the 

Nooksack established a small reservation at Deming.

The history of Whatcom County is described in 

some detail in the Bellingham community profile. 

History specific to the location of Ferndale indicates a 

typical Western Washington pattern of agricultural and 

natural resource-based settlement by European 

Americans in the late 1800s, marked by a rivalry between 

towns for growth and regional supremacy.

Ferndale grew around the Nooksack River. 

According to some sources, about 15 families had settled 

in Ferndale by 1872.1 Billy Clark, Cecelia Chanique, his 

Native American wife, and their children, who built a 

home in 1873, were the first pioneers to settle in the 

Ferndale area. Clark was from Texas, but had gone to 

Canada to work for the Hudson’s Bay Company and 

became an English subject. Therefore, despite occupying 

the house on the Nooksack River for more than a decade, 

he was unable to file claim on it under the Homestead 

Act. Family friend Darius Rogers filed the claim and 

was technically the first nonnative property owner in the 

area.

The name Ferndale was adopted in 1876, having 

been coined by Alice Eldridge, the first teacher on the 

Nooksack River, to replace the informal name Jam, 

referring to the nearby logjam on the river. The Lummi 

called the area Te-tas-um. Ferndale’s place as a center of 

commerce was challenged by upstart West Ferndale on 

the other side of the river, but eventually the east side 

prevailed. By 1882 Ferndale had two stores, two 

saloons, one hotel, and a post office, and was considered 

a contender for county seat (won by Fairhaven, now a 

part of Bellingham). By 1889 there were more stores, 

two schools, a church, a saw mill, and a telegraph office. 

In addition that year Ferndale had the county champion 

baseball team and a notable coronet band.2 The 

Hovander Homestead built in 1903 is now a park. In 

recognition of Ferndale’s pioneer heritage, the Hovander 

farmhouse, barn, and other buildings on the property 

have been restored and are open to the public.

As the land near Ferndale was cleared of timber, 

agricultural production increased. A bridge across the 

Nooksack River was built in the 1930s. Farming 

continued to be important to Ferndale as other industries 

developed. In the 1960s Interstate 5 was built along the 

West Coast, passing along the northeastern edge of 

2000 Employment structure

Employed

61.8%

Unemployed

4.7%

Not in labor force

33.5%

Ferndale. In 2003 Ferndale’s downtown received a 

major makeover that included putting overhead electrical 

wires underground and widening the bridge across the 

river.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

At the time of the 2000 U.S. Census, 61.8% of 

Ferndale’s potential labor force 16 years old and older 

were employed, 4.7% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 7% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

33.5% were not in the labor force, compared to the 

national average of 36.1%. The largest employment 

sectors were education, health, and social services and 

manufacturing (20%) and local, state, and federal 

governments (12%).

Natural resource jobs including agriculture, forestry, 

fishing, and hunting employed only 131 or 4% of 3,758 

people 16 years of age and older in 2000, but this 

percentage may be artificially low given that many 

fishermen are self-employed and are underrepresented in 

these data.

Ferndale refers to itself as “farm country”3 and has 

an important agricultural base in and around the city. 

Future Farmers of America and other agricultural 

programs are regular features of life. Whatcom County 

produces 65% of the raspberries grown in the United 

States.4

 In addition to farming, oil and gas is an 

important industry. British Petroleum Cherry Point 

Refinery and Conoco Phillips Ferndale Refinery are 

major employers in Whatcom County, and are located in 

Ferndale. Aluminum producer Alcoa Intalco is the 

largest employer with 935 employees, with 20% residing 

in Ferndale.5
110

Ferndale has an important outdoor recreation 

industry. It is close to the Mount Baker–Snoqualmie 

National Forest and the Mount Baker National 

Recreation Area, which provides skiing, snowboarding, 

hiking, rafting, and camping recreations. To the west, the 

beaches of Birch Bay offer clam digging, swimming, and 

boating. Recreational fishing is available in salt water 

and in freshwater at the Lake Terrell Wildlife Refuge, 5 

miles west of Ferndale. Duck hunting and bird watching 

also are popular in the refuge.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the per capita 

income in 1999 was $15,982 and the median income was 

$36,375. In 1999 13.2% lived below the poverty level, 

slightly above the national average of 12.4%. In 2000 

there were 3,292 housing units in Ferndale, with 65.6% 

owner occupied and 34.4% renter occupied. The housing 

unit vacancy rate was 4.4%, with 5.5% due to seasonal, 

recreational, or occasional use.

Governance

The City of Ferndale is organized as a mayorcouncil form of government. The mayor has 

responsibility for exercising general supervision over the 

administrative affairs of the city, the responsibility for the 

appointment and removal of personnel, and the execution 

of the laws and policies as adopted by the city council. 

The city council has seven members with staggered 

terms. Whatcom County, including Ferndale, levies an 

8.4% sales tax and a 4% lodging tax. See the 

Governance subsection (page 43) in the Overview 

section for a more detailed discussion of taxes affecting 

fisherman and processors in Washington.

The nearest National Marine Fisheries Service 

Regional Office and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 

Services District Office are in Seattle. Meetings of the 

Pacific Fishery Management and North Pacific Fishery 

Management councils are routinely held in the SeattleTacoma area. The nearest Washington Department of 

Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) office is 93 miles south in 

Mill Creek. The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Station 

Bellingham was established in 1947 and provides six 

vessels. Its area of responsibility includes the San Juan 

Islands north to the Canada border and south to 

Admiralty Inlet. The USCG often works in close 

partnership with the Canada Coast Guard and is 

occasionally involved in international search and rescue 

and law enforcement operations.

Facilities

Ferndale is accessible by ground, sea, and air. The 

city is located on the Interstate 5 corridor (north-south). 

The nearest major highways running east-west are 

Interstate 90, 100 miles south in Seattle and Canadian 

National 1, approximately 43 miles north in Vancouver, 

British Columbia. Washington State Route 20, the North 

Cascades Highway, also runs eastward but is closed in 

the winter. The Bellingham/Fairhaven Station (15 miles 

south) offers Amtrak service. The Bellingham 

International Airport is the nearest facility. There is also 

a municipal airport in Blaine (14 miles north). The 

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and the Vancouver 

(British Columbia) International Airport are the nearest 

major facilities. Ferndale does not have any marine 

facilities. The nearest marine facilities are located on 

nearby Lummi and Bellingham bays.

The Ferndale School District has six elementary 

schools, two middle schools, and two high schools, one 

of which is a “high tech” high school partially funded by 

grants from the Gates Foundation.6

 There are no private 

schools in Ferndale, but there are 12 private schools in 

the Bellingham area. Colleges in Bellingham include 

Western Washington University, Whatcom Community 

College, Bellingham Technical College, and the 

Northwest Indian College.

Puget Sound Energy is the primary electricity 

provider, and Cascade Natural Gas in Bellingham 

services Ferndale. The City of Ferndale Department of 

Public Works provides water and sewer services to the 

community; treated drinking water comes from the 

Nooksack River, from which Ferndale takes 1.5 million 

gallons a day. A small portion of the town’s residents 

draw drinking water from groundwater by individual 

wells or the Ferndale Mobile Village water system. The 

Ferndale Police Department and the Whatcom County 

Fire District No. 7 administer public safety. St. Joseph’s 

Hospital in Bellingham is the nearest major medical 

facility that provides a full range of inpatient and 

outpatient services. There are two hotels located in 

Ferndale and 30 or more within 10 minutes in 

Bellingham.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

There were zero unique vessels that delivered 

landings to Ferndale in 2000. That year Ferndale 

residents owned 25 vessels, including 18 that participated 

in the federally managed groundfish fishery. The number 

of vessels owned by Ferndale residents participating in 

each said fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal 

pelagic 1/0/1, crab 8/0/0, groundfish 5/0/NA, highly 

migratory species NA/0/NA, salmon 12/0/0, shellfish 

NA/0/NA, shrimp NA/0/0, and other species 4/0/0.7

Two Ferndale residents held two federal groundfish 

fishery permits in 2000. The number of Ferndale 
111

residents holding permits in each said fishery by state 

(WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 1/0/0, crab 10/0/0, 

groundfish 2/0/0, highly migratory species NA/0/0, 

salmon 25/0/0, and shellfish 0/0/NA.8

According to available data, 77 state and federal 

permits were registered to Ferndale residents in 2000. 

The number of permits held by community members in 

each said fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal 

pelagic 2/0/14, crab 21/0/0, groundfish 8/0/0, highly 

migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 30/0/0, and shellfish 

0/0/NA.9

In 2000 there was at least one seafood processor 

operating in Ferndale, Barlean’s Fishery Inc. Barlean’s 

owns and operates its own reefnet boat in an attempt to 

provide a higher quality product and a more consistent 

supply of wild salmon. Barlean’s, open year round to 

buy and sell seafood, also offers halibut, Dungeness crab, 

spot prawns, wild sturgeon, clams, mussels, and Pacific 

oysters.10

Ferndale is near the Lummi and Nooksack tribal 

fisheries. Information about Lummi fisheries can be 

found in the Blaine and Bellingham community profiles. 

The Nooksack Tribe manages tribal fisheries for salmon, 

crab, shrimp, sea cucumber, and sea urchin. The 

Nooksack Natural Resources Department distributes 

salmon carcasses in the Nooksack River in an effort to 

restore nutrients to the water and rehabilitate declining 

salmon runs.

Sportfishing 

In 2000 there were no registered charter fishing 

operators in Ferndale. In 2003 there were 1,851 

sportfishing license transactions valued at $29,388. In 

2005 there was one license dealer in the city registered 

with the WDFW. In Catch Record Card Area 7 (San 

Juan Islands), the 2000 sport catch, based on catch record 

cards, was 7,178 fish, including 4,495 Chinook salmon, 

2,644 coho salmon, 21 chum salmon, and 18 sockeye 

salmon. In 2000 marine anglers made 30,627 trips in the 

sport salmon fishery. Boat-based anglers caught 5,897 

bottomfish in Area 7. The recreational harvest of clams 

(lbs) and oysters (#) for Area 7 in 2000 was estimated to 

be 115,273 and 0 respectively; harvest occurred over an 

estimated 19,752 user trips.

Subsistence

Local tribes (e.g., Lummi, Nooksack) fish in the 

lower Nooksack River in a ceremonial and subsistence 

fishery that is timed to minimize the potential catch of 

Endangered Species Act-listed Chinook salmon. 

Subsistence fishing is not discussed in great detail in this 

community profile due to the lack of available data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 Ferndale residents owned 26 unique vessels 

that were involved in North Pacific fisheries. 

Community members landed fish in the following North 

Pacific fisheries (data shown represent landings in metric 

tons/value of said landings/number of vessels landing): 

other finfish confidential/confidential/1, Gulf of Alaska 

(GOA) groundfish confidential/confidential/1, halibut 

confidential/confidential/2, herring confidential/

confidential/3, and salmon 1,001t/$882,210/19.

Ferndale residents held 50 state and federal permits 

in 2000, including 27 individuals who held state permits 

and 5 individuals who held registered federal permits. 

Residents held three crab License Limitation Program 

permits. Community members held 1 crab, 2 GOA 

groundfish, 6 Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands 

groundfish, 5 halibut, 9 herring, 21 salmon, and 1 

shellfish Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission 

permits. Residents held 86,876 halibut individual fishing 

quota shares; however residents held no sablefish quota 

shares.

Ferndale residents held 54 crew member licenses for 

North Pacific fisheries in 2000.

Sportfishing

Ferndale residents purchased 113 Alaska 

sportfishing licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. WA GenWeb. No date. Geographic background of Whatcom 

County. Online at http://www.rootsweb.com/~wawhatco/geog.htm 

[accessed 31 January 2007].

2. Blaine Journal. 1889. Whatcom County settlements. Blaine 

Journal, Blaine, WA. 31 October 1889. Online at http://

www.rootsweb.com/~wawhatco/towns.htm [accessed 31 January 

2007.

3. Ferndale.net. 2002. Tour Ferndale’s friendly farms. Online 

at http://www.ferndale.net/mod.php?mod=userpage&menu=1103

&page_id=24 [accessed 31 January 2007].

4. Ferndale.net. 2002. Welcome to Ferndale, Washington. 

Online at http://www.ferndale.net/index.php?menu=1 [accessed 31 

January 2007].

5. Field notes, community member, Ferndale, WA, 25 May 

2006.

6. See note 5.

7. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

8. See note 7.

9. See note 7.

10. Barlean’s Fishery Inc. No date. About Barlean’s Fishery. 

Online at http://www.barleansfishery.com/PageID/141/default.aspx 

[accessed 31 January 2007].
112

Fox Island

People and Place

Location

Fox Island is in the south Puget Sound region, north 

of McNeil Island and west of Tacoma. Situated in Pierce 

County, Fox Island encompasses 5.2 square miles of land 

and 1.2 square miles of water. The nearest major U.S. 

city is Seattle, a 50-mile drive northeast. Fox Island’s 

geographic coordinates are lat 47°15′06′′N, long 

122°37′40′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Fox Island’s 

population was 2,803, an increase of approximately 39% 

from 2,017 in 1990. The gender composition was 50.2% 

male and 49.8% female. The median age of 41.5 years 

was significantly higher than the national median age of 

35.3. Of the population age 18 years and older, 93.8% 

had a high school education (including equivalency) or 

higher, 38.1% had received a bachelor’s degree or higher, 

and 14% had attained a graduate or professional degree. 

All categories were higher than the national averages of 

79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The vast majority of Fox Island’s racial structure 

recorded by the 2000 U.S. Census was white (94.1%), 

followed people who identified as two or more races 

(2.4%), Asian (1.6%), American Indian and Alaska 

Native (0.7%), black (0.6%), people who identified as 

another race (0.4%), and Native Hawaiian or other 

Pacific Islander (0.1%). Ethnicity data indicate that 1.9% 

identified as Hispanic. In 2000 0.9% were foreign-born, 

with all from European countries. The highest 

percentage of those reporting ancestry were German 

(20%), followed by English (12.1%), Norwegian 

(10.9%), and Irish (9.7%).

History

The 1838 George Wilkes Expedition, the first 

government-sponsored maritime expedition, consisted of 

six sailing vessels that began their expedition in Norfolk, 

Virginia. Wilkes named many islands, straits, and 

passages after his crew, including Fox Island after Lt. 

John L. Fox, the assistant surgeon on the expedition.1 

The island is also known as Rosario on current British 

Admiralty charts. It is believed that local Native 

Americans historically referred to the island as “Batil 

Merman.”2

Between 1855 and 1856, Fox Island briefly served 

as an internment camp, keeping friendly Indians away 

300 200 100 0 100 200 300

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure

Male Female

2000 Racial structure 

White

94.1%

Black

0.6%

Pacific Islander

0.1%

Other

0.4%

Two or more races

2.4%

Native

0.7%

Asian

1.6%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity 

Hispanic

1.9%

Non-Hispanic

98.1%
113

from warring factions of other Puget Sound groups. In 

1889 the Miller pioneer family traveled to the island and 

became the first European American settlers.

The Millers were religious and formed what later 

became the United Church of Christ. Today the old 

chapel is community property; located directly on the 

waterfront, the church is a popular spot for weddings.3

 

The 1910 Fox Island Census reported the island’s 

population at 233 persons belonging to 66 families.4

Tanglewood, the island next to Fox Island, once 

served as an Indian burial ground. Burials took place in 

canoes hung in trees, allowing birds to eat the remains; 

the bodies were later buried underground. Farming, 

particularly of strawberries, became a common activity 

among the island’s early European American settlers. 

Two toll bridges, the Tacoma Narrows Bridge and the 

Fox Island Bridge, built in 1954, provided access to Fox 

Island. Nichols School served island residents until 

1961, when students began to travel by bus to nearby 

Artondale Elementary. Today the island is home to one 

commercial enterprise, Fox Island Trading Post and Deli, 

and a post office.5

Infrastructure

Current Economy

At the time of the 2000 U.S. Census, 64% of Fox 

Island’s potential labor force 16 years of age and older 

were employed, 3.3% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 4.9% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

32.7% were not in the labor force, compared to the 

national average of 36.1%. The top employment sectors 

were educational, health, and social services (24.3%), 

local, state, and federal governments (22.3%), 

professional, scientific, management, administrative, and 

waste management services (14.2%), finance, insurance, 

real estate, and rental and leasing (9.7%), manufacturing 

(8.1%), and retail trade (7.6%). Natural resources jobs 

including agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting 

employed 0.4%, but this percentage may be artificially 

low given that many fishermen are self-employed and are 

underrepresented in these data.

The Fox Island Laboratory, conducting acoustic and 

performance measurements for the U.S. Navy and others 

for more than 40 years, operates in Carr Inlet. The 

facility’s mission is to “provide a unique, shallow water, 

protected, ocean environment facility which operates and 

maintains an M241 barge, shore facilities, personnel and 

resources required to support research, development, 

testing and evaluation or military and commercial 

projects.”6

2000 Employment structure

Unemployed

3.3%

Not in labor force

32.7%

Employed

64%

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the per capita 

income in 1999 was $32,533 and the median household 

income was $69,135. In 1999 3.2% lived below the 

poverty level, compared to the national average of 

12.4%. In 2000 there were 1,150 housing units, with 

91.7% owner occupied and 8.3% renter occupied. The 

housing unit vacancy rate was 8.9%.

Governance

The unincorporated community of Fox Island is 

governed by the legislative branch of Pierce County. The 

legislative branch is made up of seven elected county 

council members including: a chairman, vice chairman, 

executive pro tempore, and four additional members. 

Pierce County levies an 8.2% sales and use tax in its 

unincorporated areas. There is a 2–5% lodging tax in 

effect on Fox Island, dependent upon the number of 

rooms or spaces in the establishment. See the 

Governance subsection (page 43) in the Overview 

section for a more detailed discussion of taxes affecting 

fisherman and processors in Washington.

The nearest National Marine Fisheries Service 

Regional Office and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 

Services District Office are in Seattle. Meetings of the 

Pacific Fishery Management and North Pacific Fishery 

Management councils are held in the Seattle-Tacoma 

area. The nearest Washington Department of Fish and 

Wildlife Regional Office is 82 miles southwest in 

Montesano. The 13th U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) District 

headquarters are in Seattle. There is a USCG office that 

serves as a Port Security Unit in Tacoma (18 miles 

northeast).

Facilities

Fox Island is accessible by ground and sea. It is 

reachable via the Tacoma Narrows Bridge on 

Washington Highway 16 and the Fox Island Bridge. The 
114

Tacoma-Seattle International Airport is the nearest major 

facility. The Tacoma Narrow Airport, with one 5,000-

foot paved runway, is a public-use facility in Gig Harbor 

(8 miles north).

Fox Island is in the Peninsula School District; 

however there are no schools on Fox Island. Students are 

bussed to elementary, middle, and high school in Gig 

Harbor. Peninsula Light administers electricity services. 

The Fox Island Mutual Water Association supplies water. 

There are no sewer services on the island; local residents 

use septic systems.7

 The Pierce County Sheriff’s Office 

and the volunteer-staffed Fox Island Fire Station 

administer public safety. Tacoma General Hospital and 

Saint Joseph’s Medical Center in Tacoma and Saint 

Claire Hospital in Lakewood are the nearest medical 

centers.

The Fox Island Community and Recreation 

Association (FICRA), established in 1970, serves “to 

promote matters pertaining to the health and safety of 

Fox Island residents, to promote the welfare and 

development of Fox Island, and to provide recreation and 

social activities of a non-profit nature as a public service 

to the residents of the island.”8 A FICRA community 

crime prevention committee has been developed to 

respond to the rise in crime and FICRA Crime Watch, a 

citizen’s patrol and neighborhood watch, is in effect. In 

addition FICRA has developed a warning system, 

consisting of raised orange flags on Fox Island Bridge 

that alerts community members when crimes have 

occurred.9

There is one bed and breakfast on the Island, 

Beachside Bed & Breakfast; additional lodging is 

available in Tacoma and Gig Harbor. A public dock is 

located near Fox Island Bridge.10 The Fox Island Yacht 

Club on Cedrona Bay has various membership activities 

including the Commodores Ball and pancake 

breakfasts.11

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Recorded data indicates that there were zero 

landings delivered to Fox Island in 2000. There were 

also no known fish or shellfish processors operating in 

the community. In 2000 five vessels were owned by Fox 

Island residents, including three vessels that participated 

in the federally managed groundfish fishery. The number 

of vessels owned by Fox Island residents in 2000 

participating in each said fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) 

was: coastal pelagic 2/0/0, groundfish 0/0/NA, highly 

migratory species NA/0/NA, salmon (2/0/0), shellfish 

NA/0/NA, shrimp NA/0/0, and other species 1/0/0.12

Recorded data indicate that in 2000 the number of 

Fox Island residents holding permits in each said fishery 

by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 1/0/0, highly 

migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 2/0/0, shellfish 0/0/

NA, and other species 1/0/0.13

Fox Island residents held five state permits in 2000. 

The number of permits held by Fox Island community 

members in each said fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

coastal pelagic 2/0/0, highly migratory species NA/0/0, 

salmon 2/0/0, shellfish 0/0/NA, and other species 1/0/0.14

Sportfishing

The 2000 sport catch, based on catch record cards, 

in Catch Record Card Area 13 (South Puget Sound, all 

waters south of Tacoma Narrows Bridge) was 5,131 fish, 

including 1,649 Chinook salmon, 2,226 coho salmon, 

and 1, 256 chum salmon. Marine anglers made 26,089 

trips in the sport salmon fishery. Boat-based anglers 

caught 8,025 bottomfish in Area 13 in 2000. 

Recreational use and harvest of clams (pounds) and 

oysters (number) in Area 13 was estimated at 30,147 and 

65,007 respectively; harvest occurred over approximately 

7,065 user trips. Fox Point Fishing Pier in the 

community is available to anglers.

Subsistence

Tribal and nontribal community members may be 

engaged in subsistence fishing. Subsistence fishing is 

not discussed in detail in this community profile due to 

the lack of available data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 Fox Island residents owned three vessels 

that were involved in North Pacific fisheries. 

Community members landed fish in the following North 

Pacific fisheries (data shown represent landings in metric 

tons/value of said landings/number of vessels landing): 

other finfish confidential/confidential/1, Gulf of Alaska 

groundfish confidential/confidential/2, halibut 

confidential/confidential/2, and salmon confidential/

confidential/1.

Fox Island residents held 10 permits in 2000, 

including 5 individuals who held federal permits and 1 

individual who held a state permit(note: it is possible for 

individuals to hold more than one permit at a time). 

Residents held three groundfish License Limitation 

Program permits in 2000. Residents held two Bering Sea 

and Aleutian Islands groundfish, one halibut, one herring, 

and one salmon Commercial Fisheries Entry 

Commission permit. Community members held 
115

1,051,635 halibut and 82,610 sablefish individual fishing 

quota shares.

Five Fox Island residents held crew member 

licenses for North Pacific fisheries in 2000.

Sportfishing

In 2000 Fox Island residents purchased 57 Alaska 

sportfishing licenses.

Notes

1. D. M. Buerge. 1987. The Wilkes expedition in the Pacific 

Northwest. Columbia Magazine 1(1):17, Online at http://

www.washingtonhistory.org/wshs/columbia/articles/0187-a1.htm 

[accessed 31 January 2007].

2. Tacoma Public Library. 2005. Washington place names, Fox 

Island. Online at http://search.tpl.lib.wa.us/wanames/placfulld.asp

?1-8665 [accessed 31 January 2007].

3. Field notes, Fox Island Historical Society, Fox Island, WA, 21 

January 2005.

4. FoxIsland.net. 2003. 1910 census. Online at http://

www.foxisland.net/1910Census.htm [accessed 31 January 2007].

5. See note 3.

6. Fox Island Laboratory. No date. Our mission. Online at 

http://www.dt.navy.mil/detpuget/frameset.html [accessed 31 January 

2007].

7. See note 3.

8. FoxIsland.net. 2004. FICRA. Online at http://

www.foxisland.net/ficra.htm [accessed 31 January 2007].

9. FoxIsland.net. 2004. FICRA crime watch. Online at http://

www.foxisland.net/crime_watch.asp [accessed 31 January 2007].

10. See note 3.

11. FoxIsland.net. 2004. Organizations. Online at http://

www.foxisland.net/organizations.asp [accessed 31 January 2007].

12. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of the fishery in 2000.

13. See note 12.

14. See note 12.
116

Friday Harbor

People and Place

Location

Friday Harbor is on the southeastern side of San 

Juan Island, the geographic and commercial center of a 

chain of 172 islands spanning the U.S.-Canada border in 

the northern Puget Sound. Situated in San Juan County, 

the community encompasses 1.4 square miles of land and 

0.1 square miles of water. The nearest major U.S. city is 

Seattle, a 105-mile drive southwest but also reachable by 

plane or a combination of boat and land transport. Friday 

Harbor’s geographic coordinates are lat 48°32′04′′N, 

long 123°00′57′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Friday Harbor’s 

population was 1,989, an increase from 1,492 in 1990. 

The gender composition was 54% female and 46% male. 

The median age of 40.6 years was notably higher than the 

national average of 35.3. The age structure of Friday 

Harbor reflects that the town is a popular site for second 

homes among middle age professionals and retirees. Of 

the population 18 years of age and older, 88.1% had a 

high school education (including equivalency) or higher, 

25.4% had earned a bachelor’s degree or higher, and 

7.7% had attained a graduate or professional degree; the 

national averages were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% 

respectively. For 33.2% a high school degree (including 

equivalency) was the highest level of educational 

attainment.

The vast majority of Friday Harbor’s racial structure 

recorded by the 2000 U.S. Census was white (92%), 

followed by people who identified as another race 

(2.6%), people who identified as two or more races 

(1.8%), Asian (1.4%), American Indian and Alaska 

Native (1.3%), black (0.7%), and Native Hawaiian and 

other Pacific Islander (0.2%). Ethnicity data indicate that 

5.2% identified as Hispanic. In 2000 7.3% of the Friday 

Harbor population was foreign-born. The majority of the 

foreign-born population was from the Americas outside 

of the United States, followed by people from Asia. The 

largest numbers of people denoting ancestry were 

German, English, and Irish.

In 2000 96% lived in family households.

History

The San Juan archipelago is part of the traditional 

area of the Central Coast Salish, collectively made up of 

five component language groups: Squamish, 

150 100 50 0 50 100 150 200

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure

Male Female

2000 Racial structure 

White

92.0%

Two or more races

1.8%

Other

2.6%

Pacific Islander

0.2%

Black

0.7%

Native

1.3%

Asian

1.4%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity 

Non-Hispanic

94.8%

Hispanic

5.2%
117

 Halkomelem, Nooksack, Northern Straits, and Clallam. 

These five groups traditionally occupied the southern end 

of the Strait of Georgia, the lower Fraser Valley in 

British Columbia, and lands in and around the Strait of 

Juan de Fuca, including portions of the Olympic 

Peninsula and the entire San Juan archipelago. Within 

those five groups there are several different associated 

groups; the Songhees, Saanich, Lummi, and Samish had 

winter villages in the islands. Two other groups from the 

islands are believed to have joined the Lummi during the 

period of European settlement: the Klalakamish from the 

north end of San Juan Island and the Swallah from East 

Sound on Orcas Island. Long before the development of 

commercial fisheries or marine-oriented tourism in the 

area, salmon, other fin fish, and orca whales were central 

to the survival and worldview of local people. The 

principle tribe in the area, the Lummi, harvested salmon 

year-round and supplemented their diet with other finfish 

and shellfish as well as deer, elk, waterfowl, and roots 

and berries. Frequent trade between the tribes and with 

settlers was facilitated by cedar canoes.

In 1791 Spanish explorer Juan Francisco de Eliza 

was the first European to chart the San Juan Islands. 

During the era of European exploration Spanish, British, 

French, Russian, and later, Americans, entered the 

region, integrating it into extensive fur-trade networks. 

Europeans settled the area by the 1800s. However the 

national border between the United States and Canada 

was not defined until after a protracted territorial 

disagreement that lasted from 1845 to 1872 was 

resolved.1

 Subsequently the area became notorious for 

smugglers trafficking in illicit goods, including alcohol 

during prohibition, and facilitating the crossing of illegal 

aliens. Friday Harbor has been the commercial and 

social hub of the San Juan Islands since the 1890s.2 By 

1900 Friday Harbor was a busy seaport with a population 

of 300 or 400 and a large salmon cannery among other 

facilities. Eventually the economy stabilized and 

gradually declined; the local canning industry became 

obsolete when advances in processing, transportation, 

and refrigeration allowed it to be shifted to the mainland 

where costs were cheaper.3

Infrastructure

Current Economy

At the time of the 2000 U.S. Census, 65.4% of 

Friday Harbor’s potential labor force 16 years of age and 

older were employed, 3.5% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 5% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

31.2% were not in the labor force in 2000, compared to 

the national average of 36.1% for the same year. The 

2000 Employment structure

Employed

65.4% Unemployed

3.5%

Not in labor force

31.2%

main employment sectors were construction and retail 

(each with 17%), arts, entertainment, recreation, and 

accommodations (15.5%), and local, state, and federal 

governments (12%). Natural resource jobs including 

agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting employed only 

a very small percentage, but this percentage may be 

artificially low given that many fishermen are selfemployed and are underrepresented in these data.

Agriculture, limestone mining, fishing, and now 

tourism have each flourished at points during San Juan’s 

economic history. Small sailing vessels fished the waters 

around the San Juan Islands for commercial purposes as 

early as 1850, delivering to larger vessels that would then 

transport salted and packed fish to the Hudson’s Bay 

Company in Victoria, British Columbia. The local 

fishing industry grew alongside increasing technological 

and infrastructural capacities that supported a booming 

population. The dominant industry in San Juan County is 

now tourism and recreation, which continue to expand as 

tourism attracts people nationally as well as 

internationally to the Pacific Northwest.4

 Friday Harbor 

is the tourism hub of the San Juan Islands and one of the 

premier visitor destinations in the Northwest.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the per capita 

income in 1999 was $19,792 and the median household 

income was $35,139. In 1999 12% lived below the 

poverty level, comparable to the national average of 

12.4%. In 2000 there were 1,053 housing units in Friday 

Harbor, with 49.9% owner occupied and 50.1% renter 

occupied. The housing unit vacancy rate was 14.9%, 

with 43.9% due to seasonal, recreational, or occasional 

use.

Governance

Incorporated in 1909, Friday Harbor is a fourthclass municipality or town. The Town of Friday Harbor 

is organized as a mayor-council form of government. 
118

Under this system, the mayor and each council member 

are elected for 4-year terms. The mayor is the chief 

executive officer and presides over council proceedings. 

Friday Harbor is the only incorporated town in San Juan 

County. San Juan County, including Friday Harbor, 

levies a 7.7% retail sales tax and a 2% lodging tax. See 

the Governance subsection (page 43) in the Overview 

section for a more detailed discussion of taxes affecting 

fisherman and processors in Washington.

The nearest National Marine Fisheries Service 

Regional Office and the U.S. Citizenship and 

Immigration Services District Office are in Seattle. 

Meetings of the Pacific Fishery Management and North 

Pacific Fishery Management councils are routinely held 

in the Seattle-Tacoma area. The nearest Washington 

Department of Fish and Wildlife office is 87 miles 

southeast in Mill Creek. Friday Harbor is under the 

jurisdiction of the nearest U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) 

Station Bellingham, which was established in 1947 and 

has six vessels. The station’s area of responsibility 

includes the San Juan Islands north to the Canada border 

and south to Admiralty Inlet. The USCG works in close 

partnership with the Canada Coast Guard and is 

occasionally involved in international search and rescue 

and law enforcement operations.

Facilities

Friday Harbor on San Juan Island is accessible by 

sea and air. Washington State Ferries provides access to 

Friday Harbor from Anacortes and passenger ferries are 

available from Seattle, Port Angeles, Port Townsend, 

Everett, Bellingham, and Anacortes. Ferry transportation 

is also available from Victoria, British Columbia. 

International seaplane facilities are available at Friday 

Harbor. A small airport with good but limited facilities 

provides passenger and freight service as well as 

connects San Juan Island to Anacortes, Bellingham, and 

Seattle with daily scheduled commuter services. The 

nearest major airports are the Vancouver International 

Airport in British Columbia and Seattle-Tacoma 

International Airport.

The San Juan Islands School District has one 

elementary school, one middle school, and one high 

school. The town provides residents with water, sewer, 

garbage, and storm-water services, while the county 

operates a solid-waste transfer station and a recycling 

facility. The San Juan County Sheriff and the Friday 

Harbor Fire Department administer public safety. St. 

Joseph’s Hospital in Bellingham (65-mile drive and ferry 

trip northeast) offers a full range of inpatient and 

outpatient services, but usually requires helicopter 

emergency services. The tourism industry in Friday 

Harbor is well developed with numerous options for 

accommodations across a range of prices.

The Friday Harbor marina has 500 boat slips for 

commercial and pleasure boats. There is space available 

for 150 visiting boats ranging in size from dinghies to 

150-foot yachts. Southern breakwaters are reserved for 

vessels more than 45-feet long. The year-round, all 

weather marina services include charters and cruises, 

vessel repair, fuel dock, and a U.S. Port of Entry.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Of the 36 unique vessels that delivered 

nonconfidential landings to Friday Harbor, 18 were 

commercial vessels, 16 were tribal commercial vessels, 

and 2 were for personal use. Recorded data indicate 

landings in the community were in the following West 

Coast fisheries (data shown represent landings in metric 

tons/value of said landings/number of vessels landing): 

crab 20 t/$100,584/8; salmon 11 t/$21,744/8; shrimp 5 t/

$41,282/7; and other species 29 t/$73,686/13.

Friday Harbor residents owned 37 vessels in 2000, 

including 13 vessels that participated in the federally 

managed groundfish fishery. The number of vessels 

owned by Friday Harbor residents participating in each 

said fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 4/0/0, 

groundfish 4/0/NA, highly migratory species NA/0/NA, 

salmon 12/0/0, shellfish NA/0/NA, shrimp NA/0/0, and 

other species 19/0/0.5

No Friday Harbor residents owned federally 

managed groundfish fishery permits in 2000. The 

number of Friday Harbor residents holding permits in 

each said fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal 

pelagic 1/0/0, crab 3/0/0, highly migratory species NA/0/

0, salmon 22/0/0, shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 3/0/0, and 

other species 13/0/0.6

According to available data, 52 state permits were 

registered to Friday Harbor residents in 2000. The 

number of permits held by community members in each 

said fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 

1/0/0, crab 4/0/0, highly migratory species NA/0/0, 

salmon 25/0/0, shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 3/0/0, and other 

species 19/0/0.7

There were no seafood processors operating in 

Friday Harbor in 2000. The tribal commercial fishery 

plays a significant role in the local industry. The Lummi 

Natural Resource Department has offices in nearby 

Bellingham encompassing several divisions including 

Natural Resource Harvest Management, Shellfish 

Operations, and Water Resources. The Shellfish 

Operation provides a sustainable shellfish program 
119

through the sale of oyster and clam products using the 

shellfish hatchery, Lummi Island Sea Pond, and tribal 

tidelands.

According to the Boldt Decision,8 in addition to 

several reef-net locations (i.e., Orcas, San Juan, Lummi, 

and Fidalgo islands, and near Point Roberts and Sandy 

Point), the usual and accustomed fishing places of the 

Lummi Indians at treaty times included the marine areas 

of northern Puget Sound from the Fraser River in British 

Columbia south to the northern outskirts of Seattle (as 

they existed in 1974), and particularly Bellingham Bay. 

Freshwater fisheries included the river drainage systems, 

especially the Nooksack River, emptying into the bays 

from Boundary Bay south to Fidalgo Bay.

Sportfishing

Sportfishing is an important activity to residents and 

visitors in Friday Harbor. In 2000 there were at least five 

salmonid charter fishing operators in Friday Harbor. As 

of May 2005 there were three licensed agents selling 

fishing permits in Friday Harbor. In 2003 there were 

6,014 sportfishing license transactions valued at 

$77,915.16.

In Catch Record Card Area 7 (San Juan Islands) the 

2000 sport catch, based on catch record cards, was 7,178 

fish, including 4,495 Chinook salmon, 2,644 coho 

salmon, 21 chum salmon, and 18 sockeye salmon. In 

2000 marine anglers made 30,627 trips in the sport 

salmon fishery. Boat-based anglers caught 5,897 

bottomfish in Area 7. The recreational harvest of clams 

(pounds) and oysters (number) for Area 7 in 2000 was 

estimated to be 115,273 and 0 respectively; harvest 

occurred over an estimated 19,752 user trips.

Subsistence

Subsistence hunting, fishing, and gathering 

activities are fundamental to the way of life of some 

coastal community members. Tribal and nontribal 

individuals participate in subsistence fishing. Today 

members of the Lummi Tribe and other nontribal 

subsistence fishermen obtain fishery resources from the 

waters surrounding Friday Harbor. Subsistence fishing is 

not discussed in great detail in this community profile 

due to the lack of available data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 Friday Harbor residents owned 25 vessels 

that were involved in North Pacific fisheries. 

Community members landed fish in the following North 

Pacific fisheries (data shown represent landings in metric 

tons/value of said landings/number of vessels landing): 

crab confidential/confidential/2, Bering Sea and Aleutian 

Islands (BSAI) groundfish confidential/confidential/1, 

other finfish confidential/confidential/1, Gulf of Alaska 

(GOA) groundfish confidential/confidential/2, halibut 

confidential/confidential/2, herring 79.49 t/$17,970/4, 

salmon 1,047.06 t/$927,650/19, and shellfish 

confidential/confidential/1.

Friday Harbor residents held 39 state and federal 

permits in 2000, including 24 individuals who held state 

permits and 13 individuals who held federal permits 

(note: it is possible for individuals to hold more than one 

permit at a time). Friday Harbor residents held three 

groundfish License Limitation Program permits. In 2000 

Friday Harbor residents held 2 BSAI groundfish, 2 

halibut, 6 herring, 18 salmon, and 6 shellfish Commercial 

Fisheries Entry Commission permits. Community 

members held 703,178 halibut and 2,968,988 sablefish 

individual fishing quota shares.

In 2000 31 Friday Harbor residents held crew 

member licenses for North Pacific fisheries.

Sportfishing

Friday Harbor residents purchased 78 Alaska 

sportfishing licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. Friday Harbor. No date. History and stories. Online at 

http://www.fridayharbor.com/ihistory.cfm [accessed 31 January 31 

2007].

2. National Park Service. No date. San Juan Island: 

Administrative history. Online at http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/

online_books/sajh/adhi2.htm [accessed 31 January 2007].

3. Town of Friday Harbor. No date. History. Online at http://

www.fridayharbor.org/about%20the%20town/AboutTheTown1.htm 

[accessed 31 January 2007].

4. Whatcom County Profile. 2001. Labor market and economic 

analysis branch, Employment Security Department. Online at http://

www.workforceexplorer.com/aspdotnet/search/adSearch.aspx

?quickSearch=Whatcom County [accessed 31 January 2007].

5. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

6. See note 5.

7. See note 5.

8. Center for Columbia River History. No date. Boldt Decision. 

Online at http://www.ccrh.org/comm/river/legal/boldt.htm [accessed 

31 January 2007].
120

Gig Harbor

People and Place

Location

Gig Harbor is on the Key Peninsula on the west side 

of Puget Sound across from Tacoma. The city 

encompasses 4.4 square miles of land. The nearest major 

U.S. city is Seattle, a 45-mile drive north. Gig Harbor’s 

geographic coordinates are lat 47°19′46′′N, long 

122°34′44′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Gig Harbor’s 

population was 6,465, a 99.8% increase since 1990. The 

gender composition was 54.4% female and 45.5% male. 

The median age of 44.6 was slightly higher than the 

national median of 35.3. In 2000 20.3% were age 17 or 

younger, 47.1% were between 22 and 59, and 23.0% 

were 67 or older. Of the population 18 years of age and 

older, 87.8% had a high school education (including 

equivalency) or higher, 29.0% had received a bachelor’s 

degree or higher, and 9.5% had attained a graduate or 

professional degree. All were higher than the national 

averages of 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8%. For 23.2% a high 

school diploma or equivalency was the highest level of 

education.

The vast majority of Gig Harbor’s racial structure 

recorded by the 2000 U.S. Census was white (94.2%), 

followed by people identified as two or more races 

(1.8%), Asian (1.5%), black (1.1%), American Indian 

and Alaskan Native (0.6%), people identified as another 

race (0.5%), and Native Hawaiian and other Pacific 

Islander (0.2%). Ethnicity data indicate that 3.0% 

identified as Hispanic. In 2000 4.9% were foreign-born, 

with 21.5% from Canada, 16.8% from Malaysia, and 

15.9% from Mexico.

In 2000, 76.2% lived in family households.

History

The Puyallup, Nisqually, and Steilacoom tribes, as 

well as smaller tribes, have historically inhabited the 

Tacoma Basin and southern reaches of Puget Sound. 

Prior to arrival of European American settlers, 

subsistence fishing was predominantly based on marine 

resources although it has since dwindled drastically. The 

Treaty of Medicine Creek was signed between the tribes 

and the United States in 1854, about 60 years after Lt. 

Peter Puget led the first recorded European tour of 

southern Puget Sound. The treaty implemented several 

social changes, including issues surrounding resource 

600 400 200 0 200 400 600

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure 

White

94.2%

Two or more races

1.8%

Other

0.5%

Pacific Islander

0.2%

Black

1.1%

Native

0.6%

Asian

1.5%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity 

Non-Hispanic

97%

Hispanic

3%
121

access and land ownership. The following year territorial 

wars broke out in response to a proposed Nisqually 

reservation and other issues with the treaty. Several 

tribal members were interned, while others became 

laborers.1

Gig Harbor earned its name in 1841 during a U.S. 

exploration expedition of Puget Sound. Some explorers, 

which included the captain’s gig (i.e., rowboat) and 

several longboats, sought shelter there for the winter. By 

the late 1860s settlers from Norway, Sweden, and Croatia 

made up a burgeoning population based on the growing 

fishing industry. With the arrival of the transcontinental 

railroad to Tacoma in 1887, the area became an industrial 

hub. For the next 100 years, commercial fishing and 

related industries such as boat building dominated the 

local economy. The harbor and wharves were developed 

to serve a group of freight steamers known as the 

“Mosquito Fleet.” In the early 1900s the lumber industry 

also was significant.

As the economy and population of the area thrived, 

regional transport networks connected Gig Harbor to 

nearby industrial centers. Steamboats arrived in the 

1880s and by 1971 ferries were available to transport 

automobiles between Gig Harbor and Tacoma. The 

existing Narrows Bridge, which directly links Gig Harbor 

to Tacoma, was opened in 1950 following an 

unsuccessful earlier attempt.2 With easy access across 

the water the community evolved into a suburban 

residential area but retains an important level of 

economic involvement with the fishing industry.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

At the time of the 2000 U.S. Census, 54.2% of Gig 

Harbor’s potential labor force 16 years of age and older 

were employed, 2.8% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 4.9% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

43.0% were not in the labor force, compared to the 

national average of 36.1%. The main employment 

sectors were educational, health, and social services 

(25.9%), local, state, and federal governments (15.9%), 

manufacturing (8.4%), accommodation and food services 

(6.7%), and retail trade (0.3%). Natural resources jobs, 

including agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting, 

employed 2.6%, but this percentage may be artificially 

low given that many fishermen are self-employed and are 

underrepresented in these data.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the per capita 

income in 1999 was $28,318 and the median household 

income was $43,456. In 1999 9% lived below the 

poverty level, lower than the national average of 12.4%. 

2000 Employment structure

Employed

54.2%

Unemployed

2.8%

Not in labor force

43%

In 2000 there were 3,085 housing units in Gig Harbor, 

with 58.9% owner occupied and 41.1% renter occupied. 

The housing unit vacancy rate was 6.6%, with 22.9% due 

to seasonal, recreational, or occasional use.

Governance

Incorporated in 1946, the City of Gig Harbor has a 

mayor-council form of government. The city council is 

comprised of a mayor and seven council members. The 

mayor appoints a city administrator to oversee day-today operations and to carry out council policies. Gig 

Harbor levies an 8.4% sales and use tax and a variable 

lodging tax of 2-5%, depending upon the number of 

rooms in the establishment. See the Governance 

subsection (page 43) in the Overview section for a more 

detailed discussion of taxes affecting fisherman and 

processors in Washington.

The nearest National Marine Fisheries Service 

office and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services 

District Office are in Seattle. Meetings of the Pacific 

Fishery Management and North Pacific Fishery 

Management councils are routinely held in the SeattleTacoma area. The closest Washington Department of 

Fish and Wildlife Regional Office is 76 miles southwest 

in Montesano. The 13th U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) 

District headquarters are in Seattle. There is a USCG 

office that serves as a Port Security Unit in Tacoma.

Facilities

Gig Harbor is accessible by land, air, and water. 

The city is on Washington Highway 16 west of the 

Tacoma Narrows Bridge that spans Puget Sound from 

Tacoma. The Tacoma Narrow Airport, with one 5,000-

foot paved runway, is a public-use facility in Gig Harbor. 

The Tacoma-Seattle International Airport is the nearest 

major facility.
122

Gig Harbor is in the Peninsula School District, 

which has 15 schools and 9,200 students with an annual 

growth rate of 4–5%. Peninsula Light Company 

administers electricity service. The Washington Water 

Service Company, the City of Gig Harbor Water 

Department, and the Rainier View Water Company 

provide water. Puget Sound Energy provides natural gas 

service. The Gig Harbor Police Department and Pierce 

County Fire District No. 5 administer public safety. 

Tacoma General Hospital and Saint Joseph’s Medical 

Center in Tacoma and Saint Claire Hospital in Lakewood 

are the nearest medical centers. Several medical centers 

offering same-day appointments are based in Gig Harbor.

Despite the absence of port facilities within Gig 

Harbor itself, the city is closely tied to the Port of 

Tacoma, the West Coast’s second largest port behind 

Long Beach, California. Burlington Northern and Union 

Pacific provide rail service to the Port of Tacoma. The 

City of Tacoma operates the Beltline Railway that 

services industries in the port area. Eight small marinas 

in Gig Harbor supply a variety of boat services, including 

leasing, repair, surface ramp, pump-out station, 

equipment and sales, and charters.

Gig Harbor has several festivals and marine-related 

organizations. The Maritime Gig Festival runs for the 

first full weekend of June and is organized by the Gig 

Harbor Peninsula Area Chamber of Commerce, partnered 

with the City of Gig Harbor and the Gig Harbor 

Peninsula Historical Society and Museum. Gig Harbor 

has a local Fisherman’s Civic Club as well as several 

recreational associations. Gig Harbor is home to 14 bed 

and breakfast accommodations, 3 inns, and 2 family 

motels.3

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 there were no landings made in Gig Harbor. 

Residents owned 30 commercial vessels in 2000, 

including 23 that participated in the federally managed 

groundfish fishery. The number of vessels owned by Gig 

Harbor residents in 2000 that participated in each said 

fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 4/1/6, 

crab 3/0/0, groundfish 1/0/NA, highly migratory species 

NA/0/NA, salmon 15/2/0, shellfish NA/0/NA, and other 

species 3/0/0.4

In 2000 one Gig Harbor resident held one federal 

groundfish permit. The number of Gig Harbor residents 

holding permits in the given fisheries by state (WA/OR/

CA) was: coastal pelagic 7/1/9, groundfish 1/0/0, highly 

migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 36/2/0, shellfish 0/0/

NA, and other species 6/0/2.5

According to available data, there were at least 87 

commercial fishing permits registered to Gig Harbor 

residents in 2000, including 86 with registered state 

permits. The number of state permits held by Gig Harbor 

residents in the given fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

coastal pelagic 14/1/17, groundfish 3/0/0, highly 

migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 40/2/0, shellfish 0/0/

NA, and other species 7/0/2.6

There was at least one seafood processor operating 

in Gig Harbor in 2000, primarily producing herring 

products. Specific data (estimated pounds of product/

value of product) is confidential.

Sportfishing

There are two licensed vendors selling sportfishing 

permits in Gig Harbor. In 2003 Gig Harbor vendors 

made 6,329 sportfishing license transactions valued at 

$110,257. The 2000–2001 sport catch in Catch Record 

Card Area 11 (Tacoma-Vashon Island), based on catchcard records, was 14,212 fish, including 8,108 Chinook 

salmon, 6,054 coho salmon, and 50 chum salmon. 

Marine anglers made 72,194 trips in the sports fishery. 

In Area 11 six steelhead were caught. Boat-based anglers 

caught 2,611 fish in Area 11.

Subsistence

Subsistence harvest for marine species may exist in 

the Gig Harbor area. However the extent of susbsistence 

harvesting is difficult to quantify due to a scarcity of 

data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 Gig Harbor residents owned 63 vessels that 

participated in North Pacific fisheries. Community 

members landed fish in the following North Pacific 

fisheries (data shown represent landings in metric tons/

value of said landings/number of vessels landing): crab 

confidential/confidential/3, Bering Sea Aleutian Islands 

(BSAI) groundfish confidential/confidential/2, other 

finfish confidential/confidential/3, Gulf of Alaska (GOA) 

groundfish 1166 t/$1,513,830/6, halibut 187 t/

$1,070,680/4, herring 220 t/$127,330/4, and salmon 

2,845 t/$2,105,660/33.

Gig Harbor residents held 89 commercial fishing 

permits for North Pacific fisheries in 2000, including 49 

individuals who held state permits and 27 individuals 

who held federal permits (note: it is possible for 

individuals to hold more than one permit at a time). 

Residents held 5 crab, 2 GOA groundfish, 12 BSAI 

groundfish, 5 halibut, 6 herring, 38 salmon, and 5 
123

shellfish Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission 

permits. Residents held three crab and eight groundfish 

License Limitation Program permits. Residents held 

2,129,377 halibut and 4,274,178 sablefish individual 

fishing quota shares.

Gig Harbor residents held 73 crew member licenses 

for North Pacific fisheries in 2000.

Sportfishing

Gig Harbor residents purchased 453 Alaskan 

sportfishing licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. The Steilacoom Tribe. No date. Recent history. Online at 

http://members.shaw.ca/nyjack/steilacoom/recent_history.htm 

[accessed 31 January 2007].

2. Gig Harbor Chamber of Commerce. No date. The Gig 

Harbor story. Online at http://www.gigharborchamber.com/

history2.html [accessed 31 January 2007].

3. Gig Harbor Chamber of Commerce. 2005. Accommodations. 

Online at http://www.gigharborchamber.com/accommodations.html 

[accessed 31 January 2007].

4. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

5. See note 4.

6. See note 4.
124

Grayland

People and Place

Location

Grayland is in the South Beach area of Grays Harbor 

in southwest Washington. In Grays Harbor County, the 

community encompasses 6.8 square miles. The largest 

major U.S. city is Seattle, a 132-mile drive northeast. 

Grayland’s geographic coordinates are lat 46°48′37′′N, 

long 124°05′31′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Grayland’s 

population was 1,002. The gender composition was 

50.5% male and 49.5% female. The median age of 49.6 

was above the national average of 35.3. The age 

structure of Grayland also shows a marked aging trend 

with 33% older than 60 and only 19.9% younger than 25. 

This may reflect the absence of an institution of higher 

education in or near the community and a declining local 

economic outlook. Of the population 18 years of age and 

older, 80.7% had a high school education (including 

equivalency) or higher, 18.9% had earned a bachelor’s 

degree or higher, and 4.6% had attained a graduate or 

professional degree; the national averages were 79.7%, 

22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The vast majority of Grayland’s racial structure 

recorded by the 2000 U.S. Census was white (95.1%), 

followed by people identified as another race (1.7%), 

people identified as two or more races (1.4%), American 

Indian and Alaska Native (0.9%), Asian (0.5%), and 

black (0.4%). Ethnicity data indicate that 2.9% identified 

as Hispanic. In 2000 4.6% were foreign-born, with the 

majority from the Americas outside of the United States, 

followed by Asia.

History

Coastal Salish-speaking Indians have inhabited this 

region since before European contact. The Lower 

Chehalis people inhabited the area of present-day Grays 

Harbor and relied heavily on marine resources, including 

fish, seals, clams, and other shellfish. They traded up and 

down well-established trade routes throughout the coastal 

Pacific Northwest, although their primary village was 

located on Chehalis Point, the sand spit on the south 

entrance to Grays Harbor.1

 In 1853 90% of the Chehalis 

Tribe, including much of its culture, history, and 

heritage, was lost to the “big sick” epidemic, a disease 

characterized by extreme fevers.2

100 80 60 40 20 0 20 40 60 80 100

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure 

White

95.1%

Asian

0.5%

Native

0.9%

Black

0.4%

Other

1.7%

Two or more races

1.4%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity 

Hispanic

2.9%

Non-Hispanic

97.1%
125

Grayland was named after Captain Robert Gray, the 

first American to circumnavigate the world. He 

“discovered” Grays Harbor during an expedition to 

explore the Northwest coast and establish the U.S. claim 

to the Oregon Country in 1792. In the mid-1800s, 

Finnish farmers brought cranberries to the Grayland area, 

planting them in low-lying bogs. Today Grayland has 

more than 80 cranberry growers who cultivate more than 

1,000 acres of the fruit, earning this area “The Cranberry 

Coast” title.

Much of Grayland’s recent history is connected to 

the growth of the tourism industry in nearby Westport (6 

miles north). By the late 1870s the area was discovered 

to be a potential recreational area. Hotels were built, land 

was platted, and the harbor side was named Westport 

Beach. Because a Washington town in Lewis County 

had already claimed the name Chehalis City, Chehalis 

Point became known as Peterson’s Point in the 1870s and 

in 1890 was renamed Westport.3 Today Grayland, along 

with the nearby City of Westport, is a popular recreation 

destination, offering whale watching, sportfishing, 

camping, and other activities.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

At the time of 2000 U.S. Census, 48.1% of 

Grayland’s potential labor force 16 years of age and older 

were employed, 3.5% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 6.7% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

48.4% of the potential work force was not in the labor 

force, compared to the national average of 36.1%. The 

main employment sectors were management, 

professional, and related occupations (27.8%), sales and 

office occupations (27%), and local, state and federal 

governments (16.3%). Natural resources jobs, including 

agriculture, fishing, and forestry, employed 13.6%, but 

this percentage may be artificially low given that many 

fishermen are self-employed and are underrepresented in 

these data. The Weyerhaeuser Company mill in 

Aberdeen was Grays Harbor County’s largest employer, 

employing and contracting more than 2,000 workers.4

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the per capita 

income in 1999 was $21,723 and the median household 

income was $25,776. In 1999 19.3% lived below the 

poverty level, compared to the national average of 

12.4%. In 2000 there were 902 housing units in 

Grayland, with 72.5% owner occupied and 27.5% renter 

occupied. The housing unit vacancy rate was 44.3%, 

with 80% due to seasonal, recreational, or occasional use.

2000 Employment structure

Employed

48.1%

Unemployed

3.5%

Not in labor force

48.4%

Governance

Grayland is an unincorporated census-designated 

place in Grays Harbor County. The community relies on 

nearby Westport for many administrative and public 

works services. The Westport-Grayland Chamber of 

Commerce also plays an important role in developing 

and promoting local businesses in Grayland. Grays 

Harbor County levies an 8.3% sales tax and a 3% lodging 

tax. See the Overview subsection (page 43) in the 

Governance section for a more detailed discussion of 

taxes affecting fisherman and processors in Washington.

The nearest National Marine Fisheries Service 

Regional Office and the U.S. Citizenship and 

Immigration Services District Office are in Seattle. 

Meetings of the Pacific Fishery Management and North 

Pacific Fishery Management councils are routinely held 

in the Seattle-Tacoma area. The nearest Washington 

Department of Fish and Wildlife Regional Office is 33 

miles northeast in Montesano. The U.S. Coast Guard 

Station (USCG) Grays Harbor is in Aberdeen (23 miles 

northeast) at the entrance to Grays Harbor and oversees 

Grays Harbor bar, one of the most hazardous bars in the 

Pacific Northwest. The USCG station has four vessels 

and is responsible for marine safety between Queets 

River and Ocean Park and from Preacher’s Slough to 50 

nautical miles offshore.

Facilities

Grayland is accessible by ground, sea, and air. The 

main roads connecting Grayland to neighboring 

communities include Washington Highway 105 east to 

Aberdeen and south to Raymond (28 miles southeast). 

Grayland does not have port or harbor facilities; for 

marine activities, residents of Grayland rely on the City 

of Westport. During the spring and summer months, a 

passenger-only ferry capable of holding 95 passengers 
126

operates between Westport and Ocean Shores on the 

north side of Grays Harbor. The Seattle-Tacoma 

International Airport is the closest major facility.

Grayland is in the Ocosta School District, 

headquartered in Westport. The district has an 

elementary school and a junior-senior high school. Grays 

Harbor Community College is in Aberdeen. South Puget 

Sound Community College and Evergreen State College 

(both 80 miles east in Olympia) are the nearest colleges 

with more than 2,000 students. Grays Harbor Public 

Utility District is the primary electricity supplier for the 

city. The City of Westport’s Wastewater Treatment Plant 

and Water Department provide sewer and water services. 

Grays Harbor County Sheriff’s Office and the Grayland 

Fire Department administer public safety. Westport has a 

medical center, but Grays Harbor Community Hospital in 

Aberdeen is the nearest major facility. Four hotels and 

motels provide lodging in Grayland, and Westport offers 

a variety of lodging facilities. Just outside Grayland is 

Grayland Beach State Park, a 412-acre marine camping 

park with 7,449 feet of oceanfront land.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 there were zero fish processors operating in 

the community. Landings data for Grayland were 

recorded as part of the Other Washington Coastal Port 

(OWCP) Group that includes the communities of 

Grayland Beach, Long Beach, Quillayute, Taholah, 

Queets, Moclips, Hoh, and Kalaloch. Of the 68 unique 

vessels that delivered nonconfidential landings to the 

OWCP Group in 2000, 44 were commercial vessels, 11 

were tribal commercial vessels, and 12 were for personal 

use. Reported landings for this port group in 2000 were 

in the following West Coast fisheries (data shown 

represent landings in metric tons/value of said landings/

number of vessels landing): crab confidential/

confidential/2; groundfish confidential/confidential/2; 

salmon 349 t/$513,894/43; and other species 63 t/

$271,917/28.

Grayland residents owned 26 vessels in 2000 that 

participated in West Coast fisheries, including 10 vessels 

that participated in the federally managed groundfish 

fishery. The number of vessels owned by Grayland 

residents that participated in each said fishery by state 

(WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 1/0/0, crab 16/1/1, 

groundfish 4/0/NA, highly migratory species NA/0/NA, 

salmon 12/2/0, shellfish NA/1/NA, shrimp NA/1/0, and 

other species 5/0/0.5

The number of Grayland residents holding permits 

in each said fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal 

pelagic 3/0/0, crab 11/1/1, highly migratory species NA/

0/0, salmon 7/2/0, shellfish 9/0/NA, and shrimp 2/1/1.6

Grayland residents held 43 state permits in 2000. 

The number of permits held by these community 

members in each said fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

coastal pelagic 18/0/0, crab 0/1/1, highly migratory 

species NA/0/0, salmon 9/2/0, shellfish 9/0/NA, and 

shrimp 2/0/1.7

Several tribes along the West Coast participate in 

commercial fishing; however scant data exists on tribal 

commercial fishing in the Grayland area. Pacific Coast 

treaty Indian tribes include the Hoh, Makah, and Quileute 

Indian, and the Quinault Indian Nation. The closest 

treaty Indian nation to Grayland is the Quinault and its 

tribal center is approximately 70 miles north in Taholah. 

According to the Boldt Decision,8 the Quinault’s usual 

and accustomed fishing area includes the following rivers 

and streams: Clearwater, Queets, Quinault, Raft, 

Moclips, and Copalis rivers and Salmon and Joe creeks. 

Ocean fisheries are utilized in the waters adjacent to their 

territory, between Destruction Island and Point Chehalis, 

6 miles north of Grayland.9 The closest nontreaty Indian 

tribe is the Shoalwater Bay, located 11 miles south in 

Tokeland, on the north end of Willapa Bay in Pacific 

County. To help pay for tribal natural resource 

management programs, tribes collect taxes from tribal 

members who sell fish and shellfish. The nearby tribes 

of Shoalwater Bay and the Quinault Indian Nation most 

likely compete for similar fishery resources as nontribal 

fishermen fishing out of Grayland.

Sportfishing

Sport fishermen in Grayland are involved in the 

West Coast and Alaskan fisheries. In 2000 there were 

two salmonid charter licenses held by Grayland residents. 

In 2003 and 2004 two salmonid charter-fishing operators 

serviced sport fishermen and tourists out of Grayland. 

There are two licensed agents selling fishing permits in 

the community. In 2003 there were 2,083 sportfishing 

license transactions in Grayland valued at $22,682.

In Catch Record Card Area 2 (Westport-Ocean 

Shores) the 2000–2001 sport catch, based on creel survey 

estimates, was 34,636 fish, including 6,254 Chinook 

salmon and 28,382 coho salmon. Marine anglers made 

19,895 trips in the sport salmon fishery. Sport fishermen 

caught eight steelhead in Area 2. The coastal bottomfish 

catch for Area 2 was 152,675 and the Pacific halibut 

catch for Area 1-2 (Ilwaco-Grayland-Ocean Shores) was 

2,341. In addition to halibut and salmon, sport fishermen 

in the Grayland area harvest rock and Dungeness crab, 

razor clams, sea bass, greenling, perch, lingcod, and a 

variety of freshwater species.
127

Subsistence

Subsistence hunting, fishing, and gathering 

activities are fundamental to the way of life of some 

coastal community members. Today members of the 

Quinault Nation, the Shoalwater Bay Tribe, and other 

nontribal subsistence fishermen obtain fishery resources 

from the waters surrounding Grayland. While tribal and 

nontribal individuals participate in subsistence fishing, 

tribal catches are reserved for tribal use only. 

Subsistence fishing is not discussed in great detail in this 

community profile due to the lack of available data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Grayland residents owned seven vessels that were 

involved in North Pacific fisheries in 2000. Community 

members landed fish in the following North Pacific 

fisheries (data shown represent landings in metric tons/

value of said landings/number of vessels landing): 

salmon 126 t/$101,900/4 and shellfish confidential/

confidential/1.

Grayland residents held 10 state and federal 

registered permits in 2000, including 7 individuals who 

held state permits and 2 individuals who held federal 

permits. Residents held two groundfish License 

Limitation Program permits. Residents held two Bering 

Sea Aleutian Island groundfish, five salmon, and one 

shellfish Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission 

permits. Residents held zero halibut or sablefish 

individual fishing quota shares.

In 2000 21 Grayland residents held crew member 

licenses for North Pacific fisheries.

Sportfishing

Grayland community members purchased 26 Alaska 

sportfishing licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis. No date. The 

Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis. Online at http://

www.chehalistribe.org/index.html [accessed 31 January 2007].

2. R. McCausland. 1998. Washington’s Grayland. The 

Donning Company Publishers, Virginia Beach, VA.

3. Chehalis River Council. 2004. Selective chronology of the 

Chehalis Basin. Online at http://www.crcwater.org/issues2/

chronicle.html [accessed 31 January 2007].

4. Grays Harbor Economic Development Council. No date. 

Grays Harbor County manufacturing. Online at http://

www.ghedc.com/ghmanuf.html [accessed 31 January 2007].

5. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

6. See note 5.

7. See note 5.

8. Center for Columbia River History. No date. Boldt Decision. 

Online at http://www.ccrh.org/comm/river/legal/boldt.htm [accessed 

31 January 2007].

9. Pacific Fishery Management Council. 2004. Groundfish 

bycatch programmatic DEIS. Online at http://www.pcouncil.org/

groundfish/gfbdpeis/apdxd.pdf [accessed 31 January 2007].
128

Ilwaco

People and Place

Location

Ilwaco is on the Long Beach Peninsula in southwest 

Washington. Situated in Pacific County, the community 

encompasses 2.06 square miles of land and 0.31 square 

miles of water. The nearest major U.S. city is Portland, 

Oregon, a 110-mile drive southeast, while Seattle is a 

170-mile drive northeast. Ilwaco’s geographic 

coordinates are lat 46°18′33′′N, long 124°02′31′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Ilwaco’s 

population was 950, with a population density of 461.5 

people per square mile. The gender composition was 

52.5% female and 47.5% male. The median age of 43 

was higher than the national median of 35.3. Of the 

population 18 years and older, 81.1% had a high school 

education (including equivalency) or higher, 19.3% had 

received at least a bachelor’s degree, and 6.2% had 

attained a graduate degree; the national averages were 

79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The vast major of Ilwaco’s racial structure recorded 

by the 2000 U.S. Census was white (92.8%), followed by 

people who identified as two or more races (2.9%), 

people who identified as another race (1.8%), American 

Indian and Native Alaskan (1.4%), black (0.5%), Asian 

(0.4%), and Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander 

(0.1%). Ethnicity data indicate that 5.3% identified as 

Hispanic. In 2000 7.8% were foreign-born, with 38.2% 

from Mexico, 25% from Guatemala, and 9.2% from 

Germany.

In 2000 81.5% of Ilwaco’s population lived in 

family households.

History

The Ilwaco area was first inhabited by Native 

Americans, primarily the Chinook. The town was named 

after a local Native American, Elowahka Jim. English, 

Spanish, and French explorers seeking a “River to the 

West” or the “Northwest Passage” connecting the 

Atlantic and Pacific oceans were the first nonnatives to 

come to the area. Some of the earliest explorers included 

Captain James Cook around 1778, John Meares around 

1788, Captain George Vancouver in 1792, Captain 

Robert Gray in 1792, and Meriwether Lewis and William 

Clark around 1805.1

80 60 40 20 0 20 40 60 80 100

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure

Male Female

2000 Racial structure 

Black

0.5%

Asian

0.4%

Native

1.4%

Pacific Islander

0.1%

Other

1.8%

Two or more races

2.9%

White

92.8%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity 

Non-Hispanic

94.7%

Hispanic

5.3%
129

Reports from the Lewis and Clark expedition on the 

area drew interest from European American settlers. The 

first white settlers from the East Coast and Midwest, 

including foreign settlers primarily from Scandinavia, 

were drawn to the area for the lumber, land, ocean, 

hunting, and fur resources.2

 John Jacob Astor traveled 

through the area and eventually established the Pacific 

Fur Company across the Columbia River from Ilwaco in 

Astoria, Oregon, in 1811. Missionaries also were drawn 

to surrounding areas in the 1830s.

By 1849 Dr. Elijah White had founded a settlement 

in the Ilwaco area called Pacific City and it was 

envisioned to be a future port city at the mouth of the 

Columbia River. Pacific City had a county seat, post 

office, sawmill, and fine hotel, owned by J. D. Holman.3 

Around 1852 the military overtook Pacific City after 

President Millard Fillmore ordered a military reservation 

to be developed. That site is now referred to as Cape 

Disappointment State Park. It took years for the military 

to build installations in the area, but the dreams for 

Pacific City vanished. Holman, however, established a 

donation land claim, including beach areas that 

eventually developed into a summer resort. The local 

school, built in 1853, was attributed to the Holman 

family.

During the later parts of the century from about 

1884 to 1910, the area was consumed by disputes over 

fishing-ground rights, referred to as the gill-net wars. 

Gillnetters and trap fishermen fought with a vengeance 

over these rights. In 1888 the Ilwaco Railroad and 

Navigation Company, led by Lewis A. Loomis, started 

the construction of a railroad from Ilwaco to Nahcotta at 

the Ilwaco wharf.4

 The rail served as transportation for 

mail and passenger business and freight, specifically 

sacks of oysters from Nahcotta. In 1900 Loomis retired 

and sold the railroad to the Oregon Railroad and 

Navigation Company; the railway functioned until 1930.

In 1889 the Ilwaco Beach Station, also known as the 

Klipsan Beach Life Saving Station, was established.5

 

This station was one of 19 life saving stations on the 

West Coast from the Golden Gate Bridge in San 

Francisco, California, to Nome, Alaska. The location of 

this station was chosen due to the high numbers of 

shipwrecks in the area at the mouth of the Columbia 

River, which is also known as the “Graveyard of the 

Pacific.” In 1915 the U.S. Coast Guard (USGC) created 

USCG Klipsan Station #309. While this station was 

eventually abandoned, the USCG still maintains a strong 

presence in the area.

Ilwaco and the closely surrounding area offer many 

tourism activities. Downtown Ilwaco hosts the Ilwaco 

Heritage Museum, various shopping opportunities 

including the Saturday Market at the harbor during the 

2000 Employment structure

Employed

56.5%

Unemployed

3.7%

Not in labor force

39.7%

late spring and summer months, charter boats for fishing 

and sightseeing, restaurants, and accommodations. 

Within in a few miles of Ilwaco lies Fort Canby State 

Park, recently renamed Cape Disappointment State Park. 

The park offers camping, hiking, beaches, fishing, the 

Cape Disappointment and North Head Lighthouses, and 

the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center. Festivals 

include the Annual Cranberrian Fair, the Wild Mushroom 

Festival, the Water Music Festival, Annual Loyalty Day 

Celebration, and the Blessing of the Fleet festivities.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

At the time of the 2000 U.S. Census, 56.5% of 

Ilwaco’s potential workforce 16 years of age and older 

were employed, 3.7% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 6.2% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

39.7% were not in the labor force, slightly higher than the 

national average of 36.1%. The top employment sectors 

were local, state and federal governments (27.8%), health 

care and social assistance (12.5%), retail trade (11.8%), 

educational services (10.8%) and the military (3.8%). 

Natural resources jobs, including agriculture, forestry, 

fishing, and hunting employed 3.7%, but this percentage 

may be artificially low given that many fishermen are 

self-employed and are underrepresented in these data.

The per capita income in 1999 was $16,138 and the 

median household income was $29,632. In 1999 16.3% 

lived below the poverty line, slightly higher than the 

national average of 12.4%. In 2000 there were 524 

housing units in Ilwaco, with 66.1% owner occupied and 

33.9% renter occupied. The housing unit vacancy rate 

was 20.6%, with 49.1% due to seasonal, recreational, or 

occasional use.
130

Governance

Incorporated in 1890, Ilwaco is a code city under 

Washington State law.6

 It has a mayor-city council form 

of government, with a mayor, a five-member city 

council, city planner, clerk-treasurer, deputy clerk, city 

attorney, a five-member planning commission, and fire 

chief.7 Pacific County, organized in 1851, has a 7.8% 

sales tax and a 9.8% lodging tax. See the Governance 

subsection (page 43) in the Overview section for a more 

detailed discussion of taxes affecting fisherman and 

processors in Washington.

The National Marine Fisheries Service, Point 

Adams Research Station, is located in Hammond, 

Oregon, approximately 22 miles south. The nearest U.S. 

Citizenship and Immigration Services District Office and 

the nearest meetings of the Pacific Fishery Management 

and North Pacific Fishery Management councils are in 

Portland. The nearest Washington Department of Fish 

and Wildlife (WDFW) Regional Office is 72 miles north 

in Montesano, and the WDFW maintains the Willapa 

Bay Field Station at Ocean Park, approximately 13 miles 

north.8 The USCG Station Cape Disappointment in 

Ilwaco is the largest USCG search and rescue station on 

the northwest coast. The station is under the USCG 

Group/Air Station Astoria9 and it operates the USCG 

National Motor Lifeboat School.

Facilities

Ilwaco is accessible by land, air, and sea. The 

community is on U.S. Highway 101 (north-south). The 

Port of Ilwaco Airport is open to the public and has an 

unattended paved runway. Portland International Airport 

is the nearest major airport. The Ilwaco Harbor supports 

recreational and commercial fisheries, along with 

tourism. As of June 2005 the harbor supported 

approximately 54 commercial fishing vessels and 610 

pleasure craft, which includes charter vessels.10 The 

harbor includes a boatyard with hoist services, a fuel 

dock, boat launches, and guest moorage.11

Ilwaco is in the Ocean Beach School District. 

Ilwaco Junior-Senior High School is for grades 7–12. 

Hilltop Elementary School in Ilwaco is for grades 4–6. 

Ilwaco children in grades below fourth attend school in 

neighboring Long Beach (3 miles north). Lower 

Columbia College in Longview (67 miles east), Grays 

Harbor College in Aberdeen (70 miles northeast), and 

Centralia College in Centralia (114 miles northeast) are 

the three closest two-year colleges in Washington. 

Evergreen State College in Olympia (110 miles 

northeast) is the closest four-year college.

Pacific County’s Public Utility District administers 

electricity service in Ilwaco. The city owns and operates 

water and sewer plants.12 The City of Long Beach Police 

Department and the Ilwaco Volunteer Fire Department 

administer public safety. Ocean Beach Hospital is in 

Ilwaco. Other medical facilities nearby are the Willapa 

Harbor Hospital in South Bend (41 miles north) and 

Columbia Memorial Hospital in Astoria, Oregon (17 

miles south). There are multiple hotels, motels, resorts, 

and bed and breakfast facilities in Ilwaco and the nearby 

Long Beach community, as well as various state and 

private campgrounds and recreational vehicle parks.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

The 338 vessels that delivered landings to Ilwaco in 

2000 all were commercially registered. Landings in the 

community were in the following West Coast fisheries 

(data shown represent landings in metric tons/value of 

said landings/number of vessels landing): coastal pelagic 

confidential/confidential/2; crab 861.9 t/$3,864,427/104; 

groundfish 2,350.7 t/$634,261/35; highly migratory 

species 1,907.1 t/$3,595,659/119; salmon 187.4 t/

$468,717/98; shrimp confidential/confidential/2; and 

other species 47.5 t/$183,071/81.

Ilwaco residents owned 21 vessels in 2000 that 

participated in West Coast fisheries, including 17 that 

participated in the federally managed groundfish fishery. 

The number of vessels owned by Ilwaco residents in 

2000 that participated in each said fishery by state (WA/

OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 1/0/0, crab 13/9/1, 

groundfish 3/0/NA, highly migratory species NA/0/NA, 

salmon 11/13/2, shellfish NA/0/NA, shrimp NA/2/0, and 

other species 8/0/0.13

Ilwaco residents held two federal groundfish fishery 

permits in 2000. The number of residents holding 

permits in each said fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

coastal pelagic 1/0/0, crab 8/0/1, highly migratory 

species NA/0/0, salmon 5/13/4, shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 

1/2/0, and other species 4/0/0.14

Ilwaco resident held 46 registered state permits and 

2 federal permits in 2000. The number of permits held 

by these community members in each said fishery by 

state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 1/0/0, crab 12/0/

1, highly migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 5/13/6, 

shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 1/2/0, and other species 5/0/0.15

There is currently only one processor in Ilwaco, 

Jessie’s Ilwaco Fish Company. Jessie’s has been in 

business in Ilwaco for more than 40 years. The company 

processes various species including but not limited to 

shrimp, crab, salmon, whiting, sardines, bottomfish, and 

tuna. Jessie’s distributes worldwide, and its efforts are 

primarily in wholesale distribution accompanied by a 
131

small retail effort. In 2005 Jessie’s employed 

approximately 150 people.16

Sportfishing

Sport fishermen in Ilwaco are involved in West 

Coast and Alaskan fisheries. In 2000 14 salmonid 

charter fishing operators serviced sport fishermen and 

tourists. There was one licensed agent selling fishing 

permits in Ilwaco. In 2003 there were 1,580 sportfishing 

license transactions valued at $24,978.

In Catch Record Card Area 1 (Ilwaco–ocean) the 

2000 sport catch, based on creel survey estimates, was 

27,889 fish and in Area 1A (Ilwaco–Buoy 10) it was 

16,335 fish. This data include (1/1A) 1,630/2,972 

Chinook salmon and 26,259/13,363 coho salmon. 

Marine anglers made (1/1A) 16,243/42,061 trips in the 

sport salmon fishery for a total of 58,304 in both areas. 

In Area 1, Columbia River to Leadbetter Point, fishermen 

caught 106 steelhead. In 2000 the coastal bottomfish 

catch for Area 1 (Ilwaco-Ilwaco Jetty) was 8,388/631 

fish. The Pacific halibut catch for Area 1 and Area 2 

(Ilwaco-Westport-Ocean Shores) was 2,341.

Subsistence

Subsistence hunting, fishing, and gathering 

activities are fundamental to the way of life of some 

coastal community members. Both tribal and nontribal 

individuals participate in subsistence fishing, obtaining 

fishery resources from the waters surrounding Ilwaco. 

Subsistence fishing is not discussed in great detail in this 

community profile due to the lack of available data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 Ilwaco residents owned five vessels that 

participated in North Pacific fisheries. Community 

members landed fish in the following North Pacific 

fisheries (data shown represent landings in metric tons/

value of said landings/number of vessels landing): other 

finfish confidential/confidential/1 and salmon 98.5 t/

$178,940/5.

Ilwaco residents held six federal and state 

commercial fishing permits, with two individuals who 

held a federal permit and four who held a state permit 

(note: it is possible for individuals to hold more than one 

permit at a time). Residents held one groundfish License 

Limitation program permit and five Commercial 

Fisheries Entry Commission salmon permits. Ilwaco 

residents held 11,787 sablefish individual fishing quota 

shares.

Ilwaco residents held 12 crew member licenses for 

North Pacific fisheries in 2000.

Sportfishing

Ilwaco residents purchased five sportfishing licenses 

for Alaskan fisheries in 2000.

Notes

1. Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia. 2005. Washington (state). 

Online at http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761572009_10/

Washington_(state).html#s85 [accessed 31 January 2007].

2. City of Ilwaco. 2005. Now & then. Online at http://

www.ilwacowashington.com/pages/history.html [accessed 31 January 

2007].

3. B. Bailey. 2001. Notes on early Pacific County. The 

Sou'wester, Pacific County Historical Society, South Bend, WA. Vol. 

36, No. 2. Online at http://www.pacificcohistory.org/sw2001

_2.htm#5 [accessed 31 January 2007].

4. Chinook Observer. 2004. Seaview and Clamshell Railroad. 

Online at http://www.chinookobserver.info/Main.asp?SectionID=21

&SubSectionID=88&ArticleID=8731 [accessed 31 January 2007].

5. L. Weathers. 2001. The lifesavers of Klipsan. The 

Sou'wester, Pacific County Historical Society, South Bend, WA. Vol. 

36, No. 3. Online at http://www.pacificcohistory.org/sw2001_3.htm 

[accessed 31 January 2007].

6. Municipal Research and Services Center of Washington 

(MRSC). No date. Classification of government. Online at http://

www.mrsc.org/askmrsc/Government.aspx#government1 [accessed 31 

January 2007].

7. Pacific County. 2005. City of Ilwaco, Washington. Online at 

http://www.co.pacific.wa.us/map%20and%20cities/ilwaco.htm 

[accessed 31 January 2007].

8. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. 2005. Online 

at http://wdfw.wa.gov/ [accessed 31 January 2007].

9. U.S. Coast Guard. 2005. Online at http://www.uscg.mil/d13

units/gruastoria/cd.htm [accessed 31 January 2007].

10. Field notes, Port of Ilwaco, WA. 6 June 2005.

11. Port of Ilwaco. 2005. Online at http://www.portofilwaco 

.com/index.htm [accessed 31 January 2007].

12. City of Ilwaco. 2005. Welcome to Ilwaco. Online at http://

www.ilwacowashington.com/index.html [accessed 31 January 2007].

13. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

14. See note 13.

15. See note 13.

16. Field notes, Jessie’s Ilwaco Fish Company, Ilwaco, WA. 20 

June 2005.
132

La Conner

People and Place

Location

La Conner is on the southern end of the Swinomish 

Channel, north of Skagit Bay in the northern region of 

Puget Sound. Situated in Skagit County, it encompasses 

0.4 square miles of land and 0.1 square miles of surface 

water. The nearest major U.S. city is Seattle, a 70-mile 

drive south. La Conner’s geographic coordinates are lat 

48°24′33′′N, long 122°31′52′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U. S. Census, La Conner’s 

population was 761, an increase of 16% since 1990. The 

gender composition was 54.8% female and 45.2% male. 

The median age of 45.5 was higher than the national 

median of 35.3. The age distribution was almost even, 

with 51.1% of the population between 21 and 59 years 

old. Of the population 18 years of age and older, 91.2% 

had a high school education (including equivalency) or 

higher, 33.3% had received a bachelor’s degree or higher, 

and 11.4% had attained a graduate or professional 

degree. These figures are well above the national 

averages of 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The vast majority of La Conner’s racial structure 

recorded by the 2000 U.S. Census was white (90.8%), 

followed by people who identified as another race 

(3.8%), people who identified as two or more races 

(2.6%), American Indian and Alaska Native (1.7%), 

black (0.8%), and Asian (0.3%). There were zero Pacific 

Islanders living in La Conner in 2000. Ethnicity data 

indicate that 6.2% identified as Hispanic. In 2000 5.9% 

were foreign-born, with 60.9% from Canada.

In 2000 73.9% of La Conner’s population lived in 

family households.

History

Skagit County was created in 1883 from the 

southern portion Whatcom County. The same year La 

Conner lost its status as county seat to Mount Vernon, 

which is 15 miles northwest. Skagit County derived its 

name from of the Indian tribe that lived along the river 

known by the same name. The Skagit River is the largest 

watershed in the north Cascades.

The La Conner area was home to the Swinomish 

Indians for many years. The Swinomish are descendants 

of the Kikiallus, Samish, and Lower Skagit tribes.1

 The 

Swinomish and three additional tribes—Samish, SaukSuiattle, and Upper Skagit—lived in the area now known 

80 60 40 20 0 20 40 60 80

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and above Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure 

White

90.8%

Two or more races

2.6%

Other

3.8%

Black

0.8%

Native

1.7%

Asian

0.3%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity 

Non-Hispanic

93.8%

Hispanic

6.2%
133

as Skagit County and were signatories to the 1855 Point 

Elliot Treaty. The treaty gave Western Washington 

tribes the right to self-governance and set aside several 

reservations, including one for the Swinomish Indian 

Tribal Community on Fidalgo Island, across the 

Swinomish Channel from the Town of La Conner. The 

Swinomish reservation was expanded to 7,448 acres in 

1873 and tribal members in the area were forced to move 

onto the Lummi, Tulalip, or Swinomish reservations.

Skagit County is now home to two reservations, the 

Swinomish and the Upper Skagit, located near SedroWoolley. Swinomish tribal services include medical and 

dental health facilities, a senior center, library, youth 

services, adult education programs, and the Swinomish 

AmeriCorps. The tribe also continues to practice its 

native religion in the 200-foot long smokehouse (1,200 

seats).2

 According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 2,664 tribal 

members lived on the Swinomish Reservation.

In the 1700s the Spanish, British, and Russian 

explorers and fur traders were the first non-Indians to 

enter the Skagit region. The first white settlers were 

primarily homesteaders, who arrived in the area in the 

mid-1850s. It was not until after the first dike was built 

on the La Conner flats in 1863 that farming took hold. 

Settlers in La Conner successfully planted and harvested 

a modest barley crop.3 Alonzo Low established the first 

Swinomish post office in 1867 on the land that would 

become La Conner. Low’s family was among the 

original party that landed on Alki Point near Seattle, 

when Alonzo was 2 years old, and went on to found 

Seattle.4

 Two years later J. S. Conner bought the existing 

trading post, established by John Hayes, another early 

settler. It was around the trading post that the Town of 

La Conner developed. At the time the local post office 

was called Swinomish. In 1869 the entire town and an 

additional 70 acres was deeded to John Conner for $500. 

To honor his wife, Louise Ann (Siegfreid) Conner, he 

had the town’s name changed to La Conner in 1870.5

Natural resource-related industries such as 

agriculture and fishing have been important segments in 

La Conner’s historic and contemporary economies. In its 

early years the town became a popular farming 

community and hub for steamers carrying passengers and 

freight from Seattle.6 In the 1870s the commercial 

salmon and cod fishing industries began in Skagit 

County, primarily around the communities of Anacortes 

and La Conner. The associated industries of canning and 

packing were established shortly thereafter. La Conner 

was a successful town with its growing port and 

protected harbor, but in 1880 when the log jam that 

blocked the Skagit River at Mount Vernon was cleared, 

Mount Vernon was in a position to become a major city 

in the region.7

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

33.1%

Unemployed

1.9%

Employed

65%

La Conner prospered during the depression largely 

due to the logging and fishing industries. The dredging 

of the 11-mile long Swinomish Channel was completed 

in 1937 and turned La Conner into a working waterfront. 

Companies such as Dunlap Towing, specializing in a 

variety of ocean-towing markets, have been based in La 

Conner since 1925. But the town was not merely an 

industrial haven. The quiet and peaceful town, amplified 

by the decision of the railroad to bypass La Conner in 

favor of Burlington in 1889, became a popular 

destination for artists seeking inspiration from nature for 

their works. Famous artists and writers such as Morris 

Graves, Mark Tobey, Guy Anderson, Tom Robbins, and 

others have lived in and worked in the La Conner area 

during the past century.

Today La Conner blends together three different 

cultures: tourism, the arts, and fishing. La Conner is on 

the National Registry of Historic Places. The Civic 

Garden Club, located within the town, was the first 

courthouse north of Seattle. The famous Skagit Valley 

tulips are grown on floodplains that surround La Conner. 

The Swinomish Tribe maintains a successful partnership 

with La Conner and the town has declared the fourth 

Monday of September Native American Day. The day is 

recognized by tribes all across the country; however La 

Conner is unique in that it may be the only local, 

nontribal government that formally recognizes it as a 

holiday.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

At the time of 2000 U.S. Census, 65% of La 

Conner’s potential labor force 16 years of age and older 

were employed, 1.9% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 2.8% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 
134

33.1% were not in the labor force, slightly lower than the 

national average of 36.1%. The top employment sectors 

were management, professional, and related occupations 

(38%), local, state, and federal governments (24.5%), and 

sales and office occupations (22.6%).

Today the town’s economy has diversified to 

include tourism, health care, education, construction, and 

the arts. La Conner’s current economy relies less on 

fishing and logging then it did throughout the early 

1900s. However fishing remains an important part of the 

area’s culture, particularly for the Swinomish 

community, which continues to fish for salmon, crab, 

clams, and sea urchins in the surrounding bays and 

waterways. Natural resource jobs, including agriculture, 

forestry, fishing, and hunting, employed only 3.1% of the 

population in 2000, but this percentage may be 

artificially low given that many fishermen are selfemployed and are underrepresented in these data. Some 

local companies have felt pressure due to decreasing 

Puget Sound salmon fisheries. Moore-Clark, a hatchery 

fish-food processing plant and longtime industrial 

employer, closed in 1992.

In 2000 91 Skagit County residents identified 

themselves as commercial fishermen.8 Despite 

employing the lowest number of workers, industries 

dependent upon natural resources, particularly 

commercial fishing, have paid some of the area’s highest 

salaries. Commercial fishermen in the county earned 

$57,810 in annual average wages in 2000.9 Finfish was 

the major fishery, employing 53 workers making $83,016 

annual average pay.10

The per capita income in 1999 was $24,308 and the 

median household income was $42,344. In 1999 11.8% 

lived below the poverty level, slightly lower than the 

national average of 12.4%. In 2000 there were 434 

housing units in La Conner, with 55.1% owner occupied 

and 44.9% renter occupied. The housing vacancy rate 

was 14.3%, with 22.6% vacant due to seasonal, 

recreational, or occasional use.

Governance

La Conner is classified as a town by Washington 

law because it has less than 1,500 residents. It has a 

mayor-council form of government. The mayor hires and 

oversees the town administrator and the town’s six 

departments. Five La Conner residents serve on the town 

council. Skagit County levies an 8.0% sales tax and a 2% 

lodging tax. See the Governance subsection (page 43) in 

the Overview section for a more detailed discussion of 

taxes affecting fisherman and processors in Washington.

The nearest National Marine Fisheries Service 

Regional Office and the U.S. Citizenship and 

Immigration Services office are in Seattle. Meetings of 

the Pacific Fishery Management and North Pacific 

Fishery Management councils are routinely held in the 

Seattle-Tacoma area. The nearest Washington 

Department of Fish and Wildlife Regional Office is 50 

miles south in Mill Creek. La Conner is in the U.S. Coast 

Guard Station Bellingham’s area of responsibility, which 

includes the San Juan Islands north to the Canada border 

and south to Admiralty Inlet. The station was established 

in 1947 and has six vessels.

Facilities

La Conner is accessible by ground, water, and air. 

Interstate 5 (north-south) is 15 miles southwest. U.S. 

Highway 20, located 4 miles north of La Conner, runs 

east-west through Skagit County, connecting most of the 

county’s major cities. Mount Vernon, 12 miles northeast, 

is the nearest Greyhound bus terminal. Skagit Transit 

provides public transportation between La Conner and 

Mount Vernon, Burlington, Sedro-Woolley, Anacortes, 

and upriver through Concrete. The Washington State 

Ferries runs from Anacortes, 11 miles northwest, to the 

San Juan Islands and Vancouver Island, British 

Columbia. Amtrak’s Cascade Corridor Service, which 

stops in Mount Vernon, provides national and 

international rail transport. Three public-use airports are 

within 15 miles of La Conner, but the nearest airport 

certified for commercial carriers is 40 miles north in 

Bellingham. The nearest major airport facilities are the 

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and Vancouver 

International Airport in British Columbia, 87 miles north.

The La Conner School District has three public 

schools (one elementary, one middle school, and one 

high school). Skagit Valley College in Mount Vernon is 

the closest college, with an enrollment of more than 

3,400 students. Puget Sound Energy administers 

electricity services. La Conner’s water comes from the 

Skagit River near Avon and is purchased from the City of 

Anacortes. Cascade Natural Gas offers natural gas 

service. Water and Wastewater Services LLC operates 

La Conner’s wastewater facilities, which serve the 

Swinomish Tribal Community, the Port of Skagit 

County, and the Skagit County Sewer District No. 1 

(Hope Island Area). The Skagit County Sheriff’s Office 

and the La Conner Fire Department administer public 

safety. The La Conner Medical Center is located in town 

and Island Hospital is 10 miles north in Anacortes.

The Town of La Conner has several community 

services and organizations including the Quilt Museum 

in Gaches Mansion, the La Conner Civic Garden Club, 

the Museum of Northwest Art, and Sylvan Pioneer Park. 

The tourism industry in La Conner is well developed 

with more than 110 lodging rooms in the town’s 3 hotels, 

2 inns, 2 bed and breakfasts, and 4 guest homes.
135

In the late 1960s the Port of Skagit County, 13 miles 

northwest in Burlington, purchased land in La Conner 

and began construction on the La Conner Marina. 

Completed in the 1970s, the 500-boat marina offers dry 

storage space and a boat launcher. There are no fish 

processors located at the marina. The marina is home 

primarily to recreational vessels, with only seven or eight 

commercial seiners (50–55-feet) that fish in Alaska 

during the summer months.11 There are no tribal vessels 

moored in the La Conner Marina. The town provides 

boat moorage at three sites: Benton Street, Calhoun 

Street, and Washington Street end floats. There is a 

public boat ramp at Sherman Street end under the 

Rainbow Bridge. The Port of Anacortes is the primary 

public cargo port in Skagit County. There are at least 11 

boat repair and service companies located in La Conner 

and three boat builders. There are at least five charter 

boat companies in the La Conner area offering fishing, 

whale watching, and ecotourism excursions.

The Skagit County Marine Resource Committee 

(MRC), a Northwest Straits Marine Conservation 

Initiative, alternates monthly meetings between 

Anacortes and Mount Vernon. The purpose of the MRC 

is to bring a scientific and grassroots approach to 

protecting and restoring marine resources in the area. 

Serving on the MRC are representatives from the 

scientific community, local and tribal governments, and 

economic, recreational, and conservation interests.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Of the 224 unique vessels that delivered landings to 

La Conner in 2000, 137 were tribal commercial vessels, 

39 were commercial vessels, and 48 were personal use. 

Landings in the community were in the following West 

Coast fisheries (data shown represent landings in metric 

tons/value of said landings/number of vessels landing): 

crab 190 t/$971,526/94; groundfish confidential/

confidential/1; salmon 182 t/$253,799/101; shellfish 15 t/

$138,042/10; shrimp confidential/confidential/2; and 

other species 52 t/$95,583/9.

La Conner residents owned five vessels in 2000 that 

participated in West Coast fisheries, including three that 

participated in the federally managed groundfish fishery. 

The number of vessels owned by La Conner residents in 

2000 that participated in each said fishery by state (WA/

OR/CA) was: groundfish 0/0/NA, highly migratory 

species NA/0/NA, salmon 2/0/0, shellfish NA/0/NA, 

shrimp NA/0/0, and other species 2/0/0.12

The number of La Conner residents holding permits 

in each said fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal 

pelagic 0/0/2, crab 1/0/0, groundfish 1/0/0, highly 

migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 5/0/0, shellfish 0/0/

NA, and other species 1/0/0.13

La Conner residents held 14 state permits in 2000. 

The number of permits held by community members in 

each said fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal 

pelagic 0/0/4, crab 1/0/0, groundfish 3/0/0, highly 

migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 5/0/0, shellfish 0/0/

NA, and other species 1/0/0.14

Several seafood processors are located in the La 

Conner area. Lone Tree Point Seafoods Inc., located on 

the Swinomish Reservation, began operations as a 

wholesale processor in 1996. The company is currently 

the leading cannery packer for 4-pound canned wild 

salmon and exports to Australia and Europe. It purchases 

treaty (Upper Skagit, Swinomish, Suquamish) and 

nontreaty fish, and imports salmon from Alaska. The 

company employs 45 permanent and 60 seasonal 

personnel and generates $3 million annually in sales.15 

Fieldwork indicates that the Wabi Fishing Company, 

specializing in smoked sockeye salmon, king salmon, 

coho salmon, and Alaskan black cod packed in glass jars, 

is in the process of relocating to nearby Bellingham. The 

Olympic Fish Company relocated to Pier 91 in Seattle.

The tribal commercial fishery plays a significant 

role in the La Conner commercial fishing industry. In 

2004 there were 64 tribal commercial vessels listed with 

members fishing primarily for salmon, crab, and 

shrimp.16 Tribal members also were engaged in beach 

seining for species such as pink salmon and some tribal 

members smoke and sell salmon to the community.

According to the Boldt Decision,17 the usual and 

accustomed fishing areas of the Swinomish tribal 

community include the Skagit River and its tributaries, 

the Samish River and its tributaries, and the marine areas 

of northern Puget Sound from the Fraser River in British 

Columbia south to and including Whidbey, Camano, 

Fidalgo, Guemes, Samish, Cypress, and the San Juan 

islands, and including La Conner Bay and Hale Passage 

adjacent to Lummi Island. 

Swinomish tribal officials also are involved in local 

environmental issues, such as the presence of Seattle City 

Light’s hydroelectric dam on the upper Skagit River; 

Swinomish tribal fisheries depend upon salmon runs that 

utilize spawning grounds in the Upper Skagit River.18 

The tribe has no aquaculture or hatchery facilities.

Sportfishing

There is at least one licensed agent selling fishing 

permits in La Conner. In La Conner in 2003 there were 

1,234 sportfishing license transactions valued at $14,868. 

In Catch Record Card Area 8-1 (Deception Pass, Hope 
136

Island, and Skagit Bay), the 2000 sport catch, based on 

catch record cards, was 2,105 fish, including 969 

Chinook salmon and 1,136 coho salmon. In 2000 marine 

anglers made 7,772 trips in the sport salmon fishery. 

Boat-based anglers caught 1,449 bottomfish in the Puget 

Sound within Catch Record Card areas 8-1 and 8-2 (Ports 

Susan and Gardner). The recreational harvest of clams 

(pounds) and oysters (numbers) for Area 8-1 in 2000 was 

estimated to be 113,325 and 0 respectively; harvest 

occurred over an estimated 18,847 user trips.

Subsistence

Subsistence hunting, fishing, and gathering 

activities are fundamental to the way of life of some 

coastal community members. Tribal and nontribal 

individuals participate in subsistence fishing. Today 

members of the Swinomish Tribe and other nontribal 

subsistence fishermen obtain fishery resources from the 

waters surrounding La Conner. Subsistence fishing is not 

discussed in great detail in this community profile due to 

the lack of available data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 La Conner residents owned 15 vessels that 

were involved in North Pacific fisheries. Community 

members landed fish in the following North Pacific 

fisheries (data shown represent landings in metric tons/

value of said landings/number of vessels landing): other 

finfish confidential/confidential/1; herring confidential/

confidential/1; and salmon 781 t/$578,750/11.

La Conner residents held 11 state commercial 

permits (note: it is possible for individuals to hold more 

than one permit at a time). Residents held 1 herring and 

10 salmon Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission 

permits.

La Conner residents held 26 crew member licenses 

for North Pacific fisheries in 2000.

Sportfishing

La Conner residents purchased 64 Alaska 

sportfishing licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. N. Zaferatos. 1999. Tribal planning as strategic political 

action: A case study of the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community. 

Conference proceedings. American Planning Association National 

Conference. Online at http://www.design.asu.edu/apa/proceedings99/

ZAFERA/ZAFERA.HTM [accessed 31 January 2007].

2. Skagit Pages. 2004. Skagit pages. Online at http://

www.skagitpages.com/B2C [accessed 31 January 2007].

3. Skagit County Profile. 2002. Labor Market and Economic 

Analysis Branch, Employment Security Department. Online at http://

www.wa.gov/esd/lmea/pubs/profiles/skagit.pdf [accessed 31 January 

2007].

4. HistoryLink. 2004. La Conner: Thumbnail history. Online at 

http://www.historylink.org/essays/output.cfm?file_id=5655 [accessed 

31 January 2007].

5. WA GenWeb. 1999. Welcome to Skagit County. Online at 

http://www.rootsweb.com/~waskagit/placenames.html [accessed 31 

January 2007].

6. La Conner. 2004. La Conner, Washington: The town. Online 

at http://www.laconner.net/thetown.cfm [accessed 31 January 2007].

7. See note 4.

8. See note 3.

9. See note 3.

10. See note 3.

11. Field notes, marina personnel, La Conner, WA, 29 

September 2004.

12. NA refers to data that were available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

13. See note 12.

14. See note 12.

15. Swinomish Tribal Community. No date. Community 

development: Lone Tree Point Seafoods Inc. Online at http://

www.swinomish.org/planning/economic_developement/businesses/

lonetreeseafood.html [accessed 31 January 2007].

16. Field notes, Swinomish Tribe, La Conner, WA, 30 

September 2004.

17. U. S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. 2000. 

Muckleshoot Indian Tribe v. Lummi Indian Nation. Online at http://

www.ce9.uscourts.gov/web/newopinions.nsf/0/

9909aaf534e2be87882569b40066c5ec?OpenDocument [accessed 31 

January 2007].

18. L. Kamb. 2004. Seattle, tribes sign accord on government 

-to-government relations. Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 21 July 2004. 

Online at http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/182983_citytribes21

.html?searchpagefrom=1&searchdiff=196 [accessed 31 January 

2007].
137

Lakewood

People and Place

Location

Lakewood is south of Tacoma on the eastern side of 

the central Puget Sound region. Situated in Pierce 

County, the city encompasses 17.1 square miles of land 

and 1.9 square miles of water. The nearest major U.S. 

city is Seattle, a 42-mile drive north. Lakewood’s 

geographic coordinates are lat 47°10′19′′N, long 

122°31′02′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Lakewood’s 

population was 58,211, down from 58,412 in 1990. The 

gender composition was 51.1% female and 48.9% male. 

The median age of 35.0 was slightly less than the 

national median of 35.3. Of the population age 18 years 

and older, 83.6% had a high school education (including 

equivalency) or higher, 19.1% had received a bachelor’s 

degree or higher, and 7.2% had attained a graduate or 

professional degree; the national averages were 79.7%, 

22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The vast majority of Lakewood’s racial structure 

recorded by the 2000 U.S. Census was white (64.8%), 

followed by black (12.3%), Asian (8.9%), people who 

identified with two or more races (7%), people who 

identified with another race (3.6%), Native Hawaiian and 

Other Pacific Islander (1.8%), and American Indian and 

Alaska Native (1.5%). Ethnicity data indicate that 8.5% 

identified as Hispanic. In 2000 12.7% were foreign-born, 

with 25.9% from Korea, 13.6% from Mexico, and 12.3% 

from Germany. The highest percentage of those 

reporting ancestry were German (13.5%), followed by 

the Irish (6.9%) and English (6.7%).

History

The area today known as Lakewood was once 

referred to as the Prairie. It was “an expanse of land 

about 20 miles square, dotted with small lakes and 

occasional stands of oak and Douglas fir trees.” The 

Steilacoom and Nisqually Native American groups 

conducted powwows in the Prairie.1

 The tribal histories 

of the two groups are distinct, due in part to their status 

and relationship with the federal government. Decisions 

made by European American settlers, particularly where 

to operate posts and settle, also influenced their histories. 

The Nisqually, a federally recognized tribe, were granted 

a reservation. The Steilacoom are still not recognized by 

the federal government and therefore have no reservation 

6,000 4,000 2,000 0 2,000 4,000 6,000

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure 

Pacific Islander

1.8%

White

64.8%

Asian

8.9%

Native

1.5%

Black

12.3%

Other

3.6%

Two or more races

7%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity 

Non-Hispanic

91.5%

Hispanic

8.5%
138

land.2 The Nisqually Tribe’s reservation is located 

primarily east of the Nisqually River.3

Historically both tribal groups were involved 

heavily in fishing and were granted the right to continue 

to “hunt and fish in their traditional tribal areas, no matter 

if those areas were off reservation lands” by the Medicine 

Creek Treaty of 1854.4

 The Medicine Creek Treaty 

rights were not honored in full for many years. However 

the Nisqually Tribe was instrumental, along with several 

other tribal groups, in reinstating those rights with the 

rendering of the Boldt Decision in 1974, which allocated 

50% of the annual salmon catch to treaty tribes.

In 1833 the Prairie was selected by the British 

Hudson’s Bay Company as a location for a new fur 

trading post. Fort Steilacoom, constructed after an Indian 

attack on Fort Nisqually and used to suppress Indian 

uprisings, was originally a farm. From 1850 to 1855 the 

first mills were constructed in the area. As Washington 

became a territory in 1853 more European American 

settlers began to arrive and in 1854 Steilacoom became 

the first incorporated town in the territory. In 1873 

nearby Tacoma was selected as the site of the western 

terminus of the Northwest Pacific Railway, further 

boosting the area’s economy. Other local area 

advancements include the construction of the Tacoma 

Speedway in the early 1900s, Camp Lewis in World War 

I, and McChord Air Force Base in 1938.5

During the 1930s and 1940s the community of 

Lakewood started to gain its own identity and in 1937 the 

first piece of the Lakewood Colonial Shopping Center 

was built, one of the first suburban shopping centers in 

the nation. In 1942 a fire district was configured with a 

water district instituted a year later. In 1961 Lakewood 

General Hospital (now St. Claire) opened its doors. 

Several local amenities followed including a library and 

two colleges. Lakewood was incorporated in 1996 and is 

the eighth largest city in Washington State.6

Infrastructure

Current Economy

At the time of the 2000 U.S. Census, 54.8% of 

Lakewood’s potential labor force 16 years of age and 

older were employed, 4.5% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 7.6% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). About 

40.7% of the population age 16 years and older were not 

in the labor force, compared to the national average of 

36.1%. The top employment sectors were educational, 

health, and social services (22.8%), local, state, and 

federal governments (22.6%), arts, entertainment, 

recreation, accommodation, and food services (9.2%), 

manufacturing (9.1%), professional, scientific, 

2000 Employment structure

Unemployed

4.5%

Not in labor force

40.7%

Employed

54.8%

management, administrative, and waste management 

services (8.2%), public administration (7.9%), and the 

armed forces (7.4%). Natural resources jobs in 2000, 

agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting, employed 

0.5%, but this percentage may be artificially low given 

that many fishermen are self-employed and are 

underrepresented in these data.

The per capita income in 1999 was $20,569 and the 

median household income was $36,422. In 1999 15.8% 

lived below the poverty level. In 2000 there were 25,396 

housing units in Lakewood, with 47.7% owner occupied 

and 52.3% renter occupied. The housing unit vacancy 

rate was 6.3%.

Governance

Incorporated in 1996, the City of Lakewood has a 

council-manager form of government, comprised of 

seven elected, nonpartisan part-time council members. 

The council elects one member to serve as the mayor and 

another to serve as a full-time professional city manager 

“to oversee the administrative functions of the city and to 

implement Council policy.”7

 Lakewood levies an 8.8% 

sales and use tax, a property tax of $1.49 per $1,000 

assessed value, and a 5% lodging tax. See the 

Governance subsection (page 43) in the Overview 

section for a more detailed discussion of taxes affecting 

fisherman and processors in Washington.

The nearest National Marine Fisheries Service 

Regional Office and the U.S. Citizenship and 

Immigration Services office are in Seattle. Meetings of 

the North Pacific Fishery Management and Pacific 

Fishery Management councils are routinely held in the 

Seattle-Tacoma area. The nearest Washington 

Department of Fish and Wildlife Regional Office is 60 

miles southwest in Montesano. The 13th U.S. Coast 

Guard (USCG) District Office is in Seattle. There is a 

USCG Port Security Unit in Tacoma.
139

Facilities

Lakewood is accessible by ground and air. The city 

is on Interstate 5 (north-south) and Washington Highway 

512 (east-west). Nearby Tacoma offers national and 

international railroad service. The Tacoma Narrows 

Airport, accessible by the Tacoma Narrows Bridge across 

the Puget Sound, is the nearest public airport. The 

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is the nearest major 

facility.

The Lakewood School District No. 306 has 25 

public schools, including 13 elementary schools, 6 

middle schools, and 6 high schools. In addition there are 

two private schools in the community. Lakewood is 

home to two colleges, Clover Park Technical College and 

Pierce College at Fort Steilacoom. Tacoma Power, a 

division of Tacoma Public Utilities, administers 

electricity, and the Lakewood Water District provides 

water services. Pierce County Sewer Utility provides 

sewer services. The Lakewood Police and Fire 

departments administer public safety. St. Claire Hospital 

in Lakewood offers full medical services. There are at 

least four hotels available for lodging in Lakewood and 

additional lodging is available in nearby communities. 

There are no marine facilities located in Lakewood. 

Information on port facilities in the area can be found in 

the Tacoma and Gig Harbor community profiles.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

There were no landings delivered to Lakewood in 

2000. Additionally there were no known processors 

operating in the community. Lakewood residents owned 

two vessels in 2000 and both vessels participated in the 

federally managed groundfish fishery. The number of 

vessels owned by Lakewood residents that participated in 

each said fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: groundfish 

0/0/NA, highly migratory species NA/0/NA, shellfish 

NA/0/NA, and shrimp NA/0/0.8

The number of Lakewood residents holding permits 

in each said fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) in 2000 was: 

coastal pelagic 1/0/0, groundfish 1/0/0, highly migratory 

species NA/0/0, salmon 4/0/0, and shellfish 0/0/NA.9

Lakewood residents held nine state permits in 2000. 

The number of permits held by residents in each said 

fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 2/0/0, 

groundfish 3/0/0, highly migratory species NA/0/0, 

salmon 4/0/0, and shellfish 0/0/NA.10

Sportfishing

There are two vendors in Lakewood licensed to sell 

fishing permits. In 2003 there were 3,936 sportfishing 

license transactions valued at $7,095. In Catch Record 

Card Area 13 (south Puget Sound, all waters south of 

Tacoma Narrows Bridge) the 2000 sport catch, based on 

catch record cards, was 5,131 fish, including 1,649 

Chinook salmon, 2,226 coho salmon, and 1,256 chum 

salmon. Marine anglers made 26,089 trips in the sport 

salmon fishery. Boat-based anglers caught 8,025 

bottomfish in Area 13. The recreational harvest of clams 

(lbs) and oysters (#) for Area 13 in 2000 was estimated to 

be 30,147 and 65,007 respectively; harvest occurred over 

an estimated 7,065 user trips.

Subsistence

Subsistence harvest for marine species may exist in 

the Lakewood area. However, the extent of subsistence 

harvesting is difficult to quantify due to a scarcity of 

data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Lakewood residents owned four vessels in 2000 that 

were involved in North Pacific fisheries. Residents 

landed fish in the following North Pacific fisheries (data 

shown represent landings in metric tons/value of said 

landings/number of vessels landing): herring 

confidential/confidential/3 and salmon confidential/

confidential/3.

Lakewood residents held eight permits in 2000, 

including two individuals who held federal commercial 

permits and five who held state permits (note: it is 

possible for individuals to hold more than one permit at a 

time). Community members held one scallop License 

Limitation Program permit and two herring and five 

salmon Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission 

permits. Residents also held 6,990 sablefish individual 

fishing quota shares.

Fifteen Lakewood residents held crew member 

licenses for North Pacific fisheries in 2000.

Sportfishing

Lakewood residents purchased 149 Alaskan 

sportfishing licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. V. Dumond. No date. History of Lakewood. Online at http:/

/www.ci.lakewood.wa.us/about.html [accessed 31 January 2007].

2. Steilacoom Tribe. 2003. Steilacoom Tribe of Indians. Online 

at http://members.shaw.ca/nyjack/steilacoom/the_tribe_today.htm 

[accessed 31 January 2007].

3. Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board. 2003. 

Nisqually Tribe. Online at http://www.npaihb.org/profiles/
140

tribal_profiles/Washington/Nisqually%20Tribal%20Profile.htm 

[accessed 31 January 2007].

4. U-S-history.com. No date. Native Americans, Nisqually 

Indian Tribe, Washington. Online at http://www.u-s-history.com/

pages/h1561.html [accessed 31 January 2007].

5. See note 1.

6. See note 1.

7. City of Lakewood. 2004. Lakewood City Council. Online at 

http://www.ci.lakewood.wa.us/City%20Council/council.html 

[accessed 31 January 2007].

8. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of the fishery in 2000.

9. See note 8.

10. See note 8.
141

La Push

People and Place

Location

La Push, the site of the Quileute Tribe’s reservation, 

is on the Olympic Peninsula. Situated in Clallam 

County, the community encompasses nearly one square 

mile of land (594 acres). The nearest major U.S. city is 

Seattle, a 150-mile drive southeast. La Push’s 

geographic coordinates are lat 47°54′32′′N, long 

124°38′07′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, La Push’s 

population was 371. The gender composition was 57.1% 

male and 42.9% female. The median age of 27.5 was 

significantly lower than the national median age of 35.3. 

Of the population age 18 years and older, 52.9% had a 

high school education (including equivalency) or higher, 

4.2% had received a bachelor’s degree or higher, and 

1.7% had attained a graduate or professional degree. 

These figures are well below the national averages of 

79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8%, respectively.

The vast majority of La Push’s racial structure 

recorded by the 2000 U.S. Census was American Indian 

and Alaska Native (83%), followed by white (9.3%), 

people who identified as two or more races (5.2%), 

people who identified as another race (1.6%), and black 

(0.8%). Ethnicity data indicate that 5.2% identified as 

Hispanic. In 2000 3.8% were foreign-born, with 42.9% 

from Mexico, 35.8% from Canada, and 21.4% from 

Australia.

History

The area of La Push has always been the center of 

activities for the traditional land of the Quileute Tribe, 

which extends throughout some 850 square miles of 

drainage basins in the treaty ceded area. The marine 

usual and accustomed area (U&A) extends from Ozette 

to the Quinault River and west at least 40 miles.1

 

According to their creation story, the Quileute “were 

changed from wolves by a wandering Transformer” and 

their “only kindred, the Chimakum Tribe, were washed 

away by flood and deposited near present-day Port 

Townsend,” eventually to be wiped out by the Suquamish 

Tribe in the 1860s. Historically the Quileute fished as 

well as hunted seals and whales, whaling in red cedar 

canoes as far as southeast Alaska and California.2

 On 

land they also hunted for a variety of large and small 

game. The Quileute were considered by many as 

50 40 30 20 10 0 10 20 30 40

Number of inhabitants

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure

Male Female

2000 Racial structure

Black

0.8%

White

9.3%

Other

1.6%

Two or more races

5.2%

Native

83%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Hispanic

5.2%

Non-Hispanic

94.8%
142

“second only to the Makah as whalers, and first among 

all the tribes as sealers.”3

European traders first made contact with the 

Quileute as early as the 1700s. The Quileute’s first 

official contact with Americans occurred during the 

signing of the Treaty of Quinault River in 1855 

(including the Quinault and Hoh tribes) with the 

members of the Washington Territory Governor Isaac 

Stevens’ staff representing the United States. In 1856 a 

delegation of Quileute and a number of new signatories 

as well as original ones signed the Treaty of Olympia, 

which reauthorized the original treaty and included some 

omitted parties. In both treaties signatories ceded most 

of their land to the United States (except for 

reservations).4

 Although the treaties would have moved 

the Quileute onto a reservation, they were not forced to 

leave because of the remoteness of their traditional land 

and lack of pressure to settle that area.5 Schoolteacher A. 

W. Smith arrived in the village in 1882, assembled a 

school, and renamed Quileutes with names derived from 

the Bible, American history, and by anglicizing Quileute 

names.6

In 1889 a one square mile reservation was arranged 

at La Push by an Executive Order of President Grover 

Cleveland. At that time there were 252 persons 

inhabiting the reservation. In the same year all of the 

houses in the village were completely burned by a settler 

who was attempting to lay claim to the land. In 1893 a 

separate reservation was allotted for the 71 members of 

the Hoh River band of Quileutes. Through the treaties 

the Quileutes maintained the right to gather, hunt, and 

fish in their “usual and accustomed places” and to hunt 

and gather in “open and unclaimed lands” within the 

lands ceded under the treaty.

The name “La Push” originates from the use of the 

Chinook word for “river mouth” by traders, a distortion 

of the French “la bouche.” The 1936 Constitution and 

By-Laws of the Quileute Tribe and the 1937 Corporate 

Charter, issued by the Secretary of Interior, asserted the 

tribe’s sovereignty. During World War II the area was 

part of the 13th Naval District’s Coastal Lookout System 

with sites on James Island and in La Push. In 1997 

evidence of earlier habitation of the village was found 

from an archeological exploration.7

Presently La Push contains the Quileute 

Headquarters, a K-12 school, a seafood firm, oceanfront 

resorts, a fish hatchery, a marina, a general store, a 

recreational vehicle park, a post office, and additional 

amenities.8 The Quileute Reservation covers 594 acres 

and is situated on the south bank of the Quillayute River 

and the Pacific Ocean.9, 10 The reservation also includes 

James Island and small islands between it and the 

mainland that are connected at lowest tides, and the entire

2000 Employment structure

Unemployed

16.1%

Not in labor force

41.4%

Employed

42.6%

 width of the river bottom insofar as it is adjacent to the 

reservation.11

Infrastructure

Current Economy

At the time of the 2000 U.S. Census, 42.6% of La 

Push’s potential labor force 16 years of age and older 

were employed, 16.1% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 27.4% (calculated by dividing 

the unemployed population by the labor force). In 

addition, 41.4% were not in the labor force, compared to 

the national average of 36.1%. The largest employment 

sectors in La Push were the local, state, or federal 

governments (54.7%), educational, health, and social 

services (23.6%), public administration (17.9%), arts, 

entertainment, and recreation (9.4%), and food services 

and accommodations and manufacturing (7.5%). Natural 

resource jobs including agriculture, forestry, fishing, and 

hunting employed 12.3%, but this percentage may be 

artificially low given that many fishermen are selfemployed and are underrepresented in these data.

The per capita income in 1999 was $9,589 and the 

median household income was $21,750. In 1999 34.5% 

lived below the poverty level, almost three times higher 

than the national average of 12.4%. In 2000 there were 

128 housing units in La Push, with 87.1% owner 

occupied and 12.9% renter occupied. The housing unit 

vacancy rate was 9.4%. In La Push only the housing 

structures are owned by tribal members; the land is held 

in trust.12

Governance

La Push, home of the Quileute Tribe’s reservation, 

is governed by the Quileute Tribal Council. The council 

“exercises the powers to ... veto any sales, disposition, 
143

lease, or other encumbrance of tribal lands; advise on and 

approve appropriations; levy and collect taxes and 

license fees from nonmembers doing business on the 

reservation; enforce ordinances dealing with visitors, 

trespassers, and tribal memberships; and operate a tribal 

court and to maintain law and order.”13

The nearest National Marine Fisheries Service 

Regional Office and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 

Services office are in Seattle. The nearest Washington 

Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Regional 

Office is in Montesano, 134 miles southeast. Meetings of 

the Pacific Fishery Management and North Pacific 

Fishery Management councils are routinely in the 

Seattle-Tacoma area. The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) 

Station Quillayute River is in La Push.

Facilities

La Push is accessible by ground and sea. La Push is 

located off U.S. Highway 101 via Washington Highway 

110. The La Push Harbor is the home of the La Push 

fleet, nontribal commercial and recreational vessels, and 

the USCG. The harbor provides vessel moorage, a fuel 

dock, and a waste water pump. The William R. Fairchild 

International Airport in Port Angeles, 69 miles east, is the 

nearest public airport.14 The Seattle-Tacoma 

International Airport is the nearest major U.S. facility.

The Quileute Tribal School in La Push covers 

grades K-12. The tribe operates water, waste water, and 

sanitation services.15 The La Push Police Department 

and volunteer fire department administer public safety. 

The Quileute Tribal Clinic provides primary medical and 

dental care, behavioral health services, and family and 

addiction counseling and support.16 There are several 

oceanfront resorts situated in La Push.

The Quileute Tribe utilizes the WDFW’s Sol Duc 

Hatchery in Beaver, the Bogachiel Hatchery in Forks, 

and the Quileutes’ Lonesome Creek Hatchery in La Push 

to reach population recovery goals for local salmon 

runs.17, 18 The tribe, working under a cooperative 

agreement with the WDFW’s hatcheries, strives to 

enhance wild summer run Chinook salmon and winter 

steelhead populations.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 44 vessels, including 32 commercial and 12 

tribal, delivered landings in La Push. Landings were in 

the following West Coast fisheries (data shown represent 

landings in metric tons/value of said landings/number of 

vessels landing): crab 334 t/$1,594,592/31; groundfish 

229 t/$751,982/29; highly migratory species 21 t/

$38,644/5; salmon 78 t/$137,025/13; and other species 

confidential/confidential/1.

La Push residents owned three vessels in 2000, 

including one vessel that participated in the federally 

managed groundfish fishery. The number of vessels 

owned by La Push residents that participated in each said 

fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: groundfish 1/0/NA, 

highly migratory species NA/0/NA, salmon 1/1/0, 

shellfish NA/0/NA, shrimp NA/0/0, and other species 1/

0/0.19

Federal fishing permits are held by nontribal 

persons, because tribal treaty fishing does not require 

permits. Tribal members do, however, purchase state 

crab and salmon permits.20 One nontribal community 

member held one federal groundfish fishery permit. The 

number of La Push residents holding permits in each said 

fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 2/0/0, highly 

migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 1/1/0, shellfish 0/0/

NA, and other species 1/0/0.21

La Push residents held at least six state commercial 

fishing permits in 2000. The number of permits held by 

community members in each said fishery by state (WA/

OR/CA) was: crab 3/0/0, highly migratory species NA/0/

0, salmon 1/1/0, shellfish 0/0/NA, and other species 1/0/

0.22

At least one seafood company, High Tide Seafood, 

is located in La Push.

According to the 1974 Boldt Decision,23 usual and 

accustomed fishing grounds of the Quileute (and Hoh) 

before, during, and after treaty times “included the Hoh 

River from the mouth to its uppermost reaches, its 

tributary creeks, the Quillayute River and its tributary 

creeks, Dickey River, Soleduck River, Bogachiel River, 

Calawah River, Lake Dickey, Pleasant Lake, Lake 

Ozette, and the adjacent tidewater and saltwater areas.” 

It is important to note that this decision was left open for 

future subproceedings to refine and amend treaty 

interpretation on fishing methods and areas, and some 

70-plus decisions have been heard since the original 

one.24 Members of the tribe fish within the U&A for 

shellfish, groundfish, flatfish, rockfish, lingcod, trout, 

steelhead, salmon, sablefish, Dungeness crab, and 

halibut.25

Sportfishing

Sportfishing is gaining popularity in the La Push 

area. Today at least three charter companies operate 

there. Surf fishing also is readily available on the 

beaches of La Push. Local anglers fish for salmonids 

(Chinook salmon, coho salmon, and steelhead) and 

bottomfish (halibut, rockfish, and lingcod).26
144

In Catch Record Card Area 3 (from the Queets River 

north to Cape Alava), the 2000 sport catch, based on 

catch record cards, was 11,652 fish, including 211 

Chinook salmon, 2,298 coho salmon, and 10 pink 

salmon. In 2000 marine anglers made 2,205 trips to Area 

3. Sport fishermen caught 17 steelhead and 10,994 

coastal bottomfish.

Subsistence

Quileute Tribal members fish within their U&A for 

shellfish, groundfish, flatfish, rockfish, lingcod, trout, 

steelhead, salmon, sablefish, Dungeness crab, and 

halibut.27

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Three La Push residents held crew member licenses 

for North Pacific fisheries in 2000.

Sportfishing

One La Push resident purchased an Alaskan 

sportfishing license in 2000.

Notes

1. Field notes, Quileute Tribe, La Push, WA, 26 April 2006.

2. Quileute Natural Resources. No date. History. Online at 

http://www.quileutetribe.org/7.html [accessed 31 January 2007].

3. Indian Health Service. 2001. Quileute Tribe. Online at 

http://www2.ihs.gov/PortlandAO/about/quileute.asp [accessed 31 

January 2007].

4. See note 1.

5. Quileute Natural Resources. No date. Treaty of Olympia. 

Online at http://www.quileutetribe.org/8.html [accessed 31 January 

2007].

6. Online Highways. 2004. Quileute Tribe. Online at http://

www.ohwy.com/wa/q/quiltrib.htm [accessed 31 January 2007].

7. See note 2.

8. Forks Forum. No date. Quileute Tribe. Online at http://

www.forks-web.com/fg/quileute.htm [accessed 31 January 2007].

9. Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board. 2003. 

Quileute Tribe. Online at http://www.npaihb.org/profiles/

tribal_profiles/Washington/Quileute%20Tribal%20Profile.htm 

[accessed 31 January 2007].

10. K. Krueger, environmental attorney, Quileute Tribe, La 

Push, WA. Pers. commun., 26 April 2006.

11. See note 1.

12. See note 1.

13. See note 6.

14. See note 1.

15. See note 1.

16. See note 9 

17. Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission. 2004. Quileute 

Trib’'s Chinook spawning efforts provide more fish for all. Online at 

http://www.nwifc.wa.gov/newsinfo/newsrelease.asp?ID=266 

[accessed December 2005].

18. See note 10.

19. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

20. Field notes, Quileute Natural Resources, La Push, WA, 26 

April 2006.

21. See note 20.

22. See note 20.

23. Center for Columbia River History. No date. Boldt 

Decision. Online at http://www.ccrh.org/comm/river/legal/boldt.htm 

[accessed 31 January 2007].

24. See note 1.

25. National Marine Fisheries Service. 2004. Groundfish 

bycatch programmatic DEIS, Appendix D: Treaty tribes. Online at 

http://www.pcouncil.org/groundfish/gfbdpeis/apdxd.pdf [accessed 31 

January 2007].

26. G. Johnston, 2003. La Push boasts a new attitude and great 

fishing. Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 24 July 2003. Online at http://

seattlepi.nwsource.com/getaways/132040_lapush24.html [accessed 

31 January 2007].

27. See note 23.
145

Long Beach

People and Place

Location

Long Beach is on the Long Beach Peninsula on 

Washington’s southwestern coast. Situated in Pacific 

County, the community encompasses 1.26 square miles 

of land. The nearest major U.S. city is Portland, Oregon, 

a 112-mile drive southeast, while Seattle is a 171-mile 

drive northeast. Long Beach’s geographic coordinates 

are lat 46°21′09′′N, long 124°03′11′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Long Beach’s 

population was 1,283, with a population density of 

1,018.7 people per square mile of land. The gender 

composition was 55.2% female and 44.8% male. The 

median age of 47.4 was higher than the national median 

of 35.3. Of the population 18 years of age and older, 

80.4% had a high school education (including 

equivalency) or higher, 14.9% had received a bachelor’s 

degree or higher, and 7.4% had attained a graduate or 

professional degree; the national averages were 79.7%, 

22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The vast majority of Long Beach’s racial structure 

recorded by the 2000 U.S. Census was white (89.9%), 

followed by people who identified with two or more 

races (6.0%), people who identified with another race 

(1.6%), Asian (1.4%), American Indian and Alaska 

native (1.1%), and black (0.1%). Ethnicity data indicate 

that 4.8% identified as Hispanic. In 2000 6.2% were 

foreign-born, with 1.9% from Mexico and 0.9% from 

China and Canada. The highest percentage of those 

reporting ancestry were German (14.8%), Irish (8.7%), 

and English (7.8%).

In 2000 66.6% of Long Beach’s population lived in 

family households.

History

The area of Long Beach was first inhabited by 

Indians, primarily of the Chinook Tribe. The first 

nonnative people to come to the area were the English, 

Spanish, and French explorers seeking a “river to the 

West” or the “Northwest Passage” connecting the 

Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Some of the earliest 

explorers included Captain James Cook around 1778, 

John Meares around 1788, Captain George Vancouver in 

1792, Captain Robert Gray in 1792, and Meriwether 

Lewis and William Clark around 1805.1

100 50 0 50 100 150

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure

Male Female

2000 Racial structure 

White

89.9%

Native

1.1%

Black

0.1%

Asian

1.4%

Other

1.6%

Two or more races

6%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity 

Non-Hispanic

95.2%

Hispanic

4.8%
146

European American settlers were attracted to the 

region due to reports from the Lewis and Clark 

expedition. The first white settlers were from the 

Midwest and the East Coast, including foreign settlers 

primarily from Scandinavia; these individuals were 

drawn to the area for the lumber, land, ocean, hunting, 

and fur resources.2

 John Jacob Astor traveled through the 

area and eventually established the Pacific Fur Company 

in Astoria, Oregon, across the Columbia River from 

Long Beach and Ilwaco in 1811. Missionaries also were 

drawn to surrounding areas during the 1830s.

By 1849 the area south of Long Beach, near presentday Ilwaco, was founded by Dr. Elijah White. The 

settlement was called Pacific City and was envisioned to 

be a future port city at the mouth of the Columbia River. 

Pacific City had a county seat, post office, sawmill, and a 

fine hotel owned by J. D. Holman.3

 By 1852 Pacific City 

was overtaken by the military when President Millard 

Fillmore ordered a military reservation to be developed, 

which is now referred to as Fort Canby. During this time 

J. D. Holman established a donation land claim that 

included beach areas and he eventually developed a 

summer resort. The local school built in 1853 also was 

attributed to the Holman Family.

In 1880 Henry Harrison Tinker purchased land in 

the Long Beach area, intending to develop a resort.4 

Tinker soon attracted travelers to the area by filling 

swamp areas, naming streets, and by developing camping 

plots, cottages, and a hotel. Tinker advertised in Portland 

newspapers, which drew more visitors to the coast. The 

resort was commonly referred to as “Tinkerville” until a 

post office was established in the area; in 1887 the area 

became officially recognized as Long Beach. In the 

1890s a railroad and station was built in a small 

subdivision at the north end of Long Beach. Over the 

next several years other small towns were established 

along the coasts, attracting visitors to the area with 

similar resort atmospheres.

In the 1940s the military demand for food resources 

during World War II impacted the Long Beach 

Peninsula’s production of cranberries. Increased 

research into developing more efficient harvesting 

methods and equipment, as well as breeding hardier 

cranberries, helped meet market demand and contributed 

to some of the modern day methods for cranberry 

harvesting.5

 The area today is one of the nation’s largest 

producers of cranberries.

The Long Beach Peninsula offers may tourist 

attractions. Cape Disappointment State Park is located in 

the area of historical Fort Canby, with two lighthouses 

and several opportunities for hiking, biking, kayaking, 

fishing, beach combing, bird watching, horseback riding, 

and clam digging. Local museums include the Cranberry 

2000 Employment structure

Employed

Unemployed 48.7%

3.3%

Not in labor force

48%

Museum and the World Kite Museum. The Washington 

State International Kite Festival, held in the late summer 

every year, draws participants from all over the world. In 

late April or early May, the Blessing of the Fleet is held 

in Ilwaco in conjunction with Loyalty Day Celebrations. 

The annual Northwest Garlic Festival takes place in June 

and the Annual SandSations sand sculpture contest is 

held in July. Salmon derbies also take place throughout 

the year.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

At the time of the 2000 U.S. Census, 48.7% of Long 

Beach’s potential workforce 16 years of age and older 

were employed, 3.3% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 6.3% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

48% were not in the labor force, significantly higher than 

the national average of 36.1%. The largest employment 

sectors were accommodation and food services (21.1%), 

health care and social assistance (20.3%), local, state, and 

federal governments (17.7%), retail trade (9.5%), and the 

armed forces (1.1%). Natural resources jobs including 

agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting employed 

4.8%, but this percentage may be artificially low given 

that many fishermen are self-employed and are 

underrepresented in these data.

The per capita income in 1999 was $21,266 and the 

median household income was $23,611. In 1999 18.7% 

lived below the poverty line, higher than the national 

average of 12.4%. In 2000 there were 1,155 housing 

units in Long Beach, with 53.9% owner occupied and 

46.1% renter occupied. The housing unit vacancy rate 

was 42.9%, with 77.6% due to seasonal, recreational, or 

occasional use.
147

Governance

The City of Long Beach was incorporated in 1922 

with a mayor-council form of government, including a 

mayor and five city council members.6, 7 In addition to 

the council members, the city employs a municipal judge, 

a city attorney, and city administrator. Pacific County 

was organized in 1851 and levies a 7.8% sales tax and a 

10.8% lodging tax. See the Governance subsection 

(page 43) in the Overview section for a more detailed 

discussion of taxes affecting fisherman and processors in 

Washington.

The nearest National Marine Fisheries Service 

Regional Office is in Seattle. The nearest U.S. 

Citizenship and Immigration Services office is in 

Portland. Meetings of the Pacific Fishery Management 

and North Pacific Fishery Management councils are 

routinely held in Portland. The nearest Washington 

Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Regional 

Office is in Montesano, 73 miles northeast. The WDFW 

also maintains the Willapa Bay Field Station in Ocean 

Park, approximately 10 miles north of Long Beach. 

Long Beach is under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Coast 

Guard (USCG) Station Cape Disappointment in Ilwaco, 3 

miles south. The Cape Disappointment Station is the 

largest USCG search and rescue station on the Northwest 

Coast and it also operates the USCG National Motor 

Lifeboat School.

Facilities

Long Beach is accessible by land, air, and sea. Long 

Beach is reached via U.S. Highway 101 and Washington 

Highway 303. The Port of Ilwaco Airport, 

approximately 6 miles south, is open to the public as an 

unattended paved runway. Portland International Airport 

is the nearest major facility. There is no seaport in Long 

Beach proper; the closest boat facilities are in the Ilwaco 

Harbor.

Long Beach is in the Ocean Beach School District, 

with schools in Long Beach and Ilwaco. The Long 

Beach Elementary School houses grades K–5. The 

Hilltop Middle School in Ilwaco is for grades 6–8. The 

Ilwaco Junior High School supports grades 7–8 and 

Ilwaco Senior High School houses grades 9–12. In 

addition, there is an alternative high school in Long 

Beach. The three closest two-year colleges include 

Lower Columbia College in Longview, 69 miles 

southeast, Grays Harbor College in Aberdeen, 72 miles 

north, and Centralia College in Centralia, 116 miles 

northeast. The closest four-year college is Evergreen 

State College in Olympia (112 miles northeast).

County Public Utility District #2 administers 

electricity and supplies water and sewer services. The 

Long Beach Police and Fire departments administer 

public safety. Ocean Beach Hospital in Ilwaco is the 

nearest medical facility, with Willapa Harbor Hospital in 

South Bend, 43 miles north. There are multiple hotels, 

motels, resorts, and bed and breakfast facilities in Long 

Beach and Ilwaco, as well as various state and private 

campgrounds and recreational vehicle parks.

The Ilwaco Harbor just south of Long Beach 

supports recreational and commercial fisheries. As of 

June 2005, the harbor serviced approximately 54 

commercial fishing vessels and 610 pleasure craft, which 

includes charter vessels.8

 The harbor offers a boatyard 

with hoist services, a fuel dock, boat launches, and guest 

moorage.9

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

According to available data, no vessels delivered 

landings to Long Beach in 2000 and there were no 

processors operating in the community. Long Beach 

residents owned 21 vessels in 2000 that participated in 

West Coast fisheries, including 14 that participated in the 

federally managed groundfish fishery. The number of 

vessels owned by Long Beach residents in 2000 that 

participated in each said fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) 

was: coastal pelagic 0/1/0, crab 9/4/0, groundfish 1/0/

NA, highly migratory species NA/0/NA, salmon 4/7/1, 

shellfish NA/0/NA, shrimp NA/3/0, and other species 6/

0/0.10

One Long Beach resident held a federal groundfish 

fishery permit in 2000. The number of Long Beach 

residents holding permits in each said fishery in 2000 by 

state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/1/0, crab 11/0/

0, highly migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 2/6/1, 

shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 4/1/0, and other species 1/0/0.11

Long Beach residents held 33 permits in 2000, 

including 32 registered state permits and 1 federal permit. 

The number of permits held in each said fishery by state 

(WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/1/0, crab 18/0/0, 

highly migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 3/0/2, shellfish 

0/0/NA, shrimp 4/3/0, and other species 1/0/0.12

Sportfishing

Sport fishermen in Long Beach are involved in West 

Coast and Alaskan fisheries. According to the WDFW, 

there is one licensed agent selling fishing permits in Long 

Beach. In 2003 there were 5,044 sportfishing license 

transactions valued at $70,171 in Long Beach. In 2000 

one salmon charter fishing operator serviced sport 

fishermen and tourists in the area. See the Ilwaco 
148

community profile for additional information about 

sportfishing in the area.

Subsistence

Subsistence hunting, fishing, and gathering 

activities are fundamental to the way of life of some 

coastal community members. Tribal and nontribal 

individuals participate in subsistence fishing, obtaining 

fishery resources from the waters surrounding Long 

Beach. Subsistence fishing is not discussed in great 

detail in this community profile due to the lack of 

available data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Long Beach residents owned four vessels in 2000 

that participated in North Pacific fisheries.

In 2000 Long Beach residents held nine permits, 

with two individuals holding a federal permit and six 

individuals holding a state permit (note: it is possible for 

individuals to hold more than one permit at a time). 

Residents held one groundfish License Limitation 

program permit, one halibut, two salmon, and one 

shellfish Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission 

Bering Sea and Aleutian Island permits. Community 

members held 369,552 halibut individual fishing quota 

shares.

Nine residents held crew member licenses for North 

Pacific fisheries.

Sportfishing

Long Beach residents purchased 25 sportfishing 

licenses for North Pacific fisheries in 2000.

Notes

1. Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia. 2005. Washington (state). 

Online at http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761572009_10/

Washington_(state).html#s85 [accessed 31 January 2007].

2. City of Ilwaco. 2005. Now & then. Online at http://

www.ilwacowashington.com/pages/history.html [accessed 31 January 

2007].

3. Pacific County Historical Society. 2001. Early days. Pacific 

History Museum, South Bend, WA. The So’'wester, Vol. 36(2). 

Online at http://www.pacificcohistory.org/sw2001_2.htm [accessed 

31 January 2007].

4. Pacific County Historical Society. 1989. Place names of 

Pacific County. Pacific History Museum, South Bend, WA. The 

Sou'wester, Vol. 24 (1-4) Centennial edition. Online at http://

www.pacificcohistory.org/sw1989_4.htm#19 [accessed 31 January 

2007].

5. Pacific County Historical Society. 2004. War effort calls for 

more productive, efficient cranberry picking equipment. Pacific 

History Museum, South Bend, WA. The Sou’wester, Vol. 39(1). 

Online at http://www.pacificcohistory.org/sw2004_1.htm#6 [accessed 

31 January 2007].

6. Pacific County. 2005. City of Long Beach, Washington. 

Online at http://www.co.pacific.wa.us/map%20and%20cities/

longbeach.htm [accessed 31 January 2007].

7. See note 6.

8. Field notes, Port of Ilwaco, WA, 6 June 2005.

9. Port of Ilwaco. 2005. Online at http://www.portofilwaco.com/

index.htm [accessed 31 January 2007].

10. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

11. See note 10.

12. See note 10.
149

Lopez Island

People and Place

Location

Lopez Island is among the San Juan Islands in the 

northwest corner of the state along the U.S.-Canada 

border. Situated in San Juan County, the island is 15 

miles long and 8 miles wide. The nearest major U.S. city 

is Seattle, a 100-mile ferry ride and drive south, while 

Victoria, British Columbia, is a 52-mile ferry ride and 

drive northeast. Lopez Island’s geographic coordinates 

are lat 48°28′44′′N, long 122°53′30′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Lopez Island’s 

population was 2,179. The gender composition was 

50.1% male and 49.9% female. The median age of 48.9 

was higher than the national median of 35.3. In 2000 

30% were between the ages of 45 and 60. Of the 

population 18 years of age and older, 76.6% had a high 

school education (including equivalency) or higher, 

37.2% had received a bachelor’s degree or higher, and 

14.3% had attained a graduate or professional degree. 

The national averages were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% 

respectively.

The vast majority of Lopez Island’s racial structure 

record by the 2000 U.S. Census was white (95.1%), 

followed by people who identified as two or more races 

(2.2%), American Indian and Alaska Native (1.3%), 

Asian (0.8%), people who identified as another race (0.4 

%), and black (0.1%). Only one individual identified as a 

Pacific Islander. Ethnicity data indicate that 2.7% 

identified as Hispanic. In 2000 6.2% were foreign-born, 

with 19% from Canada. 

In 2000 80.4% of Lopez Island’s population lived in 

family households.

History

The earliest inhabitants of the San Juan Islands were 

primarily Indians of the Lummi and Samish nations. 

British and Spanish explorers discovered the islands in 

the eighteenth century, but white settlers did not arrive 

until the 1850s. Lopez Island was named after Lopez 

Gonzales de Haro, the Spanish captain who discovered 

the area in the late 1700s. British sailors who jumped 

ship to stake claim to the agriculturally rich land were 

among the first white settlers in the area. The sailors 

typically married native women and settled down to 

farming and fishing.1

 Beginning in the mid-to-late 

nineteenth century the island also was settled by 

200 150 100 50 0 50 100 150 200 250

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure

Male Female

2000 Racial structure

Native

1.3%

Asian

0.8%

Black

0.1%

White

95.1%

Two or more races

2.2%

Other

0.4%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Non-Hispanic

97.3%

Hispanic

2.7%
150

Scandinavian fishermen, British trappers and 

sheepherders, and Americans returning from gold 

explorations in Canada.2 The island’s gentle topography 

encouraged agriculture and, when white settlers began to 

arrive in the San Juan Islands in the 1850s, many chose to 

establish homes on Lopez Island. Historically the islands 

have been populated by hard-working farmers, 

fishermen, seafarers, and others.3

James and Amelia Davis were the first white couple 

to settle on Lopez Island. Their land was originally 

claimed under British patent by Samuel Clark Davis, 

James’ older brother, around 1854. The land claim 

stretched from Richardson along Davis Bay almost to 

Shark Reef on the southwestern side of the island. James 

Earnest Davis, the son of James and Amelia, and his wife 

Maybell Troxell Davis built a large farmhouse in 1913. 

Family legend says it was paid for by a single successful 

season on a fish trap off the south end of the island. 

While many of James and Amelia’s children went to sea, 

James Earnest worked the fish traps during the salmon 

runs on Lopez Island. John Troxell, James Earnest’s 

brother-in-law, was the most famous of the local “fish 

trap men.” Fish traps appeared on the islands in the 

1890s and were the easiest and most popular method of 

taking salmon until they were banned by the state in 

1934.4

The waters around the San Juan Islands are 

extremely popular with boaters from the United States 

and Canada. Also because of their strategic location, the 

islands have proven attractive to smugglers transporting 

illegal aliens, drugs, wool, liquor, and other 

commodities.5 However these traditional occupations 

became less profitable in the 1970s and the tourism 

industry began to prosper in the islands. Lopez Island, 

which is relatively flat compared to the other islands, is 

popular among bicyclists. The main village, located on 

the center of the western coast, has several shops, an inn, 

and other professional services. Unlike most of the other 

islands, Lopez Island still has several working farms.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

At the time of the 2000 U.S. Census, 54.1% of the 

Lopez Island’s potential labor force 16 years of age and 

older were employed, 2.4% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 4.2% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

43.5% were not in the labor force, compared to the 

national average of 36.1%. The major employment 

sectors were education, health, and social services 

(21.7%), local, state, and federal governments (18.0%), 

construction (16.8%), and arts, entertainment, recreation, 

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

43.5%

Unemployed

2.4%

Employed

54.1%

and accommodations (16.0%). Natural resource jobs 

including agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting 

employed 3.3%, but this percentage may be artificially 

low given that many fishermen are self-employed and are 

underrepresented in these data.

The per capita income was $26,789 in 1999 and the 

median household income was $38,594. In 1999 10.2% 

lived below the poverty level. In 2000 there were 1,775 

housing units on Lopez Island, with 79.1% owner 

occupied and 20.9% renter occupied. The housing unit 

vacancy rate was 42% percent, with 91.2% vacant due to 

seasonal, recreational, or occasional use.

Governance

Friday Harbor on San Juan Island is the only 

incorporated community in San Juan County. The 

county is governed by the San Juan County Council. Six 

district council members are elected for staggered fouryear terms; Lopez Island is in District 6. San Juan 

County, including Lopez Island, levies a 7.7% sales tax 

and a 4% lodging tax. See the Governance subsection 

(page 43) in the Overview section for a more detailed 

discussion of taxes affecting fisherman and processors in 

Washington.

The nearest National Marine Fisheries Service 

Regional Office and the U.S. Citizenship and 

Immigration Services office are in Seattle. Meetings of 

the Pacific Fishery Management and North Pacific 

Fishery Management councils are routinely held in the 

Seattle-Tacoma area. The nearest Washington 

Department of Fish and Wildlife Regional Office is 85 

miles southeast in Mill Creek. Lopez Island falls within 

the U.S. Coast Guard Bellingham Station’s area of 

responsibility, which includes the San Juan Islands north 

to the Canada border and south to Admiralty Inlet. The 

station was established in 1947 and has six vessels.
151

Facilities

Lopez Island is accessible by sea and air. 

Washington State Ferries (WSF) services Lopez Island 

with more than 10 ferries arriving from Anacortes daily. 

Additionally the WSF provides numerous daily trips 

between Lopez and the other islands in San Juan County. 

Friday Harbor, the San Juan Island county seat, is located 

a half hour from Lopez Island by ferry. Friday Harbor is 

accessible by air from Anacortes and Seattle via 

Kenmore Air and San Juan Airlines. Seattle-Tacoma 

International Airport is the nearest major facility.

The Lopez Island School District provides a K–12 

education to island residents. The Lopez Children Center 

offers early learning and childcare to children 30 months 

to 6 years of age. Skagit Valley College’s San Juan 

Center in Friday Harbor on San Juan Island offers 

Associate of Arts degrees. Orcas Power and Light 

Cooperative administer electricity. The county’s Lopez 

Transfer Station is in charge of waste management. 

Groundwater provides most of the drinking water in the 

San Juan Islands, including productive sand and gravel 

aquifers on Lopez Island. The San Juan County Sheriff’s 

Department administers public safety on Lopez Island. 

The Lopez Island Medical Clinic of Island Hospital 

offers medical care.

Lopez Island boasts numerous community events 

and services. The island holds the Lopez Fourth of July 

Parade, Salmon Barbeque, and Fireworks. A new 

tradition was started in 2003, the Lopez Winter 

Celebration, with community residents gathering in the 

village with food, caroling, and the lighting of the village 

lights.

Lopez Island organizations include the Lopez Artist 

Guild, the Lopez Center for Community and the Arts, the 

Lopez Community Land Trust, the Lopez Island 

Chamber of Commerce, the Lopez Island Family 

Resource Center, the Lopez Island Historical Museum, 

Lopez Island Hospice and Home Support, the Lopez 

Island Library, the Lopez Lions Club, the Lopez Senior 

Center, and the San Juan Preservation Trust. Tourism is 

important to the Lopez Island economy; the island boasts 

4 bed and breakfasts, 12 private lodging establishments 

(i.e., cabins, cottages, etc.), 1 resort, and 3 camping 

facilities. The island is also home to 11 restaurants and 

the Lopez Island Vineyards and Winery.

Lopez Island is home to several marine facilities 

including two county docks, Hunter Bay and Mackaye 

Harbor. The island’s Marine Center, a full service 

marina featuring 100 slips, provides a service and sales 

department and a chandlery. The Lopez Islander Resort 

and Marina also offers overnight guest and restaurant 

moorage. Other marine services include Tanbark 

Marine, offering full yacht management services. 

Tanbark, located at Spencer’s Landing Marina, has 

provided mechanical, electrical, and desalination systems 

installation and services for more than 20 years.

The San Juan County Marine Resource Committee 

(MRC), a Northwest Straits Marine Conservation 

Initiative, is currently working on three projects in the 

San Juan Islands: 1) Marine Stewardship Area, 2) 

Bottomfish Recovery Program, and 3) Forage Fish 

Habitat Restoration Community. The purpose of the 

MRC is to bring a scientific and grassroots approach to 

protecting and restoring marine resources in the area. 

Serving on the MRC are representatives from the 

scientific community, local and tribal governments, and 

economic, recreational, and conservation interests.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

There were no seafood processors operating on 

Lopez Island in 2000. There were also no vessels 

making landings on Lopez Island. Lopez Island residents 

owned 11 vessels in 2000, including six that participated 

in the federally managed groundfish fishery. The number 

of vessels owned by Lopez Island residents participating 

in each said fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal 

pelagic 0/0/0, crab 2/0/1, groundfish 3/0/NA, highly 

migratory species NA/0/NA, salmon 4/0/0, shellfish NA/

0/NA, shrimp NA/0/0, and other species 4/0/0.6

Two Lopez Island residents held three federally 

managed groundfish fishery permits in 2000. The 

number of Lopez Island residents holding permits in each 

said fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 1/1/1, 

groundfish 2/0/0, highly migratory species NA/0/0, 

salmon 16/0/0, shellfish 0/0/NA, and other species 6/0/0.7

Lopez Island residents held 35 state and federal 

permits in 2000. The number of permits held by 

community members in each said fishery by state (WA/

OR/CA) was: crab 3/0/1, groundfish 5/0/0, highly 

migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 16/0/0, shellfish 0/0/

NA, and other species 7/0/0.8

Several tribal groups are active in commercial and 

subsistence fishing in waters surrounding the San Juan 

islands. Of the 28 federally recognized tribes in 

Washington State, eight of the Boldt case area tribes have 

usual and accustomed fishing areas that include part or 

all of San Juan County.9

Sportfishing

There were no charter fishing operators on Lopez 

Island in 2000. One licensed agent sold fishing permits 

on Lopez Island. In 2003 there were 1,643 sportfishing 

license transactions valued at $22,103 on Lopez Island. 
152

In Catch Record Card Area 7 (San Juan Islands) the 2000 

sport catch, based on catch record cards, was 7,178 fish 

including 4,495 Chinook salmon, 2,644 coho salmon, 21 

chum salmon, and 18 sockeye salmon. In 2000 marine 

anglers made 30,627 trips in the sport salmon fishery. 

Boat-based anglers caught 5,897 bottomfish in Puget 

Sound within Area 7. The recreational harvest of clams 

(pounds) and oysters (number) for Area 7 in 2000 was 

estimated to be 115,273 and 0 respectively; harvest 

occurred over an estimated 19,752 user trips.

Subsistence

Hunting, fishing, and gathering activities are 

fundamental to the way of life of some coastal 

community members. Today tribal members and other 

nontribal subsistence fishermen obtain fishery resources 

from the waters surrounding Lopez Island. While tribal 

and nontribal individuals participate in subsistence 

fishing, tribal catches are reserved for tribal use only. 

Subsistence fishing is not discussed in great detail in this 

community profile due to the lack of available data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Lopez Island residents owned eight vessels in 2000 

that were involved in North Pacific fisheries. 

Community members landed fish in the following North 

Pacific fisheries (data represent landings in metric tons/

value of said landings/number of vessels landing): other 

finfish confidential/confidential/1, Gulf of Alaska (GOA) 

groundfish confidential/confidential/1, and salmon 352 t/

$273,000/4.

Lopez Island residents held nine state and federal 

permits in 2000, including five individuals who held state 

permits and two individuals who held federal permits 

(note: it is possible for individuals to hold more than one 

permit at a time). Community members held two 

groundfish License Limitation Program permits. Lopez 

Island residents held one GOA groundfish, one Bering 

Sea and Aleutian Islands, and four salmon Commercial 

Fisheries Entry Commission permits in 2000. Lopez 

Island residents did not participate in the halibut or 

sablefish individual fishing quota system in 2000.

Lopez Island residents held 21 crew member 

permits for North Pacific fisheries in 2000.

Sportfishing

Even though the majority of the charter boats 

generally target West Coast fisheries, Lopez Island 

residents purchased 26 Alaska sportfishing licenses in 

2000.

Notes

1. Kulshan.com. No date. Lopez Island Historical Museum. 

Online at http://sanjuanislands.kulshan.com/Washington/San_Juan/

Lopez_Village/Attractions/Lopez_Island_Historical_Museum.htm 

[accessed 31 January 2007].

2. LopezIsland.net. No date. The history of the San Juan 

Islands. Online at http://www.lopezisland.net/history-lopez.asp 

[accessed 21 January 2007].

3. San Juans Island Guide. No date. Lopez Island history. 

Online at http://www.sanjuanislandsguide.com/history/lopez.htm 

[accessed 31 January 2007].

4. Lopez Island Historical Society and Museum. 2004. James 

Davis home. Online at http://www.rockisland.com/~lopezmuseum/

homes/davis.html [accessed 30 January 2007].

5. See note 2.

6. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

7. See note 6.

8. See note 6.

9. San Juan Islander. 2005. Minutes from the November 21, 

2001 meeting. Online at http://www.sanjuanislander.com/county/mrc/

11-21-01.html [accessed 30 January 2007].
153

Mount Vernon

People and Place

Location

Mount Vernon is on the Skagit River in the northern 

Puget Sound region. Situated in Skagit County, the city 

encompasses 11.1 square miles of land and 0.3 square 

miles of surface water. The nearest major U.S. city is 

Seattle, a 60-mile drive south. Mount Vernon’s 

geographic coordinates are lat 48°25′17′′N, long 

122°21′42′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Mount 

Vernon’s population was 26,232, an increase of 48.6% 

since 1990. The gender composition was 51% female 

and 49% male. The median age of 31.1 was lower than 

the national median of 35.3. The Mount Vernon 

population had an even age distribution. Of the 

population 18 years of age and older, 75.7% had a high 

school education (including equivalency) or higher, 16% 

had received a bachelor’s degree or higher, and 5.4% had 

attained a graduate or professional degree. These figures 

are slightly lower than the national averages of 79.7%, 

22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The vast majority of the Mount Vernon’s racial 

structure recorded by the 2000 U.S. Census was white 

(75.4%), followed by people who identified as another 

race (17.1%), people who identified as two or more races 

(2.9%), Asian (2.6%), American Indian and Alaska 

Native (1%), black (0.7%), and Pacific Islanders (0.2%). 

Ethnicity data indicate that 25.1% identified as Hispanic. 

In 2000 19.5% were foreign-born, with 70.9% from 

Mexico.

In 2000 approximately 82% of Mount Vernon’s 

population lived in family households.

History

The Mount Vernon area has been home to native 

peoples for millennia. Members of the Upper Skagit 

Tribe, comprised of 11 bands of Native Americans, 

traditionally occupied lands between Mount Vernon and 

Newhalem. Three additional tribes—Swinomish, 

Samish, and Sauk-Suiattle—living in the area now 

known as Skagit County were signatories to the 1855 

Point Elliot Treaty. The treaty gave Western Washington 

tribes the right to self-governance and set aside several 

reservations. Members of the remaining three tribes were 

forced to move onto the Lummi, Tulalip, or Swinomish 

reservations. Many Upper Skagit and Sauk-Suiattle 

2,500 2,000 1,500 1,000 500 0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure 

White

75.4%

Pacific Islander

0.2%

Asian

2.6%

Native

1%

Black

0.7%

Other

17.1%

Two or more races

2.9%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity 

Non-Hispanic

74.9%

Hispanic

25.1%
154

tribal members, accustomed to riverine lifestyles, held 

their ground and refused to move onto the reservations. 

Today many members of the Upper Skagit Tribe live on 

an 84-acre reservation located in central Skagit County 

along the Skagit River.1

 The U.S. Census showed 238 

individuals living on the reservation in 2000.

In the 1700s Spanish, British, and Russian explorers 

and fur traders were the first non-Indians to enter the 

Skagit region. The first white settlers were primarily 

homesteaders, who arrived in the area in the mid-1850s. 

In 1877 Harrison Clothier and Edward English founded 

Mount Vernon.2

 Also in the 1870s the commercial 

salmon and cod fishing industries began in Skagit 

County, primarily around Anacortes and La Conner. The 

associated industries of canning and packing were 

established shortly thereafter. Skagit County was created 

in 1883 from the southern portion Whatcom County and 

Mount Vernon, incorporated in 1890, now serves as the 

county seat. Skagit County derived its name from the 

Indian tribe that lived along the river known by the same 

name, the largest watershed in the north Cascades.

The county remained a rural area well into the 

twentieth century, with pockets of light industry in 

Mount Vernon and other towns.3

 Farming became 

increasingly popular in the area during the early 1900s. 

In 1940 S. A. Moffet, the second vegetable freezing 

company in the nation, built a freezing plant in Mount 

Vernon. Farming has continued to remain an important 

aspect of the local economy, although the number of 

farms has declined by 12% since 1987.4 The Mount 

Vernon area also has been popular among local and 

traveling artists. In 1926 the historic Lincoln Theatre 

opened and due to the efforts of the community-based 

Lincoln Theatre Center Foundation, the theatre has been 

restored and continues to serve Mount Vernon residents 

as a local performing arts center.5 The past two decades 

have seen an increase in telecommunication and 

technology businesses in the area. The most popular 

event in the area is the Annual Skagit Valley Tulip 

Festival in the first two weeks of April. Today Mount 

Vernon, with its medical, educational, and professional 

services, serves as a hub for Skagit County residents.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

At the time of the 2000 U.S. Census, 60.2% of 

Mount Vernon’s potential labor force 16 years of age and 

older were employed, 5% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 7.6% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

34.8% were not in the labor force in 2000, compared to 

the national average of 36.1%. The major employment 

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

34.8%

Employed

60.2%

Unemployed

5%

sectors were sales and office occupations (26.1%), 

management, professional, and related occupations 

(25.4%), and local, state, and federal governments 

(13.9%). Natural resource jobs including agriculture, 

forestry, fishing, and hunting employed 7%, but this 

percentage may be artificially low given that many 

fishermen are self-employed and are underrepresented in 

these data.

The per capita income was $17,041 in 1999 and the 

median household income was $37,999. In 1999 15.9% 

lived below the poverty level. In 2000 there were 9,686 

housing units in Mount Vernon, with 57.3% owner 

occupied and 42.7% renter occupied. Of the housing 

units, 4.2% were vacant, with 8% vacant due to seasonal, 

recreational, or occasional use.

Governance

The City of Mount Vernon was incorporated in 1893 

and has a council-mayor form of government. The 

mayor is elected for a four-year term. Seven members 

serve on the Mount Vernon City Council. Skagit County, 

including Mount Vernon, levies a 7.9% sales tax and a 

2% lodging tax. See the Governance subsection 

(page 43) in the Overview section for a more detailed 

discussion of taxes affecting fisherman and processors in 

Washington.

The nearest National Marine Fisheries Service 

Regional Office and the U.S. Citizenship and 

Immigration Services office are in Seattle. Meetings of 

the Pacific Fishery Management and North Pacific 

Fishery Management councils are routinely held in the 

Seattle-Tacoma area. The nearest Washington 

Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Regional 

Office is 45 miles south in Mill Creek. A small WDFW 

field office is in La Conner. Mount Vernon falls within 

the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Station Bellingham’s area 

of responsibility, which includes the San Juan Islands 
155

north to the Canada border and south to Admiralty Inlet. 

The station was established in 1947 and has six vessels.

Facilities

Mount Vernon, accessible by ground and air, is on 

the Interstate 5 corridor (north-south). U.S. Highway 20, 

about 5 miles north of Mount Vernon, runs east-west 

through Skagit County connecting most of the county’s 

major cities. A Greyhound bus terminal is in Mount 

Vernon. Skagit Transit provides public transportation 

between Mount Vernon and La Conner, Burlington, 

Sedro-Woolley, Anacortes, and upriver through 

Concrete. Washington State Ferries runs from 

Anacortes, 20 miles west, to the San Juan Islands and 

Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Amtrak’s Cascade 

Corridor Service, which stops in Mount Vernon, provides 

national and international railroad service. The Skagit 

Regional Airport, 5 miles north in Burlington, is 

available for public use, but the nearest airport certified 

for commercial carriers is 30 miles north in Bellingham. 

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is the nearest major 

facility.

The Mount Vernon School District has six public 

elementary schools, two middle schools, and one high 

school. The city also offers several alternative schools 

including Montessori, Headstart, and Christian schools. 

Skagit Valley College in Mount Vernon has an 

enrollment of more than 3,400. Western Washington 

University in Bellingham is the nearest four-year college.

Puget Sound Energy administers electricity service 

and Cascade Natural Gas service is available to the 

residents of Skagit County. The Public Utility District 

No. 1, based in Mount Vernon, supplies drinking water. 

The city’s Department of Public Works provides 

wastewater services. The Mount Vernon Police and Fire 

departments administer public safety. The Skagit Valley 

Hospital in Mount Vernon offers a full range of inpatient 

and outpatient services.

The City of Mount Vernon has several community 

services and organizations including: the Mount Vernon 

City Library, a senior center, a symphony orchestra and 

historic theatre, and art galleries. Additionally the city 

holds several yearly festivals including the Skagit Valley 

Tulip Festival and the Highland Games and Scottish 

Faire. The tourism industry in Mount Vernon is well 

developed with more than 10 hotels.

Located on the Skagit River, Mount Vernon is home 

to several marine facilities. A dry stack marina is located 

about 10 miles west of Mount Vernon on the north end of 

the Swinomish Channel. The marina provides dry, 

protected, and secure storage for recreational boats up to 

35 feet in length. Most charter companies in the area are 

located on the water in Anacortes and La Conner; 

however a few charter guides offering fishing excursions 

on Puget Sound and the Skagit River are located in 

Mount Vernon. Sea Hawk Salmon Charters, offering 

salmon and bottomfish trips from February to late 

November, is one of the few saltwater charter companies 

in Mount Vernon. Founded in 1991, the company fishes 

for salmon and bottomfish in the San Juan Islands.6

 

There are several marine supply stores located in Mount 

Vernon that cater to recreational fishermen such as 

Checkered Flag Marine and Master Marine Services Inc.

The Skagit County marine resource committee 

(MRC), a Northwest Straits Marine Conservation 

Initiative, alternates monthly meetings between 

Anacortes and Mount Vernon. The purpose of the MRC 

is to bring a scientific and grassroots approach to 

protecting and restoring marine resources in the area. 

Serving on the MRC are representatives from the 

scientific community, local and tribal governments, and 

economic, recreational, and conservation interests. Two 

additional Mount Vernon-based organizations—the 

Skagit Land Trust and the Skagit Fisheries Enhancement 

Group—are active in environmental conservation in the 

area.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

No West Coast landings were made in Mount 

Vernon in 2000, nor were any processors based in the 

community. Mount Vernon residents owned 33 vessels, 

including 15 that participated in the federally managed 

groundfish fishery. The number of vessels owned by 

Mount Vernon residents in 2000 that participated in each 

said fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 

0/0/1, crab 8/0/0, groundfish 6/0/NA, highly migratory 

species NA/0/NA, salmon 15/1/0, shellfish NA/0/NA, 

shrimp NA/0/0, and other species 8/0/0.7

Three Mount Vernon residents held three federal 

groundfish fishery permits in 2000. The number of 

Mount Vernon residents holding permits in each said 

fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 1/0/9, 

crab 7/0/0, groundfish 1/0/0, highly migratory species 

NA/0/0, salmon 25/1/0, shellfish 0/0/NA, and shrimp 3/0/

0.8

Mount Vernon residents held 65 state and federal 

permits in 2000. The number of permits held by 

community members in each said fishery by state (WA/

OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 1/0/17, crab 10/0/0, 

groundfish 5/0/0, highly migratory species NA/0/0, 

salmon 26/0/0, shellfish 0/0/NA, and shrimp 3/0/0.9

According to the Boldt Decision,10 the usual and 

accustomed fishing areas of the Upper Skagit Tribe 
156

extend from near Mount Vernon upstream to Gorge Dam. 

The extent to which members of the Upper Skagit Tribal 

are engaged in commercial fishing in the Skagit River 

near Mount Vernon is not discussed in this community 

profile due to the lack of available data.

Sportfishing

In 2000 there was at least one salmonid charter 

fishing operator located in Mount Vernon. In 2003 at 

least one salmonid and one nonsalmonid charter business 

operated out of the community. There were at least two 

licensed agents selling fishing permits in Mount Vernon. 

In Mount Vernon in 2003 there were 9,004 sportfishing 

license transactions valued at $160,303. In Catch Record 

Card Area 8-1 (Deception Pass, Hope Island, and Skagit 

Bay) the 2000 sport catch, based on catch record cards, 

was 2,105 fish including 969 Chinook salmon and 1,136 

coho salmon. Marine anglers made 7,772 trips in the 

sport salmon fishery. Boat-based anglers in Puget Sound 

within Catch Record Card areas 8-1 and 8-2 (Ports Susan 

and Gardner) caught 1,449 bottomfish. The recreational 

harvest of clams (pounds) and oysters (number) for Area 

8-1 in 2000 was estimated to be 113,325 and 0 

respectively; harvest occurred over an estimated 18,847 

user trips.

Subsistence

Subsistence hunting, fishing, and gathering 

activities are fundamental to the way of life of some 

coastal community members. Tribal and nontribal 

individuals participate in subsistence fishing. Today 

members of the Swinomish Tribe and other nontribal 

subsistence fishermen obtain fishery resources from 

waters near Mount Vernon. Subsistence fishing is not 

discussed in great detail in this community profile due to 

the lack of available data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Mount Vernon residents owned 61 vessels that were 

involved in North Pacific fisheries in 2000. Community 

members landed fish in the following North Pacific 

fisheries (data shown represent landings in metric tons/

value of said landings/number of vessels landing): other 

finfish confidential/confidential/1, Gulf of Alaska (GOA) 

groundfish confidential/confidential/1, halibut 

confidential/confidential/1, herring 198 t/$68,630/5, and 

salmon 2,732 t/$2,244,300/42.

In 2000 Mount Vernon residents held 84 state and 

federal permits in 2000, including 60 individuals who 

held state permits and 14 individuals who held federal 

permits (note: it is possible for individuals to hold more 

than one permit at a time). Mount Vernon residents held 

three groundfish License Limitation Program permits. In 

2000 Mount Vernon residents held 12 crab, 16 Bering 

Sea Aleutian Islands groundfish, 11 halibut, 18 herring, 

55 salmon, and 2 shellfish Commercial Fisheries Entry 

Commission permits. Community members held 

368,514 halibut and 311,640 sablefish individual fishing 

quota shares.

Mount Vernon residents held 95 crew member 

licenses for North Pacific fisheries in 2000.

Sportfishing

Mount Vernon residents purchased 203 Alaska 

sportfishing licenses in 2000. There was at least one 

North Pacific sportfishing business operating in Mount 

Vernon.

Notes

1. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. No date. 

Administration for children and families: Demographic information. 

Online at http://www.nccic.org/tribal/effective/upperskagit/

braidingccdf.html [accessed 31 January 2007].

2. Skagit River Journal. No date. Mount Vernon record. Online 

at http://www.stumpranchonline.com/skagitjournal/SkagitCtyRiv/

Library/County/MVRecord18971007.html [accessed 31 January 

2007].

3. HistoryLink. 2004. Skagit County: Thumbnail history. 

Online at http://www.historylink.org/essays/output.cfm?file_id=5663 

[accessed 31 January 2007].

4. See note 3.

5. HistoryLink. 2004. Mount Vernon’s Lincoln Theatre opens 

in April 1926. Online at http://www.historylink.org/essays/

output.cfm?file_id=5168 [accessed 31 January 2007].

6. Field notes, Sea Hawk Salmon Charters, Mount Vernon, WA, 

4 October 2004.

7. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

8. See note 7.

9. See note 7.

10. Center for Columbia River History. No date. Boldt 

Decision. Online at http://www.ccrh.org/comm/river/legal/boldt.htm 

[accessed 31 January 2007].
157

Naselle

People and Place

Location

Naselle is in southwestern Washington at the 

confluence of the Naselle River and its south fork, 

midway between Willapa Bay to the north and the 

Columbia River to the south. Located in Pacific County, 

the community occupies 2.3 square miles of land. The 

nearest major U.S. city is Portland, Oregon, a 105-mile 

drive southeast, while Seattle is a 160-mile drive 

northeast. Naselle’s geographic coordinates are lat 

46°21′56′′N, long 123°48′34′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Naselle’s 

population was 377. Because Naselle was not recognized 

as a place on the 1990 U.S. Census, data indicating 

patterns of demographic evolution were not available. In 

2000 the gender composition was 51.2% female and 

48.8% male. The median age of 44.1 was almost 9 years 

older than the national median of 35.3. Naselle had an 

older population, with only 9.2% of its residents falling 

between the ages of 18 and 29, compared to 16.5% 

nationally. Of the population 18 years of age and older, 

82.8% had a high school education (including 

equivalency) or higher, 15.1% had earned a bachelor’s 

degree or higher, and 5% had attained a graduate or 

professional degree. The national averages were 79.7%, 

22.3%, and 7.8% respectively. The highest level of 

educational attainment for 34.4% of residents was a high 

school degree.

The vast majority of Naselle’s racial structure 

recorded by the 2000 U.S. Census was white (92.6%), 

followed by people who identified themselves as two or 

more races (4.5%), American Indian or Alaskan Native 

(2.1%), Asian (0.5%), and black (0.3%). Ethnicity data 

indicate that 0.5% identified as Hispanic. In 2000 4.2% 

were foreign-born, with 33.3% from Canada, 20% from 

Japan, 20% from northern Europe, and 13.3% from the 

Philippines and Mexico. In 2000 77.6% reported their 

ancestry, with 25.8% Finnish, 7.8% German, and 6.1% 

Irish. These data are consistent with historical sources 

that document the presence of a large and thriving 

Finnish community in Naselle.

Naselle’s population in 2000 lived in 160 

households, with 84.1% of residents living in family 

households.

30 20 10 0 10 20 30

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure 

White

92.6%

Two or more races

4.5%

Black

0.3%

Asian

0.5%

Native

2.1%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity 

Non-Hispanic

99.5%

Hispanic

0.5%
158

History

The community of Naselle derives its name from the 

Nisal band of Chinook Indians who dominated the area 

prior to European American settlement. The Chinook 

Indians were historically a group of linguistically related 

peoples whose territory included the lower Columbia 

River in Washington and Oregon and much of the area 

surrounding Willapa Bay.1

 These native groups 

depended heavily on fishing and coastal resources and 

developed extensive trade networks within the region. In 

the local Chinook dialect, Nisal meant “protected, 

sheltered, or hidden.” White settlers entered the area in 

the early 1850s and experimented with several variations 

on the original native name before permanently adopting 

the contemporary spelling in 1920.2

Naselle is unique among Pacific County towns 

because of its large population of Finnish immigrants and 

their descendants. In its early history the community 

became a popular destination for Finnish settlers who 

sought a forested landscape and employment similar to 

that in their native country. Many older residents 

continue to speak now-archaic dialects of Finnish and the 

community hosts a Finnish American Folk Festival that 

attracts more than 1,200 visitors biennially.

Throughout its history Naselle has remained a 

community rooted in three main industries: logging, 

farming, and fishing. Before the development of the 

local logging industry, many Finnish settlers worked in 

lumber mills in Astoria, Oregon, until they had earned 

enough to buy farmland in the Naselle vicinity.3 

Weyerhaeuser operated a mill in Naselle until 1980, and 

today numerous smaller logging and construction 

companies are based in the area. Commercial and sport 

fishermen from Naselle have long been active in salmon 

gillnetting on Willapa Bay, and following the collapse of 

the local salmon industry, many Naselle fishermen now 

travel seasonally to Alaska. The Naselle Hatchery, 

which produces large numbers of Chinook salmon and 

coho salmon for Willapa Bay, also makes the community 

central to the regional fishing industry. Until the 

construction of the Astoria-Megler Bridge in 1966, 

Naselle remained relatively isolated, with the Naselle and 

Columbia rivers serving as main transportation corridors 

through the region. Today many travelers headed for the 

Pacific coast pass through Naselle, and the community 

attracts some tourists interested its Finnish history and 

cultural heritage.

2000 Employment structure

Unemployed

4.3%

Employed

44.7%

Not in labor force

51%

Infrastructure

Current Economy

At the time of the 2000 U.S. Census, 44.7% of 

Naselle’s potential workforce 16 years of age and older 

were employed, 4.3% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 8.8% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force), which 

exceeded the national unemployment rate of 5.7%. In 

addition, 51% did not participate in the labor force, much 

higher than the national average of 36.1. The major 

employment sectors were local, state, and federal 

governments (39.3%), education, health, and social 

services (21.5%), arts, entertainment, recreation, 

accommodation, and food services (12.6%), retail and 

wholesale trade (10.4%), public administration (8.9%), 

construction (6.7%), and manufacturing (3%). Natural 

resource jobs including agriculture, forestry, fishing, and 

hunting employed 13.3%, but this percentage may be 

artificially low given that many fishermen are selfemployed and are underrepresented in these data.

The largest employer in the community is the 

Naselle Youth Camp, a juvenile detention and 

rehabilitation facility built in 1966. The youth camp 

provides jobs for 122.4 Support services for sport 

fishermen passing through Naselle to fish Willapa Bay or 

the Naselle River also provide jobs and revenue for the 

community. The Washington State Business Records 

database includes entries for several small logging and 

fisheries companies based in Naselle, some of which 

feature distinctive Finnish names. These include Monte 

Cristo Fisheries, Manke Seafoods, Blackheart Seafoods, 

Wirkkala Logging and Construction, Haataia Fishing, 

and Kipona Brothers Logging.5

The per capita income was $17,714 in 1999 and the 

median household income was $35,769. In 1999 4.7% 
159

lived below the poverty level, which was much lower 

than the national average of 12.4%. There were 184 

housing units in Naselle in 2000, with 71.9% owner 

occupied and 28.1% renter occupied. The housing unit 

vacancy rate was 13%, with 20.8% due to seasonal, 

recreational, or occasional use.

Governance

Under Washington State law an area cannot be 

incorporated as a city unless it houses a minimum of 

1,500 residents. Naselle is therefore classified as an 

unincorporated area governed by Pacific County. 

Naselle has neither a city council nor its own separate 

municipal tax structure. Naselle residents elect county 

officials, whose offices are in the county seat of South 

Bend, approximately 31 miles north along U.S. Highway 

101. Pacific County, which was organized in 1851, has a 

7.8% sales tax and a 9.8% lodging tax. See the 

Governance subsection (page 43) in the Overview 

section for a more detailed discussion of taxes affecting 

fisherman and processors in Washington.

The nearest National Marine Fisheries Service’s 

Northwest Regional Office is in Seattle. The nearest 

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office is 

Portland. Meetings of the Pacific Fishery Management 

and North Pacific Fishery Management councils are 

routinely held in Portland. The Washington Department 

of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Southwest Regional 

Office is 97 miles southeast in Vancouver. The nearest 

U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Group and Air Station is 20 

miles east in Warrenton, Oregon. The USCG operates 

the National Motor Lifeboat School (NMLB) in Ilwaco 

(22 miles).6

Facilities

Naselle is accessible via land, air, and water. 

Naselle is on Washington Highway 401, which branches 

off from the Washington Highway 4 (the Ocean Beach 

Highway) and cuts inland directly across the 

southwestern portion of the state. Astoria Regional 

Airport is the nearest airport facility certified for carrier 

operations, and the Port of Ilwaco Airport (7 miles) 

provides an unattended paved runaway that is open to the 

public. The Portland International Airport is the nearest 

major facility. There are a few small motels, 

campgrounds, and recreational vehicle parks located in 

the vicinity of Naselle, but neighboring communities of 

Ilwaco and Long Beach attract more overnight travelers. 

Public Utility District No. 2 administers electrical 

service. The Naselle Water District provides water. 

Because the community has no municipal sewer district, 

residents rely on septic tanks. The Naselle Youth Camp 

School operates a small wastewater treatment facility, 

and electricity is supplied. The Pacific County Sheriff’s 

Office and the Pacific County Fire Department #4 in 

Naselle administer public safety. Columbia Memorial 

Hospital in Astoria, Ocean Beach Hospital in Ilwaco, and 

Willapa Harbor Hospital in South Bend are the closest 

major health care facilities.

Naselle-Grays River Valley School District No. 155 

operates Naselle Elementary School (grades K–6) and 

Naselle Junior Senior High School (grades 7–12). The 

Washington Department of Social and Health Services 

also operates a local juvenile rehabilitation facility, the 

Naselle Youth Camp School (grades 9–10). This staterun facility provides traditional classes, vocational 

training, and work programs for its 107 residents. The 

Naselle-Grays River Valley School District and the 

DSHS facility serve Naselle and other small communities 

throughout southeastern Pacific County and part of 

Wahkiakum County.7

The Naselle Ramp, a public boat launch just outside 

of town, provides parking and space for small boats to 

enter the Naselle River, which flows north into Willapa 

Bay. The Naselle Hatchery, operated by WDFW, is 

responsible for producing roughly half of the Chinook 

salmon and about a third of the coho salmon in Willapa 

Bay. These fish are crucial to the area’s gillnet fishing 

industry. In 2003 the hatchery released more than 3 

million Chinook salmon and roughly 550,000 coho 

salmon smolts.8 The facility also released 50,000 

steelhead. In past years the hatchery has produced as 

many as 6.5 million young fish.9

 This facility reportedly 

suffers from design flaws and lacks a weir to help collect 

returning fish, problems that have resulted in extremely 

poor return rates. Several interest groups are currently 

lobbying for additional funding to improve the hatchery, 

which is one of only three located on Willapa Bay 

tributaries. Another hatchery operated by the Naselle 

Youth Camp aquaculture program produces all of the 

rainbow trout for Pacific County’s lakes and it averages 

about 20,000 fish each year.10

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Fishermen living in Naselle are primarily involved 

in the West Coast salmon and crab fisheries. Landings 

data for Naselle were recorded as part of the Willapa Bay 

Port Group that includes the communities of Bay Center, 

Nahcotta, Tokeland, South Bend, and Raymond. 

Reported landings for this port group in 2000 were in the 

following West Coast fisheries (data shown represent 

landings in metric tons/value of said landings/number of 

vessels landing): coastal pelagic (confidential/
160

confidential/1), crab 444.9 t/$1,941,008/44; groundfish 

4.6 t/$3,889/6; salmon 122.5 t/$178,084/71; shellfish 

26.8 t/$73,534/63; shrimp 399.9 t/$397,143/8; and other 

species 13.1 t/$31,242/51. See the Tokeland, South 

Bend, and Raymond community profiles for additional 

information.

In 2000 Naselle fisherman involved in the West 

Coast fisheries owned 15 vessels, including seven that 

participated in the federally managed groundfish fishery. 

The number of vessels owned by Naselle residents that 

participated in each said fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) 

was: crab 2/1/0, groundfish 0/0/NA, highly migratory 

species NA/0/NA, salmon 5/6/0, shellfish NA/0/NA, and 

shrimp NA/0/0.11

No individuals living in Naselle in 2000 held federal 

groundfish fishery permits. In 2000 the number of 

Naselle residents holding permits in each said fishery by 

state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 0/1/0, highly migratory 

species NA/0/0, salmon 11/3/1, shellfish 0/0/NA, and 

shrimp 1/0/0.12

Naselle residents held 19 state permits in 2000. The 

number of permits held in each said fishery by state 

(WA/OR/CA) was: crab 3/0/0, highly migratory species 

NA/0/0, salmon 13/0/2, shellfish 0/0/NA, and shrimp 1/0/

0.13

Sportfishing

The boat launch located near Naselle is relatively 

small, but the facility attracts some recreational 

fishermen interested in salmon and sturgeon fishing on 

the Naselle River or less busy routes into Willapa Bay. 

According to the WDFW, there is one sportfishing 

license vendor operating in Naselle.

Catch Record Card Area 2-1 (Willapa Bay) is the 

closest area to Naselle. In Area 2-1 the 2000–2001 sport 

catch, based on catch record cards, was 870 fish, 

including 468 Chinook salmon, 354 coho salmon, and 48 

jack salmon (immature males). The total catch is down 

from 2,137 salmon recorded in the 1999–2000 season. 

The number of marine angler trips in the sport salmon 

fishery is not available. In 2000–2001 96 sturgeon were 

caught.

Subsistence

Subsistence hunting, fishing, and gathering 

activities are fundamental to the way of life of some 

coastal community members. Tribal and nontribal 

individuals participate in subsistence fishing. Today 

members of the Chinook Tribe and other nontribal 

subsistence fishermen may obtain fishery resources from 

waters near Naselle, particularly from the Naselle River, 

nearby tributaries, and Willapa Bay; however subsistence 

fishing is not discussed in great detail in this community 

profile due to the lack of available data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Naselle residents owned 14 vessels that participated 

in North Pacific fisheries in 2000. Community members 

landed fish in the following North Pacific fisheries (data 

shown represent landings in metric tons/value of said 

landings/number of vessels landing): other finfish 

confidential/confidential/1, herring confidential/

confidential/1, Gulf of Alaska (GOA) groundfish 

confidential/confidential/1, halibut confidential/

confidential/1, herring 384.8 t/78,700/6, and salmon 

243.8 t/$372,24/7.

Naselle residents held 17 North Pacific permits, 

including 3 individuals who held federal permits and 10 

individuals who held state permits (note: it is possible for 

individuals to hold more than one permit at a time). 

Naselle residents held two halibut, eight herring, and six 

salmon Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission 

permits. Naselle fishermen held 84,954 halibut and 0 

sablefish individual fishing quota shares in 2000.

Three Naselle residents held crew member licenses 

for North Pacific fisheries in 2000.

Sportfishing

Naselle residents purchased 15 Alaska sportfishing 

licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. University of Oregon. 2004. Chinook Tribes. University of 

Oregon, Dept. Linguistics, Eugene. Online at http://logos.uoregon

.edu/explore/oregon/chtribes.html [accessed 31 January 2007].

2. Tacoma Public Library. 2004. Washington State place names 

index. Online at http://search.tpl.lib.wa.us/wanames/placfulld.asp

?1-5157 [accessed 31 January 2007].

3. T. Paulu. 2002. From start to Finnish. The Daily News, 

Longview, WA. 20 July 2002. Online at http://www.tdn.com/articles/

2002/07/21/news-101790.txt [accessed 31 January 2007].

4. See note 3.

5. Washington State Department of Revenue. 2004. 

Washington State business records database. Online at http://

dor.wa.gov/content/home/BRD/default.aspx [accessed 31 January 

2007].

6. U. S. Coast Guard. 2004. Station Cape Disappointment. 

Online at http://www.uscg.mil/d13/units/gruastoria/cd.htm [accessed 

21 January 2007].

7. Naselle-Grays River Valley School District. 2004. Home 

page. Online at http://www.naselle.wednet.edu/default.html [accessed 

31 January 2007].

8. P. Drake. 2004. Partnerships may save hatchery from 

closure. The Daily Astorian, Astoria, OR, 6 April 2004. Online at 

http://www.dailyastorian.com/main.asp?SectionID=2&subsectionID 

=398&articleID=15071&Q=61945.96 [accessed 31 January 2007].
161

9. E. Apalategui. 2004. Lawmakers ensure one more year for 

hatchery. The Daily News, Longview, WA, 10 April 2004. Online at 

http://www.tdn.com/articles/2004/04/10/area_news/news03.txt 

[accessed 31 January 2007].

10. See note 8.

11. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

12. See note 11.

13. See note 11.
162

Neah Bay

People and Place

Location

Neah Bay is at the northwestern-most point of the 

contiguous United States, across the Strait of Juan de 

Fuca from Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Situated 

in Clallam County, Neah Bay is the main settlement on 

the Makah Indian Reservation. The nearest major U.S. 

city is Seattle, a 165-mile drive and ferry ride southeast. 

Neah Bay’s geographic coordinates are lat 48°22′06′′N, 

long 124°37′25′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Neah Bay’s 

population was 794, a 13.3% decrease from 916 in 1990. 

The gender composition was 55.3% male and 44.7% 

female. The median age of 28.9 was considerably lower 

than the national median age of 35.3. Of the population 

age 18 years of age and older, 77.8% had a high school 

education (including equivalency or higher), 7.1% had 

received a bachelor’s degree or higher, and 1.8% had 

attained a graduate or professional degree. These figures 

are lower than the national averages of 79.7%, 22.3%, 

and 7.8% respectively.

The vast majority of the Neah Bay’s racial structure 

recorded by the 2000 U.S. Census was American Indian 

and Alaska Native (78.2%), followed by white (14.1%), 

people who identified with two or more races (5.9%), 

people who identified with another race (1.6%), and 

black (0.1%). Ethnicity data indicate that 5.4% identified 

as Hispanic. In 2000 0.8% were foreign, with 67% from 

Canada.

According to the Makah Tribe, tribal enrollment 

was about 2,300 in 2000 and 70% of enrolled members 

lived on the reservation. Not all reservation residents 

live in the settlement at Neah Bay.

History

The Makah Tribe had an estimated precontact 

population of about 2,000–4,0001, 2 and inhabited five 

winter villages as well as many summer villages next to 

the Pacific Ocean and the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The 

Makah are most closely related to the Nuu-chah-nulth 

bands on the western side of Vancouver Island, with 

whom the tribe continues to share cultural, linguistic, and 

genealogical affinities. The tribe heavily utilizes marine 

resources, with whales (gray, humpback, and others), 

seals (especially fur seals prior to 1900, and harbor seals 

100 80 60 40 20 0 20 40 60 80

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure

Male Female

2000 Racial structure 

Native

78.2%

Black

0.1%

Other

1.6%

Two or more races

5.9%

White

14.1%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity 

Non-Hispanic

94.6%

Hispanic

5.4%
163

more recently), and marine fish such as halibut serving as 

staple foods.

Originally the tribe lived in five permanent villages: 

Diah’t and Ba’adah along the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and 

Wa’atch, Tsooyes, and Ozette on the Pacific Ocean side.3

 

The first recorded contact with European explorers from 

the Spanish sailing vessel Princesa Real occurred in 

1790, although there may have been contacts in 1775 and 

earlier. This was followed by a short-lived Spanish fort 

in Neah Bay (Nuñez Gaona) and years of regional 

struggle for power between Spanish, British, Russian, 

and later, American forces. The Makah Tribe is party to 

the 1855 Treaty of Neah Bay with the United States, 

which guarantees its right to continue hunting whale and 

seals, as well as to continue fishing and collecting 

shellfish at all “usual and accustomed grounds.”4

Smallpox epidemics decimated the population in the 

1800s, with only 654 Makahs surviving in 1861. In the 

late 1800s Makahs were extensively involved as crew in 

commercial fur seal hunting in Alaska, and later as boat 

owner/operators. This trade was very lucrative and kept 

many in the reservation population in excellent economic 

circumstances until they were prohibited from 

participating in the hunt at the turn of the century.5

 

Consolidation of the five traditional villages was forced 

in the early 1900s, when children were required to attend 

the school at Neah Bay, even if their parents lived in the 

other villages. The first road to Neah Bay was 

constructed in the 1930s, connecting the settlement, by a 

winding coastal highway subject to frequent landslides 

and washouts, with the major population and commercial 

centers of the Olympic Peninsula, including Port 

Angeles, a logging town 70 miles east. During World 

War II battle mounts were built into the ocean-facing 

cliffs west of Neah Bay. An Air Force Base (now closed) 

and U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) station brought many 

military personnel to the reservation. In 1997 a harbor 

breakwater and moorage facility was completed, 

protecting the local fishing fleet from powerful winter 

storms for the first time.

Whaling is an ancient tradition, with evidence from 

the archaeological site of Ozette village dating as far 

back as 2,000 years before the present, with whales 

consistently comprising the largest single category of 

resource remains over that time period. Although 

guaranteed by the 1855 treaty, whaling was halted in the 

1920s because of a series of external factors including an 

attempt at acculturation of the Makah by the U.S. 

government, death of tribal members due to epidemics 

and subsequent loss of traditional knowledge, and a 

decline in the population of the whales due to 

commercial whaling by non-Indians.6

 In 1995 following 

the removal of the eastern North Pacific gray whale from 

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

33.1%

Employed

50.8%

Unemployed

16%

the list of endangered species, the Makah Tribe began 

preparations to resume ceremonial and subsistence 

whaling. The Makah successfully took a single gray 

whale in May 1999, under a tremendous amount of 

attention from the media and pressure from antiwhaling 

activists. Whether another whale is taken will depend on 

the final outcome of litigation, international negotiation, 

and public policy processes.

Unlike many other tribes in the United States, the 

Makah Tribe still holds title to a substantial portion of its 

ancestral land base, engendering “a high degree of 

continuity in both place-oriented identity and subsistence 

practice.”7

 Marine resources continue to be fundamental 

to the Makah. A recent tabulation in a 2001 Makah Tribal 

Council report indicated that “as many as 70 percent of 

the Makah Tribal population depends on fishing for its 

income or subsistence.”8

Infrastructure

Current Economy

At the time of the 2000 U.S. Census, 50.8% of Neah 

Bay’s potential labor force 16 years of age and older 

were employed, 16% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 24% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). Chronic 

widespread unemployment and underemployment have 

characterized the village for years, with the tribe 

estimating it to be above 50% most of the time. In 

addition, 33.1% were not in the labor force, compared to 

the national average of 36.1%. The major employment 

sectors were local, state, and federal governments 

(60.4%), public administration (34.8%), educational, 

health, and social services (21.2%), and arts, 

entertainment, recreation, accommodation, and food 

services (8.1%). Natural resource jobs including 

agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting employed 

17.9%, but this percentage may be artificially low given 
164

that many fishermen are self-employed and are 

underrepresented in these data.

On the Makah Reservation, most of the full-time 

employment opportunities are with the Makah Tribal 

Council, which had 170 employees in 2001. Additional 

employment is available at the Indian Health Service 

Dental and Medical Clinic (22 employees) and with local 

businesses. A large percentage of the reservation 

population engages in seasonal employment, with as 

many as 300 people employed in commercial fisheries. 

Individuals also are engaged in timber harvesting, which 

is managed by the Makah Forestry Enterprise. 

Employment for a few residents is available off the 

reservation at the state prison in Clallam Bay.9

The per capita income in 1999 was $11,338 and the 

median household income was $21,635. In 1999 29.9% 

lived below the poverty level. In 2000 there were 322 

housing units in Neah Bay, with 70.9% owner occupied 

and 29.1% renter occupied. The housing unit vacancy 

rate was 12.4%.

Governance

Neah Bay and the entire Makah Indian Reservation 

is governed by the Makah Tribal Council (MTC). Neah 

Bay has no separate incorporation or status. The MTC 

consists of five members who are elected at the Makah 

General Council by all voting tribal members. The chair 

is elected by the MTC. The Makah Tribe is a selfgoverning tribe under a program initiated by the Bureau 

of Indian Affairs in 1988, which gives greater power and 

autonomy to tribal governments. The MTC determines 

tribal policy and supplies the general manager, who 

subsequently watches over the enforcement of tribal 

policy, with direction. The tribal government is made up 

of five departments: Natural Resources, Administrative 

Service, Planning, Public Safety, and Social, Health, and 

Education. “A high degree of control over physical and 

economic development on the reservation” is maintained 

by the MTC, with many enterprises chartered by the 

MTC including the Makah Forestry Enterprises, the Neah 

Bay Port Authority, the Makah Housing Authority, and 

the Makah Cultural and Research Center; and with quasienterprises that are a part of the MTC including Makah 

Fuel, Makah Bingo, Makah Marina, Makah Smoke Shop, 

and Bay’s Best Lodging.10

Treaty fish and shellfish taken by tribal members are 

not subject to state sales or use taxes, regardless of where 

the sale takes place. The tribe requires all nonresident 

motor vehicles entering the reservation to purchase a 

recreational use permit, proceeds of which are used to 

maintain trails and other tourist attractions.

The nearest National Marine Fisheries Service 

(NMFS) Regional Office and the U.S. Citizenship and 

Immigration Services office are in Seattle. Meetings of 

the Pacific Fishery Management and North Pacific 

Fishery Management councils are routinely held in the 

Seattle-Tacoma area. The nearest Washington 

Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Regional 

office is 159 miles east in Mill Creek. The U.S. Coast 

Guard Station Neah Bay is in town.

Facilities

Neah Bay is accessible by ground and sea. It is 

reachable by Washington Highway 112. The William R. 

Fairchild International Airport, 81 miles east in Port 

Angeles, is the nearest facility certified for carrier 

operations, offering international flights to Canada. The 

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is the nearest major 

U.S. facility.

Neah Bay is in the Cape Flattery School District, 

which operates the Neah Bay Elementary School (grades 

K–6) and Neah Bay Junior/Senior High School (grades 

7–12). The Clallam County Public Utility District 

administers electricity. Because of severe wind and 

storms, electricity to the reservation is usually disrupted 

several times each winter, sometimes for long periods of 

time (hours or even days). The Public Works 

Department, a department of the tribal government, 

supplies water from the Educket Creek Reservoir, two 

shallow groundwater wells, and an infiltration gallery in 

the Wa’atch River. The system serves approximately 

1,350 people. Lack of additional water capacity has led 

to a moratorium on new buildings. The Public Works 

Department also provides sewer services. Two failing 

wastewater treatment facilities were combined and 

upgraded in 1997. The Makah Police Department, which 

runs the reservation jail, and Clallam County Fire District 

No. 5 administer public safety. The tribe runs a tribal 

court system, consisting of a permanent chief judge and 

associate judges who are called in as necessary. The 

Makah Tribe’s Sophie Trettevick PHS Indian Health 

Center is in operation in Neah Bay and provides primary 

and dental health services. The tribe operates an alcohol 

and substance abuse program, a mental health program, 

and also has a community health field station.11 Forks 

Community Hospital, 41 miles southeast, is the nearest 

major hospital. The tribe’s senior center provides meals 

and other assistance to tribal elders. There are at least 

nine hotels, motels, or campgrounds available in Neah 

Bay for visitors to the area.

The Neah Bay Marina, completed in 1997, “safely 

harbors over 200 commercial and sportfishing vessels as 

well as pleasure craft.”12 The marina can moor vessels 

from 30- to 200-feet. Every slip is equipped with 

electrical service and running water; a wastewater pumpout station also is available.13 The Neah Bay harbor is 
165

shielded by a small island and a breakwater. The marina 

also hosts two emergency oil spill response boats, 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration boats, 

the state’s emergency tugboat, and serves as a base for 

aquaculture development.14 Commercial Fishing

West Coast fisheries landings in Neah Bay in 2000 

were delivered by 100 vessels, including 23 commercial, 

70 tribal, and 7 personal use vessels. Landings in the 

community were in the following West Coast fisheries 

(data shown represent landings in metric tons/value of 

said landings/number of vessels landing): crab 

confidential/confidential/2; groundfish 1,489 t/

$1,941,780/65; salmon 94 t/$204,055/65; and other 

species 62 t/$273,369/37.

Neah Bay residents owned at least 10 vessels in 

2000, including 8 that participated in the federally 

managed groundfish fishery. This number is 

questionable because of the noticeable difference 

between the number of tribal vessels delivering landings 

to the community in 2000 and because field observations 

indicate a larger participation by community members. 

According to recorded data the number of vessels owned 

by Neah Bay residents participating in each said fishery 

by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 1/0/0, 

groundfish 2/0/NA, highly migratory species NA/0/NA, 

salmon 2/0/0, shellfish NA/0/NA, shrimp NA/0/0, and 

other species 3/0/0.15

Four community members held five federal 

groundfish fishery permits in 2000. The number of Neah 

Bay residents holding permits in each said fishery by 

state (WA/OR/CA) was: groundfish 3/0/0, highly 

migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 1/0/0, shellfish 0/0/

NA, and other species 6/0/0.16

Neah Bay residents held at least 22 permits, 

including 5 federal groundfish permits and 17 state 

permits, in 2000. The number of permits held by 

residents in each said fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

groundfish 8/0/0, highly migratory species NA/0/0, 

salmon 1/0/0, shellfish 0/0/NA, and other species 8/0/0.17

No processor voluntarily reported processing 

information in Neah Bay in 2000, though at least 100 

vessels offloaded fish in the community. An offloading 

dock and processing facility operate in town, though it 

has been marked by instability and changes in ownership 

in recent years.

The MTC engages in mussel aquaculture and has 

three rafts in operation. Every 18 months approximately 

30,000 pounds of Mediterranean mussels are grown on 

the rafts, which are sold to the WDFW and Taylor 

Seafood.18 Tribal members own and participate in 

commercial dive operations for sea urchins, scallops, sea 

cucumbers, and other commercially viable shellfish 

species. Geoduck clams are present in the area, but 

commercial operations await adequate tribal stock 

assessments.

According to the Boldt Decision,19 the usual and 

accustomed (U&A) fishing grounds of the Makah Tribe 

are “located off northern Washington in U.S. waters 

north of lat 48°02′15′′N (at the Norwegian Memorial), 

east of long 125°44′00′′W, and west of long 

123°42′30′′W (at Tongue Point just east of Crescent Bay 

in the Strait of Juan de Fuca). The Makah U&A is within 

the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary in coastal 

waters” and “overlaps two of the National Wildlife 

Refuges (Flattery Rocks and Quillayute Needles) in 

northern Washington.”20 Tribal members fish 

commercially within their U&A for halibut, whiting, 

rockfish, lingcod, sablefish, flatfish, sturgeon, steelhead, 

salmon, shellfish, groundfish, and gray whales.21

Many tribal fishermen fish for salmon and steelhead 

in the Wa’atch and Tsooyes rivers with gill nets operated 

by hand or from a small skiff. The Makah Fisheries 

Department regulates fishing openings and the relative 

positions of the nets in the river. As with most tribal 

fishing, a portion of the catch is sold commercially and a 

portion is kept for subsistence purposes.

Sportfishing

Recreational fishing in the salt water near Neah Bay 

for salmon and bottomfish is among the best in the 

United States, outside of Alaska. Neah Bay is the state’s 

most important location for charter halibut fishing. In 

addition, rainbow and cutthroat trout are available in 

nearby freshwater lakes and steelhead and salmon from 

the local rivers.22 It was reported that in 1995 

approximately 85,000 visitors were brought to the Makah 

Reservation for sportfishing.23 In 2000 there were at 

least three salmonid charter fishing businesses in Neah 

Bay. Many more charter boats operate out of Neah Bay 

during the sportfishing season, although none of these are 

operated by tribal members.24 Many sport fishermen 

trailer their own boats to Neah Bay and use the public 

boat launch facilities. There are three vendors in Neah 

Bay licensed to sell fishing permits; however two of the 

vendors operate on a seasonal basis. In 2003 there were 

1,751 sportfishing license transactions made in Neah Bay 

valued at $3,409.

In Catch Record Card Area 4 (from Cape Alava 

north and inside the Strait of Juan de Fuca to the Seiku 

River) the 2000 sport catch, based on catch record cards, 

was 11,652 fish including 381 Chinook salmon, 11,258 

coho salmon, 5 chum salmon, and 8 pink salmon. 

Marine anglers made 11,114 trips in Area 4. Eight 

steelhead and 87,682 coastal bottomfish were the 

recorded catch in 2000.
166

Subsistence

Members of the tribe fish within their U&A for 

halibut, whiting, rockfish, lingcod, sablefish, flatfish, 

sturgeon, steelhead, salmon, shellfish, groundfish, and 

gray whales.25 Subsistence shellfish include clams, 

mussels, oysters, barnacles, urchins, octopus, and 

chitons. Tribal members also consume harbor seals 

incidentally caught in other fisheries, under a 

Memorandum of Understanding with NMFS. According 

to a survey conducted of Makah households in 1997–

1998, “99 percent of all households participated in 

subsistence activities, either by directly harvesting and 

consuming local resources, or by receiving them from 

other households through tribal sharing networks.”26 

From the same survey it also was determined that 

residents consumed an annual 174 pounds per capita of 

subsistence resources including fish, shellfish, marine 

mammals, terrestrial mammals, and birds. This made up 

“approximately 65% of all solid animal protein in the 

contemporary diet.”27

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

There were no vessels owned by Neah Bay residents 

in 2000 involved in North Pacific fisheries. However in 

past years, several tribal whiting boats have been 

seasonally leased to participants in Alaska fisheries. 

Fourteen Neah Bay residents held crew member licenses 

for North Pacific fisheries in 2000.

Sportfishing

Neah Bay residents purchased three Alaskan 

sportfishing licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. J. Sepez. 2003. Makah. In S. Kutler (ed.), Dictionary of 

American history, 3rd edition. Charles Scribner’s Sons, New York.

2. Makah Indian Tribe. No date. Culture. Online at http://

www.makah.com/culture.html [accessed 31 January 2007].

3. Olympic Peninsula Web Sites. No date. The Makah Nation 

on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula. Online at http://

www.northolympic.com/makah/ [accessed 31 January 2007].

4. Treaty of Neah Bay. No date. Treaty text reproduced by 

Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission. Online at http://

www.nwifc.wa.gov/tribes/documents/TreatyofNeahBay.pdf [accessed 

31 January 2007].

5. J. Sepez. 2001. Political and social ecology of contemporary 

Makah hunting, fishing, and shellfish collecting practices. Doctoral 

thesis. Univ. Washington, Seattle.

6. National Marine Fisheries Service. 2001. Environmental 

assessment on issuing a quota to the Makah Indian Tribe for a 

subsistence hunt on gray whales for the years 2001 and 2002. Draft. 

NOAA, NMFS, Silver Spring, MD. Online at http://72.14.253.104/

search?q=cache:rBIjD_HPdQ0J: purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/

LPS11633+Environmental+Assessment+on+Issuing+a+Quota+to

+the+Makah+Indian&hl= en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=3 [accessed 31 

January 2007].

7. See note 5.

8. Forest Community Research. 2002. Assessment of the 

Northwest Economic Adjustment Initiative. Sierra Institute for 

Community and Environment, Taylorsville, CA. Online at http://

www.sierrainstitute.us/neai/NEAIindex.html#Anchor-Washington 

-14210 [accessed 31 January 2007].

9. See note 8.

10. See note 8.

11. Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board. 2003. 

Makah Tribe. Online at http://www.npaihb.org/profiles/

tribal_profiles/interface.htm [accessed 31 January 2007].

12. See note 3.

13. National Marine Fisheries Service. 2004. Appendix D: 

Social, economic and historical information regarding treaty tribes. 

Groundfish bycatch draft programmatic environmental impact 

statement. National Marine Fisheries Service, Northwest Regional 

Office, Seattle, WA. (Bob Lohn, Groundfish Fishery Management 

Office, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115).

14. See note 8.

15. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

16. See note 15.

17. See note 15

18. See note 8.

19. Center for Columbia River History. No date. Boldt 

Decision. Online at http://www.ccrh.org/comm/river/legal/boldt.htm 

[accessed 31 January 2007].

20. See note 6.

21. See note 3.

22. See note 3.

23. See note 8.

24. See note 1.

25. See note 3.

26. See note 1.

27. J. Sepez. 2002. If middens could talk: Comparing ancient, 

historic, and contemporary Makah subsistence foraging patterns. 

Ninth International Conference on Hunting and Gathering Societies. 

Edinburgh, Scotland. Online at http://www.abdn.ac.uk/chags9/

1sepez.htm [accessed July 2005].
167

Olympia

People and Place

Location

Olympia is along the southernmost tip of Puget 

Sound. Situated in Thurston County, the city covers 16.7 

square miles of land and 1.8 square miles of water. The 

nearest major U.S. city is Seattle, a 60-mile drive north. 

Olympia’s geographic coordinates are lat 47°02′17′′N, 

long 122°53′58′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Olympia’s 

population was 42,514, a 25.6% increase from the 1990. 

The gender composition was 52.2% female and 47.8% 

male. The median age of 36.0 was comparable to the 

national median of 35.3. Census data indicate that 17.4% 

of the population was 14 years of age or younger and 

56.0% was between the ages of 22 and 59. In 2000 

90.4% of the population 18 years of age and older had a 

high school education (including equivalency) or higher, 

36.0% had earned a bachelor’s degree or higher, and 

12.8% had attained a graduate or professional degree, 

compared to the national averages of 79.7%, 22.3%, and 

7.8% respectively. The highest level of educational 

attainment was a high school diploma or equivalency for 

32.0%.

The vast majority of Olympia’s racial structure as 

recorded by the 2000 U.S. Census was white (85.3%), 

followed by Asian (5.8%), people who identified 

themselves with two or more races (3.8%), black (1.9%), 

people who identified with another race (1.7%), 

American Indian and Alaskan Native (1.3%), and Native 

Hawaiian and other Pacific Islanders (0.3%). Ethnicity 

data indicate that 4.4% identified as Hispanic. In 2000 

6.6% were foreign-born, with 59.8% from Asian 

countries.

In 2000 96.9% lived in family households.

History

In 1846 the first European American settlers 

claimed the site of what would become Olympia. The 

town became the county seat of the new Thurston County 

in 1852. One year later the Washington Territory was 

formed and Olympia was named as the provisional 

territorial capital. By 1853 there were approximately 996 

European American settlers in Olympia. By the mid1850s Olympia had developed around the waterfront and 

was a hub of maritime commerce.1

 Overland travel was 

difficult at the time and required struggling through 

dense forests. This resulted in waterways being the 

4,000 3,000 2,000 1,000 0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure

Male Female

2000 Racial structure 

White

85.3%

Two or more races

3.8%

Other

1.7%

Pacific Islander

0.3%

Black

1.9%

Native

1.3%

Asian

5.8%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity 

Non-Hispanic

95.6%

Hispanic

4.4%
168

primary transportation routes for the region. In 1860 

Sam Percival built the first dock in Olympia. Known as 

Percival’s dock, it quickly became the hub of a thriving 

steamboat trade that serviced the area transporting 

passengers, cargo, and mail throughout Puget Sound. 

Percival Landing Park, a public boardwalk, stands on the 

site today and offers “fabulous harbor views, extensive 

public artwork, and historical markers that detail the 

city’s maritime past.”2

The shores of Budd Inlet near modern-day Olympia 

were a prime shellfish gathering site for Coastal Salish 

tribes such as the Duwamish, Squaxin, and Nisqually. 

The Deschutes River falls may have been a permanent 

Nisqually site for the harvesting of salmon and shellfish 

for more than 500 years before the arrival of European 

American settlers.3

 The 1854 Treaty of Medicine Creek, 

signed by numerous Puget Sound tribes now known as 

“Treaty Tribes,” ceded most of Puget Sound and the 

Olympic Peninsula to the U.S. government. The 

Nisqually Tribe was left with a 5,105-acre reservation in 

what is today Pierce County. In 1917 the U.S. military 

took 3,370 acres of this reservation for the Fort Lewis 

Military Reserve. The tribe adopted a constitution in 

1946 and an elected tribal council carries out most of the 

tribe’s governmental affairs.4

 Today almost 300 

Nisqually have returned to their reservation and begun to 

reestablish their community and culture. Total 

enrollment in the tribe is more than 500. The tribe is the 

primary caretaker of fisheries on the Nisqually River and 

maintains fish hatcheries on Kalama and Clear creeks. In 

addition as a “Treaty Tribe” the Nisqually tribal members 

are entitled to half of the harvestable fisheries resources 

form their “usual and accustomed” fishing grounds as 

stated in the 1974 Boldt Decision.5

Infrastructure

Current Economy

At the time of the 2000 U.S. Census, 64.2% of 

Olympia’s potential labor force 16 years of age and older 

were employed, 3.3% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 4.9% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

32.5% were not in the labor force, compared to the 

national average of 36.1%. The major employment 

sectors were educational, health, and social services 

(23.4%), public administration (19.9%), local, state, and 

federal governments (15.1%), and retail trade (10.0%) 

Natural resources jobs including agriculture, forestry, 

fishing, and hunting employed 1.1%, but this percentage 

may be artificially low given that many fishermen are 

self-employed and are underrepresented in these data.

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

32.5%

Unemployed

3.3%

Employed

64.2%

The per capita income was $22,590 in 1999 and the 

median household income was $40,846. In 1999 12.1% 

lived below the poverty level, slightly lower than the 

national average of 12.4%. In 2000 there were 19,738 

housing units in Olympia, with 50.3% owner occupied 

and 49.7% renter occupied. The housing unit vacancy 

rate was 5.4%.

Governance

The City of Olympia, incorporated in 1859, is the 

state capitol of Washington. Olympia is a code city with 

a council-manager form of government. The council is 

comprised of an elected mayor and six at-large 

representatives; council members serve staggered fouryear terms. The council appoints a city manager to 

administer day-to-day operations and to carry out 

policies. Olympia levies an 8.4% sales and use tax rate 

and a 2% lodging tax. See the Governance subsection 

(page 43) in the Overview section for a more detailed 

discussion of taxes affecting fisherman and processors in 

Washington.

The nearest National Marine Fisheries Service 

Regional Office and the U.S. Citizenship and 

Immigration Services office are in Seattle. Meetings of 

the North Pacific Fishery Management and Pacific 

Fishery Management councils are routinely held in the 

Seattle-Tacoma area. The nearest Washington 

Department of Fish and Wildlife Regional Office is 39 

miles west in Montesano. The 13th U.S. Coast Guard 

District headquarters are in Seattle.

Facilities

Olympia is available by land, sea, and air. The city 

is at the junction of U.S. Highway 101 (north-south along 

the west side of the Puget Sound) and Interstate 5 (northsouth along the east side of the Puget Sound). The 

Olympia Airport and Aero Plaza Airport serve Olympia 
169

and Thurston County. The Seattle-Tacoma International 

Airport is the nearest major facility.

The Olympic School District offers 11 elementary 

schools, 4 middle schools, and 3 high schools. The city 

also provides a number of private schools at all grade 

levels. Olympia is home to Evergreen State College and 

the South Puget Sound Community College. Puget 

Sound Energy administers electricity services. The City 

of Olympia offers water, sewer, and garbage service, as 

well as a curbside recycling program through the Public 

Works Department. The Olympia Police and Fire 

departments administer public safety. Providence St. 

Peter Hospital and Columbia Capital are the major 

medical facilities in the city. The tourism industry is well 

developed with dozens of hotels, motels, and bed and 

breakfasts.

The Port of Olympia has a 60-acre marine terminal 

consisting of three deepwater berths, a container yard, 

and various intermodal transport facilities. The port also 

oversees the Swantown Marina and Boatworks. 

Swantown has 656 permanent moorage berths and offers 

more than 50 slips for guest moorage. As south Puget 

Sound’s premier recreational marine facility, Swantown 

Boatworks is a full-service facility with haul out and 

storage coupled with a variety of repair and retail 

services in the emerging marine business district.6

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

There were at least two seafood processors 

operating in Olympia in 2000. Oysters were the primary 

product of these processors, but specific details (landings 

in pounds/value of landings) are confidential.

There were 228 vessels that delivered landings to 

Olympia in 2000, including: 5 commercial vessels, 13 

personal-use vessels, and 209 tribal commercial vessels. 

In 2000 landings in Olympia were made in the following 

West Coast fisheries (data shown represent landings in 

metric tons/value of said landings/number of vessels 

landing): crab confidential/confidential/1; salmon 13 t/

$23,581/24; shellfish 301 t/$2,077,362/99; and other 

species confidential/confidential/2.

Olympia residents owned 32 commercial vessels in 

2000, including 10 vessels that participated in the 

federally managed groundfish fishery. The number of 

vessels owned by Olympia residents that participated in 

each said fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal 

pelagic 3/0/2, crab 23/0/0, groundfish 9/0/NA, highly 

migratory species NA/0/NA, salmon 30/2/0, shellfish 

NA/0/NA, shrimp NA/0/0, and other species 21/0/0.7

In 2000 two community members held two federal 

groundfish permits. The number of Olympia residents 

holding permits in each said fishery by state (WA/OR/

CA) was: coastal pelagic 2/0/2, groundfish 1/0/0, highly 

migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 12/2/1, shellfish 1/0/

NA, shrimp 1/0/0, and other species 14/0/0.8

Olympia residents held at least 72 commercial 

fishing permits registered in 2000, including 70 

registered state permits. The number of state permits 

held by Olympia residents in each said fishery by state 

(WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 17/0/4, groundfish 3/

0/0, highly migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 14/0/3, 

shellfish 1/0/NA, shrimp 1/0/0, and other species 27/0/0.9

Sportfishing

In 2000 at least three salmonid sportfishing charter 

businesses operated out of Olympia. There are eight 

vendors licensed to sell sportfishing permits in Olympia. 

In 2003 Olympia vendors made 9,362 sportfishing 

license transactions valued at $156,637.

In Catch Record Card Area 13 (south Puget Sound) 

the 2000–2001 sports catch, based on catch record cards, 

was 5,131 fish including 1,649 Chinook salmon, 2,226 

coho salmon, and 1,256 chum salmon. Marine anglers 

made 26,089 trips in the sport fishery. The bottomfish 

catch for Area 13 was 8,025 fish. In Area 13 the 

recreational clam harvest was estimated at 30,147 pounds 

(littleneck clams 45.6% and Manila clams 32.2%) and 

65,007 oysters in 2000; harvest occurred over an 

estimated 7,065 user trips.

Subsistence

Subsistence harvest for marine species may exist in 

the Olympia area. However, the extent of susbsistence 

harvesting is difficult to quantify due to a scarcity of 

data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Olympia residents owned 34 vessels in 2000 that 

participated in North Pacific fisheries. Community 

members landed fish in the following North Pacific 

fisheries (data shown represent landings in metric tons/

value of said landings/number of vessels landing): crab 

confidential/confidential/1, other finfish confidential/

confidential/3, Gulf of Alaska (GOA) groundfish 

confidential/confidential/3, halibut confidential/

confidential/3, salmon 841 t/$763,500/13, and crab 50 t/

$183,810/5.

In 2000 Olympia residents held 79 commercial 

fishing permits, including 36 idividuals who state permits 
170

and 20 residents who held federal permits (note: it is 

possible for individuals to hold more than one permit at a 

time). Olympia residents held 9 crab, 1 finfish, 11 

Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands groundfish, 7 halibut, 23 

salmon, and 13 shellfish Commercial Fisheries Entry 

Commission permits and 2 crab and 8 groundfish License 

Limitation Program permits. Olympia residents held 

550,844 halibut and 700,093 sablefish individual fishing 

quota shares.

Olympia residents held 78 crew member licenses for 

North Pacific fisheries in 2000.

Sportfishing

In 2000 at least one sportfishing business in 

Olympia was involved in Alaskan fisheries. Olympia 

residents purchased 844 Alaskan sportfishing licenses.

Notes

1. City of Olympia. No date. History of Olympia. Online at 

http://www.olympiaonline.com/Community/history.php [accessed 31 

January 2007].

2. City of Olympia. No date. City of Olympia’s historic places: 

Percival Landing. Online at http://www.olympiawa.gov/cityservices/

par/percivallanding/default.htm [accessed 31 January 2007].

3. See note 1.

4. Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board. 2003. 

Nisqually Tribe. Online at http://www.npaihb.org/profiles/

tribal_profiles/Washington/Nisqually%20Tribal%20Profile.htm 

[accessed 31 January 2007].

5. Online Highways. 2004. Nisqually Indian Tribe. Online at 

http://www.ohwy.com/wa/n/nisqintb.htm [accessed 31 January 2007].

6. Port of Olympia. No date. Port of Olympia. Online at http://

www.portolympia.com/home.asp [accessed 31 January 2007].

7. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

8. See note 7.

9. See note 7.
171

Port Angeles

People and Place

Location

Port Angeles, the largest city on the north Olympic 

Peninsula, is on the Strait of Juan de Fuca. In the rain 

shadow of the Olympic Mountains, Port Angeles has a 

moderate climate with approximately 25 inches of 

rainfall yearly. Ediz Hook, a 2.5-mile-long sand spit that 

curves eastward around Port Angeles, creates one of the 

deepest harbors on the West Coast. Located in Clallam 

County, the city encompasses about 10 square miles of 

land and 53 square miles of surface water. The nearest 

major U.S. city is Seattle, an 81-mile ferry ride and drive 

southwest. Port Angeles’ geographic coordinates are lat 

48°07′06′′N, long 123°25′46′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Port Angeles’ 

population was 18,397, an increase of 3.9% since 1990. 

The gender composition was 52.1% female and 47.9% 

male. The median age of 39.9 was slightly higher than 

the national median of 35.3. In 2000 48% of the 

population was between 22 and 60 years of age. Of the 

population 18 years of age and older, 83.4% had a high 

school education (including equivalency) or higher, 

16.9% had received a bachelor’s degree or higher, and 

6.7% had attained a graduate or professional degree, 

compared to the national averages of 79.7%, 22.3%, and 

7.8% respectively.

The vast majority of Port Angeles’ racial structure 

recorded by the 2000 U.S. Census was white (91.4%), 

followed by American Indian and Alaska Native (3.3%), 

people who identified with two or more races (2.8%), 

Asian (1.3 %), black (0.7%), people who identified with 

another race (0.4%), and Pacific Islander (0.2%). 

Ethnicity data indicate that 2.3% identified as Hispanic. 

In 2000 3.4% were foreign-born, with 32.5% from Asian 

countries.

In 2000 77.1% of the Port Angeles population lived 

in family households.

History

Clallam County, from the Indian word Clallam, 

meaning “strong people,” was created by the Washington 

Territorial Legislature in 1854. The City of Port Angeles 

has a long history prior to this date, when the Lower 

Elwha Klallam Tribe lived in a fishing village on what is 

now called Hollywood Beach. The city pier and 

waterfront trail can be found on the site today. Franz 

1,500 1,000 500 0 500 1,000 1,500

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure 

White

91.4%

Two or more races

2.8%

Other

0.4%

Pacific Islander

0.2%

Black

0.7%

Native

3.3%

Asian

1.3%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity 

Hispanic

2.3%

Non-Hispanic

97.7%
172

Boas, an anthropologist who studied Indian life on the 

Olympic Peninsula, estimated that in 1780 there were 

approximately 2,000 Clallam (along with their subtribes) 

in 17 villages from Discovery Bay to Clallam Bay.1 The 

mouth of Ennis Creek was also a culturally significant 

site for the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe. Y’innis, a large 

settlement located near the estuary, was home to the 

Lower Elwha Klallam Indians for thousand of years. 

“Y’innis,” which means ‘good beach,’ was one of two 

Klallam villages located in what is today Port Angeles 

harbor.”2

In 1936 approximately 30 Klallam families living on 

or near Ediz Hook were evicted by the city. Despite the 

353 acres of land in the Lower Elwha River Valley that 

were purchased and put in trust for the tribal community 

in 1937, the reservation was not established until 1968. 

After entering into a self-governance compact with the 

federal government in 1992, tribal operations have 

expanded to include a police department, court system, 

health and social services, and several natural resource 

programs including fisheries. Today the federal 

government recognizes three politically distinct bands or 

villages of the Klallam people: the Elwha, Jamestown, 

and Port Gamble (i.e., Little Boston). There are roughly 

708 members registered with the Lower Elwha Klallam 

Tribe, whose reservation, federal trust lands, and fee 

lands pending trust status comprise 609 acres located at 

the mouth of the Elwha River and the bluffs 8 miles west 

of Port Angeles.3

In 1885 the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe signed the 

Treaty of Point No Point with the United States, retaining 

its right to fish the Elwha River in perpetuity. Today the 

tribal economy is based on its commercial fishery, 

although most fishing activities are subsistence oriented.4 

Additionally, as one of three federally recognized tribes 

serving on the Point No Point Treaty Council, it is 

currently engaged in several projects to promote finfish 

and shellfish fisheries in the region and restore salmon 

habitat, particularly along the Elwha River. The Elwha 

and Glines Canyon dams, which effectively negated the 

tribe’s treaty rights by blocking fish passage to more than 

90% of the historic fish population, are scheduled to be 

removed in 2009. The federal government agreed to fund 

several projects associated with the dam removal 

including a water-treatment plant for the City of Port 

Angeles and a sewer system, fish hatchery, and levee for 

the tribe.5 The Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe maintains a 

membership with the Northwest Indian Fisheries 

Commission.

In 1791 Spanish Captain Don Francisco de Eliza 

discovered the deepwater harbor at Port Angeles. More 

than 50 years later in 1862, a customs inspector named 

Victor Smith stole the U.S. customs house from Port 

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

41.9%

Unemployed

4.7%

Employed

53.4%

Townsend and moved it to Port Angeles. Also in 1862 

President Abraham Lincoln declared Port Angeles and 

Ediz Hook military reservations. Lincoln then declared 

Port Angeles the “Second National City” in 1890 for fear 

that Washington D.C. could fall to the Confederate 

Army. As a “National City” the government could use 

money from land sales to support war efforts.6 The U.S. 

military held on to its land ownership, due to its strategic 

location at the entry to the Strait of Juan de Fuca, until it 

decided to sell plots of land in 1894.7

 Due to the lack of 

foresight, the city was built too close to the water and in 

1914 the town was flooded at high tide. Instead of 

relocating the town “a plan was devised to use seawater 

to wash dirt from a nearby hillside into a series of dams 

that would trap dirt and raise the level of the town 14 

to16 feet.”8

 Today visitors can access underground 

tunnels and storefronts that were once at street level.

The forest and fishing industries played major roles 

in the development of the area’s economy. In 1912 the 

city was home to the world’s largest sawmill and in 1920 

the Washington Pulp and Paper Company built a large 

pulp and paper mill. Today the mill is owned by 

Daishowa America. Taking advantage of the area’s 

natural deepwater harbor, the Port of Port Angeles was 

formed in 1922. However today, with major shifts in the 

fishing and timber industries, the declining salmon runs, 

and the closing of the Rayonier pulp mill in 1997, the 

City of Port Angeles is turning its economy towards 

tourism. Tourism spending on recreation in Clallam 

County increased 56% between 1991 and 2002 and the 

county generated $10.5 million in tax revenue from travel 

spending in 2002.9
173

Infrastructure

Current Economy

At the time of the 2000 U.S. Census, 53.4% of Port 

Angeles’ potential labor force 16 years of age and older 

were employed, 4.7 were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 8% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

41.9% were not in the labor force in 2000, compared to 

the national average of 36. In 2000 the major 

employment sectors were production, transportation, and 

material moving (22.5 %), local, state, and federal 

governments (20.2%), and sales and office occupations 

(19.3 %). Natural resource jobs including agriculture, 

forestry, fishing, and hunting employed 2.6%, but this 

percentage may be artificially low given that many 

fishermen are self-employed and are underrepresented in 

these data.

The Port Angeles economy also relies on tourism, 

forest products, and sportfishing. The city’s top two 

employers are the Olympic Medical Center and 

Peninsula College.10 Several shipbuilding and repair 

companies are located in Port Angeles, including 

Fletcher Boats Inc. and Armstrong Marine.

The per capita income was $17,903 in 1999 and the 

median household income was $33,130. In 1999 13.2% 

lived below the poverty level. In 2000 there were 8,682 

housing units in Port Angeles, with 58.5% owner 

occupied and 41.5% renter occupied. The housing unit 

vacancy rate was 7.2%, with 11.8% vacant due to 

seasonal, recreational, or occasional use.

Governance

Port Angeles, incorporated in 1890, is one of three 

incorporated cities (including Sequim and Forks) in 

Clallam County. The city has a manager-council form of 

government. Seven city council members are elected by 

the public and serve four-year terms. The council elects 

a mayor and deputy mayor from the council to serve twoyear terms. Clallam County levies an 8.3% sales and use 

tax and a 2% lodging tax. See the Governance 

subsection (page 43) in the Overview section for a more 

detailed discussion of taxes affecting fisherman and 

processors in Washington.

The nearest National Marine Fisheries Service 

Regional Office and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 

Services office are in Seattle. Meetings of the Pacific 

Fishery Management and North Pacific Fishery 

Management councils are routinely held in the SeattleTacoma area. The nearest Washington Department of 

Fish and Wildlife Regional Office is 130 miles south in 

Montesano. The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Group/Air 

Station in Port Angeles is home to several USCG cutters 

and a Dolphin Helicopter. The station is responsible for 

marine safety westward to Pillar Point on the Strait of 

Juan de Fuca, north to the Canada border, east to the 

western shore of Whidbey Island, and south through 

Admiralty Inlet to Olele Point.

Facilities

Port Angeles is accessible by ground, sea, and air. 

The city serves as a base for residents and visitors 

exploring the Olympic National Park and as a port for 

ferries crossing the Strait of Juan de Fuca to Victoria, 

British Columbia. U.S. Highway 101 east to Sequim and 

south to Shelton and Olympia is the main road 

connecting Port Angeles to neighboring communities. 

Throughout the year the Victoria Express provides ferry 

service to Victoria and Friday Harbor in the San Juan 

Islands. The Coho Ferry operated by Black Ball 

Transport Inc. also provides service between Port 

Angeles and Victoria. William R. Fairchild 

International Airport is in Port Angeles and is serviced by 

San Juan Airlines and Kenmore Air Express. The 

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is the nearest major 

U.S. facility.

The Port Angeles School District offers six 

elementary schools, two middle schools, one public high 

school, and one alternative high school. Peninsula 

College in Port Angeles has an enrollment of more than 

2,300 students. The city’s Public Works and Utilities 

Department administers electricity, water, wastewater, 

and solid waste service. The Port Angeles Police and 

Fire departments administer public safety in Port 

Angeles. The Olympic Medical Center is in Port 

Angeles, but the nearest hospital is Jefferson General 

Hospital, 45 miles east in Port Townsend. The tourism 

industry in Port Angeles is fairly developed with more 

than 20 hotels. There are several community businesses 

including the Fiero Marine Life Center on the city pier, 

the Clallam Art Gallery, the Museum of the Clallam 

Historical Society, North Olympic Library System, and 

several places of worship.

Several nonprofit organizations work in Port 

Angeles that focus on fishery-related issues, including 

the Northwest Straits marine conservation initiative 

through which a local marine resource committee (MRC) 

was created to bring a scientific and grassroots approach 

to protecting and restoring marine resources in the area. 

Serving on the MRC are representatives from the 

scientific community, local and tribal governments, and 

economic, recreational, and conservation interests. The 

Clallam County MRC is actively working with several 

local groups including: the Dungeness River 

Management Team, the Elwha-Morse Management 
174

Team, the Water Resource Inventory Area 19 Watershed 

Team, the Sequim-Dungeness Clean Water Work Group, 

and the Salmon Recovery Lead Entity Group.

The Port of Port Angeles owns and operates two 

deepwater terminals. The port offers a range of services 

including topside and voyage ship repair, cargo shipment 

and discharge, warehouse storage, and berthing for 

vessels up to 1,200-feet in length. Logs and lumber are 

the main cargo shipped through the Port of Port Angeles. 

The Port of Port Angeles Boathaven on the south side of 

the harbor has moorage available for more than 520 

pleasure and commercial boats. Adjacent to the 

Boathaven, the Port Angeles Boatyard provides 

maintenance and repair for small vessels. The port also 

operates the John Wayne Marina on the western shore of 

Sequim Bay, providing more than 250 permanent and 22 

transient moorage slips. Port Angeles also offers several 

retail stores specializing in marine and fishery supplies.

The aquaculture industry in Port Angeles is steadily 

increasing. Cypress Island Inc. has one lease in the Port 

Angeles harbor. The company owns the Scatter Creek 

hatchery and all the Atlantic salmon net pens in Puget 

Sound, producing 15 million pounds of Atlantic salmon a 

year.11 Ocean Spar Technologies, a sea-cage 

manufacturing company, has one lease by Whiskey 

Creek near Port Angeles for research and development 

trials but currently it is not in use.12 In 2004 the city was 

in the process of assessing the possibility of establishing 

a public cold storage facility and processing facilities to 

create a shellfish and groundfish marine aquaculture and 

fishery industry in the city.13 It is estimated that the 

proposed aquaculture operation would produce 120 jobs 

and a “supply chain management of 20 million pounds of 

farmed fish in 10 years.”14 Peninsula College also offers 

a hands-on aquaculture technician training program.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 525 vessels delivered landings to Port 

Angeles including 350 tribal commercial, 102 

commercial, and 73 personal use vessels. Landings were 

in the following West Coast fisheries (data shown 

represent landings in metric tons/value of said landings/

number of vessels landing): crab 18 t/$84,232/15; 

groundfish 504 t/$1,443,727/91; highly migratory 

species 46 t/$86,725/4; salmon 353 t/$769,044/225; 

shellfish 80 t/$1,074,033/39; shrimp 2 t/$7,568/5; and 

other species 99 t/$404,611/66.

Port Angeles residents owned 29 vessels in 2000, 

including 11 vessels that participated in the federally 

managed groundfish fishery. The number of vessels 

owned by Port Angeles residents participating in each 

said fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 4/0/0, 

groundfish 12/0/NA, highly migratory species NA/0/NA, 

salmon 7/6/0, shellfish NA/0/NA, shrimp NA/0/0, and 

other species 17/0/0.15

Seven Port Angeles residents held six groundfish 

fishery permits in 2000. The number of Port Angeles 

residents holding permits in each said fishery by state 

(WA/OR/CA) was: crab 4/0/0, groundfish 5/0/0, highly 

migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 11/5/1, shellfish 0/0/

NA, and other species 17/0/0.16

In 2000 Port Angeles residents held 65 state and 

federal permits. The number of permits held by these 

community members in each said fishery by state (WA/

OR/CA) was: crab 7/0/0, groundfish 16/0/0, highly 

migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 13/0/1, shellfish 0/0/

NA, and other species 22/0/0.17

In 2000 there were at least four seafood processors 

operating in Port Angeles. In the same year 

approximately 63 individuals were employed by these 

processors. The estimated total weight of their processed 

products in 2000 was 5,283,535 pounds valued at 

$12,077,976. In 2000 the top two processed products in 

the community in terms of pounds and revenue earned 

were salmon 4,278,932 lb/$8,153,631 and sablefish 

confidential/confidential. In 2004, due to the downturn 

in the salmon fishery and the low prices for salmon, only 

one fish processing facility remained within the City of 

Port Angeles, High Tide Seafoods.18 The company, 

founded in 1976, currently employs approximately 40 

individuals. High Tide Seafoods also has two buying 

stations located in Neah Bay and La Push, employing 

eight and six people respectively. High Tide purchases 

salmon, black cod, Dungeness crab, and halibut from 

tribal (80%) and nontribal (20%) commercial fishermen 

and distributes frozen and live product to distributors 

primarily within Washington State.19 Additionally there 

are several businesses in the community engaged in 

seafood retail and distribution.

The tribal commercial fishery plays a significant 

role in the Port Angeles commercial fishing industry. 

The usual and accustomed fishing grounds of the Lower 

Elwha Tribe extend from the Hoko River to Hood 

Canal.20 The Lower Elwha Tribe is engaged in chum 

salmon, coho salmon, and steelhead aquaculture. 

Initially established as a chum facility in 1976, the Lower 

Elwha Fish Hatchery currently serves as the major 

production source of winter coho and winter steelhead 

for the Elwha River. The tribe’s Chum Enhancement 

Program is designed to assist in the recovery of chum 

salmon stocks in the Elwha River while minimizing 

adverse ecological effects upon listed Chinook salmon. 

The estimated annual release goals for winter coho 
175

salmon, winter steelhead, and chum salmon are 750,000 

and 120,000 yearling smolts and 75,000 eggs, 

respectively.21

Sportfishing

Sport fishermen in Port Angeles are involved in 

West Coast and Alaskan fisheries. In 2000 at least six 

salmonid charter fishing operators serviced sport 

fishermen and tourists, offering ocean, lake, and river 

fishing excursions. In 2002 there was at least one 

nonsalmonid charter fishing operator in Port Angeles. In 

2003 at least six salmonid charter fishing businesses 

operated in Port Angeles. Crabbing for Dungeness crab 

is also popular among local anglers. The direct ferry link 

between Victoria and Port Angeles allows anglers to 

enjoy sportfishing in both Canadian and Washington 

waters.

There are three licensed agents selling fishing 

permits in Port Angeles. In 2003 a total of 11,685 

sportfishing license transactions occurred in Port Angeles 

valued at $186,516. In Catch Record Card Area 6 (East 

Juan de Fuca Strait) the 2000 sport catch, based on catch 

record cards, was 4,334 fish including 1,138 Chinook 

salmon and 3,196 coho salmon. In 2000 marine anglers 

made 26,777 trips in the sport salmon fishery. In Area 6 

fishermen caught 9 steelhead and the coastal bottomfish 

catch was 5,340. The recreational harvest of clams (lb) 

and oysters (#) was estimated to be 23,015 and 24,993 

respectively; harvest occurred over an estimated 3,996 

user trips.

Subsistence

Subsistence hunting, fishing, and gathering 

activities are fundamental to the way of life of some 

coastal community members. Tribal and nontribal 

individuals participate in subsistence fishing. Lower 

Elwha Klallam tribal members are highly engaged in 

subsistence fishing for fin and shellfish. However 

subsistence fishing is not discussed in detail in this 

community profile due to the lack of available data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Port Angeles residents owned 38 vessels that were 

involved in North Pacific fisheries in 2000. Community 

members landed fish in the following North Pacific 

fisheries (data shown represent landings in metric tons/

value of said landings/number of vessels landing): finfish 

2 t/$2,520/9, Gulf of Alaska (GOA) groundfish 33 t/

$155,740/8, halibut 74 t/$429,910/7, salmon 354 t/

$628,550/20, and shellfish confidential/confidential/2.

In 2000 Port Angeles residents held 80 state and 

federal registered permits, including 36 individuals who 

held registered state permits and 47 who held registered 

federal permits (note: it is possible for individuals to hold 

more than one permit at a time). Community members 

held 2 crab and 11 groundfish License Limitation 

Program permits. In 2000 Port Angeles residents held 2 

crab, 1 finfish, 7 Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands 

groundfish, 12 halibut, 1 herring, 24 salmon, and 5 

shellfish Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission 

permits. Residents held 1,847,479 halibut and 485,856 

sablefish individual fishing quota shares.

Port Angeles residents held 51 crew member 

licenses for North Pacific fisheries.

Sportfishing

Port Angeles residents purchased 246 Alaskan 

sportfishing licenses in 2000. At least two sportfishing 

businesses in Port Angeles participated in Alaskan 

fisheries.

Notes

1. Clallam netWorks. No date. Native American tribes. Online 

at http:www.clallam.org/communities/native-americans.html 

[accessed 30 January 2007].

2. Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission. 2004. Lower 

Elwha Klallam Tribe, landowner helping to restore Ennis Creek. 

Online at http://www.nwifc.wa.gov/newsinfo/newsrelsdet.asp?ID 

=233 [accessed August 2004].

3. A. Scrol. No date. The community dynamics of source water 

protection: The Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe. Online at http://

www.sfaa.net/eap/scrol/scrol.pdf [accessed 31 January 2007].

4. See note 3.

5. Tribnet.com. 2004. Goodbye and good riddance to dams on 

the Elwha. Online at http://www.tribnet.com/opinion/v-printer/story/

5408597p-5344661c.html [accessed August 2004].

6. J. Larsen. 2003. Short trips: Port Angeles is awash in history 

and marine life. Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Seattle, 4 September 2003. 

Online at http://www.nwsource.com/travel/ [accessed 31 January 

2007].

7. Port Angeles Chamber of Commerce. No date. Port Angeles 

is “the center of it all” on the Olympic Peninsula. Online at http://

www.portangeles.org/54.html [accessed 31 January 2007].

8. See note 6.

9. Clallam County Economic Development Council. 2003. 

2003 state of the industry cluster report. Online at http://

www.clallam.org [accessed 31 January 2007].

10. Clallam netWorks. No date. Major employers. Online at 

http://www.clallam.org/industry-clusters/major-employers.html 

[accessed 31 January 2007].

11. A. Chester. 2003. Salmon duel: Native fish face threat from 

escaped invaders. The Olympian, Olympia, WA, 10 August 2003, A1.

12. C. E. Nash (ed.). 2001. The net-pen salmon farming 

industry in the Pacific Northwest. U.S. Dept. Commer., NOAA Tech. 

Memo. NMFS-NWFSC-49.

13. Port of Longview. 2004. Port receives $1 million CERB 

program low-interest loan. Online at http://www.portoflongview 

.com/page.asp?view=2809 [accessed 31 January 2007].
176

14. Port Angeles Business Association. 2004. News release. 

Online at http://www.paba.org/ [accessed 31 January 2007].

15. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

16. See note 15.

17. See note 15.

18. M. Jaffe. 2002. The lure of a harbor town. Online at http://

www.findarticles.com [accessed 31 January 2007].

19. Field notes, High Tide Seafoods, Port Angeles, WA, 31 

August 2004.

20. See note 3.

21. Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe. 2003. Hatchery and genetic 

management plan. Online at http://www.nwr.noaa.gov/Salmon

-Harvest-Hatcheries/Hatcheries/upload/lowerelwha_chum.pdf 

[accessed 31 January 2007].
177

Port Townsend

People and Place

Location

Port Townsend is on the Olympic Peninsula and 

marks the passage between the Strait of Juan de Fuca and 

Puget Sound. Situated in Jefferson County, the city 

encompasses 7 square miles of land and 2.5 square miles 

of water. The nearest major U.S. city is Seattle, a 60-

mile ferry ride and drive southeast. Port Townsend’s 

geographic coordinates are lat 48°07′46′′N, long 

122°45′43′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Port 

Townsend’s population was 8,334, an increase of 1,333 

from 1990. The gender composition was 53.9% female 

and 46.1% male. The median age of 46.6 was 

considerably higher than the national average of 35.3. 

The age structure of Port Townsend demonstrated usual 

population trends for a community without a major 

tertiary education provider and a large retiree 

community. Of Port Townsend’s population 18 years of 

age and older in 2000, 90.6% had a high school education 

(including equivalency) or higher, 31.2% had earned a 

bachelor’s degree or higher, and 11.7% had attained a 

graduate or professional degree, compared to the national 

averages of 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% respectively. For 

22.8% a high school degree or equivalency was the 

highest level of educational attainment.

The vast majority of the Port Townsend’s racial 

structure recorded by the 2000 U.S. Census was white 

(93.3%), followed by people who identified with two or 

more races (2.5%), Asian (1.3%), American Indian and 

Alaska Native (1.2%), people who identified with 

another race (0.9%), black (0.6%), and Native Hawaiian 

and other Pacific Islander (0.2%). Ethnicity data indicate 

2.3% identified as Hispanic. In 2000 3.9% were foreignborn, with the majority from Asia, followed by people 

from the Americas outside of the United States. The 

highest numbers reporting ancestry were German or 

English.

In 2000 98.5% lived in family households.

History

For centuries before the arrival of European 

Americans, several Indian tribes were located near Kahtai, present-day Port Townsend, including the 

Chemakum (or Chimacum), Klallam, and Twana (the 

Kilcid band, now referred to as Quilcene). Since the 

800 600 400 200 0 200 400 600 800 1,000

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure

Male Female

2000 Racial structure 

White

93.3%

Asian

1.3%

Native

1.2%

Black

0.6%

Pacific Islander

0.2%

Other

0.9%

Two or more races

2.5%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity 

Hispanic

2.3%

Non-Hispanic

97.7%
178

headland had little running water, it is unlikely that any 

tribe used the area as a permanent village. Instead the 

Indians used Kah-Tai, meaning “to carry” or “pass 

through,” to haul their canoes from the Strait of Juan de 

Fuca to Port Townsend Bay, avoiding the rip tides off 

Point Wilson. The Klallams were the largest of the three 

tribes, their land extending from the Hoko River eastward 

100 miles to Port Townsend. The Chemakums lived on 

land from Discovery Bay to the mouth of Hood Canal. 

The Twanas, or S’Kokomish, occupied both sides of 

Hood Canal.1

 During the winter these Salish-speaking 

people lived in permanent villages of plank and pole 

houses and participated in ceremonial and religious 

activities; during summer months they traveled to 

traditional hunting, fishing, and gathering sites, using 

rush mats and notched cedar poles for temporary shelter.2

In 1855 when the Point No Point Treaty was signed 

by the S’Klallam, Skokomish (Twanas), and Chemakum 

tribes, the S’Klallams were sharing territory at Port 

Townsend with the Chemakums. The treaty ceded 

approximately 750,000 acres of land to the federal 

government but reserved their aboriginal right to fish, 

hunt, and gather in the area. In 1853 lumber mill owners 

asked the S’Klallam Tribe at Port Gamble Bay to relocate 

across the bay to the spit at Point Julia. They called their 

community at Point Julia “Little Boston.”3 “Boston” was 

the Indian name for an American.4 At the time of the 

treaty the Skokomish reserved a small tract of land at the 

bend of Hood Canal and the S’Klallams were forcibly 

moved to the Skokomish reservation, which was small 

and far removed from their traditional fishing grounds. 

Consequently many S’Klallam purchased land around 

Point Julia. Unfortunately most of the land was lost to 

county tax foreclosures in the 1930s.5

In 1792 Captain George Vancouver sailed down the 

Strait of Juan de Fuca and named the area Port 

Townshend for his friend, the Marquis of Townshend. 

State records note that Port Townsend filed for city status 

in 1851, six months before Seattle and second after 

Olympia. When filing the “h” in Townsend was 

dropped. During the first half of the nineteenth century, 

fur traders occupied the area trading fur for iron tools, 

fabric, and ornaments.6

 The years between 1880 and 

1890 were a period of rapid growth for the city; the 

population of Washington Territory increased almost 

500%, from 75,000 in 1880 to 375,000 in 1890. It was 

during this time period that many of the town’s Victorian 

homes and buildings were constructed. Port Townsend 

served as port of entry for the entire Puget Sound region 

from 1854 to 1913. However changes in marine 

technology, specifically the emergence of steam powered 

vessels, caused Port Townsend’s importance as a 

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

39.3%

Unemployed

4.3%

Employed

56.3%

maritime destination to decline, as ships were able to 

bypass the city when entering and leaving Puget Sound.7

Several forts were constructed in the late nineteenth 

century to defend Puget Sound cities and the naval 

shipyard at Bremerton from attacks by foreign vessels. 

In 1908 Fort Worden was designated the headquarters for 

the Harbor Defenses of Puget Sound. The Navy gave up 

use of the beach and dock areas in 1965 but retained use 

of the upper hills until the mid-1970s. Fort Worden is 

now on the National Register of Historic Places, as an 

Historic District. Centrum, a center for arts and creative 

education, also is located at the fort.8

The history of Jefferson County and Port Townsend 

is largely shaped by its location at the northwest end of 

Puget Sound. Port Townsend lies on a large, protected 

natural harbor, and is therefore a popular destination for 

commercial and recreational marine traffic. The 

combination of climate and terrain—nearly all of the 

1,815 square miles of the county is hilly to 

mountainous—made logs and lumber the principal cash 

crop of the area.9

 Today many of the city’s industries are 

still based in maritime trades, manufacturing, tourism, 

and timber. Although today Port Townsend is dominated 

by small and midsize businesses, Port Townsend Paper 

remains the largest employer in the area. The 

combination of the area’s history, natural beauty, and 

varied economy make Port Townsend a unique place to 

live and visit.10

Infrastructure

Current Economy

At the time of the 2000 U.S. Census, 56.3% of Port 

Townsend’s potential labor force 16 years of age and 

older were employed, 4.3% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 7.2% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 
179

39.3% were not in the labor force, compared to the 

national average of 36.1%. The major employment 

sectors were management, professional, and related 

occupations (37.8%), sales (22.3%), service (19.5%), and 

local, state, and federal governments (17.5%). Natural 

resource jobs including agriculture, forestry, fishing, and 

hunting employed 0.4%, but this percentage may be 

artificially low given that many fishermen are selfemployed and are underrepresented in these data. The 

economy of Port Townsend relies heavily on small 

businesses. Several hundred small businesses involved 

in service, retail, and manufacturing have been started in 

the Jefferson County; today approximately 2,300 

businesses exist in the county. Additionally there are 

three major industrial parks: the Port of Port Townsend’s 

Marine Industrial Park, the private Port Townsend 

Business Park, and Glen Cove Industrial Area.

The per capita income in 1999 was $22,395 and the 

median household income was $34,536. In 1999 14% 

lived below the poverty level. In 2000 there were 4,250 

housing units in Port Townsend, with 65.2% owner 

occupied and 34.8% renter occupied. The vacant 

housing unit rate was 7.8%, with 38.4% vacant due to 

seasonal, recreational, or occasional use.

Governance

Founded in 1851 Port Townsend is the largest and 

only incorporated community in Jefferson County. Port 

Townsend is the county seat and serves as the major 

commercial center. The city has a council-manager form 

of government. The city council consists of the mayor, 

deputy major, and five council members. Jefferson 

County levies an 8.4% sales and use tax and a 2% 

lodging tax. See the Governance subsection (page 43) in 

the Overview section for a more detailed discussion of 

taxes affecting fisherman and processors in Washington.

The nearest National Marine Fisheries Service 

Regional Office and the U.S. Citizenship and 

Immigration Services office are in Seattle. Meetings of 

the Pacific Fishery Management and North Pacific 

Fishery Management councils are routinely held in the 

Seattle-Tacoma area. The nearest Washington 

Department of Fish and Wildlife Regional Office is 110 

miles south in Montesano. The nearest U.S. Coast Guard 

(USCG) Group/Air Station is in Port Angeles, 47 miles 

northwest. The station is home to several USCG cutters 

and a Dolphin Helicopter. The station is responsible for 

marine safety westward to Pillar Point on the Strait of 

Juan de Fuca, north to the Canada border, east to the 

western shore of Whidbey Island, and south through 

Admiralty Inlet to Olele Point. Port Townsend is home 

to some USCG services including the USCG Cutter 

Osprey, one smaller vessel, and shoreside facilities.

Facilities

Port Townsend is accessible by ground, sea, and air. 

The city serves as a base for people exploring the 

Olympic National Park and as a port for the Washington 

State Ferries. Port Townsend is easily reached via 

Washington Highway 20, connecting to U.S. Highway 

101 about 13 miles south of the city. Jefferson Transit 

provides regularly scheduled bus service throughout Port 

Townsend and the county. Links to public transit in 

Clallam and Kitsap counties provide service to Seattle 

and Port Angeles. Washington State Ferries provides 

service between Port Townsend and Keystone and 

Whidbey Island. The Jefferson County International 

Airport, open for public use, is 4 miles southeast of Port 

Townsend. The nearest airport certified for carrier 

operations is in Port Angeles. The Seattle-Tacoma 

International Airport is the closest major facility.

The Port Townsend School District has two 

elementary schools, one middle school, and one public 

high school. There are also three private schools, a 

parental-involvement program, and an active homeschool program. Peninsula College in Port Angeles has 

an extension site in Port Townsend.

Port Townsend’s Public Works Department 

administers electricity, water, wastewater, and solid 

waste services. The Port Townsend Police and Fire 

departments administer public safety. Jefferson General 

Hospital is in Port Townsend along with several smaller 

health-care clinics. The tourism industry in Port 

Townsend is fairly developed with more than 20 

Victorian hotels, motels, and bed and breakfasts in the 

city. There are several community businesses including 

the Port Townsend Chamber of Commerce, rotary clubs, 

and several places of worship.

A number of nonprofit organizations working in 

Port Townsend focus on fishery-related issues, including 

the Northwest Straits Marine Conservation Initiative 

through which a local marine resource committee (MRC) 

was created to bring a scientific and grassroots approach 

to protecting and restoring marine resources in the area. 

Serving on the MRC are representatives from the 

scientific community, local and tribal governments, and 

economic, recreational, and conservation interests. 

Current MRC projects include: Discovery Bay Olympia 

Oyster Seeding, Tarboo/Dabob Bay Fish Assessment, 

and Anchor-free Eelgrass Protection; meetings are open 

to the public and held nearby in Port Hadlock. 

Additional water-related organizations include 

Adventuress (sea education), the Dungeness River 

Management Team and Natural History Center, the 

Menzies Project (boat tours), the Northwest Maritime 

Center, the Wooden Boat Foundation (history, 
180

preservation, and boating education), and the Port 

Townsend Marine Science Center.

The Port of Port Townsend owns and operates 

several marine facilities including the Port Townsend 

Boat Haven, five boat launches, three marinas (Boat 

Haven, Point Hudson, and Quilcene), a shipyard, and the 

Jefferson County International Airport. The Boat Haven 

is a full-service marina that is home to 475 commercial 

and recreational vessels and 60 marine trade businesses. 

The Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding is 

located nearby in Port Hadlock. Point Hudson Marina 

and Resort, located at the northeast corner of the city’s 

commercial district, has 45 slips, 800 feet of linear dock, 

a recreational vehicle park, and several marine 

businesses. The Quilcene Marina is on the west side of 

Quilcene Bay, opening to the Hood Canal south of Port 

Townsend. The marina offers 50 slips and takes 

reservations for transient moorage. Services include fuel, 

ice, showers, restrooms, and a pump-out station. 

Completed in 1997, the Port of Port Townsend Shipyard 

features a heavy boat haul-out facility, capable of lifting 

vessels up to 150-feet long and weighing 330 tons. The 

shipyard also offers numerous repair facilities, upland 

storage, and do-it-yourself space.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

A total of 349 unique vessels delivered landings to 

Port Townsend in 2000 including 275 tribal commercial 

vessels, 63 commercial vessels, and 10 personal use 

vessels. The remaining vessel types are confidential. In 

2000 there was at least one seafood processor operating 

in Port Townsend, New Day Fisheries Inc.

In 2000 landings in the community were in the 

following West Coast fisheries (data shown represent 

landings in metric tons/value of said landings/number of 

vessels landing): coastal pelagic confidential/

confidential/1; crab 67 t/$318,825/31; groundfish 

confidential/confidential/3; highly migratory species 

confidential/confidential/3; salmon 116 t/$172,223/53; 

shellfish 71 t/$713,777/183; shrimp 319 t/$331,823/8; 

and other species 89 t/$208,118/24.

Port Townsend residents owned 24 vessels in 2000, 

including 10 vessels that participated in the federally 

managed groundfish fishery. The number of vessels 

owned by Port Townsend residents that participated in 

each said fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal 

pelagic 1/0/0, crab 5/0/0, groundfish 7/0/NA, highly 

migratory species NA/0/NA, salmon 9/0/0, shellfish NA/

0/NA, shrimp NA/0/0, and other species 14/0/0.11

In 2000 recorded data indicate that the number of 

Port Townsend residents holding permits in each said 

fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 0/3/1, 

groundfish 2/0/0, highly migratory species NA/0/0, 

salmon 13/3/1, shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 2/0/0, and other 

species 11/0/0.12

Port Townsend residents held 53 state permits in 

2000. The number of permits held by these community 

members in each said fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

coastal pelagic 0/0/2, crab 5/0/0, groundfish 8/0/0, highly 

migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 16/3/0, shellfish 0/0/

NA, shrimp 4/0/2, and other species 13/0/0.13

Sportfishing

Sport fishermen in Port Townsend are involved in 

the West Coast and Alaskan fisheries. No salmonid 

charter fishing operators were based in Port Townsend. 

In 2003 at least one nonsalmonid charter fishing operator 

was based out of Port Townsend.

There is one licensed agent selling fishing permits in 

Port Townsend. In 2003 there were 6,352 sportfishing 

license transactions valued at $96,496 in the community. 

In Catch Record Card Area 9 (Admiralty Inlet), the 2000 

sport catch, based on sports catch cards, was 12,608 fish 

including 4,351 Chinook salmon, 8,253 coho salmon, 

and 4 chum salmon. Marine anglers made an estimated 

43,629 trips in Area 9. In 2000 the bottomfish catch for 

Area 9 was 1,745. The recreational harvest of clams 

(pounds) and oysters (number) for the same area in 2000 

was estimated to be 84,233 and 6,091 respectively; 

harvest occurred over an estimated 13,151 user trips.

Subsistence

Subsistence hunting, fishing, and gathering 

activities are fundamental to the way of life of some 

coastal community members. Tribal and nontribal 

individuals participate in subsistence fishing. 

Subsistence fishing is not discussed in detail in this 

community profile due to the lack of available data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Port Townsend residents owned 42 vessels that were 

involved in North Pacific fisheries in 2000. Community 

members landed fish in the following North Pacific 

fisheries (data shown represent landings in metric tons/

value of said landings/number of vessels landing): Bering 

Sea Aleutian Island (BSAI) groundfish confidential/

confidential/1, other finfish 5 t/$1,700/6, Gulf of Alaska 

(GOA) groundfish 2,144 t/$1,295,170/7, halibut 229 t/

$1,282,100/9, and salmon 1,496 t/$1,249,970/25.

In 2000 Port Townsend residents held 96 state and 

federal permits, including 42 individuals who held 
181

registered state permits and 54 who held registered 

federal permits (note: it is possible for individuals to hold 

more than one permit at a time). Community members 

held 15 groundfish License Limitation Program permits 

and 3 GOA, 14 BSAI groundfish, 15 halibut, 4 herring, 

and 30 salmon Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission 

permits. Community members held 4,603,280 halibut 

and 3,421,955 sablefish individual fishing quota shares.

Port Townsend residents held 60 crew member 

licenses for North Pacific fisheries.

Sportfishing

Port Townsend residents purchased 110 Alaskan 

sportfishing licenses in 2000. At least two sportfishing 

businesses in Port Townsend participated in Alaskan 

fisheries.

Notes

1. Fort Worden. No date. Fort Worden history. Online at 

http://www.fortworden.org/history.html [accessed 31 January 2007].

2. The Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe. 2005. Culture and history. 

Online at http://www.pgst.nsn.us/content/culture_history/

pride_heritage.htm [accessed 31 January 2007].

3. See note 2.

4. See note 2.

5. See note 2.

6. See note 1.

7. Port Townsend Film Festival. 2004. Port Townsend as a 

movie backdrop. Online at http://www.fortworden.org/history.html 

[accessed 31 January 2007].

8. See note 1.

9. Washington State USGenWEB Project. 2005. Jefferson 

County history. Online at http://www.rootsweb.com/~wajeffer/

history.html [accessed 31 January 2007].

10. Port Townsend Guide. 2005. Port Townsend community. 

Online at http://www.ptguide.com/community/index.htm [accessed 31 

January 2007].

11. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

12. See note 11.

13. See note 11.
182

Raymond

People and Place

Location

Raymond is in the southwestern corner of 

Washington on the Willapa River, which flows into 

Willapa Bay. Situated in Pacific County, the city 

encompasses 3.8 square miles of land and 0.6 square 

miles of water. The nearest major U.S. city is Seattle, a 

125-mile drive northeast. Raymond’s geographic 

coordinates are lat 46°41′12′′N, long 123°43′54′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Raymond’s 

population was 2,975, an increase of 2.6% from 2,901 

residents in 1990. The gender composition was 51% 

female and 49% male. The median age of 40.2 was 

almost 5 years older than the national median age of 35.3. 

Of the population 18 years of age and older, 72.8% of 

Raymond’s residents had a high school education 

(including equivalency) or higher, 11.6% had earned a 

bachelor’s degree or higher, and 4.2% had attained a 

graduate or professional degree. The highest level of 

education attained for 35.9% of residents was a high 

school degree. These numbers fall below the national 

averages of 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The vast majority of the Raymond’s racial structure 

recorded by the 2000 U.S. Census was white (83.7%), 

followed by Asian (7.1%), people who identified with 

another race (3.2%), people who identified with two or 

more races (3.0%), American Indian or Alaskan Native 

(2.7%), black (0.2%), and Native Hawaiian or other 

Pacific Islander (0.2%). Ethnicity data indicate that 9.2% 

identified as Hispanic. Raymond’s ethnic composition 

also changed significantly from 1990 to 2000, with a 

207% net increase in the city’s Hispanic population. The 

larger Asian and Hispanic populations in particular set 

Raymond apart from other local communities in Pacific 

County. In 2000 in Pacific County, 2.1% were Asian, 

5% were Hispanic, and 90.5% were white.

In 2000 12.4% were foreign-born, with 41% from 

Laos, 23.8% from Mexico, 18.5% from Europe 

(including the United Kingdom, Ireland, Austria, 

Germany, and the Netherlands), 4.3% from Thailand, and 

3.3% from Canada. Many immigrant and minority 

residents may be attracted to Raymond because of 

numerous employment opportunities in local oyster 

processors and canneries and the growing local industry 

in nontimber forest resources (greens harvested in forests 

for use in decorative bouquets and other products).1 

Recent research suggests that these immigrants have 

300 200 100 0 100 200 300

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure

Male Female

2000 Racial structure 

White

83.7%

Two or more races

3.0%

Native

2.7%

Asian

7.1%

Black

0.2%

Other

3.2%

Pacific Islander

0.2%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity 

Non-Hispanic

90.8%

Hispanic

9.2%
183

boosted the local economy by providing a significant 

portion of the labor for local industries and by opening 

small businesses in formerly vacant Raymond 

storefronts.2

In 2000 80.7% of Raymond’s population lived in 

family households.

History

The northern portion of Pacific County has 

historically been home to native people from the 

Chehalis, Chinook, and Willapa language groups.3

 The 

area near Raymond was inhabited predominately by the 

Chinook, whose overall territory included the region 

bordering the mouth of the Columbia River in 

Washington and Oregon and much of the area 

surrounding Willapa Bay.4

 Native groups depended 

heavily on fishing and coastal resources and developed 

extensive trade networks within the region. They 

harvested native oyster species in Willapa Bay and fished 

for salmon and sturgeon in the Columbia, the Willapa, 

and other area rivers. In the 1850s native populations 

throughout the region were devastated by introduced 

diseases and conflicts with white settlers. However, a 

substantial native community still resides in the 

Raymond area. Some people of native descent living in 

or near Raymond have membership in the Quinault or 

Shoalwater Bay tribes, both of which have small 

reservations to the north, and others are members of the 

Chinook Nation, which is currently seeking federal 

recognition.

The contemporary community of Raymond began as 

a lumber town in the early 1900s. The city was located in 

the midst of thick stands of cedar, fir, hemlock, and 

spruce, but the swampy tidelands that dominated the area 

along the Willapa River delayed the development of a 

settlement at the site.5 In 1903 Leslie V. Raymond, the 

town’s namesake, formed the Raymond Land and 

Improvement Company with the help of his wife and key 

investors.6 Raymond platted the town, worked diligently 

to attract new sawmills and industries to the area, and 

served as the community’s first postmaster.

The business and residential portions of Raymond 

were initially built on five- and six-foot stilts above the 

marshy tidelands. Today the community is protected 

from high waters by dikes. By 1913 Raymond’s 

population reached 6,000 and civic leaders began to 

market it as “The Empire City of Willapa Harbor.” 

During the peak of Raymond’s economic boom from 

1912 to 1932, at least 20 sawmills and factories operated 

along the city’s waterfront. A large sawmill operated by 

Weyerhaeuser dominates the contemporary Raymond 

waterfront, and although economic growth has slowed in 

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

49.8%

Unemployed

4.9%

Employed

45.4%

the region, logging remains central to Raymond’s history 

and contemporary economy.

The Port of Willapa was established in 1928, and 

Raymond remained a major shipping center for area 

lumber companies until the regional decline of the timber 

industry in the 1970s. Wood chips were still shipped 

from Raymond until the 1990s, when shifting shoals on 

the Willapa Bar made barge traffic into the port difficult. 

In 2000 a $20 million reclamation project improved the 

channel between the Pacific Ocean and Willapa Bay but 

most traffic into the port today consists of local fishing 

boats.7 Commercial fishing has always contributed 

substantially to Raymond’s economy.

In the early 1900s commercial fishing for salmon 

and sturgeon on local rivers and ocean fishing for finfish, 

shrimp, and crab provided a substantial number of jobs 

for area residents and supported numerous canneries. 

Today the port serves a greatly reduced number of 

gillnetters, shrimpers, and crab boats, and provides 

support facilities and services for the successful Willapa 

Bay oyster industry. Metal sculptures with fishing 

themes commissioned by the City of Raymond stand in 

prominent locations throughout the community and serve 

as symbols of the city’s roots in the fishing industry.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 45.4% of 

Raymond’s population 16 years of age and older were 

employed, 4.9% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 9.7% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

49.8% did not participate in the labor force, considerably 

higher than the national average of 36.1%. The major 

employment sectors were local, state, and federal 

governments (22.7%), education, health, and social 
184

services (17.7%), arts, accommodation, entertainment, 

and food services (17.4%), manufacturing (14.1%), 

wholesale and retail trade (11.1%), public administration 

(9.5%), information services (5.6%), and construction 

(4%). Natural resource job including agriculture, 

forestry, fishing, and hunting employed 9.7%, but this 

percentage may be artificially low given that many 

fishermen and lumber contractors are self-employed and 

are often underrepresented in these data.

Raymond’s contemporary economy depends heavily 

on a large sawmill operated by the Weyerhaeuser 

Corporation, the community’s largest employer. Other 

major employers include Willapa Bay Hardwoods, 

businesses and manufacturers located in the Port of 

Willapa Harbor Industrial Area, the Raymond School 

District, the City of Raymond, and numerous retail stores 

and restaurants that serve Raymond and South Bend. 

Raymond residents may also commute to jobs at the 

Willapa Harbor Hospital or the two major fish and oyster 

processors located in South Bend (5 miles west).

The per capita income was $13,910 in 1999, and the 

median household income was $25,759. In 1999 24.6% 

lived below the poverty level, almost double the national 

average of 12.4%. In 2000 there were 1,338 housing 

units in Raymond, with 64.3% owner occupied and 

35.7% renter occupied. The housing unit vacancy rate 

was 10.9%, with 10.9% due to seasonal, recreational, or 

occasional use.

Governance

Incorporated in 1907, Raymond has a mayor-city 

council form of government. There are seven city 

council members. Raymond is one of only four 

incorporated cities in Pacific County, which was 

organized in 1851. The City of Raymond levies a 7.8% 

sales and use tax and a 9.8% lodging tax. See the 

Governance subsection (page 43) in the Overview 

section for a more detailed discussion of taxes affecting 

fisherman and processors in Washington.

The nearest National Marine Fisheries Service 

Regional Office and the U.S. Citizenship and 

Immigration Services office are in Seattle. Meetings of 

the Pacific Fishery Management and North Pacific 

Fishery Management councils are routinely held in the 

Seattle-Tacoma area. The nearest Washington 

Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Regional 

Office is 23 miles northeast in Montesano. The nearest 

U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Group/Air Station is located 

in Warrenton, Oregon, 55 miles south, and the USCG 

operates the National Motor Lifeboat School in Ilwaco, 

46 miles south.8

Facilities

Raymond is accessible by land, air, and water. 

Raymond is on Highway 101, which runs north-south 

along Washington’s coast. Astoria (Oregon) Regional 

Airport, 52 miles south, is the nearest airport facility 

certified for carrier operations, and the Willapa Harbor 

Airport in Raymond provides a paved runaway that is 

open to the public. The Seattle-Tacoma International 

Airport is the nearest major facility.

The Raymond School District 116 offers an 

elementary school and a junior/senior high school.9 

Public Utility District No. 2 of Pacific County 

administers electricity service. The City of Raymond 

provides water and sewer services. The Raymond Police 

Department, the Pacific County Sheriff’s Office, the 

Raymond Fire Department and the Raymond Volunteer 

Fire Department administer public safety. Willapa 

Harbor Hospital in South Bend is the closest major 

health-care facility. There are a several motels, 

campgrounds, and recreational vehicle parks located in 

the Raymond area.

Boating facilities in Raymond include the Port of 

Willapa, which features a 600-foot high dock wharf, 750 

feet of floats, electricity, fresh water, moorage space for 

smaller boats, and a 5,000-pound capacity dock crane. 

The port also includes an industrial area, with several 

large industrial buildings. In 2004 the tenets of the Port 

of Willapa industrial area included Airgas Nor-Pac Inc., 

Jackpot Industries (a maintenance facility for six 

commercial fishing vessels ranging from 80–110 feet and 

active in West Coast and Alaska fisheries), Pedigree Cats 

(a company specializing in the construction of fiberglass 

catamaran yachts), Tri-District Aquaculture (a regional 

technology classroom center operated by the Raymond, 

South Bend, and Valley School districts), and Vanson 

HaloSource (a company that extracts chitosan from 

shellfish for use in dietary supplements and other 

products).10

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 276 unique vessels, including 209 

commercial vessels, 18 tribal commercial vessels, 6 

aquaculture vessels, and 43 personal vessels, delivered 

landings in Willapa Bay. Landings data for Raymond 

were recorded as part of the Willapa Bay Port Group that 

includes the communities of Bay Center, Nahcotta, 

Naselle, South Bend, and Tokeland. Reported landings 

for this port group in 2000 were in the following West 

Coast fisheries (data shown represent landings in metric 

tons/value of said landings/number of vessels landing): 
185

coastal pelagic confidential/confidential/1; crab 444.9 t/

$1,941,008/44; groundfish 4.6 t/$3,889/6; salmon 

122.5 t/$178,084/71; shellfish 26.8 t/$73,534/63; shrimp 

399.9 t/$397,143/8; and other species 13.1 t/$31,242/51. 

See the Naselle, South Bend, and Tokeland community 

profiles for additional information about these 

communities.

Raymond residents owned 32 vessels in 2000 that 

participated in West Coast fisheries, including nine that 

participated in the federally managed groundfish fishery. 

The number of vessels owned by Raymond residents that 

participated in each said fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) 

was: crab 6/0/0, groundfish 0/0/NA, highly migratory 

species NA/0/NA, salmon 6/2/0, shellfish NA/0/NA, 

shrimp NA/0/0, and other species 1/0/0.11

No individuals living in Raymond in 2000 held 

federal groundfish fishery permits. The number of 

Raymond residents holding permits in each said fishery 

by state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 2/0/0, highly migratory 

species NA/0/0, salmon 13/2/0, shellfish 15/0/NA, 

shrimp 3/0/0, and other species 3/0/0.12

Raymond residents held 41 state permits in 2000. 

The number of permits held by these community 

members in each said state fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) 

was: crab 3/0/0, highly migratory species NA/0/0, 

salmon 16/0/0, shellfish 15/0/NA, shrimp 3/0/0, and 

other species 4/0/0.13

There are no major processors located in Raymond, 

but two processing facilities that receive landings 

delivered by Raymond residents are in South Bend. 

Hilton’s Coast Seafoods operates an oyster processing 

facility and the Dungeness Development Corporation 

operates a facility that specializes in the processing of 

crab, shrimp, canned fish, and caviar. These processors 

employ several Raymond residents. The Port of Willapa 

industrial area also houses Vanson HaloSource.

Sportfishing

A number of Raymond residents engage in 

sportfishing or operate sportfishing businesses in Willapa 

Bay and along the nearby Pacific Coast. According to 

the WDFW, there is one sportfishing license vendor 

located in Raymond. In 2003 and 2004, no Raymond 

residents owned or operated charter boats in Washington 

State.

Catch Record Card Area 2-1 (Willapa Bay) is the 

closest marine area to Raymond. The 2000–2001 sport 

catch, based on catch record cards, was 870 fish 

including 468 Chinook salmon, 354 coho salmon, and 48 

jack salmon (immature males). The total catch is down 

from 2,137 salmon recorded in the 1999–2000 season. 

The number of trips made by marine anglers in Area 2-1 

is not available. The 2000–2001 sport sturgeon catch 

was 96 fish.

Subsistence

Subsistence hunting, fishing, and gathering 

activities are fundamental to the way of life of some 

coastal community members. Tribal and nontribal 

individuals participate in subsistence fishing. Today 

members of the Chinook Tribe and other nontribal 

subsistence fishermen may obtain fishery resources from 

waters near Raymond, particularly from the Willapa 

River, nearby tributaries, and Willapa Bay; however 

subsistence fishing is not discussed in great detail in this 

community profile due to the lack of available data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Twelve vessels based in Raymond participated in 

North Pacific fisheries in 2000. Community members 

landed fish in the following North Pacific fisheries (data 

shown represent landings in metric tons/value of said 

landings/number of vessels landing): herring 

confidential/confidential/1 and salmon 185.7 t/$284,420/

10.

In 2000 Raymond residents held 17 registered 

permits, including 13 individuals who held state permits 

and 3 who held federal permits (note: it is possible for 

individuals to hold more than one permit at a time). 

Community members held 1 groundfish License 

Limitation Program permit and 2 Bering Sea and 

Aleutian Islands groundfish, 2 halibut, and 10 salmon 

Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission permits. 

Raymond residents held 107,842 halibut individual 

fishing quota shares in 2000.

Thirty Raymond residents held crew member 

licenses for North Pacific fisheries in 2000.

Sportfishing

Raymond residents purchased 45 Alaska 

sportfishing licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. Field notes, Pacific County Historical Society Museum, South 

Bend, WA, 4 September 2004.

2. C. McGann. 2002. Immigrants fill up local labor pool. 

Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Seattle, 10 December 2002. Online at 

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/99233_immigrant10.shtml 

[accessed 31 January 2007].

3. Willapa Bay Organization. 2004. Communities in north 

Pacific County, Washington. Online at http://www.visit.willapabay 

.org/pages/communities.html [accessed 31 January 2007].
186

4. University of Oregon. 2004. Chinook Tribes. University of 

Oregon, Dept. Linguistics, Eugene. Online at http://logos.uoregon 

.edu/explore/oregon/chtribes.html [accessed 31 January 2007].

5. M. Nicholson. 2002. Raymond: Empire city of Willapa 

Harbor. The Sou’wester, Pacific County Historical Society, South 

Bend, WA., Vol. 37, Special edition, 7-47. Online at http://

www.pacificcohistory.org/sw2002_1.htm#7 [accessed 31 January 

2007].

6. L. J. Weathers. 1989. Place names of Pacific County. The 

Sou'wester, Pacific County Historical Society, South Bend, WA., Vol. 

34, No. 4:19-68. Online at http://www.pacificcohistory.org/

sw1989_4.htm#54 [accessed 31 January 2007].

7. Port of Willapa Harbor. No date. History. Online at http://

www.portofwillapaharbor.com/pages/history.html [accessed 31 

January 2007].

8. U.S. Coast Guard. 2005. U.S. Coast Guard. Online at http://

www.uscg.mil/d13/units/gruastoria/cd.htm [accessed 31 January 

2007].

9. Raymond School District. 2002. Home page. Online at 

http://raymondschools.org/ [accessed 31 January 2007].

10. Port of Willapa Harbor. No date. Home page. Online at 

http://portofwillapaharbor.com/pages/fac_main.html [accessed 31 

January 2007].

11. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

12. See note 11.

13. See note 11.
187

Seattle

People and Place

Location

Seattle is on the east side of the Puget Sound 

between Elliot Bay and Lake Washington. Situated in 

King County, the city encompasses approximately 84 

square miles of land and 59 square miles of water. 

Seattle is a 113-mile drive south of the U.S.-Canada 

border. Seattle’s geographic coordinates are lat 

47°36′23′′N, long 122°19′51′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Seattle’s 

population was 563,374, an increase of 8.4% since 1990. 

The larger metropolitan area (comprising all or parts of 

Snohomish, King, Pierce, Thurston, and Kitsap Counties) 

was home to 3,554,760 in 2000. The gender composition 

was 50.1% female and 49.9% male. The median age of 

35.4 was almost identical to the national median age of 

35.3. Of the population 18 years of age and older, 88% 

had a high school education (including equivalency) or 

higher, 41.8% had earned a bachelor’s degree or higher, 

and 15% had attained a graduate or professional degree; 

these figures compare favorably to the national averages 

of 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The vast majority of Seattle’s racial structure 

recorded by the 2000 U.S. Census was white (70.1%), 

followed by Asian (13.1%), black (8.4%), people who 

identified with two or more races (4.5%), people who 

identified with another race (2.4%), American Indian and 

Alaska Native (1%), and Native Hawaiian and other 

Pacific Islander (0.5%). Ethnicity data indicate that 5.3% 

identified as Hispanic. In 2000 16.9% were foreign-born, 

with 55.8% from Asia, primarily southeastern Asia 

(32.1%), 18.8% from the Americas outside the United 

States, 16% from Europe, and 7.8% from Africa. The 

highest percentage of those reporting ancestry were 

German (11.3%), followed by Irish (9.1%), English 

(8.1%), and Norwegian (5%).

History

Prior to the arrival of European settlers, the Puget 

Sound area was home to the Duwamish and Suquamish 

Native American groups.1 The arrival of European 

American explorers, traders, and settlers brought 

conflicts over natural resources and disease. In the 1770s 

a smallpox epidemic ravaged the Native American 

populations living along the northwest coast of North 

America. In 1856 the Duwamish were removed from 

60,000 40,000 20,000 0 20,000 40,000 60,000

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure

Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

70.1%

Two or more races

4.5%

Pacific Islander

0.5%

Asian

13.1%

Other

2.4%

Native

1%

Black

8.4%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity 

Non-Hispanic

94.7%

Hispanic

5.3%
188

their central location, at the outlet of Lake Washington; 

the tribe was moved to Bainbridge Island and later taken 

to Holderness Point, on the west side of Elliot Bay, where 

the fishing grounds were more productive.2 In 1862 

another smallpox epidemic hit the area, killing 14,000 

northwest coastal Indians.3 Chief Seattle (Sealth), leader 

of the Duwamish Tribe, died four years later, in 1866.

Following the smallpox epidemic of the 1770s, the 

area was explored by Captain George Vancouver, who 

gave Puget Sound its name in 1792. The first post in the 

area was established by the Hudson’s Bay Company in 

1833. Almost 20 years later, in November 1851, the 

Denny Party landed at Alki Beach; the following 

February the explorers claimed land at the site of presentday Seattle. The next year Henry Yesler and his party 

settled in Seattle and within a few years built a steampowered sawmill, initiating Seattle’s logging economy. 

King County was created shortly thereafter. In 1861 the 

Territorial University opened its door; the university later 

became the University of Washington. Three years later 

Asa Mercer arrived from New York with his first group 

of Mercer’s Maidens, young women who would provide 

the largely Caucasian, male community with mates.4

In 1884 the Northern Railroad constructed a railroad 

spur from Tacoma to Seattle, following a battle won by 

Tacoma that designated the city as the railroad’s western 

terminus. The railway linked Seattle to the rest of the 

United States. In 1891, despite a ravaging fire two years 

earlier that nearly destroyed Seattle, the size of Seattle 

doubled due to the annexation of communities north of 

downtown. In 1887 with the arrival of the Portland, a 

steamship carrying gold from the Klondike area of the 

Yukon, followed by the 1898 discovery of gold in Nome, 

Alaska, Seattle became a major jumping off point for 

those traveling north to Canada and Alaska to take part in 

the gold rush.5, 6

 In this same era, fishermen from the 

west coast began to explore opportunities for Pacific cod 

fisheries in the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska. Salmon 

canning operations affiliated with the large Bristol Bay 

salmon runs were growing rapidly at this time.

Today Seattle’s participation in Alaska’s 

commercial fishing reflects the relationships established 

in the late 1890s and 1900s, with many commercial 

fishermen traveling either from or through Seattle to 

reach fishing grounds in Alaska. Many seafood industry 

companies headquartered in Seattle are major 

participants in Alaskan fisheries.

In 1907 Seattle annexed six towns, including the 

town of Ballard.7 Ballard drew many Scandinavian 

immigrants to the area with the growing demand for 

salmon fishermen in the early 1900s. Scandinavians 

contributed considerably to the boat building industry, 

the success of which rested on Scandinavian designed 

2000 Employment structure

Employed

66.5%

Unemployed

3.6%

Not in labor force

29.9%

wooden vessels.8 In 1913 Fishermen’s Terminal, located 

in the contemporary neighborhood of Interbay, across 

from Ballard, was founded by the Puget Sound Fisheries 

Association Committee, whose members were nearly all 

Norwegian.9 Today Ballard remains a hub for Seattle’s 

commercial fishing industry and the newly developed 

recreational boating scene.

The Boeing Airplane Company, developed by 

William Boeing in 1917, has played a significant role in 

Seattle’s economy. Shortly after the United States 

entered World War I, Boeing sold an order for 50 Model 

C training seaplanes to the U.S. Navy. By 1928, “with 

800 employees, Boeing was one of the largest aircraft 

manufacturers in the country.”10 The Boeing Company, 

a major employer in the Seattle area, has contributed a 

great deal toward the history of aircraft and space travel 

and the development of the City of Seattle. In 2001 the 

company announced the relocation of its headquarters to 

Chicago, Illinois. Today the economy of the Seattle area 

is dominated by international trade and technology firms 

such as Microsoft.11

Infrastructure

Current Economy

At the time of the 2000 U.S. Census, 66.5% of 

Seattle’s potential labor force 16 years of age and older 

were employed, 3.6% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 5.1% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

29.9% were not in the labor force, compared to the 

national average of 36.1%. The major employment 

sectors were education, health, and social services 

(21.6%), local, state, and federal governments (15.6%), 

professional, scientific, and technical services (12.3%), 

retail trade (11.1%), arts, entertainment, recreation, 

accommodation, and food services (9.9%), and 
189

manufacturing (8.3%). Natural resource jobs including 

agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting employed 

0.3%, but this percentage may be artificially low given 

that many fishermen are self-employed and are 

underrepresented in these data.

Major employers in Seattle include Macys, City of 

Seattle, Four Seasons Hotel, Harborview Hospital, 

Metro-King County Government, Nordstrom, Pike Place 

Market, Port of Seattle, Providence Hospital, Swedish 

Hospital, the Boeing Company, the Hilton Hotel, the 

Westin Hotel, and the University of Washington.12 

Microsoft, a major business in the greater Seattle area, 

employs numerous Seattle residents. The corporate 

headquarters are located in Redmond, with additional 

office locations in the neighboring communities of 

Bellevue and Issaquah.

The per capita income in 1999 was $30,306 and the 

median household income was $45,736. In 1999 11.8% 

lived below the poverty level, slightly lower than the 

national average of 12.4%. In 2000 there were 270,524 

housing units in the community, with 48.4% owner 

occupied and 51.6% renter occupied. The housing unit 

vacancy rate was 4.4%.

Governance

Incorporated in 1869, City of Seattle is the oldest 

municipality in King County. The city has a charter form 

of government comprised of a mayor, a nine-member city 

council, and a city attorney. The municipal court is run 

by eight judges who are elected by the City of Seattle. 

Seattle levies an 8.8% sales and use tax and a 7% lodging 

tax. See the Governance subsection (page 43) in the 

Overview section for a more detailed discussion of taxes 

affecting fisherman and processors in Washington.

The National Marine Fisheries Service Regional 

Office, NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center and 

Alaska Fisheries Science Center, and the U.S. 

Citizenship and Immigration Services office are in 

Seattle. Meetings of the North Pacific Fishery 

Management and Pacific Fishery Management councils 

are routinely held in the Seattle-Tacoma area. The 

nearest Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife 

(WDFW) Regional Office is 22 miles north in Mill 

Creek. The 13th U.S. Coast Guard District headquarters 

are in Seattle.

Facilities

Seattle is accessible by ground, sea, and air. The 

city is located on Interstate 5, with Interstate 90 and 

Washington Highway 520 connecting to the city from the 

east. Seattle has an Amtrak train station offering national 

and international service. Seattle-Tacoma International 

Airport is 14 miles south of downtown. Washington 

State Ferries offers service from Pier 50 and Pier 52 in 

Seattle to Bremerton, Bainbridge Island, and Vashon 

Island. There is international service to Victoria, British 

Columbia.

The Seattle School District has 106 schools, 

including 1 Headstart school, 61 elementary schools, 9 

grades K–12 schools, 12 middle schools, and 23 high 

schools. In addition there are 93 private schools. The 

city is home to 26 colleges, with the largest being the 

University of Washington (32,742), Seattle University 

(4,743), Shoreline Community College (4,526), Seattle 

Community College-Central Campus (4,386), Seattle 

Community College-North Campus (3,489), Seattle 

Community College-South Campus (3,013), Seattle 

Pacific University (2,992), and the Art Institute of Seattle 

(2,313).

Seattle City Light administers electricity. Seattle 

Public Utilities provides water, drainage and wastewater, 

and solid waste services through three separate utilities. 

The Seattle Police and Fire departments administer 

public safety; Seattle has five police precincts and 33 fire 

stations. There are at least 12 hospitals and medical 

centers in the city. At least 59 hotels and motels are in 

downtown Seattle. In addition at least 20 

accommodations are found in north Seattle and 44 in the 

south Seattle-SeaTac area near the airport.

The Port of Seattle is the fifth largest container 

facility in the United States and the 20th largest in the 

world; the port also ranks as the top U.S. port in container 

tonnage exports to Asia.13 Pier 90 and Pier 91 contain six 

berths each and provide moorage for barges and factory 

trawlers, in addition to the transportation of foodstuffs. 

Commercial moorage also is available at the Bell Street 

Pier, Maritime Industrial Center, Terminal 30, and 

Fishermen’s Terminal. Fishermen’s Terminal on the 

Lake Washington Ship Canal includes moorage for more 

than 700 workboats and commercial fishing vessels, 

lineal moorage of 2,500 feet, and 371 stalls. Fishermen’s 

Terminal has historically been the home to a large 

portion of the North Pacific commercial fishing fleet. In 

2002, amidst controversy, Fishermen’s Terminal began 

allowing for the moorage of pleasure craft as well as 

fishing vessels. The Fishermen’s Memorial sculpture, 

located at the terminal, is inscribed with the names of 

more than 500 individuals lost at sea; the sculpture stands 

as “a place of reverence, reflection, and healing for 

people in the fishing industry and their families.”14 In 

addition, the Port of Seattle operates the Shilshole Bay 

Marina, which has berths for 1,500 recreational boats, a 

guest dock, and a fishing pier. The 400-foot Elliott Bay 

Fishing Pier is located in downtown Seattle.
190

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

There were at least seven fish processors in Seattle 

in 2000, including Independent Packers, Ocean Beauty 

Seafoods, Pacific Salmon Co. Inc., Sea Blends, Svendsen 

Brothers Fish Inc., Trident Seafoods Corp., and True 

World Foods International. Processors employed 717 

people. Reported data indicate companies processed 

43,336,155 pounds valued at approximately 

$115,446,360 in 2000. Processed items included a 

variety of products such as, approximately: $42,915,021 

(7,104,500 lb) of crab including cooked claws, legs, 

sections, and cakes; $19,635,046 (5,980,415 lb) of 

halibut including fillets, steaks, and batter coated 

portions; $20,844,856 (18,185,900 lb) of pollock 

including blocks, breaded/cooked, fillets, and surimi; and 

$15,260,736 (5,207,560 lb) of salmon including cured, 

salted, fillets, breaded cakes, steaks, and patties. 

Processed items also included catfish fillets; cod 

including fillets, portions, and nuggets; dolphin fillets; 

flounder fillets; haddock fillets; lobster tails; oysters 

breaded; rockfish fillets; sablefish salted; scallops 

shucked or breaded; shrimp breaded or peeled; swordfish 

steaks; and albacore tuna steaks.

In 2000 West Coast fisheries landings in Seattle 

were delivered by 909 unique vessels, including 253 

commercial vessels, 498 tribal commercial vessels, and 

158 personal use vessels. Recorded data indicate 

landings in the community were in the following West 

Coast fisheries (data shown represents landings in metric 

tons/value of said landings/number of vessels landing): 

crab 275 t/$1,421,148/143; groundfish 109 t/$489,914/9; 

highly migratory species 17 t/$33,168/4; salmon 701 t/

$1,036,861/346; shellfish 264 t/$3,198,531/387; shrimp 

(26 t/$230,201/27; and other species 170.2 t/$873,983/

33.

Seattle residents owned 170 vessels in 2000, 

including 74 vessels that participated in the federally 

managed groundfish fishery. The number of vessels 

owned by Seattle residents in 2000 participating in each 

said fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 

9/1/4, crab 31/3/0, groundfish 27/0/NA, highly migratory 

species NA/0/NA, salmon 88/17/5, shellfish NA/0/NA, 

shrimp NA/1/0, and other species 61/0/0.15

Thirty-five Seattle residents held 36 federal 

groundfish fishery permits in 2000. The number of 

Seattle residents holding permits in each said fishery by 

state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 6/2/6, crab 13/4/

0, groundfish 7/0/0, highly migratory species NA/0/0, 

salmon 120/16/9, shellfish 0/0/NA, and other species 48/

5/0.16

Seattle residents held 355 state and federal permits 

in 2000. The number of permits held by community 

members in each said fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

coastal pelagic 9/2/7, crab 18/6/0, groundfish 19/0/0, 

highly migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 138/0/15, 

shellfish 0/0/NA, and other species 64/41/0.17

Sportfishing

In 2000 there were at least eight salmonid charter 

fishing businesses and one nonsalmonid charter fishing 

business in Seattle. There were 15 licensed vendors in 

Seattle selling fishing permits. In 2003 39,263 

sportfishing license transactions valued at $68,101 were 

made in the community.

In Catch Record Card Area 10 (south from the 

Apple Cove Point-Edwards Point line to a line projected 

true east-west through the north tip of Vashon Island) the 

2000 sport catch, based on catch record cards, was 

15,681 fish including 4,042 Chinook salmon, 11,568 

coho salmon, 58 chum salmon, and 13 sockeye salmon. 

Marine angler made 49,865 trips in the sport salmon 

fishery. In Area 10 boat-based anglers caught 7,022 

bottomfish in 2000. The recreational harvest of clams 

(pounds) and oysters (number) for the same area in 2000 

was estimated to be 6,936 and 26,200 respectively; 

harvest occurred over an estimated 2,745 user trips.

Recreational fishing in Seattle occurs in saltwater 

and freshwater, along Seattle’s shoreline and in 

numerous lakes, rivers, and streams. Many public fishing 

piers are also located in Seattle, including seven in north 

Seattle, six in central Seattle, and seven in south Seattle.

Subsistence

Tribal and nontribal community members may be 

engaged in subsistence fishing in the Seattle area, 

however little information is available. The Muckleshoot 

Tribe, located southeast of Seattle, in partnership with the 

WDFW is involved with a sockeye salmon counting 

program on Lake Washington.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

The Seattle area plays an important role in north 

Pacific commercial fisheries. Many vessels are owned 

by Seattle-based corporations or residents and the 

affiliated captains and crew are engaged in federal and 

state water fisheries off Alaska. In cases of corporate 

vessel ownership, the address of record for the 

headquarters of the corporation is considered equivalent 

to the home address of record for a noncorporate owner.
191

Major fish processing companies often hire 

processing workers through their Seattle-based 

administrative offices. Processing businesses include 

shore-based and offshore facilities as well as full 

ownership or partnerships in catcher-processor vessels. 

In the year 2000, about 90 catcher-processors operated in 

Alaska. The crew size on a catcher-processor can range 

from a small crew (15–20 people) to over 100. The 

number of processing workers engaged in North Pacific 

fisheries is not well documented due to the lack of a 

reliable standardized source of data. However, it is 

widely acknowledged that Seattle is an important source 

for North Pacific processing labor. Major Seattle-based 

seafood processing companies that are particularly 

dependent on North Pacific products include: Alaska 

Ocean Seafood, Ocean Beauty Seafoods, Trident 

Seafoods Corporation, Icicle Seafoods, American 

Seafoods Company, and Glacier Fish Company.

Other than a home port locality for many fishermen 

and processors who reside in the city, Seattle is a regional 

hub for fisheries support services such as harbors (e.g., 

Port of Seattle’s Fisherman’s Terminal), nautical supply 

facilities (e.g., Seattle Fisheries Supply and Captain’s 

Nautical Supply Inc.), ship yards, boat building and 

repair companies (e.g., Foss Shipyard), cold storage 

plants (e.g., Seafreeze Cold Storage), and shipping 

companies especially organized to transport supplies on a 

regularly scheduled basis to rural Alaskan ports. These 

facilities provide important industry resources for people 

outside of Seattle’s city boundaries. Many of these 

support businesses showcase their products and services 

annually at the Seattle Pacific Marine Expo. More 

specific information on fisheries resources located near 

Seattle can be found on the Marine Expo exhibitor list, 

online at http://www.pacificmarineexpo.com.

According to the Alaska Commercial Fishing Entry 

Commission, 1012 vessel owners (registered to 

participate in Alaska state water fisheries) identified 

Seattle as their home port in 2000. Of these owners, 415 

indicate a Seattle mailing address; other vessel owners 

designated Seattle as a home port but had residential 

addresses in other communities in Washington as well as 

Alaska, California, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Minnesota, 

Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, 

and Tennessee.

In the same year, Seattle residents owned vessels 

that landed fish (in Alaska) in the following North Pacific 

fisheries (data shown represents landing in metric tons/

value of said landings/number of vessels landing): crab 

8,324 t/$46,176,490/110, Bering Sea and Aleutian 

Islands (BSAI) groundfish 1,145,213 t/$337,750,710/

177, other finfish 8 t/$620/44), Gulf of Alaska (GOA) 

groundfish 38,626 t/$29,028,360/100, halibut 1,906 t/

$10,701,550/39, herring 610 t/$211,760/18, salmon 

12,347 t/$9,704,170/169, shellfish 115 t/$739,450/24, 

and scallops confidential/confidential/2.

In 2000 Seattle residents held 1,515 commercial 

fishing permits for the North Pacific region; this number 

includes federal and state permits. Community members 

also held 21,654,228 halibut and 71,771,911 sablefish 

individual fishing quota (IFQ) shares. It is possible for 

an individual to hold more than one permit at a time and 

not all permits are active at one time. Seattle community 

members held 206 crab and 379 groundfish federal 

License Limitation Program (LLP) permits. State of 

Alaska Commercial Fishing Entry Commission permits 

included: 90 crab, 3 finfish, 3 Gulf of Alaska groundfish, 

156 Bering Sea Aleutian Islands groundfish, 44 halibut, 

32 herring, 167 salmon, 1 scallop and 9 shellfish permits.

In 2000 758 Seattle residents held crew member 

licenses for North Pacific fisheries.

In recent years, there have been changes in vessel 

and permit ownership and current data is dissimilar from 

the 2000 data reported here. Updated information 

regarding Washington permit holders who participate in 

Alaska state fisheries can be accessed through the Alaska 

Commercial Fishing Entry Commission, online at http://

www.cfec.state.ak.us. Permit holder information related 

to federal fisheries off Alaska can be accessed through 

the Restricted Access Management Program (RAM) at 

the Alaska National Marine Fisheries Service regional 

office, online at http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/ram.

Sportfishing

Seattle residents purchased 3,461 Alaskan 

sportfishing licenses in 2000. Seven Seattle sportfishing 

businesses participated in Alaskan fisheries in 2000.

Notes

1. Duwamish Tribal Services. No date. Dkhw’Duw’Absh. 

Online at http://www.duwamishtribe.org/html/culture_and_history

.html [accessed on 31 January 2007].

2. Access Genealogy. 2005. Duwamish Indian tribe history. 

Online at http://www.accessgenealogy.com/native/tribes/salish/

duwamishhist.htm [accessed 30 January 2007].

3. HistoryLink.org. 2004. Seattle and King County milestones. 

Online at http://www.historylink.org [accessed 31 January 2007].

4. M. Morgan. 1960. Mercer's Maidens. The Viking Press, 

New York.

5. See note 3.

6. Lonely Planet. No date. Seattle history. Online at http://

www.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/north_america/seattle/history.htm 

[accessed 31 January 2007].

7. See note 3.

8. Ballard Chamber of Commerce. 2003. Ballard: An important 

part of Washington’s history. Online at http://www.ballardchamber

.com/ballard.shtml [accessed 31 January 2007].

9. S. Eskenazi. 2001. Familiar landscape lured Scandinavians. 

The Seattle Times, Seattle, 4 November 2001. Online at http://
192

archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/web/vortex/

display?slug=ethnic04m0&date=20011104&query=Familiar

+landscape+lured+Scandinavians [accessed 31 January 2007].

10. Boeing. No Date. A brief history, the beginnings: 1903–

1938. Online at http://www.boeing.com/history/narrative/

n001intro.html [accessed 31 January 2007].

11. See note 6.

12. Economic Development Council of Seattle & King County. 

2004. King County profiles, the City of Seattle. Online at http://

www.edc-sea.org/Research_Data/CityProfileView.cfm?CityID=33 

[accessed December 2004].

13. City of Seattle. 2004. Port of Seattle. Online at http://

www.seattle.gov/tour/port.htm [accessed 31 January 2007].

14. City of Seattle. No date. Port of Seattle, parks and 

programs, fishermen’s memorial. Online at http://www.portseattle

.org/community/resources/fishermensmemorial.shtml [accessed 31 

January 2007].

15. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

16. See note 15.

17. See note 15.
193

Seaview

People and Place

Location

Seaview is in southwest Washington on the southern 

end of Long Beach Peninsula, which separates Willapa 

Bay from the Pacific Ocean. Situated in Pacific County, 

the community encompasses 0.4 square miles of land. 

The nearest major U.S. city is Portland, Oregon, a 111-

mile drive southeast, while Seattle is a 170-mile drive 

northeast. Seaview’s geographic coordinates are lat 

46°20′05′′N, long 124°03′12′′W.

Demographic Profile

Seaview was not recognized as a place in the 2000 

U.S. Census; however basic demographic data are 

available for Seaview at the zip code level. According to 

the 2000 U.S. Census, the Seaview zip code (98644) 

supported a population of 516. The gender composition 

was 52.1% female and 47.9% male. The median age of 

46.4 was more than 11 years older than the national 

median age of 35.3. The age structure of Seaview in 2000 

revealed an older population, with only 23% of residents 

falling under the age 25 compared to 35.3% nationally. 

Of the population 18 years of age and older, 75.4% had a 

high school education (including equivalency) or higher, 

5% had earned a bachelor’s degree or higher, and 2.6% 

had attained a graduate or professional degree; the 

national averages were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% 

respectively. The highest level of educational attainment 

for 34.9% was a high school degree.

The vast majority of Seaview’s racial structure in 

the 2000 U.S. Census was white (96.8%), followed by 

people who identified with two or more races (3.2%). 

Ethnicity data indicate that 8.0% were Hispanic. In 2000 

6.6 % were foreign-born, all from Mexico.

Seaview’s population in 2000 lived in 253 

households, with 72.4% of residents living in family 

households.

History

Seaview derives its name from its scenic location on 

Washington’s Pacific Coast. The community was 

formerly founded in 1881 by Jonathan L. Stout, a local 

entrepreneur who also invested heavily in the 

development of Ilwaco. Stout purchased 153.5 acres of 

oceanfront property in 1880 and constructed Seaview as 

a summer resort for visitors made wealthy by the region’s 

timber and fishing industry. In 1889 regular train service 

was extended to Stout’s resort, and Seaview became one 

60 40 20 0 20 40 60

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure

Two or more races

3.2%

White

96.8%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Non-Hispanic

92.0%

Hispanic

8.0%
194

of Long Beach Peninsula’s most popular vacation spots. 

Stout ran a successful beachside hotel and quickly sold 

all of his Seaview lots for $100 a piece to entrepreneurs 

interested in building businesses and vacation cottages. 

Stout’s hotel burned to the ground in 1892 but his resort 

community continues to thrive.

Seaview residents remain heavily dependent on 

tourism, and the community serves as a popular summer 

retreat for visitors from Portland and other local cities.1 

Cranberry farming has also become an important activity 

on the Long Beach Peninsula, and numerous Seaview 

restaurants and tourist services advertise cranberry 

products and opportunities to tour nearby cranberry 

farms. Although Seaview does not operate a port or 

marina, its beach access attracts recreational visitors 

interested in clam digging and beach combing.

Infrastructure

Current Economy 

Founded as a resort area, the contemporary 

community of Seaview continues to depend heavily on 

revenue and jobs generated by tourism. Jobs in 

accommodation and food services employ a substantial 

portion of the population. Seaview is home to Long 

Beach Peninsula Visitor’s Bureau, which provides 

tourism information to travelers. The Sportsmen’s 

Cannery, a fresh fish retailer located in Seaview, 

purchases some of its stock from local fishermen and 

attracts tourists and other recreational visitors traveling 

along U.S. Highway 101. The Washington State 

Business Database includes listings for several fly and 

bait shops, hotels and cottage inns, a logging contractor, 

marine services providers, and a number of small shops 

in Seaview. Residents may commute to manufacturing 

and fish processing jobs in nearby Ilwaco (2 miles) or 

other neighboring communities with ports or industrial 

facilities.

At the time of the 2000 U.S. Census, 42.7% of 

Seaview residents 16 years of age and older were 

employed, 2.2% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 4.8% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

55.1% did not participate in the labor force (were not 

actively seeking work), compared to the national average 

of 36.1%. The largest employment sectors were 

manufacturing (25.9%), health care and social assistance 

(18.1%), local, state, and governments (13.4%), retail 

trade (12.5%), accommodation and food services and 

construction (11.1%), other services (9.3%), public 

administration (5.6%), information and transportation 

and warehousing (3.2%). No Seaview area residents 

worked in agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting, but 

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

55.1%

Unemployed

2.2%

Employed

42.7%

these data may be somewhat misleading given that many 

fishermen are self-employed and are underrepresented in 

this tabulation.

The per capita income in 1999 was $19,266 and the 

median household income was $30,968. In 1999 13.6% 

lived below the poverty level, slightly higher than the 

national average of 12.4%. In 2000 there were 398 

housing units in Seaview, with 66.4% owner occupied 

and 35.6% renter occupied. The housing unit vacancy 

rate was 36.4%, with 82.8% vacant due to seasonal, 

recreational, or occasional use.

Governance

Under Washington State law, an area cannot be 

incorporated as a city unless it houses a minimum of 

1,500 residents. Seaview is therefore classified as an 

unincorporated area governed by Pacific County. 

Seaview has neither a city council nor its own separate 

municipal tax structure. Seaview residents elect county 

officials, whose offices are located in the county seat of 

South Bend, 31 miles north on U.S. Highway 101. 

Pacific County, which was organized in 1851, has a 7.8% 

sales tax and a 9.8% lodging tax.2, 3

 See the Governance 

subsection (page 43) in the Overview section for a more 

detailed discussion of taxes affecting fisherman and 

processors in Washington.

The nearest National Marine Fisheries Service 

Regional Office is in Seattle. The nearest U.S. 

Citizenship and Immigration Services office is in 

Portland. The nearest U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 

Services District Office and the nearest meetings of the 

Pacific Fishery Management and North Pacific Fishery 

Management councils are in Portland. The nearest 

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) 

Regional Office is 72 miles northeast in Montesano. The 

nearest U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) facility is the USCG 

Group/Air Station Astoria in Warrenton, Oregon, 21 
195

miles south. The USCG operates the National Motor 

Lifeboat School in Ilwaco, 3 miles south.

Facilities

Seaview is accessible by land, air, and water. The 

community is at the junction of U.S. Highway 101 

(north-south) and Washington Highway 103, which runs 

north-south the length of Long Beach Peninsula. Astoria 

(Oregon) Regional Airport (18 miles south) is the nearest 

airport certified for carrier operations and the Port of 

Ilwaco Airport provides an unattended paved runaway 

that is open to the public. Portland International Airport 

is the nearest major facility. There are several motels, 

bed and breakfast inns, campgrounds, and recreational 

vehicle parks located in Seaview.

Seaview is in the Ocean Beach School District, but 

there are no public schools located in the community.4

 

Students travel by bus to schools in Ilwaco, Ocean Park 

(11 miles north), and Long Beach (1 mile north). In 

addition to traditional elementary, middle, and high 

schools, the district also offers a small alternative high 

school in Long Beach. Public Utility District No. 2 of 

Pacific County administers electricity. The City of Long 

Beach supplies water. The Seaview Sewer District 

provides sewer service. The Pacific County Sheriff’s 

Office and the Long Beach Fire Department administer 

public safety. The Ocean Beach Hospital in Ilwaco, the 

Columbia Memorial Hospital in Astoria, and Willapa 

Harbor Hospital in South Bend (41 miles north) are the 

nearest major medical facilities.

Seaview is located along the Pacific Ocean but does 

not support a marina, port, or other facilities for 

launching or storing boats. Seaview does offer seasonal 

beach access with restrooms, restaurants, fuel, and other 

services aimed at tourists and recreational visitors. The 

Seaview Beach can be accessed by automobile from 

Memorial Day to September 15.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Because there is no port located in the community, 

fish caught by Seaview residents are landed and 

processed elsewhere. No data concerning the weight or 

value of these landings are available. In 2000 Seaview 

fisherman involved in the West Coast fisheries owned 16 

vessels, including 10 that participated in the federally 

managed groundfish fishery. The number of vessels 

owned by Seaview residents that participated in each said 

fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 6/5/0, 

groundfish 0/0/NA, highly migratory species NA/0/NA, 

salmon 6/3/0, shellfish NA/0/NA, shrimp NA/1/0, and 

other species 1/0/0.5

No individuals living in Seaview in 2000 held 

federal groundfish fishery permits. The number of 

Seaview residents holding permits in each said fishery by 

state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 3/0/0, crab 5/4/0, 

highly migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 4/3/0, shellfish 

0/0/NA, shrimp 0/1/0, and other species 1/0/0.6

Available data indicate that 15 state permits were 

registered to Seaview residents in 2000. The number of 

permits held by these community members in each said 

fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 1/0/0, 

crab 7/4/0, highly migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 6/3/

0, shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 0/4/0, and other species 1/0/

0.7

Sportfishing

According to the WDFW, there is one sport license 

vendor operating in Seaview. No Seaview residents 

owned or operated charter boats in 2003 or 2004. The 

closest Catch Record Card areas to Seaview are Area 1 

(Ilwaco) and 1A (Ilwaco–Buoy 10). The 2000–2001 

sport catch in these areas was 27,889 (Area 1) and 16,335 

(Area 1A). This data include (1/1A) Chinook salmon 

(1,630/2,972) and coho salmon (26,259/13,363). These 

figures are based on creel survey estimates. Marine 

angler made 16,243 (Area 1) and 42,061 (Area 1A) trips 

in the sport salmon fishery. Sport fishermen caught 106 

steelhead in Area 1 (Columbia River–Leadbetter Point). 

In 2000 the coastal bottomfish catch was 8,388 for Area 

1 (Ilwaco) and 631 for the Ilwaco Jetty.

Subsistence

Subsistence hunting, fishing, and gathering 

activities are fundamental to the way of life of some 

coastal community members. Tribal and nontribal 

individuals participate in subsistence fishing, obtaining 

fishery resources from the waters surrounding Seaview. 

Subsistence fishing is not discussed in great detail in this 

community profile due to the lack of available data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 Seaview residents owned two vessels that 

participated in North Pacific fisheries. In the same year 

community members landed fish in the following North 

Pacific fisheries (data shown represent landings in metric 

tons/value of said landings/number of vessels landing): 

salmon (confidential/confidential/1).

Seaview residents held seven permits for North 

Pacific fisheries, including two individuals who held 
196

federal permits and two who held state permits (note: it is 

possible for individuals to hold more than one permit at a 

time). These community members held one groundfish 

License Limitation Program permit and three Bering 

Strait and Aleutian Islands groundfish, one halibut, one 

salmon, and one shellfish Commercial Fisheries Entry 

Commission permits. Seaview residents held 1,283 

halibut and no sablefish individual fishing quota shares in 

2000.

In 2000 seven Seaview residents held crew member 

licenses for North Pacific fisheries.

Sportfishing

Seaview residents purchased two Alaska 

sportfishing licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. L. J. Weathers. 1989. Place names of Pacific County. The 

Sou’wester, Pacific County Historical Society, South Bend, WA., Vol. 

34, No. 4:19-68. Online at http://www.pacificcohistory.org/

sw1989_4.htm#56 [accessed 31 January 2007].

2. Washington State Dept. Revenue. 2004. Local sales and use 

tax rates and changes. Online at http://dor.wa.gov/Docs/forms/

ExcsTx/LocSalUseTx/LocalSlsUseFlyer_Quarterly.pdf [accessed 31 

January 2007].

3. Washington State Dept. Revenue. 2003. Lodging tax rates by 

location. Online at http://dor.wa.gov/docs/forms/excstx/locsalusetx/

lodgingrates_03_a.pdf [accessed 31 January 2007].

4. Ocean Beach School District. 2003. Location of OSBD 

schools. Online at http://www.ocean.k12.wa.us/location.htm 

[accessed 31 January 2007]. 

5. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

6. See note 5.

7. See note 5.
197

Sedro-Woolley

People and Place

Location

Sedro-Woolley is in northwest Washington on the 

east side of the Puget Sound. Situated in Skagit County, 

the city encompasses 3.4 square miles of land and 0.01 

square miles of water. The nearest major U.S. city is 

Seattle, a 74-mile drive south. Sedro-Woolley’s 

geographic coordinates are lat 48°30′14′′N, long 

122°14′10′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, SedroWoolley’s population was 8,658, an increase of 43.6% 

from 6,031 in 1990. The gender composition was 52.6% 

female and 47.4% male. The median age of 33.2 was 

younger than the national median age of 35.3. Of the 

population 18 years of age and older, 79.2% had a high 

school education (including equivalency) or higher, 8.3% 

had received a bachelor’s degree or higher, and 1.9% had 

attained a graduate or professional degree; the national 

averages were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The vast majority of Sedro-Woolley’s racial 

structure recorded by the 2000 U.S. Census was white 

(92.0%), followed by people who identified with another 

race (3.2%), people who identified with two or more 

races (2.0%), American Indian and Alaska Native 

(1.6%), Asian (0.8%), black (0.3%), and Native 

Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander (0.1%). Ethnicity 

data indicate that 7.2% identified as Hispanic. In 2000 

3.7% were foreign-born, with 54.8% from Mexico. The 

largest numbers of people denoting ancestry were 

German (14.7%), followed by English (10.1%), 

Norwegian (9.1%), and Irish (8.8%).

History

Sedro-Woolley began its community existence as 

two separate settlements, Sedro and Woolley. Sedro was 

founded by Mortimer Cook who traveled to the area with 

his family in 1884 and purchased 34 acres of land, 

currently the site of Riverfront Park in modern day 

Sedro-Woolley. On his land Cook operated the general 

store, opened a shingle mill, and became the first 

postmaster of the town. Cook decided to name the 

community “Cedra,” meaning cedar in Spanish, after 

learning the disappointing news that the Washington 

Territory already had another community with the name 

Cook. He also suggested the name “Bug” for the 

mosquitoes; however the name was not appreciated by 

2,000 1,500 1,000 500 0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure

Male Female

2000 Racial structure

Two or more races

2.0%

Pacific Islander

0.1%

Black

0.3%

White

92.0%

Native

1.6%

Other

3.2%

Asian

0.8%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Hispanic

7.2% Non-Hispanic

92.8%
198

fellow occupants. Eventually “Cedra” was contorted into 

“Sedro,” the first half of its present-day name.

The community of Woolley was founded by Philip 

A. Woolley, who purchased 84 acres north of Cedra in 

1890. The town began to thrive in the middle to late 

1800s with the establishment of a coal processing plant 

employing 2,000 people as well as many additional 

businesses. Woolley also was chosen over the 

community of Cedra to be the site of the Northern Pacific 

Railroad depot; three railroads serviced the area and 

aided in the success of these communities. Woolley 

however had two considerable fires in 1891 and 1893 

that slowed the town’s growth. Cook also was having 

economic troubles at the time and the two communities 

merged into one for obvious benefits, despite the rivalries 

that had previously developed. Neither community 

would give up its name; thus the town Sedro-Woolley 

was born. It was incorporated in 1898.1

Today the Upper Skagit Tribe’s 84-acre reservation 

and tribal center of are about 5 miles east of SedroWoolley.2 The Upper Skagit are descendents of a tribe 

that previously inhabited 10 villages on the Upper Skagit 

and Sauk rivers; archaeological studies reveal evidence 

of human habitation in the Upper Skagit River basin 

dating to 8,500 years ago. The Skagit River provided the 

tribe with abundant natural resources including salmon 

and shellfish; however dam construction on the river, 

beginning in 1923, altered the riverine ecosystem. In 

1995 the tribe opened the Skagit Valley Casino Resort, 

halfway between Everett and Bellingham. The facility 

offers the members of the Upper Skagit Tribe an 

employment alternative to fishing and logging.3 Today 

the tribe is governed by a seven member tribal council, 

each member serving staggered 3-year terms.4

Infrastructure

Current Economy

At the time of the 2000 U.S. Census, 61.1% of 

Sedro-Woolley’s potential labor force 16 years and older 

were employed, 5.8% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 8.7% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

33.1% were not in the labor force, compared to the 

national average of 36.1%. The major employment 

sectors were educational, health, and social services 

(17.6%), local, state, and federal governments (16.5%), 

manufacturing (15.4%), retail trade (13.6%), arts, 

entertainment, recreation, accommodation, and food 

services (11.5%), construction (10.4%), and professional, 

scientific, management, administrative, and waste 

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

33.1%

Employed

61.1%

Unemployed

5.8%

management services (8.2%). About 1.7% were in the 

armed forces. Natural resource jobs including 

agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting employed 

3.1%, but this percentage may be artificially low given 

that many fishermen are self-employed and are 

underrepresented in these data. The top Sedro-Woolley 

employers were Affiliated Health Services, Cascades Job 

Corps, Cascadian Farm Inc., City of Sedro-Woolley, NW 

Hardwoods, Sedro-Woolley School District, Life Care 

Center of Skagit Valley, and Snelson Companies Inc.5

The per capita income in 1999 was $16,517 and the 

median household income was $37,914. In 1999 11.3% 

lived below the poverty level. In 2000 there were 3,334 

housing units in Sedro-Woolley, with 60.2% owner 

occupied and 39.8% renter occupied. The housing unit 

vacancy rate was 3.9%.

Governance

The City of Sedro-Woolley was incorporated in 

1898 and is governed by a city council including a 

mayor, six wards, and one council at-large member. 

Sedro-Woolley levies a 7.9% sales and use tax a 2% 

lodging tax. See the Governance subsection (page 43) in 

the Overview section for a more detailed discussion of 

taxes affecting fisherman and processors in Washington.

The nearest National Marine Fisheries Service 

Regional Office and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 

Services office are in Seattle. Meetings of the Pacific 

Fishery Management and North Pacific Fishery 

Management councils are routinely held in the SeattleTacoma area. The nearest Washington Department of 

Fish and Wildlife Regional Office is 54 miles south in 

Mill Creek. The U.S. Coast Guard Station Bellingham is 

30 miles north.
199

Facilities

Sedro-Woolley is accessible by ground via 

Washington State Highway 20 (east-west). The 

Bellingham International Airport is the nearest airport 

certified for carrier operations with international flights 

to Canada. The Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is 

the nearest major facility.

The Sedro-Woolley School District has four 

elementary schools, one middle school, two high schools, 

and one special programs school. Puget Sound Energy 

administers electricity. The City of Sedro-Woolley 

provides sewer, garbage, and recycling services. The 

Public Utility District provides water. The Cascade 

Natural Gas Corporation offers natural gas service. The 

Sedro-Woolley Police and Fire departments administer 

public safety. United General Hospital, offering 

inpatient and outpatient care, is located west of town and 

Affiliated Health Services is about 11 miles away in 

Mount Vernon. There are at least three hotels and motels 

located in the community that provide accommodations 

for visitors.

Sedro-Woolley is not on the water and therefore has 

no available marine facilities; however a major harbor is 

located nearby in Bellingham. Please see the Bellingham 

community profile for additional information about port 

facilities in the area.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Recorded data indicate that there were zero landings 

delivered to Sedro-Woolley in 2000. There were also no 

known processors operating in the community. In 2000 

nine vessels were owned by residents of Sedro-Woolley, 

including five vessels that participated in the federally 

managed groundfish fishery. The number of vessels 

owned by Sedro-Woolley residents in 2000 participating 

in each said fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal 

pelagic 0/0/1, crab 2/0/0, groundfish 0/0/NA, highly 

migratory species NA/0/NA, salmon 2/0/0, shellfish NA/

0/NA, shrimp NA/0/0, and other species 2/0/0.6

In 2000 the number of Sedro-Woolley residents 

holding permits in each said fishery by state (WA/OR/

CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/0/5, crab 4/0/0, groundfish 2/

0/0, highly migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 5/1/0, 

shellfish 0/0/NA, and other species 1/0/1.7

Available data indicate that 25 state permits were 

registered to Sedro-Woolley residents in 2000. The 

number of permits held by these community members in 

each said fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) in 2000 was: 

coastal pelagic 0/0/8, crab 5/0/0, groundfish 5/0/0, highly 

migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 5/0/0, shellfish 0/0/

NA, and other species 1/0/1.8

Sportfishing

In 2000 there was at least one salmonid charter 

fishing business in Sedro-Woolley. There are two 

licensed vendors in Sedro-Woolley that sell fishing 

permits. In 2003 there were 4,574 sportfishing license 

transactions made in the community valued at $8,259.

Community members most likely travel to nearby 

Catch Record Card Area 7 (San Juan islands, all marine 

waters north of the Trial Island line described under Area 

6 to the U.S.-Canada border) to engage in salmon 

sportfishing. The 2000 sport catch, based on catch record 

cards, in Area 7 was 7,178 fish including 4,495 Chinook 

salmon, 2,644 coho salmon, 21 chum salmon, and 18 

sockeye salmon. Marine anglers made 30,627 trips in the 

sport salmon fishery. In Area 7 sport fishermen caught 

84 steelhead in 2000–2001. Boat-based anglers caught 

5,897 bottomfish in Area 7 in 2000. The recreational 

harvest of clams (lb) and oysters (#) for Area 7 in 2000 

was estimated to be 115,273 and 0 respectively; harvest 

occurred over an estimated 19,752 user trips. Anglers on 

the Skagit River fish for salmon, steelhead, trout and 

sturgeon; in 2000–2001 anglers caught nine sturgeon on 

the Skagit River.

Subsistence

Tribal and nontribal community members may be 

engaged in subsistence fishing in the area. Subsistence 

fishing is not discussed in detail in this community 

profile due to the lack of available data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Sedro-Woolley residents owned 15 vessels that were 

involved in North Pacific fisheries in 2000. Community 

members landed fish in the following North Pacific 

fisheries (data shown represent landings in metric tons/

value of said landings/number of vessels landing): crab 

confidential/confidential/1, Bering Sea and Aleutian 

Islands (BSAI) groundfish confidential/confidential/1, 

Gulf of Alaska groundfish confidential/confidential/1, 

halibut confidential/confidential/1, herring confidential/

confidential/2, and salmon 1,050 t/$706,950/8.

In 2000 Sedro-Woolley residents held 27 permits, 

including six individuals who held federal permits and 16 

who held state permits (note: it is possible for individuals 

to hold more than one permit at a time). Community 

members held 1 crab and 1 groundfish License 

Limitation Program permits and 1 crab, 2 BSAI 
200

groundfish, 1 halibut, 7 herring, and 12 salmon 

Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission permits in 

2000. Residents held 280,670 halibut and 988,862 

sablefish individual fishing quota shares.

In 2000 53 Sedro-Woolley residents held crew 

member licenses for North Pacific fisheries.

Sportfishing

Sedro-Woolley purchased 131 Alaskan sportfishing 

licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. Sedro-Woolley Chamber of Commerce. No date. History. 

Online at http://www.Sedro-Woolley.com/history.html [accessed 31 

January 2007].

2. Northern Puget Sound Ecological Characterization. No date. 

Tribes. Online at http://www3.csc.noaa.gov/npsec/html/human/

tribes.htm [accessed 31 January 2007].

3. U.S. History.com. 2005. Native Americans: Upper Skagit 

Tribe, Washington. Online at http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/

h1581.html [accessed 31 January 2007].

4. See note 2.

5. Sedro-Woolley Chamber of Commerce. No date. Business & 

economy, employment. Online at http://www.Sedro-Woolley.com/

employment.html [accessed 31 January 2007].

6. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of the fishery in 2000.

7. See note 6.

8. See note 6.
201

Sequim

People and Place

Location

Sequim is in the Dungeness River Valley about 3 

miles inland from Sequim Bay, a 4-mile long stretch of 

protected water on the north shore of the Olympic 

Peninsula. Situated in Clallam County, the community 

encompasses 5.3 square miles of land. The nearest major 

U.S. city is Seattle, a 70-mile ferry ride and drive 

southeast. Sequim’s geographic coordinates are lat 

48°04′47′′N, long 123°06′02′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Sequim’s 

population was 4,334, an increase of 19.9% since 1990. 

The gender composition was 57.7% female and 42.3% 

male. The median age of 59.3 was higher than the 

national median of 35.3. In 2000 45% of the population 

was older than 65 years of age and 29.9% were between 

25 and 60. Of the population older than 18 years of age, 

80.3% had a high school education (including 

equivalency) or higher, 17.9% had received a bachelor’s 

degree or higher, and 7.9% had attained a graduate or 

professional degree; the national averages were 79.7%, 

22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The vast majority Sequim’s racial structure recorded 

by the 2000 U.S. Census was white (93.9%), followed by 

people who identified with two or more races (1.9%), 

Asian (1.8%), American Indian and Alaska Native 

(1.2%), people who identified with another race (0.9%), 

black (0.3%), and Pacific Islander (0.1%). Ethnicity data 

indicate that 2.9% identified as Hispanic. In 2000 3.9% 

were foreign-born, with 19.9% from Canada, 14.3% from 

the United Kingdom, 9.3% from Japan, and 9.3% from 

Australia.

In 2000 67.3% of the Sequim population lived in 

family households.

History

Clallam County, named after the Indian word 

Clallam, meaning “strong people,” was created by the 

Washington Territorial Legislature in 1854. Prior to 

European American settlement, the S’Klallam Indians 

occupied the area from the Hoko River near the Pacific 

Ocean to Puget Sound. Today there are three surviving 

groups of the S’Klallam—the Elwha, the Jamestown, and 

the Port Gamble S’Klallam. Historically the S’Klallam 

belonged to the Salish speaking people who lived from 

the central British Columbia coast to northwestern 

400 300 200 100 0 100 200 300 400 500 600

Number of Individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure 

White

93.9%

Two or more races

1.9%

Other

0.9%

Pacific Islander

0.1%

Black

0.3%

Native

1.2%

Asian

1.8%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity 

Non-Hispanic

97.1%

Hispanic

2.9%
202

Oregon. The S’Klallam lived in at least 15 villages along 

the south shore of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Their first 

contact with Europeans was in 1799 when English and 

Spanish explorers entered the Strait, followed by fur 

traders, missionaries, gold seekers, and settlers.1

 The 

Europeans brought with them smallpox, whooping 

cough, and measles that decimated the S’Klallam Tribe. 

It is estimated that the S’Klallam population dropped 

from approximately 2,400 in 1780 to 926 in 1855.2

The Treaty of Point No Point, signed by the 

S’Klallam in 1855, secured the tribe’s right to fish at 

“usual and accustomed” grounds;3

 however the 

S’Klallam were assigned to the Skokomish Reservation 

approximately 150 miles away from their traditional 

fishing areas. The S’Klallam refused to relocate, 

preferring to coexist with the new settlements at Port 

Angeles, Port Townsend, and Port Gamble.4 In 1874 the 

Klallam community pooled their funds and purchased 

210 acres from a logging company. Upon federal 

recognition in 1981 the tribe gained 5 acres of trust land 

at Sequim Bay where the reservation is today.

Tribal membership now stands around 230, with 80 

involved in fishing and the gathering of coastal 

resources.5

 The Fisheries Division of the Jamestown 

S’Klallam Natural Resource Department is responsible 

for managing the tribe’s fisheries by negotiating treaty 

fish and shellfish harvest opportunities, establishing 

fishing regulations, and tracking legal proceedings 

affecting treaty rights. Tribal conservation and 

enforcement officers monitor fishing and hunting 

activities in the area.

The history of Sequim and the Dungeness River 

Valley is closely tied to the history of the Dungeness 

River, which originates in the mountains of the Olympics 

and flows northward to the Strait of Juan de Fuca. 

Ensign Manual Quimper, exploring the Strait for Spain, 

sighted the Dungeness area in 1790. Two years later 

Captain George Vancouver sailed into the bay and named 

its sheltering sandspit New Dungeness, after its great 

resemblance to Dungeness in the British Channel. In the 

1850s the first settlers came to the Dungeness area to 

harvest timber and float logs downriver, take up claims, 

and to clear land and plant crops. Today people remain 

attracted to the relatively dry climate of the area and 

several new businesses have taken root in the Sequim 

area. The city now boasts one of the largest Safeway 

grocery stores in Western Washington.

Today Sequim is known as the lavender capital of 

the world; purple flowers bloom and are available for Upick from July to October. Sequim is also known for its 

strawberry and raspberry crops that are available from 

June to August. Visitors and residents enjoy the Sequim 

Open Aire Market—open spring, summer, and fall—

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

68.5%

Employed

29.5%

Unemployed

2%

where vendors sell local crafts, flowers, and produce. 

The City of Sequim and Sequim Bay are popular among 

tourists visiting the Olympic Peninsula. Sailing, bird 

watching, kayaking, bicycling, and fishing are just a few 

of the activities tourists enjoy when visiting the area. 

Several festivals occur annually in Sequim such as the 

Lavender Festival in July, the Irrigation Festival in early 

May, the Dungeness River Festival, and local salmon 

bakes.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

At the time of the 2000 U.S. Census, 29.5% of 

Sequim’s potential labor force 16 years of age and older 

were employed, 2% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 6.3% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). A seemingly 

high 68.5% were not in the labor force in 2000, compared 

to the national average of 36.1%. The major employment 

sectors were sales and office occupations (28.4%), 

service occupations (28.2%), management, professional, 

and related occupations (20.5%), and local, state, and 

federal governments (9.5%). Natural resource jobs 

including agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting 

employed 5.5%, but this percentage may be artificially 

low given that many fishermen are self-employed and are 

underrepresented in these data.

The per capita income in 1999 was $19,253 and the 

median household income in 1999 was $27,880. In 1999 

13.9% lived below the poverty level, compared to the 

national average of 12.4%. In 2000 there were 2,424 

housing units in Sequim, with 59.9% owner occupied and 

40.1% renter occupied. The housing unit vacancy rate 

was 10.8%, with 13% vacant due to seasonal, 

recreational, or occasional use.
203

Governance

The City of Sequim was incorporated in 1913 and it 

is one of three incorporated cities, including Port Angeles 

and Forks, in Clallam County. The city has a councilmanager form of government. The city council, 

comprised of seven elected members, hires the city 

manager. The council elects a mayor and a mayor pro 

tem from the council. Clallam County levies an 8.3% 

sales and use tax and a 2% lodging tax. See the 

Governance subsection (page 43) in the Overview 

sections for a more detailed discussion of taxes affecting 

fisherman and processors in Washington.

The nearest National Marine Fisheries Service 

Regional Office and the U.S. Citizenship and 

Immigration Service office are in Seattle. Meetings of 

the Pacific Fishery Management and North Pacific 

Fishery Management councils are routinely held in the 

Seattle-Tacoma area. The nearest Washington 

Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Region Office 

is 120 miles south in Montesano. The U.S. Coast Guard 

(USCG) Group/Air Station in Port Angeles is home to 

several USCG cutters and a Dolphin helicopter. The 

station is responsible for marine safety westward to Pillar 

Point on the Strait of Juan de Fuca, north to the U.S.-

Canada border, east to the western shore of Whidbey 

Island, and south through Admiralty Inlet to Olele Point.

Facilities

Sequim is accessible by ground, air, and water. The 

city is on U.S. Highway 101, 16 miles west off Port 

Angeles. Throughout the year the Victoria Express 

provides ferry service from Port Angeles to Victoria, 

British Columbia, and Friday Harbor in the San Juan 

Islands. The Coho Ferry, operated by Black Ball 

Transport Inc., also provides service between Port 

Angeles and Victoria. The William R. Fairchild 

International Airport in Port Angeles, 27 miles 

northwest, is the nearest airport certified for carrier 

operations. The Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is 

the closest major facility.

The Sequim School District has two elementary 

schools, one middle school, one public and one private 

high school, and one community school that offers 

special district and community programs for children, 

students, and adults. Peninsula College in Port Angeles 

has an enrollment of more than 2,300 students. The 

Public Utility District of Clallam County provides 

electricity and alternative energy systems. Sequim’s 

Public Works Department supplies water, wastewater, 

and solid waste services. The Sequim Police Department 

administers public safety. The nearest hospital is 

Jefferson General Hospital, 31 miles east in Port 

Townsend, while the Olympic Medical Center in Port 

Angeles is the closest medical facility. There are several 

community businesses including the Museum and Arts 

Center, the Rainshadow Natural Science Foundation, 

several wineries and farms, parks, and places of worship. 

The tourism industry is well developed in Sequim, with 

more than 40 hotels, bed and breakfasts, and vacation 

rentals.

The John Wayne Marina, operated by the Port of 

Port Angeles, is located on the western shore of Sequim 

Bay at Pitship Point. The marina, built on land donated 

by the film star in 1975, provides 280 permanent and 22 

transient moorage slips. Facilities at the marina include 

water, electricity, fuel, sewage pump-out, and garbage 

and oil disposal services. A restaurant, marine supply 

store, public meeting rooms, and a charter boat service 

are in an on-site service building. Nontribal fishermen 

and members of the Jamestown and Elwha tribes utilize 

the marina, however, several crab and salmon fishermen 

trailer their boats to and from the fishing grounds, 

increasing their mobility and decreasing their costs.6

The construction of the John Wayne Marina resulted 

in the loss of Pacific sand lance spawning sites and 

nearshore eel grass habitat, but there is no evidence that 

the marina currently affects water quality in Sequim Bay. 

The Clallam County Marine Resource Committee 

(MRC) believes that the herring stock, prevalent in the 

bay in the mid-1970s, might now be extinct. Surf smelt 

spawning habitat has been documented in Sequim Bay.7

Several Sequim residents serve on the Clallam 

County Marine Resources Advisory Committee, a 14-

member group of citizen volunteers established in 1998 

to advise county officials and address local issues related 

to marine resource management. The Clallam MRC has 

been involved in several projects centered round shellfish 

harvest in Dungeness Bay, the assessment of forage fish 

habitat, and the recovery of bottomfish and salmon. The 

MRC also works closely with local groups such as the 

Dungeness River Management Team, the Elwha-Morse 

Management Team, and the Sequim-Dungeness Clean 

Water Work Group. Sequim Bay remains an MRC 

shellfish priority area due to concerns over diminished 

water quality.8

The Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe is involved in 

clam, oyster, and geoduck aquaculture in Sequim and 

Dungeness bays. However the Dungeness Bay beds are 

threatened by growing pollution, much of which is linked 

to increasing development in Dungeness Valley.9 The 

tribe operates the largest wild geoduck export operation 

on the Olympic Peninsula, selling approximately 150,000 

to 200,000 pounds of geoducks to China and other 

Pacific Rim countries each year.10 The tribe also is 

involved in finfish aquaculture. The WDFW’s Hurd 
204

Creek Hatchery, located near Sequim, supports the 

Elwha River and Dungeness River fall Chinook salmon 

programs and provides support for wild-stock chum 

salmon and coho salmon recovery efforts.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 there were at least two seafood processors 

operating in Sequim, Alder Springs Smoked Salmon and 

Jamestown Seafood. Jamestown Seafood, farming and 

processing since 1990, serves as a processor, wholesaler, 

and distributor. Owned and operated by the Jamestown 

S’Klallam Tribe, Jamestown Seafood specializes in live 

geoduck, oysters, and Dungeness crab. Several seafood 

markets serve Sequim residents, including Jamestown 

Seafood Farm, the Crab Barn, and Macomber Seafood 

Specialties.

Of the 114 unique vessels that delivered landings to 

Sequim in 2000, 86 were tribal commercial, 17 were 

commercial, and 10 were personal use vessels. The 

remaining vessel types are confidential. Data indicate 

that landings in the community were in the following 

West Coast fisheries (data shown represent landings in 

metric tons/value of said landings/number of vessels 

landing): crab 105 t/$503,632/53; groundfish 

confidential/confidential/2; salmon 4 t/$5,656/9; shellfish 

133 t/$232,314/27; shrimp 4 t/$25,765/8; and other 

species confidential/confidential/1.

Sequim residents owned 21 vessels in 2000, 

including 9 vessels that participated in the federally 

managed groundfish fishery. The number of vessels 

owned by Sequim residents that participated in each said 

fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 1/0/0, 

crab 4/0/0, groundfish 5/0/NA, highly migratory species 

NA/0/NA, salmon 3/1/1, shellfish NA/0/NA, shrimp NA/

0/0, and other species 6/0/0.11

Four Sequim residents each held one federally 

managed groundfish fishery permit in 2000. The number 

of Sequim residents holding permits in each state fishery 

by state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 7/0/0, groundfish 2/0/0, 

highly migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 5/1/3, shellfish 

0/0/NA, shrimp 5/0/0, and other species 6/0/0.12

Sequim residents held 38 state and 4 federal 

registered permits in 2000. The number of permits held 

by these community members in each said fishery by 

state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 10/0/0, groundfish 5/0/0, 

highly migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 5/0/4, shellfish 

0/0/NA, shrimp 5/0/0, and other species 9/0/0.13

Sportfishing

Sport fishermen in Sequim are involved in West 

Coast and Alaskan fisheries. In 2000 at least one 

nonsalmonid charter fishing operator serviced sport 

fishermen and tourists in Sequim. At least three 

salmonid charter fishing businesses operated in Sequim 

in 2003.

There are five licensed vendors selling sportfishing 

permits in the community. A total of 6,858 sportfishing 

license transactions valued at $99,023 were made in 

Sequim in 2003. In Catch Record Card Area 6 (east Juan 

de Fuca Strait) the 2000 sport salmon catch, based on 

catch record cards, was 4,334 fish including 1,138 

Chinook salmon and 3,196 coho salmon. Marine anglers 

made 26,777 trips in the sport salmon fishery. Sport 

fishermen caught 9 steelhead and the 5,340 coastal 

bottomfish. The recreational harvest of clams (pounds) 

and oysters (number) for Area 6 in 2000 was estimated to 

be 23,015 and 24,993 respectively; harvest occurred over 

an estimated 3,996 user trips.

Subsistence

Subsistence hunting, fishing, and gathering 

activities are fundamental to the way of life of some 

coastal community members. Tribal and nontribal 

individuals participate in subsistence fishing. Jamestown 

S’Klallam tribal members are engaged in subsistence 

harvesting for butter, littleneck, horse, and Manila 

clams.14 Subsistence fishing is not discussed in detail in 

this community profile due to the lack of available data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 Sequim residents owned 21 vessels that 

were involved in North Pacific fisheries. In the same 

year community members landed fish in the following 

North Pacific fisheries (data shown represents landings in 

metric tons/value of said landings/number of vessels 

landing): Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) 

groundfish confidential/confidential/1, Gulf of Alaska 

(GOA) groundfish confidential/confidential/3, other 

finfish confidential/confidential/1, halibut confidential/

confidential/2, herring 353 t/$74,480/4, salmon 326 t/

$446,960/11, and shellfish confidential/confidential/1.

In 2000 Sequim residents held 45 state and federal 

permits, including 18 individuals who held registered 

state permits and 15 who held registered federal permits 

(note: it is possible for individuals to hold more than one 

permit at a time). Community members held 6 

groundfish License Limitation Program permits and 4 

crab, 1 GOA groundfish, 6 BSAI groundfish, 4 halibut, 6 
205

herring, 12 salmon, and 2 shellfish Commercial Fisheries 

Entry Commission permits. Residents held 491,300 

halibut and 422 sablefish individual fishing quota share 

in 2000.

In 2000 30 Sequim residents held crew member 

licenses for North Pacific fisheries.

Sportfishing

Sequim residents purchased 223 Alaska sportfishing 

licenses in 2000. At least one sportfishing business in 

Sequim participated in Alaskan fisheries in 2000.

Notes

1. Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe. No date. Culture and history. 

Online at http://www.pgst.nsn.us/content/culture_history/

pride_heritage.htm [accessed 31 January 2007].

2. Hands on the land. No date. Olympic National Park, Elwha 

Valley. Online at http://www.handsontheland.org/classroom/

2002serv_learn/olym/nativeamericans.htm [accessed 31 January 

2007].

3. Point No Point Treaty Council. 2002. Treaty of Point No 

Point, 1855. Online at http://www.pnptc.org/treaty_of_point_no

_point.htm [accessed 31 January 2007].

4. See note 1.

5. Discover Olympic. No date. Tribes of the Olympics, 

Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe. Online at http://www.nps.gov/olym/

edprehis.htm [accessed 31 January 2007].

6. Field notes, Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, Sequim, WA, 16 

August 2004.

7. Clallam County Marine Resource Committee. No date. The 

MRC and what it does. Online at http://www.clallammrc.org/

CCMRC/allframes.html [accessed 31 January 2007].

8. See note 7.

9. J. Chew. 2004. Peninsula: Geoduck aquaculture in area’s 

future? Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA. 2 May 2004.

10. Northwest Fisheries Science Center and Washington Sea 

Grant. 2002. Red tides. Online at http://www.nwfsc.noaa.gov/hab/

outreach/pdf_files/RedTides2002.pdf [accessed 31 January 2007].

11. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

12. See note 11.

13. See note 11.

14. See note 10.
206

Shelton

People and Place

Location

Shelton is on Oakland Bay, an inlet on the southwest 

side of Puget Sound. In Mason County, the city 

encompasses 5.6 square miles of land and 0.3 square 

miles of water. The nearest major U.S. city is Seattle, an 

82-mile drive northeast. Shelton’s geographic 

coordinates are lat 47°12′55′′N, long 123°05′58′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Shelton’s 

population was 8,442, a 16.6% increase since 1990. The 

gender composition was 51.4% female and 48.6%male. 

The median age of 35.8 was comparable to the national 

median of 35.3. Shelton’s age structure showed that 22% 

were 14 years of age or younger and 37.6% were between 

the ages of 25 and 54. Of the population 18 years of age 

and older, 75.6% had a high school education (including 

equivalency) or higher, 11.6% had earned a bachelor’s 

degree or higher, and 3.0% had attained a graduate or 

professional degree, compared to the national averages of 

79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The vast majority of Shelton’s racial structure 

recorded by the 2000 U.S. Census was white (85.8%), 

followed by people who identified with another race 

(5.8%), people who identified with two or more races 

(3.4%), American Indian and Alaskan Native (2.7%), 

Asian (1.2%), Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander 

(0.7%), and black (0.4%). Ethnicity data indicate that 

10.9% identified as Hispanic. In 2000 8.5% were 

foreign-born, with 72.4% from Latin America, including 

Mexico (43.5%) and Guatemala (28.9%).

History

The first European exploration of what would 

become Mason County was completed by Lieutenant 

Charles Wilkes and his expeditionary team around 1839. 

The expedition encountered the Skokomish and Squaxin 

Island tribes, native inhabitants to the area. The diet of 

these tribes consisted mainly of salmon, berries, and 

roots. For a decade after its formation in 1854, Mason 

County was called Sahewamish County, named after one 

of the region’s smaller tribes. The county was renamed 

in 1864 to honor Charles Mason, the first secretary to the 

Washington Territorial Legislature. The town of 

Oakland, now extinct but then roughly 2 miles north of 

present-day Shelton, was the original county seat. In 

1888, allegedly due to the fact that Oakland residents 

800 600 400 200 0 200 400 600 800

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure 

Two or more races

3.4%

Other

5.8%

Pacific Islander

0.7%

Black

0.4%

Native

2.7%

Asian

1.2%

White

85.8%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity 

Hispanic

10.9%

Non-Hispanic

89.1%
207

would not allow a saloon in town, Shelton, referred to as 

Sheltonville prior to 1888, was selected as the new 

county seat. Shelton quickly became the center of local 

commerce, particularly for timber interests.

Mason County’s economic structure was largely 

built upon the logging industry. Lumber mills quickly 

followed as logging commenced. Adding to local 

prosperity were the miles of rail laid by the region’s 

logging and lumber interests.1

 Three railroads operated 

out of the area by 1887, moving timber within the 

borders of Mason County. Farming, fishing, and the 

oyster industry also were beginning in other areas of the 

county at that time.2 Oysters were a valuable local 

commodity, so much so that local oyster beds were all 

but depleted by 1887. This resulted in the creation of the 

Puget Sound Oyster Association. By 1902 hundreds of 

acres of Mason County waters were under cultivation, 

annually producing more than 25,000 sacks of oysters.

By 1888 Shelton had grown into a fair-sized city 

with a newspaper, schools, hotels, a funeral home, and 

railroads. Today forest products and aquaculture 

maintain prominence in the local economy.

Squaxin Island Tribal members are direct 

descendants of the maritime people who lived and 

prospered along the shores and watersheds of South 

Puget Sound for centuries. Today the tribal headquarters 

are in Shelton. Squaxin Island Tribal Council, consisting 

of five persons elected to three-year terms by the general 

council, is the governing body. The tribe operates a 

health clinic providing primary care and dental services. 

Known as the “People of the Water,” the tribe is 

comprised of seven bands that inhabited the headwaters 

of seven inlets. The Squaxin Island Tribe was one of the 

first Native American tribes to participate in the federal 

government’s Self Governance Demonstration Project, 

moving to its reservation in modern-day Mason County 

in 1855. In addition to reservation lands on the mainland, 

the Squaxin Island Reservation occupies most of Squaxin 

Island, a small island north of Olympia. The tribe has 

sole access to the uninhabited island for fishing, hunting, 

camping, and recreational activities.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

At the time of the 2000 U.S. Census, 53.5% of 

Shelton’s potential labor force 16 years of age and older 

were employed, 4.9% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 8.5% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

41.6% were not in the labor force, compared to the 

national average of 36.1%. The major employment 

sectors were local, state, and federal government (25.6%, 

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

41.6%

Unemployed

4.9%

Employed

53.5%

of which 3.5% were reported in agriculture, forestry, 

fishing, and hunting), educational, health, and social 

services (17.0%), retail trade (13.2%), public 

administration (12.9%), and manufacturing (10.8%). 

Natural resource jobs including agriculture, forestry, 

fishing, and hunting employed 5.9%, but this percentage 

may be artificially low given that many fishermen are 

self-employed and are underrepresented in these data. 

The two major employers are Taylor Shellfish Farms and 

Green Diamond Lumber (formerly Simpson Lumber).

The per capita income in 1999 was $16,303 and the 

median household income was $32,500. In 1999 18.9% 

lived below the poverty level, slightly higher than the 

national average of 12.4%. In 2000, 78.3% lived in 

family households. There were 3,403 housing units in 

Shelton, with 60.1% owner occupied and 39.9% renter 

occupied. The housing unit vacancy rate was 6.2%.

Governance

The City of Shelton was incorporated in 1889. 

Shelton’s commision style of government is unique in 

Washington State. The city is governed by a threemember commission, with members are elected to fouryear terms as either the mayor, commissioner of public 

works, or commissioner of public cafety. Shelton levies 

an 8.3% sales and use tax and a 10.3% lodging tax. See 

the Governance subsection (page 43) in the Overview 

section for a more detailed discussion of taxes affecting 

fisherman and processors in Washington.

The nearest National Marine Fisheries Service 

Regional Office and the U.S. Citizenship and 

Immigration Services office are in Seattle. Meetings of 

the Pacific Fishery Management and North Pacific 

Fishery Management councils are routinely held in the 

Seattle-Tacoma area. The nearest Washington 

Department of Fish and Wildlife Regional Office is 35 

miles west in Montesano. The 13th U.S. Coast Guard 

District Headquarters are in Seattle. The Squaxin Island 
208

Tribe’s Natural Resource and Public Safety offices are in 

Shelton. Public safety officers patrol the Squaxin Island 

Reservation and South Puget Sound waterways.3

Facilities

Shelton is accessible by land, sea, and air. The city 

is just east of U.S. Highway 101 that goes north from 

Olympia, around the Olympic Peninsula, and south along 

the coast. Sanderson Field Airport in Shelton is capable 

of handling business jet size aircraft. Seattle-Tacoma 

International Airport is the nearest major facility.

The Shelton School District has six elementary 

schools, four middle schools (including one alternative 

middle school), and two high schools. All but one 

middle school and one high school are in Shelton. 

Christian and Seventh Day Adventist schools provide 

private education for grades 1–12 and 1–8 respectively. 

Olympic College has a 27-acre branch campus in Shelton 

and provides a variety of programs including vocational 

and technical degrees. Mason County Public Utility 

District No. 3 administers electricity. Shelton offers cityowned and operated water, sewer, and garbage service, as 

well as a curbside recycling program. The City of 

Shelton’s Police and Fire departments administer public 

safety. Mason General Hospital in Shelton provides full 

medical service. There are at least three motels located 

in the community.

The Port of Shelton consists of the airport, two 

industrial complexes, and a marina. The port is governed 

by a three-member commission. Commissioners are 

elected to six-year terms by county residents. The 

marina, located within Shelton city limits, is currently 

managed by the Shelton Yacht Club. The marina has 106 

slips and offers visitor and permanent moorage with 

emergency haul-outs, a public boat ramp, gas dock, and 

berthing for Shelton-based watercraft up to 50 feet. 

There are numerous other marine facilities in Shelton. 

The Oakland Bay Marina will come under the 

supervision of the Port of Shelton in 2007, but it does not 

offer emergency haul-outs or a fuel dock. Jarrell’s Cove 

on Harstine Island is privately owned and provides 

overnight and permanent moorage, a pump-out station, 

and a fuel dock. Jarrell’s Cove State Park is on Harstine 

Island. This facility provides a moorage dock and buoys, 

a pump-out station, 20 tent sites, toilets, showers, picnic 

shelters, and group facilities. Hope Island State Park is a 

106-acre marine camping park on a quiet, boat access 

only island with five buoys. Moorage fees are charged 

year-round for mooring at docks, floats, and buoys. 

Public launching with parking for vehicles and boat 

trailers is available at Arcadia Point, owned by the 

Squaxin Island Tribe.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

There were at least three seafood processors 

operating in Shelton in 2000. Specific information (lb of 

product/value of product) is confidential. Oysters were 

the primary product in 2000.

Of the 449 vessels that delivered nonconfidential 

landings to Shelton in 2000, 6 were commercial vessels, 

117 were personal use vessels, and 375 were tribal 

commercial vessels. Reported landings in 2000 were in 

the following West Coast fisheries (data shown represent 

landings in metric tons/value of said landings/number of 

vessels making landings): crab 19 t/ $87,042/ 22; salmon 

502 t/ $647,097/ 245; shellfish 245 t/ $1,878,716/372; 

shrimp 1.9 t/ $11,347/7; and other species 49 t/ $42,740/

6.

Shelton residents owned three vessels in 2000, all of 

which participated in the federally managed groundfish 

fishery. The number of vessels owned by Shelton 

residents in 2000 that participated in each said fishery by 

state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 1/0/0, groundfish 0/0/NA, 

highly migratory species NA/0/NA, salmon 3/1/0, 

shellfish NA/0/NA, shrimp NA/0/0, and other species 3/

0/0.4

One Shelton resident held one federal groundfish 

permit in 2000. The number of Shelton residents holding 

permits in each said fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

crab 1/0/0, highly migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 4/1/

0, shellfish 1/0/NA, and other species 3/0/0.5

Shelton residents held 13 state commercial fishing 

permits in 2000. The number of state permits held by 

Shelton residents in each said fishery by state (WA/OR/

CA) was: crab 1/0/0, salmon 6/1/0, shellfish 1/0/NA, and 

other species 4/0/0.6

Shellfish have been a mainstay for the Squaxin 

Island people for thousands of years and remain 

important today for subsistence, economic, and 

ceremonial purposes. The Squaxin Island Tribe runs 

Harstine Oyster Company and in cooperation with the 

State of Washington operates one of largest salmon netpen programs in the Northwest. The net-pen facility, 

located between Squaxin and Harstine islands, releases 

about 2 million coho salmon into Puget Sound each year. 

According to their annual report, 203 tribal members 

harvested 305,934 pounds of Manila clams and 2,858 

pounds of littleneck clams from 13 beaches in 2003. In 

two areas 57 tribal members harvested 298,423 pounds of 

geoduck and 3,448 pounds of horse clams. According to 

the same report, 57 tribal members harvested 14,398 

pounds of Chinook salmon, 325,039 pounds of coho 

salmon, and 77,938 pounds of chum salmon.7
209

Sportfishing

At least one salmonid charter business operates out 

of Shelton. A total of five vendors are licensed to sell 

sportfishing permits. In 2003 Shelton vendors made 

11,587 sportfishing license transactions valued at 

$187,931. The annual sport catch in Washington State’s 

Catch Record Card Area 13 (south Puget Sound) was 

5,131 fish during the 2000–2001 license year. Based on 

catch card data, marine angler made 26,089 trips and 

took 1,649 Chinook salmon, 2,226 coho salmon, and 

1,256 chum salmon. The bottomfish catch in Area 13 

was 8,025. The recreational harvest of clams (pounds) 

and oysters (number) for the same area in 2000 was 

estimated to be 30,147 and 65,007 respectively; harvest 

occurred over an estimated 7,065 user trips. Littleneck 

clams and Manila clams accounted for 45.6% and 32.2% 

of the harvest respectively.

Subsistence

Subsistence harvest for marine species may exist in 

the Shelton area. However, the extent of subsistence 

harvesting is difficult to quantify due to a scarcity of 

data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 Shelton residents owned five vessels that 

participated in North Pacific fisheries. These vessels 

landed approximately 124 tons in the Alaska salmon 

fishery valued at more than $183,000. One vessel owned 

by a Shelton resident made landings in the North Pacific 

herring fishery, but specific information (landings in 

metric tons/value of landings) is confidential.

In 2000 Shelton residents held 14 North Pacific 

commercial fishing permits, including 5 individuals who 

held federal permits and 9 who held state permits (note: it 

is possible for individuals to hold more than one permit at 

a time). Shelton residents held six salmon, three 

shellfish, two herring, and one Bering Sea and Aleutian 

Islands groundfish Commercial Fisheries Entry 

Commission permits in 2000. A community member 

held one groundfish License Limitation Program permit. 

Residents held 115,207 halibut individual fishing quota 

shares.

Shelton residents held 21 crew member licenses for 

North Pacific fisheries in 2000.

Sportfishing

Shelton residents purchased 163 Alaskan 

sportfishing licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. City of Shelton. No date. History of Shelton in Mason 

County. Online at http://www.ci.shelton.wa.us/shelton's_history.htm 

[accessed 31 January 2007].

2. Shelton-Mason County Chamber of Commerce. No date. 

History. Online at http://www.sheltonchamber.org/49.php [accessed 

31 January 2007].

3. Squaxin Island Tribe. No date. Public safety. Online at 

http://www.squaxinisland.org/frames.html [accessed 30 January 

2007].

4. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

5. See note 4.

6. See note 4.

7. Squaxin Island Tribe. 2004. Annual report 2003. Online at 

http://www.squaxinisland.org/frames.html [accessed 31 January 

2007].
210

Silvana

People and Place

Location

Silvana is near the mouth of the Stillaguamish River 

in the northern Puget Sound region. Situated in 

Snohomish County, the area encompasses 1.5 square 

miles of land. The nearest major U.S. city is Seattle, a 

45-mile drive south. Silvana’s geographic coordinates 

are lat 48°12′09′′N, long 122°15′09′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Silvana’s 

population was 97. The gender composition was 50.5% 

female and 49.5% male. The median age of 38.3 was 

slightly higher than the national median of 35.3. There 

was an even age distribution between males and females, 

with 66% between the ages of 18 and 60.

The vast majority of Silvana’s racial structure 

recorded by the 2000 U.S. Census was white (93.8%), 

followed by people who identified with another race 

(4.1%), and American Indian and Alaska Native (2.1). 

Ethnicity data indicate that 6.2% identified as Hispanic.

Approximately 82.5% lived in family households.

History

The area surrounding Silvana was home to Native 

Americans, primarily of the Stillaguamish and Skagit 

tribes. The Stillaguamish Tribe is composed of 

descendents of the 1855 Stoluck-wa-mish River Tribe 

that resided on the main branch and north and south forks 

of the Stillaguamish River.1 Historically tribal members 

made their living fishing for salmon, hunting for deer, 

and gathering berries and roots. The tribe was party to 

the Treaty of Point Elliot in 1855. There were no 

separate reservations established for the Stillaguamish 

Indians at the time of the treaty. Some tribal members 

have moved to the Tulalip Reservation but the majority 

live in the aboriginal area along the Stillaguamish River. 

In 1970 the tribe was granted 58,600 acres from the 

federal government in northern Snohomish County. 

Tribal headquarters, including a Natural Resource 

Department, are located in Arlington, about 7 miles east 

of Silvana. There are 237 individuals enrolled as tribal 

members. For more information on the Skagit Tribe, see 

the La Connor community profile.

The first European American settlers to arrive in the 

Stanwood and Silvana areas came in the 1850s and were 

primarily homesteaders from Utsalady on the north end 

of Camano Island. In 1864 the first logging camps and 

15 10 5 0 5 10

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure

Male Female

2000 Racial structure 

White

93.8%

Other

4.1%

Native

2.1%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity 

Hispanic

6.2%

Non-Hispanic

93.8%
211

farms were established around a trading post named 

Florence, located 9 miles northwest of Silvana on the 

Stillaguamish River. Over the next 10 years, Florence 

competed with another trading post to the north, named 

Stanwood. Eventually Stanwood became the largest 

community at the mouth of the Stillaguamish River, 

home to two lumber mills and canneries. Meanwhile 

settlers established several other small but thriving 

communities with their own stores, churches, and schools 

including the community of Silvana, a largely 

Scandinavian farming community. Farmers sold their 

oats, hay, and shingles for cash. In the late 1890s the 

area was one of the largest settlements of Norwegian 

immigrants in the West.2

 The Old Silvana General Store 

and the Bricky Brack ’n Bait Shop are in the oldest 

building in town, built in 1896 by a Norwegian 

immigrant.

Located along Pioneer Highway in the 

Stillaguamish River delta, Silvana is surrounded by 

farmland that is heavily affected by the flooding of the 

Skagit and Stillaguamish rivers. The town was named 

after the Roman god Silvanus, the god of forests and the 

protector of homesteads, herds, and flocks. Silvana 

boasts the Little White Church on the Hill that overlooks 

the scenic Stillaguamish River Valley. The church was 

built in 1890 with funds raised by the ladies aid of the 

congregation that formed in the early 1880s.

Silvana was once popular for rock ’n’ roll dances at 

the Viking Hall in the 1950s and 1960s, seasonal floods 

in the fall, and a well ingrained Scandinavian agricultural 

heritage. But today it has been suggested that the town is 

becoming the “car-culture capital of Snohomish 

County.”3

 Visitors are drawn to the town for the salmon 

runs and over the summer months for community events. 

In May the Old Silvana General Store sponsors the Old 

Silvana Motorcycle and Car Show. The Silvana Bridge 

beach is popular with locals during the summer months 

and in July visitors come to the town for the annual 

Silvana Community Fair.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

At the time of the 2000 U.S. Census, 44.8% of 

Silvana’s potential labor force 16 years of age and older 

were employed and the unemployment rate was 0%. In 

addition, 55.2% were not in the labor force, as compared 

to the national average of 36.1%. The major employment 

sectors were state government (48.8% in health care 

support occupations [67.7%, females]), office and 

administrative support occupations (32.3%), and 

installation, maintenance, and repair occupations 

(27.9%). Natural resource jobs including agriculture, 

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

55.2%

Employed

44.8%

Unemployed

0%

forestry, fishing, and hunting employed 0%, but this 

percentage may be artificially low given that many 

fishermen are self-employed and are underrepresented in 

these data. Local businesses include the Old Silvana 

General Store, Bricky Brack ’n Bait, Silvana Meats, 

Gabe Gile’s Aggressive Offroad, Willow and Jim’s 

Country Café, an antique mall, and gift shops.

The per capita income in 1999 was $21,070 and the 

median household income was $33,274. In 1999 0% 

lived below the poverty level. In 2000 there were 42 

housing units in Silvana, with 65.8% owner occupied and 

34.2% renter occupied. The housing unit vacancy rate 

was 9.5%.

Governance

Silvana is a census defined place and therefore has 

no formal government structure. Snohomish County 

levies an 8.3% sales and use tax and a 2% lodging tax. 

See the Governance subsection (page 43) in the 

Overview section for a more detailed discussion of taxes 

affecting fisherman and processors in Washington.

The nearest National Marine Fisheries Service 

Regional Office and the U.S. Citizenship and 

Immigration Services office are in Seattle. Meetings of 

the Pacific Fishery Management and North Pacific 

Fishery Management councils are routinely held in the 

Seattle-Tacoma area. The nearest Washington 

Department of Fish and Wildlife Regional Office is in 

Mill Creek, 30 miles south. The U.S. Coast Guard 

Station Bellingham, home to six vessels, is responsible 

for the Silvana area. The station’s area of responsibility 

includes the San Juan Islands north to the Canada border 

and south to Admiralty Inlet.

Facilities

Silvana is accessible by ground. The small 

community is located on Washington Highway 530, 2 
212

miles west of Interstate 5 (north-south) at the Arlington 

exit. There is no public transportation in Silvana; 

residents travel to Stanwood, 8 miles northwest, or 

Arlington, 7 miles east, to utilize county bus services. 

The Snohomish County Airport Paine Field in Everett, 

18 miles south, is the nearest airport certified for carrier 

operations. The Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is 

the nearest major facility.

Children in Silvana attend schools in Arlington and 

Stanwood. Combined the districts serve more than 5,000 

students. The Stanwood-Camano School District 

operates five elementary schools, one high school, and 

one alternative high school for students who benefit from 

nontraditional educational experiences. The Arlington 

School District consists of five elementary schools, one 

middle school, one high school, one alternative high 

school, and a support center for home-schooling families. 

Columbia College, 13 miles south in Marysville, was 

founded in 1980 and offers associate, bachelor’s, and 

master’s degrees. Everett Community College serves 

more than 8,000 students. The Pilchuck Glass School in 

Stanwood was founded in 1971 by artist Dale Chihuly. 

The Snohomish County Public Utility District 

administers electricity and water services. Puget Sound 

Energy offers natural gas service. Silvana has a fire 

station but no local police department. The Washington 

State Patrol and police from Stanwood and Arlington 

who occasionally drive through Silvana administer 

public safety. The Cascade Valley Hospital is in 

Arlington. Currently there are no hotels or motels 

located in Silvana, however there is one local park for 

recreational vehicles. There are two primary community 

centers in Silvana, Viking Hall and the Peace Lutheran 

Church.

There are several environmental groups active in 

Snohomish County and the Silvana area in particular. 

The Cascade Land Conservancy (CLC), based in Seattle, 

is active in the Silvana region. CLC has negotiated 

several conservation easements with landowners along 

the Stillaguamish River and is working to restore 

hydrologic connectivity to stream segments north of the 

town of Silvana. The Stillaguamish Implementation 

Review Committee, concerned with issues regarding 

salmon recovery, water quality, and watershed 

restoration efforts, meets regularly at the Peace Lutheran 

Church in Silvana. The Stilly Snohomish Fisheries 

Enhancement Task Force, based in Everett, also is active 

in the Silvana region through a channel rearing habitat 

restoration project along Glade Bakken.

The Snohomish County Marine Resources Advisory 

Committee (MRC), based in Everett, is an 11-member 

group of citizen volunteers established in 1999 to address 

local issues related to marine resource management and 

advise county officials. Of the upper Puget Sound 

counties, Snohomish County is the most populous and 

has the largest amount of modified shoreline (99 miles of 

a total 133 miles), which is mainly due to the railroad bed 

that has been in existence for more than a century. The 

Snohomish MRC has been involved in several projects 

including: a Dungeness crab stewardship plan for 

Snohomish County, nearshore restoration projects, 

juvenile crab habitat projects, as well as numerous public 

involvement and education activities.4

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Recorded data indicates that in 2000 there were zero 

West Coast fishery landings in the community. 

Additionally there were no vessels owned by Silvana 

residents. The number of vessels owned by Silvana 

residents in 2000 that participated in each said fishery by 

state (WA/OR/CA) was: groundfish 0/0/NA, highly 

migratory species NA/0/NA, shellfish NA/0/NA, and 

shrimp NA/0/0.5

Data indicate that in 2000 the number of Silvana 

residents holding permits in each said fishery by state 

(WA/OR/CA) was: highly migratory species NA/0/0, 

salmon 1/0/0, and shellfish 0/0/NA.6

According to the Boldt Decision,7 the usual and 

accustomed fishing grounds of the Stillaguamish Tribe, 

based in Arlington, include the entire Stillaguamish 

watershed. Though the tribe has rights “there is little 

participation [in commercial fishing] because of the 

[poor] market prices.”8

 The Stillaguamish Tribe does not 

have a fish processor. The tribe operates a hatchery and a 

smolt trapping system on the Stillaguamish River; the 

smolt trap is located in Silvana.

Sportfishing

There is one licensed agents selling fishing permits 

in Silvana. In 2003 there were four sportfishing license 

transactions valued at $56. In Catch Record Card Area 

8-2 (Port Susan and Gardner) the 2000 license year (1 

April–31 March) sport catch, based on catch record 

cards, was 12,798 fish including 3,208 Chinook salmon, 

9,574 coho salmon, 4 chum salmon, and 12 pink salmon. 

Marine anglers made 33,536 trips to Area 8-2 in 2000. 

Fishermen caught 70 sturgeon in Area 8-2. Boat-based 

anglers caught 1,449 bottomfish in Puget Sound within 

areas 8-1 (Deception Pass, Hope Island, and Skagit Bay) 

and 8-2. No recreational harvest estimate of clams and 

oysters for Area 8-2 was recorded in 2000.
213

Subsistence

Subsistence hunting, fishing, and gathering 

activities are fundamental to the way of life of some 

coastal community members. Tribal and nontribal 

individuals participate in subsistence fishing. Members 

of the Stillaguamish Tribe are engaged in subsistence 

fishing for salmon and shellfish in the Stillaguamish 

River near Silvana.9

 However, subsistence fishing is not 

discussed in great detail in this community profile due to 

the lack of available data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Silvana residents owned one vessel in 2000 that was 

involved in North Pacific fisheries. 

In 2000 one Silvana resident held a registered state 

permit and three residents held federal permits (note: it is 

possible for individuals to hold more than one permit at a 

time). The state permit was a salmon Commercial 

Fisheries Entry Commission permit. Residents held 

1,112,115 halibut and 478,316 sablefish individual 

fishing quota shares in 2000.

Two Silvana residents held crew member licenses 

for North Pacific fisheries in 2000.

Sportfishing

Silvana residents purchased four Alaska sportfishing 

licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Indian 

Health Service. 2003. Stillaguamish Tribe. Online at http://

www.ihs.gov/FacilitiesServices/AreaOffices/Portland/portland-tribe

-stillaguamish.asp [accessed 31 January 2007].

2. Stanwood Area Historical Society. No date. A short history 

of Stanwood and Camano Island. Online at http://www.sahs-fncc.org/

sahshistory2.html [accessed 31 January 2007].

3. P. Whitely. 2004. Revving the engine of commerce. The 

Seattle Times, Seattle, WA., 12 May 2004. Online at http://

archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/web/vortex/

display?slug=cars12n&date=20040512&query=Revving+the+engine

+of+commerce [accessed 31 January 2007].

4. Snohomish County Marine Resource Committee. 2003. The 

role of the Snohomish County Marine Resources Advisory Committee 

in the Northwest Straits Marine Conservation Initiative. Online at 

http://www.psat.wa.gov/Publications/03_proceedings/PAPERS/

ORAL/10b_johns.pdf [accessed 31 January 2007].

5. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

6. See note 5.

7. Center for Columbia River History. No date. Boldt Decision. 

Online at http://www.ccrh.org/comm/river/legal/boldt.htm [accessed 

31 January 2007].

8. Field notes, Stillaguamish Tribe, Arlington, WA, 28 October 

2004.

9. See note 8.
214

South Bend

People and Place

Location

South Bend is in southwestern Washington at a 

pronounced southward bend in the Willapa River, which 

flows northwest into Willapa Bay. Situated in Pacific 

County, the city encompasses 1.81 square miles of land 

and 0.38 square miles of water area. The nearest major 

U.S. city is Seattle, a 129-mile drive northeast. South 

Bend’s geographic coordinates are lat 46°39′48′′N, long 

123°48′12′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, South Bend’s 

population was 1,807, a 16.5% increase from 1,551 in 

1990. The gender composition was 51.3% female and 

48.7% male. The median age of 39.4 was about 5 years 

older than the national median of 35.3. Of the population 

18 years of age and older, 73.6% had a high school 

education (including equivalency) or higher, 13.0% had 

earned a bachelor’s degree or higher, and 5.5% had 

attained a graduate or professional degree; the national 

averages were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% respectively. 

The highest level of educational attained for 35.7% of all 

residents was a high school degree.

The vast majority of the South Bend’s racial 

structure recorded by the 2000 U.S. Census was white 

(83.5%), followed by Asian (4.9%), people who 

identified with another race (3.8%), people who 

identified with two or more races (3.8%), American 

Indian or Alaskan Native (3.7%), black (0.2%), and 

Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander (0.2%). 

Ethnicity data indicate that 9.2% identified as Hispanic. 

Larger Asian, Hispanic, and American Indian 

populations set South Bend apart from other local 

communities. In 2000 only 2.1% of Pacific County 

identified as Asian, 5% as Hispanic, 2.4% as American 

Indian or Native Alaskan, and 90.5% as white. In 1990 

1.7% of South Bend’s population identified as Hispanic. 

By 2000, the area’s Hispanic population had experienced 

a net increase of 441%. The city’s Asian population, 

while still significantly large, experienced a net decrease 

of 51% between censuses. The city’s American Indian 

population remained stable over time.

In 2000 9.7% of South Bend’s population were 

foreign-born, with 48% from Mexico, 2.9% from El 

Salvador, 17% from Laos, 6.3% from Cambodia, 3.2% 

from Thailand, 5.1% from Europe (United Kingdom and 

Germany), and 11.4% from Canada. Many immigrant 

and minority residents may be attracted to South Bend 

150 100 50 0 50 100 150

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure

Pacific Islander

0.2%

Asian

4.9%

Black

0.2%

Other

3.8%

Two or more races

3.8%

Native

3.7%

White

83.5%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Hispanic

9.2%

Non-Hispanic

90.8%
215

because of numerous employment opportunities in local 

oyster processors and canneries and the growing local 

industry in nontimber forest resources (greens harvested 

in forests for use in decorative bouquets and other 

products).1

 Neighboring Raymond also houses 

substantial Hispanic and Laotian communities.2

In 2000 South Bend’s population lived in 702 

households, with 81.2% of residents living in family 

households.

History

South Bend is named after its location on a 

prominent bend in the Willapa River, which flows along 

the western edge of the community.3

 The northern 

portion of Pacific County has historically been home to 

native peoples from the Chehalis, Chinook, and Willapa 

language groups.4 The area near South Bend was 

inhabited predominately by the Chinook, whose overall 

territory included the region bordering the mouth of the 

Columbia River in Washington and Oregon and the 

greater part of the area surrounding Willapa Bay.5 Native 

groups depended heavily on fishing and coastal resources 

and developed extensive trade networks within the 

region. They harvested native oyster species in Willapa 

Bay and fished for salmon and sturgeon in the Columbia, 

the Willapa, and other area rivers. Starting in the 1850s, 

native populations throughout the region were devastated 

by introduced diseases and conflicts with white settlers. 

However, a substantial native community still resides in 

the South Bend area. Some people of native descent 

living in or near South Bend have membership in the 

Quinault Indian Nation or Shoalwater Bay Tribe, both of 

which have small reservations to the north, and others are 

members of the Chinook Nation, which is currently 

seeking federal recognition.

The contemporary community of South Bend 

originated in 1869 when two entrepreneurs established a 

lumber mill and wharf at the site, drawing mill workers 

and homesteaders to the area. Starting in 1889, South 

Bend’s ideal location on a navigable river in the heart of 

timber country and rumors that it might become the 

westernmost terminus for the Northern Pacific Railway 

fueled a short-lived economic boom. Between 1889 and 

1895, the local population grew from 150 to 3,500. 

Local property values skyrocketed and speculators 

marketed South Bend as the “Baltimore of the West” and 

the “San Francisco of the Northwest.”6 During this boom 

the community also became a regional political force. 

Following an election dispute in 1893, South Bend 

residents removed all of the records from the county 

courthouse in Oysterville (a neighboring community on 

Willapa Bay) and formally established South Bend as the 

new county seat, a role that it still plays today. However, 

2000 Employment structure

Unemployed

5.6%

Not in labor force

46.5% Employed

47.9%

boom times in South Bend were short-lived. A railroad 

line to Chehalis was completed in 1893 but was never 

connected to Yakima, ending South Bend’s chances of 

becoming a major commercial outlet for visitors and 

businesses from Eastern Washington.7

 Because civic 

leaders had given all of the community’s waterfront lots 

to the railroad, nearby Raymond arose as a more 

attractive site for industrial development, and this 

neighboring community began to compete with South 

Bend for resources and residents.

Although South Bend never became the “Planned 

City of the Future” that investors had tried diligently to 

create, the community has persisted due to its role in 

municipal governance and its substantial roots in the 

regional timber, fishing, and aquaculture industries.8 

During World War I, the Army established facilities for 

logging spruce in the Willapa Bay area, reviving the local 

timber industry. Today Weyerhaeuser and other smaller 

lumber companies continue to log on private land in the 

vicinity of South Bend. During a site visit in 2004, the 

city’s historic downtown “lumber exchange” building sat 

empty. Although the city may no longer be a hub for the 

timber trade, the industry remains important locally.

A downtown monument to the Ladies of the Oyster 

Industry and the Fishermen of Willapa Bay 

commemorates the importance of these two industries to 

the community. At low tide half of Willapa Bay 

becomes exposed, creating 40,000 intertidal acres that 

provide ideal habitat for oysters.9 In the late nineteenth 

century, settlers throughout the Willapa Bay area began 

harvesting these native oysters, which they shipped to 

lucrative markets in California. When native oyster 

populations declined significantly in the late 1800s, 

Willapa Bay residents established oyster farms in an 

attempt to revive the industry. In 1891 the Washington 

State Legislature allowed oyster growers to purchase or 

lease areas of the bay that they had been farming, 
216

creating the system of private ownership that structures 

the Willapa Bay oyster industry today. Attempts to farm 

native oysters were not highly successful, but the 

industry was revitalized in the early 1900s when farmers 

began raising larger oysters native to the eastern United 

States and again in the late 1920s with the introduction of 

the Pacific oyster, a native of Japan. Today South Bend 

hosts a processor operated by Hilton’s Coast Seafoods, a 

vertically integrated company with operations in 

Washington, California, and Hawaii, and oyster 

aquaculture is a critical source of jobs and revenue for the 

community. Signs marking the contemporary entrance to 

South Bend announce that it is the “Oyster Capital of the 

World.”

Commercial fishing also has been an important 

activity for residents of South Bend. Before the use of 

fixed gear was banned on the Washington side of the 

Columbia River in 1934, local fishermen relied heavily 

on fish traps, seines, and fish wheels to harvest salmon on 

the Columbia and Willapa rivers, but the dominant form 

of fishing in the vicinity has traditionally been 

gillnetting. Local gillnetters are organized into 

cooperative drift associations and unions that distribute 

fishing rights and structure social and political life within 

the profession, and a sign near the boat launch just 

outside of South Bend informs recreational boaters on 

how to avoid gillnets.10 Following the decline of salmon 

populations in the area, many local fishermen participate 

at least seasonally in West Coast and North Pacific 

fisheries. Shrimp, crab, and razor clams also are popular 

commercial species in South Bend, and Dungeness 

Development Associates operates a major processing 

facility for crab, shrimp, canned fish, and caviar. Over 

the years sportfishing also has increased in importance in 

the area, and many boaters use the launch just outside of 

town.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

At the time of the 2000 U.S. Census, 47.9% of 

South Bend’s potential labor force 16 years of age and 

older were employed, 5.6% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 10.5% (calculated by dividing 

the unemployed population by the labor force). Another 

46.5% were not in the labor force, compared to the 

national average of 36.1%. The major employment 

sectors were education, health, and social services 

(21.6%), local, state, and federal governments (21.1%), 

manufacturing (18.3%), entertainment, recreation, 

accommodation, and food services (9.1%), professional, 

scientific, management, administrative, and waste 

management services (8.1%), retail trade (7.7%), and 

construction (6.2%). Natural resource jobs including 

agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting employed 8%, 

but this percentage may be artificially low given that 

many fishermen are self-employed and are 

underrepresented in these data.

South Bend’s economy depends heavily on the 

oyster aquaculture industry and offices and services 

associated with the community’s role as county seat. 

Major employers include the Pacific County government, 

Coast Seafoods Company (an oyster processing facility), 

the South Bend School District, and the Willapa Harbor 

Hospital. 

The per capita income in 1999 was $14,776 and the 

median household income was $29,211. In 1999 18.3% 

lived below the poverty level, much higher than the 

national average of 12.4%. In 2000 there were 815 

housing units in South Bend, with 66.7% owner occupied 

and 33.3% renter occupied. The housing unit vacancy 

rate was 13.9%, with 18.6% vacant due to seasonal, 

recreational, or occasional use.

Governance

South Bend is the county seat of Pacific County and 

one of only four incorporated cities within the county’s 

jurisdiction. A mayor and a five-member city council 

govern the City of South Bend. A 7.8% sales and use tax 

and a 9.8% lodging tax apply in South Bend. See the 

Governance subsection (page 43) in the Overview 

section for a more detailed discussion of taxes affecting 

fisherman and processors in Washington.

The nearest National Marine Fisheries Service 

Regional Office and the U.S. Citizenship and 

Immigration Services office are in Seattle. Meetings of 

the Pacific Fishery Management and North Pacific 

Fishery Management councils are routinely held in the 

Seattle-Tacoma area. The nearest Washington 

Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Regional 

Office is 31 miles northeast in Montesano. The nearest 

U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Group/Air Station Astoria is 

51 miles south in Warrenton, Oregon, and the USCG 

operates the National Motor Lifeboat School in Ilwaco, 

41 miles south.

Facilities

South Bend is accessible by land, air, and water. 

The city is on U.S. Highway 101, which runs northsouth. The Willapa Harbor Airport in Raymond, 5 miles 

east, provides a paved runaway that is open to the public. 

Astoria (Oregon) Regional Airport, 46 miles south, is the 

nearest airport facility certified for carrier operations. 

The Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is the nearest 

major facility.
217

The South Bend School District 118 offers an 

elementary school, a middle school, and a high school.11 

Grays Harbor College is in Aberdeen. The City of South 

Bend provides electricity, water, sewer, and garbage 

services. The South Bend Police Department, the Pacific 

County Sheriff’s Office, the South Bend Fire 

Department, and the South Bend Volunteer Fire 

Department administer public safety. Willapa Harbor 

Hospital is in South Bend. There are a few small motels, 

campgrounds, and recreational vehicle parks located in 

the vicinity, but no major chain hotels.

Boating facilities in South Bend include a recently 

renovated boat launch, expanded parking area just south 

of the community on U.S. Highway 101, and a new metal 

recreational dock with two walkways; one on the Willapa 

River is American Disability Act accessible and runs the 

length of downtown. Commercial fishermen based in 

South Bend also may utilize the Port of Willapa Harbor 

in Raymond. The Port of Willapa features a 600-foot 

high dock wharf, 750 feet of floats, electricity, fresh 

water, moorage space for smaller boats, and a 5,000-

pound capacity dock crane.12 See the Raymond 

community profile for additional information on harbor 

facilities.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

There are two main seafood processing plants in 

South Bend. Hilton’s Coast Seafoods Company operates 

a large oyster-processing plant and has also purchased 

smaller processors in neighboring communities on 

Willapa Bay. The Coast Seafoods plant can reportedly 

process up to a half million oysters per shift.13 

Dungeness Development Associates also is 

headquartered in South Bend, where the company 

processes Dungeness crab, shrimp (fresh, frozen, and 

canned), and canned fish (smoked and in natural 

juices).14

In 2000 276 unique vessels, including 209 

commercial vessels, 18 tribal commercial vessels, 6 

aquaculture vessels, and 43 personal vessels, delivered 

landings in Willapa Bay. Landings data for South Bend 

were recorded as part of the Willapa Bay Port Group that 

includes the communities of Bay Center, Nahcotta, 

Naselle, Tokeland, and Raymond. Reported landings for 

this port group in 2000 were in the following West Coast 

fisheries (data shown represent landings in metric tons/

value of said landings/number of vessels landing): 

coastal pelagic confidential/confidential/1; crab 444.9 t/

$1,941,008/44; groundfish 4.6 t/$3,889/6; salmon 122.5 

t/$178,084/71; shellfish 26.8 t/$73,534/63; and shrimp 

399.9 t/$397,143/8; and other species 13.1 t/$31,242/51. 

See the Naselle, Tokeland, and Raymond community 

profiles for additional information about these 

communities.

South Bend residents owned 21 vessels in 2000 that 

participated in West Coast fisheries, including 9 vessels 

that participated in the federally managed groundfish 

fishery. The number of vessels that participated in each 

said fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 2/0/0, 

groundfish 1/0/NA, highly migratory species NA/0/NA, 

salmon 6/2/0, shellfish NA/0/NA, shrimp NA/0/0, and 

other species 2/0/0.15

Two individuals living in South Bend held two 

federal groundfish fishery permits in 2000. The number 

holding permits in each said fishery by state (WA/OR/

CA) was: crab 6/1/0, highly migratory species NA/0/0, 

salmon 13/1/0, shellfish 8/0/NA, shrimp 3/4/2, and other 

species 1/0/1.16

South Bend residents held a total of 40 federal 

permits and 38 state permits in 2000. The number in 

each said fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 7/1/0, 

highly migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 15/1/0, 

shellfish 8/0/NA, shrimp 3/4/0, and other species 1/0/0.17

Sportfishing

A number of South Bend residents engage in 

sportfishing or operate sportfishing businesses in Willapa 

Bay and along the nearby Pacific Coast. According to 

the WDFW, there are no sportfishing license vendors 

operating in South Bend. In 2003 and 2004, no South 

Bend residents owned or operated charter boats in 

Washington State.

In Catch Record Card Area 2-1 (Willapa Bay) the 

2000–2001 sport catch, based on catch record cards, was 

870 fish including 468 Chinook salmon, 354 coho 

salmon, and 48 jack salmon (immature males). The total 

catch was down from 2,137 salmon recorded in the 

1999–2000 season. The number of marine angler trips in 

the sport salmon fishery for 2000 is not available. The 

2000–2001 sport sturgeon catch was 96 fish.

Subsistence

Subsistence hunting, fishing, and gathering 

activities are fundamental to the way of life of some 

coastal community members. Tribal and nontribal 

individuals participate in subsistence fishing. Today 

members of the Chinook Tribe and other nontribal 

subsistence fishermen may obtain fishery resources from 

waters near South Bend, particularly from the Willapa 

River, nearby tributaries, and Willapa Bay; however, 

subsistence fishing is not discussed in great detail in this 

community profile due to the lack of available data.
218

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

South Bend residents owned six vessels in 2000 that 

participated in North Pacific fisheries. Community 

members landed fish in the following North Pacific 

fisheries (data shown represent landings in metric tons/

value of said landings/number of vessels landing): 

groundfish confidential/confidential/2, halibut 

confidential/confidential/2, and salmon confidential/

confidential/3.

In 2000 South Bend residents held 14 North Pacific 

permits, including 6 individuals holding federal permits 

and 6 individuals holding state permits (note: it is 

possible for individuals to hold more than one permit at a 

time). Community members held three groundfish 

License Limitation Program permits and two Bering Sea 

and Aleutian Islands groundfish permits, one halibut 

permits, three salmon permits, and one shellfish 

Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission permit. South 

Bend fishermen held 67,439 halibut individual fishing 

quota shares in 2000.

In 2000 14 South Bend residents held crew member 

licenses for North Pacific fisheries.

Sportfishing

South Bend residents purchased four Alaska 

sportfishing licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. Field notes, Pacific County Historical Society Museum, South 

Bend, WA, 4 September 2004.

2. C. McGann. 2002. Immigrants fill up local labor pool. 

Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Seattle, 10 December 2002. Online at 

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/99233_immigrant10.shtml 

[accessed on 31 January 2007].

3. Tacoma Public Library. 2004. Washington State place names 

index. Online at http://search.tpl.lib.wa.us/wanames [accessed 31 

January 2007].

4. Willapa Bay Organization. 2004. Communities, history. 

Online at http://www.visit.willapabay.org/pages/communities.html 

[accessed 31 January 2007].

5. University of Oregon. 2004. Chinook Tribes. University of 

Oregon, Dept. Linguistics, Eugene. Online at http://logos.uoregon

.edu/explore/oregon/chtribes.html [accessed 31 January 2007].

6. City of South Bend. 2000. A short history of South Bend. 

Online at http://users.techline.com/sbcity/history.htm [accessed 31 

January 2007].

7. See note 6.

8. See note 1.

9. Wilson, D. 2001. Made for each other: Oysters and Willapa 

Bay. Chinook Observer, Long Beach, WA, 28 November 2001, C2.

10. I. Martin. 1994. Legacy and testament: The story of the 

Columbia River gillnetters. Washington State University Press, 

Pullman.

11. South Bend School District. 2003. Home page. Online at 

http://www.southbend.wednet.edu/ [accessed 31 January 2007].

12. Port of Willapa Harbor. No date. Main port facilities. 

Online at http://portofwillapaharbor.com/pages/fac_main.html 

[accessed 31 January 2007].

13. Hilton’s Coast Seafoods Company. No date. Home page. 

Online at http://www.coastseafoods.com/ [accessed 31 January 2007].

14. Dungeness Development Associates, Inc. No date. About 

us. Online at http://www.dungenessassoc.com/company.htm 

[accessed 31 January 2007].

15. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

16. See note 15.

17. See note 15.
219

Stanwood

People and Place

Location

Stanwood is in north-central Washington, along the 

Stillaguamish River. Situated in Snohomish County, the 

city encompasses approximately 2 square miles of land. 

The nearest major U.S. city is Seattle, a 50-mile drive 

south. Stanwood’s geographic coordinates are lat 

48°14′29′′N, long 122°22′10′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Stanwood’s 

population was 3,923, a 100.1% increase since 1990. 

The gender composition was 52.7% female and 47.3% 

male. The median age of 33.9 was slightly lower than the 

national median of 35.3. In 2000 31% were between the 

ages of 25 and 45 and 26.9% were under the age of 15. 

Of the population 18 years of age and older, 84.4% had a 

high school education (including equivalency) or higher, 

16.5% had received a bachelor’s degree or higher, and 

4.6% had attained a graduate or professional degree, 

compared to the national averages of 79.7%, 22.3%, and 

7.8% respectively.

The vast majority of Stanwood’s racial structure 

recorded by the 2000 U.S. Census was white (91.6%), 

followed by people who identified with two or more 

races (3.1%), people who identified with another race 

(2.5%), Asian (1.1%), American Indian and Alaska 

Native (0.9%), black (0.6%), and Pacific Islander (0.2%). 

Ethnicity data indicate that 5% identified as Hispanic. In 

2000 4.1% were foreign-born, with 59.7% from Mexico.

In 2000 81% of Stanwood’s population lived family 

households.

History

The area surrounding Stanwood was home to Native 

Americans primarily of the Stillaguamish and Skagit 

tribes. The Stillaguamish Tribe is composed of 

descendents of the 1855 Stoluck-wa-mish River Tribe 

that resided on the main branch and north and south forks 

of the river.1 Historically tribal members made their 

living fishing for salmon, hunting for deer, and gathering 

berries and roots. There were no separate reservations 

established for the Stillaguamish Indians at the time of 

the 1855 Point Elliot Treaty. Some tribal members have 

moved to the Tulalip Reservation, but the majority live in 

the aboriginal area along the Stillaguamish River. In 

1970 the tribe was granted 58,600 acres from the federal 

government in northern Snohomish County. Tribal 

400 300 200 100 0 100 200 300 400

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure

Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

91.6%

Two or more races

3.1%

Other

2.5%

Pacific Islander

0.2%

Black

0.6%

Asian

1.1%

Native

0.9%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Non-Hispanic

95%

Hispanic

5%
220

headquarters, including a Natural Resource Department, 

are located in Arlington, about 7 miles east of Stanwood. 

There are 237 individuals enrolled as tribal members. 

For information on the Skagit Tribe see the La Connor 

community profile.

In the late 1850s European American settlers arrived 

in the Stanwood area via Utsalady, located on the north 

end of Camano Island, 5 miles west. In 1864 the first 

logging camps and farms were established around a 

trading post named Florence, 3 miles southeast of 

Stanwood, on the Stillaguamish River. Over the next 10 

years, Florence competed with another trading post to the 

north, named Centerville, first settled in 1866. 

Centerville had two lumber mills and canneries. In 1877 

the post office in Centerville was renamed Stanwood and 

the town became the largest community at the mouth of 

the Stillaguamish River. Meanwhile settlers established 

several other small but thriving communities with their 

own stores, churches, and schools including the 

community of Silvana. Stanwood and Silvana were 

largely Scandinavian farming communities; farmers in 

the area sold their oats, hay, and shingles for cash. In the 

late 1890s the region was home to one of the largest 

settlements of Norwegian immigrants in the West.2

The railway arrived in the Stanwood area in the 

early 1900s and a large depot was built east of town. A 

new settlement, East Stanwood, developed around this 

time and the two communities maintained a bitter rivalry 

until 1960, when they finally united.3 Today Stanwood is 

known for its farms and sense of community. 

Construction, development, service, and technology 

careers have as a whole surpassed Stanwood’s historical 

natural resource career base. The downtown area 

supports numerous art galleries and the world famous 

Pilchuck School, founded by glass artist Dale Chihuly, 

which has attracted several fine artists to the area.

Stanwood residents and tourists enjoy numerous 

annual events such as the Fourth of July Celebration, the 

Stanwood-Camano Community Fair, the Juried Art 

Show, and the Lions’ Lutefisk dinner. In addition to the 

city’s riverfront, there are several parks including 

Snohomish County’s Kayak Point Park and three 

Washington State Parks—Wenberg, Camano Island, and 

Cama Beach.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

At the time of the 2000 U.S. Census, 54.4% 

Stanwood’s potential labor force 16 years of age and 

older were employed, 3.7% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 6.4% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In 2000 

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

41.8%

Unemployed

3.7%

Employed

54.4%

41.8% were not in the labor force as compared to the 

national average of 36.1%. The major employment 

sectors were management, professional and related 

occupations (30%), sales and office occupations (24.2%), 

service occupations (24.2%), and local, state, and federal 

government (18.2%). Natural resource jobs including 

agriculture, forestry, fishing, hunting, and mining 

employed 0.6%, but this percentage may be artificially 

low given that many fishermen are self-employed and are 

underrepresented in these data.

The agriculture industry remains an important 

contributor to the local economy. Seed, produce, and 

meat production are the primary industries in north 

Snohomish County. The Alf Christianson Seed 

Company is among the nation’s largest independent seed 

growers and Twin City Foods, a frozen vegetable 

wholesaler, is Stanwood’s largest employer. In addition 

several local growers participate in local Farmer’s 

Markets during the summer months.

The per capita income in 1999 was $16,775 and the 

median household income was $44,512. In 1999 12% 

lived below the poverty level. In 2000 there were 1,508 

housing units in the Stanwood, with 58.3% owner 

occupied and 41.7% renter occupied. The vacant 

housing unit rate was 7%, with 15.1% vacant due to 

seasonal, recreational, or occasional use.

Governance

Stanwood is governed by a mayor and five city 

council members. Snohomish County levies an 8.3% 

sales and use tax and a 2% lodging tax. See the 

Governance subsection (page 43) in the Overview 

section for a more detailed discussion of taxes affecting 

fisherman and processors in Washington.

The nearest National Marine Fisheries Service 

Regional Office and the U.S. Citizenship and 

Immigration Services office are in Seattle. Meetings of 

the Pacific Fishery Management and North Pacific 
221

Fishery Management councils are routinely held in the 

Seattle-Tacoma area. The nearest Washington 

Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Regional 

Office is 35 miles south in Mill Creek. The U.S. Coast 

Guard Station Bellingham, home to six vessels, is 

responsible for marine safety in the region. The station’s 

area of responsibility includes the San Juan Islands north 

to the Canada border and south to Admiralty Inlet.

Facilities

Stanwood is accessible by ground and air. The city 

is located at the intersections of Washington State 

highways (east-west) 530 and 532, about 5 miles west of 

Interstate 5 (north-south). Community, Island, and 

Skagit Area Transit systems provide bus service. There 

are Greyhound Bus stations in Mount Vernon, 15 miles 

south, and Everett, 25 miles south. Reinig Airport at the 

Camano Island Airfield is in Stanwood. The Snohomish 

County Airport Paine Field in Everett is the nearest 

airport certified for carrier operations. The SeattleTacoma International Airport is the nearest major 

facility.

The Stanwood-Camano School District, serving 

more than 5,000 students, operates 5 elementary schools, 

2 middle schools, 1 high school, and 1 alternative high 

school. Skagit Valley College in Mount Vernon has an 

enrollment of more than 3,400. Additionally Everett 

Community College has more than 8,000 students.

The Snohomish County Public Utility District 

administers electricity. The Water Department at 

Stanwood Utilities provides water and sewer services. 

Cascade Natural Gas is the natural gas provider. The 

Stanwood Police and Fire departments administer public 

safety. The Stanwood Camano Medical Center serves 

community residents and Skagit Valley Hospital is in 

Mount Vernon. There are several community services 

and organizations in Stanwood including the Stanwood 

Community Library, Camano Action for a Rural 

Environment, the Stanwood Area Historical Society, and 

several places of worship. There are no hotels or motels 

located within the city.

The Snohomish County Marine Resources Advisory 

Committee (MRC), based 25 miles south in Everett, is an 

11-member group of citizen volunteers established in 

1999 to address local issues related to marine resource 

management and advise county officials. Of the 

Northwest Straits counties, Snohomish County is the 

most populous and has the largest amount of modified 

shoreline (99 miles of a total 133 miles), which is mainly 

due to the railroad bed that has been in existence for more 

than a century. The Snohomish MRC has been involved 

in several projects including a Dungeness crab 

stewardship plan for Snohomish County, nearshore 

restoration projects, juvenile crab habitat projects, and 

numerous public involvement and education activities.4

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

North Star Cold Storage, a full service cold storage 

facility with processing services, is in Stanwood. 

Founded in 1989, North Star offers custom processing of 

crab and finfish, flack ice for fresh fish packing, and rail 

service.

Landing data for Stanwood were recorded as part of 

the Other North Puget Sound Ports port group that 

includes Coupeville, Deer Harbor, Point Roberts West 

Beach, and Whidbey Island. Reported landings for this 

port group in 2000 were in the following West Coast 

fisheries (data shown represent landings in metric tons/

value of said landings/number of vessels landing): 

coastal pelagic confidential/confidential/2; crab 17 t/

$77,754/8; salmon 7 t/$13,164/4; shrimp 14 t/$73,992/6; 

and other species confidential/confidential/2.

Stanwood residents owned nine vessels in 2000 that 

participated in West Coast fisheries, including three 

vessels that participated in the federally managed 

groundfish fishery. The number of vessels owned by 

Stanwood residents in 2000 participating in each said 

fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/0/1, 

crab 2/0/0, groundfish 0/0/NA, highly migratory species 

NA/0/NA, salmon 5/0/0, shellfish NA/0/NA, shrimp NA/

0/0, and other species 2/0/0.5

Available data indicate that in 2000 the number of 

Stanwood residents holding permits in each said fishery 

by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/0/1, crab 6/

0/0, highly migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 7/0/0, and 

shellfish 0/0/NA.6

Stanwood residents held 16 state permits in 2000. 

The number of permits held by Stanwood community 

members in each said fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

coastal pelagic 0/0/1, crab 8/0/0, highly migratory 

species NA/0/0, salmon 7/0/0, and shellfish 0/0/NA.7

According to the Boldt Decision,8 the usual and 

accustomed fishing grounds of the Stillaguamish Tribe, 

based in Arlington, include the entire Stillaguamish 

watershed. Though the tribe has rights “there is little 

participation [in commercial fishing] because of the 

[poor] market prices.”9

 The Stillaguamish Tribe does not 

have a fish processor. The tribe operates a hatchery and a 

smolt trapping system on the Stillaguamish River; the 

smolt trap is 8 miles southeast in Silvana.
222

Sportfishing

In 2000 and 2003 there was at least one 

nonsalmonid charter business operating in Stanwood. 

According to the WDFW’s Licensing Sales Reporting 

System, there are zero sportfishing license agents in 

Stanwood. In Catch Record Card Area 8-2 (Port Susan 

and Gardner) the 2000 license year (1 April–31 March) 

sport catch, based on catch record cards, was 12,798 fish 

including 3,208 Chinook salmon, 9,574 coho salmon, 4 

chum salmon, and 12 pink salmon. Marine anglers made 

33,536 trips in the 2000 sport salmon fishery. Fishermen 

caught 70 sturgeon in Area 8-2. In 2000 1,449 coastal 

bottomfish were caught in Puget Sound within areas 8-1 

(Deception Pass, Hope Island, and Skagit Bay) and 8-2. 

There was no recreational harvest estimate of clams and 

oysters for Area 8-2 in 2000.

There is a local branch of Trout Unlimited in 

Stanwood.

Subsistence

Subsistence hunting, fishing, and gathering 

activities are fundamental to the way of life of some 

coastal community members. Tribal and nontribal 

individuals participate in subsistence fishing. Members 

of the Stillaguamish Tribe are engaged in subsistence 

fishing for salmonids (steelhead, chum salmon, coho 

salmon, and pink salmon) and shellfish in the 

Stillaguamish River.10 However, subsistence fishing is 

not discussed in great detail in this community profile 

due to the lack of available data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 Stanwood residents owned 30 vessels that 

were involved in North Pacific fisheries. Community 

members landed fish in the following North Pacific 

fisheries (data shown represents landings in metric tons/

value of said landings/number of vessels landing): crab 

confidential/confidential/2, Bering Sea and Aleutian 

Islands (BSAI) groundfish confidential/confidential/1, 

other finfish confidential/confidential/2, Gulf of Alaska 

(GOA) groundfish confidential/confidential/2, halibut 

confidential/confidential/3, herring 146 t/$31,620/4, and 

salmon 1,735 t/$1,316,570/23.

In 2000, of 65 state and federal registered permits 

held by Stanwood residents, 31 held state permits and 18 

held federal permits (note: it is possible for individuals to 

hold more than one permit at a time). Community 

members held 2 crab and 6 groundfish License 

Limitation Program permits and 6 crab, 5 BSAI 

groundfish, 4 halibut, 8 herring, 2 shellfish, and 26 

salmon Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission 

permits. Residents held 1,117,432 halibut and 1,288,776 

sablefish individual fishing quota shares.

In 2000 a total of 36 Stanwood residents held crew 

member licenses for North Pacific fisheries.

Sportfishing

Stanwood residents purchased 141 Alaska 

sportfishing licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Indian 

Health Service. 2003. Stillaguamish Tribe. Online at http://

www.ihs.gov/FacilitiesServices/AreaOffices/Portland/portland-tribe

-stillaguamish.asp [accessed 30 January 2007].

2. Stanwood Area Historical Society. No date. A short history 

of Stanwood and Camano Island. Online at http://www.sahs-fncc.org/

sahshistory2.html [accessed 31 January 2007].

3. Herald Net. 2004. City guide, welcome to Stanwood. Online 

at http://www.heraldnet.com/guide/stanwood/ [accessed 31 January 

2007].

4. Snohomish County Marine Resource Committee. 2003. The 

role of the Snohomish County Marine Resources Advisory Committee 

in the Northwest Straits Marine Conservation Initiative. Online at 

http://www.psat.wa.gov/Publications/03_proceedings/PAPERS/

ORAL/10b_johns.pdf [accessed 31 January 2007].

5. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

6. See Note 5.

7. See Note 5.

8. Center for Columbia River History. No date. Boldt Decision. 

Online at http://www.ccrh.org/comm/river/legal/boldt.htm [accessed 

31 January 2007].

9. Field notes, Stillaguamish Tribe, Arlington, WA, 28 October 

2004.

10. See note 9.
223

Tacoma

People and Place

Location

Tacoma is on Commencement Bay along the eastern 

shore of south Puget Sound. Situated in Pierce County, 

the city encompasses 50.8 square miles of land and 12.5 

square miles of water. The nearest major U.S. city is 

Seattle, a 29-mile drive north. Tacoma’s geographic 

coordinates are lat 47°14′09′′N, long 122°26′21′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Tacoma’s 

population was 193,556, a 9.6% increase from 1990. The 

gender composition was 51.2% female and 48.8% male. 

The median age of 33.9 was comparable to the national 

median of 35.3. In 2000 21.6% were 14 years of age or 

younger and 38.6% were between the ages of 25 and 49. 

Of the population 18 years of age and older, 82.4% had a 

high school education (including equivalency) or higher, 

18.8% had received a bachelor’s degree or higher, and 

6% had earned a graduate or professional degree; 

compared to the national averages of 79.7%, 22.3%, and 

7.8% respectively.

The vast majority of Tacoma’s racial structure 

recorded by the 2000 U.S. Census in 2000 was white 

(69.1%), followed by black (11.2%), Asian (7.6%), 

people who identified with two or more races (6.3%), 

people who identified with another race (2.9%), 

American Indian and Alaskan native (2.0%), and Native 

Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander (0.9%). Ethnicity 

data indicate that 6.9% identified as Hispanic. In 2000 

11.9% were foreign-born population, with 48.0% from 

Asian countries and 16% from Mexico.

History

The name Tacoma is derived from the Native 

American word “Tacobet,” meaning “Mother of the 

Waters.”1 Tacobet is the native name for the snowcapped volcano that explorer George Vancouver named 

Mount Rainier. The Puyallup Tribe had several 

settlements on the delta of the Puyallup River, where 

modern-day Tacoma is situated. Natives fished, hunted, 

and trapped in the area, never needing to go far in search 

of food. In 1841 U.S. Navy Lt. Charles Wilkes began his 

survey of Puget Sound from the area’s natural harbor, 

which he then named Commencement Bay. A developer 

arrived in 1868 with intentions to build a city and 

promptly started a campaign to attract settlers. Five 

years later the Northern Pacific Railroad chose 

20,000 15,000 10,000 5,000 0 5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure

Two or more races

6.3%

Other

2.9%

Black

11.2%

Native

2%

Asian

7.6%

Pacific Islander

0.9%

White

69.1%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Non-Hispanic

93.1%

Hispanic

6.9%
224

Commencement Bay as its western terminus.2 Tacoma 

was born with the coming of the Northern Pacific 

Railroad. Roughly 200 inhabitants quickly became 

5,000. “From 1883, the first year passengers could ride 

the train uninterrupted from Chicago to Tacoma, to 1890 

the population of Tacoma grew from about 5,000 to more 

than 30,000.”3

The city grew steadily in the early 1900s. Water and 

hydroelectric systems were built. During this period 

almost 75% of the Puyallup Reservation was taken, using 

federal laws, for industrial development. World War I 

and World War II brought industrial booms to the 

Tacoma area. During the Great Depression the area’s 

economy suffered but was lifted with military spending 

as the U.S. Army expanded Camp Lewis to Fort Lewis. 

In 1944 Tacoma and its rival neighbor Seattle 

cosponsored a new airport between the two cities and 

named it Sea-Tac Airport. Tacoma was rocked by 

scandal in 1951 as widespread vice and official 

corruption was brought to light. As a result, the style of 

government in Tacoma shifted to a voter approved city 

manager. In the 1970s the Port of Tacoma became an 

important link to Asia and Alaska, which continues 

today.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

At the time of the 2000 U.S. Census, 59.3% of the 

potential labor force 16 years and older were employed, 

4.9% were unemployed, and the unemployment rate was 

7.7% (calculated by dividing the unemployed population 

by the labor force). In addition, 35.8% were not in the 

labor force, as compared to the national average of 

36.1%. The top employment sectors were educational, 

health, and social services (21.3%), local, state, and 

federal governments (16.6%, of which 0.3% were in 

agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting), 

manufacturing (12.5%), and retail trade (11.9%). Natural 

resource jobs including agriculture, forestry, fishing, and 

hunting employed 0.9%, but this percentage may be 

artificially low given that many fishermen are selfemployed and are underrepresented in these data. Three 

major U.S. military operations as well as The Boeing 

Company and Intel Corporation contribute greatly to the 

Tacoma economy.4

The per capita income in 1999 was $19,130 and the 

median household income was $37,879. In 1999 15.9% 

lived below the poverty level, slightly higher than the 

national average of 12.4%. In 2000 76.7% lived in 

family households. There were 81,102 housing units, 

with 54.7% owner occupied and 45.3% renter occupied. 

The housing unit vacancy rate was 6.1%.

2000 Employment structure

Unemployed

4.9%

Not in labor force

35.8%

Employed

59.3%

Governance

Tacoma, incorporated in 1884, is governed by a 

nine-member city council. The council is comprised of a 

mayor, five district representatives, and three at-large 

representatives. A city manager is appointed by the 

council to administer day-to-day operations and to carry 

out council policies. Tacoma is the largest city in Pierce 

County and serves as the county seat. Tacoma has an 

8.8% sales and use tax rate and a variable lodging tax rate 

of 2–5%, depending on the number of rooms in the 

establishment. See the Governance subsection (page 43) 

in the Overview section for a more detailed discussion of 

taxes affecting fisherman and processors in Washington.

The nearest National Marine Fisheries Service 

Regional Office and U.S. Citizenship office are in 

Seattle. Meetings of the Pacific Fishery Management 

and North Pacific Fishery Management councils are 

routinely held in the Seattle-Tacoma area. The nearest 

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Regional 

Office is 68 miles southwest in Montesano. The 13th 

U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) District headquarters are in 

Seattle. There is a USCG Port Security Unit in Tacoma.

Facilities

Tacoma is accessible by land, air, and water. 

Tacoma is on Interstate 5 (north-south) and on 

Washington Highway 16, connecting the city to the 

Kitsap Peninsula in the west. The Tacoma Narrows 

Airport is a municipally-owned facility across the Puget 

Sound in Gig Harbor (6 miles west). The SeattleTacoma International Airport is 18 miles north. The Port 

of Tacoma operates under state-enabling legislation and 

is an independent, municipal corporation. 

The Tacoma Public School District offers 39 

elementary, 11 middle, and 7 high schools. There are 

also a number of private schools at all grade levels. 
225

Tacoma is home to a number of institutes of higher 

learning including the University of Washington Tacoma 

campus, the University of Puget Sound, Pacific Lutheran 

University, Pierce College, Tacoma Community College, 

and L. H. Bates Technical College.5

Tacoma Power, a municipally owned facility, 

administers electricity. The city also provides 

municipally owned and operated water, sewer, and 

garbage service, as well as a curbside recycling program 

through Tacoma Public Utilities. The Tacoma Police and 

Fire departments administer public safety. Health 

services are provided by five health centers, including 

three hospitals and a children’s hospital. The tourism 

industry in Tacoma is well developed with several hotels, 

motels, and bed and breakfasts.

The Port of Tacoma accounts for more than 43,000 

jobs in Pierce County and 113,000 jobs in Washington 

State.6 The port has 2,400 acres that are used for a wide 

array of cargo shipping, warehousing, distributing, and 

manufacturing. The port provides three dockside 

intermodal rail yards. More than 70% of the port’s 

international container cargo comes from or ends up in 

the central and eastern regions of North America. In 

addition, the Port of Tacoma handles more than 70% of 

the marine cargo moving between Alaska and the lower 

48 states. The Port of Tacoma also serves commercial 

fishing interests. The port is home to roughly 40 of 

Seattle-based Trident Seafoods’ fishing and processing 

vessels. Trident prepares the vessels for fishing voyages 

and maintains and repairs boats and equipment at the 33-

acre Tacoma facility. Many of the Tacoma area’s 

independently owned and operated commercial fishing 

boats call in at the port-owned City Marina. A majority 

of these boats are gillnet or purse-seine vessels that fish 

for salmon in Washington and Alaska waters.7

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

There were at least four seafood processors 

operating in Tacoma in 2000, employing approximately 

110 people. The estimated total weight of their 

processed products in 2000 was 1,072,752 pounds, 

valued at $8,035,010. Processed salmon products were 

the top item in terms of pounds and revenue (842,979 lbs/

$6,593,303).

One local seafood company, Northern Fish 

Products, Inc., has been in business since 1912, when the 

company was purchased by Johannes Swanes, a 

Norwegian immigrant. Northern Fish has five divisions: 

Retail Distribution, Food Service Distribution, Northern 

Classics Brand Smoking, Military Commissary, and 

Processing. The company maintains a retail store 

offering fresh, frozen, smoke, canned, and cured seafood, 

as well as a wholesale division with several programs and 

services including air shipment, cross dock, custom 

processing, tray packing, and so forth.8

In 2000 536 vessels, including 99 commercial 

vessels, 99 personal use vessels, and 337 tribal 

commercial vessels, delivered nonconfidential landings 

to. Landings in Tacoma were made in the following 

West Coast fisheries in 2000 (data shown represent 

landings in metric tons/value of said landings/number of 

vessels making landings): coastal pelagic 177 t/$171,979/

7; crab 3 t/$14,813/4; salmon 352 t/$542,002/235; highly 

migratory species confidential/confidential/2; shellfish 

254 t/$2,039,144/60; and other species 101 t/$295,465/

21.

Tacoma residents owned 25 commercial vessels in 

2000, including 13 vessels that participated in the 

federally managed groundfish fishery. The number that 

participated in each said fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) 

was: coastal pelagic 2/0/0, crab 4/0/0, groundfish 5/0/

NA, highly migratory species NA/0/NA, salmon 15/6/0, 

shellfish NA/0/NA, shrimp NA/0/0, and other species 7/

0/0.9

In 2000 the number of Tacoma residents holding 

permits in each said fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

coastal pelagic 3/0/0, crab 2/0/0, groundfish 3/0/0, highly 

migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 28/5/3, shellfish 0/0/

NA, and other species 5/0/0.10

Tacoma residents held 66 registered state 

commercial fishing permits in 2000. The number of 

permits in each said fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

coastal pelagic 7/0/0, crab 3/0/0, groundfish 8/0/0, highly 

migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 31/5/4, shellfish 0/0/

NA, and other species 8/0/0.11

Sportfishing

A number of charter vessels, principally targeting 

salmon, steelhead, and sturgeon, operate out of Tacoma. 

In 2000 at least five charter businesses serviced sport 

fishermen and tourists in Tacoma. There are 13 licensed 

vendors selling sportfishing permits in Tacoma. In 2003 

Tacoma vendors made 23,877 sportfishing license 

transactions valued at $387,701. The annual sport catch 

in Catch Record Card Area 11 (Tacoma–Vashon Island), 

based on catch card data, was 14,212 fish including 8,108 

Chinook salmon, 6,054 coho salmon, and 50 chum 

salmon during the 2000–2001 license year. Marine 

anglers made 72,194 trips in Area 11. In 2000–2001, 

fishermen caught six steelhead in Area 11. The 

bottomfish catch in Area 11 was 2,611.
226

Subsistence

Subsistence harvest for marine species may exist in 

the Tacoma area. However the extent of susbsistence 

harvesting is difficult to quantify due to a scarcity of 

data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 there were 47 vessels owned by Tacoma 

residents that participated in North Pacific fisheries. 

Community members landed fish in the following North 

Pacific fisheries (data shown represent landings in metric 

tons/value of said landings/number of vessels landing): 

Bering Sea Aleutian Islands (BSAI) groundfish 

confidential/confidential/1, Gulf of Alaska (GOA) 

groundfish confidential/confidential/1, halibut 

confidential/confidential/2, salmon 1,407.8 t/$1,310,380/

28, and shellfish confidential/confidential/3.

In 2000 Tacoma residents held 57 North Pacific 

commercial fishing permits, including 35 Tacoma 

residents who held state permits and 18 who held federal 

permits (note: it is possible for individuals to hold more 

than one permit at a time). Tacoma residents held 2 crab 

and 4 groundfish License Limitation Program permits 

and 2 crab, 7 BSAI groundfish, 4 halibut, 29 salmon, and 

5 shellfish Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission 

permits. In 2000 Tacoma residents held 710,533 halibut 

and 1,240,556 sablefish individual fishing quota shares.

In 2000 157 Tacoma residents held crew member 

licenses for North Pacific fisheries.

Sportfishing

While charter boats in Tacoma primarily target West 

Coast fisheries, sport fishermen in Tacoma also are 

involved in Alaskan fisheries. In 2000 at least two 

charter businesses in Tacoma offered fishing excursions 

in Alaska. Tacoma residents purchased 957 Alaskan 

sportfishing licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. City of Tacoma. No date. Interesting facts about Tacoma. 

Online at http://www.cityoftacoma.org/Page.aspx?hid=1070 

[accessed 31 January 2007].

2. See note 1.

3. M. Sullivan. 1999. A mountain calling: The Tacoma eastern 

railroad-linking Puget Sound and Mount Rainier National Park. 

Columbia Magazine 13(4):34-39. Online at http://www.wshs.org/

wshs/columbia/articles/0499-a3.htm [accessed 31 January 2007].

4. See note 1.

5. City-data.com. No date. Tacoma: Education and research. 

Online at http://www.city-data.com/us-cities/The-West/Tacoma

-Education-and-Research.html [accessed 31 January 2007].

6. B. Mann and D. Goodman. 2005. 2006 Pierce County 

economic index report. Online at http://www.tacomachamber.org/

chamberprograms/BusinessTrade/pdf/PCEI_Report.pdf [accessed 31 

January 2007].

7. Port of Tacoma. 2000. Economic impact. Online at http://

www.portoftacoma.com/shipping.cfm?sub=50 [accessed 31 January 

2007].

8. Northern Fish Products, Inc. 2006. Retail. Online at http://

www.northernfish.com/retail.htm [accessed 31 January 2007].

9. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

10. See note 9.

11. See note 9.
227

Tokeland

People and Place

Location

Tokeland is in southwest Washington on the north 

side of Willapa Bay on the Tokeland Peninsula. Situated 

in Pacific County, the community encompasses 0.5 

square miles of land. The nearest major city is Seattle, a 

145-mile drive northeast. Tokeland’s geographic 

coordinates are lat 46°42′24′′N, long 123°58′50′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Tokeland’s 

population was 194. The gender composition was 51.5% 

male and 48.5% female. The median age of 48.3 was 

older than the national median of 35.3. Of the population 

18 years of age and older, 25.9% had a high school 

education, 86.2% had earned a high school diploma 

(including equivalency) or higher, 20.1% had received a 

bachelor’s degree or higher, and 4.0% had attained a 

graduate or professional degree; the national averages 

were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The vast majority of Tokeland’s racial structure 

recorded by the 2000 U.S. Census was white (90.2%), 

followed by American Indian and Alaska Native (5.7%), 

people identified as two or more races (3.1%), and Asian 

(1%). In 2000 4% were foreign-born.

Approximately 77.3% lived in family households in 

2000.

History

The Chehalis and Chinook peoples inhabited the 

areas around Tokeland prior to European American 

contact. A third tribe known as the Willapa occupied the 

inland portion of the county. Tokeland was named after 

Chief Toke of the Chehalis Tribe, whose extended family 

spent summers on Toke’s Point, presently known as 

Tokeland. In 1788 John Meares captained an East Indian 

Trading Company ship that made the first recorded trip 

by Europeans to the area. Meares charted what is known 

today as Shoalwater Bay. European settlement began in 

large numbers in the mid-1800s. The earliest industries 

were timber and oyster harvesting. The bay was recorded 

as being rich with oysters and eventually attracted 

harvesters who sold their oysters to places as far away as 

San Francisco, California. The increased water traffic 

necessitated the building of a lighthouse on Cape 

Shoalwater (now known as North Cove) in the early 

1850s.1

 The first processing and canning industries also 

came about during this time.

20 15 10 5 0 5 10 15 20 25

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure

Asian

1% Native

5.7%

Two or more races

3.1%

White

90.2%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Non-Hispanic

100%
228

By midcentury many of the indigenous peoples who 

had inhabited the Pacific Northwest long before 

colonization had died as a result of contracting European 

diseases. In 1855 the federal government sought to 

cement control of what was once Native American land, 

and as a result the remaining Native Americans were 

forced onto reservations. Against the federal 

government’s wishes the indigenous peoples of 

Shoalwater Bay chose a parcel of land on the inland side 

of the cove created by Tokeland Peninsula, about 3 miles 

from the town. The native peoples named their parcel 

Georgetown. The Shoalwater Bay Indian Reservation 

was originally 334 acres of land set apart (i.e., not open 

to settlement) by the federal government in 1866 for the 

last remnant of nontreaty tribes including the Lower 

Chehalis and Chinook people. The Shoalwater Bay 

Indians pursued a mainly subsistence economy of 

crabbing, oystering, and fishing, and also sold surplus 

catch to the area’s canneries.2

Encouraged by congressional enactment of certain 

land donation laws and Native American resettlement, 

citizens began settling in the more remote regions of the 

lower Columbia River, Puget Sound, and the adjacent 

Pacific Coast beginning in the 1850s. The Brown family 

was one of the earliest European American families to 

live in the Tokeland area. They opened what is now 

known as the Tokeland Hotel. This hotel has a long 

history and has served as a tourist retreat and a place for 

seasonal laborers to reside. By the 1870s the water 

traffic created by the oyster trade, logging, and settlers 

necessitated the construction of a lifesaving station on 

Cape Shoalwater (1878). The oyster industry collapsed 

in the 1880s, as the native oysters were overharvested. 

After several failed attempts to cultivate a new 

population of eastern oysters, Japanese oysters were 

planted and grew well in the waters of Shoalwater Bay. 

In 1890 a U.S. survey ship found the channel into the bay 

deep enough for large ships, and as a result Shoalwater 

Bay was renamed Willapa Bay. In 1905 the Tokeland 

Oyster Company was started with Lizzie (Brown) 

Kindred as one of its owners. During the early 1900s 

Tokeland continued to grow with the start of two more 

hotels.3

The 1920s and 1930s were rough times as the Great 

Depression impacted much of the country. The traffic 

that had once characterized Tokeland’s transportation 

corridors slowly began to taper off. Cape Shoalwater had 

eroded, making Toke’s Point more vulnerable to coastal 

storms. In the 1930s storms washed out several hotels 

and streets. During the same time Nelson’s Crab and 

Oyster Company opened, canning local crab and 

shipping it to Portland, Oregon, and other urban areas. 

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

63.2%

Employed

36.8%

Unemployed

0%

Nelson’s company remains a prominent business in the 

industry today.

Tokeland persisted as an isolated locale well into the 

twentieth century as boats were the only means to reach 

the community from the east side of the bay until a 

roadway was built in 1962 along the north shore of 

Willapa Bay. The road allowed the residents of the 

neighboring communities of South Bend and Raymond 

to visit the area’s beaches. Today Tokeland is a small 

community whose major industries are tourism and 

fishing. The community remains home to the Tokeland 

Hotel, the oldest resort hotel in the state, as well as the 

Tokeland Marina, and several fish processing plants. 

Tokeland Harbor houses approximately a half dozen 

boats that fish for crab in the bay, while locals and 

tourists take advantage of the area’s crabbing, fishing, 

and clamming opportunities.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

Employment in Pacific County today is mainly 

concentrated in agriculture, manufacturing, government, 

tourism, and fishing. The manufacturing sector consists 

almost entirely of logging, sawmills, and food 

processing, which account for roughly 92% of all 

manufacturing in the county. The fishing industry 

employs more than 70% of the county’s population, with 

an average wage in 1996 of $18,449, almost $4,000 

higher than the statewide average.4 The Shoalwater Bay 

Casino, located on the Shoalwater Bay Indian 

Reservation along Washington Highway 105, offers a 

variety of gaming opportunities and further supports the 

local economy.

At the time of the 2000 U.S. Census, 36.8% of 

Tokeland’s potential labor force 16 years of age and 

older were employed and the unemployment rate was 
229

0%. In addition, 63.2% were not in the labor force, 

compared to the national average of 36.1%. Natural 

resource jobs including agriculture, forestry, fishing, and 

hunting employed 0%, but this percentage may be 

artificially low given that many fishermen are selfemployed and are underrepresented in these data. In 

2000 the major industries in Tokeland were 

accommodation and food services, manufacturing, and 

arts, entertainment, and recreation.

The per capita income in 1999 was $12,170 and the 

median household income was $24,531. In 1999 49.1% 

lived below the poverty level, significantly higher than 

the national average of 12.4%. In 2000 there were 197 

housing units in Tokeland, with 75.3% owner occupied 

and 24.7% renter occupied. The housing unit vacancy 

rate was 54.8%, with 88% due to seasonal, recreational, 

or occasional use.

Governance

Tokeland is an unincorporated area and therefore 

falls under the governance of Pacific County. Pacific 

County levies a 7.8% sales tax and a 9.8% lodging tax. 

See the Governance subsection (page 43) in the 

Overview section for a more detailed discussion of taxes 

affecting fisherman and processors in Washington.

The Shoalwater Bay Tribal Reservation is located 

several miles to the north of Tokeland and is governed by 

a five-member tribal council. The tribe is a member of 

the South Puget Intertribal Planning Agency.

The nearest National Marine Fisheries Service 

Regional Office and the U.S. Citizenship and 

Immigration Services office are in Seattle. Meetings of 

the Pacific Fishery Management and North Pacific 

Fishery Management councils are routinely held in the 

Seattle-Tacoma area. The nearest Washington 

Department of Fish and Wildlife Regional Office is 47 

miles northwest in Montesano. The U.S. Coast Guard 

has two stations nearby, one to the south across Willapa 

Bay in Ilwaco and the other 17 miles northwest in 

Westport in Grays Harbor County.

Facilities

Tokeland is accessible by ground, air, and sea. The 

community is situated a couple of miles south of 

Washington Highway 105 (east-west) and 20 miles west 

of U.S. Highway 101 (north-south). The Seattle-Tacoma 

International Airport is 145 miles southeast.

Tokeland is in Ocosta School District in Westport, 

about 17 miles north of Tokeland. The district has an 

elementary school and a combined junior/senior high 

school.

Gray’s Harbor Public Utility District administers 

electrical service. The community’s water supply comes 

from private vendors and local wells. Sewage in the 

community is handled by private septic systems. The 

Shoalwater Bay Police Department, the Pacific County 

Sheriff’s Office, and the North Cove Fire Department in 

Tokeland administer public safety. The nearest hospital 

is located in South Bend, a 26-mile drive northwest 

around the harbor, with the next closest hospital in 

Aberdeen, 33 miles northeast. The Shoalwater Bay 

Tribe’s health clinic provides health care for tribal 

members and nontribal individuals; more than half of the 

patients seen annually are nontribal. Tokeland has one 

hotel, one motel, and two recreational vehicle (RV) 

parks.

The Tokeland Harbor houses the Tokeland Marina, 

established in 1965. The Port of Willapa Harbor, with 

main offices 20 miles east in Raymond, operates the 

marina, which provides moorage for 45 vessels up to 45 

feet. The marina is dredged to 10 feet below mean low 

tide, while the entrance from the bay is dredged to 15 feet 

below mean low tide. The Port of Willapa Harbor 

maintains various shoreside facilities, including a 

doublewide boat launch ramp, a 30-site Tokeland RV 

Park, and two industrial buildings housing Nelson Crab 

(a seafood processing plant with up to 80 seasonal 

employees), Cedar River Seafoods, and Tokeland Fish & 

Oyster Company (a seafood processor with one 

employee).5

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Landings data for Tokeland were recorded as part of 

the Willapa Bay Port Group that includes Bay Center, 

Nahcotta, Naselle, South Bend, and Raymond. Reported 

landings for this port group in 2000 were in the following 

West Coast fisheries (data shown represent landings in 

metric tons/value of said landings/number of vessels 

landing): coastal pelagic confidential/confidential/1; crab 

444.9 t/$1,941,008/44; groundfish 4.6 t/$3,889/6; salmon 

122.5 t/$178,084/71; shellfish 26.8 t/$73,534/63; shrimp 

399.9 t/$397,143/8; and other species 13.1 t/$31,242/51. 

See the Naselle, South Bend, and Raymond community 

profiles for additional information about these 

communities.

Community members owned 34 vessels that fished 

in the region’s fisheries in 2000, including 12 that 

participated in the federally managed groundfish fishery. 

The number that participated in each said fishery by state 

(WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 1/0/0, crab 12/0/0, 

groundfish 2/0/0, highly migratory species NA/0/NA, 

salmon 12/0/2, shellfish NA/0/NA, shrimp NA/0/0, and 

other species 1/0/0.6
230

In 2000 the number of Tokeland residents holding 

permits in each said fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

crab 15/2/0, highly migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 11/

2/0, and shellfish 22/0/NA.7

Community members held 62 fishing permits, all 

state registered, in 2000. The number of state permits 

held by residents in each said fishery by state (WA/OR/

CA) was: crab 22/0/0, highly migratory species NA/0/0, 

salmon 18/0/0, and shellfish 22/0/NA.8

Sportfishing

In 2003 individuals in Tokeland purchased 29 

sportfishing licenses, up 28 from 2002. Pacific County 

has seven sportfishing license vendors, none of which are 

located in Tokeland. Although Washington State does 

not offer data for sportfish landings in Tokeland, the state 

provides data on the number of salmon and sturgeon 

landed in Willapa Bay. Community members landed 870 

salmon, including 468 Chinook salmon, 354 coho 

salmon, and 48 jack salmon (immature males) in 2000. 

Anglers caught 96 white sturgeon.

A variety of shellfish (and other edible marine 

species) may be caught off the shores of the Tokeland 

area’s beaches on a seasonal and year round basis 

including Dungeness crab, razor clams, littleneck (native 

and Manila) clams, butter clams, cockle clams, Eastern 

softshell clams, Macomas clams, geoduck clams, horse 

clams, oysters, mussels, goose barnacles, sand shrimp, 

and seaweed.

Subsistence

Subsistence hunting, fishing, and gathering 

activities are fundamental to the way of life of some 

coastal community members. Tribal and nontribal 

individuals participate in subsistence fishing. Today 

members of the Shoalwater Bay Tribe and other nontribal 

subsistence fishermen obtain fishery resources from the 

waters surrounding Tokeland. Subsistence fishing is not 

discussed in great detail in this community profile due to 

the lack of available data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 Tokeland residents owned six vessels that 

fished in the region. That year Tokeland residents landed 

fish in the following North Pacific fisheries (data shown 

represents landing in metric tons/value of said landings/

number of vessels landing): Bering Sea and Aleutian 

Islands (BSAI) groundfish confidential/confidential/1, 

Gulf of Alaska (GOA) groundfish confidential/

confidential/1, salmon confidential/confidential/1, and 

shellfish confidential/confidential/1.

Tokeland resident held 13 registered state and 

federal commercial fishing permits in 2000, including 

seven individuals who held state permits and five who 

held federal permits (note: it is possible for individuals to 

hold more than one permit at a time). Tokeland residents 

held one crab and three groundfish License Limitation 

Program permits and one herring, three salmon, two 

shellfish, and one BSAI groundfish Commercial 

Fisheries Entry Commission permits. Community 

members held 5,659 halibut individual fishing quota 

shares in 2000.

In 2000 two community members held crew 

member licenses for North Pacific fisheries.

Sportfishing

Tokeland residents purchased three Alaska 

sportfishing licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. R. McCausland. No date. Tokeland Hotel: A history by Ruth 

McCausland. Online at http://www.tokelandhotel.com/history.pdf 

[accessed 31 January 2007].

2. South Puget Intertribal Planning Agency. No date. The 

Shoalwater Bay Tribe. Online at http://www.spipa.org/

shoalwaterbay.shtml [accessed 31 January 2007].

3. See note 1.

4. J. Langdon-Pollock. 2004. West Coast marine fishing 

community descriptions. Online at http://www.psmfc.org/efin/

abstracts-data.html#Communities [accessed 31 January 2007]

5. Port of Willapa Harbor. No date. Tokeland Marina. Online at 

http://www.portofwillapaharbor.com/pages/fac_tokeland.html 

[accessed 31 January 2007].

6. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

7. See note 6.

8. See note 6.
231

Westport

People and Place

Location

Westport is in southwest Washington on the 

southernmost peninsula known as Point Chehalis, which 

means “sand” in the Salish language.1

 Situated in Grays 

Harbor County, the city encompasses 7.12 square miles 

of land. The nearest major U.S. city is Seattle, a 130-

mile drive northeast. Westport’s geographic coordinates 

are lat 46°53′25′′N, long 124°06′10′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Westport’s 

population was 2,137, a 12.9% increase from 1990. The 

gender composition was 50.5% female and 49.5% male. 

The median age of 43.4 was higher than the national 

median of 35.3. In 2000 22% were under 18 years of age 

while 19.1% were 65 years of age or older. 

Approximately 74% of Westport’s population was living 

in family households in 2000. Of the population over 18 

years of age, 68.3% had a high school education 

(including equivalency) or higher, 9.5% had earned a 

bachelor’s degree or higher, and 4.6% had attained a 

graduate or professional degree; the national averages 

were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The vast majority of Westport’s racial structure 

recorded by the 2000 U.S. Census was white (92.7%), 

followed by American Indian and Alaska Native (3.1%), 

people who identified with two or more races (2.4%), 

Asian (0.9%), people who identified with another race 

(0.5%), and black (0.3%). Only one person identified as 

a Pacific Islander. Ethnicity data indicate that 3% 

identified as Hispanic. In 2000 2.1% were foreign-born, 

with 52% from Mexico.

History

Prior to the arrival of the first Europeans, members 

of the Chehalis Tribe occupied Chehalis Point, the area 

now referred to as Westport. Other fishing camps and 

small settlements were used during various times of the 

year, but the main village was Chehalis Point, the sand 

spit on the south entrance to Grays Harbor. At one time, 

the village population numbered 5,000. The diet of the 

Chehalis consisted primarily of fish, including several 

species of salmon, sturgeon, bottomfish, crab, and razor 

clams. Historically members of the Quinault Nation and 

the nontreaty Indians of Shoalwater Bay, located to the 

north and south of Westport respectively, made their 

living partly by selling their surplus fishery resources to 

200 150 100 50 0 50 100 150 200

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure 

White

92.7%

Two or more races

2.4%

Other

0.5%

Black

0.3%

Native

3.1%

Asian

0.9%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Non-Hispanic

97%

Hispanic

3%
232

canneries,2 some of which may have been based in 

Westport. In 1853 90% of the Chehalis Tribe and much 

of the culture, history, and heritage, was lost to the “big 

sick” epidemic, a disease characterized by extreme 

fevers.3

The Peterson family, the first European American 

settlers to permanently establish residence on Chehalis 

Point, arrived in 1857. The Chehalis Indians “lived in 

peace with the whites” who settled on the point despite 

uprisings that were taking place in neighboring areas.4

 

By the late 1870s the area was discovered to be a 

potential recreational area. Hotels were built, land was 

platted, and the harbor side was named Westport Beach. 

Because another town in Lewis County had already 

claimed the name Chehalis City, Chehalis Point became 

known as Peterson’s Point in the 1870s and in 1890 was 

renamed Westport.5

The first projects to help ships move safely in and 

out of the harbor occurred around the turn of the century. 

In 1897 a lifesaving station was opened and one year 

later Grays Harbor lighthouse began its service. In 1896 

the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began construction on 

the south jetty, which was completed in 1902. 

Commercial fishing started in the 1920s and the Westport 

dock was dedicated in 1929.6

 In 1935 a reparation 

project began on the jetty and in 1939 when it was 

completed the jetty extended 2.5 miles into the sea.7

 

After World War II the cove was dredged, breakwaters 

installed, more mooring facilities were built in the 

marina, and in 1955 charter fishing began. By 1961 138 

charter boats were fishing out of Westport. Over the next 

few seasons the number of registered charter vessels 

reached 250; the number of commercial fishing boats 

increased as well during this time. Fishing began to 

decline with the Boldt Decision in 1972, which gave 

American Indians the right to half of the fishery 

resources. Following the Boldt Decision, “fishing 

seasons were shortened and two fish per day were legal 

catches for those lucky enough to find them.”8

 The 

fishing industry in Westport diversified in order to keep 

up with changing legislation and decreased salmon 

harvests. Today charter boats take locals and tourists 

whale and bird watching and fishing for bottomfish, 

salmon, and tuna. The commercial fishing fleet also has 

diversified; the catch now includes shrimp, Dungeness 

crab, tuna, other finfish species, and shellfish.9

Tourism has long been important to Westport’s 

economy. Participants in the Westport Grayland 

Chamber of Commerce-sponsored Boat Basin Fishing 

Derby, typically held in July, can win cash merchandise 

and prizes for the largest bottomfish, salmon, halibut, or 

tuna. Other fishing-related events include Westport’s 

Charter Association Fishing Derby in July, the Boat 

2000 Employment structure

Unemployed

4.1%

Not in labor force

45.5%

Employed

50.3%

Basin Salmon Derby held in the fall, and the Blessing of 

the Fleet on Memorial Day weekend. Additional marinerelated events in Westport include Rusty Scupper’s Pirate 

Daze, Maritime Museum’s Ole Fashion 4th of July 

Celebration, Brady’s World Famous Oyster Feed, the 

Crab Races, Feed, and Dance Derby, the Ocosta Oyster 

Feed, and the Annual Seafood Festival and Craft Show.10

Infrastructure

Current Economy

At the time of the 2000 U.S. Census, 50.3% of 

Westport’s potential labor force 16 years of age and older 

were employed, 4.1% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 7.5% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

45.5% were not in the labor force, compared to the 

national average of 36.1%. The major employment 

sectors were local, state, and federal governments 

(37.2%), management, professional, and related 

occupations (25.2%), and sales and office occupations 

(21.4%). Natural resource jobs including agriculture, 

forestry, fishing, and hunting employed 10.8% in 2000, 

but this percentage may be artificially low given that 

many fishermen are self-employed and are 

underrepresented in these data.

Westport’s economy also relies on commercial and 

charter fishing, shellfish harvesting, seafood processing, 

tourism, and wood processing. The Weyerhaeuser 

Company in Aberdeen is Grays Harbor County’s largest 

employer, employing and contracting more than 2,000 

workers.11 More recently boat building also has become 

an important part of Westport’s economic base.12 The 

Westport Shipyard, founded in 1964, specializes in 

fiberglass hulled yachts and small craft. The shipyard 

employs more than 350 people and is the largest 

fiberglass luxury yacht builder in the county.13
233

The per capita income in 1999 was $17,362 and the 

median household income was $32,037. In 1999 14.3% 

lived below the poverty level, slightly higher than the 

national average of 12.4%. In 2000 there were 1,358 

housing units in Westport, with 65% owner occupied and 

35% renter occupied. The housing unit vacancy rate was 

27.6%, with 49.3% vacant due to seasonal, recreational, 

or occasional use.

Governance

Incorporated in 1914, the City of Westport is one of 

four municipalities in Grays Harbor County.14 The city 

has a mayor-council form of government, with the 

populace electing a mayor and five council members. 

Grays Harbor County, including Westport, levies an 

8.3% sales and use tax and a 3% lodging tax. See the 

Governance subsection (page 43) in the Overview 

section for a more detailed discussion of taxes affecting 

fisherman and processors in Washington.

The nearest National Marine Fisheries Service 

Regional Office and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 

Services office are in Seattle. Meetings of the Pacific 

Fishery Management and North Pacific Fishery 

Management councils are routinely held in the SeattleTacoma area. The closest Washington Department of 

Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Regional Office is 30 miles 

west in Montesano. The U.S. Coast Guard Station 

(USCG) Grays Harbor is in Westport at the entrance to 

Grays Harbor, guarding Grays Harbor bar, one of the 

most hazardous bars in the Pacific Northwest. The 

USCG station has four vessels and is responsible for 

marine safety between Queets River and Ocean Park and 

from Preacher’s Slough to 50 nautical miles offshore.

Facilities

Westport is accessible by ground, sea, and air. The 

main roads connecting Westport to neighboring 

communities include Washington Highway 105 east to 

Aberdeen, 22 miles east, and Washington Highway 105 

south to Raymond, 25 miles southeast. During the spring 

and summer months, a passenger-only ferry capable of 

holding 95 passengers operates between Westport and 

Ocean Shores to the north. The Westport Airport, 

available for public use, has one runway and is 

immediately adjacent to the harbor, 1 mile north of 

Westport. The nearest airport certified for carrier 

operations is 54 miles south in Astoria, Oregon. The 

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is the closest major 

facility.

Westport is in the Ocosta School District, which has 

an elementary school and a junior/senior high school. 

Grays Harbor College in Aberdeen is the nearest college. 

Evergreen State College in Olympia, 80 miles east, is the 

nearest four-year college. Grays Harbor Public Utility 

District is the primary electricity supplier. The City of 

Westport’s Wastewater Treatment Plant and Water 

Department handle sewer and water services. The 

Westport Police and Fire departments administer public 

safety. The Beach Clinic Inc. in Westport is the nearest 

medical facility. The Grays Harbor Community Hospital 

is in Aberdeen. The tourism industry in Westport is 

fairly developed with approximately 34 motels located 

within the city.

There are several community-oriented businesses in 

Westport, including the Westport/South Beach Historical 

Society’s Maritime Museum, Westport/South Beach 

Senior House, the Westport Timberland Library, and 

several places of worship. The Maritime Museum, in the 

marina district, serves to entertain and educate adults and 

children on the history of the area, including local efforts 

in whaling, fishing, and cranberry growing. The 

University of Washington School of Aquatic and Fishery 

Sciences also has a staging facility in Westport, from 

which research is conducted on the Willapa Bay estuary. 

There are several nonprofit organizations based in 

Westport that focus on fishery-related issues, including 

Friends of Grays Harbor, a volunteer citizen’s group 

made up of crabbers, fishermen, oyster growers, and 

citizens, dedicated to fostering and promoting the 

economic, biological, and social uniqueness of a healthy 

Grays Harbor estuary.15

According to Westport Marina, their facility is the 

largest coastal marina in the Pacific Northwest and is 

home to Washington State’s largest charter fishing 

fleet.16 With a 650-vessel moorage capacity (for vessels 

up to 200 feet) the marina offers boat manufacturing and 

repair services, refrigerated shore side processing 

facilities, and vessel supplies. Westport also has two 

retail stores specializing in marine and fishery supplies.

Net pens for rearing Humptulips River coho salmon 

are located in the Westport Marina and are operated 

jointly by WDFW, Ocosta High School, the Kiwanis 

Club, and the Port of Westport. The net pens are 

positioned inside boat slips at the marina and when the 

salmon return to spawn, anglers can be found crowding 

the Westport Boat Basin. Brady’s Oysters, a family 

owned and operated business spanning four generations, 

grows oysters on suspended culture, a unique method 

developed by Brady Engvall in the early 1970s to keep 

the oysters out of the mud. Brady’s grows its oysters in 

the Elk River Estuary in the south bay of Grays Harbor.17
234

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Of the 894 unique vessels that delivered 

nonconfidential landings to Westport in 2000, 298 were 

commercial vessels, 75 were tribal commercial vessels, 

and 73 were personal use vessels. Landings in the 

community were in the following West Coast fisheries 

(data shown represent landings in metric tons/value of 

said landings/number of vessels landing): coastal pelagic 

631 t/$100,067/9; crab 2,446 t/$12,035,331/210; 

groundfish 8,305 t/$2,436,247/74, highly migratory 

species 1,101 t/$2,062,081/73; salmon 68 t/$189,609/69; 

shellfish 5 t/$20,201/18; shrimp 1,370 t/$1,322,023/33; 

and other species(32 t/$110,428/44.

Westport residents owned 179 vessels in 2000, 58 of 

which participated in the federally managed groundfish 

fishery. Community members owned two vessels that 

participated in the groundfish vessel buyback program. 

The number that participated in each said fishery by state 

(WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 4/0/0, crab 50/2/1, 

groundfish 12/0/NA, highly migratory species NA/0/NA, 

salmon 42/19/3, shellfish NA/1/NA, shrimp NA/6/1, and 

other species 21/0/0.18

Ten Westport residents held 10 federally managed 

groundfish fishery permits in 2000. The number holding 

permits in each said fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

coastal pelagic 3/0/0, crab 45/3/1, highly migratory 

species NA/0/0, salmon 32/17/6, shellfish 12/1/NA, 

shrimp 20/6/2, and other species 8/0/2.19

In 2000 Westport residents held 203 state and 

federal permits. The number of permits held by these 

community members in each said fishery by state (WA/

OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 4/0/0, crab 70/6/1, highly 

migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 45/0/9, shellfish 12/0/

NA, shrimp 22/10/3, and other species 9/0/2.20

The commercial anchovy fishery in Washington 

operates out of Ilwaco (80 miles south) and Westport 

with seasonal gear restrictions. Within coastal waters, 

anchovy harvest is allowed year round and may be 

caught using lampara and purse seines. Anchovy catches 

from Westport are taken predominantly from Grays 

Harbor, although some of the landings are made from the 

nearshore coastal area.21 Westport residents also are 

involved in the West Coast sardine fishery. In 2000 10.7 

million pounds of sardines, a prolific coastal pelagic 

species, were landed in Washington State. The majority 

of the catch (approximately 80%) was landed in Ilwaco; 

however processors in Westport purchased the majority 

of the remaining catch.

There were at least three seafood processors 

operating in Westport in 2000: Washington Crab 

Producers (WCP) Inc., Ocean Gold Seafoods Inc. 

(formerly Merino’s Seafood Inc.), and Westport Seafood 

Exchange (WSE) Inc. These processors employed 

approximately 154 individuals. Processed products 

include Dungeness crab, pacific hake, shrimp, and 

anchovies. The estimated total weight and value of their 

processed products in 2000 is confidential. WCP was 

owned and operated as a cooperative until Pacific 

Seafood Group acquired the company in 1993. Ocean 

Gold Seafoods is the largest processor of Pacific whiting 

on the West Coast. Known for the catching and selling 

of bait anchovies, WSE facilitates dockside unloading of 

live product to wholesalers and distributors. WSE’s 

additional services include a 120-ton ice storage capacity, 

a 170-foot moorage dock, a large gear storage yard, and 

free bait lockers.22 Other businesses involved in seafood 

retail include Brady’s Oysters seafood farm and market 

and D&M Live Crab.

Several tribes along the West Coast participate in 

commercial fishing; however scant data exists on tribal 

commercial fishing in the Westport area. Pacific Coast 

treaty tribes include the Hoh, Makah, and Quileute Indian 

tribes, and the Quinault Indian Nation. The closest treaty 

Indian nation to Westport is the Quinault, with a tribal 

center 70 miles north in Taholah in Grays Harbor 

County. According to the Boldt Decision,23 the 

Quinault’s usual and accustomed fishing area includes 

the following rivers and streams: Clearwater, Queets, 

Salmon, Quinault, Raft, Moclips, Copalis, and Joe Creek. 

Ocean fisheries are utilized in the waters adjacent to their 

territory, between Destruction Island and Point 

Chehalis.24 The closest nontreaty tribe is the Shoalwater 

Bay Tribe, located 30 miles south in Tokeland, on the 

north end of Willapa Bay in Pacific County. To help pay 

for tribal natural resource management programs, tribes 

collect taxes from tribal members who sell fish and 

shellfish. The nearby Shoalwater Bay Tribe and the 

Quinault Indian Nation most likely compete for similar 

fishery resources as nontribal fishermen fishing out of 

Westport.

Sportfishing

Sport fishermen in Westport are involved in the 

West Coast and Alaskan fisheries. In 2000 14 salmonid 

charter fishing operators serviced sport fishermen and 

tourists. At least 23 salmonid charter fishing business 

operated in Westport in 2003. There is one licensed 

agent selling fishing permits in Westport. In 2003 there 

were 5,525 sportfishing license transactions in Westport 

valued at $61,021. In Catch Record Card Area 2 

(Westport-Ocean Shores) the 2000–2001 sport catch, 

based on creel survey estimates, was 34,636 fish 

including 6,254 Chinook salmon and 28,382 coho 
235

salmon. Marine anglers made 19,895 trips in the sport 

salmon fishery. Sport fishermen in Area 2 caught eight 

steelhead. In 2000 the coastal bottomfish catch for Area 

2 was 152,675 and the Pacific halibut catch for Area 1 

(Ilwaco) and Area 2 was 2,341.

Due to the downturn in the salmon fishery, whale 

watching and fishing for bottomfish and tuna are 

replacing salmon fishing, previously the most popular 

charter trip; fieldwork indicates that tuna fishing is 

particularly popular among the charter industry. In the 

spring, whale-watching trips leave from Westport to view 

the California Grey whales as they journey from Baja, 

Mexico, to their northern feeding grounds in the Bering 

and Chukchi seas.25

Subsistence

Subsistence hunting, fishing, and gathering 

activities are fundamental to the way of life of some 

coastal community members. Today members of the 

Quinault Indian Nation, the Shoalwater Bay Tribe, and 

other nontribal subsistence fishermen obtain fishery 

resources from the waters surrounding Westport. While 

tribal and nontribal individuals participate in subsistence 

fishing, tribal catches are reserved for tribal use only. 

Subsistence fishing is not discussed in great detail in this 

community profile due to the lack of available data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Westport residents owned 10 vessels in 2000 that 

were involved in North Pacific fisheries. Community 

members landed fish in the following North Pacific 

fisheries (data shown represents landings in metric tons/

value of said landings/number of vessels landing): finfish 

confidential/confidential/1 and salmon 238 t/$225,180/6.

In 2000 Westport residents held 21 state and federal 

registered permits, with 12 individuals holding state 

permits and 7 individuals holding federal permits (note: 

it is possible for individuals to hold more than one permit 

at a time). Westport residents held one crab and six 

groundfish License Limitation Program permits and one 

crab, one Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands groundfish, 

one Gulf of Alaska groundfish, two herring, seven 

salmon, and two shellfish Commercial Fisheries Entry 

Commission permits. Westport residents held 77,433 

halibut individual fishing quota shares in 2000.

In 2000 56 Westport residents held crew member 

licenses for North Pacific fisheries.

Sportfishing

Westport residents purchased 36 Alaska sportfishing 

licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis. No date. The 

Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis. Online at http://

www.chehalistribe.org/ [accessed 31 January 2007].

2. Shoalwater Bay Tribe. No date. The Shoalwater Bay: Tribal 

history. Online at http://www.spipa.org/# [accessed 31 January 2007].

3. R. McCausland. 1998. Washington’s Westport. The Donning 

Company Publishers, Virginia Beach, VA.

4. See note 3.

5. The Chehalis River Council. 2004. Selective chronology of 

the Chehalis Basin. Online at http://www.crcwater.org/issues2/

chronicle.html [accessed 31 January 2007].

6. Buccaneer Tours and Charters. 2003. History of the Grays 

Harbor area. Online at http://www.buccaneertours.com/hist2.html 

[accessed 31 January 2007].

7. See note 3.

8. See note 3.

9. See note 3.

10. B. Aue. 2004. Vistor’s guide 2004-2005. South Beach 

Bulletin, Westport, WA.

11. Grays Harbor Economic Development Council. No date. 

Grays Harbor County manufacturing. Online at http://

www.ghedc.com/ghmanuf.html [accessed 31 January 2007].

12. City of Westport. 2004. Westport, WA home. Online at 

http://www.ci.westport.wa.us/history.html [accessed 31 January 

2007].

13. Grays Harbor Economic Development Council. 2003. 

Grays Harbor County workforce. Online at http://www.ghedc.com/

tblworkforce.html [accessed 31 January 2007].

14. Wikipedia. 2006. Westport, Washington. Online at http://

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westport,_Washington [accessed 31 January 

2007].

15. Friends of Grays Harbor. No date. Home. Online at http://

www.fogharbor.org/about.html [accessed 31 January 2007].

16. Port of Grays Harbor. No date. Westport Marina. Online at 

http://www.portofgraysharbor.com/westport/ [accessed 31 January 

2007].

17. Brady’s Oysters. No date. Simply the best. Online at http://

www.bradysoysters.com/ [accessed 31 January 2007].

18. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

19. See note 18.

20. See note 18.

21. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. 1997. Forage 

fish: Anchovy biology. Online at http://www.wdfw.wa.gov/fish/

forage/anchovy.htm [accessed 31 January 2007].

22. Grays Harbor Online. No date. Westport Seafood 

Exchange, Inc. Online at http://www.ghonline.com/go2/

seafoodx.html [accessed 31 January 2007].

23. Center for Columbia River History. No date. Boldt 

Decision. Online at http://www.ccrh.org/comm/river/legal/boldt.htm 

[accessed 31 January 2007].

24. Pacific Fishery Management Council. 2004. Groundfish 

bycatch programmatic DEIS. Online at http://www.pcouncil.org/

groundfish/gfbdpeis/apdxd.pdf [accessed 31 January 2007].

25. J. Larsen. 2002. Short trips: A whale of a success in shifting 

economic seas. Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Seattle, WA. 11 April 

2002. Online at http://seattlepi.com/getaways/65982_shorttrips11

.shtml [accessed 31 January 2007].
236

Woodinville

People and Place

Location

Woodinville is on the north end of the Sammamish 

River Valley. Situated in King County, the city 

encompasses 5.6 square miles of land and 0.02 square 

miles of water. The nearest major U.S. city is Seattle, a 

20-mile drive southwest. Woodinville’s geographic 

coordinates are lat 47°45′18′′N, long 122°09′03′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Woodinville’s 

population was 9,194. Woodinville was not incorporated 

at the time of the 1990 U.S. Census. However the 

population for Woodinville as a census designated place 

in 1990 was 23,654; this provides a comparison between 

the larger unincorporated area prior to incorporation and 

today’s population. In 2000 the gender composition was 

of 50.9% female and 49.1% male. The median age of 

35.7 was comparable to the national median age of 35.3.

The vast majority of Woodinville’s racial structure 

recorded in the 2000 U.S. Census was white (84%), 

followed by Asian (7.3%), people who identified as 

another race (3.7%), people who identified as two or 

more races (3.3%), black (0.9%), American Indian and 

Alaska Native (0.5%), and Native Hawaiian and other 

Pacific Islander (0.3%). Ethnicity data indicate that 7.2% 

identified as Hispanic. In 2000 13.6% were foreign-born, 

with 44% from the Americas outside of the United States 

and 32.8% from Asia. The highest percentage of those 

reporting ancestry in the 2000 U.S. Census were German 

(18.4%), followed by English (11.6%), Irish (8.9%), and 

Norwegian (7.9%).

Of the population 18 years of age and over, 89.3% 

had a high school education (including equivalency) or 

higher, 38.7% had earned a bachelor’s degree or higher, 

and 11.6% had received a graduate or professional 

degree; the national averages were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 

7.8% respectively.

History

In 1870 George Rutter Wilson and Columbus 

Greenleaf staked the first land claims in the Woodinville 

area. One year later Ira and Susan Woodin moved to the 

area and settled the community of Woodinville with their 

two daughters, Helen and Mary. At that time the easiest 

way to reach Woodinville from Seattle or Lake 

Washington was via the Sammamish River. Early in 

Woodinville’s existence the logging industry drew the 

1,000 800 600 400 200 0 200 400 600 800 1,000

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure

Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

84%

Two or more races

3.3%

Other

3.7%

Pacific Islander

0.3%

Black

0.9%

Native

0.5%

Asian

7.3%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Non-Hispanic

92.8%

Hispanic

7.2%
237

majority of its population base.1 The area was “heavily 

forested, with trees so big their stumps could be used as 

shelters or as temporary houses.”2 As logging continued, 

cleared land provided rich soil and brought dairy farms 

and truck gardens.

The first community school was conducted in the 

Woodin home, but as Woodinville grew in size, the 

Calkins family donated land for the Woodinville School. 

The school building was destroyed by a fire but rebuilt in 

1909 and further enlarged in 1935. Initially the building 

functioned as a primary school, from 1993 to 2001 it 

served as Woodinville City Hall, and it currently 

functions as the Community Center.3

 Today Woodinville 

is the site of many boutique wineries as well as “a vibrant 

retail core.”4

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 72.5% of 

Woodinville’s potential labor force 16 years of age and 

older were employed, 1.9% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 2.6% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

25.5% were not in the labor force, compared to the 

national average of 36.1%. The top employment sections 

were educational, health, and social services (15.6%), 

manufacturing (14.6%), professional, scientific, 

management, administrative, and waste management 

services (13.4%), retail trade (13.1%), local, state, and 

federal governments (8.6%), and finance, insurance, real 

estate, and rental and leasing (8.2%). Natural resource 

jobs including agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting, 

employed (0.5%), but this percentage may be artificially 

low given that many fishermen are self-employed and are 

underrepresented in these data. The major employers in 

Woodinville were the Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery, 

Molbak Nursery, and the Northshore School District.5

The per capita income in 1999 was $31,458 and the 

median household income was $68,114. In 1999 4.4% 

lived below the poverty level. There were 3.592 housing 

units in 2000, with 72.8% owner occupied and 27.2% 

renter occupied. The housing unit vacancy rate was 

2.2%.

Governance

In 1993 Woodinville became the 270th incorporated 

city in Washington State. It has a council-manager form 

of government with seven nonpartisan council members 

and a city manager, who is responsible for daily 

operations via management of the directors of each city 

department. Woodinville levies an 8.8% sales and use 

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

25.5%

Unemployed

1.9%

Employed

72.5%

tax. A 2.8% lodging tax is also in effect in Woodinville 

for establishments with 60 or more rooms or spaces. See 

the Governance subsection (page 43) in the Overview 

section for a more detailed discussion of taxes affecting 

fisherman and processors in Washington.

The nearest National Marine Fisheries Service 

Regional Office and the U.S. Citizenship and 

Immigration District Office are in Seattle. Meetings of 

the North Pacific Fishery Management and Pacific 

Fishery Management councils are routinely held in the 

Seattle-Tacoma area. The closest Washington 

Department of Fish and Wildlife Regional Office is in 

Mill Creek, 9 miles northwest. The 13th U.S. Coast 

Guard District Office is in Seattle.

Facilities

Woodinville is accessible via Washington Highway 

522 off Interstate 405 (north-south) and via Washington 

Highway 202. The Seattle-Tacoma International Airport 

is nearest major facility.

Woodinville is situated in two school districts, 

North Shore and Lake Washington. There are a total of 

12 public schools, including 1 prekindergarten school, 7 

elementary schools, 2 junior high schools,1 high school 

and 1 treatment center. All of the schools are in the 

North Shore School District except Wilder Elementary 

School, which is the Lake Washington District. There 

are six private schools located in Woodinville. 

Puget Sound Energy administers electricity. The 

Woodinville Water District provides water and sewer 

services. Waste Management Northwest supplies solid 

waste and garbage collection services. Police on contract 

with the King County Sheriff’s Office and the 

Woodinville Fire and Life Safety District administer 

public safety. The Evergreen Hospital Medical Center 

and the Fairfax Hospital are about 4 miles away in 

Kirkland. Willows Lodge is the only hotel located within 
238

Woodinville, however additional accommodations are 

available in nearby Bothell and Kirkland. There are no 

marine facilities located in the community.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Recorded data indicates that there were zero 

landings delivered to Woodinville in 2000 and no known 

processors operating in the community. In 2000 six 

vessels were owned by Woodinville residents, including 

three vessels that participated in the federally managed 

groundfish fishery. The number of vessels owned by 

Woodinville residents that participated in each said 

fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 2/0/0, 

groundfish 0/0/NA, highly migratory species NA/0/NA, 

salmon 1/0/0, shellfish NA/0/NA, shrimp NA/0/0, and 

other species 1/0/0.6

In 2000 one Woodville resident held a single federal 

groundfish fishery permit. The number in each said 

fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 1/0/0, 

crab 1/1/0, highly migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 1/0/

1, shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 1/0/0, and other species 2/0/

0.7

Woodinville residents held 11 state and federal 

permits in 2000. The number in each said fishery by 

state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 1/0/0, crab 1/1/0, 

highly migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 1/0/2, shellfish 

0/0/NA, shrimp 2/0/0, and other species 2/0/0.8

Sportfishing

The closest Catch Record Card Area to Woodinville 

is Area 10, Seattle-Bremerton (south from the Apple 

Cove Point-Edwards Point line to a line projected true 

east-west through the north tip of Vashon Island). The 

2000 sport catch, based on catch record cards, in Area 10 

was 15,681 fish, including 4,042 Chinook salmon, 

11,568 coho salmon, 58 chum salmon, and 13 sockeye 

salmon. In 2000 marine angler made 49,865 trips in the 

sport salmon fishery. In Area 10 boat-based anglers 

angles caught 7,022 bottomfish. The recreational harvest 

of clams (pounds) and oysters (number) in Area 10 was 

estimated to be 6,936 and 26,200 respectively; harvest 

occurred over an estimated 2,745 user trips in 2000.

The Sammamish River (slough) on which 

Woodinville is situated provides a link between Lake 

Sammamish and Lake Washington for anadromous fish 

such as salmon and steelhead.9

 The river also offers 

fishing for trout and other game fish. Several lakes 

situated around the community—Cottage Lake, Crystal 

Lake, and Paradise Lake—provide additional fishing 

opportunities. For example, Cottage Lake provides 

fishing for stocked rainbow trout and also for yellow 

perch, brown bullheads, black crappie, and largemouth 

bass.10

There were two licensed vendors in Woodinville 

selling fishing permits in 2000. In 2003 there were 1,022 

sportfishing license transactions made in the community 

valued at $1,877.

Subsistence

Tribal and nontribal community members may be 

engaged in subsistence fishing in the area. Subsistence 

fishing is not discussed in detail in this community 

profile due to the lack of available data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Woodinville residents owned 12 vessels in 2000 that 

participated in North Pacific fisheries. That year 

community members landed fish in the following North 

Pacific fisheries (data shown represent landings in metric 

tons/value of said landings/number of vessels landing): 

Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) groundfish 

confidential/confidential/2, other finfish confidential/

confidential/1, Gulf of Alaska groundfish 339 t/

$765,530/4, halibut confidential/confidential/2, herring 

confidential/confidential/1, and salmon 163 t/$237,620/4.

In 2000 Woodinville residents held 41 state and 

federal registered commercial fishing permits, including 

12 individuals who held state permits and 22 who held 

federal permits (note: it is possible for individuals to hold 

more than one permit at a time). Woodinville residents 

held two crab and seven groundfish License Limitation 

Program permits and six crab, eight BSAI groundfish, 

three halibut, two herring, and five salmon Commercial 

Fisheries Entry Commission permits. Residents also held 

4,025,811 halibut and 3,211,082 sablefish individual 

fishing quota shares.

Woodinville residents held 23 crew member 

licenses for North Pacific fisheries in 2000.

Sportfishing

Residents purchased 340 Alaska sportfishing 

licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. City of Woodinville. No date. Community profile, historical 

Woodinville. Online at http://www.ci.woodinville.wa.us/

communityprofile/historic-woodinville.asp [accessed 31 January 

2007].

2. City of Woodinville. No date. Community profile. Online at 

http://www.ci.woodinville.wa.us/communityprofile.asp [accessed 31 

January 2007].
239

3. See note 1.

4. See note 2.

5. Economic Development Council of Seattle & King County. 

2004. King County profiles, the City of Woodinville. Online at 

http://www.edc-sea.org/Research_Data/CityProfileView.cfm?CityID 

=38 [accessed December 2004].

6. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

7. See note 6.

8. See note 6.

9. King County. 2005. Sammamish River. Online at http://

dnr.metrokc.gov/wlr/waterres/streamsdata/Sammamish.htm [accessed 

31 January 2007].

10. Washingtonlakes.com. No date. King County, Cottage 

Lake overview. Online at http://www.washingtonlakes.com/

ReportList.aspx?id=436 [accessed 31 January 2007].
240
241

4.2 Oregon

Astoria

Bandon

Beaver

Brookings

Charleston

Clatskanie

Cloverdale

Coos Bay

Depoe Bay

Florence

Garibaldi

Gold Beach

Hammond

Harbor

Logsdon

Monument

Newport and South Beach

North Bend

Pacific City

Port Orford

Reedsport

Rockaway Beach

Roseburg

Seaside

Siletz

Sisters

Tillamook

Toledo

Warrenton

Winchester Bay
242
243

Astoria

People and Place

Location

Astoria is on the northwestern tip of Oregon, 

bordered by the Pacific Ocean on the west and the 

Columbia River on the north. Situated in Clatsop 

County, the area encompasses 5.75 square miles of land 

and 3.95 square miles of water. Portland is the nearest 

major city, 91 miles to the east. Astoria’s geographic 

coordinates are lat 46°11′17′′N, long 123°49′48′′W. 

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Astoria’s 

population was 9,813, a 25.4% decrease from the 1990 

count of 10,069. The gender composition was 52% 

female and 48% male. The median age was 38.3 years, 

slightly higher than the national average of 35.3. Astoria 

demonstrates usual population trends for the nation. Of 

the population 18 years of age and older, 84.1% had a 

high school education or higher, 19.7% had earned a 

bachelor’s degree or higher, and 6.8% had attained a 

graduate or professional degree; the national averages 

were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The majority of the population of Astoria recorded 

by the 2000 U.S. Census was white (91.1%), followed by 

people who identified with another race (2.7%), people 

who identified with two or more races (2.5%), Asian 

(1.9%), American Indian and Alaska Native (1.1%), 

black or African American (0.5%), and Native Hawaiian 

and other Pacific Islander (0.2%). Ethnicity data indicate 

6% identified as Hispanic. In 2000 4.5% were foreignborn, with the majority from the Americas outside of the 

United States and from Asia. Astoria is also home to 

many people of Scandinavian decent, including 

Icelanders, Finns, Danes, Norwegians, and Swedes.

History

American commercial interest in this area began in 

1792 when Captain Robert Gray crossed the Columbia 

River in his fur-trading ship. Lewis and Clark’s 33-

member expedition, the Corps of Discovery, arrived near 

present-day Astoria in the winter of 1805–1806. The 

expedition is commemorated by the Astoria Column.1

 

The Chinook and Clatsop tribal populations each 

numbered about 400 when the Corps of Discovery 

visited their villages on the south bank of the 

Columbia. The tribes lived in wooden plank houses, 

were proficient seafarers in their large dugout canoes, 

and lived off the fish, roots, and berries plentiful in the 

800 600 400 200 0 200 400 600 800

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure

Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

91.1%

Two or more races

2.5%

Other

2.7%

Pacific Islanders

0.2%

Black

0.5%

Native

1.1%

Asian

1.9%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity 

Non-Hispanic

94%

Hispanic

6%
244

area. The considerably larger Tillamook population 

was south in villages between the mouth of the 

Necanicum River and Tillamook Bay. By the mid1800s the Tillamook population had declined to about 

200 people; today the tribe is no longer officially 

organized.2

The Corp of Discovery built Fort Clatsop near the 

mouth of the Columbia and sheltered there through the 

winter. Members of the Pacific Fur Company arrived 

subsequently and established Fort Astoria, named for 

John Jacob Astor, the founder of Pacific Fur Company 

and a prominent New York merchant. The resulting 

community, which grew into Astoria, is now the oldest 

U.S. settlement west of the Rocky Mountains. By 1850 

the first post office and U.S. Customs office west of the 

Rocky Mountains were established. By 1900 salmon 

canneries, forestry, and shipping industries made the 

town the most commercially significant hub between 

Seattle and San Francisco. Until the 1900s emigrants to 

the area were predominantly of Scandinavian descent, 

bringing diversity to the area’s cultural heritage and 

economy. The area also has become a popular backdrop 

to represent the all-American city in numerous movies.3

Downtown Astoria was rebuilt following a 

devastating fire in 1922. The reconstruction extended the 

land area with fill material into the Columbia River. The 

Port of Astoria initiated a project to build a bridge across 

the Colombia between Oregon and Washington in 1953. 

With the help of the Oregon Highway Department and 

$100,000 in funding from the Oregon and Washington 

State legislatures, the so-called “Bridge to Nowhere” 

opened to the public 10 years later.4 More than 2,000 

major shipwrecks testify to the importance of the mouth 

of the Columbia River to commerce and fishing, and to 

its dangerous waters, which has earned it the nickname, 

“the Graveyard of the Pacific.”5

Fieldwork indicates there has been an increase in 

tourism in Astoria, with the opening of two new hotels 

along the riverfront as well as a number of new gift shops 

and galleries. These developments have lead to an 

increase in lower paying service jobs. Fieldwork 

suggests insufficient income levels, coupled with a 

downturn in logging and fishing, are forcing many to 

leave the community in search of higher paying jobs 

elsewhere. There also has been an increase in the 

construction of weekend or vacation homes for Portland 

and Seattle residents, resulting in rising property values.

Today the towns of Astoria and Warrenton form a 

deeply connected community, sharing not only history 

but also infrastructure. The connection is particularly 

reflected in their involvement in the fishing industry. 

While separate profiles have been compiled for each 

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

35.8%

Unemployed

4.3%

Employed

59.9%

community, the Astoria-Warrenton area can be 

considered a cohesive community.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 59.9% of 

Astoria’s potential labor force 16 years of age and older 

were employed, 4.3% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 6.7% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

35.8% were not in the labor force. The top employment 

sectors were local, state, or federal government (17.1%) 

and the armed forces (2.5%). Natural resource jobs 

including agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting, 

employed 3.1%, but this percentage may be artificially 

low because many fishermen are self-employed and are 

underrepresented in these data.

While the fishing industry has long formed the 

economic foundation of Astoria, the largest employers 

are related to the community’s infrastructure. In order of 

the number of employees, the five leading employers in 

2003 were the U.S. Coast Guard, the Astoria School 

District, the Columbia Memorial Hospital, Clatsop 

County, and Clatsop Community College.6

 Other main 

industries in Astoria in 2000 were educational, health, 

and social services; retail trade; and arts, entertainment, 

recreation, accommodation, and food services.

The per capita income for Astoria was $18,759 and 

the median household income was $33,011, according to 

the 2000 U.S. Census. In 1999 15.9% were below the 

poverty line, higher than the national average of 12.4%. 

In 2000 Astoria had 4,858 housing units, of which 87.6% 

were occupied. Of the occupied units, 51.3% were by 

owner and 48.7% by renter. Of the vacant housing units, 

14.4% were vacant due to seasonal, recreational, or 

occasional use.
245

Governance

The City of Astoria incorporated in 1856. Local 

government is organized under a manager-council 

format.7 The State of Oregon has no general sales tax but 

levies a 1% tax on overnight lodging that funds the 

Oregon Tourism Commission. See Governance 

subsection (page 43) in the Overview section for a more 

detailed discussion of taxes affecting fisherman and 

processors in Oregon.

A U.S. Coast Guard Station and an Oregon 

Department of Fish and Wildlife Field Office are based 

in Astoria. A field station of the NOAA Fisheries 

Services Northwest Fisheries Science Center is located in 

nearby Hammond. Meetings of the Pacific Fishery 

Management and North Pacific Fishery Management 

councils are held in Portland, which is also home to the 

district office of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 

Services.

Facilities

Astoria is accessible by land, sea, and air. U.S. 

Highway 101 connects Astoria to other major 

transportation routes. Public transportation is provided 

by a local bus service. The Astoria Regional Airport, 

operated by the Port of Astoria, is located within 10 

minutes of Astoria, Seaside, and Warrenton. The closest 

major commercial airport is in Portland.

The Port of Astoria provides services to commercial 

and recreational boaters at two marinas and serves as a 

cruise ship port-of-call with two piers and a marine 

terminal. It is the first deep-draft port encountered upon 

entering the Columbia River, located only 14 miles from 

the Pacific Ocean. It maintains nearly 7,250 feet of dock 

space on three piers with a haul-out and a 10-acre 

boatyard. The port adopted a comprehensive Central 

Waterfront Master Plan in 2001. The port collects 

revenue from enforced tariffs.8

Astoria has seven schools providing elementary 

though high school education with one tertiary education 

provider, Clatsop Community College. The city takes 

water from the Bear Creek Watershed and maintains 

wastewater treatment systems. City utilities include 

natural gas, electrical power, and solid waste 

management. The Astoria Fire Department operates two 

stations. The police department has 21 paid and reserve 

officers. Columbia Memorial Hospital is located in 

Astoria and three clinics are available.9 There are a 

number of local overnight accommodations.

Several local and regional associations and networks 

operate in the Astoria-Warrenton area, including the 

Women’s Coalition for Pacific Fisheries, Columbia River 

Fishermen’s Protective Union, and Salmon for All, a 

lower Columbia River group of fishermen, processors, 

and gear suppliers. The Oregon Trawl Commission is 

located in Astoria and consists of eight commissioners 

appointed by the Director of the Oregon Department of 

Agriculture. The Pacific Marine Conservation Council 

also operates from Astoria. The council advocates 

cooperative research and science-based policy, as well as 

community-based fisheries management with attention to 

west coast rockfish.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

There were at least four seafood processors 

operating in Astoria in 2000. Bornstein Seafoods Inc., 

Crystal Ocean Seafoods, Fish Hawk Fisheries Inc., and 

Josephson’s Smokehouse and Dock together employed 

approximately 154. In 2000 approximately 10.1 million 

pounds of fish were processed at an estimated value of 

$16.87 million. In the same year the top three processed 

products in the community, in terms of pounds and 

revenue earned, were flounder, Dungeness crab, and 

shrimp. Bornstein Seafoods, historically a groundfish 

processing and distribution company, is expanding to 

process and distribute seafood products. Bornstein began 

construction in spring 2005 of a $6.8 million processing 

facility on Port of Astoria property.

In 2000 334 unique vessels (all commercially 

classified) delivered landings to Astoria. The landings 

were in the following fisheries (data shown represents 

landings in metric tons/value of said landings/number of 

vessels landing): coastal pelagic 5,907 t/$794,612/29; 

crab 1,399 t/$6,530,137/92; groundfish 45,284 t/

$12,980,569/151; highly migratory species 1,682 t/

$3,273,354/112; salmon 52 t/$138,537/82; shrimp 3,947 

t/$3,816,430/48; and other species 178 t/$633,751/84.

Astoria residents owned 184 vessels in 2000 

including 12 vessels that took part in the Groundfish 

Vessel Buyback Program. Area residents owned 69 

vessels that participated in the federally managed 

groundfish fishery. The number of vessels owned by 

Astoria residents participating in each fishery by state 

(WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/0/6, crab 0/30/1, 

groundfish 0/0/NA, highly migratory species NA/0/NA, 

salmon 0/138/0, shellfish NA/7/NA, and shrimp NA/16/

7.10

Twenty Astoria residents held 21 federally managed 

groundfish fishery permits in 2000. The number of 

Astoria residents holding permits in each fishery by state 

(WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/2/6, crab 4/30/1, 

groundfish 3/1/0, highly migratory species NA/0/0, 

salmon 18/162/1, shellfish 0/5/NA, shrimp 12/16/6, and 

other species 2/0/2.11
246

The data indicate 187 state and federal permits 

registered to Astoria residents in 2000. The number of 

state permits held by community members in each 

fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/2/

14, crab 7/56/1, groundfish 8/1/0, highly migratory 

species NA/0/0, salmon 22/0/2, shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 

13/27/9, and other species 2/0/2.12

Fieldwork indicates many Astoria residents 

participate in the lower Columbia River gillnet fishery—

the oldest commercial fishery in Oregon and 

Washington—harvesting shad, sturgeon, salmon, and 

smelt. There has been a significant decrease in the 

number of Columbia River gillnet licenses issued over 

the years, primarily due to declining returns and 

increased regulatory measures. For example, in the 

1880s roughly 3,000 gillnetters fished the lower 

Columbia. In 1997 only 689 Columbia River gillnet 

licenses were issued.13

Sportfishing

Astoria had six outfitter guide businesses in 2003 

with six licensed charter vessel businesses located in the 

community. For the Astoria-Warrenton port group, the 

2000 recreational salmonid catch in the Ocean Boat 

Fishery was 766 Chinook salmon and 13,712 coho 

salmon. The recreational nonsalmonid catch was 1,533 

fish, consisting primarily of black rockfish.

Subsistence

Local community members may engage in 

subsistence fishing in the area; however, specific 

information on subsistence fishing in Astoria is not 

discussed in detail in this profile due a lack of data. 

Tribal subsistence fishing does not occur in the Columbia 

in the area but does take place further upstream in the 

Lower Columbia River dam pools at The Dalles, John 

Day, and Bonneville dams.14

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Astoria residents owned 54 vessels in 2000 that 

were involved in North Pacific fisheries. In the same 

year community members landed fish in the following 

North Pacific fisheries (data shown represents landings in 

metric tons/value of said landings/number of vessels 

landings): Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) 

groundfish confidential/confidential/1, Gulf of Alaska 

groundfish confidential/confidential/3, halibut 77.5 t/

$440,080/4, herring 240.9 t/$50,930/6, salmon 1,104.5 t/

$1,543,430/48, and shellfish confidential/confidential/1.

In 2000 residents held 74 registered state permits 

and 27 registered federal permits. In the same year 

residents of Astoria held six groundfish License 

Limitation Program permits. Residents also held 1 

finfish, 13 BSAI groundfish, 9 halibut, 14 herring, 58 

salmon, and 1 shellfish Commercial Fisheries Entry 

Commission permits. The halibut and sablefish 

individual fishing quota shares for people residing in the 

community were 2,542,582 and 977,046 respectively. 

In 2000 108 residents held crew member licenses for 

North Pacific fisheries.

Sportfishing

Astoria community members purchased 112 Alaska 

sportfishing licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. State of Oregon. No date. City of Astoria history. Online at 

http://www.stateoforegon.com/cgi-bin/cities/history.pl?&city 

=astoria&history [accessed 9 January 2007].

2. National Geographic. No date. Lewis and Clark. Online at 

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/lewisandclark/journey_leg_14 

[accessed July 2004].

3. NW Source: Travel. 2004. Astoria, OR. Online at http://

www.nwsource.com/travel/scr/tf_detail.cfm?id=2825 [accessed 9 

January 2007].

4. State of Oregon. No date. City of Astoria history. Online at 

http://www.stateoforegon.com/cgi-bin/cities/history.pl?&city=astoria

&history [accessed 9 January 2007].

5. Astoria Warrenton Area Chamber of Commerce. 2004. 

Historical facts. Online at http://www.oldoregon.com/Pages/

Quickfacts.htm [accessed 9 January 2007].

6. Community and Economic Development Department. 2004. 

Astoria community profile. Online at http://info.econ.state.or.us:591/

FMPro?-db=Community.fp4&-Format=forms.htm&-lay=webpage

&-op=eq&sort%20name=Astoria&-script=hit%20count&-Find 

[accessed 9 January 2007].

7. Oregon Blue Book. 2004. City government. Online at http://

bluebook.state.or.us/local/cities/citiesgen.htm [accessed 9 January 

2007].

8. Port of Astoria. 2004. Port facilities. Online at http://

www.portofastoria.com/portfacilities/cruise/index.html [accessed 9 

January 2007].

9. See note 6.

10. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

11. See note 10.

12. See note 10.

13. Oregon State University. 1999. Oregon's changing fishing 

communities. Online at http://seagrant.oregonstate.edu/sgpubs/

onlinepubs/o99001.html [accessed 9 January 2007].

14. Fishery biologist, Oregon Department of Fish and Game, 

Astoria, OR. Pers. commun., 26 April 2006.
247

Bandon

People and Place

Location

Bandon is located in Coos County along the 

southern coast of Oregon at the mouth of the Coquille 

River, and encompasses 0.3 square miles of water and 2.8 

square miles of land. The nearest major metropolitan 

area is Portland, 243.7 miles to the northeast. Bandon’s 

geographic coordinates are lat 43°07′09′′N and long 

124°24′26′′W. 

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Bandon’s 

population was 2,833, a 27.9% increase over the 1990 

census. The gender composition was 54.8% female and 

45.2% male. The median age of the community in 2000 

was 49.3, older than the national median age of 35.3. 

The 55 and older age group represented 41.4% of the 

total population, while the national average for this age 

group was 21.1%. More than a quarter (29.4%) of the 

population was 65 and older, whereas the national 

average was 12.4%. Of the population 18 years of age 

and older, 88% had a high school education or higher, 

17.5% had a bachelor’s degree or higher, and 5.4% had a 

graduate or professional degree; the national averages 

were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The majority of Bandon’s racial composition was 

white (92.5%), followed by people who identified with 

two or more races (3.7%), Native American (1.9%), 

people who identified with some other race (1.0%), 

Asian (0.6%), black or African American (0.2%), and 

Pacific Islander (0.1%). Ethnicity data indicated 2.8% 

identified as Hispanic. The ethnic composition of the 

community changed between 1990 and 2000, with an 

increase of 55.6% in residents who identified themselves 

as having Hispanic origins. In 2000 4.5% were foreignborn with 37.8% of that figure born in Mexico.

History

The Coquille Indians, who had villages along the 

Coquille River, initially settled the area around Bandon. 

In 1826 the Hudson’s Bay Company visited the area and 

by 1851 gold was discovered by French Trappers, 

drawing miners and other entrepreneurs.1, 2 The first 

settlement, Averill, was established in 1853. By 1856 

conflict between the Euro-American settlers and Indians 

resulted in the movement of the Coquille Indians to the 

Siletz Reservation. In 1859 the vessel Twin Sisters sailed 

up the Coquille River, initiating trade of inland produce 

200 150 100 50 0 50 100 150 200 250

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

Population structure

Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

92.5%

Two or more races

3.7%

Other

1%

Pacific Islander

0.1%

Black

0.2%

Native

1.9%

Asian

0.6%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Hispanic

2.8% Non-Hispanic

97.2%
248

and resources. One year later the mouth of the Coquille 

River was surveyed for navigation. In the early to mid1870s Lord George Bennett arrived and renamed the 

town Bandon after his hometown in Ireland.

From the mid-1800s to the early 1900s, the town 

grew with the opening of a post office, cheese-making 

enterprises, a sawmill, Catholic church, new school 

district, and a woolen mill. In 1888 the first ocean-going 

schooner was built in Bandon, and in 1896 the Bandon 

Lighthouse was constructed. This was followed by 

construction of a jetty on the Coquille River. By 1910 

Bandon was a popular tourist destination on the Oregon 

coast and was considered a principle port between San 

Francisco and Portland.

Disaster struck in 1914 when fire destroyed the 

waterfront business district. This was followed by the 

Great Fire of 1936, which started as a forest fire and 

destroyed the entire town, ending its role as a prominent 

port on the West Coast. Around this time, cranberry 

farming grew and cooperatives and factories were 

developed. The Bandon Electrical Company was 

established and the town slowly rebuilt.

Through the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s the town 

population continued to grow. New infrastructure 

included an airport, wastewater treatment plant, and 

Bandon City Hall. In the 1980s the Old Town area was 

redeveloped with the addition of shopping, restaurants, 

and a new boat basin. Bandon is a coastal tourist 

destination and still supports cranberry factories, fishing, 

cheese-making, and forest products.

Yearly festivals include the Bandon Irish Fest and 

Blessing of the Fleet and The Cranberry Festival, held 

first in 1947. According to the Chamber of Commerce, 

Bandon shares much of its heritage with Bandon, Ireland. 

During its Fourth of July Celebration, the Bandon 

Fisherman Association helps sponsor an annual Fish 

Fry.3

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 43.4% of 

Bandon’s potential labor force 16 years of age and older 

were employed, 3.5% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 7.4% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

53.1% were not in the labor force, compared to the 

national average of 36.1%.

Bandon’s economy relies on wood products, fishing, 

tourism, and agriculture. The top employment sectors 

were educational, health, and social services (22.9%), 

arts, entertainment, recreation, and accommodation and 

food services (17.9%), government (17.7%), and retail 

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

53.1%

Unemployed

3.5%

Employed

43.4%

(16.3%). Natural resource jobs including agriculture, 

forestry, fishing, and hunting employed 1.2%, but this 

percentage may be artificially low because many 

fishermen are self-employed and are underrepresented in 

the data. The five largest employers in the area include 

Bandon Dunes Golf Course, Southern Coos Health 

District, School District #54C, Oregon Overseas Timber, 

and Hardin Optical.4

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, per capita 

income was $20,051 and the median household income 

was $29,492. In 1999 16% of the population lived below 

the poverty level, compared to the national average of 

12.4%. Of the 1,535 housing units in 2000, 83.8% were 

occupied. Of the occupied units, 60.1% were by owner 

and 39.9% were by renter. The housing unit vacancy rate 

was 16.2%, with almost half (48.4%) due to seasonal, 

recreational, or occasional use.

Governance

Bandon is an incorporated city operating under a 

council-manager charter. The State of Oregon has no 

general sales tax; however, a 1% overnight lodging tax is 

levied that funds the Oregon Tourism Commission. See 

the Governance subsection (page 43) in the Overview 

section for a more detailed discussion of taxes affecting 

fishermen and processors in Oregon.

Bandon is 121.8 miles from the National Marine 

Fisheries Service research station in Newport and 21.8 

miles from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife 

(ODFW) Field Office in Charleston. It is 23.9 miles 

from the nearest U.S. Coast Guard Unit in Coos Bay and 

243.7 miles from the closest U.S. Citizenship and 

Immigration Services Office in Portland. Meetings of the 

Pacific Fishery Management and North Pacific Fishery 

Management councils are also held in Portland.
249

Facilities

Bandon is accessible by land, sea, and air. Curry 

Public Transit connects Bandon to the neighboring 

communities of Gold Beach, Crescent City, Brookings, 

Port Orford, Coos Bay, and North Bend. Greyhound 

provides bus service to nearby communities and to 

metropolitan areas. The local Bandon State Airport is a 

landing base for small planes. The community is located 

256.8 miles from the Portland International Airport. 

Major roads intersecting Bandon include U.S. Highway 

101 and Oregon Highway 42.

Local schools include an elementary school, a 

middle school, and a high school. Bandon also has two 

private primary schools. The City of Bandon Electric 

Company provides electricity. The city also supplies 

water and sewer services. The Bandon Police 

Department administers local law enforcement. The 

community is home to one major health care facility, 

Southern Coos General Hospital. Lodging 

accommodations include bed and breakfasts, hotels, and 

motels, campgrounds and recreational vehicle parks, and 

vacation rentals.

The Port of Bandon offers shipping terminal 

facilities, commercial and sport boat moorages, and 

support services. Facilities include a boat ramp, crab 

dock, charter fishing dock, berths for commercial and 

sportfishing vessels, and a guest dock. According to the 

port, the city survived the downturn of its three major 

support industries—logging, fishing, and cranberry 

production—by developing its base for vacation 

recreation, sportfishing, and nature conservancy. The 

port, funded by the ODFW Restoration and Enhancement 

Program, is restoring tidal functions to a portion of a 

former lagoon basin located on the Coquille River’s 

ocean spit.5 The ODFW Fish Hatchery is located 

southeast of Bandon along Ferry Creek. The Oregon 

Coast Sportfishing Association is located in Bandon.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 a total of 17 vessels, all commercially 

registered, delivered landings to Bandon. Landings in 

the community were in the following West Coast 

fisheries (data shown represents landings in metric tons/

value of landings/number of vessels landing): crab 0.7 t/

$3,207/4; groundfish 0.4 t/$726/7; highly migratory 

species confidential/confidential/2; salmon 12 t/$46,083/

6; and other species confidential/confidential/2. 

Research sources did not provide current or 2000 data on 

West Coast fisheries processors for Bandon.

Bandon residents owned 31 vessels in 2000, of 

which 12 participated in the federally managed 

groundfish fishery. The number of vessels owned by 

Bandon residents in 2000 that participated in each fishery 

by state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 0/11/0, groundfish 0/2/

NA, highly migratory species NA/1/NA, salmon 0/23/0, 

shellfish NA/0/NA, and shrimp NA/5/0.6

Three groundfish fishery permits were held by three 

Bandon residents in 2000. Recorded data indicates that 

the number of individual community members holding 

permits in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 

0/8/5, groundfish 0/1/0, highly migratory species NA/1/1, 

salmon 0/19/11, shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 0/3/2, and 

other species 1/3/0.7

Available data indicate 115 permits were registered 

to Bandon residents in 2000, of which 112 were 

registered state permits. The number of permits held by 

community members in each fishery by state (WA/OR/

CA) was: crab 0/18/5, groundfish 0/1/0, highly migratory 

species NA/1/1, salmon 0/21/16, shellfish 0/0/NA, 

shrimp 0/8/4, and other species 1/36/0.8

Sportfishing

Bandon had at least two outfitter guide businesses in 

2003. Three licensed charter vessel businesses were 

located in the community, and one licensed charter vessel 

business from Merrill, Oregon, used Bandon as its 

homeport.

Presently Bandon has four licensing vendors. In 

2000 the number of sportfishing licenses sold by active 

agents was 1,082 at a value of $18,778. For the 

community, the 2000 recreational salmonid catch in the 

Ocean Boat Fishery was 1,328 Chinook salmon and 104 

coho salmon. The recreational nonsalmonid catch was 

14,206 fish. Top species landed include black rockfish, 

blue rockfish, canary rockfish, china rockfish, vermillion 

rockfish, and lingcod.

Subsistence

Many local community members engage in 

subsistence fishing. Both nontribal and tribal fishermen, 

including members of the Coquille Indian Tribe and the 

Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua, and 

Siuslaw, utilize marine and stream resources for 

subsistence. Under the trust doctrine, the federal 

government is charged to protect tribal resources and by 

constitutional mandate to protect natural resources. 

Specific information on subsistence fishing in Bandon is 

not discussed in detail due to a lack of data.
250

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Bandon residents owned one vessel in 2000 

involved in North Pacific fisheries. Five Bandon 

residents held registered state permits in 2000.

In 2000 residents held 7 permits, including 2 Gulf of 

Alaska groundfish, 1 halibut, 2 Bering Sea and Aleutian 

Islands groundfish, and 1 shellfish. Residents also held 4 

salmon Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission 

permits.

In 2000 four residents held crew member licenses 

for North Pacific fisheries.

Sportfishing

In 2000 Bandon residents purchased 16 sportfishing 

licenses for Alaska fisheries.

Notes

1. J. Gilden (ed). 1999. Oregon’s changing coastal fishing 

communities. Online at http://seagrant.oregonstate.edu/sgpubs/

onlinepubs/o99001.html [accessed 9 January 2007].

2. Bandon Historical Society. 2005. Bandon, Oregon, a listing 

of historic events. Online at http://bandonhistoricalmuseum.org/

index.htm [accessed 18 January 2007].

3. Bandon Chamber of Commerce. 2004. Bandon festivals. 

Online at http://www.bandon.com/webfront/stories/?page_id=21 

[accessed 9 January 2007].

4. Oregon Economic & Community Development Department. 

2004. Bandon community profile. Online at http://info.econ.state

.or.us:591/FMPro?-db=Community.fp4&-Format=forms.htm&-lay

=webpage&-op=eq&sort%20name=Bandon&-script=hit%20count

&-Find [accessed 9 January 2007].

5. Port of Bandon. 2001. On Oregon’s south coast. Online at 

http://www.portofbandon.com [accessed 9 January 2007].

6. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

7. See note 6.

8. See note 6.
251

Beaver

People and Place

Location

Beaver, located along U.S. Highway 101 just south 

of Tillamook, covers 0.4 square miles of land. Situated 

in Tillamook County, Beaver is 87.5 miles west of 

Portland. Beaver’s geographic coordinates are lat 

45°16′37′′N, long 123°49′31′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of Beaver was 145, a 0.7% (one individual) decrease 

from the 1990 Census. The gender composition was 

52.4% female and 47.6% male. The median age of 40.1 

was slightly higher than the national median of 35.3. The 

population had an uneven age distribution with 42.1% 

between the ages of 30 and 59 and 25.5% age 17 or 

younger. Of the population 18 years of age and older, 

83.8% had a high school education or higher, 23.1% had 

some college but no degree, and 3.4% had earned an 

associate’s degree. There were no bachelor’s or 

graduate/professional degrees held by community 

members in 2000. The national averages were 79.7% 

with a high school education or higher, 22.3% with a 

bachelor’s degree or higher, and 7.8% with a graduate or 

professional degree.

Most of Beaver’s racial composition recorded in the 

2000 U.S. Census was white (93.1%), followed by 

people who identified with two or more races (5.5%) and 

American Indian and Alaskan native (1.4%). No 

residents identified themselves as Hispanic.

In 2000 87.6% of the population lived in family 

households.

History

Long before Euro-Americans came to the Pacific 

Northwest, Native Americans inhabited this area 

including the Tillamook, Nehalem, and Nestucca. These 

peoples had a close relationship with the sea and the 

area’s waterways, as evidenced by their boats. Dugout 

canoes ranged from tiny vessels used for duck hunting to 

large canoes used for long distance travel to California. 

The Indians of Tillamook Bay died in large numbers due 

to European diseases. Their population, estimated to be 

around 2,200 at the turn of the nineteenth century, 

declined to one-tenth that size by the middle of the 

1800s.

Although Captain Robert Gray was credited with 

being the first Euro-American to land in Tillamook Bay 

15 10 5 0 5 10 15 20

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure

Male Female

2000 Racial structure

Two or more races

5.5%

Native

1.4%

White

93.1%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Hispanic

0.0%

Non-Hispanic

100%
252

in 1788, it was not until the middle of the next century 

that white settlers came to the area. The entrance to the 

bay is recognized as challenging today and was identified 

as perilous during Gray’s time. An account by a member 

of his crew tells of an awkwardly situated shoal, narrow 

entrance, and strong tide.

The Oregon Territorial Government created 

Tillamook County in 1853. The county’s earliest 

industries were shipping, logging, fishing, farming, and 

dairy. Fishing played a key role as the major avenue for 

bringing cash into the area. Fish were caught in the 

area’s coastal waters, bays, and rivers, and canned in 

numerous canneries throughout the area. Middlemen 

bought the packaged fish and sold them in the Willamette 

Valley. The funds enabled the development of other 

enterprises and aided the growth of Tillamook Bay 

communities.

Two industries developed alongside fishing: dairy 

and lumber. The dairy industry advanced with the 

production of cheese that could withstand long storage 

periods for distribution. The lumber industry also 

prospered during the 1890s. In 1911 the Pacific Railway 

and Navigation Company constructed a railway from 

Portland to Tillamook. This reliable source of 

transportation further facilitated the growth of the timber, 

dairy, and fishing industries.

Concerns with overfishing arose as far back as the 

early 1900s. Salmon, particularly coho, have declined 

significantly over the years. Gillnet and trawl fishing 

were banned in Tillamook Bay in 1961. The designation 

of coho salmon as an endangered species in the 1990s 

and an increase in the restrictions placed on harvesting 

bottomfish have limited the area’s commercial fishers. 

Commercial clamming, oystering, and shrimping were 

relatively successful in the bay during the 1990s. In 

recent years shrimp harvests have declined. The bay’s 

commercial oyster industry has also declined, largely as a 

result of ongoing sedimentation and pollution.

Despite the recent downturn in several of the area’s 

commercial fisheries, the bay’s sportfishing industry has 

enjoyed substantial growth. The tourism industry, 

specifically sportfishing, developed in part as an 

economic response to the area’s waning lumber and 

commercial fishing industries, and expanded 

significantly in the 1980s.1, 2

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 58.2% of 

Beaver’s potential labor force 16 years of age and older 

were employed, 3.5% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 5.7% (calculated by dividing the

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

38.3%

Employed

58.2%

Unemployed

3.5%

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

38.3% were not in the labor force. The top employment 

sectors were retail trade (28%) and accommodation and 

food services (23.2%). Natural resource jobs including 

agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting employed 22%, 

but this percentage may be artificially low because many 

fishermen are self-employed and are underrepresented in 

the data.

Beaver’s per capita income in 1999 was $17,284, 

according to the 2000 U.S. Census, and the median 

household income was $34,286. In 1999 7.9% lived 

below the poverty level, lower than the national average 

of 12.4%. In 2000 there were 73 housing units in Beaver, 

of which 82.2% were occupied and 17.8% were vacant. 

Of the occupied units, 75% were by owner and 25% were 

by renter.

Governance

Beaver is an unincorporated Census Designated 

Place (CDP). The State of Oregon has no general sales 

tax but levies a 1% tax on overnight lodging that funds 

the Oregon Tourism Commission. See the Governance 

subsection (page 43) in the Overview section for a more 

detailed discussion of taxes affecting fishermen and 

processors in Oregon.

NOAA Fisheries Services’ Northwest Fisheries 

Science Center field station and a U.S. Coast Guard 

Motor Lifeboat Station are based about 54 miles south of 

Beaver in Newport. Also located in Newport are the 

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Marine 

Resources Program. Meetings of the Pacific Fishery 

Management and North Pacific Fishery Management 

councils are held in Portland, which is also home to the 

district office of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 

Services.
253

Facilities

Beaver is accessible by ground and air. It lies on 

U.S. Highway 101, the major vehicular corridor along the 

Pacific Coast. Two small airports are located within 15 

miles of Beaver, Pacific City State Airport and Tillamook 

Airport. Because of the community’s inland location, it 

is not accessible by water. 

Beaver is located in the Nestucca Valley School 

District, which has an elementary school, middle school, 

and high school. Tillamook County General Hospital is 

15 miles away in Tillamook. Tillamook County provides 

utility services and the county sheriff’s department 

provides police services through a contract. The county’s 

Office of Emergency Management manages other 

emergency services. While there are limited options for 

overnight accommodations in Beaver itself, the 

surrounding region has several motels, hotels, and bed 

and breakfasts.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

According to available data, there were no seafood 

processors operating in Beaver in 2000. There were also 

no landings made in Beaver. However, there were six 

commercial vessels owned by Beaver residents in 2000, 

none of which participated in the federally managed 

groundfish fishery. Recorded data indicates the number 

of vessels owned by Beaver residents in 2000 that 

participated in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

coastal pelagic 0/1/0, crab 0/3/0, groundfish 0/1/NA, 

highly migratory species NA/0/NA, salmon 0/7/0, 

shellfish NA/0/NA, and shrimp NA/0/0.3

In 2000 community members held no groundfish 

permits. The number of Beaver residents holding permits 

in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 0/2/0, 

highly migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 0/4/0, and 

shellfish 0/0/NA.4

Available data indicates there were at least nine 

commercial fishing permits registered to Beaver 

residents in 2000, all registered as state permits. The 

number of state permits held by Beaver residents in each 

fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 0/3/0, highly 

migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 0/6/0, and shellfish 0/

0/NA.5

Sportfishing

In 2000 there were no sportfishing charter 

businesses located within Beaver or owned by Beaver 

residents. Fieldwork indicates there may be river guides 

in the area leading salmon fishing trips on the Nestucca 

River. Beaver had two sportfishing licensing agents in 

2000 who sold 76 sportfishing licenses at a value of just 

over $1,284. There were no licensed charter vessels 

owned by Beaver residents in 2000.

For the port complex around nearby Pacific City, the 

2000 recreational salmonid catch in the Ocean Boat 

Fishery was 88 Chinook salmon and 1,463 coho salmon. 

The recreational nonsalmonid catch in the Ocean Boat 

Fishery was a total of 13,066 fish. The top species 

landed, in descending order, were: black rockfish, 

lingcod, cabezon, blue rockfish, and canary rockfish.

Subsistence

Local community members, both tribal and 

nontribal, may engage in subsistence fishing for marine 

and stream resources in the Beaver area. Specific 

information on subsistence fishing in Beaver is not 

discussed in detail in this community profile due to a lack 

of data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

There was no involvement by Beaver residents in 

North Pacific commercial fisheries in 2000.

Sportfishing

While the majority of the sportfishermen in Beaver 

target West Coast fisheries, six Beaver community 

members purchased Alaska sportfishing licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. J. Gilden (ed). 1999. Oregon’s changing coastal fishing 

communities. Online at http://seagrant.oregonstate.edu/sgpubs/

onlinepubs/o99001.html [accessed 9 January 2007].

2. M. Guardino and Rev. M. Riedel. Sovereigns of themselves: 

A liberating history of Oregon and its coast. Vol. III. Online at http://

www2.wi.net/~census/lesson36.html [accessed 9 January 2007].

3. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

4. See note 3.

5. See note 3.
254

Brookings

People and Place

Location

Brookings, located in Curry County, is the 

southernmost coastal city of Oregon. It is situated at the 

mouth of the Chetco River, and encompasses 2.8 square 

miles of land and 0.03 square miles of water. It is 

approximately 345 miles south southeast of Portland. 

Brookings’ geographic coordinates are lat 42°03′10′′N 

and long 124°16′58′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Brookings’ 

population was 5,447, an increase of 23.8% from the 

1990 census. The gender composition was 52.5% female 

and 47.5% male. The median age was 43.1, higher than 

the national median age of 35.3. The census reported 

29.5% of the population was under the age of 25, 

compared to the national average of 35.3%, and the 55 

and older age group represented 34.8% of the population, 

while the national average was 21.1%. Of the population 

18 years of age and older, 83.3% had a high school 

degree or higher, 15.7% had a bachelor’s degree or 

higher, and 5% had a graduate degree or higher; the 

national averages were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% 

respectively.

The majority of Brookings’ racial structure was 

white (90.5%), followed by people who identified with 

two or more races (4%), Native American (2.4%), people 

who identified with another race (1.4%), Asian (1.3%), 

black (0.2%), and Pacific Islander (0.1%). Ethnicity data 

indicate 4.7% identified as Hispanic. The ethnic 

composition of the community changed between 1990 

and 2000, with a 193% increase in people who identified 

themselves as Hispanic. In 2000 3.7% were foreignborn, of which 22.9% were from Mexico and 21.9% were 

from Canada.

History

The earliest known inhabitants of the BrookingsHarbor area were members of the Chetco Indian Tribe, an 

Athapascan linguistic group who lived along the Chetco 

River and lower Winchuck River northward to Cape 

Ferrelo. Evidence suggests the tribe’s predecessors may 

have come to western Oregon between 1,000 and 3,000 

years ago. During the late 1800s the Chetco were 

probably the most numerous of the 12 coastal tribes, but 

the population suffered severe declines following contact 

with Euro-American settlers.1

400 300 200 100 0 100 200 300 400 500

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure 

Two or more races

4%

Other

1.4%

Pacific Islander

0.1%

Black

0.2%

Native

2.4%

Asian

1.3%

White

90.5%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Hispanic

4.7%

Non-Hispanic

95.3%
255

The Chetco Tribe utilized resources from its natural 

environment. Cooking was done by roasting before the 

fire or in pots made airtight with grass and heated with 

hot stones. Fish, acorns, and elk and deer meat were 

principal food sources. Most marine resources, 

principally fish and mussels, were likely gathered in 

relatively close proximity to the coast as their boats were 

shallow, hollowed-out logs, and apparently awkward to 

manage on the open ocean. Presumably, at the time of 

contact, cultural similarities were strong between the 

Chetco and their neighbors to the south, the Tolowa, who 

shared the same customs regulating social relationships 

and frequently intermarried.2

Euro-American settlers became interested in the 

region in the mid-1800s when explorers discovered gold 

and other precious metals in the rivers and along the 

coastlines of what became Curry County. Initially 

settlement was concentrated along the coasts and 

transport was limited to the waterways. Slow 

development of inland transportation routes kept the 

county relatively isolated well into the twentieth century. 

While there is still some mining of cobalt, nickel, and 

chromium in the Gasaquet Mountain area, the economy 

has largely reoriented to agriculture and timber as well as 

fishing.3

John Brookings, a cousin of Robert Brookings of the 

Brookings Institute, founded the original, industrially 

oriented town of Brookings when he relocated his lumber 

business from the San Bernardino Mountains of Southern 

California to the area in the early 1850s. The town was 

architecturally designed, which accounts for the present 

layout of what is now the city’s core. The community 

incorporated in 1951 and is now the largest city in Curry 

County. Due to its favorable climate, beautiful coastline, 

and quality of life, the city has become attractive to 

retirees.4

 Tourism in the area is also growing. Yearly 

festivals and events include the 10k Salmon Run, Chetco 

Village Chowder Cook-off, Seafood Luncheon, Silver 

Salmon Golf Tournament, and the Fall Harvest Festival. 

The Southern Oregon Kite Festival & Regatta includes 

the Parade of the Fleet and the Annual Regatta and Yacht 

Races.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 52.9% of the 

labor force 16 years and older were employed, 3.2% were 

unemployed, and the unemployment rate was 5.8% 

(calculated by dividing the unemployed population by 

the labor force). In addition, 43.8% were not in the labor 

force. The largest employment sectors were government 

(21%), retail trade (17.3%), and educational, health, and 

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

43.8%

Unemployed

3.2%

Employed

52.9%

social services (14.1%). Natural resource jobs including 

agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting industries 

employed 5%, but this percentage may be artificially low 

because many fishermen are self-employed and are 

underrepresented in the data.

The major industries in Brookings are recreation and 

tourism, fishing, and lumber. The four largest employers 

are South Coast Lumber Co., Freeman Rock Enterprises, 

Inc., Elenwood Cabinets, and Dick & Casey’s Gourmet 

Seafood.5

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the per capita 

income was $17,010 and the median household income 

was $31,656. In 1999 11.5% of the population lived 

below the poverty level. In 2000 there were 2,614 

housing units in Brookings, of which 88.3% were 

occupied and 11.7% were vacant. Of the occupied units, 

56.9% were by owner and 43.1% were by renter. Nearly 

40% of the vacant units were for seasonal, recreational, 

or occasional use.

Governance

Brookings is an incorporated city that operates 

under a council-manager charter. The State of Oregon 

has no general sales tax. An overnight lodging tax of 1% 

is levied that funds the Oregon Tourism Commission. 

See the Governance subsection (page 43) in the 

Overview section for a more detailed discussion of the 

taxes affecting fishermen and processors in Oregon.

The nearest National Marine Fisheries Service 

research station is in Newport, 205.1 miles from 

Brookings. The nearest Oregon Department of Fish and 

Wildlife (ODFW) field office is in Gold Beach, 28.2 

miles away. The U.S. Coast Guard Station Chetco River 

is located on Port of Brookings Harbor property and 

operates a pair of 47-foot motor lifeboats.6

 The 

community is 344.5 miles from the closest U.S. 

Citizenship and Immigration Services Office in Portland. 
256

Meetings of the Pacific Fishery Management and North 

Pacific Fishery Management councils are held in 

Portland.

Facilities

Brookings is accessible by land, sea, and air. U.S. 

Highway 101 connects Brookings to Harbor and Gold 

Beach, and to Crescent City, California. Curry Public 

Transit connects Brookings to Bandon, Crescent City, 

Gold Beach, Port Orford, Coos Bay, and North Bend. 

Greyhound provides bus service to nearby communities 

and metropolitan areas. The local Brookings Airport 

serves small planes. The community is 357.6 miles from 

the Portland International Airport.

The Harbor and Brookings School districts 

consolidated in 1950. Local schools include two 

elementary schools, a middle school, and a high school. 

The Coos-Curry Electric Cooperative provides 

electricity. The City of Brookings supplies water and 

sewer services and its Police Department administers 

local law enforcement. The Sutter Coast Hospital is 

located nearby in Crescent City. 

The Port of Brookings Harbor was created in 1956 

and is classified as a shallow-draft harbor. It covers an 

area of 400 square miles and represents more than 75 

percent of the population base for Curry County.7 

According to the port, it is the busiest recreational port on 

the Oregon coast with more than 95,000 anglers taking 

more than 31,000 trips. It is also one of the most active 

Chinook salmon harbors. The port receives more than 

5,000 commercial fishing vessels annually.

The port operates its own wireless 

telecommunications corporation and its own re-lending 

fund. Additionally, it is one of only two ports in Oregon 

to have a license to perform its own construction and 

maintenance. The port manages a 9,300 square-foot 

retail center, leases space to 34 businesses, and plans an 

additional 13,000 square feet of commercial space.8

 

Facilities include a full-service marina, six-lane launch 

ramp, 671 slips, two transient docks, fueling facility, 

launch services, and a full-service boat yard with a heavy 

lift. The recently constructed marina includes two 

basins; Basin One is primarily for recreational fishing, 

while Basin Two supports the commercial fishing 

industry.9

 The nearest ODFW fish hatchery is the Elk 

River Hatchery, north of Brookings along the Elk River 

in Port Orford. Organizations involved in fisheriesrelated activities include the Brookings Harbor 

Commercial Fishermen’s Wives Association and Oregon 

South Coast Fishermen.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Brookings had at least one processor plant in 2000.

In 2000 all 112 vessels that delivered landings to 

Brookings were commercially registered. Landings in 

2000 were in the following West Coast fisheries (data 

shown represents landings in metric tons/value of said 

landings/number of vessels landing): crab 472 t/

$2,026,095/49; groundfish 1,144 t/$1,456,019/70; highly 

migratory species 34 t/$78,570/11; salmon 106 t/

$384,599/71; shrimp 748 t/$507,617/29; and other 

species 2 t/$6,160/18.

Brookings residents owned 80 vessels in 2000, of 

which 6 participated in the Groundfish Vessel Buyback 

Program. Community members owned 42 vessels that 

participated in the federally managed groundfish fishery. 

According to recorded data the number of vessels owned 

by Brookings residents in 2000 that participated in each 

said fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 0/35/23, 

groundfish 0/2/NA, highly migratory species NA/0/NA, 

salmon 0/54/23, shellfish NA/2/NA, and shrimp NA/11/

8.10

Eleven Brookings residents held 13 groundfish 

fishery permits in 2000. Recorded data indicates the 

number of individual community members holding 

permits in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 

0/30/24, groundfish 0/2/4, highly migratory species NA/

0/12, other species 1/1/1, salmon 0/45/35, shellfish 0/2/

NA, and shrimp 3/7/17.11

According to available data, 288 permits were 

registered to Brookings residents in 2000, of which 275 

were registered state permits. The number of permits 

held by community members in each fishery by state 

(WA/OR/CA) was: crab 0/69/26, groundfish 0/2/5, 

highly migratory species NA/0/12, salmon 0/50/60, 

shellfish 0/2/NA, shrimp 3/17/22, and other species 1/5/

1.12

Sportfishing

In 2003 Brookings had at least 16 outfitter guide 

businesses and 7 licensed charter vessel businesses. In 

the same year four licensed charter vessel businesses 

from Gold Beach (2), Tualatin (1), and Harbor (1) used 

Brookings as their homeport. Internet fishing guide 

sources indicate at least 12 sportfishing businesses are 

currently operating in the community. 

Eight sportfishing license vendors sold 2,372 

licenses in 2000 at a value of $38,671. The 2000 

recreational salmonid catch in the Ocean Boat Fishery 

was 11,744 Chinook and 61 coho salmon. The 

recreational nonsalmonid catch in this fishery was 

100,560 fish. The top species landed include black 
257

rockfish, blue rockfish, canary rockfish, lingcod, kelp 

greenling, and cabezon.

Subsistence

Many local community members engage in 

subsistence fishing. Both nontribal and tribal fishermen 

utilize marine and stream resources for subsistence 

means from the areas within and around Brookings. The 

federal government is charged under trust doctrine to 

protect tribal resources and by constitutional mandate to 

protect natural resources. Specific information on 

subsistence fishing in Brookings is not discussed in detail 

in this community profile due to the lack of available 

data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Brookings residents owned eight vessels in 2000 

involved in North Pacific fisheries. In the same year 

Brookings residents landed fish in the following North 

Pacific fisheries (data shown represents landings in 

metric tons/value of landings/number of vessels landing): 

Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) groundfish 

confidential/confidential/1, Gulf of Alaska groundfish 

confidential/confidential/2, and halibut confidential/

confidential/1.

In 2000 three Brookings residents held registered 

state permits and six held registered federal permits. A 

total of 11 permits were registered to individuals in 

Brookings. Community members held 1 crab and 4 

groundfish License Limitation Program permits, and 1 

halibut and 3 BSAI groundfish Commercial Fisheries 

Entry Commission permits. The halibut and sablefish 

individual fishing quota shares for people residing in the 

community were 797,393 and 1,192,743 respectively. 

Five community members held crew member licenses for 

North Pacific fisheries in 2000.

Sportfishing

Brookings had three Alaskan sportfishing guide 

businesses in 2000. Residents purchased 51 sportfishing 

licenses for Alaskan fisheries.

Notes

1. Curry Coastal Pilot. 2004. First residents were the Chetco. 

Online at http://www.currypilot.com/news/story.cfm?story_no=1495 

[accessed 9 January 2007].

2. See note 1.

3. Brookings-Harbor Oregon. 2004. Curry County history. 

Online at http://arcweb.sos.state.or.us/county/cpcurryhome.html 

[accessed 9 January 2007].

4. The City of Brookings, Oregon. 2004. Brookings’ history. 

Online at http://www.brookings.or.us/About%20Brookings/

history.htm [accessed 9 January 2007].

5. Oregon Economic & Community Development Department. 

2004. Newport community profile. Online at http://info.econ.state

.or.us:591/FMPro?-db=Community.fp4&-Format=forms.htm&-lay

=webpage&-op=eq&sort%20name=Brookings&-script=hit%20count

&-Find [accessed 9 January 2007].

6. Port of Brookings Harbor. 2003. Fishing: commercial. 

Online at http://www.port-brookings-harbor.org/fishing_commercial

.html [accessed 9 January 2007].

7. Port of Brookings Harbor. 2003. About the port. Online at 

http://www.port-brookings-harbor.org/?nav=about [accessed 17 

January 2007].

8. See note 7.

9. Port of Brookings Harbor. 2003. Fishing: recreational. 

Online at http://www.port-brookings-harbor.org/fishing_recreational

.html [accessed 9 January 2007].

10. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

11. See note 10.

12. See note 10.
258

Charleston

A full profile including graphics was not completed 

for Charleston due to insufficient information. 

Charleston is not identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as 

it is an unincorporated town within Coos County. 

Various types of data are lacking in this profile, however, 

Charleston was selected for profiling due to its function 

as a harbor at the mouth of the Coos Bay estuary.

People and Place

Location

Charleston is located in Coos County at the mouth 

of Coos Bay, approximately 226 miles south of Portland 

and 539 miles north of San Francisco. Charleston’s 

geographic coordinates are lat 43°20′25′′N and long 

124°19′44′′W.

Demographic Profile

U.S. Census Bureau demographic information was 

not available for Charleston.

History

Ancestors of the modern day Confederated Tribes of 

Coos, Lower Umpqua, Siuslaw, and Coquille Indians 

originally inhabited Coos Bay. Tribal communities along 

the Oregon coast played an important role in the region, 

particularly in gathering seafood. The bay is Oregon’s 

largest coastal estuary and has provided natural resources 

to local inhabitants for centuries. In 1579 Sir Francis 

Drake sought shelter for his ship, the Golden Hind, in the 

area.1 Spanish and English ships sailed along the coast as 

early as the sixteenth century. It is likely the first 

Europeans to explore the area were Hudson’s Bay 

Company fur traders in the 1820s. In 1852 the vessel 

Captain Lincoln shipwrecked on the north spit of Coos 

Bay and 52 surviving soldiers explored the area.2

 Upon 

their rescue, they drew attention to the area and soon 

afterwards merchants, settlers, and miners were drawn 

there.

The California gold rush in the late 1840s drew 

more Euro-American settlers. By 1853 the first group of 

settlers reached the Coos Bay area and established the 

first town, Empire City.3

 Sawmills, shipbuilding, coal 

mining, and farming activities were major industries of 

surrounding settlements. Despite a war in 1855–1856 

that resulted in the forced relocation of local tribes onto 

reservations on Oregon’s north coast, the tribes continue 

to play an important role in the region. For example, in 

September 2005 the Coquille Economic Development 

Corporation (CEDCO) began construction on its Mill 

Casino Hotel and 102-space recreational vehicle park in 

North Bend, the first business enterprise on CEDCO’s 

50.5-acre waterfront development property.4

Coos Bay became a midway point between the ports 

of San Francisco and Portland for lumber, coal, salmon, 

and agricultural goods. In the late 1880s to the early 

1900s, the economy shifted to forest and coal mining 

industries. Gold was discovered in the hills, streams, and 

beaches around Charleston, leading to a minor boom in 

the 1900s. Dairy farming became important and 

shipbuilding expanded during World War I, but declined 

after the war. The first store was built in Charleston in 

1917 and in 1936 the Hallmark Fisheries Plant opened.

The area continues to be a center for commercial 

and recreational fishing as well outdoor activities. 

Charleston has many parks including Cape Arago State 

Park, Sunset Bay State Park, and Shore Acres State Park. 

The Coos Historical Museum and the Coos Art Museum 

are located there. Recreational activities include bird 

watching, whale watching, fishing, clamming, crabbing, 

beach combing, charter boat tours, hiking, biking, and 

kayaking. Events scheduled throughout the year include 

the Charleston Merchant’s Annual Crab Feed, the Annual 

Salmon Barbeque, the Sandblast Show and Shine, the 

Charleston Seafood Festival, and the Oregon Shorebird 

Festival.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

Current economic information was not available 

from the 2000 U.S. Census Bureau for Charleston. For 

information on the contemporary economies of the 

neighboring communities of North Bend and Coos Bay, 

please refer to their community profiles.

Governance

Charleston is unincorporated and under the 

jurisdiction of Coos County. It is dependent on county 

services and does not maintain its own governance 

structure. The State of Oregon has no general sales tax; 

however an overnight lodging tax of 1% is levied that 

funds the Oregon Tourism Commission. See the 

Governance subsection (page 43) in the Overview 

section for a more detailed discussion of taxes affecting 

fishermen and processors in Oregon.

Charleston is about 104 miles from the National 

Marine Fisheries Service research station in Newport. 

An Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) 

office is located in Charleston. The U.S. Coast Guard 
259

has a Group/Air Station located in North Bend 9 miles to 

the northeast. The closest U.S. Citizenship and 

Immigration Services Office is 226 miles away in 

Portland, which also holds meetings of the Pacific 

Fishery Management and North Pacific Fishery 

Management councils.

Facilities

Charleston is accessible by land, sea, and air. U.S. 

Highway 101 is the major road connecting Charleston to 

other communities. One bus company operates in the 

area, the Porter Stage Line, offering service to Eugene. 

In addition, small shuttle services (Dial-A-Rides) also 

run north and south along U.S. Highway 101. The North 

Bend Airport (9 miles), Newport Municipal Airport (104 

miles), and Portland International Airport (212 miles) 

provide air transportation. Commercial freight rail 

service is available in North Bend and Coos Bay. 

Amtrak, located in Eugene, provides the closest 

passenger service.

Charleston children attend Coos Bay School District 

9 and the North Bend School District 13. The South 

Coast Education Service District provides Coos County 

with special educational programs and services. 

Southwestern Oregon Community College is the local 

college and the University of Oregon, located in Eugene, 

is the closest four-year college. In Charleston, the 

University of Oregon’s Institute of Marine Biology 

conducts research and offers courses in marine biology 

and related fields.

The Coos Bay-North Bend Water Board supplies 

water. Verizon Communications provides telephone 

services, and Pacific Power provides electric power. 

Coos County and the Charleston Fire District administer 

public safety. The closest hospital is the Bay Area 

Hospital located in Coos Bay, followed by Coquille 

Valley Hospital in Coquille. According to the Chamber 

of Commerce, there are three hotels in Charleston, four 

bed and breakfast facilities, and six state, county, and 

private campgrounds and recreational vehicle parks.5

The Oregon International Port of Coos Bay manages 

the Charleston Marina Complex, which is in the port 

district of Coos Bay Harbor. The marina supports most 

recreational and commercial fishing. The majority of the 

commercial fishing vessels, approximately 95–99%, 

moor in Charleston, which provides approximately 550 

moorages. Commercial fishing vessels occupy about 

200.6

 Recreational fishers prefer the area because of its 

protected bay and bar area. Facilities include charter 

fishing, marine supplies, shipyard, fuel, groceries, 

lodging, dining, and recreational activities. The marina 

annually hosts the Seafood Festival in August.

Fieldwork indicates four oyster growers in the Coos 

Bay area including Coos Bay Oyster Company 

(Charleston), North Bend Oyster Company (Coos Bay), 

Qualman Oyster Farms (Charleston), and Clausen 

Oysters (North Bend). In addition, there are three 

hatcheries (Morgan Creek, Daniels Creek, and Noble 

Creek) and several water improvement projects in the 

area. Local tribes are engaged in stream reclamation and 

are attempting to reestablish fish runs. Nonprofit 

organizations located in Charleston include Friends of 

the South Slough Sanctuary, Coos Bay Trawlers’ 

Association, Oregon Troller Association, Charleston 

Fish-Wives, and Bandon Submarine Cable Council. 

Additionally, the Oregon Department of Fish and 

Wildlife, Coos River Salmon and Trout Enhancement 

Program (STEP), Coos Watershed Association, and the 

Coquille Watershed Association are involved in salmon 

and trout enhancement projects.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

There were at least four seafood processors 

operating in Charleston in 2000. Approximately 281 

individuals were employed, processing an estimated 

6,721,831 pounds of fish at a value of $19,841,262. In 

2000 the top three processed products in the community, 

in terms of pounds and revenue earned, were flounder 

2,840,741 lbs/$10,200,376; crab 1,693,587 lbs/

$4,457,208; and halibut 1,230,700 lbs/$2,790,900. 

Several seafood processors are located in the Coos Bay 

area including Hallmark Fisheries (Charleston), Bandon 

Pacific Seafoods (Charleston), Oregon Brand Seafood 

(Coos Bay), Chuck’s Seafood (Coos Bay), and 

Fishermen’s Wharf (Charleston).

In 2000 no vessels delivered landings to Charleston; 

however, residents owned 36 vessels that participated in 

West Coast fisheries, including 23 vessels involved in 

the federally managed groundfish fishery. The number 

of vessels owned by Charleston residents in 2000 that 

participated in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

crab 0/11/2, groundfish 0/3/NA, highly migratory species 

NA/0/NA, salmon 0/33/5, shellfish NA/3/NA, and 

shrimp NA/9/1.7

In 2000 seven community members held seven 

groundfish fishery permits. Recorded data indicates the 

number of Charleston residents holding permits in each 

fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 0/10/2, 

groundfish 0/3/0, highly migratory species NA/0/0, 

salmon 0/25/7, shellfish 0/2/NA, shrimp 3/6/2, and other 

species 5/0/0.8

According to the data, 76 permits were registered to 

Charleston residents in 2000, with 69 registered state 
260

permits and seven federal permits. Recorded data 

indicates the number of permits held by these community 

members in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 

0/0/2, groundfish 0/4/0, highly migratory species NA/0/0, 

salmon 0/29/11, shellfish 0/3/NA, shrimp 3/9/2, and 

other species 6/0/0.9

Coos Bay is a large estuary that encompasses both 

the towns of North Bend and Coos Bay which are 

profiled separately; please see these community profiles 

for additional information on fish processed in the area.

Fieldwork in the area indicates some residents are 

finding it increasingly difficult to engage in the salmon 

fishery. Some residents travel north to Florence (55 

miles) for fishing opportunities. Local businesses 

impacted by salmon closures include Basin Tackle, 

England Marine Supply, Skallerud Marine and Boat 

Repair, and Charleston Ice.10

Sportfishing

Charleston had two licensed charter vessel 

businesses in the community in 2003. Internet fishing 

guide sources indicate there are at least two sportfishing 

businesses.11 Charleston has two sportfishing license 

vendors.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 Charleston residents held two federal 

permits and one groundfish License Limitation Program 

permit. A single Charleston resident held a crew member 

license for North Pacific fisheries.

Sportfishing

Charleston fishermen purchased five sportfishing 

licenses for Alaska fisheries in 2000.

Notes

1. City of Coos Bay Oregon. No date. History of Coos Bay. 

Online at http://www.coosbay.org/cb/aboutcb/CBHistory.htm 

[accessed 17 January 2007].

2. Coos County Historical Society. 2004. A selective 

chronology of south coast history: Origins to 1900. Online at http://

www.cooshistory.org/ [accessed 9 January 2007].

3. Oregon Bay Area History. No date. No title. Online at 

http://www.cooshistory.org/ptwo.html [accessed 9 January 2007].

4. The Mill Casino. 2005. CEDCO launches Mill Casino. 

Online at http://www.themillcasino.com/press.shtml [accessed 9 

January 2007].

5. Oregon’s Bay Area Chamber of Commerce. No date. No 

title. Online at http://www.oregonsbayareachamber.com/ [accessed 

17 January 2007].

6. Port of Coos Bay, OR. Pers. commun., October 2005.

7. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

8. See note 7.

9. See note 7.

10. Field notes, fisherman, Charleston, OR., May 2006.

11. Charleston Marina Complex. No date. No title. Online at 

http://www.charlestonmarina.com/visitor.htm [accessed 9 January 

2007].
261

Clatskanie

People and Place

Location

Clatskanie is located on U.S. Highway 30 in 

Columbia County between Rainier and Astoria, 

approximately 62 miles northwest of Portland and 53 

miles northwest of Vancouver, Washington. Clatskanie 

encompasses 1.2 square miles of land. Its geographic 

coordinates are lat 46°06′05′′N, long 123°12′20′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of Clatskanie was 1,528, a 6.2% decrease from 1990. 

The gender composition was 52.5% female and 47.5% 

male. The median age was 35.7, close to the national 

median of 35.3. The 2000 U.S. Census reported 29.6% 

of the population was under the age of 18, 44.5% was 

between the ages of 25 and 59, and 12.2% was age 70 or 

older. Of the population 18 years of age and older, 

85.2% had a high school education or higher, 10.9% had 

a bachelor’s degree or higher, and 2.7% had a graduate or 

professional degree; the national averages were 79.7%, 

22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The majority of Clatskanie’s racial structure was 

white (93.9%), followed by people who identified with 

two or more races (2.8%), American Indian and Alaskan 

Native (1.2%), people who identified with another race 

(1.0%), Asian (0.7%), Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific 

Islander (0.3%), and black (0.1%). In 2000 3.3% 

identified themselves as Hispanic and 1.1% were foreignborn, including 33.3% who were born in Canada.

In 2000 82.9% of the population lived in family 

households.

History

The Clatskanie Indians (also spelled Tlatskanai), 

who spoke an Athapascan language, occupied the lower 

Columbia River area prior to European contact. Their 

population was originally concentrated near the mouth of 

the Skookumchuck River in present-day southern 

Washington State on the north bank of the Columbia. 

They moved across the Columbia River into present-day 

Oregon in search of more productive game hunting, and 

have resided along the Clatskanie River, a tributary of the 

Columbia River, ever since.1

Captain Robert Gray sailed into the mouth of the 

Columbia River on an exploration mission in 1792, 

investigating areas only a short distance from the 

coastline. Captain Nathan Winship arrived along the 

150 100 50 0 50 100 150

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

93.9%

Two or more races

2.8%

Other

1%

Pacific Islander

0.3%

Black

0.1%

Native

1.2%

Asian

0.7%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Hispanic

3.3%

Non-Hispanic

96.7%
262

Columbia River aboard the Albatross in 1810 with a 

small crew and members of his family. They planted 

what is considered the earliest garden in Oregon territory 

and constructed a small log structure at a point on the 

river they called Oak Point. After the late spring floods 

of that year inundated their settlement, they abandoned 

it.2

More widespread settlement occurred in the area 

following the Land Donation Act of 1850, and skirmishes 

with Indian tribes, including the Clatskanie and the 

Chinook, were frequent. By the 1850s, the Clatskanie 

Indian Tribe, once numbering up to 3,000, had died off 

almost entirely due to a smallpox epidemic. The 

surviving members were incorporated into other nearby 

tribes.

Columbia County was formed in 1854 by annexing 

parts of Washington and Clatsop Counties. In 1852 

Enoch Conyers and other Euro-American settlers, along 

with their families, traveled by boat down the Columbia 

River to settle the area surrounding present-day 

Clatskanie. The Conyers family home served as a 

stopping point for many of the early settlers. The 

Conyers also built Clatskanie’s first steam boat, The 

Novelty, which carried passengers, mail, lumber, and 

supplies out to the Columbia River where it connected 

with larger river boats. In 1918 the Columbia River 

Highway was completed, linking Clatskanie to the 

growing towns of Portland and Astoria.3

Clatskanie has been an important hub for the 

logging industry. Commercial fishing, farming, and 

timber processing also make up a large share of historical 

economic activity. Beach seining and the gillnetting of 

salmon were significant industries historically, and 

gillnetting continues today. Beach seining with horses 

continued until the 1940s or early 1950s.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 58.9% of 

Clatskanie’s potential labor force 16 years of age and 

older were employed, 3.7% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 5.9% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

37.4% were not in the labor force, compared to the 

national average of 36.1%. The top employment sectors 

were educational, health, and social services (23.4%), 

manufacturing (19.4%), and local, state, or federal 

government (16.7%). Natural resource jobs including 

agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting employed 

16.7%, but this percentage may be artificially low 

because many fishermen are self-employed and are 

underrepresented in these data.

2000 Employment structure

Employed

58.9%

Unemployed

3.7%

Not in labor force

37.4%

Field work indicated a cogeneration plant was under 

construction at Port Westward on the Columbia, just 

upstream from Clatskanie. Construction is scheduled to 

begin on a new industry, an ethanol plant, at the Port 

Westward site. New subdivisions also are going in, one 

in town and another immediately east of town named 

Clatskanie Woods.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the per capita 

income in 1999 was $16,717 and the median household 

income was $35,833. In 1999 11.5% lived below the 

poverty level. In 2000 there were 659 housing units in 

Clatskanie, of which 92.3% were occupied and 7.7% 

were vacant. Of the occupied units, 66.8% were by 

owner and 33.2% were by renter.

Governance

Clatskanie City is governed by a mayor, a sixmember city council, and a city manager. The State of 

Oregon has no general sales tax but levies a 1% overnight 

lodging tax that funds the Oregon Tourism Commission. 

See the Governance subsection (page 43) in the 

Overview section for a more detailed discussion of taxes 

affecting fishermen and processors in Oregon.

The National Marine Fisheries Service, Oregon 

Department of Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Citizenship and 

Immigration Services, and U.S. Coast Guard all have 

offices in Astoria, 35 miles west of Clatskanie. Meetings 

of the Pacific Fishery Management and North Pacific 

Fishery Management councils are held in Portland, 

approximately 62 miles southeast of Clatskanie.

Facilities

Clatskanie is accessible by ground, water, and air, 

and is located on U.S. Highway 30. Greyhound provides 

bus service to nearby communities and to metropolitan 

areas. The Kelso-Longview Amtrak Station is located 15 

miles east of Clatskanie, providing rail transport. The 
263

nearest small airports are the Kelso-Longview airport, 15 

miles northeast of Clatskanie, and the Astoria Regional 

Airport, 35 miles west. The nearest major airport is 

located in Portland.

Clatskanie has one elementary school and one 

middle/high school.4 The city’s People’s Utility District 

provides electric and water utilities. Fieldwork indicates 

there is a small family medical clinic in town and St. 

John’s Hospital is nearby in Longview. The Clatskanie 

Police Department, the Columbia County Sheriff 

Department, and Clatskanie’s volunteer fire department 

administer public safety. Clatskanie has two motels.

There are two locations in the Clatskanie area where 

gillnetters unload their catches and where landings are 

identified, recorded, and transported to processing 

facilities in Astoria and Ilwaco, Washington. These 

receiving stations are located on the banks of the 

Columbia River outside of the Clatskanie city limits, 

however they have Clatskanie addresses. Two more 

stations are located 9 miles west of Clatskanie in Mayger 

and two are located at the mouth of the Clatskanie River 

where it enters Wallace Slough, approximately 4 miles 

northwest of the city. Fieldwork shows that there is 

currently only one station operating in each location.5

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

According to available data, no seafood processors 

operated in Clatskanie in 2000 and no vessels delivered 

landings. However, 25 commercial vessels were owned 

by Clatskanie residents in 2000, 7 of which participated 

in the federally managed groundfish fishery. Recorded 

data indicates the number of vessels owned by Clatskanie 

residents in 2000 that participated in each fishery by state 

(WA/OR/CA) was: groundfish 00/NA, highly migratory 

species NA/0/NA, salmon 0/29/0, shellfish NA/0/NA, 

and shrimp NA/0/0.6

In 2000 no federal groundfish permits were held by 

Clatskanie community members. The number of 

Clatskanie residents holding permits in each fishery by 

state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 0/1/0, highly migratory 

species NA/0/0, salmon 4/30/0, and shellfish 0/0/NA.7

According to available data, at least 40 state 

commercial fishing permits were registered to Clatskanie 

residents in 2000. The number of state permits held by 

Clatskanie residents in each fishery by state (WA/OR/

CA) was: crab 0/1/0, highly migratory species NA/0/0, 

salmon 5/34/0, and shellfish 0/0/NA.8

Sportfishing

Sport fishermen actively fish for salmon, steelhead, 

and sturgeon in the waters surrounding Clatskanie, and at 

least one registered sportfishing charter business operates 

out of Clatskanie. Clatskanie residents owned one 

licensed charter vessel in 2000; the vessel operated out of 

Depoe Bay. Two sportfishing licensing agents were 

located in Clatskanie in 2000; they sold 1,017 

sportfishing licenses at a value of $16,792. The 

Bonneville Power Administration funds a bounty 

program on northern pikeminnows.

Astoria is the nearest port to Clatskanie that reported 

catch in the 2000 Oregon recreational catch reports. The 

2000 recreational salmonid catch in the Ocean Boat 

Fishery was 766 Chinook and 13,712 coho salmon. The 

recreational nonsalmonid catch in this fishery was a total 

of 1,533. The top species landed was black rockfish 

(82.8%).

Subsistence

Subsistence harvest by both tribal and nontribal 

fishermen for marine species may exist in the Clatskanie 

area. Specific information on subsistence fishing in 

Clatskanie is not discussed in detail in this community 

profile due to a lack of available data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Clatskanie residents owned 10 vessels in 2000 that 

participated in North Pacific fisheries. The vessels 

landed 204 tons in the Alaska salmon fishery at a value of 

more than $307,390. In 2000 one vessel owned by a 

Clatskanie resident made landings of “other finfish” in 

the North Pacific, but specific information (landings in 

metric tons/value of landings) is confidential.

A total of 10 community residents held state permits 

and 2 residents held federal permits for Alaska and North 

Pacific fisheries respectively. A total of 12 commercial 

fishing permits were held by Clatskanie residents in 

2000, including 10 Commercial Fisheries Entry 

Commission salmon permits and 2 groundfish License 

Limitation Program permits.

Fieldwork conducted after 2000 indicates Clatskanie 

residents are finding it increasingly difficult to participate 

in the North Pacific salmon and groundfish fisheries due 

to competition with imported farmed salmon, co-op 

marketing errors, and rising fuel costs.9

In 2000 27 residents held crew member licenses for 

North Pacific fisheries.
264

Sportfishing

Clatskanie residents purchased 26 Alaska 

sportfishing licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. Access Genealogy Indian Tribal Records. No date. Oregon 

Indian tribes. Online at http://www.accessgenealogy.com/native/

oregon/ [accessed 10 January 2007].

2. P. Parrish. 1931. Before the covered wagon. Binfords and 

Mort, Portland, OR.

3. C. Rea and L. Rea. No date. The founding of Clatskanie. 

Online at http://www.twrps.com/ccor/clat.html [accessed 10 January 

2007].

4. National Center for Education Statistics. No date. Search for 

schools, colleges, and libraries. Online at http://nces.ed.gov/

globallocator/ [accessed 10 January 2007].

5. Field notes, fisherman, Clatskanie, OR. May 2006.

6. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

7. See note 6.

8. See note 6.

9. See note 5.
265

Cloverdale

People and Place

Location

Cloverdale is located along the banks of the 

Nestucca River in south Tillamook County on U.S. 

Highway 101. It covers 0.8 square miles of land. 

Cloverdale is 104 miles from Portland and 58 miles from 

the state capitol, Salem. Cloverdale’s geographic 

coordinates are lat 45°12′22′′N, long 123°53′27′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Cloverdale’s 

population was 242. The gender composition was 50.4% 

female and 49.6% male. The median age was 44.3, 

considerably higher than the national median of 35.3. 

The census also found that 21.5% of the population was 

17 years of age or younger and 38.4% was between the 

ages of 35 and 54. Of the population 18 years of age and 

older, 88.6% had a high school education or higher, 

34.4% had a bachelor’s degree or higher, and 10.0% had 

a graduate or professional degree. The national averages 

were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The majority of the population of Cloverdale was 

white (97.5%), followed by American Indian/Native 

Alaskan (1.2%), people who identified with two or more 

races (0.8%), and black (0.4%). No residents identified 

themselves as Hispanic. Of the population, 1.7% (4 

people) were foreign-born, all from Austria.

In 2000 83.5% of the population lived in family 

households. 

History

Native Americans inhabited Tillamook County long 

before the arrival of Euro-Americans. Groups such as the 

Tillamooks, Nehalems, and Nestuccas fished and hunted 

throughout the coastal areas. These peoples had a close 

relationship with the sea and the area’s waterways, as 

evidenced by the boats they built. Their dugout canoes 

ranged from tiny vessels used for duck hunting to large 

canoes used for long distance travel to California. At one 

time the Tillamook people had a fishing village in nearby 

Garibaldi’s present location. The Indians of Tillamook 

Bay died in large numbers due to the onset of European 

diseases. Their population, estimated to be around 2,200 

at the turn of the nineteenth century, declined to onetenth of that size by the middle 1800s. Numerous 

mounds and artifacts indicate a large Indian community 

was located at the mouth of the Big Nestucca River.

30 20 10 0 10 20 30

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure

Male Female

2000 Racial structure 

White

97.5%

Two or more races

0.8%

Black

0.4%

Native

1.2%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Hispanic

0%

Non-Hispanic

100%
266

Although Captain Robert Gray was credited with 

being the first Euro-American to land in Tillamook Bay 

in 1788, it wasn’t until the middle of the next century that 

white settlers came. The entrance to the bay is 

recognized as challenging today and was identified as 

perilous in Gray’s time. An account by a member of his 

crew tells of an awkwardly situated shoal, narrow 

entrance, and strong tide.

In 1853 the Territorial Government created 

Tillamook County. The county’s earliest industries were 

shipping, logging, fishing, farming, and dairy. Fishing 

played a key role in bringing cash into the area. Fish 

were caught in the area’s coastal waters, bays, and rivers, 

and canned in numerous canneries throughout the region. 

Middlemen bought the packaged fish and sold them 

nearby in the Willamette Valley. Funds brought into the 

area from the sale of fish enabled the development of 

other enterprises and aided the growth of Tillamook Bay 

communities.

Two industries developed alongside fishing, dairy 

and lumber. The dairy industry blossomed with the 

production of cheese that could withstand long storage 

periods for distribution. The lumber industry took off in 

the 1890s to meet the demand for containers for dairy, 

fish, and other products. In 1911 the Pacific Railway and 

Navigation Company constructed a railway from 

Portland to Tillamook. This reliable source of 

transportation facilitated the growth of the timber, dairy, 

and fishing industries.

Concerns with overfishing arose as far back as the 

early 1900s. The dory fleet declined alongside coho 

salmon runs, a fishery that has seen increasing 

restrictions in recent years. In response to decreasing 

salmon numbers, gillnet and trawl fishing were banned in 

the bay in 1961. In the 1990s, the designation of coho 

salmon as an endangered species and an increase in the 

restrictions placed on harvesting bottomfish limited the 

area’s commercial fishers. Commercial clamming, 

oystering, and shrimping were all relatively successful in 

the Tillamook Bay area in the 1990s. In recent years 

shrimp harvests have declined along with the bay’s 

commercial oyster industry, the latter largely the result of 

the bay’s ongoing sedimentation and pollution. While 

the area’s commercial fishing industry has declined, the 

sportfishing industry has enjoyed substantial growth.

Alongside sportfishing, tourism has become an 

important economic driver in the community, an 

economic response to the area’s waning lumber and 

commercial fishing industries. Tourists visit Cloverdale 

to participate in numerous events including a blessing of 

the dory fleet that takes place in June. The event 

commemorates the community’s heritage and importance 

of dories in its fishing history and contemporary fishing. 

2000 Employment structure

Employed

75.6%

Unemployed

0%

Not in labor force

24.4%

In August the Tierra del Mar Summer Faire and Festival 

is held, and the Outrigger Ocean Fest occurs in late 

September.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 75.6% of the 

potential labor force 16 years of age and older were 

employed and 24.4% were not in the labor force. Of 

those in the labor force, 100% were employed, resulting 

in a 0% unemployment rate. The top employment sector 

was educational, health, and social services (28.4%) with 

the majority of those under educational services. This 

was followed by state and local government (16.8%), 

manufacturing (13.5%), construction (11.6%), and 

accommodation and food services (9.0%). Natural 

resource jobs including agriculture, forestry, fishing, and 

hunting employed 14.2%, but this percentage may be 

artificially low given that many fishermen are selfemployed and are underrepresented in these data. Taylor 

Shellfish Farms and Green Diamond Lumber (formerly 

Simpson Lumber) are the two major employers in 

Cloverdale. The community is also known for Christmas 

trees and oysters.

The per capita income in 1999 was $17,325 and the 

median household income was $50,568. In 1999 6% of 

the population was below the poverty level. In 2000 

Cloverdale had 106 housing units, of which 87.7% were 

occupied and 12.3% were vacant. Of the occupied units, 

79.6% were by owner and 20.4% were by renter.

Governance

Cloverdale is an unincorporated Census Designated 

Place (CDP). The state of Oregon has no general sales 

tax but levies a 1% overnight lodging tax that funds the 
267

Oregon Tourism Commission. See the Governance 

subsection (page 43) in the Overview section for a more 

detailed discussion of taxes affecting fishermen and 

processors in Oregon.

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife 

Marine Resources Program, a NOAA Fisheries Service 

Northwest Fisheries Science Center field station, and a 

U.S. Coast Guard Motor Lifeboat Station are based in 

Newport, 47 miles south of Cloverdale. Meetings of the 

Pacific Fishery Management and North Pacific Fishery 

Management councils are held in Portland, which is also 

home for the district office of the U.S. Citizenship and 

Immigration Services.

Facilities

Cloverdale is accessible by land and air. It lies on 

U.S. Highway 101, which serves as the major vehicular 

corridor along the Pacific Coast, from Washington to 

California. Two small airports, Pacific City State Airport 

and Tillamook Airport, are located within 15 miles of 

Cloverdale. Because of the community’s inland location, 

it is not accessible by water. 

Cloverdale is located in the Nestucca Valley School 

District, which has an elementary school, a middle 

school, and a high school. Tillamook County General 

Hospital is 15 miles away in Tillamook. The 

community’s police force is contracted through the 

Tillamook County Sheriff Department; other emergency 

services are managed through the county’s Office of 

Emergency Management. The county also retains 

responsibility for other public facilities. There are a few 

options for overnight accommodations in Cloverdale; 

however, the surrounding area has several motels, hotels, 

and bed and breakfasts.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

There were no seafood processors operating in 

Cloverdale in 2000, and no West Coast fisheries landings 

were made in the town. Eight commercial vessels were 

owned by Cloverdale residents, four of which 

participated in the federally managed groundfish fishery. 

Recorded data indicates the number of vessels owned by 

residents in 2000 that participated in each fishery by state 

(WA/OR/CA) was: crab 0/1/0, groundfish 0/0/NA, 

highly migratory species NA/0/NA, salmon 0/6/0, 

shellfish NA/0/NA, and shrimp NA/0/0.1

In 2000 one federal groundfish permit was held by a 

Cloverdale community member. The number of 

residents holding permits in each fishery by state (WA/

OR/CA) was: crab 0/2/0, highly migratory species NA/0/

0, salmon 0/6/0, and shellfish 0/0NA.2

According to available data, there were at least nine 

commercial fishing permits registered to Cloverdale 

residents in 2000, of which eight were registered state 

permits. The number of state permits held by residents in 

each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 0/2/0, 

highly migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 0/6/0, and 

shellfish 0/0/NA.3

Sportfishing

Cloverdale residents owned two sportfishing charter 

businesses in 2000; however, both operations were based 

out of Garibaldi. There were no sportfishing charter 

businesses operating out of Cloverdale in 2000, nor were 

there any sportfishing licensing agents. Fieldwork does 

indicate there may be river guides in the area leading 

salmon trips on the Nestucca River. There was one 

licensed charter vessel owned by a resident in 2000.

For the port complex around Cloverdale and 

Garibaldi, the 2000 recreational salmonid catch in the 

Ocean Boat Fishery was 1,117 Chinook and 552 coho 

salmon. The recreational nonsalmonid catch in the 

Ocean Boat Fishery was a total of 87,963 fish. The top 

species landed include black rockfish, yellowtail 

rockfish, canary rockfish, lingcod, and blue rockfish.

Subsistence

Subsistence harvest for marine species by tribal and 

nontribal fishermen may exist in the Coverdale area. 

Specific information on subsistence fishing in Cloverdale 

is not discussed in detail in this community profile due to 

the lack of available data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

One Cloverdale resident owned a vessel that 

participated in North Pacific fisheries in 2000. It made 

landings in the North Pacific halibut and Gulf of Alaska 

groundfish fisheries, but specific information (landings in 

metric tons/value of landings) is confidential.

Two community residents held federal permits for 

North Pacific fisheries in 2000, and one resident held a 

single groundfish License Limitation Program permit. 

Cloverdale residents held 458,015 halibut individual 

fishing quotas in 2000.

Six residents held crew member licenses for North 

Pacific fisheries in 2000.
268

Sportfishing

Cloverdale residents purchased six Alaska 

sportfishing licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

2. See note 1.

3. See note 1.
269

Coos Bay

People and Place

Location

Coos Bay is located in Coos County in southern 

Oregon. The city is approximately 220 miles south of 

Portland and 531 miles north of San Francisco, 

California. The community encompasses 15.9 square 

miles, including 10.6 square miles of land and 5.3 square 

miles of water. Coos Bay’s geographic coordinates are 

43°22′00′′N and 124°13′00′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Coos Bay’s 

population was 15,374. The gender composition was 

51.5% female and 48.6% male. The median age of 

community members in 2000 was 40.1, higher than the 

national median of 35.3. Of the population 18 years of 

age and older, 76.1% had a high school education or 

higher, 18.2% had a bachelor’s degree or higher, and 

3.8% had a graduate degree; the national averages were 

79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

Most of the population of Coos Bay recorded by the 

2000 U.S. Census was white (90.8%), followed by 

people who identified with two or more races (3.5%), 

American Indian and Alaska Native (2.3%), Asian 

(1.4%), people who identified with some other race 

(1.3%), black (0.4%), and Native Hawaiian and Other 

Pacific Islander (0.3%). Less than five percent (4.5%) 

identified themselves as Hispanic. Approximately 3.8% 

of the population was foreign-born, with 32.7% from 

Mexico, 10.4% from Korea, and 8.9% from Germany.

In 2000 76.7% of the population lived in family 

households.

History

The Coos Bay watershed was originally inhabited 

by the ancestors of the modern day Confederated Tribes 

of Coos, Lower Umpqua, Siuslaw, and Coquille Indians. 

The area is Oregon’s largest coastal estuary and has 

provided natural resources to local inhabitants for 

centuries. In 1579 Sir Francis Drake sought shelter for 

his ship, Golden Hind, in the nearby area.1

 Spanish and 

English ships sailed along the coast as early as the 

sixteenth century. It is believed the first Europeans to 

explore the area were fur traders of the Hudson’s Bay 

Company in the 1820s. In 1852 the vessel Captain 

Lincoln shipwrecked on the north spit of Coos Bay and 

52 surviving soldiers explored the area.2

1,500 1,000 500 0 500 1,000 1,500

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure

Male Female

2000 Racial structure

Two or more races

3.5%

Other

1.3%

Pacific Islander

0.3%

Black

0.4%

Native

2.3%

Asian

1.4%

White

90.8%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Non-Hispanic

95.5%

Hispanic

4.5%
270

The California gold rush in the late 1840s drew 

more Euro-American settlers to the area and by 1853 the 

first group of settlers reached the Coos Bay area and 

established the first town, Empire City.3

 Sawmills, 

shipbuilding, coal mining, and farming activities were 

the area’s major industries. Despite a war in 1855–1856 

that resulted in the forced relocation of local tribes onto 

reservations on Oregon’s north coast, the tribes continue 

to play an important role in the region.

Coos Bay became a midway point between the ports 

of San Francisco and Portland for products such as 

lumber, coal, salmon, and agricultural goods. In the late 

1880s to the early 1900s, the economy shifted to the 

forest and coal mining industries. Dairy farming became 

important and shipbuilding expanded during World War 

I, but declined after the war. In 1908 the C.A. Smith 

Lumber Company opened a mill on Coos Bay that was 

the largest and most advanced mill on the Pacific Coast at 

the time. In addition to a new mill, harbor and bar 

improvements made Coos Bay an ideal lumber shipping 

port. With the introduction of fuel oil in the 1920s and 

1930s, the coal mining collapsed; however, new 

technologies increased the use of forest products, 

including veneer, pulp and paper, and plywood. The first 

railroad reached the area in 1916 and new roads provided 

additional modes of transportation. The Great 

Depression saw construction of a bridge and highway 

that connected Coos Bay with the Willamette Valley and 

other areas in the 1930s.

In 1922 a major fire on Front Street resulted in the 

relocation of city hall. The City of Coos Bay itself was 

commonly referred to as Marshfield, but formally 

changed its name to Coos Bay in 1944. After 1945 the 

Weyerhaeuser Timber Company and the Menasha 

Woodenware Company built manufacturing plants in the 

area. The 1960s brought a peak period of employment 

for the forest industry, followed by declines through the 

1980s and 1990s. Despite job losses, the area still 

prospered and the city grew with the addition of an 

educational facility, shopping centers, and a hospital. 

Today the timber and fishing industries are the major 

economic drivers.

Coos Bay offers a multitude of recreational options 

for visitors. Hiking, biking, kayaking, bird watching, 

fishing, and whale watching are common recreational 

activities. The Cape Arago Lighthouse and Arago State 

Park are located 12 miles southwest of Coos Bay. 

Crabbing and clamming activities along with tidepool 

walking are popular activities in the protected bay. Coos 

Bay also offers art and historical museums, antique 

stores, and various shopping opportunities. Community 

events and festivals include the South Coast Dixieland 

Clambake Jazz Festival in March, the Blackberry Arts 

2000 Employment structure

Employed

52.5%

Unemployed

5.4%

Not in labor force

42.1%

Festival in August, and the Annual Salmon Derby in 

September.4

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 52.5% of the 

potential labor force 16 years of age and older were 

employed, and 5.4% were unemployed. The 

unemployment rate was 9.3% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

42.1% were not in the labor force, higher than the 

national average of 36.1%. In 2000 the major 

employment sectors were health care and social 

assistance occupations (17.7%), followed by local, state, 

or federal governments (15.6%), retail trade (15.3%), 

educational services (8.2%), and agriculture, forestry, 

fishing, and hunting (3.6%). This latter percentage may 

be artificially low given that many fishermen are selfemployed and are underrepresented in these data. The 

Coquille Tribe plays an important part in the area’s 

contemporary economy. For example, in September 

2005 the Coquille Economic Development Corporation 

(CEDCO) began construction on its Mill Casino Hotel 

and 102-space Recreational Vehicle Park in North Bend, 

the first business enterprise on CEDCO’s 50.5-acre 

waterfront development property.5

The per capita income was $18,158 and the median 

household income was $31,212. In 1999 16.5% lived 

below the poverty line, higher than the national average 

of 12.4%. In 2000 Coos Bay had 7,094 housing units, of 

which 91.6% were occupied and 8.4% were vacant. Of 

the occupied units, 59.7% were by owner, and 40.3% 

were by renter. Of the vacant housing, 11.6% were due 

to seasonal, recreational, or occasional use.
271

Governance

Coos Bay incorporated in 1874 under the name of 

Marshfield and was renamed Coos Bay in 1944.6

 The 

city operates under a city charter with seven council 

members including a mayor and six council members. In 

addition to the council members, the city employs a city 

manager and a municipal judge. The State of Oregon has 

no general sales tax but levies a 1% overnight lodging tax 

that funds the Oregon Tourism Commission. See the 

Governance subsection (page 43) in the Overview 

section for a more detailed discussion of taxes affecting 

fishermen and processors in Oregon.

Coos Bay is 98 miles from the National Marine 

Fisheries Service research station in Newport. The 

closest Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife 

(ODFW) office is located approximately 9 miles away in 

Charleston. The U.S. Coast Guard has a Group/Air 

Station 3 miles north of Coos Bay in North Bend. The 

closest U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Office 

is in Portland. Meetings of the Pacific Fishery 

Management and North Pacific Fishery Management 

councils are held in Portland.

Facilities

Coos Bay is accessible by land, sea, and air. The 

North Bend Airport (3 miles), Newport Municipal 

Airport (83 miles), and Portland International Airport 

(220 miles) provide air transportation. U.S. Highway 

101 connects Coos Bay to nearby communities. One bus 

company operates in the Coos Bay area, the Porter Stage 

Line, offering service to Eugene. While there is 

commercial freight rail service to Coos Bay, the closest 

passenger service is provided by Amtrak in Eugene.

Coos Bay School District #9 has 11 schools, 

including 2 private and 9 public schools. Of the public 

schools, there are 3 high schools (including 1 charter 

school), 3 middle schools (including 1 charter school), 

and 3 elementary schools. Southwestern Oregon 

Community College is the local community college and 

the University of Oregon is the closest four-year college, 

located in Eugene.

The Coos Bay-North Bend Water Board supplies 

water. Verizon Communications provides telephone 

communications and Pacific Power provides electric 

power. The Coos Bay Police Department, comprised of a 

chief of police, 2 captains, 4 patrol sergeants, 

2 detectives, 12 patrol officers, and 1 school resource 

officer, provides public safety. The Coos Bay Fire 

Department responds to fire and safety calls from 3 fire 

stations, which staff 15 career personnel and 18 volunteer 

fire fighters. The Bay Area Hospital is in the city; the 

Coquille Valley Hospital is in Coquille. There are 

approximately seven hotels, four bed and breakfast 

facilities, and various national, state, county, and private 

campgrounds and recreational vehicle parks.7

The Oregon International Port of Coos Bay supports 

a wide array of commercial vessel traffic, with most 

recreational and commercial fishing facilities located at 

the mouth of Coos Bay in Charleston and the larger 

commercial cargo located in the Upper Bay cargo area. 

Fishing facilities in Charleston are managed by the Port 

of Coos Bay. The majority of the commercial fishing 

vessels (95–99%) are moored nearby in Charleston, 

which provides approximately 550 moorages including 

200 occupied by commercial fishing boats.8 Recreational 

fishers are drawn to the area because of its safe 

conditions in a protected bay and bar area. Commercial 

cargo is comprised of barge traffic and deep draft vessels 

transporting logs and wood chips.

There are four oyster growers in the Coos Bay area 

including Coos Bay Oyster Company (Charleston), North 

Bend Oyster Company (Coos Bay), Qualman Oyster 

Farms (Charleston), and Clausen Oysters (North Bend). 

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Coos River 

Salmon and Trout Enhancement Program, the Coos 

Watershed Association, and the Coquille Watershed 

Association are involved in salmon and trout 

enhancement projects in the area.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Several seafood processors are located in the Coos 

Bay area including Hallmark Fisheries (Charleston), 

Bandon Pacific Seafoods (Charleston), Oregon Brand 

Seafood (Coos Bay), Chuck’s Seafood (Coos Bay), and 

Fishermen’s Wharf (Charleston). Species processed 

include, but are not limited to, shellfish, various species 

of groundfish, sablefish, Pacific whiting, pink shrimp, 

and tuna. At least two processors operated in the Coos 

Bay area in 2000.

In 2000 250 vessels, all commercially registered, 

delivered landings to Coos Bay. Landings in the 

community were in the following West Coast fisheries 

(data shown represents landings in metric tons/value of 

said landings/number of vessels landing): coastal pelagic 

confidential/confidential/2; crab 829.3 t/$3,948,153/78; 

groundfish 4,285.1 t/$5,473,938/144; highly migratory 

species 191.9 t/$369,404/46; salmon 222.6 t/$808,358/

113; shellfish 1.8 t/$3,206/7; shrimp 2,978 t/$2,814,650/

49; and other species 150.2 t/$82,667/47.

Coos Bay residents owned 129 vessels in 2000 

including 8 that participated in the 2003 Groundfish 

Vessel Buyback Program and 51 that participated in the 

federally managed groundfish fishery. The number of 
272

vessels owned by Coos Bay residents in 2000 that 

participated in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

coastal pelagic 0/4/0, crab 0/27/3, groundfish 0/6/NA, 

highly migratory species NA/0/NA, salmon 0/67/2, 

shellfish NA/3/NA, and shrimp NA/22/5.9

In 2000 a total of 13 groundfish permits were held 

by 15 community members. The number of Coos Bay 

residents holding permits in each fishery in 2000 by state 

(WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/3/0, crab 0/23/2, 

groundfish 0/4/0, highly migratory species NA/0/1, 

salmon 0/58/4, shellfish 0/6/NA, shrimp 4/19/8, and 

other species 0/2/2.10

According to the available data, 171 permits were 

registered to Coos Bay residents in 2000, of which 158 

were registered state permits and 13 were federal permits. 

The number of permits held by community members in 

each fishery in 2000 by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal 

pelagic 0/3/0, crab 0/25/2, groundfish 0/4/0, highly 

migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 0/62/6, shellfish 0/7/

NA, shrimp 4/27/12, and other species 0/4/2.11

Coos Bay is a large estuary that encompasses the 

towns of North Bend and Charleston, which are profiled 

separately. Fieldwork in the area indicates Coos Bay 

residents are finding it increasingly difficult to engage in 

the salmon fishery, with some residents traveling north to 

Florence (49 miles) for salmon fishing opportunities. 

Local businesses impacted by the salmon closures 

include Basin Tackle, England Marine Supply, Skallerud 

Marine Services, and Charleston Ice.12

Subsistence

Subsistence harvest for marine species by tribal and 

nontribal fishermen may exist in the Coos Bay area. 

Specific information on subsistence fishing in Coos Bay 

is not discussed in detail in this community profile due to 

the lack of available data.

Sportfishing

Coos Bay had at least one outfitter guide business 

and two licensed charter vessel businesses in 2003. 

Internet fishing guide sources indicate there are at least 

two sportfishing businesses operating in the 

community.13 There are seven sportfishing license 

vendors in Coos Bay, and in 2000 active agents sold 

6,201 licenses at a value of $102,897. The 2000 

recreational salmonid catch in the Ocean Boat Fishery 

was 4,078 Chinook and 1,641 coho salmon. The 

recreational nonsalmonid catch was 54,234. The top 

species landed include black rockfish, blue rockfish, 

canary rockfish, widow rockfish, yellowtail and 

yelloweye rockfish, and lingcod.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 a single vessel owned by a Coos Bay 

resident participated in North Pacific fisheries. One Coos 

Bay resident held a federal permit and one held a state 

permit.

Four permits were registered to individuals in Coos 

Bay in 2000. Residents also held two Commercial 

Fisheries Entry Commission (CFEC) crab permits and 

one CFEC Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands groundfish 

permit.

In 2000 18 residents held crew member licenses for 

North Pacific fisheries.

Sportfishing

Coos Bay residents purchased 109 sportfishing 

licenses for Alaskan fisheries in 2000.

Notes

1. City of Coos Bay Oregon. No date. History of Coos Bay. 

Online at http://www.coosbay.org/cb/aboutcb/CBHistory.htm 

[accessed 11 January 2007].

2. Coos County Historical Society. 2004. A selective 

chronology of south coast history: Origins to 1900. Online at http://

www.cooshistory.org/ [accessed 11 January 2007].

3. Oregon Bay Area History. No date. No title. Online at 

http://www.cooshistory.org/ptwo.html [accessed 11 January 2007].

4. Oregon Coast Visitors Association. No date. No title. Online 

at http://www.visittheoregoncoast.com/home.cfm [accessed 11 

January 2007].

5. The Mill Casino. 2005. CEDCO launches mill Casino. 

Online at http://www.themillcasino.com/press.shtml [accessed 11 

January 2007].

6. See note 1.

7. Oregon’s Bay Area Chamber of Commerce. No date. No 

title. Online at http://oregonsbayareachamber.com/cbplain.htm 

[accessed 11 January 2007].

8. Field notes, Port of Coos Bay, OR, October 2005.

9. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

10. See note 9.

11. See note 9.

12. Fisherman, Coos Bay, OR. Pers. commun., May 2006.

13. See note 1.
273

Depoe Bay

People and Place

Location

Depoe Bay, defined by tough basalt formations, is 

located on U.S. Highway 101 on central Oregon’s 

coastline. The town, in Lincoln County, lies 

approximately 117 miles southwest of Portland and 13 

miles north of Newport. It encompasses 1.8 square miles 

of land and has the smallest natural navigable harbor in 

the world, consisting of 6 square acres. Depoe Bay’s 

geographic coordinates are lat 44°48′31′′N, long 

124°03′43′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Depoe Bay’s 

population was 1,174, an increase of 34.9% over 1990. 

The gender composition was 50.3% female and 49.7% 

male. The median age in 2000 was 49.8, compared to the 

national median of 35.3. Depoe Bay had a relatively 

even age distribution in 2000. Of the population 18 years 

of age and older, 86.8% had a high school education or 

higher, 21.7% had a bachelor’s degree or higher, and 

9.9% had a graduate or professional degree; the national 

averages were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The majority of the population recorded by the 2000 

U.S. Census was white (92.5%), followed by people who 

identified themselves as belonging to two or more races 

(3.7%), American Indian and Alaska Native (1.7%), 

people who classified themselves as belonging to some 

other race (1.0%), Asian (0.6%), black (0.3%), and 

Pacific Islander (0.2%). Ethnicity data indicate 3.6% 

identified as Hispanic. A total of 2.4% of the population 

was foreign-born.

Approximately 76.5% of the population lived in 

family households in 2000.

History

The Confederated Tribes of the Siletz, a federally 

recognized group of 27 bands, originally ranged from 

northern California to southern Washington. The 

Tillamook, Alsea, Siuslaw, Coos, Coquille, Takelma Six, 

Joshua, Tutuini, Mackanotni, Shastacosta, and Chetco 

tribes are some that make up the Confederated Tribes of 

the Siletz.1 The discovery of gold in the Rogue River 

Valley in 1851 brought thousands of miners to the area. 

In 1853, to curb fighting between the Indians and the 

miners, the federal government forced the Indians onto 

the Siletz and Grand Ronde reservations. The Siletz 

Reservation extended from Cape Lookout in Tillamook 

100 50 0 50 100 150

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure

Male Female

2000 Racial structure

Asian

0.6%

Native

1.7%

Black

0.3%

Pacific Islander

0.2%

Other

1%

Two or more races

3.7%

White

92.5%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Hispanic

3.6% Non-Hispanic

96.4%
274

County on the north to the mouth of the Umpqua River to 

the south.2

 In 1956 the federal government passed the 

Western Oregon Termination Act, terminating the Siletz 

Tribe and reducing its reservation from more than 1 

million acres to a 36-acre tribal cemetery. In 1977, after 

years of effort, the Siletz was the first tribe in Oregon to 

be restored to federal recognition.3

Today the Siletz Indian Reservation is situated in the 

central portion of Lincoln County and contains 39 acres 

known as the Government Hill parcel, the tribal cemetery 

parcel, 3,630 acres of timberlands, and several parcels of 

land purchased by the tribe.4 The Siletz Tribe received 

the right to self-govern through congressional legislation 

in 1992, giving it control and accountability over tribal 

programs and funding. According to the 2000 U.S. 

Census, the reservation had a population of 274. For 

more information on the Confederated Tribes of the 

Siletz, see the Newport and Siletz community profiles.

Fred W. Vincent and his father sailed up the Oregon 

Coast in 1878, discovered the small harbor, and named it 

Wreckers Cove. In 1894 the U.S. government allotted 

lands around Depoe Bay to Charles Depot, a local Siletz 

Indian chief and tribal judge.5 Mr. Depot was given the 

name because he worked at the military train depot near 

Toledo, Oregon.6

 Prior to the arrival of the Roosevelt 

Highway in 1927, the area was occupied primarily by 

several members of the Siletz Tribe; however, in 1927, 

the Sunset Investment Company of Portland platted a 

modern townsite and named it in honor of Mr. Depot.7

Agriculture, timber, fishing, and tourism have been 

important industries throughout Lincoln County’s 

history. Depoe Bay is known as the “Whale Watching 

Capital of the World,” partly due to a resident pod of 

grey whales that frequents area waters 10 months out of 

the year.8 Depoe Bay is also popular for ocean charter 

fishing, boating, hiking, and biking. The city is known 

for Depoe Bay City Park, its harbor, Rocky Creek State 

Park, Fogarty Creek Beach, and Boiler Bay. A large sea 

wall runs the length of the downtown area, enabling 

visitors to shop and dine always within view of the 

ocean.

The community hosts a number of festivals and 

events throughout the year. In April the city holds a 

Classic Wooden Boat Show, Crab Feed, and Ducky 

Derby. One of the first events in Depoe Bay was the first 

Free Fish Fry, which took place in the 1930s and is held 

each September as a Salmon Bake. Proceeds make up a 

major portion of the funding for Chamber of Commerce 

and town events throughout the year.9

The Fleet of Flowers takes place on Memorial Day 

and originated in 1936 to honor two Depoe Bay 

fishermen who died attempting to rescue fellow 

2000 Employment structure

Employed

50.2%

Unemployed

2.9%

Not in labor force

46.9%

fishermen caught in a storm. The ceremony has 

expanded to include not only those who have died at sea 

but also “anyone who has found pleasure, beauty, solace, 

or adventure upon it, or those who have expressed a 

desire to have their ashes placed into the ocean.”10

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 50.2% of Depoe 

Bay’s potential labor force 16 years of age and older 

were employed, 2.9% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 5.4% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

46.9% of the population were not in the labor force 

compared to the national average of 36.1%. The top 

employment sectors were sales and office occupations 

(28.4%), management, professional, and related 

occupations (24.7%), service occupations (23.7%), and 

local, state, or federal governments (9.8%). Natural 

resource jobs including agriculture, forestry, fishing, and 

hunting employed 4.4% of the population in 2000, but 

this percentage may be artificially low because many 

fishermen are self-employed and are underrepresented in 

these data.

Lincoln County’s top four industries are lumber, 

fishing, tourism and recreation, and food products. The 

top five employers in 2002 were the City of Depoe Bay, 

Sea Hag Restaurant, Spouting Horn Restaurant, Tidal 

Raves Restaurant, and Ainslee’s Salt Water Taffy. 

Tourism in Depoe Bay is well developed with more than 

12 hotels located in the city.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, per capita 

income in 1999 was $24,994 and the median household 

income was $35,417. In 1999 8% lived below the 

poverty level. In 2000 Depoe Bay had 911 housing units, 

of which 64.1% were occupied and 35.9% were vacant. 
275

Of the occupied units, 66.1% were by owner and 33.9% 

were by renter. Of the vacant housing, 65.4% were due 

to seasonal, recreational, or occasional use.

Governance

Depoe Bay, incorporated in 1973, operates under a 

council-mayor government with six city council 

members. The state of Oregon has no general sales tax 

but levies a 1% overnight lodging tax that funds the 

Oregon Tourism Commission. See the Governance 

subsection (page 43) in the Overview section for a more 

detailed discussion of taxes affecting fishermen and 

processors in Oregon.

The National Marine Fisheries Service has a 

Northwest Fisheries Science Center field station 13 miles 

south of Depoe Bay in Newport, which also has an 

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife field office and 

its Marine Resources Program. The U.S. Coast Guard 

Motor Lifeboat Station Depoe Bay was established in 

1940. The Coast Guard maintains a presence in the 

harbor due to its heavy use as a recreational port and as a 

harbor for refuge.11 The station’s area of responsibility is 

bounded by Cape Kiwanda to the north and Spence 

Creek to the south, covering 1,500 square miles. Depoe 

Bay is 117 miles from the closest U.S. Citizenship and 

Immigration Services Office in Portland. Meetings of the 

Pacific Fishery Management and North Pacific Fishery 

Management councils are also held in Portland.

Facilities

Depoe Bay is accessible by land, sea and air. The 

community is connected to neighboring cities by U.S. 

Highway 101, which runs north and south from 

Washington to California. Lincoln County Transit 

provides local bus service. The Newport Municipal 

Airport provides air taxi service to Portland International 

Airport, the closest airport offering international service. 

Private planes use the Siletz Bay Airport, 5 miles north of 

Depoe Bay.

Depoe Bay does not have a local school district. 

Students attend kindergarten through twelfth grade in the 

Lincoln County School District, 13 miles south in 

Newport. The district serves more than 6,000 students 

and has 11 elementary schools, 5 middle schools, 5 high 

schools, and 1 alternative school. The Oregon Coast 

Community College, located in Newport, has an 

enrollment of more than 3,500 students.

Central Lincoln Public Utility District and 

Northwest Natural Gas are the primary electricity and gas 

suppliers. The city’s Glender Sanitary Department 

administers wastewater treatment facilities, and the 

Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department provides public 

safety. The City of Depoe Bay supplies water from 

Rocky Creek and North Depoe and South Depoe creeks. 

Depoe Bay is home to the Samaritan Depoe Bay Medical 

Clinic. The nearest hospital, Samaritan North Lincoln 

Hospital, is 13 miles north in Lincoln City, and 

Samaritan Pacific Community Hospital is in Newport. 

Attractions in Depoe Bay include a public library, the 

“spouting horns”—geyser-like plumes that occur along 

the coast—Boiler Bay State Scenic Viewpoint, and 

Fogarty Creek State Recreation Area, among others.

Depoe Bay Harbor has moorage for 137 boats (5% 

commercial and 95% recreational).12 The harbor 

provides landings and floats to accommodate excursion 

and commercial fishing vessels as well as dry storage 

space. The entrance to the harbor is 30 feet across with a 

depth of approximately 8 feet. In January 2004 the 

Oregon State Marine Board approved funding for a new 

marine fuel station at Depoe Bay. The new station will 

have storage capacity for 2,000 gallons of gasoline and 

4,000 gallons of diesel.13 Federal funds were granted in 

June 2004 for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to 

dredge the harbor.14

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

The Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians has 

partnered with Oregon Smoked Foods, Inc. to form Siletz 

Tribal Smokehouse Smoked Salmon, located on U.S. 

Highway 101 south of the Depoe Bay Bridge. The tribe 

receives a portion of all sales.

A total of 14 vessels, all commercially registered, 

delivered landings to Depoe Bay in 2000. Landings in 

the community were in the following West Coast 

fisheries (data shown represent landings in metric tons/

value of landings/number of vessels landing): crab 43 t/

$206,976/7; groundfish 1 t/$4,609/5; salmon 

confidential/confidential/2; and other species 

confidential/confidential/3.

Depoe Bay residents owned 15 vessels in 2000, 

including 6 vessels that participated in the federally 

managed groundfish fishery. According to recorded 

data, the number of vessels owned by Depoe Bay 

residents that participated in each fishery by state (WA/

OR/CA) was: crab 0/11/0, groundfish 0/0/NA, highly 

migratory species NA/0/NA, salmon 0/17/0, shellfish 

NA/0/NA, and shrimp NA/0/0.15

In 2000 the number of Depoe Bay residents that held 

permits in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

coastal pelagic 0/1/0, crab 0/10/0, highly migratory 

species NA/0/0, salmon 0/13/0, and shellfish 0/0/NA.16

According to available data, 36 state permits were 

registered to Depoe Bay residents in 2000. Recorded 

data indicates the number of permits held by community 
276

members in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

coastal pelagic 0/1/0, crab 0/20/0, highly migratory 

species NA/0/0, salmon 0/15/0, and shellfish 0/0/NA.17

The City of Depoe Bay has adopted an ordinance 

allowing the storage of fishing gear at the gear owner’s 

dwelling or adjacent lot under the same ownership.18 The 

ordinance ended more than seven years of debate 

between fishermen and some city residents who were 

concerned about potential odors and the sight of stacks of 

crab pots near their homes. The rule, passed 

unanimously, defines commercial fishing gear to include 

“traps/fish traps/fishing lures; ropes or lines pertaining to 

crab or fish traps, including buoys and floats; plastic totes 

or tubs used for storage or line and longline gear; rigging, 

which includes poles, extensions, stays and/or booms, or 

mast gear from salmon or tuna fishing; and pools and 

winches (girdies, power blocks and occasional gill net 

reel), excluding drag nets or gear.”19

Sportfishing

According to available data, 12 Depoe Bay residents 

held charter boat licenses in 2000 and there were at least 

19 charter vessels operating out of Depoe Bay; 16 

registered to Depoe Bay residents, and one each to a 

resident of Lincoln City, Clatskanie, and Salem. Depoe 

Bay had at least one outfitter guide business in 2003. 

Tradewinds, a local charter fishing business, offers 

fishing, whale watching, and charter excursions year 

round. Other charter businesses include Dockside 

Charters, Joan-E Charters, and Zodiac Adventures.

Depoe Bay has nine sportfishing license vendors, 

however there were no license sales reported in 2000. 

The 2000 recreational salmonid catch in the Ocean Boat 

Fishery was 448 Chinook and 3,171 coho salmon. The 

recreational nonsalmonid catch in that fishery totaled 

101,757 fish. The top species landed include black 

rockfish, blue rockfish, canary rockfish, kelp greenling, 

and lingcod.

Subsistence

Nontribal and tribal fishermen, including members 

of the Confederated Tribe of the Siletz, utilize marine and 

stream resources for subsistence means from the areas 

within and surrounding Depoe Bay. Under the trust 

doctrine, the federal government is charged to protect 

tribal resources and by constitutional mandate to protect 

natural resources. The government-to-government 

agreements made between tribal groups and the United 

States through treaties guarantee fishing rights on 

traditional grounds. Specific information on subsistence 

fishing in Depoe Bay is not discussed in detail in this 

community profile due to a lack of available data on state 

and federal levels.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 Depoe Bay residents owned three vessels 

involved in North Pacific fisheries. Residents landed fish 

in the following North Pacific fisheries (data shown 

represents landings in metric tons/value of landings/

number of vessels landing): crab confidential/

confidential/1; Bering Strait Aleutian Island (BSAI) 

groundfish confidential/confidential/1; Gulf of Alaska 

groundfish confidential/confidential/2; halibut 

confidential/confidential/3; salmon confidential/

confidential/1; and other finfish confidential/

confidential/2.

Two residents held registered state permits and five 

held registered federal permits. Ten state and federal 

permits were registered to individuals in Depoe Bay in 

2000, and residents held one crab and two groundfish 

License Limitation Program permits. In 2000 residents 

also held three BSAI groundfish, one halibut, one 

shellfish, and one other finfish Commercial Fisheries 

Entry Commission permits. The halibut and sablefish 

individual fishing quota shares for residents were 

1,028,518 and 110,450 respectively.

In 2000 six Depoe Bay residents held crew member 

licenses for North Pacific fisheries.

Sportfishing

Depoe Bay community members purchased 16 

Alaska sportfishing licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. Oregon State University. No date. Confederated tribes of 

Siletz: History, tradition, and culture. Online at http://

oregonstate.edu/instruct/soc204/plazad/native2/marya/marya.htm 

[accessed 12 January 2007].

2. Confederated Tribes of the Siletz. 2003. About the tribe. 

Online at http://www.npaihb.org/profiles/tribal_profiles/Oregon/

Confederated%20Tribes%20of%20Siletz%20Indians%20Tribal

%20Profile.htm [accessed 12 January 2007].

3. See note 1.

4. See note 2.

5. Lincoln County place names. 2001. Depoe Bay. Online at 

http://users.wi.net/~census/lesson19.html [accessed 12 January 2007].

6. On this day in Oregon. 2003. How Depoe Bay was named. 

Online at http://www.onthisdayinoregon.com/09_09.html [accessed 

12 January 2007].

7. See note 5.

8. See note 5.

9. StateofOregon.com. 2001. City history: Annual salmon 

bake. Online at http://www.stateoforegon.com/cgi-bin/cities/

history.pl?&city=depoe+bay [accessed 12 January 2007].
277

10. StateofOregon.com. 2001. City history: Fleet of flowers. 

Online at http://www.stateoforegon.com/cgi-bin/cities/history.pl

?&city=depoe+bay&history=2 [accessed 12 January 2007].

11. Congresswoman Hooley. 2004. Oregon water projects 

slated for over $14 million in federal funding. Online at http://

www.house.gov/apps/list/press/or05_hooley/WaterProject061604

.html [accessed November 2004]. 

12. Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission. 2004. West 

coast marine fishing community descriptions. Online at http://

www.psmfc.org/efin/docs/communities_2004/ [accessed 12 January 

2007].

13. Oregon State Marine Board. 2004. Depoe Bay marine fuel 

funding approved. Online at http://www.marinebd.osmb.state.or.us/

News/2004/Jan16News.html [accessed 12 January 2007].

14. See note 11.

15. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

16. See note 15.

17. See note 15.

18. Newport News Times. 2004. Depoe Bay concludes change 

in crab pot storage rules. Online at http://www.newportnewstimes

.com/articles/2004/11/05/news/news17.txt [accessed 12 January 

2007].

19. See note 18.
278

Florence

People and Place

Location

Florence, located along U.S. Highway 101 on the 

Oregon coast, is the major coastal city in western Lane 

County. The community is approximately 172 miles 

southwest of Portland and 61 miles west of Eugene. 

Florence covers 4.9 square miles of land and 0.6 square 

miles of water. The geographic coordinates of Florence 

are lat 43°58′58′′N, long 124°05′55′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of Florence was 7,263, a 40.7% increase from 1990. The 

gender composition was 54.1% female and 45.9% male. 

The median age was 55.8, considerably higher than the 

national median of 35.3. Only 16.8% of the population 

was younger than age 17. Of the population 18 years of 

age and older, 82.2% had a high school education or 

higher, 16.5% had a bachelor’s degree or higher, and 

7.7% had a graduate or professional degree; the national 

averages were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The majority of the population of Florence recorded 

by the 2000 U.S. Census was white (95.9%), followed by 

people who identified with two or more races (1.7%), 

American Indian and Alaskan native (0.9%), Asian 

(0.6%), people who identified with another race (0.6%), 

black (0.3%), and Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific 

Islander (0.1%). Ethnicity data indicate 2.4% identified 

as Hispanic. Less than 5 percent (3.5%) of the 

population was foreign-born. Of those, 26.2% were born 

in Canada and 17.2% in Germany.

In 2000 76.4% of the population lived in family 

households.

History

Florence is bordered by the Siuslaw River and it’s 

tributaries to the west, south, and east. The river is 

named for the Indian tribe of the same name who 

originally inhabited the area. Spaniards explored the 

Oregon coast, including the area surrounding the presentday Florence, but it was the English Captain James Cook 

who gave European names to many of the coastal 

landmarks in the Florence vicinity. In the latter half of 

the nineteenth century Europeans began arriving in large 

numbers. The encroachment of Euro-American settlers 

upon Siuslaw land in 1850 roughly coincided with the 

end of a smallpox epidemic that dramatically reduced the 

tribe’s numbers.

800 600 400 200 0 200 400 600 800

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure

Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

95.9%

Asian

0.6%

Native

0.9%

Black

0.3%

Pacific Islander

0.1%

Other

0.6%

Two or more races

1.7%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Hispanic

2.4% Non-Hispanic

97.6%
279

Dependent on timber and fisheries, Florence 

reached a population of 300 in 1900 and had a lumber 

mill and two general stores. The first salmon cannery 

opened on the Siuslaw River in 1876, and by 1901 

several additional canneries were in operation, supported 

by a network of gillnets, drift nets, and fish traps. By 

1906 a cold storage facility was added and by 1915 the 

Kyle Cannery in Florence set an industry standard with 

new automatic canning equipment that produced 600 

cases a day. Fieldwork indicates from 1887–1892 more 

than 68,000 cases of Siuslaw salmon were packed and 

shipped to markets in Portland and San Francisco. 

Declining salmon runs in the second half of the twentieth 

century led to the closure of commercial salmon fishing 

on the river and a shift to open ocean fishing.

Located in a relatively remote part of the state, 

Florence depended on the mercantile system and ferry 

links across the Siuslaw River during the first half of the 

twentieth century. The community has since evolved and 

added retirement and tourism to its natural resourceoriented economy. Florence is active in beach cleanup 

programs. The community features a May festival that 

celebrates the local native Rhododendron plant and a 

shellfish festival in September called “Chowder, Blues, 

and Brews.” The community is home to the Historic 

Siuslaw River drawbridge and the nearby Sea Lion caves, 

both popular with tourists.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 35.1% of 

Florence’s potential labor force 16 years of age and older 

were employed, 3.9% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 9.9% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

61% were not in the labor force. The top employment 

sectors were educational, health, and social services 

(22.9%), accommodation and food services (16.6%), 

retail trade (16.1%), and local, state, or federal 

government (12.1%). Natural resources jobs including 

agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting employed 

3.8%, but this percentage may be artificially low because 

many fishermen are self-employed and are 

underrepresented in the data.

Fieldwork indicates the economy of Florence is 

shifting away from farming, fishing, and forestry to 

recreation, real estate, and retirement communities. The 

Oregon Economic and Community Development 

Department lists Peace Harbor Hospital, Fred Meyer 

retail, and the Siuslaw School District as the top three 

employers in 2003.1

2000 Employment structure

Unemployed

3.9%

Employed

35.1%

Not in labor force

61%

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the per capita 

income in 1999 was $18,008 and the median household 

income was $30,505. In 1999 14.4% were below the 

poverty level. In 2000 Florence had 4,174 housing units, 

of which 85.4% were occupied and 14.6% were vacant. 

Of the occupied units, 67.5% were by owner and 32.5% 

were by renter. Nearly one-half (49.5%) of the vacant 

units were for seasonal, recreational, or occasional use.

Governance

Florence is an incorporated city with a councilmanager form of government. The elected five-member 

city council, including the mayor, is the policy-making 

body while the city manager is responsible for daily 

operations. Oregon has no general sales tax, but Lane 

County levies a 7% tax. This is in addition to the state’s 

1% tax on overnight lodging that funds the Oregon 

Tourism Commission. See the Governance subsection 

(page 43) in the Overview section for a more detailed 

discussion of taxes affecting fishermen and processors in 

Oregon.

The U.S. Coast Guard Station Siuslaw is in Florence 

and operates two 47-foot motor lifeboats to serve the 

Heceta Banks Fishery off the Florence Coast. Both the 

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Marine 

Resources Program and a field station of NOAA’s 

Northwest Fisheries Science Center are located in 

Newport, 50 miles south of Florence. Portland, 

approximately 173 miles away, is the nearest location for 

meetings of the Pacific Fishery Management and North 

Pacific Fishery Management councils.

Facilities

Florence lies on U.S. Highway 101 and is linked to 

Eugene by Oregon Highway 126. Florence is served by 

the Florence Municipal Airport, the North Bend Regional 

Airport (50 miles south in Coos Bay), a larger airport in Eugene (60 miles), and Portland International Airport.
280

The third largest employer in Florence, the Siuslaw 

School District, has an elementary, middle, and high 

school. Lane Community College, located in Florence, 

had an enrollment of 1,637 in 2001. The Central Lincoln 

People’s Utility District provides electricity, while the 

City of Florence provides water and sewer services. The 

Florence Police Department administers local law 

enforcement. Peace Harbor Hospital is located in 

Florence as are a number of medical clinics. Florence’s 

lodging and accommodations include several hotels, 

motels, and bed and breakfast operations. Visitors can 

also choose between a number of campgrounds, 

recreational vehicle parks, and vacation rentals.

A five-member port commission governs the Port of 

Siuslaw, located in Florence. The port offers berths for 

recreational boats and fishing vessels, and can 

accommodate vessels up to 85-feet in length. Barge 

facilities are also available at the port. In addition, the 

port is the only local source of marine diesel fuel on the 

Siuslaw River. Fieldwork indicates several private 

marinas are located on the river serving local anglers and 

pleasure craft.

Local marine-related organizations are active in 

salmon habitat improvement efforts in the area. The 

Siuslaw Partnership received the 2004 International 

Thiess River award in recognition of its combined work 

on salmon habitat restoration projects in the Siuslaw 

River basin. The U.S. Forest Service, the Siuslaw Soil 

and Water Conservation District, and the Siuslaw 

Watershed Council make up the Siuslaw Partnership.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

No fish processors operated in Florence in 2000; 

however, fieldwork indicates several vessels landing 

catch sold seafood directly to the public and to local 

seafood retail shops and restaurants. Fieldwork also 

suggests crab landed in Florence typically is sold to the 

live crab market and therefore is not subject to 

processing.2

West Coast fishery landings in Florence in 2000 

were delivered by 38 commercially registered vessels. 

Landings in Florence were made in the following West 

Coast fisheries (data shown represents landings in metric 

tons/value of landings/number of vessels landing): crab 

112.8 t/$562,057/10; groundfish 124.3 t/$442,781/15; 

highly migratory species 6.9 t/$11,712/5; salmon 29.7 t/

$113,885/22; shrimp 35.7 t/$28,529/5; and other species 

1.5 t/$6,808/5.

Florence residents owned 41 commercial vessels in 

2000, including 19 that participated in the federally 

managed groundfish fishery. According to recorded 

data, the number of vessels owned by residents that 

participated in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

crab 0/14/0, groundfish 0/0/NA, highly migratory species 

NA/0/NA, salmon 0/41/2, shellfish NA/1/NA, and 

shrimp NA/2/0.3

Five residents held four federal groundfish permits 

in 2000. The number of Florence residents holding 

permits in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 

0/12/0, highly migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 0/33/2, 

shellfish 0/1/NA, and shrimp 0/2/0.4

Florence residents held at least 60 commercial 

fishing permits in 2000, including 56 state registered 

permits. Recorded data indicates the number of state 

permits held by Florence residents in each fishery by 

state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 0/13/0, highly migratory 

species NA/0/0, salmon 0/37/3, shellfish 0/1/NA, and 

shrimp 0/2/0.5

Sportfishing

Recreational fishing on the Siuslaw River has a 

strong economic impact on the Florence community. In 

2000 seven sportfishing licensing agents operated in 

Florence who sold 4,907 sportfishing licenses at an 

estimated value of $80,163. Available data indicates at 

least one sportfishing charter business operates in 

Florence.

For the port complex around Florence, the 2000 

recreational salmonid catch in the Ocean Boat Fishery 

was 250 Chinook and 472 coho salmon. The recreational 

nonsalmonid catch in the fishery was 213 fish. The top 

species landed include greenstripe, canary, and 

yelloweye rockfish, and Pacific halibut. The area is also 

known for exceptional sea-run cutthroat trout fishing in 

the lower Siuslaw.

Subsistence

Local community members, both tribal and 

nontribal, may engage in subsistence fishing for marine 

and stream resources in Florence and the surrounding 

area. Specific information on subsistence fishing in 

Florence is not discussed in detail in this community 

profile due to the lack of available data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 one vessel owned by a Florence resident 

participated in North Pacific fisheries. The vessel made 

landings in the following North Pacific fisheries, but 

landings data (metric tons/value of landings) are 

confidential: Bering Strait Aleutian Island (BSAI) 
281

groundfish, and Gulf of Alaska groundfish, halibut, 

salmon, shellfish, and other finfish.

One community resident held a state permit for 

Alaska fisheries and seven Florence residents held 

federal permits for North Pacific fisheries. Florence 

residents held five commercial fishing permits in 2000 

for North Pacific fisheries. Residents held individual 

fishing quota shares for North Pacific halibut (10,863) 

and sablefish (1,535). In the same year, residents of 

Florence held one Commercial Fisheries Entry 

Commission permit for BSAI groundfish and one 

groundfish License Limitation Program permit.

Four Florence residents held crew member licenses 

for North Pacific fisheries in 2000.

Sportfishing

Florence residents purchased 59 Alaska sportfishing 

licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. State of Oregon. 2004. Oregon Economic & Community 

Development: Florence community profile. Online at http://

info.econ.state.or.us:591/FMPro?-db=Community.fp4&-Format

=forms.htm&-lay=webpage&-op=eq&sort%20name=Florence

&-script=hit%20count&-Find [accessed 12 January 2007].

2. Field notes, fisherman. Florence, OR. May 2006.

3. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

4. See note 3.

5. See note 3.
282

Garibaldi

People and Place

Location

Garibaldi borders Tillamook Bay to the south and 

Miami Cove to the west in Tillamook County on 

Oregon’s northern coast. The town is 83 miles west of 

Portland. Garibaldi, situated on the north end, is 

considered the fishing center of Tillamook Bay. It covers 

0.97 square miles of land and 0.34 square miles of water. 

Garibaldi’s geographic coordinates are lat 45°33′36′′N 

and long 123°54′35′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of Garibaldi was 899. The population was 999 in 1980 

and fluctuated significantly from 1980 to 2000. The 

gender composition was 50.1% female and 49.9% male. 

The median age of Garibaldi in 2000 was 49.2, 

significantly higher than the national median of 35.3. 

The percentage of Garibaldi’s population over 65 years 

of age was 25%, compared to 12.4% for that age group in 

the United States overall. Of the population 18 years of 

age and older, 85.7% had a high school diploma or 

higher, 8% had a bachelor’s degree or higher, and 4.3% 

had a graduate or professional degree; the national 

averages were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The majority of Garibaldi’s population recorded by 

the 2000 U.S. Census was white (94.8%), followed by 

people who identified with two or more races (2.4%), 

American Indian and Alaska Native (1.8%), Asian 

(0.7%), people who identified with another race (0.2%) 

and Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander (0.1%). 

Ethnicity data indicate 1.3% identified as Hispanic. 

Approximately 1.8% were foreign-born.

In 2000 4.2% of the population lived in family 

households.

History

Long before Euro-Americans came to the Pacific 

Northwest, Native Americans, including the Tillamook, 

Nehalem, and Nestucca, inhabited Tillamook County. 

These peoples had a close relationship with the sea and 

the area’s waterways, which is evident in the boats they 

built. Dugout canoes ranged from small boats used for 

duck hunting to large canoes used for long distance travel 

to California. At one time the Tillamook people had a 

fishing village at the site of Garibaldi. The Indians died 

in large numbers because of the onset of European 

diseases. The population estimated at about 2,200 at the 

80 60 40 20 0 20 40 60 80

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

94.8%

Two or more races

2.4%

Other

0.2%

Pacific Islander

0.1%

Native

1.8%

Asian

0.7%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Non-Hispanic

98.7%

Hispanic

1.3%
283

turn of the nineteenth century declined to one-tenth that 

size by the middle of the 1800s.

Although Captain Robert Gray is credited with 

being the first Euro-American to land in Tillamook Bay 

in 1788, it wasn’t until the middle of the next century that 

white settlers came to the area. Gray’s stay in the area 

did not go well. Native Americans killed one of his 

crewmen after a quarrel. The entrance to the bay is 

recognized as challenging today and was identified as 

perilous in Gray’s time, described by a member of his 

crew as an awkwardly situated shoal with a narrow 

entrance and a strong tide.

In 1853 the Oregon Territorial Government created 

Tillamook County. Garibaldi’s first permanent EuroAmerican settler was Charley Farwell, a ship’s cook put 

ashore after a disagreement with his captain in the mid1860s. B.A. Bayley was the town’s first developer, 

buying land from the federal government. He built a 

hotel and became the town’s first postmaster. He named 

a postmark after Giuseppe Garibaldi, an Italian soldier 

and fisherman remembered for his military contributions 

toward unifying Italy. Eventually the town came to be 

Garibaldi.

The county’s earliest industries were logging, 

shipping, fishing, farming, and dairy. Fishing played a 

key role as a major avenue for cash. Numerous canneries 

in the area canned fish caught in coastal waters, bays, and 

rivers. Middlemen bought the packaged fish and sold 

them in Willamette Valley. The funds brought to the 

area from fish sales supported development of other 

enterprises and aided the growth of Tillamook Bay’s 

communities.

Two industries developed alongside fishing, dairy 

and lumber. The dairy industry’s success came with the 

production of cheese that could withstand long storage 

periods for distribution. The lumber industry took off in 

the 1890s with production of containers for dairy, fish, 

and other products. In 1911 the Pacific Railway and 

Navigation Company constructed a railway from 

Portland to Tillamook. This reliable source of 

transportation facilitated the growth of the timber, dairy, 

and fishing industries. The lumber industry was robust in 

Garibaldi for approximately 50 years from 1918 to the 

1970s; however, dwindling tree supplies eventually 

forced most mills to close. Fieldwork indicates logging 

(primarily alder) remains important to the area economy.

Garibaldi’s Miami Cove was historically popular for 

crabbing and clamming, and remains so today. Salmon 

was historically the big catch on Tillamook Bay. 

Concerns with overfishing arose in the early part of the 

1900s. The designation of coho salmon as an endangered 

species in the 1990s and an increase in restrictions placed 

on harvesting bottomfish further limited the area’s 

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

47.2%

Unemployed

4.2%

Employed

48.6%

commercial fishers. While some runs of salmon species, 

particularly coho, have declined significantly over the 

years, fieldwork indicates commercial fishing is currently 

experiencing an upturn due to healthy Chinook salmon 

runs and an increase in the price of wild-caught salmon.

Commercial clamming, oystering, and shrimping 

were relatively successful in the bay during the 1990s. In 

recent years the shrimp industry’s harvests have declined. 

The bay’s commercial oyster industry has oscillated over 

time, experiencing declines due largely to ongoing 

sedimentation and pollution. Fieldwork indicates the 

industry is slowly rebounding. Most processing occurs 

in Bay City. The bay’s sportfishing industry has enjoyed 

substantial growth. The tourism industry, specifically 

sportfishing, developed in part as an economic response 

to the area’s waning lumber and commercial fishing 

industries, and expanded during the 1980s.1, 2, 3, 4

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 48.6% of 

Garibaldi’s potential labor force 16 years of age and 

older were employed, 4.2% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 7.9% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

47.2% were not in the labor force. The top employment 

sectors, in descending order, were entertainment and 

recreation, education and social services, and 

manufacturing. Government employed 9.7%. Natural 

resource jobs including agriculture, fishing, forestry, or 

hunting employed 5.6%, but this percentage may be 

artificially low because many fishermen are selfemployed and are underrepresented in these data.

Tillamook County’s principal industries are 

agriculture, lumber, tourism and recreation, fishing, and 

food processing. Major employers in the Garibaldi area 
284

in 2000 included: Tillamook Country Smoker (snack 

products); McRae & Sons, Inc. (specialty hardwood 

products); Garibaldi Dry Dock, Inc. (boat building and 

repair); the Nehalem Telephone and Telegraph Company 

(telephone communications); and Nehalem Bay Ready 

Mix (concrete producer).

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, per capita 

income in 1999 was $18,075 and the median household 

income was $28,945. In 1999 11.6% lived below the 

poverty level. In 2000 Garibaldi had 584 housing units, 

of which 74.7% were occupied and 25.3% were vacant. 

Of the occupied units, 72.9% were by owner and 27.1% 

were by renter. Of the vacancies 68.9% were for 

seasonal, recreational, or occasional use.

Governance

The City of Garibaldi, incorporated in 1946, is 

governed by a mayor and a five-member city council. 

The State of Oregon has no general sales tax but levies a 

1% tax on overnight lodging. See the Governance 

subsection (page 43) in the Overview section for a more 

detailed discussion of taxes affecting fishermen and 

processor in Oregon.

An office of the National Marine Fisheries Service 

is 56 miles away in Astoria. The Oregon Department of 

Fish and Wildlife is headquartered in Salem; however, 

there is a marine resources program 78 miles away in 

Newport and a fish divisions program based in Astoria. 

A U.S. Coast Guard Station is located in Garibaldi. 

Portland, 83 miles away, has a district office of the 

Citizenship and Immigration Services, and is the nearest 

location for meetings of the Pacific Fishery Management 

and North Pacific Fishery Management councils.

Facilities

Garibaldi lies on U.S. Highway 101. The closest 

major airport is 56 miles away in Astoria, while two 

smaller public use airports are located within 13 miles in 

Manzanita and Tillamook. The nearest airport offering 

international service is Portland International Airport.

Garibaldi is in the Neah-kah-nie School District. 

The district has one senior/junior high school and two 

elementary schools, one based in Garibaldi. The 

Tillamook Public Utility District provides electrical 

service. The City of Garibaldi supplies water to the 

community and provides wastewater treatment. 

Garibaldi currently has no storm drainage system. The 

community contracts for police services with the 

Tillamook County Sheriff Department. Tillamook 

County General Hospital is 11 miles away in Tillamook 

and Providence Seaside Hospital is 27 miles away in 

Seaside. There are about eight overnight 

accommodations, including inns, bed and breakfasts, and 

vacation rentals in Garibaldi and nearby Rockaway 

Beach.

The Port of Garibaldi is a shallow-water port, which 

operates as an industrial park, picnic area, campground, 

shipping terminal, launch ramp, wet/dry moorage, and 

land leases.5 The port has duel jetties and is guarded by 

U.S. Coast Guard personnel. Marinas in the port and the 

surrounding area rent boats and equipment to fishermen 

and outdoor enthusiasts.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

There was at least one processing company located 

in Garibaldi in 2000. Landings data for Garibaldi were 

recorded as part of the Tillamook/Garibaldi Port Group. 

In 2000 landings for this port group were in the following 

West Coast fisheries (data shown represent landings in 

metric tons/value of landings/number of vessels 

delivering landings): crab 177.3 t/$863,228/19; 

groundfish 110.2 t/$140,155/34; highly migratory 

species 134.1 t/$262,623/18; salmon 48.2 t/$174,609/50; 

shellfish 45.7 t/$31,044/12; shrimp 188.1 t/$211,429/9; 

and other species 5.3 t/$27,532/16. See the Tillamook 

community profile for additional information.

Garibaldi residents owned 35 vessels in 2000 that 

participated in the region’s fisheries, 17 of which 

participated in the federally managed groundfish fishery. 

According to recorded data, the number of vessels owned 

by residents that participated in each fishery by state 

(WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/3/0, crab 0/9/0, 

groundfish 0/0/NA, highly migratory species NA/1/NA, 

salmon 0/14/0, shellfish NA/6/NA, and shrimp NA/6/0.6

Garibaldi residents held three federal permits in 

2000. The number of residents holding state permits in 

each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 

0/2/0, crab 0/9/0, highly migratory species NA/1/0, 

salmon 0/14/0, shellfish 0/2/NA, and shrimp 2/5/0.7

At least eight fishing permits were registered to 

Garibaldi residents in 2000; of which five were registered 

state permits. The number of permits held by community 

members for each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

coastal pelagic 0/2/0, crab 0/9/0, highly migratory 

species NA/1/0, salmon 0/15/0, shellfish 0/3/NA, and 

shrimp 2/6/0.8

As Garibaldi is one of several Tillamook Bay 

communities (Rockaway, Bay City, and Tillamook) 

whose economies are intertwined, it is useful to look at 

the combined landings for the Tillamook Bay area for an 

understanding of the significance of commercial fishing 

in Garibaldi. Commercial fishing contributed $4.1 

million in personal income to the Tillamook Bay area 

economy in 1997. That year, landings of crab in the area 
285

were worth an estimated ex-vessel value of $580,000. 

Shrimp were worth $421,000, groundfish $165,000, 

albacore $219,000, and Chinook salmon $59,000. Fish 

processing plants in the area process shrimp, crab, 

salmon, albacore, sole, sablefish, lingcod, thornyheads, 

and other rockfish.9

Sportfishing

Garibaldi supports a strong sportfishing industry. In 

2000 there were 2 registered outfitter businesses and 12 

sportfish license vendors operating in Garibaldi. Five 

charter operations had their business offices located in 

Garibaldi and all moored their vessels in the community. 

In addition, 19 other charter operations harbored their 

vessels in Garibaldi, while their business offices were 

outside the community in Bay City, Beavercreek, Boring, 

Clackamas, Cloverdale, Gresham, Hillsboro, Hubbard, 

Milwaukee, Nehalem, Portland, Rockaway, Tigard, and 

Tillamook. Garibaldi also houses the business office of 

one charter business that moors its vessel in Oregon City.

In 2000 sport fishermen caught 1,117 Chinook and 

552 coho salmon. Oceangoing sport fishermen also 

caught more than 40 nonsalmonid species of fish for a 

total catch of 87,963. The top five species caught, in 

descending order, were black rockfish, yellowtail 

rockfish, canary rockfish, lingcod, and blue rockfish. 

Clamming and crabbing are also popular.

Subsistence

Local community members, both tribal and 

nontribal, may engage in subsistence fishing for marine 

and stream resources in Garibaldi and the surrounding 

area. Specific information on subsistence fishing in 

Garibaldi is not discussed in detail in this community 

profile due to the lack of available data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 Garibaldi residents were scarcely involved 

in North Pacific commercial fisheries. Community 

members held one federal permit for North Pacific 

fisheries in 2000 and owned one vessel that fished in the 

region that year. Community members also held one 

groundfish License Limitation Program permit. In 

addition, one resident held a crew member license for 

North Pacific fisheries in 2000.

Sportfishing

Garibaldi residents purchased four licenses to fish in 

Alaska in 2000.

Notes

1. J. Gilden (ed). 1999. Oregon’s changing coastal fishing 

communities. Online at http://seagrant.oregonstate.edu/sgpubs/

onlinepubs/o99001.html [accessed 16 January 2007].

2. L. Tobe. 2003. Garibaldi, Tillamook County, Oregon. 

Online at http://www.fcresearch.org/neai/OR_case_studies/

Garabaldi.pdf [accessed 16 January 2007].

3. Garibaldi Chamber of Commerce. No date. Welcome to 

Garibaldi: The Pacific Ocean gateway-history. Online at http://

www.ci.garibaldi.or.us/history.html [accessed 18 January 2007].

4. M. Guardino III and Rev. M. Riedel. Sovereigns of 

themselves: A liberating history of Oregon and its coast. Vol. III. 

Online at http://www2.wi.net/~census/lesson36.html [accessed 16 

January 2007].

5. See note 1.

6. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

7. See note 6.

8. See note 6.

9. See note 1.
286

Gold Beach

People and Place

Location

Gold Beach is situated at the mouth of the Rogue 

River. It is the county seat of Curry County and is 

considered the “heart of America’s Wild Rivers Coast.”1 

Portland, the nearest major metropolitan area, is 298.9 

miles to the northeast. Gold Beach encompasses 2.3 

square miles of land and 0.2 square miles of water. The 

geographic coordinates are lat 42°24′27′′N and long 

124°25′14′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of Gold Beach was 1,897, a 22.7% increase over 1990. 

The gender composition was 52% female and 48% male. 

The median age was 44.8, higher than the national 

median of 35.3. Of the population 18 years of age and 

older, 74.2% had a high school degree or higher, 17.9% 

had a bachelor’s degree or higher, and 7.4% had a 

graduate or professional degree. The national averages 

were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The majority of the population of Gold Beach was 

white (93.1%) followed by individuals who identified 

with two or more races (2.3%), Native American (2.2%), 

individuals who identified with another race (1.2%), 

Asian (0.9%), Pacific Islander (0.1%), and black (0.3%). 

Ethnicity data indicate 2.7% identified as Hispanic. The 

census identified 1.5% of the inhabitants as foreign-born, 

of which 28.6% were born in Romania.

History

Gold Beach was created in 1853 when gold was 

discovered in the sands of the Rogue River. Initially the 

settlement was called Ellensburg, although people 

referred to the quickly established community as Gold 

Beach. In 1858 it became the county seat of Curry 

County. Gold sluicing in the area was never as profitable 

as in other gold fields. Once the gold was exhausted, the 

community survived primarily on coho salmon runs.2

In 1877 R.D. Hume opened the first salmon cannery 

in Oregon in the area as well as a fish hatchery.3

 At the 

time it was not known that salmon could be caught using 

hook and line gear, but in 1896 a man named Mr. Frank 

was surprised when he caught an 18-pound salmon while 

trout fishing with a fly rod on the Rogue River. 

Sportfishing in the river soon became a new pastime. 

Since then salmon has been an important community 

200 150 100 50 0 50 100 150 200

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure

Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

93.1%

Two or more races

2.3%

Other

1.2%

Pacific Islander

0.1%

Black

0.3%

Native

2.2%

Asian

0.9%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Non-Hispanic

97.3%

Hispanic

2.7%
287

resource, surviving as the lumber, fur, and gold industries 

faded. Commercial fishing for salmon in the Rogue 

River increased quickly after 1908 and largely depleted 

the stock. Commercial fishing on the river ended in 

1935. Following the closure of commercial fishing, 

sportfishing in the area became even more popular and 

today draws anglers to the area to fish for salmon, trout, 

steelhead, and other sport fish.4

The community’s natural resources continue to draw 

large numbers of tourists and sportfishermen. Yearly 

festivals and events include America’s Wild Rivers Coast 

Seafood, Art and Wine Festival; the Rogue River Salmon 

Derby Competition, Fisherman’s Fish Fry, Clam 

Chowder Festival, and Annual Crab Crack.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 56.5% of the 

population 16 years of age and older were employed, 

2.1% were unemployed, and the unemployment rate was 

3.6% (calculated by dividing the unemployed population 

by the labor force). In addition, 41.3% were not in the 

labor force. The top employment sectors were 

government (25.3%), educational, health, and social 

services (19.6%), retail (14.2%) and arts, entertainment 

recreation, and accommodation and food services 

(12.7%). Natural resource jobs including agriculture, 

forestry, fishing, and hunting employed 4.7%, but this 

percentage may be artificially low because many 

fishermen are self-employed and are underrepresented in 

the data.

The major industries in Gold Beach are fishing, 

lumber, and recreation and tourism. The five largest 

employers in the area include Curry County, Central 

Curry School District, Freeman Marine, U.S. Forest 

Service, and state offices.5

The per capita income in 1999 was $16,717 and the 

median household income was $30,243. In 1999 about 

12.4% were below the poverty level. In 2000 Gold 

Beach had 987 housing units, 84% were occupied and 

16% were vacant. Of the occupied units, 66.3% were by 

owner and 33.7% were by renter. About 37.3% of the 

vacant units were for seasonal, recreational, or occasional 

use.

Governance

Gold Beach is an incorporated city that operates 

under a council-manager charter. The State of Oregon 

has no general sales tax but levies a 1% overnight 

lodging tax that funds the Oregon Tourism Commission. 

See the Governance subsection (page 43) in the 

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

41.3%

Unemployed

2.1%

Employed

56.5%

Overview section for a more detailed discussion of taxes 

affecting fishermen and processors in Oregon.

Gold Beach is 177 miles from the National Marine 

Fisheries Service research station in Newport. Gold 

Beach is home to an Oregon Department of Fish and 

Wildlife (ODFW) field office. The community is 79.1 

miles from the nearest U.S. Coast Guard Unit in Coos 

Bay and 298.9 miles from the closest U.S. Citizenship 

and Immigration Services Office in Portland. The 

nearest meetings of the Pacific Fishery Management and 

North Pacific Fishery Management councils are held in 

Portland.

Facilities

Gold Beach, located on U.S. Highway 101, is 

accessible by land, sea, and air. Curry Public Transit 

connects Gold Beach to Bandon, Crescent City, 

Brookings, Port Orford, Coos Bay, and North Bend with 

regular shuttle service. Gold Beach Municipal Airport 

serves small planes. Gold Beach is 312 miles from the 

Portland International Airport.

Local schools include one K-8 elementary school 

and a high school. Coos-Curry Electric Cooperative 

provides electricity. The City of Gold Beach supplies 

water and sewer services, and the Gold Beach Police 

Department administers local law enforcement. Curry 

General Hospital provides medical services. Lodging 

accommodations include bed and breakfasts, hotels, and 

motels, campgrounds and recreational vehicle parks, and 

vacation rentals.

The Port of Gold Beach serves commercial and 

recreational craft and offers a small item freight facility.6

 

The harbor entrance is only 13-feet deep. According to 

an Oregon Sea Grant study, “[a] major concern for all 

Oregon ports is that as fishing tonnage drops, there is less 

justification for dredging, which is required to keep most 

of the ports safe for commerce.”7
288

Volunteers from Curry Anadromous Fisherman 

under the ODFW Salmon and Trout Enhancement 

Program operate Indian Creek Hatchery, producing 

75,000 fall Chinook salmon smolts annually for the 

lower Rogue River fishery.8

 Another hatchery, the 

ODFW Elk River Hatchery, is located north of Gold 

Beach along the Elk River in Port Orford.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

According to available data, no fish processors 

operated in Gold Beach in 2000. In 2000 50 vessels, all 

commercially registered, delivered landings to Gold 

Beach. Landings in the community were in the following 

West Coast fisheries (data shown represents landings in 

metric tons/value of landings/number of vessels landing): 

crab 30 t/$133,107/5; groundfish 43 t/$236,173/36; 

salmon confidential/confidential/1; and other species 131 

t/$173,950/17.

Gold Beach residents owned 20 vessels in 2000, 7 of 

which participated in the federally managed groundfish 

fishery. The number of vessels owned by Gold Beach 

residents that participated in each fishery by state (WA/

OR/CA) was: crab 0/3/3, groundfish 0/0/NA, highly 

migratory species NA/0/NA, salmon 0/8/4, shellfish NA/

0/NA, and shrimp NA/0/0.9

One Gold Beach resident held one federal 

groundfish fishery permit in 2000. The number of 

individual community members holding permits in each 

fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 0/3/3, highly 

migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 0/6/7, shellfish 0/0/

NA, and other species 1/2/2.10

In 2000 40 permits were registered to Gold Beach 

residents, of which 39 were registered state permits. The 

number of permits held by Gold Beach community 

members in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 

0/6/3, highly migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 0/6/10, 

shellfish 0/0/NA, and other species 2/10/2.11

Sportfishing

Gold Beach had at least 27 outfitter guide businesses 

in 2003. Ten licensed charter vessel businesses were 

located in the community, two of which had their 

homeport in Brookings. Internet sources indicate at least 

28 sportfishing businesses doing business in Gold Beach 

in 2003 and 29 in 2006.12

Migrating fish make their first appearance in the 

Rogue River at the end of March and range in weight 

from 15 to 40 pounds. The fall Chinook salmon run 

begins in mid July and goes through October. Summer 

steelhead and coho salmon runs start in late August and 

mid September. The Gold Beach ocean charter season 

goes year-round and targets lingcod and rockfish.13

Gold Beach has nine licensing vendors. In 2000 

agents sold 3,566 licenses at a value of $60,984. The 

2000 recreational salmonid catch in the Ocean Boat 

Fishery was 74 Chinook salmon. The recreational 

nonsalmonid catch in the fishery was 15,416 fish. The 

top species landed include black rockfish, blue rockfish, 

canary rockfish, and lingcod.

Subsistence

Many local community members engage in 

subsistence fishing. Both nontribal and tribal fishermen 

utilize marine and stream resources for subsistence 

means from the areas within and surrounding Gold 

Beach. Specific information on subsistence fishing in 

Gold Beach is not discussed in detail in this community 

profile due to the lack of available data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Two community members held two registered 

salmon Alaska Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission 

(CFEC) permits in 2000. Two Gold Beach residents held 

crew member licenses for North Pacific fisheries.

Sportfishing

Gold Beach residents purchased 27 Alaska 

sportfishing licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. City of Gold Beach. No date. Factsheet. Online at http://

www.goldbeach.org/html/PressRoom/pressroom_factsheet.cfm 

[accessed 16 January 2007].

2. City of Gold Beach. No date. Gold Beach historic snapshot. 

Online at http://www.goldbeach.org/html/history.cfm [accessed 16 

January 2007].

3. J. Gilden. 1999. Oregon’s changing coastal fishing 

communities: Appendix B, Oregon community summaries: Gold 

Beach. Online at http://seagrant.oregonstate.edu/sgpubs/onlinepubs/

o99001.html#appb [accessed 16 January 2007].

4. See note 2.

5. Oregon Economic & Community Development Department. 

2004. Gold Beach community profile. Online at http://info.econ.state

.or.us:591/FMPro?-db=Community.fp4&-Format=forms.htm&-lay

=webpage&-op=eq&sort%20name=Gold%20Beach&-script=hit

%20count&-Find [accessed 16 January 2007].

6. NOAA Coastal Services Center. 2002. Gold Beach port and 

Harbor profile. Online at http://www.csc.noaa.gov/products/

tsunamis/htm/cascadia/gbeach.htm [accessed 16 January 2007].

7. See note 3.

8. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. 2002. Indian Creek 

Hatchery receives grant to repair water system. Online at http://

www.dfw.state.or.us/public/NewsArc/2002News/October/

100102newsb.htm [accessed 16 January 2007].
289

9. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

10. See note 9.

11. See note 9.

12. Goldbeach.net. 2003. Fishing guides. Online at http://

www.goldbeach.net/fishing.htm [accessed 16 January 2007].

13. City of Gold Beach. No date. Fishing. Online at http://

www.goldbeach.org/html/ThingsToDo/fishing.cfm [accessed 16 

January 2007].
290

Hammond

People and Place

Location

Hammond is located in Clatsop County in the 

northwest corner of Oregon. It is west of Astoria at the 

juncture of the Pacific Ocean and the mouth of the 

Columbia River, approximately 94 miles northwest of 

Portland and 182 miles southwest of Seattle, 

Washington. The geographic coordinates of Hammond 

are lat 46°12′01′′N, long 123°57′01′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of Hammond was 1,151. The gender composition was 

49.6% female and 50.4% male. The median age was 

34.5, comparable to the national median of 35.3. Of the 

population 18 years of age and older, 89.6% had a high 

school education or higher, 18.6% had a bachelor’s 

degree or higher, and 9.2% had a graduate or professional 

degree. The national averages were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 

7.8% respectively.

The majority of Hammond’s racial structure was 

white, (92.0%), followed by people who identified with 

two or more races (3.8%), people who identified with 

another race (2.2%), Asian (1.1%), American Indian and 

Alaska Native (0.7%), and black (0.2%). Ethnicity data 

indicate 3.3% identified as Hispanic. Only 2.3% were 

foreign-born, of which 73% were born in Canada.

In 2000 86.3% of the population lived in family 

households.

History

The history of Hammond and surrounding areas is 

linked with the geography and ecology of the region. 

Chinook, Clatsop, and Kathlamet Indians made their 

homes along the lower reaches of the Columbia River 

long before European contact, using abundant cedar trees 

to build longhouses and canoes, and living off the 

plentiful stocks of salmon, shellfish, deer, and other 

wildlife. The Clatsop Indian village of Neahkstowt was 

located near present-day Hammond at the mouth of the 

Columbia River.1

 The mouth of the Columbia attracted 

exploration by Bruno de Heceta in 1775, Captain Robert 

Gray in 1792, and Lewis and Clark in 1805.

By the 1880s salmon canneries began springing up 

in the area, attracting thousands of workers and their 

families. Fort Stevens, located just outside Hammond, 

began operations during the Civil War and remained an 

active military base until the end of World War II. The 

150 100 50 0 50 100 150

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure

Other

2.2%

Two or more races

3.8%

Asian

1.1%

White

92.0%

Native

0.7%

Black

0.2%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Non-Hispanic

96.7%

Hispanic

3.3%
291

fort, leased to the State of Oregon in 1976, now houses a 

military museum and a 3,700-acre state park.2

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 71.1% of the 

Hammond’s potential labor force 16 years of age and 

older were employed, 0.6% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 0.9% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

28.3% were not in the labor force. The top employment 

sectors were retail trade (18%), educational, health, and 

social services (17.7%), and local, state, or federal 

government (12%). Natural resource jobs including 

agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting employed 

1.6%, but this percentage may be artificially low because 

many fishermen are self-employed and are 

underrepresented in these data.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the per capita 

income in 1999 was $17,652 and the median household 

income was $41,071. In 1999 16% of the population 

lived below the poverty level. In 2000 Hammond had 

533 housing units, of which 85.2% were occupied and 

14.8% were vacant. Of the occupied units, 59.0% were 

by owner and 41.0% were by renter. Of the vacant units, 

35.4% were for seasonal, recreational, or occasional use.

Governance

In November 1991 Hammond voted to 

disincorporate and in December 1991 merged into the 

City of Warrenton.3

 Oregon has no general sales tax but 

levies a 1% tax on overnight lodging. See the 

Governance subsection (page 43) in the Overview 

section for a more detailed discussion of taxes affecting 

fishermen and processors in Oregon.

The following government agencies have offices in 

Astoria, approximately nine miles from Hammond: the 

National Marine Fisheries Service, the U.S. Coast Guard, 

the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, 

and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. The 

closest meetings of the Pacific Fishery Management and 

North Pacific Fishery Management councils are held in 

Portland.

Facilities

Hammond is accessible via U.S. Highway 101 from 

the north and south, and U.S. Highway 26 from the east. 

Several nearby airports serve primarily small planes: the 

Clatsop County Airport (Warrenton), the Astoria 

Regional Airport, and the Seaside State Airport. The 

nearest major commercial airport is in Portland. Bus 

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

28.3%

Unemployed

0.6%

Employed

71.1%

service connects Hammond to Seaside, Warrenton, and 

Astoria.

Local schools include a Christian preschool and a 

Christian K-12 school.4 The Astoria Public Works 

Department supplies water services and the Clatsop 

County Sheriff’s office administers local law 

enforcement. There are small hospitals located nearby in 

Astoria and Seaside. Several small bed and breakfasts 

are located in Hammond, and a variety of lodging options 

are available in Warrenton, Astoria, and Cannon Beach.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

At least one seafood processor operated in 

Hammond in 2000; however, specific information 

(estimated pounds of product/value of product) is 

confidential.

No vessels delivered landings to Hammond in 2000. 

Residents owned nine commercially registered vessels, 

including six vessels that participated in the federally 

managed groundfish fishery. The number of vessels 

owned by Hammond residents in 2000 that participated 

in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 0/11/0, 

groundfish 0/4/NA, highly migratory species NA/1/NA, 

salmon 0/4/0, shellfish NA/0/NA, and shrimp NA/0/0.5

In 2000 five residents held eight federal groundfish 

permits. The number of Hammond residents holding 

permits in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

coastal pelagic 0/1/0, crab 2/6/0, groundfish 0/1/0, highly 

migratory species NA/1/1, salmon 1/4/0, shellfish 0/0/

NA, shrimp 1/0/0, and other species 1/0/0.6

At least 39 commercial fishing permits were 

registered to Hammond residents in 2000, including 31 

registered state permits. The number of state permits 

held by Hammond residents in each fishery by state 

(WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/1/0, crab 3/12/0, 
292

groundfish 0/4/0, highly migratory species NA/1/3, 

salmon 1/5/0, shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 1/0/0, and other 

species 1/0/0.7

Sportfishing

At least one sportfishing charter business and two 

registered outfitters or guides are based out of Hammond, 

and residents owned at least two licensed charter vessels 

in 2000. One sportfishing licensing agent was located in 

Hammond, however no license sales were recorded.

For the port complex around Astoria, which is the 

nearest port reported in the 2000 Oregon recreational 

catch reports, the recreational salmonid catch in the 

Ocean Boat Fishery was 766 Chinook and 13,712 coho 

salmon. The recreational nonsalmonid catch in the 

fishery totaled 1,533 fish. The top species landed was 

black rockfish (82.8%).

Subsistence

Local community members may engage in 

subsistence fishing in the area; however, specific 

information on subsistence fishing in Hammond is not 

discussed in detail in this community profile due to the 

lack of available data. Tribal subsistence fishing does 

not occur in the Columbia River near Hammond, but 

further upstream in the Lower Columbia River dam pools 

at The Dalles, John Day, and Booneville Dams.8 Under 

the trust doctrine, the federal government is charged to 

protect tribal resources and by constitutional mandate to 

protect natural resources. The government-togovernment agreements made between tribal groups and 

the United States through treaties guarantee fishing rights 

on traditional grounds.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 four vessels owned by Hammond residents 

participated in North Pacific fisheries. One community 

resident held a state permit for Alaska fisheries and four 

residents held eight federal permits for North Pacific 

fisheries in 2000.

Residents held 4,027 quota shares for North Pacific 

sablefish in 2000 and one Bering Sea Aleutian Islands 

groundfish Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission 

permit. Community members held three crab License 

Limitation Program (LLP) permits and two groundfish 

LLP permits in 2000.

Seven Hammond residents held crew member 

licenses for North Pacific fisheries.

Sportfishing

At least one Hammond-based charter business offers 

fishing excursions in Alaska and one Hammond resident 

purchased an Alaska sportfishing license in 2000.

Notes

1. Access Genealogy Indian Tribal Records. No date. Oregon 

tribes. Online at http://www.accessgenealogy.com/native/oregon/ 

[accessed 17 January 2007].

2. Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. No date. Fort 

Stevens State Park. Online at http://www.oregonstateparks.org/

park_179.php [accessed 17 January 2007].

3. Oregon Cities. No Date. Hammond, Oregon. Online at http:/

/www.oregoncities.us/hammond/ [accessed 17 January 2007].

4. National Center for Education Statistics. No date. Search for 

schools, colleges, and libraries. Online at http://nces.ed.gov/

globallocator/ [accessed 17 January 2007].

5. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

6. See note 5.

7. See note 5.

8. Field notes, Oregon Department of Fish and Game, Astoria, 

OR, 26 April 2006.
293

Harbor

People and Place

Location

Harbor is located in Curry County, south of 

Brookings and the Chetco River. Harbor covers 1.9 

square miles of land and 0.4 square miles of water. The 

nearest major city is Portland, 343.6 miles to the 

northeast. The geographic coordinates of Harbor are lat 

42°03′12′′N, long 124°15′59′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Harbor had a 

population of 2,622, a 22.4% increase over 1990. The 

gender composition was 50.7% female and 49.3% male. 

The median age of the community was 59.5, compared to 

the national median of 35.3. The 2000 U.S. Census 

revealed a significantly older population, with 57% of the 

community aged 55 and older, compared to the national 

average of 21.1%. Of the population 18 years of age and 

older, 74.9% had a high school degree or higher, 8.1% 

had a bachelor’s degree or higher, and 4.1% had a 

graduate or professional degree. The national averages 

were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The majority of Harbor’s racial structure was white 

(94.2%), followed by Native American (2.2%), people 

who identified with two or more races (2.1%), people 

who identified with some other race (0.9%), black 

(0.3%), Asian (0.2%), and Pacific Islander (0.1%). 

Ethnicity data indicate 3.1% identified as Hispanic, a 

slight increase (1.1%) over 1990. Less than 5 percent 

(4.1%) were foreign-born, of which 20.6% were born in 

Australia, 20.6% in Mexico, and 38.3% in Canada. The 

community includes a large German population, with 

28.6% regarding it as their first ancestry.

History

The earliest known inhabitants of the BrookingsHarbor area were members of the Chetco Tribe, an 

Athapascan linguistic group who lived along the Chetco 

River and regions of the lower Winchuck River north to 

Cape Ferrelo. Evidence suggests humans first moved 

south through the ice-free routes in central North 

America after crossing the land bridge from Siberia more 

than 10,000 years ago. Their descendants may have first 

come to western Oregon between 1,000 and 3,000 years 

ago. During the late 1800s, the Chetco were probably the 

most numerous of the 12 coastal tribes, but the 

population suffered severe declines following contact 

with Euro-American settlers.1

300 200 100 0 100 200 300

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure

Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

94.2%

Two or more races

2.1%

Other

0.9%

Pacific Islander

0.1%

Black

0.3%

Native

2.2%

Asian

0.2%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Non-Hispanic

96.9%

Hispanic

3.1%
294

Members of the Chetco Tribe utilized resources 

from their natural environment. They cooked by roasting 

over a fire or in pots, made airtight with grass and heated 

with hot stones. Fish, acorns, and elk and deer meat were 

principal sources of subsistence. Most marine resources, 

principally fish and mussels, were likely gathered in 

relatively close proximity to the coast as their boats were 

shallow, hollowed-out logs, and apparently awkward to 

manage on the open ocean. Cultural similarities likely 

were strong between the Chetco and their southern 

neighbors, the Tolowa, who shared the same customs 

regulating social relationships and frequently 

intermarried.2

Euro-American settlers became interested in the 

region in the mid-1800s when explorers discovered gold 

and other precious metals in the rivers and along the 

coastline of what is now Curry County. Initially 

settlement was concentrated along the coasts and 

transport was limited to waterways. Slow development 

of inland transportation routes kept the county relatively 

isolated well into the twentieth century. While there is 

still some mining in the Gasaquet Mountain area, the 

economy has largely reoriented to agriculture, timber, 

and fishing.3

Today, tourism is an increasingly important 

component of the local economy. Yearly festivals and 

events include the 10 kilometer Salmon Run, Chetco 

Village Chowder Cook-Off, Seafood Luncheon, Silver 

Salmon Golf Tournament, and the Fall Harvest Festival. 

The Southern Oregon Kite Festival & Regatta includes 

the Parade of the Fleet, and the Annual Regatta and 

Yacht Races.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 38.5% of 

Harbor’s potential labor force 16 years of age and older 

were employed, 2.6% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 6.3% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

58.9% were not in the labor force. The top employment 

sectors were educational, health, and social services 

(18.2%), accommodation and food services (15.4%), 

retail trade (12.1%), and government (10.5%). Natural 

resource jobs including agriculture, forestry, fishing, and 

hunting industries employed 5.1%, but this percentage 

may be artificially low because many fishermen are selfemployed and are underrepresented in these data.

The major industries in Harbor are recreation and 

tourism, fishing, and lumber. The four largest employers 

in the area are South Coast Lumber Co., Freeman Rock 

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

58.9%

Unemployed

2.6%

Employed

38.5%

Enterprises Inc., Elenwood Cabinets, and Dick & 

Casey’s Gourmet Seafood.4

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the per capita 

income was $16,318 and the median household income 

was $22,829. In 1999 14.8% lived below the poverty 

level. In 2000 there were 1,691 housing units in Harbor, 

of which 78.8% were occupied and 26.9% were vacant. 

Of the occupied units, 80.4% were by owner and 19.6% 

were by renter. Nearly one-half (47.8%) of the vacant 

units were for seasonal, recreational, or occasional use.

Governance

Harbor is an unincorporated, Census Designated 

Place (CDP). Oregon has no general sales tax but levies 

a 1% overnight lodging tax that funds the Oregon 

Tourism Commission. See the Governance subsection 

(page 43) in the Overview section for a more detailed 

discussion of taxes affecting fishermen and processors in 

Oregon.

Harbor is 206.1 miles from the National Marine 

Fisheries Service research station in Newport and 29.2 

miles from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife 

(ODFW) field office in Gold Beach. The U.S. Coast 

Guard Chetco River Station is on Port of BrookingsHarbor property and operates a pair of 47-foot motor 

lifeboats.5

 The nearest U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 

Services Office is in Portland. Meetings of the Pacific 

Fishery Management and North Pacific Fishery 

Management councils are held in Portland.

Facilities

Harbor is accessible by ground and air. U.S. 

Highway 101 connects Harbor to neighboring 

communities. Greyhound provides bus service to nearby 

communities and metropolitan areas. The nearby 

Brookings airport serves small aircraft. The community 

is 356.7 miles from the Portland International Airport.
295

The Harbor and Brookings School districts 

consolidated in 1950. Local schools include two 

elementary schools, one middle school, and one high 

school. The Coos-Curry Electric Cooperative provides 

electricity to residents. The Harbor Water District and 

Harbor Sanitary District provide water and sewer 

services. The Curry County Sheriff Department 

administers local law enforcement. The closest health 

care facility is Sutter Coast Hospital in Crescent City (19 

miles). Lodging accommodations at Harbor include bed 

and breakfasts, hotels, motels, campgrounds and 

recreational vehicle parks, and vacation rentals.

The Port of Brookings-Harbor was created in 1956 

and is classified as shallow-draft. It covers an area of 

400 square miles and represents more than 75% of the 

Curry County population base.6 According to the port, it 

is the busiest recreational port on the Oregon coast, with 

more than 95,000 anglers taking more than 31,000 trips. 

It is also one of the most active Chinook salmon harbors, 

and receives more than 5,000 commercial fishing vessels 

annually.

The port operates its own wireless telecommunications corporation and its own re-lending fund. It is one of 

only two Oregon ports with a license to perform its own 

construction and maintenance. The port also manages a 

9,300-square-foot retail center, leases space to 34 

businesses, and plans an additional 13,000 square feet of 

commercial space.7

 Facilities include a full-service 

marina, six-lane launch ramp, 671 slips, two transient 

docks, fueling facility, launch services, and a full-service 

boat yard with a heavy lift. A recently constructed 

marina includes two basins; Basin One is mainly for 

recreational fishing, while Basin Two supports the 

commercial fishing industry.8

 The nearest ODFW fish 

hatchery is the Elk River Hatchery, located North of 

Harbor along the Elk River in Port Orford.

A marine aquaculture business in Eureka has 

growing areas nearby in Crescent City. Products include 

bay and sea mussels; Eastern, European, and Pacific 

oysters; littleneck, Manila, and Quahog clams; rock 

scallops; ulva; nori; and tube worms.9

 Local 

organizations involved in fisheries-related activities 

include the Brookings Harbor Commercial Fishermen's 

Wives Association and Oregon South Coast Fishermen.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Harbor had at least one processing plant in 2000. 

According to available data, there were no landings 

delivered to Harbor in 2000. Residents owned 25 vessels 

involved in West Coast fisheries, of which 10 

participated in the federally managed groundfish fishery. 

The number of vessels owned by Harbor residents in 

2000 that participated in each fishery by state (WA/OR/

CA) was: crab 0/12/8, groundfish 0/0/NA, highly 

migratory species NA/1/NA, salmon 0/13/4, shellfish 

NA/2/NA, and shrimp NA/6/3.10

Six Harbor residents held five federal groundfish 

fishery permits in 2000. The number of residents holding 

permits in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 

1/12/7, groundfish 0/0/1, highly migratory species NA/0/

4, salmon 0/13/7, shellfish 0/2/NA, shrimp 0/6/4, and 

other species 0/2/2.11

According to available data, 69 permits were 

registered to Harbor residents in 2000, including 64 state 

permits. The number of permits held by community 

members in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 

1/12/7, groundfish 0/0/1, highly migratory species NA/0/

3, salmon 0/13/11, shellfish 0/2/NA, shrimp 0/6/6, and 

other species 0/3/2.12

Sportfishing

In 2003 Harbor had at least one licensed charter 

vessel business, which used Brookings as its homeport. 

Internet fishing guide sources indicate at least two 

sportfishing businesses in Harbor. Presently the 

community has six sportfishing licensing vendors.

Subsistence

Many local community members engage in 

subsistence fishing. Both nontribal and tribal fishermen 

utilize marine and stream resources for subsistence 

means from the areas within and around Harbor. Specific 

information on subsistence fishing in Harbor is not 

discussed in detail in this community profile due to the 

lack of available data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 Harbor residents owned one vessel involved 

in North Pacific fisheries. One community member held 

a crew member license for North Pacific fisheries.

Sportfishing

Harbor had one Alaskan sportfishing guide business 

in 2000. Residents purchased 20 sportfishing licenses for 

Alaskan fisheries.

Notes

1. Curry Coastal Pilot. 2004. First residents were the Chetco. 

Online at http://www.currypilot.com/news/story.cfm?story_no=1495 

[accessed 17 January 2007].

2. See note 1.
296

3. Brookings-Harbor, Oregon. 2004. Curry County history. 

Online at http://arcweb.sos.state.or.us/county/cpcurryhome.html 

[accessed 17 January 2007].

4. Oregon Economic & Community Development Department. 

2004. Newport community profile. Online at http://info.econ.state

.or.us:591/FMPro?-db=Community.fp4&-Format=forms.htm&-lay

=webpage&-op=eq&sort%20name=Brookings&-script=hit%20count

&-Find [accessed 17 January 2007].

5. Port of Brookings Harbor. 2003. About the port. Online at 

http://www.port-brookings-harbor.org/?nav=about [accessed 17 

January 2007].

6. See note 5.

7. Port of Brookings Harbor. 2003. Fishing: recreational. 

Online at http://www.port-brookings-harbor.org/fishing_recreational

.html [accessed 17 January 2007].

8. See note 7.

9. California Department of Fish and Wildlife. 2003. 

Registered marine aquaculture facilities.

10. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

11. See note 10.

12. See note 10.
297

Logsden

People and Place

Location

Logsden is approximately 10 miles inland from the 

north coast of Oregon in Lincoln County and 132 miles 

south of Portland, the closest major metropolitan area. 

The Siletz River skirts the northern and eastern 

boundaries of the community. Logsden covers an area of 

15.19 square miles. Its geographic coordinates are lat 

44°44′36′′N and long 123°47′35′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of Logsden was 251. The gender composition was 

47.1% female and 52.9% male. The median age was 

41.5, older than the national median of 35.3. Of the 

population 18 years of age and older, 66.7% had a high 

school education or higher, 4% had a bachelor’s degree 

or higher, and no one had a graduate or professional 

degree; the national averages were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 

7.8% respectively.

The majority of Logsden’s racial structure was 

white (84.5%), followed by American Indian and Alaska 

Native (9.6%), people who identified with two or more 

races (5.6%), and people who identified with another 

race (0.4%). Ethnicity data indicate 0.4% identified as 

Hispanic, and 2.5% were foreign-born. The five most 

common ancestries, in descending order, were German, 

Russian, Irish, European, English, and French.

In 2000 80.5% of the population lived in family 

households.

History

Long before Euro-Americans came to Lincoln 

County, several branches of the Salish Indians (e.g., 

Tillamook, Nehalem, and Siletz) inhabited the Logsden 

area, hunting and fishing throughout the region. In the 

1850s miners arrived in search of gold in the Yaquina 

River Valley. Increased hostilities between Indians and 

whites motivated the federal government to remove the 

Indians and place them on reservations in Siletz and 

Grand Ronde in 1851. The Siletz Reservation originally 

included the area between Cape Lookout and the mouth 

of the Umpqua River, land that had previously been the 

home of several tribes. More than 50 tribes were moved 

to the reservation, later becoming the Confederated 

Tribes of Siletz Indians.1

In 1865 the reservation was bisected by a railway. 

The southern portion was eventually closed and then 

40 30 20 10 0 10 20 30 40

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure

Male Female

2000 Racial structure

Two or more races

5.6%

White

84.5%

Native

9.6%

Other

0.4%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Hispanic

0.4%

Non-Hispanic

99.6%
298

reopened to white settlement. The Dawes Act of 1887 

reallocated Indian lands, forcing Native people to take 

individual allotments and placing the rest of the land into 

public domain. In 1956 during the era of termination, the 

federal government ended its trust relationship with the 

Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians and sold the 

remaining reservation lands. The Siletz Restoration Act 

of 1977 and the Siletz Reservation Plan restored and 

reasserted Siletz Indian identity.

The main portion of the reservation lies 8 miles west 

of Logsden on the edge of the town of Siletz. Today the 

Confederated Tribes of Siletz controls more than 3,600 

acres, much of it timberland.2 During the latter part of 

this era, the Siletz people “gathered a variety of plants, 

hooked and trapped lamprey, caught salmon, collected 

freshwater mussels, and hunted deer [for subsistence 

purposes]. However, recent declines in lamprey and 

salmon populations have reduced access to these two 

important traditional food sources.”3 The amount of land 

under tribal control has steadily declined since the 1850s. 

Today the tribe’s treaty rights provide fishing privileges 

on central Oregon’s marine and freshwater bodies.

Lincoln County was established in February 1893. 

Key industries during the county’s early years were 

logging, agriculture, dairy farming, and fishing. In 1910 

and 1911 the county became more accessible to outsiders 

when ports were created at Toledo, Newport, and Alsea, 

and a rail line was constructed between central Oregon’s 

coastal communities and Portland. Access to the area 

increased in the 1920s and 1930s as highways and 

bridges were constructed throughout the county. While 

the early industries have risen and fallen in profitability 

over the years, they remain cornerstones of Lincoln 

County’s contemporary economy. In the last two 

decades, the tourism and leisure industries have grown 

and now play a significant role in the economies of many 

communities in Lincoln County.4, 5, 6, 7, 8

Around the turn of the twentieth century, the 

Logsden area was called Upper Farm. Early white 

settlers in the area engaged heavily in logging. Other 

popular industries included milling, farming, rock 

crushing, reforestation, gathering native flora, and 

cascara bark peeling.9 A school opened in Logsden in 

1909 on a tract of land donated to the Lincoln County 

School District. A few years later a new school was built 

in the same area. The Logsden School building stayed in 

operation until 1938. In 1914 George Wilson opened a 

general store in Logsden. Within a short period of time, a 

post office opened in the store.

The government requested the Upper Farm area be 

given a specific name for the operation of the post office. 

The community was first named Orton after Charlie 

Orton, a longtime local resident. Over the next two 

2000 Employment structure

Unemployed

8%

Employed

60.4%

Not in labor force

31.6%

decades, the store and post office served as central points 

in Logsden, although their locations changed several 

times as a result of fire and new ownership. Orton was 

renamed Logsden in the mid-1920s, due to confusion 

with the mail designated for Oretown and Orton. John 

Logsden was one of many Native Americans who once 

lived in the area and were moved to the Siletz 

Reservation in 1857. The town was named Logsden in 

his memory and in honor of Native Americans who lived 

in the area before Euro-American settlers arrived.

The Siletz River has been used for fishing for years, 

offering trout, eel, and during spawning season, salmon 

and steelhead.10 Today the center of Logsden is the 

Logsden Country Store, which houses the post office and 

is open to the community seven days a week. Some 

residents still make a living through logging and 

agriculture; others work in the service sector in nearby 

Toledo and Newport.11

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 60.4% of 

Logsden’s potential labor force 16 years of age and older 

were employed, 8% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 11.7% (calculated by dividing 

the unemployed population by the labor force). In 

addition, 31.6% were not in the labor force. The top 

employment sectors were government (21.2%), the arts, 

entertainment, recreation, accommodation, and food 

industries (19.5%), educational, health, and social 

services (18.6%), and retail trade (15.9%). The 2000 

U.S. Census reported no individuals were employed in 

natural resources jobs including agriculture, fishing, 

forestry, and hunting, but this may not be accurate 

because many fishermen are self-employed and 

underrepresented in the data.
299

Lincoln County’s principal industries in 1998 were 

agriculture, lumber, recreation and tourism, and food 

processing.

The 2000 U.S. Census reported the per capita 

income in 1999 was $18,925 and the median household 

income was $47,727, compared to the national median 

household income of $41,994. In 1999 7.5% lived below 

the poverty level. Logsden had 114 housing units in 

2000, of which 89.5% were occupied and 10.5% were 

vacant. Of the occupied units, 81.4% were by owner and 

18.6% were by renter. Of the vacancies, 50% were due 

to seasonal, recreational, or occasional use.

Governance

Logsden is an unincorporated area under the 

jurisdiction of Lincoln County. Lincoln County is 

governed by a board of three commissioners. Oregon has 

no general sales tax but levies a 1% overnight lodging tax 

that funds the Oregon Tourism Commission. See the 

Governance subsection (page 43) in the Overview 

section for a more detailed discussion of taxes affecting 

fishermen and processors in Oregon.

The nearest office of the National Marine Fisheries 

Service is 21 miles away in Newport. The Oregon 

Department of Fish and Wildlife is headquartered in 

Salem, but operates a marine resources program in 

Newport, which is also home to a U.S. Coast Guard 

Station. The district office of the U.S. Citizenship and 

Immigration Services is in Portland, which also hosts 

meetings of the Pacific Fishery Management and North 

Pacific Fishery Management councils.

Facilities

Logsden is located along route Oregon State Route 

411, approximately 8 miles east of Siletz. The 

community is accessible primarily by ground, but nearby 

airports are in Newport (21 miles) and Corvallis (48 

miles). The nearest international airport is in Portland.

Logsden students attend public schools in nearby 

Siletz, Eddyville, Newport, and Toledo. Logsden has a 

kindergarten through twelfth grade parochial school. 

Consumer Power provides electrical service. Logsden’s 

water supply comes from local groundwater sources. 

The closest regional hospital is 48 miles away in 

Corvallis, while other smaller hospitals are in Newport 

and Lincoln City (46 miles). The Lincoln County 

Sheriff’s Office administers law enforcement. Available 

data indicates Logsden has no overnight 

accommodations; however, Toledo and Newport have a 

variety of overnight facilities (hotels, rentals, recreational 

vehicle facilities, etc.).

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

No commercial landings were made in Logsden in 

the 2000; however, community members did participate 

in West Coast commercial fisheries that year.

Residents owned five vessels that participated in the 

region’s fisheries. All took part in the federally managed 

groundfish fishery. The number of vessels owned by 

Logsden residents participating in each fishery by state 

(WA/OR/CA) was: crab 0/2/0, groundfish 0/0/NA, 

highly migratory species NA/0/NA, salmon 0/6/2, 

shellfish NA/0/NA, and shrimp NA/0/0.12

A Logsden resident held one federal groundfish 

fishery permit in 2000. The number of individual 

community members holding state permits in each 

fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 0/2/0, highly 

migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 0/5/3, and shellfish 0/

0/NA.13

At least five permits were registered to Logsden 

residents in 2000, of which four were registered state 

permits. Recorded data indicates the number of state 

permits held by community members in each fishery by 

state (WA/OR/CA) was: highly migratory species NA/0/

0, salmon 0/0/4, and shrimp 0/0/NA.14

Sportfishing

At present Logsden has one sportfishing license 

vendor. In 2000 active agents sold 126 licenses for a 

value of $2,182.

Subsistence

Local community members, tribal and nontribal, 

may be engaged in subsistence fishing in Logsden and 

the surrounding area. Specific information on 

subsistence fishing in Logsden is not discussed in detail 

in this community profile due to the lack of available 

data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Available data indicates Logsden residents were 

minimally involved in the North Pacific’s commercial 

fisheries during 2000. One community member held a 

crew member license for the region’s fisheries.

Sportfishing

Logsden residents purchased three Alaska 

sportfishing licenses in 2000.
300

Notes

1. The Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians. 1999. Geographic 

areas of tribal interest ordinance: Siletz tribal code §4.100. The 

Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon: tribal government 

operations. Online at http://www.tribalresourcecenter.org/ccfolder/

silcode11geo.htm [accessed 19 January 2007].

2. Siletz Community Health Clinic. 2003. About the tribe. 

Online at http://www.npaihb.org/profiles/tribal_profiles/Oregon/

Confederated%20Tribes%20of%20Siletz%20Indians%20Tribal

%20Profile.htm [accessed 19 January 2007].

3. R. Garono and L. Brophy. 1999. Rock Creek (Siletz) 

watershed assessment final report. Online at http://www.earthdesign

.com/rockcreek/DRAFT.PDF [accessed 19 January 2007].

4. Oregon Historical County Records Guide. No date. Lincoln 

County history. Online at http://arcweb.sos.state.or.us/county/

cplincolnhome.html [accessed 19 January 2007].

5. M. Guardino III and Rev. M. Riedel. Sovereigns of 

themselves: A liberating history of Oregon and its coast. Vol. IV. 

Online at http://www2.wi.net/~census/lesson37.html [accessed 19 

January 2007].

6. Field notes, Siletz Tribe Fish and Wildlife Officer, Siletz, WA, 

23 August 2004.

7. Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board. 2003. 

Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians. Online at http://

www.npaihb.org/profiles/tribal_profiles/Oregon/Confederated

%20Tribes%20of%20Siletz%20Indians%20Tribal%20Profile.htm 

[accessed 19 January 2007].

8. The Confederated Tribes of Siletz. No date. Confederated 

Tribes of Siletz-history and culture. Online at http://www.ctsi.nsn.us

.html [accessed 19 January 2007].

9. G. Castle and V. Kentta. 1976. History of the Siletz area, No. 

VIII. The document was obtained from Jodi Weeber, Oregon Coast 

History Center, Newport, OR.

10. V. Kentta. 1968. Logsden store to move again about June 1. 

Newport News-Times, April 18.

11. S. Steve. 1993. Logsden country store ownership changes, 

but stays in family. Newport News-Times, August 25.

12. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

13. See note 12.

14. See note 12.
301

Monument

People and Place

Location

Monument is located in Grant County along 

Kimberly-Long Creek Highway and the North Fork of 

the John Day River, approximately 231 miles east of 

Portland. The community encompasses 0.54 square mile 

of land. The geographic coordinates of Monument are lat 

44°49′10′′N, long 119°25′12′′W. 

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of Monument was 151, a 6.8% decrease from 1990. The 

gender structure was 45.7% female and 54.3% male. The 

median age was 34.9, comparable to the national median 

of 35.3. Of the population 18 years of age and older, 

86.7% had a high school education or higher, 6.7% had a 

bachelor’s degree or higher, and 2.5% had a graduate or 

professional degree; the national averages were 79.7%, 

22.3%, and 7.8% respectively. A high school education 

was the highest attainment for 39.2% of residents.

The majority of Monument’s racial composition was 

white, (95.4%), followed by American Indian and Alaska 

Native (4.0%), and people who identified with two or 

more races (0.7%).

In 2000 77.5% of the population lived in family 

households.

History

The Grant County area where Monument is located 

is well-known for the John Day Fossil Beds. Bones, 

plants, and other organic materials dating from the 

Cenozoic Period (65 million years ago) are preserved in 

volcanic ash. More than 14,000 acres of the area’s fossil 

beds were designated a federal national monument in 

1974.

Umatilla Indians resided in the area long before 

contact with Euro-Americans. When gold was 

discovered in 1862 near present-day Canyon City, 

thousands of explorers and settlers, including many 

Chinese, came to the area. Also in 1862 F.C. Trowbridge 

filed the first homestead claim in Grant County. The 

gold mining boom played out quickly and by the 1870s 

farming, ranching, and logging had become the economic 

mainstays. Grant County, named for General Ulysses S. 

Grant, was created in 1864 by annexing portions of 

Wasco and Umatilla counties.1 Today Monument’s 

economy relies on timber, farming, and ranching, and is 

15 10 5 0 5 10 15

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure

Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

95.4%

Native

4%

Two or more races

0.7%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Hispanic

0%

Non-Hispanic

100%
302

connected to the economies of John Day and Canyon 

City, the county’s two largest cities.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 38% of 

Monument’s potential labor force 16 years of age and 

older were employed, 14.9% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 28.1% (calculated by dividing 

the unemployed population by the labor force). The 

jobless rate was more than four times the national 

average (5.7%). In addition, 47.1% were not in the labor 

force. The top employment sectors were local, state, or 

federal government (37%) and education, health, and 

social services (32.6%). Natural resource jobs including 

agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting employed 13%, 

but this percentage may be artificially low because many 

fishermen and agriculture workers are self-employed and 

are underrepresented in the data.

The three largest employers in Monument in 2002 

were Columbia Power Cooperative (12), Monument 

School District (22), and Boyer Store (gas/fuel, 4).2

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the per capita 

income in 1999 was $15,814 and the median household 

income was $24,000. In 1999 17.1% of the population 

lived below the poverty level, higher than the national 

average of 12.4%. In 2000 there were 81 housing units in 

Monument, of which 84% were occupied and 16% were 

vacant. Of the occupied units, half (50%) were by owner 

and half were by renter. Slightly under half (46.2%) of 

the vacancies were classified as “rented or sold, not 

occupied.”

Governance

Monument incorporated in 1947.3 Oregon has no 

general sales tax but levies a 1% tax on overnight 

lodging. See the Governance subsection (page 43) in the 

Overview section for a more detailed discussion of taxes 

affecting fishermen and processors in Oregon.

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has 

offices in Portland, as does the U.S. Citizen and 

Immigration Services. Meetings of the Pacific Fishery 

Management and North Pacific Fishery Management 

councils are also held in Portland.

Facilities

Monument is accessible primarily by road. The 

community is on the Kimberly-Long Creek Highway that 

runs west from U.S. Highway 395. There is no bus 

service in the community. The nearest service 

(Greyhound) is 112 miles away in Prineville. The 

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

47.1%

Unemployed

14.9%

Employed

38%

Eastern Oregon Regional Airport in Pendleton (72 miles) 

offers commercial flights, and Monument Municipal 

Airport, 1 mile from town, serves as a public-use airport. 

Portland International Airport is 231 miles to the 

northwest.

The Monument School District offers instruction 

from kindergarten through twelfth grade. In 2000 the 

District had 9 certified staff members and 84 students.4 

Eastern Oregon University, 99 miles away in La Grande, 

has a full-time enrollment of approximately 2,200. The 

Grant County Library in John Day provides monthly 

bookmobile service. The Monument Water Department 

supplies water (well and groundwater) and the Columbia 

Basin Electric Cooperative provides electricity. There is 

no local natural gas company. The Monument Fire 

Department provides emergency services to the 

community, and the Grant County Sheriff’s Department 

and Oregon State Police administer public safety. 

Pioneer Memorial Hospital is 37 miles away in Heppner 

and the Blue Mountain Hospital District is 44 miles away 

in John Day.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

According to available data, there were no seafood 

processors in Monument in 2000. Monument residents 

owned nine commercial vessels that participated in West 

Coast fisheries in 2000. There were no landings in the 

community. The number of vessels owned by Monument 

residents participating in each fishery by state (WA/OR/

CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/3/0, groundfish 0/0/NA, 

highly migratory species NA/0/NA, salmon 0/2/0, 

shellfish NA/0/NA, and shrimp NA/4/7.5

The number of residents holding permits in each 

fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: highly migratory 

species NA/0/0, salmon 0/1/0, and shellfish 0/0/NA.6 A 
303

Monument resident held at least one state registered 

commercial fishing permit in 2000. The number of 

permits held by Monument residents in each fishery by 

state (WA/OR/CA) was: highly migratory species NA/0/

0, salmon 0/1/0, and shellfish 0/0/NA.7

Sportfishing

At least one registered guide business operated out 

of Monument in 2000.

Subsistence

Subsistence harvest by both tribal and nontribal 

fishermen for marine species may exist in the Monument 

area. Specific information on subsistence fishing in 

Monument is not discussed in detail in this community 

profile due to the lack of available data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 a Monument resident owned one vessel that 

participated in North Pacific fisheries. One resident also 

held permits for North Pacific fisheries.

Residents held two commercial fishing permits for 

North Pacific fisheries in 2000. Both were Commercial 

Fisheries Entry Commission (CFEC) permits; one for 

Gulf of Alaska groundfish, the other for salmon.

Sportfishing

In 2000 there were no data available specifically on 

the involvement in Alaskan recreational fisheries by 

Monument residents.

Notes

1. Grant County Chamber of Commerce. 2005. No title. The 

history of Grant County, Oregon, 1862-1983. See also Grant County 

Oliver Museum, 1983. Online at http://www.grantcounty.cc/land/ 

[accessed 22 January 2007].

2. Oregon Economic and Community Development Department. 

2006. Monument community profile. Online at http://info.econ.state

.or.us:591/FMPro?-db=Community.fp4&-Format=forms.htm&-lay

=webpage&-op=eq&sort%20name=Monument&-script=hit%20count

&-Find [accessed 22 January 2007].

3. See note 2.

4. See note 2.

5. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

6. See note 5.

7. See note 5.
304

Newport and South Beach

Newport and South Beach are intertwined 

communities on the central Oregon coast. Fieldwork 

indicates the geographic community of South Beach lies 

partially within the city limits of Newport, complicating 

the question of whether they should be profiled 

separately or together. The two communities share a 

common history and their contemporary economies are 

closely linked, but South Beach is treated separately in 

the fisheries data reporting systems that provide much of 

the data, due in part to self-reporting of addresses on 

fishing permits and vessel owner documentation. U.S. 

Census data for 2000 is available for Newport. South 

Beach, however, is not classified as a place by the U.S. 

Census and demographic data therefore had to be 

obtained via tabulation of the postal zip code for South 

Beach: 97366. The Newport and South Beach 

community profiles were combined to provide a 

complete understanding of the area's involvement in and 

dependence on West Coast and North Pacific fisheries. 

People and Place

Location

Newport is located in Lincoln County at the mouth 

of the Yaquina River. The northern portion of 

unincorporated South Beach is within the City of 

Newport’s boundaries. The nearest major metropolitan 

area is Portland, 136 miles to the northeast. Newport 

encompasses 8.9 square miles of land and 1.6 square 

miles of water. The geographic coordinates of Newport 

are lat 44o38′13′′N and long 124o03′08′′W. South Beach 

encompasses a land area of 16.9 square miles. Its 

geographic coordinates are lat 44°36′46′′N, long 

124°02′51′′W.

Demographic Profile (Newport)

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of Newport was 9,532, a 13% increase from 1990. The 

gender composition was 51.1% female and 48.9% male. 

The median age was 40.9, compared to the national 

median of 35.3, and 41.4% of the population was 

between the ages of 40 and 64 years old, compared to the 

national average of 30%. The 65 and older age group 

represented 17.2% of the total population, while the 

national average for this age group was 12.4%. Of the 

population 18 years of age and older, 82.6% had a high 

school education or higher, 24.7% had a bachelor’s 

degree or higher, and 10.8% had a graduate or 

professional degree; the national averages were 79.7%, 

22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

800 600 400 200 0 200 400 600 800

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Newport population structure Male Female

2000 Newport racial structure

White

88.6%

Two or more races

3%

Pacific Islander

0.2%

Other

3.9%

Black

0.5%

Native

2.2%

Asian

1.7%

2000 Newport Hispanic ethnicity

Hispanic

9%

Non-Hispanic

91%
305

The majority of Newport’s racial structure was 

white (88.6%), followed by people who identified with 

another race (3.9%), people who identified with two or 

more races (3.0%), Native American (2.2%), Asian 

(1.7%), black (0.5%), and Pacific Islander (0.2%). Nine 

percent identified themselves as Hispanic, an increase 

from 3.5% in 1990. The 2000 U.S. Census also 

identified 6.6% of the inhabitants as foreign-born, of 

which 72.9% were born in Mexico.

Demographic Profile (South Beach)

The population of South Beach in 2000, based on 

zip code tabulation that includes some Newport residents, 

was 1,109, with a gender distribution of 51.2% female 

and 48.8% male. The median age of 47.5 years was older 

than the national median age of 35.3. Of the population 

18 years of age and older, 94.4% had a high school 

education or higher, 20.2% had a bachelor’s degree or 

higher, and 8.3% had a graduate or professional degree; 

the national averages were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% 

respectively.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the majority of 

the South Beach racial structure, based on zip code 

tabulation which includes some Newport residents, was 

white (96.6%), followed by people who identified with 

two more races (1.8%), black (0.1%), Native Hawaiian 

and other Pacific Islander (0.1%), Asian (0.7%), 

American Indian and Alaska Native (0.6%), and people 

who identified with some other race (0.1%). 

Approximately 2% of the population was Hispanic. Only 

1% of the community’s population was foreign-born. 

The five most common ancestries, in descending order, 

were English, German, United States or American, Irish, 

and European.

In 2000 82.5% of South Beach’s population lived in 

family households.

History (Newport and South Beach)

Thousands of years before Euro-American 

settlements, ancestors of the Siletz people inhabited the 

coastal areas that include Tillamook, Lincoln, and Lane 

Counties. European miners arrived in the 1850s to 

search for gold in the Yaquina River Valley. Increased 

hostilities between natives and Europeans motivated the 

federal government to remove the Indians and place them 

on the Siletz and Grand Ronde reservations in 1851. The 

Siletz Reservation originally included the area between 

Cape Lookout and the mouth of the Umpqua River, land 

that had previously been the home of several tribes. 

More than 50 tribes were moved to the reservation to 

become the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians.1

 

During the latter part of the historic era the Siletz peoples 

“gathered a variety of plants, hooked and trapped 

150 100 50 0 50 100 150

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 South Beach population structure

Male Female

2000 South Beach racial structure

Pacific Islander

0.1%

Other

0.1%

Two or more races

1.8%

Native

0.6%

Asian

0.7%

Black

0.1%

White

96.6%

2000 South Beach Hispanic ethnicity

Non-Hispanic

97.9%

Hispanic

2.1%
306

lamprey, caught salmon, collected freshwater mussels, 

and hunted deer (for subsistence purposes). However, 

recent declines in lamprey and salmon populations have 

reduced access to these two important traditional food 

sources.”2

The amount of land under tribal control has steadily 

declined since Indians were forced onto the reservation in 

1855. In 1865 the reservation was bisected by a railway. 

The southern portion was later closed and then reopened 

to Euro-American settlement. The Dawes Act of 1887 

reallocated Indian lands, forcing Native people to take 

individual allotments and placing the rest of the land in 

the public domain. In 1956, during the era of 

termination, the federal government ended its trust 

relationship with the Confederated Tribes of Siletz 

Indians and sold the remaining reservation lands. The 

Siletz Restoration Act of 1977 and the Siletz Reservation 

Plan restored and reasserted Siletz Indian identity. The 

reservation presently contains more than 3,600 acres of 

land3

 located 12 miles northeast of South Beach in Siletz. 

Today treaty rights give the tribe fishing privileges on 

central Oregon’s marine and freshwater bodies.4, 5, 6, 7, 8

In the late nineteenth century, Yaquina Bay in 

Newport was visited by passing sailing vessels headed 

for a nearby military garrison. The Newport area opened 

to European settlement in 1864 and became incorporated 

in 1882. Sam Case named the small hamlet after his 

favorite town in Rhode Island. He later constructed 

Newport’s first tourist resort. Summer tourists from the 

Willamette Valley stayed at this and other resorts on the 

bay front. The first Euro-American to settle in South 

Beach was Lemuel E. Davis in 1866. Davis ran a ferry 

between there and Newport, bringing tourists, campers, 

and sport fishermen to the area. He also rented boats to 

the public for fishing and touring.

In the 1860s an oyster industry developed on 

Yaquina Bay, shipping products to populated areas on the 

West Coast, such as San Francisco. Yaquina Bay spurred 

a strong fishing industry, boosting the economies of 

towns such as Newport and Toledo. Although no 

information could be found, it is likely residents of South 

Beach landed fish in the bay during this time. Over the 

next several decades, the community went through 

several boom and bust cycles. The construction of a jetty 

and a rail connection brought money and people to the 

area for a short time. This era of growth ended when the 

government withdrew funding for the jetty.9

Since the Newport and South Beach area was first 

settled, fishing, tourism, and logging have defined the 

community and continue to define it today. Historically, 

the bay front was the economic hub of Newport, housing 

wood product industries and a commercial fishing port. 

Electricity later provided the means for refrigeration and 

2000 Newport employment structure

Not in labor force

37.3%

Unemployed

5.7%

Employed

57.1%

2000 South Beach employment structure

Not in labor force

36.3%

Unemployed

2.6%

Employed

61.1%

large scale development of the seafood industry. The 

Yaquina Head Lighthouse, dredging, and jetty 

construction made Yaquina Bay an attractive shipping 

port. Today the bay front is still home to one of the 

state’s largest commercial fishing fleets. It also includes 

fish processing plants, shops, art galleries, restaurants, 

and other family attractions.

The Nye Beach area within Newport was once 

separate from the bay front. In the 1890s, Newport began 

to outgrow the bay front, and a wood plank road was 

constructed to connect the two areas. By the early 1900s 

Nye Beach, with its sea baths, taffy stores, and agate 

shops, became the number one visitor attraction on the 

coast. It was known for its rooming houses, resorts, and 

a large sanatorium built by Herbert Hoover’s stepfather, 

Dr. Henry J. Minthorn. Newport is now a haven for 

artists with its numerous galleries and the Newport 

Performing Arts and Visual Arts Center.10

Lincoln County was established 20 February 1893. 

Key industries during the county’s early years were 

logging, agriculture, dairy farming, and fishing. In 1910 
307

and 1911 the county became more accessible to outsiders 

when ports were created at Toledo, Newport, and Alsea, 

and a rail line was constructed between central Oregon’s 

coastal communities and Portland. World War I brought 

activity to the area when the military stationed 100 men 

there to build a saw mill and a rail line. With the 

departure of the military after the war, the community’s 

economy stagnated again.

The construction of the Roosevelt Military 

Highway, now known as U.S. Highway 101, occurred 

between 1919 and 1936. Completion of the Yaquina Bay 

Bridge not only increased the speed of travel along the 

coast, it also changed the face of Newport. Without the 

need for the ferry from Yaquina City, the bay front lost 

its role as the center of travel. Businesses moved from 

Nye Beach and the bay front to along the highway. The 

result was the end of a dividing line between the two 

areas and the development of a new, connected 

Newport.11

Economic growth occurred again during World War 

II, which prompted construction of an airport by the 

federal government for defense purposes in 1943. In 

1947 a Toledo lumber company built a dock at South 

Beach where lumber from barges could be off-loaded 

onto ships. The 1950s brought a movie theatre and 

several other service outlets and by the 1960s, South 

Beach was considered an extension of Newport.12 While 

logging, agriculture, dairy farming, and fishing have 

risen and fallen in their profitability over the years, they 

remain cornerstones of the county’s contemporary 

economy. In the last two decades, however, the tourism 

and leisure industries have grown to play a significant 

role in the economies of many communities in Lincoln 

County, including Newport and South Beach.

In the early 1980s local business and government 

leaders joined forces to develop a community 

revitalization plan to reduce the community’s 

dependence on the natural resource-based fishing and 

tourism industries. The new plan developed Newport as 

a destination resort and research center. These 

developments included expanding the research facilities 

of Oregon State University’s Hatfield Marine Science 

Center and the Oregon Coast Aquarium. The 

contemporary Marine Science Center houses a number of 

federal agencies, including the National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration, the Oregon Department of 

Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and 

the Environmental Protection Agency.13, 14

Newport prides itself in and protects its “working 

waterfront,” realizing that the seafood industry is at the 

core of Newport’s history and culture. Tourism on the 

historic bay front compliments its mixed use. While new 

revitalization plans have enhanced the local tourism 

economy, they have also increased tensions between the 

tourism and seafood industries. Fieldwork suggests 

while there is congestion on the bay front between trucks, 

personal vehicles, and visitor parking, this also has been 

part of the bay front’s ambience and attraction.15

Tourists to Newport enjoy yearly festivals that 

include the Seafood and Wine Festival, the Taste of 

Newport, the Tuna Canning Festival, and the Newport 

Loyalty Days and Seafair Festival. Other events include 

Oregon Lighthouse Week, Stories by the Sea, Oyster 

Cloyster on the Oregon Coast, the Newport Clambake 

and Seafood BBQ, the Blessing of the Fleet, and the 

Lighted Boat Parade.16

Infrastructure

Current Economy (Newport)

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 57.1% of 

Newport’s potential labor force 16 years of age and older 

were employed, 5.7% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 9% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

37.3% were not in the labor force. The top employment 

sectors were government (19.7%), educational, health, 

and social services (19.1%), and entertainment, 

recreation, and accommodation and food services 

(17.9%). Natural resource jobs including agriculture, 

forestry, fishing, and hunting industries employed 3.8%, 

but this percentage may be artificially low because many 

fishermen are self-employed and are underrepresented in 

the data.

The major industries in Newport are tourism, 

fishing, and wood products.17 Top employers in the area 

include Ocean Beauty Seafoods, Pacific Shrimp 

Company (formerly Newport Shrimp Company), Depoe 

Bay Fish Company (recently purchased by Trident 

Seafoods Corporation), and Mo’s Enterprises.18

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the per capita 

income was $20,580 in 1999 and the median household 

income was $31,996. In 1999 14.4% lived below 

poverty level. In 2000 Newport had 5,034 housing units, 

of which 81.7% were occupied and 18.3% were vacant. 

Of the occupied units, 51.9% were by owner and 48.1% 

were by renter.

Current Economy (South Beach)

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 61.1% of the 

South Beach potential labor force 16 years of age and 

older were employed, 2.6% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate, based on zip code tabulation that 

includes some Newport residents, was 4.1% (calculated 

by dividing the unemployed population by the labor 
308

force). In addition, 36.3% were not in the labor force. 

The zip code tabulation indicates the top employment 

sectors were government (22.9%), the arts, 

entertainment, recreation, accommodation, and food 

(20.2%), educational, health, and social services (14.6%), 

and retail trade (13.7%). Natural resource jobs including 

agriculture, fishing, forestry, and hunting employed 6%, 

but this may be artificially low for the same reasons as 

Newport.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the per capita 

income in 1999 was $18,031 and the median household 

income was $31,591. By comparison, the national per 

capita income was $21,587 and the national median 

household income was $41,994. In 1999 approximately 

13% lived below the poverty level. In 2000 South Beach 

had 611 housing units, of which 78.4% were occupied 

and 21.6% were vacant. Of the occupied units, 79.7% 

were by owner and 20.3% were by renter. In addition, 

70.5% of the vacancies were due to seasonal, 

recreational, or occasional use.

Governance (Newport and South Beach)

Newport is an incorporated city that operates under 

a council-manager charter. South Beach is 

unincorporated. The portion of South Beach that falls 

under the jurisdiction of Lincoln County is governed by a 

board of three commissioners. The northern portion of 

the community falls within the City of Newport. South 

Beach and the City of Newport levy a 6% lodging tax. 

Oregon does not levy a general sales tax, but does have a 

1% overnight lodging tax that funds the Oregon Tourism 

Commission. See the Governance subsection (page 43) 

in the Overview section for a more detailed discussion of 

taxes affecting fishermen and processors in Oregon.

A Northwest Fisheries Science Center field station 

of the National Marine Fisheries Service is located in 

Newport. Newport is also home to an ODFW field office 

located in South Beach, as well as its Marine Resources 

Program. The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Yaquina Bay 

Station has had a presence in Newport for more than 100 

years and a USCG helicopter is stationed at the Newport 

Municipal Airport. Newport and South Beach are 137 

miles from the closest U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 

Services Office in Portland. Meetings of the Pacific 

Fishery Management and North Pacific Fishery 

Management councils are also held in Portland.

Facilities (Newport and South Beach)

Newport is accessible by land, air, and sea. 

Greyhound provides bus service to nearby communities 

and to greater metropolitan areas. The local Newport 

Municipal Airport serves small aircraft. The community 

is 149 miles from Portland International Airport. Major 

highways that intersect Newport include U.S. Highway 

101 and Oregon Highway 20.

Local schools include two elementary schools, one 

middle school, and one high school. Students in South 

Beach, located in the Lincoln County School District, 

attend primary and secondary school in Newport, which 

also houses Oregon Coast Community College. Central 

Lincoln People’s Utility District provides electricity and 

the City of Newport and Seal Rock Water District 

provide water and sewer services. Many residents rely 

on septic systems in South Beach. The Newport Police 

Department administers local law enforcement, while the 

Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department administers law 

enforcement in the unincorporated portions of South 

Beach. The closest health care facility is Samaritan 

Pacific Communities Hospital. The closest regional 

hospital is 54 miles away in Corvallis. Newport-South 

Beach area lodging accommodations include more than 

100 bed and breakfasts, condos, hotels, motels, 

campgrounds and recreational vehicle (RV) parks, and 

vacation rentals.

The Port of Newport was incorporated in 1910 and 

covers 59 square miles that include the City of Newport. 

The port also has holdings in South Beach at the Bay 

Boulevard commercial harbor. The port, based in 

Yaquina Bay, was constructed as a deep-water facility to 

provide shipping services to local, regional, and 

international vessels and to service one of the largest 

commercial fishing fleets on the Oregon coast.

Today, the port is restricted in providing shipping 

services due to failing terminal infrastructure; however, it 

is seeking funds for major upgrades to the facility.19 

Terminal facilities include 17 acres with more than 1,000 

feet of waterfront, a 605-foot shipping berth, roll-on/rolloff concrete pad, 265-foot wooden barge berth, 20,000-

square-foot storage/transit warehouse, 9-acre log yard, 

and covered storage. The port is also home to several 

seafood companies with facilities for handling fresh fish 

and shellfish.20

Facilities at the Bay Boulevard commercial harbor 

include 1,400 feet of waterfront property, 220-foot fixed 

service dock with four hoists, 220 feet of floating docks 

for dockside vessel repair, moorage for approximately 

400 commercial fishing vessels, and operations and 

maintenance and administrative buildings. The port has 

land leases with Englund Marine Supply and Yaquina 

Bay Yacht Club that are the beginning of development 

planned at this site.21

The port’s holdings in South Beach include 

approximately 50 acres leased to Oregon State 

University’s Hatfield Marine Science Center and 40 

acres leased to the Oregon Coast Aquarium. Fieldwork 

suggests innovation in the area’s fisheries has resulted in 
309

mutual interaction between fishermen and scientists at 

both the Hatfield Science Center and ODFW. Facilities 

at the 55-acre Port of Newport Marina and RV Park 

include 540 moorage slips with a facility designed to 

accommodate up to five large transient vessels, a 4-lane 

launch ramp and new parking facility, a full-service fuel 

dock, and a public fishing pier.22

Newport is home to the Newport Fishermen’s Wives 

Association, a local group involved in important projects 

including successfully spearheading the effort to station a 

U.S. Coast Guard helicopter at the airport. Because of 

the USCG helicopter, an instrument landing system was 

secured which, in turn, enabled commuter aircraft to 

provide service to the area. The association also supports 

the annual Blessing of the Fleet and Survival Suit Races.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing (Newport)

The fishing economies of Newport and South Beach 

are closely intertwined; for a complete understanding of 

the area’s fisheries, please also see the description of 

commercial fisheries in South Beach (below). 

Commercial fishing in Newport and South Beach 

remains strong but continues to change due to the nature 

of the management system and today’s cultural values. 

Fieldwork indicates many fishermen in both 

communities participate in more than one fishery. The 

diversity of Newport’s fleet enables it to withstand the 

cycles of good and bad years.

Of the 393 vessels that delivered landings to 

Newport in 2000, all were commercially registered. 

Landings in the community were in the following West 

Coast fisheries (data shown represents landings in metric 

tons/value of landings/number of vessels making 

landings): coastal pelagic 158 t/$14,203/17; crab 1,613 t/

$7,474,302/99; groundfish 40,389 t/$9,382,966/179; 

highly migratory species 1,403 t/$2,626,906/180; salmon 

368 t/$1,361,844/181; shellfish confidential/confidential/

2; shrimp 3,628 t/$3,240,124/38; and other species 50 t/

$222,093/106.

Newport residents owned 90 vessels in 2000, of 

which 9 were part of the Groundfish Vessel Buyback 

Program. Residents owned 69 vessels that participated in 

the federally managed groundfish fishery. Recorded data 

indicates the number of vessels owned by Newport 

residents in 2000 that participated in each fishery by state 

(WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/1/0, crab 0/35/3, 

groundfish 0/0/NA, highly migratory species NA/1/NA, 

salmon 0/56/7, shellfish NA/11/NA, shrimp NA/37/3, 

and other species 0/41/0.23

Thirty-one Newport residents held 30 groundfish 

fishery permits in 2000. According to recorded data, the 

number of individual community members holding 

permits in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

coastal pelagic 0/1/0, crab 1/35/3, groundfish 1/0/0, 

highly migratory species NA/2/0, salmon 3/49/12, 

shellfish 0/8/NA, and shrimp 14/35/3.24

According to available data, 277 permits were 

registered to Newport residents in 2000, of which 247 

were registered state permits. The number of permits 

held by these community members in each fishery by 

state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/1/0, crab 1/75/

3, groundfish 3/0/0, highly migratory species NA/2/0, 

salmon 3/52/20, shellfish 0/8/NA, and shrimp 15/60/4.25

Newport had four processor plants that employed at 

least 217 people in 2000. An estimated 11,502,760 

pounds of fish and seafood were processed at a value of 

$18,589,837. A top product processed was Dungeness 

crab with an estimated 1,546,722 pounds at a value of 

$5,600,209. Other important products were sablefish, 

shrimp, Pacific hake, rockfish, and sole; however, their 

total pounds and value cannot be reported due to 

confidentiality. According to internet resources, local 

processors include Oregon Oyster Farm, Trident Seafood 

Corporation, Point Adams Packing Company, Yaquina 

Bay Fish Company, Pacific Shrimp, Oregon Coast 

Seafoods, and Ocean Beauty.26 The nearest ODFW 

hatchery is the Alsea Hatchery, southeast of Newport 

along the Alsea River.

Commercial Fishing (South Beach)

The fishing economies of South Beach and Newport 

are closely intertwined; for a complete understanding of 

the area’s fisheries please see the data on West Coast 

fisheries in the Newport section of this community 

profile. Fieldwork indicates some residents are 

concerned about the impact of the individual fishing 

quota system on the community.

Available data indicates no commercial landings 

were made in South Beach in 2000; however, community 

members did participate in West Coast commercial 

fisheries. In 2000 South Beach’s residents owned 19 

vessels that participated in West Coast fisheries, of which 

13 participated in the federally managed groundfish 

fishery. The number of vessels owned by South Beach 

residents in 2000 that participated in each fishery by state 

(WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic species 0/1/0, crab 0/

15/0, groundfish 0/1/NA, highly migratory species NA/0/

NA, salmon 0/18/1, shellfish NA/1/NA, and shrimp NA/

3/0.27

Five South Beach residents held four federal 

groundfish fishery permits in 2000. The number of 

community members holding state permits in each 

fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 

species 0/2/0, crab 0/2/0, groundfish 0/1/0, highly 
310

migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 0/16/0, shellfish 0/1/

NA, shrimp 0/3/1, and other species 2/0/0.28

At least 13 permits were registered to community 

members in 2000, including 9 state registered permits. 

Recorded data indicates the number of state permits held 

by community members in each fishery by state (WA/

OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/2/0, crab 0/2/0, 

groundfish 0/1/0, highly migratory species NA/0/0, 

shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 0/0/2, and other species 2/0/0.29

Sportfishing (Newport)

Newport had at least two outfitter guide businesses 

in 2003. Eight licensed charter vessel businesses were 

located in the community. Ten licensed charter vessel 

businesses from the communities of Aurora (1), 

Beaverton (1), Brownsville (1), Lincoln City (1), Salem 

(1), Siletz (1), and Toledo (4) used Newport as their 

homeport. Internet fishing guide resources indicate at 

least five sportfishing businesses currently operating in 

Newport.30

Presently, Newport has 13 licensing vendors. In 

2000 active agents sold 4,785 licenses valued at $81,155. 

The 2000 recreational salmonid catch in the Ocean Boat 

Fishery was 1,141 Chinook and 9,124 coho salmon. The 

recreational nonsalmonid catch in the fishery was a total 

of 125,112 fish. The top species landed include black 

rockfish, blue rockfish, lingcod, albacore tuna, Pacific 

halibut, chilipepper rockfish, California halibut, kelp 

greenling, yelloweye rockfish, and yellowtail rockfish.

Sportfishing (South Beach)

South Beach is primarily a recreational harbor. 

Residents store sportfishing boats in South Beach and 

travel to Newport to pick up passengers. In 2000 South 

Beach had one registered outfitter guide business. In 

2004 two sportfishing license vendors operated in South 

Beach. Active agents sold 809 sportfishing licenses at a 

value of $12,049.

Subsistence (Newport and South Beach)

Many local community members engage in 

subsistence fishing. Both nontribal and tribal fishermen, 

including members of the Confederated Tribe of the 

Siletz, utilize fishery resources for subsistence means 

from the areas within and surrounding Newport. 

Members of the Siletz Tribe may engage in cultural 

fishing in Euchre Creek Falls, Dewey Creek Falls, and at 

a site in Rock Creek.31 Under the trust doctrine, the 

federal government is charged to protect tribal resources 

and by constitutional mandate to protect natural 

resources. The government-to-government agreements 

made between tribal groups and the United States 

through treaties guarantee fishing rights on traditional 

grounds. Specific information on subsistence fishing in 

Newport and South Beach is not discussed in detail in 

this community profile due to the lack of available data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing (Newport)

In 2000 Newport residents owned 33 vessels 

involved in North Pacific fisheries. They landed fish in 

the following fisheries (data shown represents landings in 

metric tons/value of landings/number of vessels landing): 

crab 1,461 t/$9,422,080/13, Bering Sea and Aleutian 

Islands (BSAI) groundfish 38,640 t/$12,077,360/17, 

other finfish 8 t/$31,000/12, and Gulf of Alaska (GOA) 

groundfish 14,557 t/$5,444,850/17. Landings also 

included halibut 433 t/$2,414,360/11, herring 

confidential/confidential/2, salmon 93 t/$135,780/7, and 

shellfish 20 t/$68,290/7.

In 2000 31 Newport residents held registered state 

permits and 66 held registered federal permits for North 

Pacific fisheries. A total of 128 permits were registered 

to individuals in Newport in 2000. Newport community 

members held 15 crab and 28 groundfish License 

Limitation Program (LLP) permits. Residents also held 6 

halibut, 24 BSAI groundfish, 1 shellfish, and 4 salmon 

Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission (CFEC) 

permits. The halibut and sablefish individual fishing 

quota shares for people residing in the community were 

5,822,206 and 952,559 respectively.

Forty-two residents held North Pacific crew member 

licenses.

Commercial Fishing (South Beach)

Residents owned at least two vessels that 

participated in North Pacific fisheries in 2000. Residents 

landed fish in the following fisheries (data shown 

represents landings in metric tons/value of landings/

number of vessels landing): other finfish confidential/

confidential/1, GOA groundfish confidential/

confidential/1, halibut confidential/confidential/1, and 

salmon confidential/confidential/1.

In 2000 seven residents held federal permits, and 

three held state permits for North Pacific fisheries. 

Eleven permits (state and federal) were registered to 

residents. South Beach community members held one 

crab and three groundfish License Limitation Program 

permits (LLP). Residents also held three Bering Sea and 

Aleutian Islands (BSAI) groundfish CFEC Permits and 

4,121 halibut individual fishing quota shares.

In 2000 five South Beach residents held crew 

member licenses for North Pacific fisheries.
311

Sportfishing (Newport and South Beach)

Newport residents purchased 69 sportfishing 

licenses for Alaskan fisheries in 2000, while South Beach 

residents purchased 8 licenses.

Notes

1. The Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians. 1999. Geographic 

areas of tribal interest ordinance: Siletz tribal code §4.100. The 

Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon: Tribal government 

operations. Online at http://www.tribalresourcecenter.org/ccfolder/

silcode11geo.htm [accessed 22 January 2007].

2. R. Garono and L. Brophy. 1999. Rock Creek (Siletz) 

watershed assessment final report. Online at http://www.earthdesign

.com/rockcreek/DRAFT.PDF [accessed 22 January 2007].

3. Siletz Community Health Clinic. 2003. About the tribe. 

Online at http://www.npaihb.org/profiles/tribal_profiles/Oregon/

Confederated%20Tribes%20of%20Siletz%20Indians%20Tribal

%20Profile.htm [accessed 22 January 2007].

4. Oregon Historical County Records Guide. No date. Lincoln 

County history. Online at http://arcweb.sos.state.or.us/county/

cplincolnhome.html [accessed 22 January 2007].

5. C. Guardino III and Rev. M. Riedel. Sovereigns of 

themselves: A liberating history of Oregon and its coast. Vol. IV. 

Online at http://www2.wi.net/~census/lesson37.html [accessed 22 

January 2007].

6. Field notes, Siletz Tribe Fish and Wildlife Officer, Siletz, OR, 

24 August 2004.

7. Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board. 2003. 

Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians. Online at http://www.npaihb

.org/profiles/tribal_profiles/Oregon/Confederated%20Tribes%20of

%20Siletz%20Indians%20Tribal%20Profile.htm [accessed 22 

January 2007].

8. The Confederated Tribes of Siletz. No date. Confederated 

Tribes of Siletz-history and culture. Online at http://www.ctsi.nsn.us/

History_and_Culture.html [accessed 22 January 2007].

9. S. Wyatt. 2000. South Beach: A hard scrabble history. The 

Bay Front. Vol. X, No. 9.

10. Oregon Coast Visitors Association. 2003. Newport: About 

Newport. Online at http://www.visittheoregoncoast.com/

home.cfm?dir_cat=15366&gal_col=13 [accessed 22 January 2007].

11. Greater Newport Chamber of Commerce. No date. History. 

Online at http://www.newportchamber.org/relocate/

home.cfm?dir_cat=19072&gal_col=6 [accessed 22 January 2007].

12. See note 9.

13. Greater Newport Chamber of Commerce. No date. 

Economy. Online at http://www.newportchamber.org/relocate/

?dir_cat=19068&gal_col=5 [accessed- 22 January 2007].

14. Oregon State University Hatfield Marine Science Center. 

2001. General information. Online at http://hmsc.oregonstate.edu/

overview.html [accessed 22 January 2007].

15. K. Holmes (ed). Faces of the fisheries: Newport. North 

Pacific Fishery Management Council. Seattle. Winterholm Press, 

1994.

16. See note 10.

17. City of Newport. 2004. About Newport: City of Newport. 

Online at http://www.discovernewport.com/about/city.asp [accessed 

22 January 2007].

18. Oregon Economic & Community Development Department. 

2004. Newport community profile. Online at http://econ.oregon.gov/

ECDD/about_us.shtml [accessed 22 January 2007].

19. Port of Newport, Newport, OR. Pers. commun., 18 April 

2006.

20. NOAA Coastal Services Center. 2002. Yaquina Estuary 

Port and Harbor community profile. Online at http://www.csc.noaa

.gov/products/tsunamis/htm/cascadia/np_prof.htm [accessed 22 

January 2007].

21. See note 19.

22. See note 19.

23. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few recorded permit numbers or the partially permitted nature of a 

fishery in 2000.

24. See note 23.

25. See note 23.

26. Sportfishing businesses determined via internet search. 

Online at http://uci.net/~dcrab/maplink.html; http://www

.newportnet.com/bus/home.cfm?dir_cat=2844&gal_col=4; http://

www.oregonoyster.com/Handle.htm [accessed 22 January 2007].

27. See note 23.

28. See note 23.

29. See note 23

30. Sportfishing businesses determined via internet search. 

Online at http://www.fishhoo.com; http://www.landbigfish.com 

[accessed 22 January 2007].

31. See note 1.
312

North Bend

People and Place

Location

North Bend is located in Coos County 

approximately 217 miles south of Portland and 534 miles 

north of San Francisco. The community encompasses 

3.9 square miles of land and 1.17 square miles of water. 

The geographic coordinates of North Bend are lat 

43°24′24′′N, long 124°13′23′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of North Bend was 9,544. The gender composition was 

52.6% female and 47.4% male. The median age was 

39.6, higher than the national median age of 35.3. Of the 

population age 18 and older, 61.8% had a high school 

education or higher, 11.5% had a bachelor’s degree or 

higher, and 4.2% had a graduate or professional degree; 

the national averages were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% 

respectively.

The majority of North Bend’s racial structure was 

white (92.5%), followed by people who identified with 

two or more races (2.7%), American Indian and Alaska 

Native (1.8%), Asian (1.3%), people who identified with 

another race (1.0%), black (0.4%), and Native Hawaiian 

and Other Pacific Islander (0.3%). In 2000 3.7% 

identified themselves as Hispanic. Approximately 2.81% 

of the population was foreign-born, of which 16.7% were 

born in Canada, 14.9% in Japan, and 11.9% in Peru.

History

The Coos Bay watershed was originally inhabited 

by the ancestors of the modern day Confederated Tribes 

of Coos, Lower Umpqua, Siuslaw, and Coquille Indians. 

The area is Oregon’s largest coastal estuary and has 

provided natural resources for local inhabitants for 

centuries. In 1579 Sir Francis Drake sought shelter for 

his ship, Golden Hind, in the area.1 Spanish and English 

ships sailed along the coast as early as the sixteenth 

century. It is believed the first Europeans to explore the 

area were fur traders of the Hudson’s Bay Company in 

the 1820s. In 1852 the vessel Captain Lincoln

shipwrecked on the north spit of Coos Bay and 52 

surviving soldiers explored the area.2

 Their rescue 

focused attention on the region and soon afterwards 

merchants, settlers, and miners were drawn to the area. 

The California gold rush in the late 1840s drew more 

Euro-American settlers, and by 1853 the first group 

800 600 400 200 0 200 400 600 800 1,000

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

92.5%

Asian

1.3%

Native

1.8%

Black

0.4%

Pacific Islander

0.3%

Other

1%

Two or more races

2.7%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Hispanic

3.7%

Non-Hispanic

96.3%
313

reached the area of Coos Bay and established Empire 

City, the first town in the area.3

 Despite a war in 1855–

1856 that resulted in the forced relocation of local tribes 

onto reservations on Oregon’s north coast, the tribes 

continue to play an important role in the region.

Asa S. Simpson built the first sawmill in the area, 

taking advantage of large timber resources. His son, 

Louis Simpson, continued in the timber industry as 

sawmills grew and generated various wood products 

from fruit boxes to furniture.4 Other facilities sprang up 

around the timber industry, including machine shops, a 

woolen mill, milk condensary, brewery, shipyards, the 

first hospital in the region, churches, and many saloons. 

Trade expanded to distant markets, most importantly San 

Francisco. Sawmills, shipbuilding, coal mining, and 

farming were the major industries of surrounding 

settlements.

North Bend incorporated in 1903. In 1912 Vern 

Gorst and Charles King established an auto stage line 

between North Bend and Marshfield (known today as the 

City of Coos Bay). The fare was 25 cents a ride. In 1913 

Mr. Gorst brought a hydroplane to North Bend and by 

1925 he had founded Pacific Air Lines, a mail carrier 

with occasional passenger service. Pacific Air Lines 

merged with other companies to eventually become the 

modern day United Airlines.

In 1936 the McCullough Bridge, renamed the Conde 

B. McCullough Memorial Bridge after the death of its 

creator, was built, completing U.S. Highway 101.5

 This 

bridge is one of the modern day hallmarks of North 

Bend. During World War II, local shipyards built 

minesweepers and rescue tugs for the U.S. Navy. In 

addition to shipbuilding, cranberry farming was 

introduced and improved to provide food products to the 

military during wartime. In 1951 Weyerhaeuser opened 

a large lumber mill in the area which closed in 1989. 

With the decline of the timber industry in the 1980s, the 

area saw an increase in tourism and service industries. 

Today North Bend continues to prosper in the tourism 

and recreation, timber, and agriculture industries.

North Bend is located near many state and county 

parks such as Cape Arago State Park, Sunset Bay State 

Park, and Shore Acres State Park. Activities include 

fishing charters, clamming, crabbing, beach combing, 

whale watching, hiking, biking, camping, bird watching, 

and kayaking. North Bend hosts a number of events 

including the South Coast Dixieland Clambake Jazz 

Festival, the July Jubilee, the Oregon Dune Musher’s 

Mail Run, and the Southern Oregon Dahlia Tuber Sale. 

In addition, the largest covered mall on the Oregon 

Coast, the Pony Village Mall, offers retail services. The 

Mill Casino and Hotel, built by the Coquille Indians on 

the site of the former Weyerhaeuser mill, provides 

2000 Employment structure

Employed

55.7%

Unemployed

3.2%

Not in labor force

41.1%

gambling and entertainment. A 102-unit recreational 

vehicle park is also on the site.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 55.7% of North 

Bend’s potential labor force 16 years of age and older 

were employed, 3.2% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 5.5% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

41.1% were not in the labor force, higher than the 

national average of 36.1%. The top employment sectors 

were local, state, or federal government (19.2%), health 

care and related services (18.5%), retail trade (13.4%), 

and educational services (9.4%). Natural resource jobs 

including agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting 

employed 3.3%, but this percentage may be artificially 

low because many fishermen are self-employed and are 

underrepresented in the data.

The Coquille Tribe plays an important part in the 

area’s contemporary economy. In 2005 the Coquille 

Economic Development Corporation (CEDCO) began 

construction on its Mill Casino Hotel and Recreational 

Vehicle Park in North Bend, the first business enterprise 

on CEDCO’s 50.5-acre waterfront development 

property.6

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the per capita 

income in 1999 was $16,703, compared to the national 

average of $21,587, and the median household income 

was $33,333, lower than the national average of $41,944. 

In 1999 14.8% lived below the poverty line, slightly 

higher than the national average of 12.4%. In 2000 North 

Bend had 4,291 housing units, of which 92.5% were 

occupied and 7.5% were vacant. Of the occupied units 

59.5% were by owner and 40.5% were by renter. A 
314

small percentage of the vacant units (5.6%) were for 

seasonal, recreational, or occasional use.

Governance

North Bend, incorporated in 1903, operates under a 

city charter with seven city council members, including a 

mayor and six council members. The city also has a city 

administrator. Oregon has no general sales tax, but levies 

a 1% tax on overnight lodging that funds the Oregon 

Tourism Commission. See the Governance subsection 

(page 43) in the Overview section for a more detailed 

discussion of taxes affecting fishermen and processors in 

Oregon.

North Bend is approximately 95 miles from the 

National Marine Fisheries Service research station in 

Newport. The closest Oregon Department of Fish and 

Wildlife office is 9 miles away in Charleston. The U.S. 

Coast Guard has a Group/Air Station located in North 

Bend. The closest U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 

Services Office is in Portland, where meetings of the 

Pacific Fishery Management and North Pacific Fishery 

Management councils are also held.

Facilities

North Bend is accessible by ground, air, and water. 

Curry Public Transit connects North Bend to Bandon, 

Crescent City, Brookings, Port Orford, Coos Bay, and 

Gold Beach with regular shuttle service. The North Bend 

Municipal Airport is located in the city. The Newport 

Municipal Airport is 95 miles away. The closest major 

airport is Portland International Airport. U.S. Highway 

101 is the major road connecting North Bend to 

neighboring communities. One bus company operates in 

the North Bend area, the Porter Stage Line, offering 

service to Eugene. While there is commercial freight rail 

service, the closest passenger service, Amtrak, is located 

in Eugene.

North Bend School District 13 supports 

approximately six schools, including two private 

alternative schools (Gold Coast Christian and Kingsview 

Christian) and four public schools. Of the public schools, 

there is one high school, one middle school, and two 

elementary schools. Southwestern Oregon Community 

College is the closest community college, located in 

Coos Bay, and the University of Oregon, Eugene, is the 

closest four-year college.

The Coos Bay-North Bend Water Board supplies 

water to North Bend residents, and Verizon 

Communications provides telephone communications. 

Pacific Power provides electric power. The North Bend 

Police Department, comprised of a chief of police and 

approximately 28 officers, administers public safety. 

The North Bend Fire Department responds to fire and 

safety calls from three fire stations with a staff of 12 

career personnel and 34 volunteer fire fighters.7

 The 

closest hospital, Bay Area Hospital, is in Coos Bay. The 

Coquille Valley Hospital is in Coquille and the Lower 

Umpqua Hospital is in Reedsport. The local Chamber of 

Commerce reports there are six hotels as well as public 

and private campgrounds and recreational vehicle parks.8

The International Port of Coos Bay supports a large 

array of commercial vessel traffic, with most recreational 

and commercial fishing facilities located at the mouth of 

Coos Bay in Charleston. Larger commercial cargo is 

handled in the Upper Bay Cargo area. The fishing 

facilities in Charleston are managed by the port district of 

Coos Bay Harbor. The majority (95–99%) of 

commercial fishing vessels are moored in Charleston, 

where these vessels occupy approximately 200 of the 550 

moorages.9 Commercial cargo is comprised of barge 

traffic and deep draft vessels transporting logs and wood 

chips. Recreational fishermen are drawn to the area 

because of safe conditions afforded by a protected 

environment. The City of North Bend has a public 

recreational boat ramp located at the foot of California 

Street with docking, parking, restrooms, and observation 

facilities.

Fieldwork indicates there are four oyster growers in 

the Coos Bay area: Coos Bay Oyster Company 

(Charleston), North Bend Oyster Company (Coos Bay), 

Qualman Oyster Farms (Charleston), and Clausen 

Oysters (North Bend). Please see the Charleston 

community profile for additional information about local 

nonprofit groups in the area working on water 

improvement projects. Additionally, the Oregon 

Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Coos River Salmon 

and Trout Enhancement Program (STEP), the Coos 

Watershed Association, and the Coquille Watershed 

Association carry out salmon and trout enhancement 

projects in the area.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 no vessels delivered landings to North Bend 

and the available data indicates there were no fish 

processors in the community. North Bend is located on 

Coos Bay, a large estuary that encompasses both the 

towns of Coos Bay and Charleston, which are profiled 

separately. Please see their community profiles for 

information on fish landed and processed in the area.

North Bend residents owned 25 vessels in 2000 that 

participated in West Coast fisheries, including 11 that 

participated in the federally managed groundfish fishery. 

The number of vessels owned by North Bend residents in 

2000 participating in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) 
315

was: crab 0/11/0, groundfish 0/1/NA, highly migratory 

species NA/0/NA, salmon 0/18/2, shellfish NA/3/NA, 

and shrimp NA/2/0.10

In 2000 two community members held two federal 

groundfish fishery permits. The number of North Bend 

residents holding permits in each fishery by state (WA/

OR/CA) was: groundfish 0/1/0, highly migratory species 

NA/0/0, other species 0/2/0, salmon 0/18/2, shellfish 0/2/

NA, and shrimp 2/2/1.11

According to the available data, 34 permits were 

registered to North Bend residents in 2000, of which 32 

were registered state permits and 2 were federal permits. 

The number of permits held by these community 

members in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

groundfish 0/1/0, highly migratory species NA/0/0, 

salmon 0/18/3, shellfish 0/3/NA, shrimp 2/2/0, and other 

species 0/3/0.12

Sportfishing

At least two outfitter guide businesses and one 

licensed charter vessel business operated in North Bend 

in 2003. Presently, North Bend has three sportfish 

licensing vendors. In 2000 active agents sold 1,983 

licenses at a value of $37,226. Additional sportfishing 

data was not available for North Bend because it is likely 

aggregated under the Coos Bay port district.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 North Bend residents owned two vessels 

that participated in North Pacific fisheries. Residents 

held four North Pacific commercial fishing permits in 

2000, with one individual holding a federal permit and 

two individuals holding state permits. Community 

members held two Commercial Fisheries Entry 

Commission (CFEC) Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands 

groundfish permits and one CFEC halibut permit.

Seven residents held crew member licenses for 

North Pacific fisheries in 2000.

Sportfishing

North Bend residents purchased 63 sportfishing 

licenses for Alaska fisheries in 2000.

Notes

1. City of Coos Bay Oregon. No date. History of Coos Bay. 

Online at http://www.coosbay.org/cb/aboutcb/CBHistory.htm 

[accessed 23 January 2007].

2. Coos County Historical Society. 2004. A selective 

chronology of south coast history: Origins to 1900. Online at http://

www.cooshistory.org/ [accessed 23 January 2007].

3. Oregon Bay Area History. No date. No title. Online at 

http://www.cooshistory.org/ptwo.html [accessed 23 January 2007].

4. The South Coast Oregon Directory, Cities Guide. 2005. 

Welcome to North Bend Oregon. Online at http://www.scod.com/

cities/northbend/ [accessed 23 January 2007].

5. See note 2.

6. The Mill Casino. 2005. CEDCO launches Mill Casino. 

Online at http://www.themillcasino.com/press.shtml [accessed 23 

January 2007].

7. Oregon Economic and Community Development Department. 

2005. North Bend community profile. Online at http://

info.econ.state.or.us:591/FMPro?-db=Community.fp4&-Format

= forms.htm&-lay=webpage&-op=eq&sort%20name=North

%20Bend&-script=hit%20count&-Find [accessed 23 January 2007].

8. Oregon’s Bay Area Chamber of Commerce. No date. No 

title. Online at http://www.oregonsbayareachamber.com/ [accessed 

23 January 2007].

9. Field notes, Port of Coos Bay, OR, October 2005.

10. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

11. See note 10.

12. See note 10.
316

Pacific City

People and Place

Location

Pacific City is 3 miles north of the mouth of the 

Nestucca River in Tillamook County. The community is 

approximately 104 miles southwest of Portland. Pacific 

City encompasses 3.74 square miles of land and 0.11 

square miles of water. Its geographic coordinates are lat 

45°12′09′′N, long 123°57′42′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of Pacific City was 1,027. The gender composition was 

50.8% female and 49.2% male. The median age was 

53.2, considerably higher than the national median of 

35.3. Of the population 18 years of age and older, 80.5% 

had a high school education or higher, 25.7% had a 

bachelor’s degree or higher, and 10.2% had a graduate or 

professional degree; the national averages were 79.7%, 

22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The majority of Pacific City’s racial structure was 

white (94.2%), followed by people who identified with 

another race (2.0%), American Indian and Alaskan 

Native (1.8%), people who identified with two or more 

races (1.5%), and Asian (0.6%). Three percent identified 

as Hispanic. Approximately 6.3% of the population was 

foreign-born, with nearly half (45.0%) of those born in 

Mexico.

In 2000 81.0% of the population lived in family 

households.

History

Long before Euro-Americans came to the Pacific 

Northwest, Native Americans inhabited Tillamook 

County. Groups such as the Tillamook, Nehalem, and 

Nestucca fished and hunted throughout Tillamook 

County’s coastal areas. These peoples had a close 

relationship with the sea and the area’s waterways, as 

seen in the boats they built. Their dugout canoes ranged 

from tiny vessels used for duck hunting to large canoes 

used for long distance travel to California. At one time 

the Tillamook people had a fishing village nearby at 

Garibaldi’s present location. The Indians of Tillamook 

Bay died in large numbers due to the onset of European 

diseases. Their population was estimated to be around 

2,200 at the turn of the nineteenth century and declined to 

one-tenth of that by the mid-1800s. A large Indian 

community once stood at the mouth of the Big Nestucca 

100 50 0 50 100 150

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

94.2%

Two or more races

1.5%

Native

1.8%

Asian

0.6%

Other

2.0%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Non-Hispanic

97%

Hispanic

3%
317

River, evidenced by the numerous mounds and artifacts 

found in the area.

Although Captain Robert Gray was credited with 

being the first Euro-American to land in Tillamook Bay 

in 1788, it wasn’t until the middle of the 1800s that white 

settlers came. The entrance to the bay is recognized as 

challenging today and was identified as perilous in 

Gray’s time, illustrated by a crew member’s account of 

an awkwardly situated shoal, narrow entrance, and strong 

tide. In 1853 the territorial government created 

Tillamook County. The county’s earliest industries were 

shipping, logging, fishing, farming, and dairy. Fishing 

played a key role because it was the major avenue for 

bringing cash into the area. Fish were caught in the 

area’s coastal waters, bays, and rivers, and canned in 

numerous canneries throughout the region. Middlemen 

bought the packaged fish and sold them nearby in 

Willamette Valley. The funds brought into the area from 

the sale of fish enabled the development of other 

enterprises and aided the growth of Tillamook Bay 

communities.

The dairy and lumber industries developed 

alongside fishing. The dairy industry success blossomed 

with the production of cheese that could withstand long 

storage periods for distribution. The lumber industry 

took off in the 1890s, producing containers for dairy, 

fish, and other products. In 1911 the Pacific Railway and 

Navigation Company constructed a railway from 

Portland to Tillamook. This reliable source of 

transportation facilitated the growth of the three 

industries.

Cape Kiwanda, a sandstone point that extends about 

a half mile from the coast and is still used as a landform 

feature for launching small vessels and dories, is named 

after a prominent Nestucca Indian leader and local 

celebrity. Cape Kiwanda became a particularly 

important natural asset when the Nestucca River was 

closed to gillnetting in 1926 and fishers moved into the 

open ocean. It was not until the 1950s that fishing 

thrived in Pacific City, following the introduction of a 

road between the community and the cape that facilitated 

access to the launch site. Fieldwork indicates dories have 

been dated back to the turn of the century when they were 

pulled by horses to the beach at what is now called the 

“turnaround.” On the first calm day, the dories were 

launched and rowed to Cape Kiwanda where they were 

kept for the season. In 1976 Pacific City became the 

second-largest salmon fishing port on the Oregon coast.

Concerns with overfishing arose as far back as the 

early part of the 1900s. The dory fleet has since declined 

along with access to coho salmon runs, a fishery that has 

seen increasing restrictions in recent years. However, 

dories used in Pacific City are unique from those used in 

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

45.3% Employed

50.7%

Unemployed

4%

Northern California or Newfoundland, and the boats 

continue to play a role in the contemporary fishing 

industry of Pacific City.1, 2

 In response to decreasing 

salmon numbers, gillnet and trawl fishing were banned in 

the bay in 1961. In the 1990s the designation of coho 

salmon as an endangered species and an increase in the 

restrictions placed on harvesting bottomfish further 

limited the area’s commercial fishers. North of Pacific 

City, in the Tillamook Bay area, commercial clamming, 

oystering, and shrimping were all relatively successful 

during the 1990s. However, in recent years the shrimp 

industry’s harvests have declined along with the bay’s 

commercial oyster industry, the latter largely the result of 

ongoing sedimentation and pollution. While the area’s 

commercial fishing industry has declined in recent times, 

the bay’s sportfishing industry has enjoyed substantial 

growth.

Alongside sportfishing, tourism became an 

important economic driver in the 1980s, an economic 

response to the area’s waning lumber and commercial 

fishing industries. Tourists visit Pacific City to 

participate in numerous events including Pacific City's 

Dory Days festival and a blessing of the dory fleet in 

June that commemorates the community’s heritage and 

the importance of dories in its fishing history and current 

fishing practices. In late March and again in September, 

community businesses host volunteer beach cleanups. In 

early August the community holds a vintage surf and 

longboard event that draws surfers from all over the West 

Coast.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 50.7% of 

Pacific City’s potential labor force 16 years of age and 

older were employed, 4% were unemployed, and the 
318

unemployment rate was 7.4% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

45.3% were not in the labor force. The top employment 

sectors were educational, health, and social services 

(23.6%), government (22.4%), manufacturing (14.3%), 

retail trade (13.4%), and accommodation and food 

services (12.5%). Natural resources jobs including 

agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting employed 

2.9%, but this percentage may be artificially low because 

many fishermen are self-employed and are 

underrepresented in the data.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the per capita 

income in 1999 was $25,819 and the median household 

income was $33,250. In 1999 7.9% lived below the 

poverty level. In 2000 Pacific City had 1,090 housing 

units, of which 44.5% were occupied and 55.5% were 

vacant. Of the occupied units, 81.6% were by owner and 

18.4% were by renter. Most of the vacant units (84.8%) 

were for seasonal, recreational, or occasional use.

Governance

Pacific City is an unincorporated Census Designated 

Place (CDP). Oregon has no general sales tax, but does 

levy a 1% overnight lodging tax that funds the Oregon 

Tourism Commission. See the Governance subsection 

(page 43) in the Overview section for a more detailed 

discussion of taxes affecting fishermen and processors in 

Oregon.

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s 

Marine Resources Program is based 47 miles south of 

Pacific City in Newport, which is also home to a field 

station of the NOAA Fisheries Northwest Fisheries 

Science Center and a U.S. Coast Guard Motor Lifeboat 

Station. Meetings of the Pacific Fishery Management 

and North Pacific Fishery Management councils are held 

in Portland, which is also home to the district office of 

the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Facilities

Pacific City is accessible by land, air, and water and 

lies just off of U.S. Highway 101, which serves as the 

major vehicular corridor along the Pacific Coast from 

Washington to California. Two small airports are located 

within 15 miles of Pacific City, Pacific City State Airport 

and Tillamook Airport. Pacific City is accessible by 

water, but there are no formal structures to aid access.

Pacific City is in the Nestucca Valley School 

District, which has an elementary school, a middle 

school, and a high school. The community’s police force 

is contracted through the Tillamook County Sheriff 

Department. The county’s Office of Emergency 

Management and Nestucca Fire and Rescue manage 

other emergency services. Pacific City Transfer and 

Refuse Dump and the county manage other public 

facilities. Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital is about 18 

miles from Pacific City and Tillamook County General 

Hospital is 20 miles away in Tillamook. Pacific City has 

at least nine options for overnight accommodations, and 

the surrounding region has additional motels, hotels, and 

bed and breakfasts.

A local nonprofit organization, the Dorymen’s 

Association, has more than 300 members and is 

dedicated to the preservation of the traditional cultural 

and economic values of the dory fleet. The association 

also works to promote safety and access to the public 

beach.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Two processors operated in Pacific City in 2000, 

Sea Q Fish and Doryland Seafood Market and Store. In 

2000 West Coast fisheries landings were delivered to 

Pacific City by 31 vessels, all commercially registered. 

In 2000 landings in Pacific City were made in the 

following West Coast fisheries (data shown represents 

landings in metric tons/value of landings/number of 

vessels making landings): crab confidential/confidential/

1; groundfish 19 t/$29,685/18; highly migratory species 

confidential/confidential/2; salmon 1.1 t/$5,360/13; 

shrimp 1.9 t/ $2,500/5; and other species confidential/

confidential/2.

Pacific City residents owned 34 commercial vessels 

in 2000, of which only one participated in the federally 

managed groundfish fishery. The number of vessels 

owned by Pacific City residents in 2000 that participated 

in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal 

pelagic 0/1/0, crab 0/8/0, groundfish 0/0/NA, highly 

migratory species NA/0/NA, salmon 0/34/0, shellfish 

NA/0/NA, and shrimp NA/0/0.3

The number of residents holding state permits in 

each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 

0/1/0, crab 0/6/0, highly migratory species NA/0/0, 

salmon 0/28/0, and shellfish 0/0/NA.4

Pacific City residents held at least 38 commercial 

fishing permits in 2000, all state registered. The number 

of state permits held by residents in each fishery by state 

(WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/1/0, crab 0/6/0, 

highly migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 0/31/0, and 

shellfish 0/0/NA.5

Sportfishing

In 2000 residents of Pacific City owned at least two 

sportfishing charter businesses and two licensed charter 

vessels operated out of the community. Pacific City’s 
319

three active sportfishing licensing agents sold 885 

sportfishing licenses at a value of $15,584 in 2000.

For the port complex around Pacific City, the 2000 

recreational salmonid catch in the Ocean Boat Fishery 

was 88 Chinook salmon and 1,463 coho salmon. The 

recreational nonsalmonid catch in the Ocean Boat 

Fishery was 13,066 fish. The top species landed were 

black rockfish, lingcod, cabezon, blue rockfish, and 

canary rockfish.

Subsistence

Many local community members engage in 

subsistence fishing. Both nontribal and tribal fishermen 

utilize marine and stream resources for subsistence 

means from the areas within and around Pacific City. 

Specific information on subsistence fishing in Pacific 

City is not discussed in detail in this community profile 

due to the lack of available data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 one Pacific City resident owned a vessel 

that participated in North Pacific fisheries. Two residents 

held state permits for Alaska fisheries and one resident 

held a federal permit for North Pacific fisheries.

In 2000 Pacific City residents held 1,587 halibut 

individual fishing quota shares. Residents also held four 

commercial fishing permits for North Pacific fisheries, 

including one Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission 

(CFEC) permit for Bering Straits Aleutian Island 

groundfish, one CFEC halibut permit, one CFEC salmon 

permit, and one CFEC shellfish permits.

Sportfishing

Pacific City residents purchased 13 Alaska 

sportfishing licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. J. Gilden (ed.). 1999. Oregon’s changing coastal fishing 

communities. Online at http://seagrant.oregonstate.edu/sgpubs/

onlinepubs/o99001.html [accessed 24 January 2007].

2. M. Guardino III and Rev. M. Riedel. No date. Sovereigns of 

themselves: A liberating history of Oregon and its coast. Vol. III. 

Online at http://www2.wi.net/~census/lesson36.html [accessed 24 

January 2007].

3. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

4. See note 3.

5. See note 3.
320

Port Orford

People and Place

Location

Port Orford is located on the southwestern coast just 

south of Cape Blanco, the westernmost point of the 

contiguous United States. This is also the site of Battle 

Rock, a geographic point of historical interest. Situated 

70 miles north of the California border, the community is 

on land that juts into the Pacific Ocean. To the east are 

the Elk and Sixes rivers. Port Orford, 270 miles 

southwest of Portland, encompasses 1.6 square miles of 

land and water.1

 Its geographic coordinates are lat 

42°44′59′′N, long 124°29′53′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Port Orford had 

a population of 1,153, which has remained fairly stable 

over recent years.2 The gender structure was 49.6% 

female and 50.4% male. The median age was 50.5 years, 

relatively high compared to the national median of 35.3. 

Of the population 18 years and older, 84% had a high 

school education or higher and 18% had a bachelor 

degree or higher; the national averages were 76.7% and 

22.3% respectively.

The majority of Port Orford’s racial structure was 

white (95.4%), followed by individuals who identified 

with two or more races (1.8%), American Indian or 

Alaskan Native (1.4%), individuals who identified with 

some other race (0.9%), Asian (0.3%), Native Hawaiian 

and Other Pacific Islander (0.2%), and black (0.1%). 

Ethnicity data indicate 2.6% identified as Hispanic. 

Three percent of Port Orford residents were foreign-born, 

with 81% of those born in Europe or Canada. German 

was the most commonly reported first ancestry (22%).

In 2000 74% of the residents of Port Orford were 

living in family households.

History

Prior to European arrival, the Port Orford area was 

home to the Tututni and Coquille Indian tribes, groups 

who subsisted on coastal and terrestrial resources, 

including plentiful salmon runs. These groups were 

Athapaskan speakers and at various periods were allied 

or at war with neighboring tribes in California and 

Oregon.

Port Orford takes its European name from the third 

Earl of Orford, given by Captain Vancouver, who 

explored the Oregon coast and named the cape in 1792.3 

Port Orford’s predominant geographical feature is also 

100 50 0 50 100 150

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure

Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

95.4%

Two or more races

1.8%

Pacific Islander

0.2%

Other

0.9%

Black

0.1%

Native

1.4%

Asian

0.3%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Hispanic

2.6%

Non-Hispanic

97.4%
321

the site of violence that occurred when the first landing 

party of European settlers encountered the local Qua-tomah band of the Tututni nation in 1851. The battle, 

which ensued at Battle Rock, was reenacted each 4th of 

July in Port Orford’s Jubilee Celebration,4

 though this 

ceased in recent years.

The Native Americans present in the Port Orford 

area prior to European arrival were forcibly removed 

from coastal Oregon by the U.S. Government in the 

1850s. The promise of mining wealth brought nonnatives to Oregon’s Rogue River region, and conflicts 

between settlers and prospectors and tribes rapidly 

developed. Twenty-four coastal tribes and western 

Oregon bands were moved to the Siletz Indian 

reservation in 1855.

Port Orford was first settled by Captain William 

Tichenor in 1851, and is recognized as the oldest 

townsite on the Oregon coast. The port supported the 

export of timber products through the latter part of the 

nineteenth century, though there has been a continuous 

commercial fishing presence in Port Orford since its 

founding. Tourism is also an important component of the 

local economy. Of particular interest is the annual Arts 

and Seafood Festival, hosted on Labor Day.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 41.0% of Port 

Orford’s potential labor force 16 and older were 

employed, 3.5% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 7.9% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

55.5% were not in the labor force. A leading 

employment sector was government (18.1%). Natural 

resource jobs including agriculture, fishing, and hunting 

employed 9%, but this percentage may be artificially low 

because many fishermen are self-employed and are 

underrepresented in these data.

Port Orford relies heavily on commercial fishing 

and tourism for its economic viability, though logging is 

of historic importance. Presently, small business 

employers provide some employment. The top three 

employers are NC electronics (20), Premium Pacific 

Seafoods (15) and a wood products manufacturer, The 

Wooden Nickel (10). In 2000, according to the Oregon 

Economic and Community Development Department, 

Curry County was home to only 63 manufacturing 

companies.

A major feature of the community is the port itself. 

Port Orford’s port is the only true ocean harbor on the 

Oregon coast. All other Oregon ports are positioned 

within riverine areas, which afford protection from bad 

2000 Employment structure

Employed

41%

Unemployed

3.5%

Not in labor force

55.5%

weather. Port Orford’s harbor offers vessels little 

protection from frequent windy and stormy conditions, so 

vessels homeported in the community are hoisted onto a 

solid fill dock.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Port Orford’s 

per capita income was $16,442.00, the median household 

income was $23, 289, and 17.8 percent of the population 

lived below the poverty level. In 2000 Port Orford had 

656 housing units, of which 87.4% were occupied and 

12.6% were vacant. Of the occupied units, 66.9% were 

by owner and 33.1% were by renter.5

Governance

The City of Port Orford incorporated in 1935. Six 

city council members, an elected mayor, and a city 

administrator support a manager form of government. 

Oregon has no general sales tax, but levies a 1% 

overnight lodging tax that funds the Oregon Tourism 

Commission. See the Governance subsection (page 43) 

in the Overview section for a more detailed discussion of 

taxes affecting fishermen and processors in Oregon.

Port Orford is 148.8 miles from the National Marine 

Fisheries Service research station in Newport. An office 

of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is in 

Eugene, 159.6 miles away. The community is 50.9 miles 

from the nearest U.S. Coast Guard Unit in Coos Bay and 

270 miles from the closest U.S. Citizenship and 

Immigration Services office in Portland. Meetings of the 

Pacific Fishery Management and North Pacific Fishery 

Management councils are held in Portland.

Facilities

Port Orford is on U.S. Highway 101, 438 miles 

north of San Francisco. Nearby Cape Blanco State 

Airport is a landing base for small planes, as is the larger 

North Bend Airport, which serves North Bend and Coos 
322

Bay. The closest major airport is Portland International 

Airport.

The Port Orford-Langlois School District offers K12 public school services. District-wide enrollment 

during the 2004–2005 school year was 367, split between 

two elementary schools and one high school. 

Southwestern Oregon Community College is in Coos 

Bay. Coos Curry Electric Cooperative provides 

electricity, and the City of Port Orford provides water 

and sewer services. The Port Orford Police Department 

administers local law enforcement, including two paid 

officers, and the Curry County Sheriff’s Office is 

available if needed. Fieldwork indicates many Port 

Orford residents use Southern Coos Hospital and Health 

Center, 27 miles away in Bandon. Port Orford 

accommodations include several hotels, motels, and at 

least one bed and breakfast in addition to campgrounds, 

recreational vehicle parks, and vacation rentals.

The Port of Port Orford uses a unique system where 

boats are raised onto trailers located on a large pier, then 

moved into assigned dry-dock locations in order to 

protect them from the weather. The two available cranes 

can accommodate boats up to 44-feet long. The port is 

served by two shifts of crane operators. The pier itself 

accommodates 35 boats. The community’s port is served 

by a full-time port manager and staff. The port also sells 

fuel and ice and rents blast and holding freezers.

Port Orford is home to an active marketing group, 

the Port Orford Fishermen’s Seafood Marketing 

Association, with 21 active members representing 21 

fishing vessels. Additionally, a local fishermen’s wives 

group hosts a blessing of the fleet the first Saturday in 

August. The Port Orford Ocean Resource Team is also 

located in the community.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

There were no processors operating in Port Orford 

in 2000. In 2000 a total of 85 vessels, all commercially 

registered, delivered landings to Port Orford. Landings 

in the community were in the following West Coast 

fisheries (data shown represent landings in metric tons/

value of landings/number of vessels landing): crab 207.7 

t/$1,030,389/42; groundfish 262.3 t/$926,142/68; highly 

migratory species 4.6 t/$7,933/4; salmon 39.2 t/

$163,899/39; shrimp confidential/confidential/1; and 

other species 267.9 t/$432,040/50.

Port Orford residents owned 45 vessels in 2000, of 

which 20 participated in the federally managed 

groundfish fishery. The number of vessels owned by 

Port Orford residents in 2000 that participated in each 

fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 0/30/0, 

groundfish 0/6/0, highly migratory species 0/1/0, salmon 

0/38/2, shellfish NA/1/NA, and shrimp NA/4/0.6

Thirteen residents held 12 federal fishing permits in 

2000. The number of community members holding 

permits in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 

0/25/0, groundfish 0/9/0, highly migratory species NA/1/

0, salmon 0/33/4, shellfish 0/1/NA, shrimp 0/4/0, and 

other species 0/6/0.7

There were 171 permits registered to residents of 

Port Orford, of which 159 were state permits. The 

number of permits held by these community members in 

each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 0/59/0, 

groundfish 0/10/0, highly migratory species NA/1/0, 

salmon 0/0/6, shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 0/8/4, and other 

species 1/36/0.8

Port Orford residents are actively involved in the 

live fish fishery. Fieldwork in the community indicates 

the nearshore live fish fishery in Port Orford underwent 

changes after the year 2000, becoming an open access 

fishery. Additionally the port has a high participation 

level in the open access black cod fishery. Fieldwork 

indicates each vessel employs on average two to three 

deckhands. Many local vessels fish year round, so few if 

any crew are transient.9

According to fieldwork, Port Orford has three 

buying stations: Nor-Cal Seafood, Hallmark Fisheries, 

and Starvin Marvin Seafood, each employing two to 

three people. The cannery building is presently used by 

Nor-Cal Seafood to hold live fish; Nor-Cal only buys live 

nearshore fish and crab. Hallmark Fisheries purchases 

the majority of the crab sold in both fresh and live 

markets as well as numerous non-live products. Starvin 

Marvin is a new buyer and plans to purchase a variety of 

products. Most fish and crab are shipped live to markets 

in California or processed nearby at Hallmark Fisheries 

in Charleston. Pacific Seafood, a local seafood company, 

went out of business in 2001.10

Sportfishing

Port Orford has space for a charter boat fishing 

operation at its pier; however, the business formerly 

occupying the space is no longer in operation. 

Sportfishing activities support surrounding motels, 

recreational vehicle parks, restaurants, and other 

businesses. At a site visit in 2004, community members 

suggested the lack of an east-west corridor helped 

explain the relative absence of sportfishing businesses 

compared to neighboring communities. Fieldwork also 

indicates the hoist system at the port may prompt sport 

fishermen to use more accessible facilities in nearby 

communities.
323

Subsistence

Many local community members engage in 

subsistence fishing. Tribal and nontribal fishermen may 

utilize marine and stream resources for subsistence 

means in Port Orford and the surrounding area. Specific 

information on subsistence fishing in Port Orford is not 

discussed in detail in this community profile due to the 

lack of available data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 one Port Orford resident owned a vessel that 

fished the North Pacific. Three residents held crew 

member licenses for North Pacific fisheries.

Sportfishing

In 2000 Port Orford residents purchased nine Alaska 

sportfishing licenses.

Notes

1. Fact-index.com. No date. Port Orford, OR. Online at http://

www.fact-index.com/p/po/port_orford__oregon.html [accessed 24 

January 2007].

2. J. Gilden. 1999. Oregon’s changing coastal fishing 

communities. Appendix B, Oregon community summaries: Gold 

Beach. Online at http://seagrant.oregonstate.edu/sgpubs/onlinepubs/

o99001.html#appb [accessed 24 January 2007].

3. C.A. Smith Real Estate. No date. Area information. Online 

at http://www.casmith.com/info.htm#anchorhum [accessed 24 

January 2007].

4. El.com. 2006. Port Orford, OR. Online at http://

www.el.com/to/portorford/ [accessed 24 January 2007].

5. State of Oregon. 2006. Community and economic 

development department. Online at http://info.econ.state.or.us:591/

profile.htm [accessed 24 January 2007].

6. NA refers to data that were not available, for example due to 

few recorded permit numbers or the partially permitted nature of a 

fishery in 2000.

7. See note 6.

8. See note 6.

9. Fisherman, Port Orford, OR. Pers. commun., 11 May 2006.

10. See note 9.
324

Reedsport

People and Place

Location

Reedsport is located in Douglas County on the coast 

approximately 194 miles south of Portland and 530 miles 

north of San Francisco. The community encompasses 

2.06 square miles of land and 0.24 square miles of water. 

Reedsport’s geographic coordinates are lat 43°42′09′′N, 

long 124°05′44′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Reedsport’s 

population was 4,378. The gender composition was 

51.7% female and 48.3% male. The median age was 

47.1, higher than the national median of 35.3. Of the 

population 18 years of age and older, 66.7% had a high 

school education or higher, 13.3% had a bachelor’s 

degree of higher, and 4.8% had a graduate or professional 

degree; the national averages were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 

7.8% respectively.

The majority of the Reedsport racial composition 

was white (93.9%), followed by individuals who 

identified with two or more races (2.2%), individuals 

who identified with some other race (2.1%), American 

Indian and Alaska Native (1.2%), Asian (0.4%), black 

(0.02%), and Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander 

(0.02%). Less than five percent (4.7%) of the population 

identified as Hispanic. Approximately 2.6% of the 

population was foreign-born, with 42% born in Canada, 

21.4% in Mexico, and 9.8% in Japan.

In 2000 80.3% of the population lived in family 

households.

History

The Reedsport area was originally inhabited by 

ancestors of the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower 

Umpqua (Kuitsh), and Siuslaw Indians. First contact 

with Europeans came in the sixteenth century, 

specifically Spanish and British explorers. Contact 

increased in the 1700s and by 1791 the Lower Umpqua 

tribe traded with ships that stopped at the mouth of the 

Umpqua River.1

 Contact between members of Siuslaw 

Tribe and fur trappers from the Hudson’s Bay Company 

occurred in 1826. In 1828 conflict between the Lower 

Umpqua and fur trapper and explorer Jedediah Strong 

Smith resulted in the loss of many of Smith’s company.2

Fur trapping continued to grow in the area, and in 

1836 the Hudson’s Bay Company established a trading 

post, Fort Umpqua, upriver near the modern day town of 

400 300 200 100 0 100 200 300 400

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure

Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

93.9%

Two or more races

2.2%

Other

2.1%

Black

0.02%

Native

1.2%

Pacific Islander

0.02%

Asian

0.4%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Hispanic

4.7%

Non-Hispanic

95.3%
325

Elkton. A gold rush brought more Euro-American 

settlers to the area. Reedsport was established in 1852 

and was named after a pioneer resident, Alfred W. Reed. 

The post office was established in 1912 and seven years 

later the town was incorporated. Reedsport was built on 

marshy ground and subject to frequent flooding, so 

buildings had to be elevated.3 In 1964 a devastating 

flood caused major damage to the community and a dike 

was built to protect the lower town. Primary industries in 

the 1900s included timber and fishing. With the collapse 

of the timber industry in the late 1990s, Reedsport’s 

contemporary economy is now supported by tourism, 

agriculture, and fishing.

Tourism is an important component of the 

Reedsport economy. The community is home to the 

Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area headquarters 

office.4 The dunes are a 50-mile stretch that offer hiking 

trails, beaches, 30 lakes, fishing, swimming, interpretive 

exhibits, and wildlife watching. Campgrounds extend 

throughout the area. The Umpqua River Lighthouse is 

nearby in Winchester Bay. The Dean Creek elk viewing 

area supports approximately 150 Roosevelt Elk on a 

1,000-acre reserve. Reedsport is also the home of the 

Umpqua Discovery Center that houses displays of the 

area’s history.

Community events include the Tsalila Festival that 

celebrates Native American culture and traditions, and 

activities focused on watershed restoration and salmon 

recovery. The Ocean Festival includes U.S. Coast Guard 

rescue demonstrations and a seafood barbeque. The 

Oregon Divisional Chainsaw Sculpting Championships, 

Dune Musher’s Mail Run, and Summer Concert Series 

are other popular activities.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 41.6% of 

Reedsport’s potential labor force 16 years of age and 

older were employed, 4.6% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 10% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

53.7% were not in the labor force, higher than the 

national average of 36.1%. The top employment sectors 

were local, state, or federal government (18%), retail 

trade (14.7%), accommodation and food services 

(13.9%), and health care and social assistance (12.0%). 

Natural resource jobs including agriculture, forestry, 

fishing, and hunting employed 4.2%, but this percentage 

may be artificially low because many fishermen are selfemployed and are underrepresented in the data.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Reedsport’s per 

capita income was $16,093, compared to the national 

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

53.7%

Unemployed

4.6%

Employed

41.6%

average of $21,587, and the median household income 

was $26,054. In 1999 16% lived below the poverty level, 

higher than the national average of 12.4%. In 2000 

Reedsport had 2,178 housing units, of which 90.8% were 

occupied and 9.2% were vacant. Of the occupied units, 

66.9% were by owner and 33.1% were by renter. A total 

of 16.5% of the vacant units were for seasonal, 

recreational, or occasional use.

Governance

Reedsport incorporated in 1919. The city operates 

under a city charter, with seven city council members 

including the mayor. It also has a manager, recorder, 

attorney, and, at the discretion of the council, a municipal 

judge.5 Oregon has no general sales tax, but does levy a 

1% overnight lodging tax that funds the Oregon Tourism 

Commission. See the Governance subsection (page 43) 

in the Overview section for a more detailed discussion of 

taxes affecting fishermen and processors in Oregon.

Reedsport is 72 miles from the National Marine 

Fisheries Service research station in Newport. The 

closest Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife office is 

33 miles away in Charleston. The U.S. Coast Guard’s 

Umpqua River Station is nearby in Winchester Bay, 

approximately 5 miles from Reedsport. Meetings of the 

Pacific Fishery Management and North Pacific Fishery 

Management councils are held in Portland, which is also 

home to the closest U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 

Services office.

Facilities

Reedsport is accessible by ground, air, and water. 

The community lies along U.S. Highway 101. 

Greyhound provides bus services. While there is 

commercial freight rail service in the community, the 

closest passenger service, provided by Amtrak, is in 

Eugene. The North Bend Airport is located nearby (24 
326

miles) and an additional airport, Newport Municipal 

Airport, is 72 miles away. The nearest major airport is 

Portland International Airport.

Reedsport School District 105 supports two public 

schools; an elementary school has grades kindergarten 

through sixth and the Reedsport Junior/Senior High 

School supports grades seven through twelve. 

Southwestern Oregon Community College is located 

nearby in Coos Bay and the University of Oregon, the 

closest four-year college, is in Eugene.

The City of Reedsport supplies water, Verizon 

Communications provides telephone service, and the 

Central Lincoln Peoples Utility District provides 

electricity. The Lower Umpqua Hospital is in Reedsport. 

The City of Reedsport Police Department, comprised of a 

17-member police department with a 24-hour dispatch 

center, provides public safety. The Douglas County 

Sheriff’s office and the Oregon State Police provide 

additional police support. The Reedsport Fire 

Department responds to fire and safety calls with a staff 

of 40 volunteer fire fighters, a fire chief, and a fire 

marshal. There are approximately six hotels, one bed and 

breakfast facility, and several state, county, and private 

campgrounds and recreational vehicle parks identified by 

the local chamber of commerce.6

Reedsport is included in the Port of Umpqua, which 

maintains multiple port facilities including offices, dock, 

small industrial park, and an island used for wetland 

mitigation. The Winchester Bay dock, also managed by 

the Port of Umpqua, supports the commercial fishing 

fleet. Please see the Winchester Bay community profile 

for additional information.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 no vessels delivered landings to Reedsport 

and no processors operated in the community. Reedsport 

residents owned 19 vessels that participated in West 

Coast fisheries, including 9 vessels that participated in 

the federally managed groundfish fishery. The number 

of vessels owned by Reedsport residents in 2000 that 

participated in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

crab 0/9/0, groundfish 0/0/NA, highly migratory species 

NA/0/NA, salmon 11/0/1, shellfish NA/0/NA, and 

shrimp NA/1/0.7

In 2000 three residents held three federal groundfish 

fishery permits. The number of Reedsport residents 

holding permits in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) 

was: crab 0/8/0, highly migratory species NA/0/0, 

salmon 0/9/1, shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 0/1/1, and other 

species 3/0/0.8

According to the available data, 23 permits were 

registered to Reedsport residents in 2000, including 20 

registered state permits and 3 federal permits. The 

number of permits held by these community members in 

each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: highly 

migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 0/10/2, shellfish 0/0/

NA, shrimp 0/1/3, and other species 4/0/0.9

Sportfishing

Reedsport had at least four registered outfitter guide 

businesses in 2003 and four licensed charter vessel 

businesses were located in the community. Reedsport 

has three sportfishing license vendors whose agents sold 

2,059 licenses at a value of $34,525.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 there were three vessels owned by 

Reedsport residents that participated in North Pacific 

fisheries. Residents held seven commercial fishing 

permits for the North Pacific in 2000, with five 

individuals holding federal permits and two holding state 

permits.

In 2000 Reedsport residents held a total of 794,775 

halibut individual fishing quota (IFQ) shares and 756,293 

sablefish IFQ shares. Residents also held one groundfish 

License Limitation Program (LLP) permit, one LLP crab 

permit, one Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission 

(CFEC) Bering Sea and Aleutian Island groundfish 

permit, one CFEC halibut permit, and one CFEC salmon 

permit.

Seven residents held crew member licenses for 

North Pacific fisheries in 2000.

Sportfishing

Reedsport fishermen purchased 28 sportfishing 

licenses for Alaska fisheries.

Notes

1. Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua, and 

Siuslaw Indians. 2005. Culture and history. Online at http://

216.128.13.185/CTCLUSINEW/ [accessed November 2005].

2. Jedediah Smith Society. 2005. Biography. Online at http://

www.jedediahsmithsociety.org/bioforstudents.html [accessed 24 

January 2007].

3. Wikipedia. 2005. Reedsport, OR. Online at http://

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reedsport [accessed November 2005].

4. Chamber of Commerce. No date. Reedsport/Winchester Bay. 

Online at http://www.reedsportcc.org/lodging.html [accessed 24 

January 2007].

5. City of Reedsport. 2005. City of Reedsport charter. Online 

at http://www.reedsport.or.us/index.asp?Type=B_DIR&SEC

={D8350D7C-6622-4547-B0D3-9F4EBB09E4EC}&DE
327

={1496A7A4-A8FB-4FFA-9831-6121BDF0A913} [accessed 24 

January 2007].

6. See note 4.

7. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

8. See note 7.

9. See note 7.
328

Rockaway Beach

People and Place

Location

Rockaway Beach is in Tillamook County on 

Oregon’s northern coast, 14 miles north of the City of 

Tillamook on U.S. Highway 101 between Nehalem Bay 

on the north and Tillamook Bay on the south. The 

community is known for the 7-mile strip of beach it 

abuts. Located 87 miles west of Portland, Rockaway 

Beach encompasses 1.5 square miles of land and 0.08 

square miles of water. Rockaway Beach’s geographic 

coordinates are lat 45°36′49′′N, long 123°56′30′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of Rockaway Beach was 1,267, an increase from 906 in 

1980. The 2000 U.S. Census shows a relatively even 

gender distribution, 50.8% female and 49.2% male. The 

median age was 52.2 years, notably higher than the 

national median age of 35.3. Of the population 18 years 

of age and older, 82.6% had a high school education or 

higher,15.7% had a bachelor’s degree or higher, and 

4.3% had a graduate or professional degree; the national 

averages were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The majority of the racial structure of Rockaway 

Beach was white (95.8%), followed by people who 

identified with two or more races (1.7%), American 

Indian and Alaska Native (1.1%), people who identified 

with some other race (0.7%), Asian (0.6%), and black 

(0.1%). Two percent identified as Hispanic. Slightly 

less than two percent (1.7%) of the population were 

foreign-born.

In 2000 75% of the population lived in family 

households.

History

Long before Euro-Americans came to the Pacific 

Northwest, Native Americans inhabited Tillamook 

County. Groups such as the Tillamook, Nehalem, and 

Nestucca fished and hunted throughout the area. These 

peoples had a close relationship with the sea and area 

waterways, as evident in the boats they built. Their 

dugout canoes ranged from tiny vessels used for duck 

hunting to large canoes used for long distance travel to 

California. The Indians of Tillamook Bay died in large 

numbers due to European diseases. Their population was 

estimated to be around 2,200 at the turn of the nineteenth 

150 100 50 0 50 100 150

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure 

White

95.8%

Two or more races

1.7%

Other

0.7%

Black

0.1%

Native

1.1%

Asian

0.6%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Hispanic

2%

Non-Hispanic

98%
329

century but declined to one-tenth of that size by the mid1800s.

Although Captain Robert Gray is credited with 

being the first Euro-American to land in Tillamook Bay 

in 1788, it was not until the middle of the 1880s that 

white settlers came to the area. The entrance to the bay is 

recognized as challenging today and was identified as 

perilous in Gray’s time, according to an account by a 

member of his crew who told of an awkwardly situated 

shoal, narrow entrance, and strong tide.

In 1853 the Oregon territorial government created 

Tillamook County. The county’s earliest industries were 

shipping, logging, fishing, farming, and dairy. Fishing 

played a key role as it was the major avenue for bringing 

cash into the area. Fish caught in the region’s coastal 

waters, bays, and rivers were canned in numerous 

canneries throughout the area. Middlemen bought the 

packaged fish and sold them in Willamette Valley, south 

of Rockaway Beach. These funds enabled the 

development of other enterprises and aided the growth of 

Tillamook Bay communities.

Two industries developed alongside fishing in 

Tillamook County: dairy and lumber. The dairy industry 

thrived by producing cheese which could withstand long 

storage periods for distribution. The lumber industry 

took off in the 1890s with the production of containers 

for dairy, fish, and other products. In 1911 the Pacific 

Railway and Navigation Company constructed a railway 

from Portland to Tillamook. This reliable source of 

transportation further facilitated growth.

The Rockaway Beach area remained sparsely 

populated up until the early 1900s. The Pacific Railway 

and Navigation Company’s rail line made the coastal 

communities of northern Oregon more accessible to 

settlers as well. Rockaway Beach was connected by rail 

to Portland in 1912. The Ocean Crest apartments were 

built in Rockaway that year to house railway workers. 

The area also became a summer tourist destination, as 

Portland residents began to spend summers in the area. 

Men who worked in Portland during the week would take 

the Friday train (“the daddy train”) to Rockaway to be 

with their families for the weekend.

Residents have most likely participated in the 

commercial fishing industry at the nearby ports of 

Garibaldi and Nehalem for some time (see the Garibaldi 

community profile for more historical information on 

fishing); however, fieldwork indicates both sport and 

commercial fishing have become severely limited in the 

area. Unfortunately, little information could be found on 

the community’s history. Rockaway Beach’s tourist 

industry relies on the area’s sportfishing as an attraction. 

The significance of sportfishing to the community’s 

tourist industry is perhaps most evident by the large 

2000 Employment structure

Employed

49.4%

Unemployed

3.1%

Not in labor force

47.5%

volume of sportfishing licenses (1,027) sold by local 

vendors in 2000.

Rockaway Beach is becoming increasingly known 

as a retirement community, with 50% of its households 

used seasonally and the population’s median age at 52 in 

2000. The community holds several annual festivals and 

celebrations, a kite festival, an arts and crafts festival, a 

4th of July fireworks show, and an Oktoberfest 

celebration. These festivals highlight the importance of 

tourism to the area’s current economy.1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 49.4% of 

Rockaway Beach’s potential labor force 16 years of age 

and older were employed, 3.1% were unemployed, and 

the unemployment rate was 6.0% (calculated by dividing 

the unemployed population by the labor force). In 

addition, 47.5% were not in the labor force. Top 

employment sectors were arts, entertainment, recreation, 

accommodation, and food services (17.7%), government 

(15.2%), retail trade (15.2%), and educational, health, 

and social services (14.7%). Natural resource jobs 

including agriculture, fishing, forestry, and hunting 

employed 3.6%, but this percentage may be artificially 

low because many fishermen are self-employed and are 

underrepresented in the data.

Tillamook County’s principal industries in 1998 

were agriculture, lumber, recreation and tourism, and 

food processing. The five largest employers in 

Rockaway Beach in 2003 were Tillamook Country 

Smoker (160), McRae & Sons Inc. (90), Garibaldi Dry 

Dock Inc. (65), Nehalem Telephone and Telegraph 

Company (15); and Nehalem Bay Ready Mix (6). 

Fieldwork indicates the Garibaldi dry dock was sold and 

is no longer in operation.
330

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the per capita 

income in 1999 was $17,766 and the median household 

income was $29,798. In 1999 10.8% of the population 

lived below the poverty level. In 2000 Rockaway Beach 

had 1,573 housing units, of which 40.4% were occupied 

and 59.6% were vacant. Of the occupied units, 67.2% 

were by owner and 32.8% were by renter. The large 

number of the vacancies (85.5%) were due to seasonal, 

recreational, or occasional use.

Governance

The community of Rockaway Beach was founded in 

1909. The city incorporated in 1942 and operates under a 

mayoral form of government. Oregon has no general 

sales tax but levies a 1% tax on overnight lodging. See 

the Governance subsection (page 43) in the Overview 

section for a more detailed discussion of taxes affecting 

fishermen and processors in Oregon.

The nearest office for the National Marine Fisheries 

Service is 50 miles away in Astoria. The Oregon 

Department of Fish and Wildlife is headquartered in 

Salem; however, the North Coast Watershed District 

Office is 14 miles away in Tillamook. The closest U.S. 

Coast Guard Station is 5 miles away in Garibaldi. 

Meetings of the Pacific Fishery Management and North 

Pacific Fishery Management councils are held in 

Portland which is also home to the district office for the 

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Facilities

Rockaway Beach is accessible primarily by land and 

air. It lies along U.S. Highway 101 and is 38 miles away 

from the closest airport certified for carrier operations in 

Astoria. The nearest airport offering international service 

is Portland International Airport. Three smaller publicuse airports are within a 30 minute drive from Rockaway 

Beach in Manzanita, Tillamook, and Seaside.

Rockaway Beach is in the Neah-Kah-Nie School 

District. The community houses the district’s junior and 

senior high school (7–12 grades) but the district’s two 

elementary schools are in nearby Garibaldi and Nehalem. 

Fieldwork indicates a new junior high school was under 

construction in early 2007.

The Tillamook Public Utility District provides 

electricity. The City of Rockaway Beach provides the 

water supply and wastewater services and its police 

department administers public safety. The nearest 

hospital, Tillamook County General Hospital, is in 

Tillamook, 15 miles to the south. Additional hospitals 

are in Seaside and Astoria, 24 and 40 miles away 

respectively. Overnight accommodations in the 

Rockaway Beach area include at least a dozen hotels and 

numerous rental homes. Three parks are suitable for 

recreational vehicle use and camping.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

No commercial landings were made in Rockaway 

Beach in 2000, however, residents did participate in West 

Coast commercial fisheries as vessel owners and permit 

holders.

Rockaway Beach residents owned 20 vessels in 

2000 that participated in the region’s fisheries, and 9 

participated in the federally managed groundfish fishery. 

The number of vessels owned by Rockaway Beach 

residents that participated in each fishery by state (WA/

OR/CA) in 2000 was: crab 0/5/1, salmon 0/15/2, and 

shellfish NA/1/NA.6

One Rockaway Beach resident held a single federal 

groundfish fishery permit in 2000. Recorded data 

indicates the number of individual community members 

holding state permits in each fishery by state (WA/OR/

CA) was: crab 0/1/0, salmon 0/12/1, shellfish 0/6/NA, 

and shrimp 1/0/0.7

Four permits were registered to Rockaway Beach 

residents in 2000, of which three were registered state 

permits. According to recorded data the number of state 

permits in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

salmon 0/0/2 and shrimp 1/0/0.8

Sportfishing

Three licensed charter vessel businesses operated in 

Rockaway in 2003, however, all vessels were 

homeported in Garibaldi. Presently, Rockaway Beach 

has nine licensing vendors. In 2000 active agents sold 

1,023 sportfishing licenses at a value of $17,979.

Subsistence

Local community members, both tribal and 

nontribal, may engage in subsistence fishing for marine 

and stream resources in Rockaway Beach and the 

surrounding area. Specific information on subsistence 

fishing in Rockaway Beach is not discussed in detail in 

this community profile due to the lack of available data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Rockaway Beach community members were not 

involved in North Pacific commercial fisheries during 

2000.
331

Sportfishing

Rockaway Beach residents purchased 11 Alaska 

sportfishing licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. J. Gilden (ed.). 1999. Oregon’s changing coastal fishing 

communities. Online at http://seagrant.oregonstate.edu/sgpubs/

onlinepubs/o99001.html [accessed 25 January 2007].

2. L. Tobe. 2003. Garibaldi, Tillamook County, OR. Online at 

http://www.fcresearch.org/neai/OR_case_studies/Garabaldi.pdf 

[accessed 25 January 2007].

3. Garibaldi Chamber of Commerce. No date. Welcome to 

Garibaldi: The Pacific Ocean gateway-history. Online at http://

www.ci.garibaldi.or.us/history.html [accessed 25 January 2007].

4. M. Guardino III and Rev. M. Riedel. Sovereigns of 

themselves: A liberating history of Oregon and its coast. Vol. III. 

Online at http://www2.wi.net/~census/lesson36.html [accessed 25 

January 2007].

5. Rockaway Beach Chamber of Commerce. No date. Home. 

Online at http://www.rockawaybeach.net/index.htm [accessed 25 

January 2007].

6. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few recorded permit numbers or the partially permitted nature of a 

fishery in 2000.

7. See note 6.

8. See note 6.
332

Roseburg

People and Place

Location

Roseburg is in Douglas County on the Umpqua 

River along Interstate 5, approximately 179 miles south 

of Portland and 134 miles south of the capitol, Salem. It 

encompasses 9.22 square miles of land and 0.2 square 

miles of water. The geographic coordinates of Roseburg 

are lat 43°13′00′′N, long 123°20′26′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of Roseburg was 20,017, a 17.5% increase from 1990. 

The gender composition was 51.6% female and 48.4% 

male. The median age was 39.2, higher than the national 

median of 35. Of the population 18 years of age and 

older, 80.1% had a high school education or higher, 

15.4% had a bachelor’s degree or higher, and 5.6% had a 

graduate or professional degree; the national averages 

were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The majority of Roseburg’s racial structure was 

white (93.6%), followed by people who identified with 

two or more races (2.5%), American Indian and Alaska 

Native (1.3%), people who identified with some other 

race (1.3%), Asian (1.0%), black (0.3%), and Native 

Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (0.1%). Ethnicity 

data indicate 3.7% identified as Hispanic. A small 

percentage (1.9%) was foreign-born, of which 16.8% 

were born in Canada and 12.8% in Mexico.

In 2000 a total of 76.0% of the population lived in 

family households.

History

The Umpqua Indians inhabited the Roseburg area 

long before European contact. The early history of 

contact between Indians and Europeans and the story of 

colonization and settlement illustrate the complicated 

relations between Indians and non-Indians in the area. 

Trappers and explorers working for the Hudson’s Bay 

Company operated in Umpqua territory beginning in the 

early 1800s. In 1852 gold was discovered at Jackson 

Creek in Cow Creek Umpqua territory, starting an influx 

of miners. Euro-American settlers moved into the area 

shortly thereafter. Battles and skirmishes between white 

settlers and Indians ensued.

In 1853 seeking a peaceful solution to the conflict 

with non-Indian settlers, the Cow Creek Umpqua became 

the first Oregon tribe to negotiate a treaty with the U.S. 

government.1

 At the time, Roseburg was a small 

1,500 1,000 500 0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure

Asian

1%

Native

1.3%

Black

0.3%

Pacific Islander

0.1%

Other

1.3%

Two or more races

2.5%

White

93.6%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Non-Hispanic

96.3%

Hispanic

3.7%
333

community on the North Umpqua River called Deer 

Creek. The community was under the jurisdiction of 

Umpqua County, which had been created in 1851. In 

early 1852, a new county was created out of that portion 

of Umpqua County located east of the Coast Range. The 

new county was named Douglas County to honor 

Stephen A. Douglas, a U.S. Senator from Illinois and an 

advocate for Oregon statehood. Deer Creek was renamed 

Roseburg in 1885, and Umpqua County was absorbed 

into Douglas County after the gold rush played out and 

the local population decreased.2

 Today Roseburg is a 

community of more than 20,000 known for its wineries 

and recreation opportunities.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 52.3% of the 

potential labor force 16 years of age and older were 

employed, 4% were unemployed, and the unemployment 

rate was 7.2% (calculated by dividing the unemployed 

population by the labor force). In addition, 43.7% were 

not in the labor force. The top employment sectors were 

educational, health, and social services (25.9%), local, 

state, or federal government (19.5%), manufacturing 

(12.7%), and retail trade (12.5%). Natural resource jobs 

including agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting 

employed 2.2%, but this percentage may be artificially 

low because many fishermen are self-employed and are 

underrepresented in these data.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the per capita 

income in 1999 was $17,082, and the median household 

income was $31,250. In 1999 15.1% lived below the 

poverty level. Roseburg had 8,838 housing units in 

2000, of which 93.2% were occupied and 6.8% were 

vacant. Of the occupied units, 56.5% were by owner and 

43.5% were by renter.

Governance

Roseburg, the county seat of Douglas County, is an 

incorporated city with a council-manager form of 

government. The council includes the mayor and eight 

members. The Cow Creek Band of the Umpqua Indian 

Tribe, a sovereign tribe recognized by the U.S. 

government, has a tribal reservation located in Roseburg. 

The tribal council provides government services to its 

members. Oregon has no general sales tax but levies a 

1% tax on overnight lodging that funds the Oregon 

Tourism Commission. See the Government subsection 

(page 43) in the Overview section for a more detailed 

discussion of taxes affecting fishermen and processors in 

Oregon.

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

43.7% Employed

52.3%

Unemployed

4%

The National Marine Fisheries Service, Oregon 

Department of Fish and Wildlife, and U.S. Citizenship 

and Immigration Services all have local offices in 

Roseburg. The nearest U.S. Coast Guard Unit is 85 miles 

away in Coos Bay. The Pacific Fishery Management and 

North Pacific Fishery Management councils hold 

meetings in Portland.

Facilities

Roseburg is on Interstate Highway 5. Amtrak and 

Greyhound provide rail and bus service respectively. 

Roseburg Airport, with a 4,602-foot runway, is 

accessible to general aviation and serves primarily small 

planes. The nearest major airport is in Eugene, 72 miles 

to the north. Oregon highways 42 and 138 pass through 

Roseburg, providing access westward to the Pacific coast 

and eastward to the Cascade Range respectively.

Local schools include eight elementary schools, two 

middle schools, and one high school.3 Roseburg is also 

home to Umpqua Community College. The Roseburg 

Police Department and Douglas County Sheriff’s Office 

administer public safety. Pacific Power and Douglas 

Electric, a nonprofit electric distribution utility that 

serves western and northern Douglas County, provides 

electricity. The City of Roseburg provides water and 

sewer services. The Umpqua Basin Water Association 

supplies water in rural areas. There are several medical 

facilities including Mercy Medical Center and a U.S. 

Veterans Administration clinic. The Roseburg 

Healthcare System is in Roseburg and larger hospitals are 

in Eugene and Medford. Local lodging accommodations 

include 20 hotels and motels and several bed-andbreakfasts.
334

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

According to available data, there were no seafood 

processors in Roseburg in 2000 and no vessels delivered 

landings. Roseberg residents owned 13 commercial 

vessels in 2000, of which 6 participated in the federally 

managed groundfish fishery. The number of vessels 

owned by Roseburg residents in 2000 that participated in 

each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 

0/1/0, groundfish 0/0/NA, highly migratory species NA/

0/NA, salmon 0/8/0, shellfish NA/0/NA, shrimp NA/0/0, 

and other species 0/41/0.4

In 2000 a resident held one federal groundfish 

permit. The number of Roseburg residents holding 

permits in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

coastal pelagic 0/1/0, highly migratory species NA/0/0, 

salmon 3/7/0, shellfish 0/0/NA, and other species 0/2/0.5

At least 15 commercial fishing permits were 

registered to Roseburg residents in 2000, including 14 

registered state permits. The number of permits held by 

Roseburg residents in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) 

was: coastal pelagic 0/1/0, highly migratory species NA/

0/0, salmon 3/7/0, shellfish 0/0/NA, and other species 0/

3/0.6

Sportfishing

At least one sportfishing charter business operates 

out of Roseburg, targeting mainly river salmon and 

steelhead. In addition, there were at least 16 registered 

outfitters or guides based out of Roseburg in 2000. 

Residents owned at least two licensed charter vessels, but 

both operated out of Umpqua/Charleston. Twelve 

sportfishing licensing agents were located in Roseburg. 

Because Roseburg lacks access to the coast, it has no 

sportfish landings.

Subsistence

Subsistence harvest by both tribal and nontribal 

fishermen for marine species may exist in the Roseburg 

area. Specific information on subsistence fishing in 

Roseburg is not discussed in detail in this community 

profile due to the lack of available data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 Roseberg residents owned two vessels that 

participated in North Pacific fisheries. The vessels made 

landings in the shellfish fishery, but specific information 

(landings in metric tons/value of landings) is 

confidential. Five residents held state permits for Alaska, 

including one Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission 

(CFEC) shellfish permit and four CFEC salmon permits. 

In 2000 13 residents held crew member licenses for 

North Pacific fisheries.

Sportfishing

Roseburg residents purchased 196 Alaska 

sportfishing licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. Cow Creek Band of the Umpqua Tribe of Indians. 2006. 

Summary. Online at http://www.cowcreek.com/story/x01history/

index.html [accessed 26 January 2007].

2. Douglas County. No date. Douglas County history. Online at 

http://arcweb.sos.state.or.us/county/cpdouglashome.html [accessed 26 

January 2007].

3. National Center for Education Statistics. No date. No title. 

Online at http://nces.ed.gov/globallocator/ [accessed 26 January 

2007].

4. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

5. See note 4.

6. See note 4.
335

Seaside

People and Place

Location

Seaside is located at the mouth of the Necanicum 

River on Oregon’s north coast. The Necanicum 

originates at Saddle Mountain in southern Clatsop 

County and runs north and south through Seaside. The 

town is 80 miles northwest of Portland and 17 miles 

south of Astoria. Seaside encompasses 3.9 square miles 

of land and 0.2 square miles of water. Its geographic 

coordinates are lat 45°50′46′′N, long 123°55′17′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of Seaside was 5,900, a 10.1% increase from 1990. The 

gender composition was 52.5% female and 47.5% male. 

The median age was 41.3, higher than the national 

median of 35.3. Seaside had a relatively even age 

distribution in 2000. Of the population 18 years of age 

and older, 80.5% had a high school education or higher, 

16.7% had a bachelor’s degree or higher, and 4.7% had a 

graduate or professional degree; the national averages 

were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The majority of Seaside’s racial composition was 

white (93.1%), followed by people who identified with 

another race (2.2%), people who identified with two or 

more races (2.1%), Asian (1.1%), American Indian and 

Alaska Native (1.0%), black (0.3%), and Pacific Islander 

(0.3%). Ethnicity data indicate 6.5% identified as 

Hispanic and 6.2% were foreign-born, of which 71.5% 

were born in Mexico.

In 2000 73.9% of the population lived in family 

households.

History

Clatsop County was created in 1844 and named for 

the Clatsop Indians, one of the Chinook tribes living in 

Oregon. Fourteen Clatsop villages are known to have 

existed including three in the Seaside area: Quatat, Neah-coxie, and Ne-co-tat. Quatat was at the mouth of the 

Necanicum River. The Clatsop Indians were referred to 

as “flatheads” because of their sloping foreheads created 

by tightly binding an infant across its brow to a 

cradleboard used by the mother to transport the child.1

Clatsop Indians lead a non-nomadic lifestyle, 

building strong and permanent long houses from cedar 

planks that could be up to 60-feet long. They also used 

cedar for their canoes. The environment offered dense 

forests, fertile plains, and rich waters with many species 

600 400 200 0 200 400 600

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

93.1%

Two or more races

2.1%

Other

2.2%

Pacific Islander

0.3%

Native

1.0%

Black

0.3%

Asian

1.1%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity 

Hispanic

6.5%

Non-Hispanic

93.5%
336

of salmon, freshwater fish, and shellfish. The Clatsop 

believed salmon to be a divine gift from the wolf-spirit 

Talapus, who created the fish to save their people from 

extinction at a legendary time of near disaster. The 

Clatsop interacted with white people in the Seaside area 

long before the first Euro-American settlers arrived in 

1852.2

Most of the Clatsop Indians, whose population was 

estimated at 300 in 1806, moved to the Grande Ronde 

Reservation. By 1910 their number had declined to 26. 

In 1954 the Grande Ronde Tribe and reservation lost 

formal recognition when congress passed the 

Termination Act. In 1983 the tribe was reinstated and 

five years later regained 9,811 acres of the original 

reservation. The Clatsops are now separately entered 

among the general population of the Grande Ronde 

Agency, whose population, according to the 1990 U.S. 

Census, was 57.

The history of Seaside is linked to the discovery of 

the Columbia River. The river was first sited in 1775 by 

the Spanish navigator Bruno de Heceta, and 17 years 

later Captain Robert Gray of Boston navigated the bar 

and named the river after his ship, Columbia Rediviva. In 

1804 the Lewis and Clark expedition began its historic 

overland journey, reaching the Columbia in October, 

1805. The expedition sent five men south to find a 

suitable site for saltmaking, and a camp was established 

15 miles south near the mouth of the Necanicum, the 

present site of Seaside. Today the saltmaker’s cairn is an 

honored monument at the center of Seaside, representing 

the westernmost encampment of the Lewis and Clark 

expedition.3

The first community landowners and business 

entrepreneurs, Alexander and Helen Lattie, arrived in the 

area in 1852 and purchased 6,112 acres. The couple 

established the northwest coast’s first boarding-house 

named Summer House in the late 1850s. Ben Holladay, a 

prominent Portland land developer and railroad builder, 

purchased the Lattie property and began the construction 

of the famous Seaside House in 1871. The house was 

advertised in West Coast newspapers as “the oldest 

fashionable summer resort” on the Oregon coast with 400 

guests in 1875. Prior to construction of modern 

highways, guests arrived at the resort via the Columbia 

River or on Holladay steamers from San Francisco. 

Between 1907 and World War II, beach-goers would take 

the Spokane, Portland, and Seattle Railway to visit the 

beaches in Seaside but the line was removed after the 

war.4

By the turn of the century Seaside—named after the 

Seaside House—had evolved into two separate towns, 

Seaside and West Seaside, on opposite sides of the 

Necanicum. In 1902 the combined population was 500, 

2000 Employment structure

Employed

59.1%

Not in labor force

38.3%

Unemployed

2.6%

with summer populations rising to 5,500–10,500. 

Transportation facilities had improved and the town 

boasted five hotels, numerous stores, a Western Union 

Telegraph, four daily trains, cannery, sawmill, box 

factory, three churches, and a school.5

The two cities, Seaside (incorporated in 1899) and 

West Seaside (incorporated in 1905), merged in 1913 and 

the city constructed its first high school three years later. 

In 1920 Seaside’s unique and famous landmark, the 

Promenade, was constructed along 8,010 feet of beach 

front. Its dedication drew between 25,000 and 30,000 

visitors. Tourists businesses (souvenir shops, 

concessions, amusement rides, and taffy stores) rapidly 

occupied spots along the promenade. In 1924 Seaside 

House, after serving as a military hospital during World 

War I, was dismantled and its grounds purchased by the 

Seaside Golf Course. The next few decades saw the rise 

and fall of several local businesses, but following World 

War II Seaside’s economy again began to boom. The 

Seaside-Gearhart Airport was dedicated in 1957, further 

solidifying the city’s role as a prominent tourist 

destination on the Oregon coast.6

Today the primary industries of Clatsop County are 

fishing, lumber, agriculture, and tourism. The area is a 

major recreation center with miles of ocean beaches, 

dense forests, streams, mountains, and rivers. Seaside is 

one of three popular beach resorts in the county, where 

tourists come to walk along the oceanfront promenade 

and enjoy numerous recreational opportunities. Astoria, 

17 miles north of Seaside, is home to a deepwater port 

where several cruise ships dock each year. The 

Necanicum River estuary at Seaside occupies 

approximately 451 acres with a watershed of about 87 

square miles. It is designated as a conservation estuary 

under the Oregon Estuary Classification System. The 

increase in transportation facilities, recreational 

opportunities, and community services in Seaside has 
337

lead to growth in residential, tourist, and retirement 

populations over the last several decades.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 59.1% of 

Seaside’s potential labor force 16 years of age and older 

were employed, 2.6% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 4.2% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

38.3% were not in the labor force. The top employment 

sectors were service jobs (28.2%), sales and office 

positions (28.1%), management, professional, and related 

occupations (24.6%), and local, state, or federal 

government (11.1%). Natural resource jobs including 

agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting employed 1%, 

but this percentage may be artificially low because many 

fishermen are self-employed and are underrepresented in 

these data.

Seaside is predominantly a retirement community. 

Its economy relies heavily on tourism and to a lesser 

extent on fishing, seafood, and wood processing. The top 

four employers in 2002 were the Seaside School District 

(187), Providence Seaside Hospital (185), Safeway 

(160), and the City of Seaside (80). Tourism in Seaside 

is well developed with more than 30 hotels and vacation 

rentals and 18 restaurants.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the per capita 

income in 1999 was $17,893 and the median household 

income was $31,074. In 1999 5.6% lived below the 

poverty level. Seaside had 4,078 housing units in 2000, 

of which 65.1% were occupied and 34.9% were vacant. 

Of the occupied units, 47.9% were by owner and 52.1% 

were by renter. Of the vacant units, 53.5% were due to 

seasonal, recreational or occasional use.

Governance

Seaside is an incorporated city that operates under a 

council-mayor government. Six city council members 

represent the community. Oregon has no general sales 

tax but levies a 1% tax on overnight lodging. See the 

Governance subsection (page 43) in the Overview 

section for a more detailed discussion of taxes affecting 

fishermen and processors in Oregon.

The National Marine Fisheries Service has offices 

16 miles north of Seaside in Hammond and in Astoria. 

Seaside is home to an Oregon Department of Fish and 

Wildlife (ODFW) field office for the Jewel Meadows 

Wildlife Area. The nearest ODFW regional office is 

located 95 miles southeast in Clackamas. Seaside is 13 

miles from the closest U.S. Coast Guard Unit in 

Warrenton and 80 miles from the nearest U.S. 

Citizenship and Immigration Services Office in Portland. 

Meetings of the Pacific Fishery Management and North 

Pacific Fishery Management councils are held in 

Portland.

Facilities

Seaside is accessible by ground and air. The main 

roads connecting Seaside to neighboring communities 

include U.S. Highway 101 south to Cannon Beach and 

U.S. Highway 26 southeast to Portland and north to 

Astoria. Amtrak offers daily bus service to Portland and 

the Sunset Empire Transportation District provides local 

bus service. Portland International Airport is the closest 

airport offering international service. The Seaside 

Municipal Airport is accessible by single engine and light 

twin engine aircraft only. The nearest ports are 17 miles 

northwest in Astoria and 15 miles north in Hammond. 

The Astoria port group includes Gearhart/Seaside and 

Cannon Beach.

The Seaside School District provides kindergarten 

through twelfth grade education to more than 1,500 

students. Clatsop Community College, a public, twoyear institution, is about 17 miles north in Astoria and 

has an enrollment of more than 10,000. Pacific Power 

and Light and Northwest Natural Gas are the primary 

electricity and gas providers for the city. The City of 

Seaside provides water and wastewater treatment 

services and its police department administers public 

safety. Seaside is home to the Providence Seaside 

Hospital, offering in-house physician care and 

emergency services.

Local businesses include the Seaside Aquarium, 

City of Seaside Library, Seaside Historical Society 

Museum, Seaside Theatre Company, Seaside Chamber of 

Commerce, an indoor youth center, and several 

recreational activities and places of worship. The 

Seaside Aquarium, founded in 1937, is one of the oldest 

aquariums on the West Coast. The aquarium is active in 

several community awareness programs including 

Marine Mammal Stranding, Necanicum Estuary 

Discovery Program, Sea Week, and other educational 

tours and activities for children. There are several 

community events held in Seaside each year including 

the Oregon Dixieland Jubilee, Spring Whale Watch 

Week, Great Oregon Spring Beach Cleanup, Seaside 

Sand Sculpture and Beach Festival, Seaside Beach 

Volleyball Tournament, Chocolate Lovers Festival, 

Seaside Chowder Cook-off, and the Hood to Coast Relay 

Race. There is no harbor located at Seaside.
338

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 there were no landings reported for Seaside, 

however, residents of Seaside may contribute to fish 

landed in nearby Gearhart, which reported landings in the 

following West Coast fisheries (data shown represents 

landings in metric tons/value of landings/number of 

vessels landing): salmon confidential/confidential/2; and 

shellfish 0.4 t/$2,919/8.

Seaside residents owned 12 vessels in 2000, 

including 4 vessels that participated in the federally 

managed groundfish fishery. Available data indicates 12 

commercial vessels made landings in Gearhart in 2000. 

According to recorded data, the number of vessels owned 

by Seaside residents that participated in each fishery by 

state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/3/0, crab 0/3/0, 

groundfish 0/0/NA, highly migratory species NA/0/NA, 

salmon 0/11/2, shellfish NA/0/NA, and shrimp NA/3/2.7

In 2000 the number of Seaside residents who held 

permits in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 

0/4/0, highly migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 0/9/1, 

shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 1/3/2, and other species 0/0/1.8

According to available data, 15 state permits were 

registered to Seaside residents in 2000. The number of 

permits held by community members in each fishery by 

state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/2/0, crab 0/2/0, 

highly migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 0/0/3, shellfish 

0/0/NA, shrimp 1/3/3, and other species 0/0/1.9

According to a joint ODFW and Oregon Coastal 

Zone Management Association Inc. (OCZMA) 

publication in 2003, the Astoria port group (which 

includes Gearhart/Seaside) landed 130.1 million pounds 

of fish in 2000 valued at $29.4 million.10 Most fish meal 

production in Oregon is done by several large seafood 

processors based in Astoria. The homeport vessel count 

for the Astoria port group was 359 vessels in 2000, 

including 44 vessels with limited entry trawl permits, 20 

with limited entry fixed gear permits, and 25 vessels 

making landings in the open access groundfish fishery. 

The ODFW/OCZMA report defines a vessel’s homeport 

as the port where a vessel made its most landings.

Fieldwork indicates Tsunami Seafood and Exotic 

Meats, a seafood retailer and café, has closed its Seaside 

business. The company used to supply local and national 

buyers with a wide range of seafood including smoked 

and fresh salmon, shellfish, albacore tuna, crawfish, 

shrimp, and sole. The Bell Buoy Crab Company, 

founded in 1946, offers fresh, cooked, and canned 

seafood. Bell Buoy also owns a small plant in Chinook, 

Washington, which it purchased from Ocean Beauty 

Seafood in the late 1990s.11

Some vessels homeported in Seaside may 

occasionally fish in Hawaii. Razor clam digging also 

takes place in Seaside as an open access fishery. 

Fieldwork indicates residents sell razor clams to Bell 

Buoy Crab Company and to commercial fishermen for 

bait.

Sportfishing

Seaside had at least seven outfitter guide businesses 

in 2003, and residents owned at least three licensed 

charter vessel businesses, each capable of holding six 

passengers. One charter business homeports its vessel in 

Hammond. Internet fishing guide sources indicate at 

least four sportfishing businesses operating in Seaside: 

Perry’s Fishing Adventures, Salmon Master Guide 

Service, Hiline Guide Service, and Columbia River 

Discovery Tours. In 2004 Seaside had two sportfish 

licensing vendors whose agents sold 1,286 licenses in 

2000 at a value of $18,763. Area sport fishermen are also 

involved in a local surf perch fishery, a sport crab fishery, 

steelhead fishing in the Necanicum River, and trout and 

carp fishing.

Subsistence

Nontribal and tribal fishermen, including members 

of the Confederated Tribe of the Siletz, may utilize 

marine and stream resources for subsistence means from 

the areas within and surrounding Seaside. Specific 

information on subsistence fishing in Seaside is not 

discussed in detail in this community profile due to the 

lack of available data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 Seaside residents owned four vessels 

involved in North Pacific fisheries. Community 

members landed fish in the following North Pacific 

fisheries: Bering Strait Aleutian Island (BSAI) 

groundfish and Gulf of Alaska groundfish, halibut, and 

salmon. All landing data are confidential.

Six community residents held registered state 

permits and nine held registered federal permits.

A total of 14 state and federal permits were 

registered to individuals in Seaside in 2000. Residents 

held three groundfish License Limitation Program 

permits, two Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission 

(CFEC) BSAI groundfish, three CFEC halibut permits, 

and three CFEC salmon permits. The halibut and 

sablefish individual fishing quota shares for Seaside 

residents were 1,206,438 and 1,897,793 respectively.
339

In 2000 21 residents held crew member licenses for 

North Pacific fisheries.

Sportfishing

Seaside residents purchased 33 Alaska sportfishing 

licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. Clatsop County. No date. Clatsop County reference 

information: The history of Seaside, OR. Online at http://

www.clatsop.com/ccri/seaside/ [accessed 26 January 2007].

2. See note 1

3. See note 1.

4. See note 1.

5. See note 1.

6. See note 1.

7. NA refers to data that were not available, for example due to 

few recorded permit numbers or the partially permitted nature of a 

fishery in 2000.

8. See note 7.

9. See note 7.

10. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. 2003. Oregon’s 

commercial fishing industry: Review of years 2000 and 2001, 

Preliminary estimates for 2002, Outlook for 2003. Online at http://

www.dfw.state.or.us/odfwhtml/commercial/commercial_fishing

_report.pdf [accessed 26 January 2007].

11. See note 10.
340

Siletz 

People and Place

Location

Siletz is a few miles inland from Oregon’s north 

coast in Lincoln County, 8 miles northeast of Newport. 

The town is 132 miles southwest of Portland. Siletz 

encompasses 0.6 square miles of land and its geographic 

coordinates are lat 44°43′19′′N, long123°55′08′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of Siletz was 1,133. The gender composition was 48.9% 

female and 51.1% male. The median age was 36.1, close 

to the national median age of 35.3. Of the population 18 

years of age and older, 71% had a high school education 

or higher, 6.5% had a bachelor’s degree or higher, and 

1.6% had a graduate or professional degree; the national 

averages were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The majority of Siletz’s racial structure was white 

(71.2%), followed by American Indian and Alaska 

Native (21%), people who identified with two or more 

races (6.1%), Asian (0.7%), black (0.4%), people who 

identified with some other race (0.4%), and Native 

Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (0.1%). Ethnicity 

data indicate 1.9% identified as Hispanic. A small 

percentage (2.1%) of the population was foreign-born.

In 2000 88.1% of the population lived in family 

households.

History

The roots of the Siletz peoples lie in 27 tribes that 

once populated the coastal areas of Lincoln, Tillamook, 

and Lane Counties. In 1851 the U.S. Government forced 

the Indians of western Oregon onto reservations as a way 

of reducing conflicts between the Indians and the flood of 

Euro-Americans who came following the discovery of 

gold.1

Over the years the size of the Siletz Reservation has 

been reduced. A railroad to the coast split the reservation 

in the late 1860s and large sections were opened to white 

settlement. During the next several decades, parts of the 

reservation were closed and the Dawes Act of 1887 

replaced tribal lands with allotments. Lands not 

eventually allocated to Indians went into the public 

domain and were sold to white settlers. In 1956 the 

Western Oregon Termination Act declared the people of 

the Siletz Tribe were no longer Indians. As a result more 

of their land was sold to settlers and given to the town of 

Siletz. In 1977 the Siletz Tribe, with the enactment of the 

100 50 0 50 100

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

71.2%

Native

21.0%

Two or more races

6.1%

Black

0.4%

Asian

0.7%

Other

0.4%

Pacific Islander

0.1%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Hispanic

1.9%

Non-Hispanic

98.1%
341

Siletz Restoration Act, regained recognition. The 

reservation now includes approximately 39 acres near 

town and 3,630 acres of timberland throughout Lincoln 

County. In 1991 the tribe built a 13,500 square foot tribal 

health clinic. The clinic is a valuable asset to the 

community as it serves tribal members and nonmembers. 

The Siletz community hosts several events throughout 

the year, including an annual powwow in July. Today 

the Confederated Tribes of Siletz plays an important role 

in the area.

Native Americans relied on natural resources long 

before the arrival of Euro-American settlers, subsisting 

by fishing, hunting, and gathering. In recent times, they 

gathered a variety of plants, hooked and trapped lamprey, 

caught salmon, collected freshwater mussels, and hunted 

deer. However, recent declines in lamprey and salmon 

populations have reduced access to these two important 

traditional food sources.2 Although Oregon does not 

recognize the tribe’s coastal fishing rights today, the tribe 

believes they are legitimized through treaty rights.3, 4, 5

Euro-American settlers continued to enter the Siletz 

area throughout the latter 1800s. They established 

general stores in the community. Pack trains brought 

supplies to homesteaders who settled in rural areas 

outside of town. Siletz was similar to the rest of Lincoln 

County in that its major industries were logging, lumber, 

farming, rock crushing, reforestation, gathering native 

flora, and cascara bark peeling. The town of Siletz was 

established in 1910 and the community was eventually 

incorporated in 1946. In the early days travel in the 

Siletz area was difficult, primarily by foot or horse. A 

ferry aided those who crossed the Siletz River.6 The 29 

June 1939 edition of the Lincoln County Leader 

describes Siletz as a center of trade and logging, because 

much of the timber headed for California and many 

eastern ports at that time came from the area.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 55.8% of the 

potential labor force of Siletz 16 years of age and older 

were employed, 3.2% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 5.5% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

41% were not in the labor force. A top employment 

sector was government (21.8%). Natural resource jobs 

including agriculture, fishing, forestry, or hunting 

employed 4.8%, but this percentage may be artificially 

low because many fishermen are self-employed and are 

underrepresented in the data.

While many residents work in the nearby cities of 

Newport and Toledo, some are still involved with the 

2000 Employment structure

Unemployed

3.2%

Employed

55.8%

Not in labor force

41%

area’s traditional industries, logging and agriculture. 

One of the area’s major employers is the Georgia Pacific 

Pulp and Paper mill nearby in Toledo; Koch Industries 

purchased the mill from Georgia Pacific in 2005.

At present Siletz is home to more than 1,300 people. 

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the per capita 

income was $14,690, compared to the national per capita 

income of $21,587, and the median household income 

was $38,542. In 1999 15.4% lived below the poverty 

level. In 2000 there were 468 housing units in Siletz, of 

which 89.7% were occupied and 10.3% were vacant. Of 

the vacancies, 22.9% were due to seasonal, recreational, 

or occasional use.

Governance

The City of Siletz, incorporated in 1946, has a 

mayor-council form of government. The Confederated 

Tribes of Siletz is a federally recognized confederation of 

27 bands historically ranging from Northern California to 

Southern Washington. In 1992 congress legislated the 

tribe’s self-governance, enabling the tribe to compact 

directly with the federal government, giving them control 

over funding and programming.

Oregon has no general sales tax but levies a 1% 

overnight lodging tax that funds the Oregon Tourism 

Commission. See the Governance subsection (page 43) 

in the Overview section for a more detailed discussion of 

taxes affecting fishermen and processors in Oregon.

The nearest office of the National Marine Fisheries 

Service is 15 miles away in Newport, which is also home 

to a U.S. Coast Guard station. The closest marine 

resources program of the Oregon Department of Fish and 

Wildlife is in South Beach. Portland is home to the 

district office of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 

Services. Meetings of the Pacific Fisheries Management 

and North Pacific Fisheries Management councils are 

also held in Portland.
342

Facilities

The nearest airports to Siletz are in Newport and 

Corvalis, 15 miles and 47 miles away respectively. The 

nearest major airport is Portland International Airport.

Siletz has a charter school with 227 students 

enrolled in kindergarten through eighth grade. The 

community’s high school students may attend several 

schools in Lincoln County, including Toledo High 

School, Newport High School, and Eddyville Charter 

School.

The Central Lincoln Public Utility District provides 

electricity and the City of Siletz provides water and 

wastewater treatment. The water supply comes from 

surface sources and the Siletz River. At present the city 

has no storm drainage system. The Siletz Tribal Police 

Department and the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office 

administer public safety. Hospitals are located 27 miles 

away in Lincoln City and 11 miles away in Newport. 

The closest regional hospital is 51 miles away in 

Corvallis. While Siletz has no overnight 

accommodations, the nearby cities of Newport and 

Toledo have 23 hotels and 1 hotel respectively.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Siletz is landlocked so there were no fish landed in 

the town in 2000, although community members did 

participate in the region’s commercial fisheries. Siletz 

residents owned 13 vessels that fished in West Coast 

fisheries, including 7 that made landings in the federally 

managed groundfish fishery. The number of vessels 

owned by residents of Siletz in 2000 that participated in 

each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 

0/1/1, crab 0/7/0, groundfish 0/0/NA, highly migratory 

species NA/0/NA, salmon 0/10/4, shellfish NA/1/NA, 

and shrimp NA/3/0.7

In 2000 seven community members held six permits 

for the federal groundfish fishery. The number of 

residents holding state permits in each fishery by state 

(WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic species 1/1/2, crab 1/

6/0, highly migratory species NA/0/1, salmon 0/9/5, 

shellfish 0/1/NA, shrimp 1/3/1, and other species 0/2/0.8

At least 26 permits were registered to community 

members in 2000 and 20 were for state fisheries. The 

number of state permits held by community members in 

each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 

1/1/3, crab 1/0/0, highly migratory species NA/0/1, 

salmon 0/0/9, shellfish 0/1/NA, and shrimp 1/0/2.9

Sportfishing

In 2000 three sportfishing outfitters were based in 

Siletz, including one charter business that based its vessel 

in Newport.

Subsistence

The Siletz Tribe has rights to fish for salmon in 

several of the area’s freshwater environments. The 

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife issues the tribe 

200 salmon tags, which they reissue to tribal members 

for use during the fall cultural fishing season. The tribe 

may receive up to 4,000 pounds of surplus salmon 

annually from the State of Oregon. Tribal members also 

have rights to gather eels, seaweed, and fresh water 

mussels within Lincoln County for noncommercial 

purposes. The tribe may also ask the state to issue 

special gathering permits for sea anemones, rock oysters, 

and saltwater mussels within Lincoln County.10

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Residents of Siletz owned four vessels that 

participated in North Pacific fisheries in 2000. 

Community members landed fish in the following North 

Pacific fisheries (data shown represents landings in 

metric tons/value of said landings/number of vessels 

landing): Bering Sea/Aleutian Island (BSAI) groundfish 

confidential/confidential/2, Gulf of Alaska groundfish 

confidential/confidential/2, halibut confidential/

confidential/1, salmon confidential/confidential/1, and 

other finfish confidential/confidential/2.

Nine community members held federal permits and 

10 held state permits during the same year. In 2000 11 

residents held crew member licenses for North Pacific 

fisheries.

Siletz residents held 20 commercial permits for 

North Pacific fisheries in 2000. Residents held four 

groundfish License Limitation Program permits, one 

halibut Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission (CFEC) 

permit, eight BSAI groundfish CFEC permits, one 

salmon CFEC permit, and two shellfish CFEC permits. 

In addition, community members held 45,750 halibut 

individual fishing quota shares.

Sportfishing

Siletz residents purchased 19 licenses to 

recreationally fish in Alaska in 2000.

Notes

1. Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians. 2003. Confederated 

tribes of Siletz Indians-Tribal profile. Online at http://www.npaihb
343

.org/profiles/tribal_profiles/Oregon/Confederated%20Tribes%20of

%20Siletz%20Indians%20Tribal%20Profile.htm [accessed 26 

January 2007].

2. R. Garono and L. Brophy. 1999. Rock Creek (Siletz) 

watershed assessment final report. Online at http://www.earthdesign

.com/rockcreek/DRAFT.PDF [accessed 26 January 2007].

3. Field notes, Siletz Tribe Fish and Wildlife Officer, Siletz, WA, 

23 August 2004.

4. Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board. 2003. 

Confederated tribes of Siletz Indians. Online at http://

www.npaihb.org/profiles/tribal_profiles/Oregon/Confederated

%20Tribes%20of%20Siletz%20Indians%20Tribal%20Profile.htm 

[accessed 26 January 2007].

5. The Confederated Tribes of Siletz. No date. Confederated 

Tribes of Siletz-History and Culture. Online at http://www.ctsi

.nsn.us/History_and_Culture.html [accessed 26 January 2007].

6. G. Castle and V. Kentta. 1976. History of the Siletz area, 

Number VIII. Document obtained from Jodi Weeber, Oregon Coast 

History Center, Newport, OR.

7. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

8. See note 7.

9. See note 7.

10. The National Tribal Justice Resource Center. 1999. The 

Confederated tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon: Tribal government 

operations. Online at http://www.tribalresourcecenter.org/ccfolder/

silcode14huntingetcord.htm [accessed 26 January 2007].
344

Sisters

This community was profiled before analysis of data 

indicated that Sisters had a level of involvement in 

fishing below the criteria for inclusion in this document. 

For this reason, a full profile including graphics was not 

completed.

People and Place

Location

Sisters is located in Deschutes County in the high 

desert of Central Oregon at the base of the Three Sisters 

Mountains near the Metolious and Deschutes rivers. The 

community is 154 miles east of Portland. Sisters 

encompasses an area of 1.5 square miles. Its geographic 

coordinates are lat 44o38′13′′N and long 124o03′08′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Sisters had a 

population of 959, a 41.2% increase from 1990. The 

gender composition was 50.5% female and 49.5% male. 

The median age was 38.8, compared to the national 

median of 35.3 years. Of the population 18 years of age 

and older, 87.5% had a high school education or higher, 

17.4% had a bachelor’s degree or higher, and 5.8% had a 

graduate or professional degree or higher; the national 

averages were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The majority of Sisters’ racial composition was 

white (95.8%), followed by Native American or Alaska 

Native (1.6%), people who identified with some other 

race (1.4%), people who identified with two or more 

races (0.8%), and Asian (0.4%). Ethnicity data indicate 

4.6% identified as Hispanic, and 1.8% were foreign-born. 

The nonprofit organization Economic Development for 

Central Oregon reported an additional 9,000 people live 

within a 5-mile radius of Sisters.1

History

The Sisters area was first used as a crossroads for 

Native Americans traveling from the Willamette Valley. 

Three different societies, who would later make up the 

Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, lived along the 

Columbia River, the Cascade Mountains, and parts of 

southern Oregon before European settlers arrived. The 

Wasco bands were the farthest east Chinook-speaking 

Indians that lived on the Columbia River and were 

primarily fishermen. They traded bread, salmon meal, 

and bear grass for other goods from neighboring tribes, 

such as the Clackamas and the Warm Springs. The 

Warm Springs band spoke Sahaptin and lived along the 

Columbia’s tributaries. These bands moved between 

winter and summer villages, depending on salmon, other 

game, and roots and berries. Members of both the Wasco 

and the Warm Springs bands built elaborate scaffolding 

over waterfalls to harvest fish using long-handled dip 

nets. The Paiute were much different from the other two 

bands, living on the high-plains of southeastern Oregon 

and speaking a Shoshone dialect. The band migrated far 

for game and did not rely on fish for their diet. Contact 

between the Paiute and the Wasco and Warm Springs 

bands was infrequent and sometimes erupted in conflict.2

Fur trappers and explorers of the Hudson’s Bay 

Company arrived around 1810 and followed Indian trails 

that led toward Warm Springs and through Cascade 

Mountain passes to the east and the Columbia River.3, 4 

Most early pioneers following the Oregon Trail avoided 

Central Oregon due to the natural barrier created by the 

Cascade Mountains.5 However, by the 1850s nearly 

12,000 settlers were moving through Wasco and Warm 

Springs territories each year. In 1855 Joel Palmer, Indian 

superintendent, negotiated a treaty with the Warm 

Springs and Wasco tribes in which they gave up 10 

million acres of land in exchange for exclusive use of the 

Warm Springs Reservation. In addition, the tribes kept 

their rights to harvest fish, game, and other foods in their 

usual and accustomed places, even those that were off the 

reservation. Thirty-eight Paiutes were moved to the 

Warm Springs Reservation from the Yakama 

Reservation in 1879 and more eventually followed.

In 1937 the three tribes organized the Confederated 

Tribes of Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon under the 

Indian Reorganization Act of 1934. In 1938 they 

formally accepted a corporate charter from the federal 

government for their business enterprises.6

 The tribes 

continue to support the surrounding areas with a number 

of businesses that provide employment and commerce 

for local residents of Sisters and other communities, as 

well as participating in local cultural events and festivals. 

Many of the foods utilized in the past and methods used 

to harvest these foods are still an important part of 

contemporary Indian life.

In 1859 the first route from the Willamette Valley 

was discovered and soon new routes were developed to 

gold mines in eastern Oregon and Idaho. In 1865-66 

volunteers from Polk County established Camp Polk, a 

military base built along Squaw Creek to protect settlers 

and miners from Indian attacks. The attacks never 

happened and the camp was abandoned.7

 Samuel M. 

Hindman homesteaded the site in 1870 and opened a post 

office and store. The post office closed in 1888 and 

relocated to the John Smith General Store. Sisters was 

chosen as the name for the new town, in honor of Faith, 
345

Hope, and Charity, the Three Sister Mountains. The 

community was officially platted in 1901.8, 9

Community members took advantage of the town’s 

location at the intersection of the Santiam and McKenzie 

roads. For the next 50 years, Sisters was a supply stop 

for travelers and sheepmen, as well as for the growing 

lumber and agriculture industries. In 1923–24 the entire 

town burned to the ground in two major fires. Despite 

economic hardships, the residents rebuilt the community. 

Sisters incorporated in 1946. The last mill closed in 1963 

when lumber production fell and the population declined.

In 1969 Brooks Resources Corporation began 

development on the Black Butte Ranch resort and 

residential area. The developers offered money to 

businesses in Sisters to build 1880s western-style 

storefronts and signs.10 Sisters evolved and reemerged as 

a tourist town that would eventually become known as 

the Gateway to the Cascades. The town economy 

stabilized to become a resort town and service center to 

Black Butte Ranch and other residential areas. Today the 

community is known for unique shops, galleries, and 

eating establishments as well as its proximity to the 

Metolius and Deschutes rivers, two of the most popular 

fly fishing streams in the northwest.11, 12

Tourists visit Sisters year-round for numerous 

festivals and events. The Annual Metolius Bamboo Rod 

and Fly Fishing Fair is held during the summer and 

provides opportunities to learn about bamboo fly rods, 

how to tie flies, and to experience the work of local 

Northwest artisans. The Annual Sisters Western and 

Native American Arts Festival also takes place during the 

summer months. Participants can experience what life 

was like for Native Americans and pioneers in the past, 

as well as demonstrations of contemporary local native 

culture.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 62.7% of 

Sisters’ potential labor force 16 years of age and older 

were employed, 3.8% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 5.7% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

33.5% were not in the labor force. The top employment 

sectors were retail trade (18.8%), government (13.9%), 

accommodation and food services (13.2%), 

manufacturing (12.3%), and educational, health, and 

social services (12.3%). Natural resource jobs including 

agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting employed 

4.5%, but this percentage may be artificially low because 

many fishermen are self-employed and are 

underrepresented in these data.

The major industries in Sisters are tourism, 

agriculture, and timber.13 The five largest employers are 

St. Charles Medical Center, Black Butte Ranch, Bank of 

the Cascades, Multnomah Publishers, and Ray’s Food 

Place.14 According to Economic Development for 

Central Oregon, Sisters has one of the highest per capita 

retail spending of any community in Oregon.15

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the per capita 

income of Sisters in 1999 was $17,847 and the median 

household income was $35,000. In 1999 10.4% lived 

below poverty level. Of Sisters’ 482 housing units in 

2000, 82.4% were occupied and 17.6% were vacant. Of 

the occupied units, 58.4% were by owner and 41.6% 

were by renter.

Governance

Sisters is incorporated and operates under a councilmanager charter. Oregon has no general sales tax but 

levies a 1% overnight lodging tax that funds the Oregon 

Tourism Commission. See the Governance subsection 

(page 43) in the Overview section for a more detailed 

discussion of taxes affecting fishermen and processors in 

Oregon.

The closest National Marine Fisheries Service office 

is a research station in Newport, 158 miles west of 

Sisters. The community is near the High Desert Region 

office of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife in 

Bend (22 miles) and is 154 miles from the nearest U.S. 

Coast Guard Unit and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 

Services Office, both in Portland. Meetings of the 

Pacific Fishery Management and North Pacific Fishery 

Management councils are also held in Portland.

Facilities

Sisters is accessible by land and air. Major 

highways that intersect the community are U.S. Highway 

20 and Oregon Highway 126. The closest bus service is 

in Bend. The local Sisters Eagle Airport serves small 

planes. The community is located approximately 20 

miles from Roberts Field at the Redmond Municipal 

Airport and 167 miles from Portland International 

Airport.

Local schools include one elementary school, one 

middle school, and two high schools; one of the high 

schools is an alternative school. The Deschutes County 

Sheriff’s Department administers local law enforcement. 

The Central Electric Cooperative supplies electricity to 

area residents. The City of Sisters oversees the water 

supply and the sewer system, and is currently developing 

a municipal sewer system to enable the community to 

expand and develop.16 The closest health care facility, 

St. Charles Medical Center, is 20 miles away in Bend. 

Sisters’ lodging accommodations include the Black Butte 
346

Ranch, bed and breakfasts, condominiums, hotels and 

motels, campgrounds and recreational vehicle parks, and 

vacation rentals.

Wizard Falls Fish Hatchery is located nearby on the 

Metolius River. The hatchery raises close to 3 million 

fish, including rainbow, brook, and brown trout, kokanee 

(landlocked sockeye salmon), and Atlantic salmon.17

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

According to recorded data, Sisters residents did not 

participate in West Coast fisheries in 2000.

Sportfishing

Sisters had at least four outfitter guide businesses in 

2003. Internet fishing guide sources show at least one 

sportfishing business currently operating in the 

community.18 At present, Sisters has six sportfishing 

license vendors. In 2000 agents sold 2,242 licenses at a 

value of $40,389.

Subsistence

Many local community members engage in 

subsistence fishing. Both nontribal and tribal fishermen, 

including members of the Confederated Tribes of Warms 

Springs, utilize stream resources for subsistence means 

from the areas within and surrounding Sisters. Specific 

information on subsistence fishing in Sisters is not 

discussed in detail in this community profile due to the 

lack of available data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 three community members held registered 

federal permits. The halibut and sablefish individual 

fishing quota shares for Sisters’ residents were 2,121,042 

and 1,185,556 respectively. Three Sisters community 

members held crewmember licenses for North Pacific 

fisheries.

Sportfishing

Sisters residents purchased 42 Alaska sportfishing 

licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. Economic Development for Central Oregon. 2003. 

Communities: Sisters. Online at http://www.edforco.org/

communities/sisters/sisters.html [accessed 29 January 2007].

2. The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. 2004. 

Chronology. Online at http://www.warmsprings.com/Warmsprings/

Tribal_Community/History__Culture/ [accessed 29 January 2007].

3. Informat Communications. 1995. Sisters history. Online at 

http://www.informat.com/places/sisters/history.html [accessed 29 

January 2007].

4. R. Hatton. No date. A brief history of Sisters. Online at 

http://www.sisterschamber.com/Sisters-Community/History-of

-Sisters/default.aspx [accessed 29 January 2007].

5. See note 3.

6. See note 2.

7. See note 3.

8. See note 1.

9. See note 4.

10. See note 3.

11. See note 4.

12. Sisters Chamber of Commerce. No date. Recreation in 

Sisters: Fly fishing. Online at http://www.sisterschamber.com/Sisters

-Community/History-of-Sisters/default.aspx [accessed 29 January 

2007].

13. Oregon Economic & Community Development Department. 

2004. Sisters community profile. Online at http://info.econ.state

.or.us:591/FMPro?-db=Community.fp4&-Format=forms.htm&-lay

=webpage&-op=eq&sort%20name=Sisters&-script=hit%20count

&-Find [accessed 29 January 2007].

14. Sisters Oregon Guide. 2004. Facts & figures. Online at 

http://www.sistersoregonguide.com/recreation.htm [accessed 29 

January 2007].

15. See note 1.

16. See note 1.

17. Wizard Falls fish hatchery. No Date. Online at http://

www.sistersoregonguide.com/sisters-must-see.html [accessed 29 

January 2007].

18. Sportfishing businesses determined via internet search. 

Online at http://www.fishingnetwork.com [accessed September 2004].
347

Tillamook

People and Place

Location

Tillamook is located on the shores of Tillamook Bay 

and U.S. Highway 101, approximately 73 miles west of 

Portland. It covers 1.5 square miles of land in Tillamook 

County. The geographic coordinates of Tillamook are lat 

45°27′23′′N and long 123°50′34′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of Tillamook was 4,352, an 8.8% increase from 1990. 

The gender composition was 51% female and 49% male. 

The median age was 33.3, comparable to the national 

median of 35.3. Of the population 18 years of age and 

older, 81.4% had a high school education or higher, 

13.1% had a bachelor’s degree or higher, and 2.4% had a 

graduate or professional degree; the national averages 

were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% respectively. A high 

school education was the highest attainment for 43% of 

the population.

The majority of Tillamook’s racial structure was 

white (92.6%), followed by people who identified with 

some other race (3.4%), people who identified with two 

or more races (1.8%), American Indian and Alaskan 

Native (1.2%), Asian (0.7%), black (0.2%), and Native 

Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (0.2%). Ethnicity 

data indicate 11.1% identified as Hispanic. Slightly more 

than five percent (5.3%) were foreign-born, of which 

72.5% were born in Mexico.

In 2000 approximately 82% of the population lived 

in family households.

History

Native Americans inhabited Tillamook County long 

before Euro-Americans came to the Pacific Northwest. 

Tribes such as the Tillamook, Nehalem, and Nestucca 

fished and hunted throughout the coastal areas. The 

people had a close relationship with the sea and area 

waterways, as evidenced by the boats they built. Their 

dugout canoes ranged from tiny vessels used for duck 

hunting to large canoes used for long distance travel to 

California. At one time the Tillamook people had a 

fishing village near Garibaldi’s present location. The 

Indians of Tillamook Bay died in large numbers due to 

European diseases. The population was approximately 

2,200 at the turn of the nineteenth century, but declined 

to one-tenth of that by the mid-1800s.

400 300 200 100 0 100 200 300 400

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure

Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

92.6%

Two or more races

1.8%

Other

3.4%

Black

0.2%

Native

1.2%

Pacific Islander

0.2%

Asian

0.7%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity 

Hispanic

11.1%

Non-Hispanic

88.9%
348

Captain Robert Gray is credited with being the first 

Euro-American to land in Tillamook Bay (1788), but it 

was not until the middle of the 1800s that white settlers 

came to the area. The entrance to the bay is recognized 

as challenging today and was identified as perilous by a 

member of Gray’s crew who told of an awkwardly 

situated shoal, narrow entrance, and strong tide. In 1853 

the territorial government created Tillamook County. Its 

earliest industries were shipping, logging, fishing, 

farming, and dairy. Fishing played a key role as an 

avenue for bringing cash into the area. Fish caught in the 

area’s coastal waters, bays, and rivers were processed in 

numerous canneries throughout the area. Middlemen 

bought the packaged fish and sold them in Willamette 

Valley. The funds enabled the development of other 

enterprises and aided the growth of area communities.

The dairy and lumber industries developed 

alongside fishing. Dairy’s success was due to the 

production of cheese that could withstand long storage 

periods for distribution. The lumber industry took off in 

the 1890s with the need for containers for dairy, fish, and 

other products. In 1911 the Pacific Railway and 

Navigation Company constructed a railway from 

Portland to Tillamook. This reliable source of 

transportation facilitated growth of the three industries.

Concerns with overfishing arose early in the 1900s. 

Salmon, particularly coho, have declined significantly 

over the years. Gillnet and trawl fishing were banned in 

the bay in 1961. The designation of coho salmon as an 

endangered species in the 1990s and an increase in the 

restrictions placed on harvesting bottomfish further 

limited area commercial fishermen. Commercial 

clamming, oystering, and shrimping in the bay were 

relatively successful in the 1990s; however, the 

commercial oyster industry has declined as a result of 

sedimentation and pollution.

In recent years, shrimp harvests have declined, 

resulting in a decrease in the number of shrimp 

processing companies and available shrimp peeling 

machines. Today the community has one processor with 

two peeling machines servicing two to three boats. 

Fieldwork suggests this is down from three companies 

with seven peelers servicing up to 14 full-time boats 

several years ago. As processing capacity diminished, 

several boats relocated to the Columbia River ports of 

Warrenton and Astoria. Also contributing to the 

relocations were unpredictable conditions at the mouth of 

Tillamook Bay on Garibaldi Bar, where as fieldwork 

suggests the lack of dredging often creates unsafe 

conditions. Additionally, some fishermen no longer 

target shrimp due to declining prices and high fuel costs.

Despite the recent downturn in several of the area’s 

commercial fisheries, the bay’s sportfishing industry has 

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

32.9%

Unemployed

2.6%

Employed

64.5%

enjoyed substantial growth. The tourism industry 

(specifically sportfishing) developed in part as an 

economic response to the area’s waning lumber and 

commercial fishing industries, and expanded 

significantly in the 1980s.1, 2

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 64.5% of 

Tillamook’s potential labor force 16 years of age and 

older were employed, 2.6% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 3.8% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

32.9% were not in the labor force. The top employment 

sectors were manufacturing (15.3%), retail trade 

(13.7%), local, state, or federal government (12%), health 

care and social assistance (13.7%), and accommodation 

and food services (9.8%). Natural resource jobs including 

agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting employed 

9.4%, but this percentage may be artificially low because 

many fishermen are self-employed and are 

underrepresented in the data.

The Oregon Economic and Community 

Development Department lists the top three Tillamook 

employers as Tillamook Creamery Association (360 

employees), Tillamook Lumber Company (160 

employees), and Trask River Lumber Company (140 

employees).3

Tillamook’s per capita income in 1999 was $15,160 

and the median household income was $29,875, 

according to the 2000 U.S. Census. In 1999 15.4% lived 

below the poverty level. Tillamook had 1,898 housing 

units in 2000, of which 92.6% were occupied and 7.4% 

were vacant. Of the occupied units, approximately 

50.7% were by owner and 49.3% were by renter. About 
349

half (51.4%) of the vacant housing units were available 

for rent.

Governance

In 1853 Tillamook County was created and in 1891 

the City of Tillamook was incorporated. As the largest 

city in the county, Tillamook is governed by a city 

council consisting of a mayor and six council members, 

with each council member representing a ward. Oregon 

has no general sales tax, but levies a 1% tax on overnight 

lodging that funds the Oregon Tourism Commission. 

See the Governance subsection (page 43) in the 

Overview section for a more detailed discussion of taxes 

affecting fishermen and processors in Oregon.

Tillamook is home to the North Coast Watershed 

District Office of the Oregon Department of Fish and 

Wildlife (ODFW) and its Trask River Hatchery. The 

ODFW Marine Resources Program is approximately 69 

miles south in Newport. The National Marine Fisheries 

Services has a Northwest Fisheries Science Center field 

station in Newport. A U.S. Coast Guard station is 10 

miles away in Garibaldi. Meetings of the Pacific Fishery 

Management and North Pacific Fishery Management 

councils are held in Portland, which is also home to the 

district office of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 

Services.

Facilities

Tillamook is on U.S. Highway 101, a major 

transportation corridor along the Pacific coast from 

Washington to California. It has a small public use 

airport and a larger airport is 65 miles away in Astoria; 

however, neither offer commercial airline services. The 

nearest airport offering commercial and international 

service is Portland International Airport. During the 

summer months, short excursion trips are available on a 

freight train operated by the Port of Tillamook. A 

county-operated local transit bus offers service to 

Portland twice daily (once on Sunday) where passengers 

can connect to Greyhound. Tillamook is accessible via 

water through the Port of Tillamook.

Tillamook is in the Tillamook School District, 

which administers four elementary schools, one junior 

high school, and two high schools. The Tillamook City 

Public Works Department provides water and sewer 

services to residents and the People’s Utility District 

supplies electricity. Tillamook County General Hospital 

serves the community and surrounding area. The 

community’s police force is contracted through the 

Tillamook County Sheriff Department; other emergency 

services are managed through the county’s Office of 

Emergency. There are several options for overnight 

accommodations in Tillamook including motels, hotels, 

and bed and breakfasts.

The Port of Bay Ocean was incorporated in 1911 

and expanded to include the Tillamook Naval Air Station 

in 1953. The port housed two of the 17 blimp hangers 

constructed by the U.S. Navy in various ports across the 

nation in 1942 for the war effort. The aggregated 

facilities were renamed The Port of Tillamook Bay. In 

addition to the naval facilities, the port retains control of 

more than 80 miles of the Navy’s former railroad that 

connects to the Southern Pacific Railroad. The system 

connects Tillamook to the Portland area. The port is now 

the area’s largest full service industrial park, with more 

than 1,600 acres zoned for industrial and airport use. The 

port is located within the Tillamook County Economic 

Development Council Enterprise Zone and offers an 

attractive three-year property tax exemption for new and 

expanding non-retail businesses. Fieldwork indicates the 

nearest port facilities offering services to commercial and 

sport fishermen is the Port of Garibaldi; please see the 

Garibaldi community profile for additional information 

on harbor facilities.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 100 commercial vessels delivered landings 

to Tillamook. Landings data for Tillamook were 

recorded as part of the Tillamook/Garibaldi Port Group. 

Reported landings for the group in 2000 were in the 

following West Coast fisheries (data shown represent 

landings in metric tons/value of landings/number of 

vessels delivering landings): crab 177.3 t/$863,228/19; 

groundfish 110.2 t/$140,155/34; highly migratory 

species 134.1 t/$262,623/18; salmon 48.2 t/$174,609/50; 

shellfish 45.7 t/$31,044/12; shrimp 188.1 t/$211,429/9; 

and other species 5.3 t/$27,532/16. See the Garibaldi 

community profile for additional information.

Tillamook residents owned 22 commercial vessels 

in 2000, of which four participated in the federally 

managed groundfish fishery. The number of vessels 

owned by Tillamook residents participating in each 

fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 0/3/0, 

groundfish 0/0/NA, highly migratory species NA/0/NA, 

salmon 0/24/1, shellfish NA/0/NA, and shrimp NA/0/0.4

In 2000 no Tillamook residents held federal 

groundfish permits. The number of Tillamook residents 

holding permits in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) 

was: crab 0/2/0, highly migratory species NA/0/0, 

salmon 0/16/1, shellfish 0/0/NA, and other species 0/1/0.5

At least 25 state commercial fishing permits were 

registered to Tillamook residents in 2000. The number 

of state permits held by Tillamook residents in each 
350

fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 0/2/0, highly 

migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 0/20/2, shellfish 0/0/

NA, and other species 0/1/0.6

As Tillamook is one of several Tillamook Bay 

communities—Rockaway Beach, Bay City, and 

Garibaldi—whose economies are intertwined, it is useful 

to look at the combined landings for the Tillamook Bay 

area to gain an understanding of the significance of 

commercial fishing in Tillamook. In 2000 landings of 

crab in the Tillamook Bay area were worth an estimated 

ex-vessel value of $580,000, followed by shrimp 

$421,000, groundfish $165,000, albacore $219,000, and 

Chinook salmon $59,000. Fish processing plants in the 

Tillamook Bay area process shrimp, crab, salmon, 

albacore, sole, sablefish, lingcod, thornyheads, and other 

rockfish.7

Sportfishing

Sixteen registered outfitters or guides are based out 

of Tillamook. In 2000 six Tillamook residents owned 

licensed charter vessels. Nine sportfishing licensing 

agents based in Tillamook sold 4,675 licenses at a value 

of $63,984.

For the Tillamook/Garibaldi Port Group, the 2000 

recreational salmonid catch in the Ocean Boat Fishery 

was 1,117 Chinook and 552 coho salmon. The 

recreational nonsalmonid catch in the Ocean Boat 

Fishery was 87,963 fish. The top five fish caught were 

black rockfish, yellowtail rockfish, canary rockfish, 

lingcod, and blue rockfish.

Subsistence

Local community members, both tribal and 

nontribal, may engage in subsistence fishing for marine 

and stream resources in Tillamook and the surrounding 

area. Specific information on subsistence fishing in 

Tillamook is not discussed in detail in this community 

profile due to the lack of available data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 one Tillamook resident owned a vessel that 

participated in North Pacific fisheries. While no 

residents held North Pacific permits or individual fishing 

quota shares in 2000, two residents held crew member 

licenses for North Pacific fisheries.

Sportfishing

In 2000 Tillamook residents purchased 73 Alaskan 

sportfishing licenses and at least one charter business 

based in Tillamook offered fishing excursions in Alaska.

Notes

1. J. Gilden (ed.). 1999. Oregon’s changing coastal fishing 

communities. Online at http://seagrant.oregonstate.edu/sgpubs/

onlinepubs/o99001.html [accessed 30 January 2007].

2. M. Guardino III and Rev. M. Riedel. No date. Sovereigns of 

themselves: A liberating history of Oregon and its coast. Vol. III. 

Online at http://www2.wi.net/~census/lesson36.html [accessed 30 

January 2007].

3. State of Oregon. 2004. Oregon economic & community 

development: Tillamook community profile. Online at http://

info.econ.state.or.us:591/FMPro?-db=Community.fp4&-Format

=forms.htm&-lay=webpage&-op=eq&sort%20name=Tillamook

&-script=hit%20count&-Find [accessed 30 January 2007].

4. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

5. See note 4.

6. See note 4.

7. See note 1.
351

Toledo

People and Place

Location

Toledo is in Lincoln County 7 miles inland from the 

coast directly east of Newport and 130 miles southwest 

of Portland. Toledo occupies 2.17 square miles of land 

and 0.15 square mile of water. It is the only Oregon 

inland coastal community with a deepwater channel; the 

Yaquina River runs through the town and meanders west 

to the coastal community of Newport. Toledo’s 

geographic coordinates are lat 44°37′18′′N, long 

123°56′14′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of Toledo was 3,472, a modest increase over the 3,151 in 

1980. The gender composition was 50.7% female and 

49.3% male. The median age was 34.4, slightly younger 

than the national median of 35.3. Of the population 18 

years of age and older, 77.1% had a high school 

education or higher, 14.2% had a bachelor’s degree or 

higher, and 3.7% had a graduate or professional degree; 

the national averages were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% 

respectively.

The majority of Toledo’s racial composition was 

white (91.9%), followed by American Indian and Alaska 

Native (3.4%), people who identified with two or more 

races (3.4%), Asian (0.6%), people who identified with 

some other race (0.5%), and black (0.2%). Ethnicity data 

indicate 2.6% identified as Hispanic. Less than two 

percent (1.9%) were foreign-born. The four most 

common ancestries were German, English, American, 

and Irish.

Approximately 85.5% of Toledo’s population lived 

in family households in 2000.

History

Native people, including several branches of the 

Salish Indians (e.g., Tillamook, Nehalem, and Siletz), 

inhabited the Lincoln County area long before the arrival 

of Euro-American settlers. These groups hunted and 

fished throughout the region. Their access to the region’s 

natural resources was diminished from the middle of the 

nineteenth century to the middle of the twentieth century 

by U.S. government efforts to open up lands to white 

settlers. Many of these groups were forced onto 

reservations in 1865. The Siletz Tribe is a consolidation 

of 30 to 50 Indian groups whose reservation lies 

400 300 200 100 0 100 200 300

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure

Male Female

2000 Racial structure 

White

91.9%

Asian

0.6%

Native

3.4%

Black

0.2%

Other

0.5%

Two or more races

3.4%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Hispanic

2.6%

Non-Hispanic

97.4%
352

approximately 8 miles north of Toledo. The amount of 

land under tribal control continued to decline after they 

were forced onto the reservation in 1855. Today the tribe 

claims fishing privileges on central Oregon’s marine and 

freshwater bodies. See the Siletz, Newport, and South 

Beach community profiles for more information on 

Native American history in the region.

As Euro-Americans began to settle central Oregon, 

they soon moved to the Toledo area. George R. 

Meggison settled in Depot Slough near Toledo in January 

1866, while the first Euro-American to settle in Toledo 

was John Graham, who arrived shortly after Meggison. 

Meggison and other investors built the Premier Sawmill 

on Depot Slough, producing 7,000–8,000 board feet of 

lumber per day. Boats loaded with lumber came and 

went regularly from the mill in the 1860s. Gold and coal 

were discovered in Toledo during this time. Although 

the discoveries brought an initial rush of settlers, neither 

ended up being very plentiful.

Toledo became the temporary county seat of 

Lincoln County when it was formed in 1893 and was 

chosen as the permanent county seat in 1896. In the early 

years settlement in Toledo was closely linked to the 

development of Yaquina Bay. The bay sits at the 

terminus of the Yaquina River, located nearby in 

Newport. In 1910 the Port of Toledo officially opened 

with the formation of a port commission. At the time 

shipments of rock, timber, and other sundry goods on the 

bay were growing by leaps and bounds. The port 

commission sought to deepen the channel running from 

Toledo to the mouth of the Yaquina where the bay meets 

the Pacific to allow larger, ocean-going vessels to load 

cargo in Toledo. This would eventually happen, but it 

would take the better part of the century to accomplish. 

The primary industries in the area during these years 

were logging, agriculture, and fishing. During the early 

1900s locals caught salmon with seine nets and delivered 

their catch to various canneries along the bay.

In 1917 the U.S. Government gave Toledo 

entrepreneurs a boost with construction of the world’s 

largest spruce mill to supply wood for the war effort. For 

the next few years Toledo bustled. At the time there was 

hope the channel would be dredged from Toledo to 

Oysterville, several miles down river toward the bay. 

With the end of the war, the need for spruce declined and 

the impetus for developing the channel waned. Toledo’s 

economy slowed as the mill shut down for a short period 

of time. Private owners purchased and reopened the mill. 

The town gained an additional transportation corridor 

when the South Pacific Railroad Line placed a spur on 

the dock and provided service from Toledo to Albany.

The town’s struggle for dredging carried on through 

the 1930s and 1940s. During this time lumber remained 

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

35.9%

Employed

59.1%

Unemployed

5%

Toledo’s major export. Although information on fishing 

in the Toledo area during these years is scarce, it was 

apparently a prominent activity in the 1940s as port 

officials cited the area’s robust fishing industry when 

they pleaded for state-funded dredging to facilitate the 

travel of the many fishing vessels that visit and harbor in 

the area.

Toledo’s designation as county seat did not go 

unchallenged. The now defunct town of West Yaquina 

challenged it in two elections and lost. Newport 

provided stiffer competition and was voted the county 

seat in 1954 after losing in two previous elections. 

Toledo is still considered the industrial center of Lincoln 

County due in large part to Georgia Pacific Corporation’s 

purchase of Toledo’s large mill in 1952. It is thought the 

presence of Georgia Pacific and its expanded operations 

gave impetus to a major dredging project (254,543 cubic 

yards) in 1957. In the second half of the twentieth 

century, Toledo became more dependent on the timber 

and mill industry. In recent years, port authorities have 

focused more on accommodating the area’s recreational 

and commercial fishing industries. Today, Toledo is a 

historic town whose tourism, crafts, and antiques 

industries buttress the area’s historic timber and fishing 

industries.1, 2, 3, 4

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 59.1% of 

Toledo’s potential labor force 16 years of age and older 

were employed, 5% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 7.8% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

35.9% were not in the labor force. Government was the 

primary employment sector (19.8% of those employed). 

Natural resource jobs including agriculture, fishing, 
353

forestry, and hunting employed 4.3%, but this percentage 

may be artificially low because many fishermen are selfemployed and are underrepresented in the data.

Lincoln County’s principal industries in 2000 were 

lumber, fishing, tourism and recreation, and food 

products manufacturing. Toledo’s four largest employers 

were Georgia Pacific (paperboard mill), Wheeler 

Manufacturing Inc. (lumber), HP&H Logging (logging), 

and Yaquina Boat Works Inc. (commercial fishing 

equipment). These companies employed 600, 75, 10, and 

9 respectively.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the per capita 

income was $14,710 and the median household income 

was $34,503, well below the national per capita income 

of $21,587 and the national median household income of 

$41,994. In 1999 19.3% lived below the poverty level. 

In 2000 Toledo had 1,474 housing units, of which 89% 

were occupied and 11% were vacant. Of the occupied 

units, 64.8% were by owner and 35.2% were by renter. 

Nearly 40% of the vacancies were due to seasonal, 

recreational, or occasional use.

Governance

Toledo incorporated in 1905 and has a mayor, city 

manager, and a city council with seven members 

including the mayor. The mayor and the council deal 

with policy issues while the manager handles day-to-day 

administrative and financial management duties. Toledo 

also has a planning commission that makes 

recommendations on proposed land-use actions.

Oregon has no general sales tax, but levies a 1% 

overnight lodging tax that funds the Oregon Tourism 

Commission. See the Governance subsection (page 43) 

in the Overview section for a more detailed discussion of 

taxes affecting fishermen and processors in Oregon.

The nearest office of the National Marine Fisheries 

Service is 7 miles away in Newport, which also is home 

to the nearest marine resources program of the Oregon 

Department of Fish and a U.S. Coast Guard Station. 

Meetings of the Pacific Fishery Management and North 

Pacific Fishery Management councils are held in 

Portland, which also has a district office of the U.S. 

Citizenship and Immigration Service.

Facilities

Toledo is accessible by land, air, and water. U.S. 

Highway 20 connects Toledo to U.S. Highway 101 at 

Newport to the west and to Interstate Highway 5 at 

Corvallis to the east. Toledo houses a small airport 

owned by the Oregon Aero Division. Two other airports 

certified for carrier operations are in South Beach and 

Corvalis, 7 miles and 47 miles away respectively. 

Portland International Airport is 132 miles from Toledo.

Toledo is in the Lincoln County School District 

which supports four public schools (two elementary 

schools, one middle school, and one high school). There 

are also two private schools. The Central Lincoln Public 

Utility District provides electrical service to area 

residents, and the City of Toledo supplies water that 

comes from the Siletz River and Mill Creek. The city 

also administers wastewater treatment. The wastewater 

system has deteriorated over its 50 years of use and was 

undergoing a $4.1 million upgrade in 2007. Toledo has a 

small medical clinic affiliated with the hospital in 

Newport. The nearest regional hospital is 51 miles away 

in Corvallis. The Toledo Police Department and the 

Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office administer public safety. 

Although Toledo has no overnight accommodations, 

nearby Newport has more than 100 hotels, motels, 

recreational vehicle (RV) parks, campgrounds, and inns. 

The Port of Toledo operates a small RV park 3 miles 

outside of town.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 Toledo had no fish processing plants; 

however, Newport had at least four operating plants. 

Although no West Coast fishery landings were made in 

Toledo in 2000, community members owned 20 vessels, 

15 of which participated in the federally managed 

groundfish fishery. The number of vessels owned by 

Toledo residents that participated in each fishery by state 

(WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/1/0, crab 0/10/0, 

groundfish 0/0/NA, highly migratory species NA/0/NA, 

salmon 0/13/3, shellfish NA/0/NA, and shrimp NA/5/1.5

In 2000 eight residents held eight permits for the 

federal groundfish fishery. The number of residents 

holding state permits in each fishery by state (WA/OR/

CA) was: coastal pelagic species 0/1/0, crab 0/9/0, highly 

migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 0/12/4, shellfish 0/0/

NA, shrimp 3/5/3, and other species 1/0/0.6

In 2000 at least 27 permits were registered to Toledo 

residents, including 19 state registered permits. 

According to recorded data the number of state registered 

permits held by community members for each fishery by 

state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/1/0, crab 0/2/0, 

highly migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 0/0/7, shellfish 

0/0/NA, shrimp 4/0/4, and other species 1/0/0.7

Sportfishing

In 2000 four charter businesses were headquartered 

in Toledo, while their vessels were harbored in Newport. 

Two sportfishing license vendors operated in Toledo in 

2000, selling 906 licenses at a value of $15,021.
354

Subsistence

Members of the Siletz Tribe and nontribal fishermen 

may utilize marine and stream resources for subsistence 

means in Toledo and the surrounding area. Under the 

trust doctrine, the federal government is charged to 

protect tribal resources and by constitutional mandate to 

protect natural resources. The government-togovernment agreements made between tribal groups and 

the United States through treaties guarantee fishing rights 

on traditional grounds. Specific information on 

subsistence fishing in Toledo is not discussed in detail in 

this community profile due to the lack of available data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 9 community members held 11 state permits 

and 1 held a single federal permit.

Twelve permits (state and federal) were registered to 

community members in 2000. Residents held one crab 

License Limitation Program permit, one halibut 

Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission (CFEC) 

permit, and eight Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) 

groundfish CFEC permits.

In 2000 32 community members held crew member 

licenses for North Pacific fisheries.

Sportfishing

Toledo residents purchased 30 Alaskan sportfishing 

licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. Oregon Historical County Records Guide. No date. Lincoln 

County history. Online at http://arcweb.sos.state.or.us/county/

cplincolnhome.html [accessed 1 February 2007].

2. M. Guardino III and Rev. M. Riedel. Sovereigns of 

themselves: A liberating history of Oregon and its coast. Vol. IV. 

Online at http://www2.wi.net/~census/lesson37.html [accessed 1 

February 2007].

3. Port of Toledo. No date. Port history. Online at http://

www.portoftoledo.org/home.cfm?dir_cat=15616&gal_col=3 

[accessed 1 February 2007].

4. Toledo Chamber of Commerce. No date. Welcome to Toledo, 

OR. Online at http://www.visittoledooregon.com [accessed 1 

February 2007].

5. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

6. See note 5.

7. See note 5.
355

Warrenton

People and Place

Location

Warrenton is located on the northwestern tip of 

Oregon, bordered by the Pacific Ocean on the west and 

the Columbia River on the north. Portland is the nearest 

major city, about 92 miles southeast. The community 

encompasses 16.7 square miles of land and 4.4 square 

miles of water in Clatsop County. Warrenton is adjacent 

to Astoria, sharing a common boundary line in Youngs 

Bay. Its geographic coordinates are lat 46°09′55′′N, long 

123°55′21′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of Warrenton was 4,096. Its population nearly doubled 

during the 1990s by annexing the town of Hammond. 

The gender composition was 49.3% female and 50.7% 

male. The median age of the population was 36.6 years, 

slightly above the national median of 35.3. Warrenton’s 

age structure demonstrated usual population trends for 

the United States. Of the population 18 years of age and 

older, 82.7% had a high school education or higher, 

11.4% had bachelor’s degree or higher, and 4.1% had a 

graduate or professional degree; the national averages 

were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The majority of Warrenton’s racial structure was 

white (92.5%), followed by people who identified with 

two or more races (2.8%), Asian (1.8%), American 

Indian and Alaska Native (1.3%), individuals who 

identified with some other race (1.3%), black (0.2%), and 

Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (0.1%). 

Ethnicity data indicate 2.9% identified as Hispanic. A 

small percentage (2.5%) was foreign-born, with a 

majority from the Americas outside of the United States, 

followed by people born in Asia and Europe. Warrenton 

is also home to people of Scandinavian, British, and 

German heritage.

In 2000 82.4% of the population lived in family 

households.

History

American commercial interest in the area began in 

1792 when Captain Robert Gray came across the 

Columbia River on his fur-trading ship. Lewis and 

Clark’s 33-member expedition, the Corps of Discovery, 

arrived near present-day Astoria and Warrenton in the 

winter of 1805–06. The expedition is commemorated by 

the Astoria Column.1

 The Chinook and Clatsop 

400 300 200 100 0 100 200 300 400

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

92.5%

Two or more races

2.8%

Other

1.3%

Black

0.2%

Native

1.3%

Pacific Islander

0.1%

Asian

1.8%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Hispanic

2.9%

Non-Hispanic

97.1%
356

populations each numbered about 400 when the Corps 

of Discovery visited their villages along the south 

bank of the Columbia. Lewis and Clark noted the 

tribes lived in wooden plank houses, were proficient 

seafarers in their large dugout canoes, and lived off 

the fish, roots, and berries plentiful in the area. 

Settled in the area to the south in villages between the 

mouth of the Necanicum River and Tillamook Bay 

was the considerably larger Tillamook population. By 

the middle of the nineteenth century, the Tillamook 

population had declined to about 200 people, and 

today the tribe is no longer officially organized.2

The Corp of Discovery built Fort Clatsop close to 

the mouth of the Columbia River and sheltered there 

through the winter. Members of the Pacific Fur 

Company arrived subsequently and established Fort 

Astoria. The resulting community, which grew into 

Astoria, is now the oldest U.S. settlement west of the 

Rocky Mountains. Until the 1900s emigrants to the area 

were predominantly of Scandinavian descent. 

Regardless of pervasive Scandinavian traditions such as 

public steam baths, lutefisk, smorrebrod platters, and 

church services in Finnish, the Astoria-Warrenton area 

has become a popular backdrop to represent the allAmerican city in numerous movies.3

With the help of the Oregon Highway Department 

and $100,000 in funding from the Oregon and 

Washington State legislatures, the “Bridge to Nowhere” 

was completed in 1963 that spanned the Columbia.4

 

More than 2,000 major shipwrecks testify to the 

importance of the mouth of the river to commerce and 

fishing and to its dangerous waters and shoals that have 

earned it the nickname, “the Graveyard of the Pacific.”5

Today the towns of Astoria and Warrenton form a 

closely connected community. This connection is 

particularly reflected in their involvement in the fishing 

industry. While separate profiles have been compiled for 

Warrenton and Astoria, the Astoria-Warrenton area can 

be considered as a cohesive community.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 62.1% of 

Warrenton’s potential labor force 16 years of age and 

older were employed, 2.3% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 3.5% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

35.6% were not in the labor force. The top employment 

sectors were education, health, and social services 

(19.3%), retail trade (18.6%), and state, local, or federal 

government (14.2%). Natural resource jobs including 

agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting employed 

2000 Employment structure

Employed

62.1%

Unemployed

2.3%

Not in labor force

35.6%

3.4%, but this percentage may be artificially low because 

many fishermen are self-employed and are 

underrepresented in these data.

Fishing, lumber, agriculture, and food production 

rank among the largest industries in Clatsop County, 

although retail ranks among the largest economic sectors 

in Warrenton itself. The five largest public and private 

employers in Warrenton in 2004 were Fred Meyer (retail, 

220 employees), Weyerhaeuser Company (lumber, 155 

employees), Pacific Coast Seafoods Company (fish 

processing, 125 employees), Warrenton School District 

(education, 100 employees), and Costco (retail, 120 

employees).6

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the per capita 

income was $16,874 and the median household income 

in 1999 was $33,472. In 1999 14.2% lived below the 

poverty level. In 2000 there were a total of 1,799 

housing units in Warrenton, of which 90.1% were 

occupied and 9.9% were vacant. Of the occupied units, 

65.3% were by owner and 34.7% were by renter. Of the 

vacant housing units, 29.8% were for seasonal, 

recreational, or occasional use.

Governance

Warrenton incorporated in 1899. The city is 

governed by a five-member elected commission, which 

in turn elects the mayor and the city manager. Oregon 

has no general sales tax, but levies a 1% tax on overnight 

lodging that supports the Oregon Tourism Commission. 

See the Governance section (page 43) of the Overview 

section for a more detailed discussion of taxes affecting 

fishermen and processors in Oregon.

An Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife field 

office is based in Astoria, and a National Marine 

Fisheries Service field station is in Hammond. A U.S. 

Coast Guard (USCG) air station is at the Astoria Airport. 

Astoria is also home to two cutters and a buoy tender at 
357

the USCG buoy station at Tongue Point. Meetings of the 

Pacific Fishery Management and North Pacific Fishery 

Management councils are held in Portland, which also 

houses the district office for the U.S. Citizenship and 

Immigration Services.

Facilities

Warrenton is accessible by land, air, and sea. U.S. 

Highway 101 connects Warrenton and neighboring 

Astoria to other major transportation routes. Local bus 

service provides overland transportation for local 

residents, however, no bus service is available from 

Warrenton to points outside of Clatsop County. Operated 

by the Port of Astoria, the Astoria Regional Airport 

provides Astoria, Seaside, and Warrenton with local air 

transport. The closest major commercial airport is in 

Portland.

The Hammond-Warrenton School District has an 

elementary school and a high school. Clatsop 

Community College is in Astoria. Warrenton relies on 

surface water from the Lewis and Clark River, Big S 

Fork, Little S Fork, and Camp Creek. Utilities provided 

by the City of Warrenton include natural gas, electrical 

power, and solid waste management. The Warrenton 

Fire Department operates two stations and is made up of 

37 paid and volunteer firefighters. The Warrenton Police 

Department comprised of 15 paid and reserve officers 

administers public safety. Columbia Memorial Hospital 

is located in Astoria where residents receive emergency 

services from ambulance and Life Flight Services. 

Additionally, one general clinic is available.7

 There are 

several accommodation options in Warrenton, including 

bed and breakfasts, hotels, and motels.

Warrenton has two marinas. Facilities at the 

Warrenton Marina, 1 mile from the Skipanon Water Way 

on the Columbia River, include restrooms, showers, and 

a fish cleaning station. The marina contains 370 slips 

and offers overnight moorage for commercial and 

recreational vessels.8

 Adjacent to the marina is space for 

larger vessels up to about 85 feet in length.9 The 

Hammond Marina, adjacent to the Columbia River, is 

used primarily by small pleasure crafts, some local 

commercial fishing vessels, and National Marine 

Fisheries Service research vessels. The Hammond 

Marina includes a double lane boat launching ramp, 

fueling dock, restrooms, a commercial repair shop, and a 

fish cleaning station.10

The Port of Astoria significantly expands 

Warrenton’s marine and fisheries-related infrastructure. 

The port is the first deep-draft port encountered after 

entering the Columbia River and is 14 miles from the 

Pacific Ocean. The port maintains nearly 7,250 feet of 

total dock space on three piers.11 Bar pilots and 

Columbia River pilots navigate vessels in the area. By 

federal law, all ships entering the mouth of the Columbia 

at Astoria must be piloted by a licensed Columbia River 

bar pilot. Bar pilots are responsible for navigating 

vessels across the 17-mile stretch of river mouth. Upon 

crossing the mouth, pilotage is transferred to a Columbia 

River pilot, who is responsible for taking vessels to their 

final destinations along the 100-mile shipping channel.12

Several local and regional associations and networks 

operate in the Astoria-Warrenton area; for more 

information on these associations, please consult the 

Astoria community profile. Additionally, several 

festivals take place in the Astoria-Warrenton area 

including the Blessing of the Fleet held in nearby Ilwaco 

in early May and Seaman’s Day held in Warrenton in late 

July. The Buoy 10 Festival, sponsored by the Warrenton 

Business Association, was held for the first time in 2005 

before the Buoy 10 sport fishery begins.13 The Astoria 

Warrenton Crab and Seafood Festival occurs in late 

April. Numerous readers, musicians, artists, storytellers, 

and workshop presenters who work in commercial 

fishing and related industries come to Astoria for the 

event, which attracts a wide audience.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 334 vessels, all commercially registered, 

delivered landings to the Astoria-Warrenton port 

complex. West Coast fishery landings made in AstoriaWarrenton in 2000 include (data shown represents 

landings in metric tons/value of landings/number of 

vessels landing): coastal pelagic 5,907 t/$794,612/29; 

crab 1,399 t/$6,530,137/92; groundfish 45,284 t/

$12,980,569/151; highly migratory species 1,682 t/

$3,273,354/112; salmon 52 t/$138,537/82; shrimp 3,947 

t/$3,816,430/48; and other species 178 t/$633,751/84.

Warrenton residents owned 52 vessels in 2000, of 

which 27 participated in the federally managed 

groundfish fishery. The number of vessels owned by 

residents that participated in each fishery by state (WA/

OR/CA) was: crab 0/19/1, groundfish 0/0/NA, highly 

migratory species NA/0/NA, salmon 0/33/1, shellfish 

NA/3/NA, and shrimp NA/8/0.14 A handful of small 

vessels involved in the Columbia River gillnet fishery 

operate out of Warrenton.15

Eleven Warrenton residents held 10 federal 

groundfish fishery permits in 2000. The number of 

residents holding permits in each fishery by state (WA/

OR/CA) was: crab 2/18/1, groundfish 1/0/0, highly 

migratory species NA/0/1, salmon 1/34/0, shellfish 0/3/

NA, shrimp 5/6/1, and other species 0/0/1.16
358

In 2000 31 state and federal permits were registered 

to Warrenton residents. The number of permits held in 

each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 4/0/1, 

groundfish 3/0/0, highly migratory species NA/0/0, 

salmon 1/0/0, shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 9/0/2, and other 

species 0/0/1.17

There were at least four seafood processors 

operating in Warrenton in 2000: Bio-Oregon Inc., 

Oregon Ocean Seafoods, Pacific Coast Seafoods 

Company, and Warrenton Deep Sea Inc., owned by 

Bornstein’s Seafood of Astoria. These processors 

employed approximately 168 in 2000. In 2000 about 

39,523,763 pounds of fish were processed at a value of 

$22,361,265. The top three processed products, in terms 

of pounds landed and revenue earned, were Dungeness 

crab, flounder, and shrimp. Whiting is processed nearby 

at the Point Adams Packing Company in Hammond.18 

Fieldwork indicates many fishermen in Warrenton sell 

fish to processors in both Warrenton and Astoria. For 

more information on fish processors in the area, please 

see the Astoria community profile.

Sportfishing

In 2003 at least two outfitter guide businesses and 

two licensed charter vessel businesses were based in 

Warrenton. For the Astoria-Warrenton port complex, the 

2000 recreational salmonid catch in the Ocean Boat 

Fishery was 766 Chinook and 13,712 coho salmon. The 

recreational nonsalmonid catch was a total of 1,533 fish; 

most were black rockfish.

Subsistence

Local community members may engage in 

subsistence fishing in the area, however specific 

information on subsistence fishing in Warrenton is not 

discussed in detail in this community profile due to the 

lack of available data. Tribal subsistence fishing does 

not occur in the Columbia River near Warrenton but 

further upstream in the Lower Columbia River dam pools 

at The Dalles, John Day, and Bonneville dams.19

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 Warrenton residents owned nine vessels that 

participated in North Pacific fisheries. Community 

members landed fish in the following North Pacific 

fisheries (data shown represents landings in metric tons/

value of landings/number of vessels landing): crab 

confidential/confidential/2, Bering Sea and Aleutian 

Islands (BSAI) groundfish confidential/confidential/2, 

finfish confidential/confidential/1, Gulf of Alaska 

groundfish 1,428.9 t/$590,250/4, halibut 404.1 t/

$2,243,050/5, and salmon 71.7 t/$118,060/5.

In 2000 9 community residents held registered state 

permits and 18 held registered federal permits. Twentyfour Warrenton residents held crew member licenses for 

North Pacific fisheries.

A total of 26 state and federal permits were 

registered to individuals in Warrenton in 2000. Residents 

held three groundfish License Limitation Program 

permits. They held two crab, one finfish, seven BSAI 

groundfish, five halibut, and three salmon Commercial 

Fisheries Entry Commission permits in 2000. The 

halibut and sablefish individual fishing quota shares for 

people residing in the community in 2000 were 

3,625,964 and 702,524 respectively.

Sportfishing

Warrenton residents purchased 42 Alaskan 

sportfishing licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. State of Oregon. No date. City of Astoria history. Online at 

http://www.stateoforegon.com/cgi-bin/cities/history.pl?&city=astoria

&history [accessed 1 February 2007].

2. National Geographic. No date. Lewis and Clark. Online at 

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/lewisandclark/ [accessed 7 

February 2007].

3. NW Source: Travel. 2004. Astoria, OR. Online at http://

www.nwsource.com/travel/scr/tf_detail.cfm?id=2825 [accessed 1 

February 2007].

4. See note 1.

5. Astoria Warrenton Area Chamber of Commerce. 2004. 

Historical facts. Online at http://www.oldoregon.com/Pages/

Quickfacts.htm [accessed 1 February 2007].

6. Economic and Community Development Department. 2004. 

Warrenton community profile. Online at http://info.econ.state

.or.us:591/FMPro?-db=Community.fp4&-Format=forms.htm&-lay

=webpage&-op=eq&sort%20name=Warrenton&-script=hit%20count

&-Find [accessed 7 February 2007].

7. See note 6.

8. The Daily Astorian. 2005. Launch of dock on the Columbia 

River. Online at http://www.dailyastorian.info/Main.asp?SectionID

=53&SubSectionID=585&ArticleID=14052 [accessed 1 February 

2007].

9. Field notes, fisherman, Warrenton, OR, 8 April 2006.

10. See note 9.

11. Port of Astoria. 2004. Port facilities. Online at http://

www.portofastoria.com/portfacilities/cruise/index.html [accessed 1 

February 2007].

12. Port of Longview. No date. River information. Online at 

http://www.portoflongview.com/page.asp?view=360 [accessed 1 

February 2007].

13. See note 9.

14. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

15. See note 9.

16. See note 14.

17. See note 14.
359

18. Oregon State University. 1999. Oregon’s changing coastal 

communities. Online at http://seagrant.oregonstate.edu/sgpubs/

onlinepubs/o99001.html [accessed 1 February 2007].

19. Field notes, fishery biologist, Oregon Department of Fish 

and Game, Astoria, OR, 26 April 2006.
360

Winchester Bay

People and Place

Location

Winchester Bay is in Douglas County 

approximately 198 miles south of Portland and 535 miles 

north of San Francisco. The community encompasses 

2.7 square miles of land and 1 square mile of water. The 

geographic coordinates of Winchester Bay are lat 

43°40′38′′N, long 124°10′25′′W. 

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of Winchester Bay was 488. The gender composition 

was 46.1% female and 53.9% male. The median age was 

49.5, significantly higher than the national median of 

35.3. Of the population 18 years of age or older, 82.2% 

had a high school education or higher, 30.8% had a 

bachelor’s degree or higher, and 6.4% had a graduate or 

professional degree; the national averages were 79.7%, 

22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The majority of Winchester Bay’s racial structure 

was white (96.1%), followed by people who identified 

with two or more races (1.8%), American Indian and 

Alaska Native (1.4%), Asian (0.4%), and people who 

identified with some other race (0.2%). A small 

percentage (1.4%) identified as Hispanic. Nearly 5% 

(4.9%) were foreign-born, with most from Canada, the 

United Kingdom, and Guatemala. The most common 

ancestries reported were German, Irish, and English.

The 2000 U.S. Census indicates 80.3% lived in 

family households.

History

The Winchester Bay area was originally inhabited 

by the Kalawatset Indians, ancestors of the modern-day 

Lower Umpquas. The sixteenth century brought contact 

between the local Indians and Spanish and British 

explorers. In 1828 conflict between the Lower Umpqua 

and fur trapper and explorer Jedediah Strong Smith 

resulted in the loss of many of Smith’s company.

Fur trapping grew in the area and in 1836 the 

Hudson’s Bay Company established a trading fort, Fort 

Umpqua, on the Umpqua River 35 miles upstream near 

the present-day town of Elkton. Winchester Bay was 

established in 1850 and named after Herman Winchester, 

a member of an expedition from San Francisco. At the 

same time, the expedition platted the town site of 

Umpqua City located across from Winchester Bay on the 

north bank of the Umpqua River, two miles from the 

50 40 30 20 10 0 10 20 30 40

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

96.1%

Two or more races

1.8%

Native

1.4%

Asian

0.4%

Other

0.2%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Hispanic

1.4%

Non-Hispanic

98.6%
361

river entrance. Addison C. Gibbs, an Umpqua City 

resident, was appointed Collector of Customs for 

southern Oregon and later became one of the founders of 

Gardiner, located a few miles upriver from Umpqua City. 

In 1862 Mr. Gibbs was elected the second governor of 

Oregon.

In 1856 the U.S. Army established Fort Umpqua as 

an outpost immediately east of Umpqua City to guard the 

southern boundary of the Siletz Reservation. The army 

closed the fort in 1962. Many of the buildings from Fort 

Umpqua were dismantled and used in buildings at 

Gardiner.

In 1891 near the site of the former fort, a U.S. Life 

Saving Station was established to assist endangered 

vessels. Today the pioneer sites of Umpqua City, Fort 

Umpqua, and the Life Saving Station lie within the 

jurisdiction of the U.S. Forest Service Oregon Dunes 

National Recreation Area. Prominent industries 

throughout the 1900s were timber, fishing, and 

agriculture.

Winchester Bay is adjacent to the dunes recreation 

area, a 50-mile stretch of sand dunes offers hiking trails, 

beaches, 30 lakes, fishing, swimming, riding areas, 

interpretive exhibits, and wildlife watching. 

Campgrounds extend throughout the area. The Umpqua 

River Lighthouse overlooks the mouth of the Umpqua 

River and offers summer tours. East of the neighboring 

community of Reedsport, the Dean Creek elk viewing 

area supports approximately 150 Roosevelt Elk on a 

1,000-acre reserve. Reedsport is the home of the 

Umpqua Discovery Center that houses displays of area 

history.

Events in the area include the Tsalila Festival, which 

celebrates Native American culture and traditions as well 

as activities focused on watershed restoration and salmon 

recovery. Dunefest caters to dune buggies with 

competitions and shows, and the Ocean Festival includes 

U.S. Coast Guard Rescue demonstrations and a seafood 

barbeque. The Oregon Divisional Chainsaw Sculpting 

Championships, Dune Musher’s Mail Run, and Summer 

Concert Series are examples of activities held throughout 

the year in Winchester Bay and nearby Reedsport.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 36.3% of the 

potential labor force of Winchester Bay 16 years of age 

and older were employed (lower than the national 

average of 50.5%), 6.7% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 15.5% (calculated by dividing 

the unemployed population by the labor force). The 

jobless rate was almost three times that of the national 

2000 Employment structure

Unemployed

6.7%

Employed

36.3%

Not in labor force

57%

average (5.7%). In addition, 57% were not in the labor 

force. The top employment sectors were local, state, or 

federal government (27%), accommodation and food 

services (16.3%), construction (14.7%), and 

manufacturing (10%). Natural resource jobs including 

agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting employed 

5.7%, but this percentage may be artificially low because 

many fishermen are self-employed and are 

underrepresented in the data.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the per capita 

income in 1999 was $17,307 and the median household 

income was $31,139, lower than the national average 

median of $41,944. In 1999 21.3% lived below the 

poverty level, higher than the national average of 12.4%. 

In 2000, there were 362 housing units in Winchester Bay, 

of which 65.8% were occupied and 34.3% were vacant. 

Of the occupied units, 65.6% were by owner and 34.5% 

were by renter. Of the vacant units, 41.9% were due to 

seasonal, recreational, or occasional use.

Governance

Winchester Bay is an unincorporated community in 

Douglas County. Oregon has no general sales tax but the 

Oregon Tourism Commission levies a 1% overnight 

lodging tax that funds the Oregon Tourism Commission. 

See the Governance subsection (page 43) in the 

Overview section for a more detailed discussion of taxes 

affecting fishermen and processors in Oregon.

Winchester Bay is 76 miles from the National 

Marine Fisheries Service research station in Newport. 

The closest Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife 

office is 29 miles away in Charleston. The Umpqua 

River Station of the U.S. Coast Guard is situated in 

Winchester Bay. Meetings of the Pacific Fishery 

Management and North Pacific Fishery Management 

councils are held in Portland, which is also home to the 

district office of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 

Services.
362

Facilities

Winchester Bay is accessible by U.S. Highway 101. 

The North Bend Municipal Airport, 19 miles away, is the 

closest airport to Winchester Bay. The Newport 

Municipal Airport, located 62 miles north, also offers 

commercial services. The nearest major airport is 

Portland International Airport.

Winchester Bay students attend two public schools 

within Reedsport School District 105. An elementary 

school supports kindergarten through grade 6 and the 

Reedsport Junior/Senior High School supports grades 7 

through 12. Southwestern Oregon Community College 

in Coos Bay is the closest local community college and 

the University of Oregon in Eugene is the nearest fouryear college.

The City of Reedsport supplies water to Winchester 

Bay residents, Verizon Communications provides 

telephone service, and the Central Lincoln Peoples 

Utility District provides electricity. The Douglas County 

Sheriff’s office in Roseburg and the Oregon State Police 

administer public safety. Emergency services are 

provided by the Winchester Bay Rural Fire Protection 

District with one fire station, emergency medical 

technicians, and about 20 volunteer fire fighters. The 

closest hospital is the Lower Umpqua Hospital 3 miles 

away in Reedsport, followed by the Bay Area Hospital 

22 miles away in Coos Bay. The local chamber of 

commerce identified two hotels or motels, two bed and 

breakfast facilities, two vacation rental facilities, a 

recreational vehicle resort, and several state, county, and 

private campgrounds.1

The Salmon Harbor Marina in Winchester Bay is a 

cooperative endeavor between Douglas County and the 

Port of Umpqua managed by the Salmon Harbor 

Management Committee through an intergovernmental 

agreement. The marina includes 500 moorage slips with 

electricity and shore power, two public boat ramps, 

showers, a marine fuel dock, 166 dry campsites, and 140 

full hookup campsites in Marina RV Resort (which is 

changing its name to the Winchester Bay RV Resort). 

The resort is one of the largest on the Oregon coast. 

Private businesses in Salmon Harbor Marina include ship 

repair facilities, bait shops, jetboat tours, charter boat and 

guide services, restaurants, and a variety of gift shops. 

The Port of Umpqua District owns a commercial seafood 

loading and unloading dock in the marina. In 2000 a 

complete renovation of the dock provided facilities for 

five fish buyers, a dock assistant, and a hyster to offload 

the commercial fishing fleet. Approximately 30 

commercial fishing vessels homeport at Salmon Harbor 

Marina.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 57 vessels delivered landings to Winchester 

Bay. Landings were in the following West Coast 

fisheries (data shown represents landings in metric tons/

value of landings/number of vessels landing): coastal 

pelagic confidential/confidential/1; crab 250.8 t/

$1,170,610/23; groundfish 33.6 t/$129,193/20; highly 

migratory species 44.4 t/$105,495/10; salmon 44.1 t/

$159,668/33; shellfish confidential/confidential/3; 

shrimp 0.1 t/$711/4; and other species 30.8 t/$196,940/

12.

Winchester Bay residents owned 17 vessels in 2000 

that participated in West Coast fisheries, of which 7 

participated in the federally managed groundfish fishery. 

The number of vessels owned by Winchester Bay 

residents that participated in each fishery by state (WA/

OR/CA) was: crab 0/7/0, groundfish 0/0/NA, highly 

migratory species NA/0/NA, salmon 0/14/2, shellfish 

NA/0/NA, and shrimp NA/0/0.2

In 2000 there were no federal groundfish fishery 

permits held by Winchester Bay community members. 

The number of residents holding permits in each fishery 

by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/1/0, crab 2/

5/0, highly migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 14/12/3, 

shellfish 0/0/NA, and shrimp 3/3/0.3

According to the available data, 10 permits were 

registered to Winchester Bay residents in 2000, all state 

permits. The number of permits held by community 

members in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

coastal pelagic 0/1/0, crab 0/6/0, highly migratory 

species NA/0/0, salmon 0/13/5, shellfish 0/0/NA, and 

shrimp 0/4/0.4

Currently one fish processor is located in 

Winchester Bay, Sportsmen’s Cannery and Smokehouse. 

Two oyster farmers are located in Winchester Bay. 

Umpqua Aquaculture processes the oysters grown in a 

triangular area at the mouth of the river, and another 

community member sells oysters from his oyster farm 

located upriver from Winchester Bay.

Sportfishing

Winchester Bay had at least one outfitter guide 

business in 2003 and five licensed charter vessel 

businesses. In 2006 13 businesses operated in 

Winchester Bay. In 2000 there were no licenses sold by 

licensing agents although the community had five 

vendors.

The 2000 recreational salmonid catch for 

Winchester Bay in the Ocean Boat Fishery was 4,432 

Chinook and 2,882 coho salmon. The recreational 
363

nonsalmonid catch was 2,147 fish. The top species 

landed were yellowtail rockfish, lingcod, canary rockfish, 

yelloweye rockfish, greenstriped rockfish, and quillback 

rockfish.

Subsistence

Local community members may engage in 

subsistence fishing in the area, however specific 

information on subsistence fishing in Winchester Bay is 

not discussed in detail in this community profile due to 

the lack of available data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 there were no vessels owned by Winchester 

Bay residents that participated in North Pacific fisheries. 

One resident held a crew member license for North 

Pacific fisheries.

Sportfishing

In 2000 one angler in Winchester Bay purchased an 

Alaska sportfishing license.

Notes

1. Reedsport/Winchester Bay Chamber of Commerce. No date. 

Lodging and campgrounds. Online at http://www.reedsportcc.org/

lodging.html [accessed 1 February 2007].

2. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

3. See note 2.

4. See note 2.
364
365

4.3 California

Albion

Arroyo Grande

Atascadero

Avila Beach

Bodega Bay

Corte Madera

Costa Mesa

Crescent City

Culver City

Dana Point

Dillon Beach

El Granada

El Sobrante

Eureka

Fields Landing

Fort Bragg

Half Moon Bay

Kneeland

Lafayette

Long Beach

Los Angeles (including San Pedro and Terminal Island)

Los Osos

Marina

McKinleyville

Monterey

Morro Bay

Moss Landing

Novato

Oxnard

Pebble Beach

Point Arena

Port Hueneme

Princeton

San Diego

San Francisco

San Jose

Santa Ana

Santa Barbara

Santa Cruz

Santa Rosa

Sausalito

Seaside

Sebastopol

Sunset Beach

Tarzana

Torrance

Trinidad

Ukiah

Valley Ford

Ventura
366
367

Albion

People and Place

Location

Albion is located in Mendocino County along 

California Highway 1, also known as the Pacific Coast 

Highway. The community is approximately 148 miles 

north of San Francisco and 197 miles northwest of 

Sacramento, the state capitol. The geographic 

coordinates of Albion are lat 39°13′25′′N, long 

123°46′03′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of Albion was 1,035. The gender composition was 

52.2% female and 47.8% male. The median age was 

47.6, considerably higher the national median age of 

35.3; and 44.3% of the population was between the ages 

of 40 and 59. Of the population 18 years and older, 

93.5% had a high school education or higher, 50.1% had 

a bachelor’s degree or higher, and 31.1% had a graduate 

or professional degree; the national averages were 

79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The majority of Albion’s racial structure was white 

(92.4%), followed by people who identified with two or 

more races (4.9%), Asian (1.5%), American Indian and 

Alaskan Native (0.7%), and black (0.4%). One person 

identified with some other race. Ethnicity data indicate 

2.7% identified as Hispanic. Approximately 4.6% of the 

population was foreign-born, of which 55% were born in 

the former country of Czechoslovakia.

In 2000 68.5% of the population lived in family 

households.

History

Archaeological findings suggest this area of the 

north-central California coast has been inhabited by 

Native American groups for at least 10,000 years. 

Albion is situated in an area that was home to the Central 

and Western Pomo Indians and other native groups prior 

to European contact. The Pomo were known for their 

expertise in basket making and lived a subsistence 

lifestyle that centered on marine resources.1

 The name 

“Mendocino” comes from Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, the 

famous sixteenth century Spanish navigator, who led a 

voyage along the Pacific coast in 1542 and named the 

area in honor of Don Antonio de Mendoza, the first 

Viceroy of New Spain (Mexico). Even after such early 

expeditions, this area had no permanent European 

settlements for almost 300 years after contact.2

150 100 50 0 50 100 150

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure

Asian

1.5%

Native

0.7%

Other

0.1%

Two or more races

4.9%

Black

0.4%

White

92.4%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Hispanic

2.7%

Non-Hispanic

97.3%
368

Albion is located at the mouth of the Albion River. 

The origin of its name is somewhat in dispute. The 

famed English explorer Sir Francis Drake, who sailed his 

ship The Golden Hind around the world from 1577–1580, 

reportedly landed north of San Francisco, claiming the 

territory for the English crown and naming it “Nova 

Albion,” meaning “New England” in Latin. To preserve 

the fragile peace with Spain, however, Queen Elizabeth I 

confiscated Drake’s logs, charts, and other writings. 

Details of his voyage and claim on the west coast of 

America were not publicized until the 1590s.

The exact location of Drake’s Pacific landing in 

America is in dispute, and no archaeological evidence 

exists to provide a definitive answer.3 At a minimum, it 

seems clear the Albion River, which flows through the 

area, was named in honor of Drake’s claim to the 

California coast. Permanent European settlement began 

in the early nineteenth century when another Englishman, 

William Anthony Richardson, received a Mexican land 

grant that surrounded the Albion River, naming his 

property the “Albion Rancho Desino.” Richardson’s 

settlement played an important role in the timber industry 

and in maritime shipping during the nineteenth century.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 54.9% of the 

Albion’s potential labor force 16 years of age and older 

were employed, 2.5% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 4.3% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition 

42.6% were not in the labor force. The top employment 

sectors were education, health, and social services 

(30.7%) of which a large majority worked in health care 

and social assistance, followed by accommodation and 

food services (21.7%). Natural resource jobs including 

agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting employed 

approximately 5%, but this percentage may be artificially 

low because many fishermen are self-employed and are 

underrepresented in these data.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the per capita 

income in 1999 was $26,731, the median household 

income was $40,491, and 9.8% lived below the poverty 

level. In 2000 there were 627 housing units in Albion, of 

which 78% were occupied and 22% were vacant. Of the 

occupied housing, 65.6% were by owner and 34.4% were 

by renter. More than three-fourths (76.1%) of the vacant 

units were for seasonal, recreational, or occasional use.

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

42.6%

Unemployed

2.5%

Employed

54.9%

Governance

Albion is an unincorporated town. Its residents are 

subject to a sales tax of 7.25% based on the standard 

statewide rate. See the Governance subsection (page 43) 

in the Overview section for a more detailed discussion of 

taxes affecting fishermen and processors in California.

The nearest National Marine Fisheries Service 

office is in Ukiah, 54 miles east. For purposes of 

regulating fishing and hunting activities, Albion is 

located within Central Coast Region 3 of the California 

Department of Fish and Game; the regional office is in 

Yountville, 122 miles southeast. The U.S. Coast Guard 

has a Surface Operations Station in Bodega Bay, 90 

miles to the south, and the nearest office of the U.S. 

Citizenship and Immigration Services is in San 

Francisco, 148 miles to the south. The nearest meetings 

of the Pacific Fishery Management Council are held in 

Foster City, 169 miles south of Albion. North Pacific 

Fishery Management Council meetings are held in 

Portland, Oregon, approximately 564 miles to the north.

Facilities

Albion is accessible primarily by road; the 

community is located 3 miles north of California 

Highway 128 on the Pacific Coast Highway. The nearest 

airports available for public use are nearby in Little 

River (Mendocino County Airport) and Gualala (Ocean 

Ridge Airport). The closest major airport is at San 

Francisco.

There is one elementary school located in Albion; 

middle and high school students attend schools in nearby 

Mendocino.4 The Albion Mutual Water Company 

provides water services, and law enforcement is 

administered by the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office, 

headquartered in Ukiah, the county seat. The AlbionLittle River Volunteer Fire Department is a first-response 
369

unit responsible for fire protection within the two 

communities. The Redwood Coast Fire District, 

headquartered in Manchester City, provides fire and 

emergency services.5

 There are no hospitals or medical 

clinics in Albion; a regional hospital is located in Ukiah. 

Lodging accommodations in Albion include one bed and 

breakfast. A variety of hotels are located in Mendocino 

and Fort Bragg.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

No seafood processors operated in Albion in 2000. 

Thirty three commercial vessels delivered landings to 

Albion in 2000. Landings were made in the following 

West Coast fisheries (data shown represents landings in 

metric tons/value of landings/number of vessels landing): 

crab confidential/confidential/1; groundfish 7.6 t/

$67,193/18; salmon confidential/confidential/2; and 

other species 368 t/$736,177/23.

Residents owned 23 commercial vessels, of which 5 

participated in the federally managed groundfish fishery. 

The number of vessels owned by Albion residents that 

participated in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

crab 0/0/2, groundfish 0/0/NA, highly migratory species 

NA/0/NA, salmon 0/1/5, and shellfish NA/0/NA.6

In 2000 one federal groundfish permit was held by 

an Albion resident. The number of residents holding 

permits in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

coastal pelagic 0/0/2, crab 0/0/2, groundfish 0/0/10, 

highly migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 0/1/13, 

shellfish 0/0/NA, and other species 0/0/23.7

In 2000 Albion residents held at least 67 commercial 

fishing permits, of which 66 were state registered. The 

number of state permits held by residents in each fishery 

by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/0/3, crab 0/

0/2, groundfish 0/0/12, highly migratory species NA/0/0, 

salmon 0/1/20, shellfish 0/0/NA, and other species 0/0/

28.8

Sportfishing

Several charter vessels operate out of Albion, 

targeting albacore tuna, rock cod, ling cod, salmon, and 

other species. In 2002 at least eight charter business 

served sport fishermen and tourists in Albion. Six 

operated in 2003.

There is one license agent selling sportfishing 

licenses in Albion. Available data indicates 8,838 

resident sportfishing licenses, 64 nonresident sportfishing 

licenses, 382 sport salmon punch cards, and 8,864 

abalone report cards were sold in Mendocino County in 

2000.

The nearest commercial passenger fishing vessels 

port complex consists of Fort Bragg, Eureka, and 

Crescent City. In 2000 at this port complex, 15 

commercial passenger fishing vessels served 11,574 

anglers. The vessels reported 49,983 landings composed 

of at least nine species. Rockfish (unspecified) and 

Chinook salmon accounted for 81.2% and 16.1% of the 

landings respectively.

Subsistence

Specific information on subsistence fishing in 

Albion is not discussed in detail in this community 

profile due to the lack of available data. The California 

Department of Fish and Game uses the term 

“recreational” for fishermen who do not earn revenue 

from their catch, but fish for pleasure or to provide food 

for personal consumption. Information on subsistence 

fishing in California is captured to some degree within 

the above sportfishing data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 residents of Albion had no involvement in 

North Pacific fisheries.

Sportfishing

Four Albion residents purchased Alaskan 

sportfishing licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. A. Kroeber. 1953. Handbook of the Indians of California: 

The Pomo. Berkeley: California Book Company.

2. County of Mendocino. “History of Mendocino County.” 

Online at http://www.co.mendocino.ca.us/history.htm [accessed 8 

February 2007].

3. Wikipedia.com. No date. Online at http://www.answers.com/

topic/new-albion [accessed 8 February 2007]. See also R. Bawlf. 

2003. The secret voyage of Sir Francis Drake, 1577–1580. Walker 

and Company, New York.

4. National Center for Education Statistics. Online at http://

nces.ed.gov/globallocator/ [accessed 8 February 2007].

5. Mendocino County, 2002. “Mendocino County grand jury 

final report: Point Arena city government.” Online at http://

www.co.mendocino.ca.us/grandjury/01-02/08-Point_Arena_City

_Government.pdf [accessed 8 February 2007].

6. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

7. See note 6.

8. See note 6.
370

Arroyo Grande

People and Place

Location

Arroyo Grande is just south of San Luis Obispo on 

California Highway 1 in San Luis Obispo County. The 

community covers 5.7 square miles of land and is 

approximately 185 miles north of Los Angeles and 248 

miles south of San Francisco. The geographic 

coordinates of Arroyo Grande are lat 35°06′55′′N, long 

120°34′29′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of Arroyo Grande was 15,851, a 10.2% increase from 

1990. The gender composition was 52.9% female and 

47.1% male. The median age in 2000 was 41.9, slightly 

older than the national median of 35.3. Of the population 

18 years and older, 86.0% had a high school education or 

higher, 25.7% had a bachelor’s degree or higher, and 

7.2% had a graduate or professional degree; the national 

averages were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% respectively. 

The highest level of educational attainment was a high 

school diploma/equivalency for 22.6%.

The majority of the racial structure of Arroyo 

Grande was white (88.4%), followed by individuals who 

identified with some other race (3.8%), individuals who 

identified with two or more races (3.5%), Asian (3.1%), 

black (0.6%), American Indian and Alaskan Native 

(0.4%), and Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 

(0.2%). Ethnicity data indicate 11.2% identified as 

Hispanic. Approximately 5.7% of the population was 

foreign-born, of which 41% were born in Mexico.

In 2000 82.4% of the population lived in family 

households.

History

Arroyo Grande is in the heart of what was Chumash 

Indian territory for centuries. Chumash hunters, 

fishermen, and foragers used local marine, coastal, and 

river resources. They regularly transported resources 

from their offshore islands to the mainland in unique 

redwood-planked boats known as “tomols.” Their 

mariners imported specialized stone blades and drills 

manufactured on the islands, plus marine resources such 

as shark, bonito, and halibut. Their fishermen used a 

variety of nets, traps, baskets, hooks, spears, and plant 

poisons to catch or stun fish and catch seals and sea 

otters. On the coast they collected abalone and mussels. 

1,500 1,000 500 0 500 1,000 1,500

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

88.4%

Two or more races

3.5%

Other

3.8%

Black

0.6%

Pacific Islander

0.2%

Native

0.4%

Asian

3.1%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Non-Hispanic

88.8%

Hispanic

11.2%
371

The Chumash trade network passed raw marine materials 

such as fish, whale bones, and oils to the interior.

Although the Portuguese conquistador Juan 

Rodriguez Cabrillo first encountered the Chumash in 

1542, it was not until 1772 that five Catholic missions 

were established within the Chumash Nation. After the 

secularization of the missions in 1833, the Chumash 

population fell into severe decline. In 1901 the U.S. 

government allocated 75 acres along Zanja de Cota 

Creek near Mission Santa Ynez to the surviving 

Chumash community. Today the Chumash have their 

own business council, a thriving bingo operation, and a 

federal housing program on their small reservation. 

Approximately 5,000 people identify themselves as 

Chumash Indians.1

Between 1821 and 1848, California was under the 

jurisdiction of Mexico after it gained independence from 

Spain. Land grants were made to settlers in the area until 

1848 when California became a U.S. territory and San 

Luis Obispo became one of its original 27 counties. 

Many place names in the area reflect this heritage.2

Burgeoning agriculture and quarrying spurred rapid 

population growth in the late 1800s, facilitated by 

overland transport options available through the Southern 

Pacific Railroad. By the 1950s conveyors were installed 

on the waterfront for unloading sardine boats that 

accelerated the commercial development of the area’s 

harbors in response to newly discovered fishing grounds 

offshore.3

Arroyo Grande originated when a rancher 

subdivided his property in response to drought conditions 

in 1864. City infrastructure grew up around the resulting 

community and residents voted to incorporate in 1911.4 

Today Arroyo Grande’s economy is supported by the 

tourism industry and local festivities feature its 

agricultural emphasis. The annual Strawberry Festival, 

for example, commemorates its most famous crop. The 

city also has six parks.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 56.2% of 

Arroyo Grande’s potential labor force 16 years of age 

and older were employed, 3.1% were unemployed, and 

the unemployment rate was 5.2% (calculated by dividing 

the unemployed population by the labor force). In 

addition, 40.7% were not in the labor force. The top 

employment sectors were education, health, and social 

services (20.4%), local, state, or federal government 

(17.4%), retail trade (14.5%), and arts, entertainment, 

recreation, accommodation, and food services (8.6%). 

Natural resource jobs including agriculture, forestry, 

2000 Employment structure

Unemployed

3.1%

Not in labor force

40.7%

Employed

56.2%

fishing, and hunting employed 2.2%, but this percentage 

may be artificially low because many fishermen are selfemployed and are underrepresented in these data.

The California Employment Development 

Department lists Arroyo Grande Hospital, Arroyo 

Grande High School, Mid-State Bank, and Talley Farms 

as the major employers.5

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Arroyo 

Grande’s per capita income in 1999 was $24,311, the 

median household income was $48,236, and 6.9% of the 

population lived below the poverty line. In 2000 there 

were 6,750 housing units in Arroyo Grande, of which 

96.0% were occupied and 4.0% were vacant. Of the 

occupied units, 69.9% were by owner and 30.1% were by 

renter. Almost half (42.6%) of the vacant units were for 

seasonal, recreational, or occasional use.

Governance

Arroyo Grande is a general law city. The city’s 

five-member council (mayor and four council members) 

is elected at-large. Council members serve overlapping 

terms of four years, and the mayor is directly elected for 

a two-year term.6 Arroyo Grande has a 7.25% sales and 

use tax rate and the county uses a 9.0% transient lodging 

tax rate that earned $4,229,463 for the 2001 fiscal year.7 

See the Governance subsection (page 43) in the 

Overview section for a more detailed discussion of taxes 

affecting fishermen and processors in California.

A California Department of Fish and Game Marine 

Region Field Office and a U.S. Coast Guard station are 

30 miles away in Morro Bay. Pacific Fishery 

Management Council meetings are held in Foster City, 

approximately 211 miles away.

Facilities

Arroyo Grande is accessible by a number of 

transportation options. Amtrak provides passenger rail 
372

service from the nearby station in Grover Beach. San 

Luis Obispo County Regional Airport is about 9 miles 

away and the nearest major international airports are in 

Los Angeles and San Francisco.

The Arroyo Grande public school system has five 

primary/middle schools and two high schools. There are 

also seven private primary/middle schools and two 

private high schools in the city. The city Public Works 

Department provides water and sewer services to area 

residents and the Arroyo Grande Police and Fire 

departments administer public safety. Arroyo Grande 

Community Hospital provides health services. The city 

has at least three hotels, along with one inn and two bed 

and breakfasts. The city has no marine facilities (i.e., 

harbor, docks, etc.).

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

No seafood processors operated in Arroyo Grande in 

2000. Landings data for Arroyo Grande were recorded as 

part of the Other San Luis Obispo County Ports group 

which includes the communities of Atascadero, Baywood 

Park, Cambria, Cayucos, Grover City, Nipomo, Oceano, 

Paso Robles, Pismo Beach, San Luis Obispo, San 

Miguel, San Simeon, and Shell Beach. Reported 

landings for this port group in 2000 were in the following 

West Coast fisheries (data shown represent landings in 

metric tons/value of landings/number of vessels landing): 

groundfish 9 t/$110,441/40 and other species <1 t/$88/6. 

See the Atascadero community profile for additional 

information.

In 2000 Arroyo Grande residents owned 23 

commercial vessels, of which 8 participated in the 

federally managed groundfish fishery. The number of 

vessels owned by Arroyo Grande residents in 2000 that 

participated in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

coastal pelagic 1/0/0, crab 0/0/3, groundfish 0/0/NA, 

highly migratory species NA/0/NA, salmon 0/0/15, 

shellfish NA/0/NA, shrimp NA/0/0, and other species 1/

0/0.8

In 2000 one federal groundfish permit was held by a 

community member. The number of Arroyo Grande 

residents holding permits in each said fishery by state 

(WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 1/0/2, crab 0/0/3, 

groundfish 0/0/11, highly migratory species NA/0/2, 

salmon 0/0/19, shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 0/0/3, and other 

species 2/0/10.9

In 2000 Arroyo Grande residents held at least 74 

commercial fishing permits, including 73 state registered 

permits. The number of state permits held by residents in 

each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 

1/0/4, crab 0/0/3, groundfish 0/0/13, highly migratory 

species NA/0/2, salmon 0/0/32, shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 

0/0/3, and other species 2/0/13.10

Sportfishing

Several charter vessels operate out of San Luis 

Obispo County targeting albacore tuna, rock cod, salmon, 

and other species. Many also offer seasonal whale 

watching tours. In 2000 at least 12 charter businesses 

served sport fishermen and tourists. Arroyo Grande has 

four sportfishing license vendors. In 2000 43,399 

resident sportfishing licenses, 40 nonresident sportfishing 

licenses, 52 sport salmon punch cards, and 30 abalone 

report cards were purchased in San Luis Obispo County. 

In the port group consisting of Avila Beach and Morro 

Bay, 12 commercial passenger fishing vessels served 

17,759 anglers. These vessels reported 123,441 landings 

composed of more than a dozen species. Rockfish 

(unspecified) and Albacore tuna accounted for 93.9% and 

4.6% of the landings respectively.

Subsistence

Local tribal and nontribal community members may 

engage in subsistence fishing in the Arroyo Grande area. 

However, specific information on subsistence fishing is 

not discussed in detail in this community profile due to 

the lack of available data. The California Department of 

Fish and Game uses the term “recreational” for fishermen 

who do not earn revenue from their catch, but fish for 

pleasure or to provide food for personal consumption. 

Information on subsistence fishing in California is 

captured to some degree in the sportfishing data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Two Arroyo Grande residents held crew member 

licenses for North Pacific fisheries in 2000.

Sportfishing

Arroyo Grande residents purchased 57 Alaska 

sportfishing licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. Houghton Mifflin Company. No Date. Encyclopedia of 

North American Indians: Chumash. Online at http://www.rain.org/

eagle/chumash1.htm [accessed 8 February 2007].

2. The County of San Luis Obispo Online. 2005. About the 

county. Online at http://www.co.slo.ca.us/SLOCo_InterPortal.nsf/

SLOCo_AboutCounty.htm?OpenPage&charset=windows-1252 

[accessed 8 February 2007].

3. History in San Luis Obispo County. 2004. Timeline. Online 

at http://www.historyinslocounty.com/index.htm [accessed 8 February 

2007].
373

4. The City of Arroyo Grande. 2005. Local history. Online at 

http://www.arroyogrande.org/general/history.php [accessed 8 

February 2007].

5. State of California. No date. Labor market information: 

Major employers in San Luis Obispo County. Online at http://

www.labormarketinfo.edd.ca.gov/cgi/databrowsing/?PAGEID=4

&SUBID=131 [accessed 8 February 2007].

6. City of Arroyo Grande. 2003. City of Arroyo Grande: City 

Council/Redevelopment Agency. Online at http://www.arroyogrande

.org/admin/council.php [accessed 8 February 2007].

7. State of California. 2004. California counties transient 

lodging tax revenue. Online at http://www.sco.ca.gov/ard/local/

locrep/adhoc/county/0001cotranslodgtax.pdf [accessed 8 February 

2007].

8. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

9. See note 8.

10. See note 8.
374

Atascadero

People and Place

Location

Atascadero is in San Luis Obispo County along U.S. 

Highway 101, approximately 218 miles north of Los 

Angeles and 215 miles south of San Francisco. It covers 

26.7 square miles of land and 0.04 square miles of water. 

The geographic coordinates of Atascadero are lat 

35°28′51′′N, long 120°40′12′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of Atascadero was 26,411, a 14.1% increase from 1990. 

The gender composition was 48.5% female and 51.5% 

male. The median age in 2000 was 38.2, slightly higher 

than the national median of 35.3. Of the population 18 

years of age and older, 87.3% had a high school 

education or higher, 18.3% had a bachelor’s degree or 

higher, and 4.9% had a graduate or professional degree; 

the national averages were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% 

respectively. The highest level of educational attainment 

was a high school diploma or equivalency for 26.4% of 

the population.

The majority of the racial structure of Atascadero 

was white (88.8%), followed by people who identified 

with two or more races (3.3%), people who identified 

with some other race (3.2%), black (2.4%), Asian (1.3%), 

American Indian and Alaskan Native (0.9%), and Native 

Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (0.1%). Ethnicity 

data indicate 10.5% identified as Hispanic. Less than 

five percent (4.4%) of the population was foreign-born, 

of which 38% were born in Mexico.

In 2000 81.2% of the population lived in family 

households. 

History

The area surrounding Atascadero, a Spanish word 

indicating a place of plentiful water, was the heart of the 

Chumash Indian territory for centuries. Chumash 

hunters, fishermen, and foragers utilized local marine, 

coastal, and river resources. In unique redwood-planked 

boats, known as “tomols,” they regularly transported 

resources from their offshore islands to the mainland. 

These mariners imported specialized stone blades and 

drills manufactured on the islands, plus marine resources 

such as shark, bonito, and halibut. Chumash fishermen 

used a variety of nets, traps, baskets, hooks, spears, and 

plant poisons to catch or stun fish and catch seals and sea 

otters. On the coast they collected abalone and mussels, 

3,000 2,000 1,000 0 1,000 2,000 3,000

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure

Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

88.8%

Two or more races

3.3%

Other

3.2%

Pacific Islander

0.1%

Black

2.4%

Native

0.9%

Asian

1.3%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Hispanic

10.5%

Non-Hispanic

89.5%
375

and the Chumash trade network passed raw marine 

materials such as fish, whale bones, and oils to the 

interior.

Although the Portuguese conquistador Juan 

Rodriguez Cabrillo first encountered the Chumash in 

1542, it was not until 1772 that five Catholic missions 

were established within the Chumash Nation. After the 

secularization of the missions in 1833, the Chumash 

population fell into severe decline. In 1901 the U.S. 

government allocated 75 acres along Zanja de Cota 

Creek near Mission Santa Ynez to the surviving 

Chumash community. Today the Chumash have their 

own business council, a thriving bingo operation, and a 

federal housing program on their small reservation. 

Approximately 5,000 people identify themselves as 

Chumash Indians.1

Franciscan friars founded the missions in the 

vicinity of Arroyo Grande. Between 1821 and 1848, 

California was under the jurisdiction of Mexico after it 

gained independence from Spain. Land grants were 

made to settlers in the area until California became a U.S. 

possession in 1848 and San Luis Obispo became one of 

California’s original 27 counties. Many place names in 

the area reflect this heritage.2

Agriculture and quarrying in the area spurred rapid 

population growth in the late 1800s, facilitated by 

overland transport options available through the Southern 

Pacific Railroad. By the 1950s conveyors were installed 

on the waterfront for unloading sardine boats that 

accelerated the commercial development of the area’s 

harbors in response to newly discovered fishing grounds 

offshore.3

The settling of Atascadero began with Franciscan 

clergy who managed the 60,000-acre Rancho Asuncion 

until 1833, when the Mexican government secularized 

the mission lands. In 1913 plans were drawn up for the 

area and financed by a group of investors from across the 

country. Atascadero eventually incorporated in 1979.4

 

Tourism is an important part of its economy. The 

community boasts thousands of acres of vineyards, 

wineries, almond orchards, nearby lakes accessible to 

hikers, biking, parks, swimming, historical interests such 

as Hearst Castle, a zoo, and other outdoor activities.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 59.7% of 

Atascadero’s potential labor force 16 years of age and 

older were employed, 2.7% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 4.3% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

37.6% were not in the labor force. The primary 

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

37.6%

Unemployed

2.7%

Employed

59.7%

employment sectors were local, state, or federal 

government (26.0%), education, health, and social 

services (24.8%), retail trade (12.2%), and construction 

(9.9%). Natural resource jobs including agriculture, 

forestry, fishing, and hunting employed 1%, but this 

percentage may be artificially low because many 

fishermen are self-employed and are underrepresented in 

these data.

The California Employment Development 

Department lists Atascadero State Hospital as a major 

employer.5

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Atascadero’s 

per capita income in 1999 was $20,029, the median 

household income was $48,725, and 9% lived below the 

poverty level. In 2000 there were 9,848 housing units in 

Atascadero, of which 96.8% were occupied and 3.2% 

were vacant. Of the occupied units, 65.6% were by 

owner and 34.4% were by renter.

Governance

Atascadero is a general law city with a councilmanager form of government. The council has five 

members who are elected at large and serve four-year 

overlapping terms. The council elects the mayor to 

perform ceremonial duties and preside over meetings. 

The council also appoints the city manager, who is 

responsible for all administrative activities.6

 Atascadero 

levies a 7.25% sales and use tax. San Luis Obispo 

County levies a 9.0% transient lodging tax rate, which 

earned $4,229,463 for the 2001 fiscal year.7 See the 

Governance subsection (page 43) in the Overview 

section for a more detailed discussion of taxes affecting 

fishermen and processors in California.

A California Department of Fish and Game Marine 

Region Field Office and a U.S. Coast Guard station are 

30 miles away in Morro Bay. Meetings of the Pacific 
376

Fishery Management Council are held in Foster City, 

approximately 211 miles away.

Facilities

Atascadero is accessible by a variety of 

transportation options. Amtrak passenger rail service is 

available at the Grover Beach station approximately 30 

miles away. San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport is 

18 miles away. The nearest major international airports 

are at Los Angeles and San Francisco.

The public school system has seven primary/middle 

schools and two high schools. There are also three 

private primary/middle schools and one private high 

school in Atascadero. The City of Atascadero Public 

Works Department provides wastewater services to about 

half the residents, the other half uses septic systems. The 

Atascadero Mutual Water Company operates the city’s 

water systems and Pacific Gas and Electric supplies 

electricity to all of San Luis Obispo County. The 

Atascadero Police and Fire departments administer 

public safety. Three nearby hospitals provide health 

services to area residents. Twin Cities Community 

Hospital is about 6 miles away and two other hospitals 

are 16 miles away in San Luis Obispo. At least eight 

hotels and two bed and breakfasts are in Atascadero. The 

city has no marine facilities (i.e., harbor, docks, etc.).

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

At least one seafood processor operated in 

Atascadero in 2000. Specific information (estimated 

pounds of product/value of product) is confidential. 

Landings data for Atascadero were recorded as part of 

the Other San Luis Obispo County Ports port group, 

which includes the communities of Arroyo Grande, 

Baywood Park, Cambria, Cayucos, Grover City, 

Nipomo, Oceano, Paso Robles, Pismo Beach, San Luis 

Obispo, San Miguel, San Simeon, and Shell Beach.

Reported landings for this port group in 2000 were 

in the following West Coast fisheries (data shown 

represent landings in metric tons/value of landings/

number of vessels landing): groundfish 9 t/$110,441/40 

and other species <1 t/$88/6. See the Arroyo Grande 

community profile for additional information.

Atascadero residents owned 14 commercial vessels 

in 2000, including eight vessels that participated in the 

federally managed groundfish fishery. The number of 

vessels owned by Atascadero residents in 2000 that 

participated in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

crab 0/1/1, groundfish 0/0/NA, highly migratory species 

NA/0/NA, salmon 0/2/7, shellfish NA/0/NA, shrimp NA/

2/6, and other species 1/0/0.8

In 2000 four Atascadero residents held four federal 

groundfish fishery permits. The number of Atascadero 

residents holding permits in each fishery by state (WA/

OR/CA) was: crab 0/1/1, groundfish 0/0/4, highly 

migratory species NA/0/4, salmon 0/2/9, shellfish 0/0/

NA, shrimp 1/1/6, and other species 1/0/9.9

In 2000 residents held at least 58 commercial fishing 

permits, including 54 registered state permits. The 

number of state permits held by residents in each fishery 

by state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 0/1/1, groundfish 0/0/5, 

highly migratory species NA/0/4, salmon 0/2/16, 

shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 1/2/8, and other species 1/0/

13.10

Sportfishing

A number of charter vessels operate in San Luis 

Obispo County targeting albacore tuna, rock cod, salmon, 

and other species. Many also offer seasonal whale 

watching tours. In 2002 at least 14 charter businesses 

served sport fishermen and tourists in Atascadero. The 

community is home to one sportfishing license agent. In 

2000 vendors in San Luis Obispo County sold 43,399 

resident sportfishing licenses, 40 nonresident sportfishing 

licenses, 52 sport salmon punch cards, and 30 abalone 

report cards. In the port group consisting of Avila Beach 

and Morro Bay, 12 commercial passenger fishing vessels 

served 17,759 anglers in 2000. These vessels reported 

123,441 landings composed of more than a dozen 

species. Rockfish (unspecified) and Albacore tuna 

accounted for 93.9% and 4.6% of the landings 

respectively.

Subsistence

Local tribal and nontribal residents may engage in 

subsistence fishing in the Atascadero area. However, 

specific information on subsistence fishing is not 

discussed in detail in this community profile due to the 

lack of available data. The California Department of Fish 

and Game uses the term “recreational” for fishermen who 

do not earn revenue from their catch, but fish for pleasure 

or to provide food for personal consumption. 

Information on subsistence fishing in California is 

captured to some degree in the above sportfishing data. 

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 Atascadero residents owned two vessels that 

participated in North Pacific fisheries. These vessels 

made landings in the North Pacific salmon fishery, but 
377

specific information (landings in metric tons/value of 

landings) is confidential.

Two community members held state permits for 

Alaska fisheries and one held a federal permit for North 

Pacific fisheries. In 2000 Atascadero residents held three 

commercial fishing permits for North Pacific fisheries, of 

which two were Commercial Fisheries Entry 

Commission (CFEC) salmon permits. 

Five Atascadero residents held crew member 

licenses for North Pacific fisheries in 2000.

Sportfishing

Atascadero residents purchased 38 Alaska 

sportfishing licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. Houghton Mifflin Company. No date. Encyclopedia of North 

American Indians: Chumash. Online at http://www.rain.org/org/

eagle/chumashl.htm [accessed 8 February 2007].

2. The County of San Luis Obispo Online. 2005. About the 

county. Online at http://www.co.slo.ca.us/SLOCo_InterPortal.nsf/

SLOCo_AboutCounty.htm?OpenPage&charset=windows-1252 

[accessed 8 February 2007].

3. History in San Luis Obispo County. 2004. Timeline. Online 

at http://www.historyinslocounty.com/index.htm [accessed 8 February 

2007].

4. Atascadero Chamber of Commerce. 2005. Historic 

Atascadero. Online at http://www.atascaderochamber.org/history.asp 

[accessed 8 February 2007].

5. State of California. No date. Labor market information: 

Major employers in San Luis Obispo County. Online at http://

www.labormarketinfo.edd.ca.gov/cgi/databrowsing/

?PAGEID=4&SUBID=131 [accessed 8 February 2007].

6. City of Atascadero. No date. City of Atascadero: Home. 

Online at http://www.atascadero.org/ [accessed 8 February 2007].

7. State of California. 2004. California counties transient 

lodging tax revenue. Online at http://www.sco.ca.gov/ard/local/

locrep/adhoc/county/0001cotranslodgtax.pdf [accessed 8 February 

2007].

8. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

9. See note 8.

10. See note 8.
378

Avila Beach

People and Place

Location

Avila Beach is located along California’s central 

coast on the north shore of San Luis Obispo Bay in San 

Luis Obispo County. The community is 195 miles north 

of Los Angeles and 241 miles south of San Francisco. It 

covers 1.28 square miles of land. The geographic 

coordinates of Avila Beach are lat 35°10′48′′N, long 

120°43′51′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of Avila Beach was 797. The gender composition was 

50.7% female and 49.3% female. The median age of the 

population in 2000 was 58.9, considerably higher than 

the national median of 35.3. Nearly half (49.1%) were 

age 60 or older. Of the population 18 years of age and 

older, 94.3% had a high school education or higher, 

36.0% had a bachelor’s degree or higher, and 16.3% had 

a graduate or professional degree; the national averages 

were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The majority of the racial structure of Avila Beach 

was white (95.1%), followed by people who identified 

with two or more races (2.1%), Asian (1.0%), individuals 

who identified with some other race (0.8%), black 

(0.4%), American Indian and Alaskan Native (0.4%), and 

Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (0.3%). 

Ethnicity data indicate 4.3% identified as Hispanic and 

5.2% were foreign-born.

In 2000 70% of the population lived in family 

households. 

History

The community of Avila Beach shares much of its 

history with the surrounding area in southern San Luis 

Obispo County. The Chumash Indian occupied the area 

for centuries. Chumash hunters, fishermen, and foragers 

utilized the local marine, coastal, and river resources. 

They regularly transported resources from their offshore 

islands to the mainland in unique redwood-planked boats 

known as “tomols.” These mariners imported specialized 

stone blades and drills manufactured on the islands, plus 

marine resources such as shark, bonito, and halibut. 

Fishermen used a variety of nets, traps, baskets, hooks, 

spears, and plant poisons to catch or stun fish and catch 

seals and sea otters. On the coast they collected abalone 

and mussels, and the Chumash trade network passed raw 

100 50 0 50 100

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69 

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure

Pacific Islander

0.3%

Other

0.8%

Two or more races

2.1%

Black

0.4%

Asian

1.0%

Native

0.4%

White

95.1%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Hispanic

4.3%

Non-Hispanic

95.7%
379

marine materials such as fish, whale bones, and oils to 

the interior.

Although the Portuguese conquistador Juan 

Rodriguez Cabrillo first encountered the Chumash in 

1542, it was not until 1772 that five Catholic missions 

were established within the Chumash Nation. After the 

secularization of the missions in 1833, the Chumash 

population fell into severe decline. In 1901 the U.S. 

government allocated 75 acres along Zanja de Cota 

Creek near Mission Santa Ynez to the surviving 

Chumash community. Today the Chumashes have their 

own business council, a thriving bingo operation, and a 

federal housing program on their small reservation. 

Approximately 5,000 people now identify themselves as 

Chumash Indians.1

Between 1821 and 1848, California was under the 

jurisdiction of Mexico after it gained independence from 

Spain. Land grants were made to settlers in the area until 

California became a U.S. territory in 1848 and San Luis 

Obispo became one of California’s original 27 counties. 

Many place names in the area reflect this heritage.2

Agriculture and quarrying in the area spurred rapid 

growth in the late 1800s, facilitated by overland transport 

options available through the Southern Pacific Railroad. 

By the 1950s conveyors were installed on the waterfront 

for unloading sardine boats that accelerated the 

commercial development of the area’s harbors in 

response to newly discovered fishing grounds offshore.3

Spaniards and Portuguese made use of the sheltered 

Avila coastline to replenish freshwater supplies, trade 

with the Indians, and rest. In 1873 John Harford 

constructed a wharf in his name to facilitate trading and 

mail delivery. The area’s history as a prime destination 

for rest and recreation, now the foundation of Avila 

Beach’s economy, began in 1876 when the Marre Hotel 

was built at Port San Luis. Access to the area expanded 

dramatically with the railroad in the 1880s. A decade 

later a federal breakwater was built to provide safer 

anchorage at the wharf. In 1954 the harbor district for 

the Port San Luis area was created to maintain aging 

marine facilities and generate commerce for the region. 

In 1955 the state legislature granted the district the area’s 

tidelands in trust. Today the state owns the waters out to 

three miles and manages tideland resources.4

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 42.4% of the 

potential labor force 16 years of age and older were 

employed, 2.3% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 4.8% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

55.3%

Unemployed

2.3%

Employed

42.4%

55.3% were not in the labor force, considerably higher 

than the national average of 36.1%. The top employment 

sectors were arts, entertainment, recreation, 

accommodation and food services (28%), local, state or 

federal government (25.5%), and education, health, and 

social services (24.9%). The 2000 U.S. Census reported 

none of the employed population worked in agriculture, 

forestry, fishing, or hunting, but this may be inaccurate 

because many fishermen are self-employed and are 

underrepresented in the data.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Avila Beach’s 

per capita income in 1999 was $29,033, the median 

household income was $39,792, and 8.1% lived below 

the poverty level. In 2000 there were 554 housing units 

in Avila Beach, of which 80.9% were occupied and 

19.1% were vacant. Of the occupied units, 61.2% were 

by owner and 38.8% were by renter. More than half 

(57.5%) of the vacant units were for seasonal, 

recreational, or occasional use.

Governance

Avila Beach is unincorporated. It has no 

governance structure and is under the jurisdiction of San 

Luis Obispo County. The county levies a 7.25% sales 

and use tax rate and a 9% transient lodging tax that 

earned $4,229,463 for the 2001 fiscal year.5 See the 

Governance subsection (page 43) in the Overview 

section for a more detailed discussion of taxes affecting 

fishermen and processors in California.

A California Department of Fish and Game Marine 

Region Field Office and a U.S. Coast Guard station are 

23 miles away in Morro Bay. Foster City, approximately 

223 miles away, is the nearest city that hosts meetings of 

the Pacific Fishery Management Council.
380

Facilities

Avila Beach is located along California Highway 1, 

also known as the Pacific Coast Highway. The San Luis 

Obispo Municipal Airport is 7 miles away and the nearest 

international airport is in Los Angeles. Avila Beach 

belongs to the Lucia Mar Unified School District, which 

has 10 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, 2 

comprehensive high schools, 1 continuation high school, 

and an adult education program. The county administers 

public safety in Avila Beach. Pacific Gas and Electric 

supplies electricity to all of San Luis Obispo County. 

The tourism industry in Avila Beach is well developed, 

providing several options for accommodations.

A three-pier harbor, two piers of which are open to 

the public, supports the commercial and recreational 

fishing industries. A harbor commission of elected 

officials oversees the marine facilities. Harbor services 

include a dry dock, fuel and ice, boat repair and supply, 

and storage for commercial gear at $30 per month. Boat 

storage for trailer boats up to 30 feet long and 10 feet 

wide costs $50 a month with a three-month minimum. 

Temporary boat moorage can be rented from a water taxi 

operator.6

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

No seafood processors operated in Avila Beach in 

2000. Landings were delivered to Avila Beach by 127 

commercially registered vessels, and were made in the 

following West Coast fisheries (data shown represents 

landings in metric tons/value of said landings/number of 

vessels landing): coastal pelagic confidential/

confidential/2; crab 37 t/$127,746/14; groundfish 370 t/

$703,769/88; highly migratory species 6 t/$12,884/24; 

salmon 35 t/$134,357/38; shrimp 15 t/$30,518/6; and 

other species 14 t/$77,510/44.

In 2000 Avila Beach residents owned six 

commercial vessels, of which two participated in the 

federally managed groundfish fishery. The number of 

vessels owned by Avila Beach residents in 2000 that 

participated in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

crab 0/0/1, groundfish 0/0/NA, highly migratory species 

NA/0/NA, salmon 0/0/4, shellfish NA/0/NA, and shrimp 

NA/0/7.7

No community members held federal groundfish 

permits in 2000. The number of Avila Beach residents 

holding permits in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) 

was: crab 0/0/1, groundfish 0/0/6, highly migratory 

species NA/0/1, salmon 0/0/9, shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 

0/0/2, and other species 0/0/9.8

In 2000 at least 37 commercial fishing permits were 

registered to Avila Beach residents in 2000. The number 

of state permits held by Avila Beach residents in each 

fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 0/0/1, 

groundfish 0/0/7, highly migratory species NA/0/1, 

salmon 0/0/16, shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 0/0/2, and other 

species 0/0/10.9

Sportfishing

Avila Beach has a 1,685-foot public fishing pier. A 

number of charter vessels operate out of the community 

targeting albacore tuna, rock cod, salmon, and other 

species. Many also offer seasonal whale watching tours. 

In 2002 at least 12 charter businesses served sport 

fishermen and tourists in Morro Bay.

There are two license agents selling sportfishing 

licenses in Avila Beach. In 2000 vendors in San Luis 

Obispo County sold 43,399 resident sportfishing 

licenses, 40 nonresident sportfishing licenses, 52 sport 

salmon punch cards, and 30 abalone report cards.

In the Avila Beach and Morro Bay port group, 12 

commercial passenger fishing vessels served 17,759 

anglers in 2000. The vessels reported 123,441 landings 

composed of more than a dozen species. Rockfish 

(unspecified) and Albacore tuna accounted for 93.9% and 

4.6% of the landings respectively.

Subsistence

Local tribal and nontribal community members may 

engage in subsistence fishing in the Avila Beach area. 

However, specific information on subsistence fishing is 

not discussed in detail in this community profile due to 

the lack of available data. The California Department of 

Fish and Game uses the term “recreational” for fishermen 

who do not earn revenue from their catch, but fish for 

pleasure or to provide food for personal consumption. 

Information on subsistence fishing in California is 

captured to some degree in the sportfishing data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 Avila Beach residents had no involvement 

in North Pacific fisheries.

Sportfishing

Five Avila Beach residents purchased Alaska 

sportfishing licenses in 2000.
381

Notes

1. Houghton Mifflin Company. No date. Encyclopedia of North 

American Indians: Chumash. Online at http://www.rain.org/eagle/

chumash1.htm [accessed 9 February 2007].

2. The County of San Luis Obispo Online. 2005. About the 

county. Online at http://www.co.slo.ca.us/SLOCo_InterPortal.nsf/

SLOCo_AboutCounty.htm?OpenPage&charset=windows-1252 

[accessed 9 February 2007].

3. History in San Luis Obispo County. 2004. Timeline. Online 

at http://www.historyinslocounty.com/index.htm [accessed 9 February 

2007].

4. Avila Beach History. No date. Port San Luis harbor district. 

Online at http://www.portsanluis.com/ [accessed 9 February 2007].

5. State of California. 2004. California Counties transient 

lodging tax revenue. Online at http://www.sco.ca.gov/ard/local/

locrep/adhoc/county/0001cotranslodgtax.pdf [accessed 9 February 

2007].

6. Port San Luis Harbor District. No date. Harbor services. 

Online at http://www.portsanluis.com [accessed 9 February 2007].

7. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

8. See note 7.

9. See note 7.
382

Bodega Bay

People and Place

Location

Bodega Bay is in Northern California’s Sonoma 

County, 67 miles north of San Francisco on California 

Highway 1, also known as the Pacific Coast Highway. 

The city covers an area of 8.4 square miles of land. The 

geographic coordinates of Bodega Bay are lat 

38°20′00′′N and long 123°02′49′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Bodega Bay’s 

population was 1,423. The gender composition was 

48.1% female and 51.9% male. The median age was 

50.9, substantially higher than the national median of 

35.3. Of the population 18 years of age and older, 85.9% 

had a high school education or higher, 45.6% had a 

bachelor’s degree or higher, and 23.7% had graduate or 

professional degree; the national averages were 79.7%, 

22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The majority of the racial composition of Bodega 

Bay was white (85.5%), followed by individuals who 

identified with some other race (9.1%), individuals who 

identified with two or more races (2.2%), American 

Indian and Alaska Native (1.5%), Asian (1.3%), and 

black (0.4%). Ethnicity data indicate 15.2% identified as 

Hispanic and approximately 19% of the population was 

foreign-born.

In 2000 77.7% of the population lived in family 

households.

History

Long before Euro-Americans came to the Bodega 

Bay area, the Miwok and Pomo Indians lived throughout 

what is now Sonoma County. They had a close 

relationship with the environment. The Coastal Miwok 

fished, hunted, and gathered on a seasonal basis in the 

coastal areas in and around Bodega Bay. During the 

summers, the Pomo harvested clams, seals, and bird 

eggs, and fished in coastal waters. The first European to 

visit Bodega Bay was Sebastian Vizcaino in 1603, 

however, the area’s name comes from the Spanish 

mariner Francisco Bodega y Cuadra, who anchored his 

schooner in the bay in 1775.1, 2, 3

The first Euro-American settlers in the area were 

Russian fur traders from Alaska in 1812. They sought 

otters and seals, as well as a warmer climate to grow food 

for their northern outposts. The Russians built Fort Ross, 

24 miles north of Bodega Bay, with the help of local 

150 100 50 0 50 100 150 200

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

85.5%

Two or more races

2.2%

Other

9.1%

Black

0.4%

Native

1.5%

Asian

1.3%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Hispanic

15.2%

Non-Hispanic

84.8%
383

Indians. The Russians enslaved the Pomo and exploited 

the area’s natural resources. Spanish missionaries began 

inhabiting coastal California in the late 1700s, setting up 

missions on Indian and non-Indian land.

By the 1800s, the Spanish were using the local 

Miwok and Pomo Indians as laborers. California came 

under Mexican control during this time and plots were 

granted to Mexican citizens, who built ranchos along the 

Sonoma coast. Most of the Russians left the area in 

1841. Many of the area’s Indians went into servitude to 

Mexicans who, through state confiscation, controlled 

much of the land previously occupied by Native 

Americans. By 1850 those Native Americans who were 

not working as farm laborers engaged in fishing to earn a 

livelihood.4, 5

Bodega Bay eventually grew into a thriving fishing 

center and commercial port. In 1842 Stephen Smith, a 

New England sea captain turned Mexican citizen, 

established Rancho Bodega in the area. Smith started a 

saw mill and a hotel, and his efforts helped establish a 

shipping center on the bay. It was around this time that 

Firman Camelot founded a town. Although he named the 

town “Bay” it was later changed to Bodega Bay. The 

area’s fishing industry received a boost when rail lines 

were constructed between Sonoma County and San 

Francisco in the 1870s. The rail lines opened up a large 

market to area fishermen.6

Bodega Bay’s commercial fishing industry took off 

during World War I. The industry, which focused on 

salmon, drove the local economy and structured local 

life. The industry’s sustainability was threatened by silt 

on the bay floor in the late 1930s and early 1940s. It was 

dredged in 1943 and the industry bounced back. By the 

early 1980s the fishing fleet had grown to 300 boats and 

the value of commercial landings reached more than $15 

million. After record catches in the late 1980s, the 

salmon industry fell on hard times as the number and 

volume of landings plummeted. Human induced 

landscape changes in the area and regional drought are 

thought to have contributed to habitat degradation and 

resultant low spawning numbers of salmon. During this 

period many fishermen left the industry.7, 8

Bodega Bay remains home to families who have 

fished commercially in the area for generations. Salmon 

populations began to rebound in the mid-1990s. 

Contemporary commercial fishermen harvest albacore 

tuna, Chinook salmon, halibut, rockfish, Dungeness crab, 

sole, and more recently sea urchin. In recent years, 

silting has become a recurring problem. The depth of the 

bay’s channel has decreased to five feet in some areas 

and numerous vessels have run aground in the shallow 

waters. The siltation problem is paramount to the 

community because Bodega Bay is the only port between 

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

45.8%

Unemployed

1.4%

Employed

52.8%

San Francisco and Fort Bragg large enough to 

accommodate many of today’s ocean-going vessels. The 

channel was dredged under a project begun in 2004 and 

closed out in 2005.9

Commercial fishing remains a major component of 

Bodega Bay’s economy, however, tourism and a 

sportfishing industry have developed in recent years. 

During the 1980s, the number of guest rooms in the area 

grew by 150%. The area has a range of tourist attractions 

including beaches, parks, sportfishing (primarily tuna 

and salmon), a golf course, wineries, and many historical 

sites.10 Several annual festivals demonstrate the 

economic and cultural significance of fishing. The twoday Fisherman’s Festival in April is a major event, 

featuring a boat parade and a blessing of the fleet for the 

approaching salmon season. The Seafood, Art, and Wine 

Festival occurs in August and features live music, wine 

and beer tasting, and seafood.

Currently the Coast Miwok and the Pomo are 

dispersed throughout the bay area. The Coast Miwok 

and Southern Pomo banded together in the 1990s and 

were recognized as the Federated Indians of Graton 

Rancheria in 2000. Native fishermen harvest salmon and 

various other species. Salmon holds cultural significance 

for the Miwok and Pomo as an historic staple of their 

diet. In recent decades, native fishermen have reported a 

decline in salmon populations, although the number of 

coho salmon seems to have risen in the last few years.11

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 52.8% of 

Bodega Bay’s potential labor force 16 years of age and 

older were employed, 1.4% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 2.6% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 
384

45.8% were not in the labor force. The top employment 

sectors were arts, entertainment, recreation, 

accommodation, and food services (26.5%), professional, 

scientific, management, administrative, and waste 

management services (16.9%), education, health, and 

social services (16.8%), and local, state, or federal 

government (10.9%). Natural resource jobs including 

agriculture, fishing, forestry, and hunting employed 

5.5%, but this percentage may be artificially low because 

many fishermen are self-employed and are 

underrepresented in the data.

A phone survey by Coldwell Banker, a real estate 

company, in October 1999 identified six major 

employers in the Bodega Bay area: The Tides Wharf 

(150 employees during the peak season), The University 

of California Marine Lab (125 during peak), Inn at the 

Tides (80 during peak), Bodega Bay Lodge (65), Bodega 

Harbor (62), and the U.S. Coast Guard (25). Fieldwork 

indicated Lucas Wharf employs approximately 75 

persons.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Bodega Bay’s 

per capita income in 1999 was $37,226, significantly 

higher than the national average of $21,587. The median 

household income of $56,818 also was higher than the 

national median of $41,994. Four percent lived below 

the poverty level in 1999. In 2000 Bodega Bay had 1,144 

housing units, of which 58.5% were occupied and 41.5% 

were vacant. Of the occupied units, 72.2% were by 

owner and 27.8% were by renter. Most of the vacancies 

(88.4%) were due to seasonal use.

Governance

Bodega Bay is an unincorporated area, governed by 

Sonoma County. Residents pay a 7.5% sales and use tax 

rate and visitors pay a 9% transient lodging tax. See the 

Governance subsection (page 43) in the Overview 

section for a more detailed discussion of taxes affecting 

fishermen and processors in California.

Bodega Bay has a U.S. Coast Guard Station. The 

nearest office of the National Marine Fisheries Service is 

23 miles away in Santa Rosa, and the closest California 

Fish and Game office is 60 miles away in Yountville. 

The nearest U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Office is 

in San Francisco. The Pacific Fishery Management 

Council also holds meetings in San Francisco.

Facilities

Bodega Bay is accessible by California Highway 1 

and smaller county roads, and by air at the Charles M. 

Schulz Sonoma County Airport, 21 miles from the 

community. The nearest major airport is San Francisco 

International Airport.

Bodega Bay lies in the Shoreline Unified School 

District. Students may attend primary school in Bodega 

Bay, and a middle school and a high school are in 

neighboring Tomales. Pacific Gas and Electric provides 

electricity. Bodega Bay Public Utilities District provides 

water and sewage treatment. The Sonoma County 

Sheriff’s Office and the California State Highway Patrol 

administer law enforcement. Bodega Bay has no 

hospital, however the community of Sebastopol (16 miles 

away) has a hospital with emergency services. Bodega 

Bay has 18 businesses offering overnight 

accommodations including inns, hotels, bed and 

breakfasts, vacation rentals, and a recreational vehicle 

park.

There are four marinas in the area. Spud Point has 

244 berths (80% allocated to commercial fishing), 

shower facilities, laundromat, and a service dock. 

Mason’s Marina has 115 berths, a hoist, several docks, 

fuel, and a small store. Porto Bodega has 95 berths, 

several boat docks, a launch, and trailer hookups. The 

Golden Hinde Inn has an adjacent marina, and Sonoma 

County provides boat launching at Doran and Westside 

parks. The nearest boat yard is 20 miles south in 

Marshall, a small community on Tomales Bay.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Bodega Bay had one processing plant in 2000, and 

317 vessels, all commercially registered, delivered fish 

there. Landings data for Bodega Bay also include 

Timber Cove. In 2000 residents of Bodega Bay and 

Timber Cove landed fish in the following West Coast 

Fisheries (data shown represents landings in tons/value 

of landings/number of vessels landing): coastal pelagic 

22 t/$21,133/5; crab 191 t/$1,047,625/66; groundfish 

35.7 t/$247,021/65; highly migratory species 59 t/

$144,711/32; salmon 300.6 t/$1,245,430/210; and other 

species 283 t/$560,426/39.

Community members owned 58 vessels that 

participated in the region’s fisheries in 2000, of which 34 

took part in the federally managed groundfish fishery. 

The number of vessels owned by residents of Bodega 

Bay that participated in each fishery by state (WA/OR/

CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/0/1, crab 0/0/30, groundfish 

0/0/NA, highly migratory species NA/0/NA, salmon 0/1/

43, shellfish NA/0/NA, shrimp NA/0/1, and other species 

1/0/2.12

In 2000 residents held three federal groundfish 

fishery permits. The number of residents holding permits 

in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) in 2000 was: 

coastal pelagic 0/0/24, crab 0/0/31, groundfish 0/0/14, 

highly migratory species NA/0/3, salmon 0/1/66, 
385

shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 0/0/6, and other species 1/0/

18.13

Community members held at least 245 commercial 

fishing permits in 2000, including 242 state registered 

permits. The number of permits held by community 

members in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

coastal pelagic 0/0/41, crab 0/0/33, groundfish 0/0/17, 

highly migratory species NA/0/2, salmon 0/1/117, 

shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 0/0/12, and other species 1/0/

21.14

Local fishermen have experienced an increase in 

ocean Chinook salmon since 2000. During the same 

period however, fishermen have not been allowed to take 

coho salmon due to declining numbers.15

Sportfishing

Bodega Bay is part of the Princeton-Bodega Bay 

port complex, which received 147,926 commercial 

passenger fishing vessel (CPFV) landings in 2000 by 

27,274 anglers. The top five species landed were 

unspecified rockfishes, Chinook salmon, lingcod, 

cabezon, and albacore tuna. In 2002 and 2003 there were 

four licensed sportfishing businesses in Bodega Bay. 

Two of these were CPFVs with shrimp vessel permits.

Subsistence

Specific information on subsistence fishing in 

Bodega Bay is not discussed in detail in this community 

profile due to the lack of available data. The California 

Department of Fish and Game uses the term 

“recreational” for fishermen who do not earn revenue 

from their catch, but fish for pleasure or to provide food 

for personal consumption. Information on subsistence 

fishing in California is captured to some degree in the 

sportfishing data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

According to available data, the community of 

Bodega Bay did not participate in the North Pacific 

commercial fisheries in 2000.

Sportfishing

One Bodega Bay resident purchased an Alaska 

sportfishing license in 2000.

Notes

1. Bodega Bay.com. 2004. Bodega Bay area history–200 years 

of change. Online at http://www.bodegabay.com/visitor_info/

overviewmap.html [accessed 9 February 2007].

2. Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria. No date. Historical 

background. Online at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federated

_Indians_of_Graton_Rancheria [accessed 9 February 2007].

3. Go Boating America. 2004. Windswept getaway. Online at 

http://goboatingmag.com/main/article.asp?id=528 [accessed 9 

February 2007].

4. See note 1.

5. See note 2.

6. See note 1.

7. Coldwell Banker. 2002. Bodega Bay area profile: Economy. 

Online at http://www.bodegabayhomes.com/economy.html [accessed 

September 2004].

8. See note 3.

9. C. Benfell. 2004. Channel dredging to begin. Online at 

http://www.pressdemocrat.com [accessed 9 February 2007].

10. See note 7.

11. T. Colombo, Tribal Representative for the Federated Indians 

of Graton Rancheria, Bodega Bay, CA. Pers. commun., 28 September 

2004.

12. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

13. See note 12.

14. See note 12.

15. Fisherman, Bodega Bay, CA. Pers. commun., 20 April 2006.
386

Corte Madera

People and Place

Location

Corte Madera, meaning “cut wood” in Spanish, is 

located in Marin County 10 miles north of San Francisco 

and 84 miles southwest of Sacramento. The city 

comprises 3.2 square miles of land and 1.2 square miles 

of water. Corte Madera’s geographic coordinates are lat 

37°59′30′′N, long 122°31′36′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of Corte Madera was 9,100, an increase of 10% from 

1990. The gender composition was 53.2% female and 

46.8% male. The median age was 40.7, higher than the 

national median of 35.3. More than half (51.2%) of the 

population was between the ages of 30 and 59. Of the 

population 18 years of age and older, 94.5% had a high 

school education or higher, 61.3% had a bachelor’s 

degree or higher, and 22.4% had a graduate or 

professional degree; the national averages were 79.7%, 

22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The majority of the racial structure was white 

(87.7%), followed by Asian (6.1%), individuals who 

identified with two or more races (3.6%), individuals 

who identified with some other race (1.3%), black 

(0.9%), American Indian and Alaskan Native (0.3%), and 

Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (0.2%). 

Ethnicity data indicate 4.8% identified as Hispanic. 

More than one in eight residents (15.2%) were foreignborn, of which 10.3% were born in the United Kingdom, 

8.4% in Brazil, 8.1% in Mexico, and 7.7% in China.

In 2000 80.4% of the population lived in family 

households.

History

The first inhabitants of present day Corte Madera 

were Miwok Indians. The Coastal Miwok, called 

Olamentke by early writers, are part of the Penutian 

language family.1

 The Miwok occupied territory 

bounded on the north by Cosumnes River, on the east by 

a ridge of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, on the south by 

Fresno Creek, and on the west by the San Jaoquin River.2

 

The Miwok are known to have been the largest Indian 

nation in California. It is said that a member of any of 

their tribes or settlements could travel from the 

Cosumnes to the Fresno and be understood without 

difficulty, so uniform was the language.3

800 600 400 200 0 200 400 600 800 1,000

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure

Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

87.7%

Asian

6.1%

Native

0.3%

Black

0.9%

Pacific Islander

0.2%

Other

1.3%

Two or more races

3.6%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Hispanic

4.8%

Non-Hispanic

95.2%
387

The Coast Miwok inhabited about 885 square miles 

of Marin and southern Sonoma counties. At the 

beginning of the nineteenth century, there were 

approximately 3,000 Miwok in about 40 villages; each 

village consisted of 75–100 persons.4

 In 1910 the Miwok 

population was estimated at 699.5 The Miwok traveled in 

boats made from tule reeds around Bodega Bay and to 

Angel Island, the largest island in San Francisco Bay.6 

The diet of the Miwok consisted primarily of nuts, pinole 

(a meal made of plant seeds), roots, fruit, jack rabbit, 

deer, sea lions, seals, sea otters, fish, and shellfish that 

were available year-round. Annual salmon spawning 

runs went through Raccoon Strait, just offshore from 

Angel Island.7

 Fish were taken by gorge-hook (made 

from bone) and spear, in wicker traps, and by 

narcotization.8

The Miwok’s first contact with Europeans occurred 

in 1579 when Sir Francis Drake, the first Englishman to 

sail around the world, was greeted upon his arrival by 

Indians in a village near Tomales, 40 miles northwest of 

Corte Madera. In 1775 Father Vincente, who arrived to 

claim San Francisco Bay, described the Coast Miwok as 

“humorous, with courteous manners.”9 For decades the 

Coast Miwok resisted the Spanish and Mexicans but 

ultimately fell before European weapons. In December 

2000 legislation was signed granting the Federated 

Indians of the Graton Rancheria, formerly known as the 

Federated Coast Miwok, full rights and privileges 

afforded federally recognized tribes. Today there are 

more than 500 registered tribal members.10

Corte Madera was once part of an original land 

grant, the Rancho Corte Madera del Presidio, given to 

John Reed in 1836. Reed, a Dublin native, originally 

attempted to claim land in Sonoma County, but the 

Miwoks were hostile and forced Reed south into Marin 

County. He built a small mill which cut wood for the 

Presidio, and for which the nearby City of Mill Valley is 

named. He also started the first ferry service between 

Marin County and Yerba Buena.11

Settlers living in the Corte Madera area quickly 

became involved in logging redwoods to build the 

Presidio in San Francisco. The local industry shifted to 

farming and cattle raising after most of redwoods were 

logged. At the beginning of the twentieth century, the 

town attracted individuals and families from San 

Francisco in the summer for recreation. Christmas Tree 

Hill was subdivided into tiny, 25-foot-square lots for 

weekend camping. After the 1906 San Francisco 

earthquake, many of the lots were used to build 

permanent homes, many of which are still there today.

Not long after incorporation in 1916, Corte Madera 

was chosen for the first post office and the first railroad 

station between Sausalito and San Rafael. The town had 

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

29.5%

Unemployed

1.3% Employed

69.2%

a harbor for the loading and unloading cargo. 

Steamboats traveling from Larkspur to San Francisco 

stopped there to purchase produce, lumber, and beef and 

return to Corte Madera with manufactured goods from 

San Francisco. Corte Madera, however, remained 

sparsely populated until World War II when thousands of 

shipyard workers from around the country came to work 

at nearby Marinship, a Sausalito waterfront shipyard.

Corte Madera’s post war population boom 

culminated with proposals for extension of one of the 

town’s shopping malls and calls for a new dumpsite. The 

proposals threatened the area’s marshlands and spurred 

development of Corte Madera’s environmental 

movement. The Corte Madera Ecological Reserve 

(marshlands along the town’s northern bay) is a product 

of this movement.12

Today the town boasts a 22-acre park, numerous 

bike paths and other recreational opportunities, an 

historic village square, and a weekly farmers market 

between June and October. Corte Madera is also known 

for two shopping malls that border the freeway, moderate 

home prices and taxes, friendly neighborhoods, and a 

central location. The Corte Madera Reserve Sanctuary, 

Shorebird Marsh, and the Ring Mountain Preserve were 

established in town to protect migrating birds and native 

wildlife.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 69.2% of Corte 

Madera’s potential labor force 16 years of age and older 

were employed, 1.3% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 1.9 (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

29.5% were not in the labor force, less than the national 

average of 36.1%. The top employment sectors were 
388

management, professional, and related occupations 

(60.7%), sales and office occupations (20.1%), service 

occupations (10.9%), and local, state, or federal 

government (8.8%). No one was employed in natural 

resource jobs including agriculture, forestry, fishing, 

hunting, and mining, but this may be inaccurate because 

many fishermen are self-employed and are 

underrepresented in these data.

Corte Madera’s top three employers in 2002 were 

Constellation Concepts Inc. (restaurant service), Il 

Fornaio Corporation (restaurant service), and Restoration 

Hardware Inc. (furniture and home furnishings).13

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Corte Madera’s 

per capita income in 1999 was $46,326, the median 

household income $79,839, and 4.5% lived below the 

poverty level. In 2000 there were 3,850 housing units in 

Corte Madera, of which 98.1 percent were occupied and 

1.9% were vacant. Of the occupied units, 72.5% were by 

owner and 27.5% were by renter. Of the vacant units, 

18.9% were due to seasonal, recreational, or occasional 

use.

Governance

Corte Madera, incorporated in 1916, is a small town 

that extends from San Francisco Bay on the east side of 

U.S. Highway 101 to Mt. Tamalpais on the west. The 

town has a council-manager form of government. 

Residents pay a 7.25% sale and use tax and visitors pay a 

10% transient lodging tax.14, 15 See the Governance 

subsection (page 43) in the Overview section for a more 

detailed discussion of taxes affecting fishermen and 

processors in California.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has 

a Southwest Fisheries Science Center laboratory 86 miles 

south in Santa Cruz. A NMFS regional office is 415 

miles south in Long Beach. The California Department 

of Fish and Game Marine Region Office is 37 miles 

south in Belmont. The nearest U.S. Citizenship and 

Immigration Services office is 15 miles south in San 

Francisco. Meetings of the Pacific Fishery Management 

Council are held 37 miles south in Foster City. The 

Corte Madera area is within the jurisdiction of the U.S. 

Coast Guard Marine Safety Office San Francisco Bay, 

one of the USCG’s largest and busiest marine safety 

units.

Facilities

Corte Madera is accessible by land, air, and water. 

The major roads connecting Corte Madera to neighboring 

cities are Interstate Highway 80 northeast to Sacramento 

and U.S. Highway 101 south to San Francisco. Golden 

Gate Transit provides bus service. San Francisco 

International, 24 miles south, is the nearest major airport. 

Corte Madera is accessible by Golden Gate Ferry from 

Larkspur, 1 mile north.

The Larkspur School District operates one 

elementary school in Corte Madera. The district also 

operates a middle school in Larkspur that serves Corte 

Madera residents. Corte Madera students attend 

Redwood High School, part of the Tamalpais Union High 

School District. There are also several private schools in 

the area. The College of Marin, with a campus located 3 

miles north in Kentfield, has an enrollment of nearly 

4,000. Other colleges and universities are located in San 

Francisco.

The Marin Municipal Water District serves the 

southern Marin area, including Corte Madera. The Corte 

Madera Public Works Department provides wastewater 

and sanitary services, and Pacific Gas and Electric 

supplies electricity and natural gas. The Twin Cities 

Police Authority administers public safety for Corte 

Madera and Larkspur. Several medical offices are 

located in Corte Madera but the nearest hospital, Marin 

General, is located 3 miles north in Greenbrae. There are 

no port facilities in Corte Madera. The closest port is 10 

miles south in San Francisco. Other local facilities and 

services include a public library, city parks, and the Corte 

Madera Community Foundation. Environmental groups 

are active such as Friends of Corte Madera Creek 

Watershed. This nonprofit, volunteer-based organization 

was founded in 1995 to protect urbanized creeks and 

wetlands and increase diversity of these ecosystems.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

No fish processors operated in Corte Madera in 

2000. Landings data for Corte Madera were recorded as 

part of the Other Sonoma and Marin County Outer Coast 

Ports group that includes Bolinas, Cloverdale, Dillon 

Beach, Drakes Bay, Forest Knolls, Greenbrae, 

Guerneville, Hamlet, Healdsburg, Inverness, Jenner, 

Kentfield, Marconi, Marshall, Millerton, Mill Valley, 

Muir Beach, Nicasio, Novato, Occidental, Petaluma, 

Rohnert Park, San Quentin, San Rafael, Santa Rosa, 

Sebastopol, Sonoma, Stewarts Point, Stinson Beach, 

Tiburon, and Windsor.

Reported landings for the port group in 2000 were in 

the following West Coast fisheries (data shown represent 

landings in metric tons/value of landings/number of 

vessels landing): coastal pelagic 135 t/$116,723/15; crab 

6 t/$42,768/7; groundfish 1 t/$1,704/9; highly migratory 

species confidential/confidential/1; salmon 5 t/$31,805/4; 

shrimp 3 t/$23,875/6; and other species 4 t/$23,656/16. 

See the Dillon Beach, Novato, Santa Rosa, San 
389

Francisco, and Sebastopol community profiles for 

additional information.

Corte Madera residents owned five vessels in 2000 

that participated in West Coast fisheries, of which four 

participated in the federally managed groundfish fishery. 

The number of vessels owned by Corte Madera residents 

that participated in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) 

was: crab 0/0/2, groundfish 0/0/NA, highly migratory 

species NA/0/NA, salmon 0/0/5, shellfish NA/0/NA, 

shrimp NA/0/0, and other species 0/0/1.16

Corte Madera residents held no federal groundfish 

fishery permits in 2000. The number of Corte Madera 

residents that held permits in each fishery by state (WA/

OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/0/3, crab 0/0/2, highly 

migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 0/0/6, shellfish 0/0/

NA, and other species 0/0/2.17

According to available data, 24 state permits were 

registered to Corte Madera residents in 2000. The 

number of permits held by community members in each 

fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/0/8, 

crab 0/0/2, highly migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 0/0/

12, shellfish 0/0/NA, and other species 0/0/2.18

Sportfishing

Corte Madera sport fishermen are involved in West 

Coast and North Pacific fisheries. One license agent, Big 

5 Sporting Goods, is located in Corte Madera. No 

commercial passenger fishing vessels were licensed in 

Corte Madera in 2002 and 2003. Internet resources 

indicate there are some sportfishing guide businesses in 

Corte Madera, such as New Rayann Sportfishing.

Subsistence

Specific information on subsistence fishing in Corte 

Madera is not discussed in detail in this community 

profile due to the lack of available data. The California 

Department of Fish and Game uses the term 

“recreational” for fishermen who do not earn revenue 

from their catch, but fish for pleasure or to provide food 

for personal consumption. Information on subsistence 

fishing in California is captured to some degree in the 

sportfishing data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Corte Madera residents were not active in North 

Pacific fisheries in 2000.

Sportfishing

Corte Madera residents purchased 25 Alaska 

sportfishing licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. E. Curtis. 1924. The Miwok. Online at http://

www.yosemite.ca.us/history/curtis/ [accessed 12 February 2007].

2. Access Genealogy. 2004. California Indian tribes. Online at 

http://www.accessgenealogy.com/native/tribes/californiatribes.htm 

[accessed 12 February 2007].

3. See note 2.

4. Rohnert Park Historical Society. 2000. Miwok villages. 

Online at http://www.rphist.org/html/miwok.html [accessed 12 

February 2007].

5. See note 1.

6. Angel Island Association. 2003. Miwok information. Online 

at http://www.angelisland.org/miwok.htm [accessed 12 February 

2007].

7. See note 6.

8. See note 1.

9. R. Walker. 2001. A hidden geography. Online at http://

geography.berkeley.edu/PeopleHistory/faculty/R_Walker/

AHiddenGeography.html [accessed 12 February 2007].

10. Miwok Archeological Preserve of Marin. No date. History 

of the Coast Miwok at Point Reyes. Online at http://

www.pointreyesvisions.com/NewFiles/Science_Folder/

Coast_Miwok.html [accessed 12 February 2007].

11. See note 4.

12. M. Stafford. No date. Corte Madera: Moving freight. 

Online at http://www.cagenweb.com/marin/Census/ot_cm.html 

[accessed 12 February 2007].

13. California Employment Development Department. 2002. 

Major employers in Marin County. Online at http://

www.labormarketinfo.edd.ca.gov/cgi/databrowsing/?PAGEID=4

&SUBID=131 [accessed 12 February 2007].

14. California State Board of Equalization. 2004. California 

city and county sales and use tax rates. Online at http://

www.boe.ca.gov/pdf/pub71.pdf [accessed 12 February 2007].

15. California State Board of Equalization. 2001. California 

counties transient lodging tax revenue, rate and date for the fiscal year 

2000-01. Online at http://www.sco.ca.gov/ard/local/locrep/adhoc/

county/0001cotranslodgtax.pdf [accessed 12 February 2007].

16. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

17. See note 16.

18. See note 16.
390

Costa Mesa

People and Place

Location

Costa Mesa is located along Interstate Highway 5, 

approximately 42 miles south of Los Angeles and 89 

miles north of San Diego. The community is in Orange 

County and covers 15.62 square miles of land and 0.1 

square mile of water. The geographic coordinates of 

Costa Mesa are lat 33°38′28′′N, long 117°55′04′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of Costa Mesa was 108,724, a 12.8% increase from 1990. 

The gender composition was 48.8% female and 51.2% 

male. The median age in 2000 was 32, compared to the 

national median of 35.3. Of the population 18 years of 

age and older, 78.1% had a high school education or 

higher, 26.5% had a bachelor’s degree or higher, and 

7.2% had a graduate or professional degree; the national 

averages were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The majority of the racial composition of Costa 

Mesa was white (69.5%), followed by individuals who 

identified with some other race (16.6%), Asian (6.9%), 

individuals who identified with two or more races 

(4.3%), black (1.4%), American Indian and Alaskan 

Native (0.8%), and Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific 

Islander (0.6%). Ethnicity data indicate 31.8% identified 

as Hispanic. In 2000 29.2% of the population was 

foreign-born, of which 53.1% were born in Mexico.

In 2000 75% of the population lived in family 

households.

History

The Chumash Indians were among the earliest 

peoples to inhabit the greater Los Angeles area, settling 

in the region between 5,000 and 2,000 BP (before 

present).1, 2

 The Chumash relied on a maritime economy 

for centuries (e.g., gathering and fishing). By 500 AD, 

the Tongva Indians arrived in Southern California from 

the Mojave Desert. At the onset of European migration 

into North America, there were an estimated 300,000 

Native Americans in California. This number was 

drastically reduced as European diseases killed 

approximately two-thirds of the native population during 

the colonial era.3 Today the Gabrieleno/Tongva Tribe is 

headquartered in San Gabriel. The tribe has sought 

federal recognition since 1994 and may obtain federally 

recognized fishing rights because its historic use of 

marine resources is well known. In 1542, before the 

15,000 10,000 5,000 0 5,000 10,000 15,000

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

69.5%

Native

0.8%

Asian

6.9%

Two or more races

Other 4.3%

16.6%

Pacific Islander

0.6%

Black

1.4%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Non-Hispanic

68.2%

Hispanic

31.8%
391

Spaniard Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo landed on the 

California coast, he was met by Tongva Indians in their 

boats. Cabrillo was the first European to enter what 

would become the greater Los Angeles area.4, 5

Costa Mesa gained its name from the coastal 

tableland landscape above Newport Bay. Originally 

grazing grounds for cattle belonging to the ranchero of 

the Mission San Juan Capistrano, the area became a 

gathering spot for vaqueros (cowboys) tending cattle. In 

1810 this area was a part of a Spanish land grant made to 

Jose Antonio Yorba, whose family retained ownership 

until the late 1800s when settlers began buying portions 

of the ranchero and established the town of Fairview. 

Following a devastating storm, the community was 

revived with the new name of Harper, named for a nearby 

rancher. Harper, however, officially changed the 

community’s name to Costa Mesa in May 1920. 

Agriculture and subsequently the building and oil drilling 

industries brought new growth to the area until these 

industries crashed during the depression. Since the end 

of World War II, however, the population has boomed 

due to military and civic institutions located in the area. 

Today Costa Mesa is a major commercial and industrial 

center of Orange County.6

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 66% of the 

potential labor force 16 years of age and older were 

employed, 3.2% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 4.7% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

30.8% were not in the labor force. The major 

employment sectors were education, health, and social 

services (15.6%), manufacturing (12.7%), retail trade 

(11%), accommodation and food services (9.1%), and 

local, state, or federal government (9%). Natural 

resource jobs including agriculture, forestry, fishing, and 

hunting employed only 0.3%, but this percentage may be 

artificially low because many fishermen are selfemployed and are underrepresented in these data.

The California Employment Development 

Department lists Apria Healthcare Group Inc., ICN 

Pharmaceuticals Inc., and Nordstrom as major employers 

in Costa Mesa.7

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Costa Mesa’s 

per capita income in 1999 was $23,342, the median 

household income was $50,732, and 12.6% of the 

population lived below the poverty level. In 2000 there 

were 40,406 housing units in Costa Mesa, of which 97% 

were occupied and 3% were vacant. Of the occupied 

units, 40.5% were by owner and 59.5% were by renter. 

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

30.8%

Unemployed

3.2%

Employed

66%

More than half (56.5%) of the vacant housing units were 

for rent and 11.4% were for seasonal, recreational, or 

occasional use.

Governance

Costa Mesa is a general law city with a councilmanager form of government. The city has a fivemember city council, including a mayor and four council 

members. Residents pay a 7.75% sales and use tax rate. 

Orange County has a 10% lodging tax, which earned 

$337,549 in revenue in fiscal year 2001.8

 See the 

Governance subsection (page 43) in the Overview 

section for a more detailed discussion of taxes affecting 

fishermen and processors in California.

A California Department of Fish and Game Marine 

Region field office and a U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) 

station are located 80 miles away in San Diego. Del Mar, 

approximately 70 miles away, is the nearest city that 

hosts Pacific Fishery Management Council meetings. 

The southwest regional office of the National Oceanic 

and Atmospheric Administration is in Long Beach. 

Eight Coast Guard vessels are stationed at the USCG 

Marine Safety Office/Group Los Angeles–Long Beach, 

38 miles away in San Pedro.

Facilities

Costa Mesa is located north of Newport between 

California Highway 1 and Interstate Highway 405. John 

Wayne Airport is about 4 miles away. Costa Mesa falls 

within Newport-Mesa Unified School District, which 

supports 33 schools. The Costa Mesa Police and Fire 

departments administer public safety, and there are six 

hospitals in the area. The City of Costa Mesa provides 

gas, water, wastewater, and refuse services. Costa Mesa 

links into the greater Los Angeles area and its extensive 

tourism industry and well established infrastructure 

catering to a multitude of tourism activities. No 
392

commercial harbor facilities are available within Costa 

Mesa, but private recreational facilities are plentiful.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

According to available data, there were no seafood 

processors operating in Costa Mesa in 2000. Landings 

data for Costa Mesa were recorded as part of the Other 

Los Angeles and Orange County Ports port group, which 

includes the nearby communities of: Alhambra, 

Anaheim, Avalon, Balboa, Bell Gardens, Beaumont, 

Bloomington, Capistrano, Carson, Catalina Island, 

Chatsworth, Corona Del Mar, Covina, El Segundo, 

Elsinore, Fountain Valley, Fullerton, Gardena, Glendale, 

Granada Hills, Hawaiian Gardens, Harbor City, Hermosa 

Beach, Huntington Beach, Inglewood, Irvine, La Canada, 

Laguna, Lancaster, Los Alamitos, Los Angeles, Los 

Angeles Area, Lynwood, Malibu, Manhattan Beach, 

Mission Viejo, Newhall, Norco, Norwalk, Ocean Park, 

Ontario, Orange, Pacific Palisades, Paramount, Pasadena, 

Playa Del Ray, Point Dume, Rancho Palos Verdes, 

Redondo Beach, Reseda, Riverside, San Bernardino, San 

Clemente, Santa Ana, Santa Monica, Seal Beach, South 

Gate, Sunset Beach, Topanga Canyon, Torrance, Upland, 

Venice, Vernon, Walnut, West Lost Angeles, 

Westminster, and Whittier.

Reported landings for this port group in 2000 were 

in the following West Coast fisheries (data shown 

represent landings in metric tons/value of landings/

number of vessels landing): coastal pelagic 73 t/$54,656/

13; crab 16 t/$53,799/14; groundfish 38 t/$196,068/24; 

highly migratory species 4 t/$22,968/18; shrimp 6 t/

$110,054/5; and other species 91 t/$431,800/52. See the 

Santa Ana community profile for additional information.

Costa Mesa residents owned eight commercial 

vessels in 2000, including one that participated in the 

federally managed groundfish fishery. The number of 

vessels owned by Costa Mesa residents in 2000 that 

participated in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

groundfish 0/0/NA, highly migratory species NA/0/NA, 

shellfish NA/0/NA, and shrimp NA/0/0.9

In 2000 six residents held seven federal groundfish 

permits. The number of Costa Mesa residents holding 

permits in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

coastal pelagic 0/0/3, groundfish 0/0/4, highly migratory 

species NA/0/2, salmon 0/0/1, shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 

0/0/1, and other species 0/0/20.10

Costa Mesa community members held at least 50 

commercial fishing permits, including 43 registered state 

permits in 2000. The number of state permits held by 

Costa Mesa residents in each fishery by state (WA/OR/

CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/0/4, groundfish 0/0/5, highly 

migratory species NA/0/2, salmon 0/0/1, shellfish 0/0/

NA, shrimp 0/0/1, and other species 0/0/30.11

Sportfishing

A number of charter vessels operate out of Costa 

Mesa targeting albacore tuna, rock cod, salmon, and 

other species. Many also offer seasonal whale watching 

tours. In 2002 at least 11 charter businesses served sport 

fishermen and tourists in Costa Mesa. Three agents sold 

sportfishing licenses in Costa Mesa. In 2000 Orange 

County license vendors sold 26,250 resident sportfishing 

licenses, 47 nonresident sportfishing licenses, 7 sport 

salmon punch cards, and 29 abalone report cards. In the 

port group surrounding Newport, 21 commercial 

passenger fishing vessels served 57,515 anglers in 2000. 

These vessels reported 247,746 landings composed of 

more than a dozen species. Sea bass (various species) 

and barracuda accounted for 59.1% and 8.8% of the 

landings respectively.

Subsistence

Local tribal and nontribal community members may 

engage in subsistence fishing in the Costa Mesa area. 

However, specific information on subsistence fishing is 

not discussed in detail in this community profile due to 

the lack of available data. The California Department of 

Fish and Game uses the term “recreational” for fishermen 

who do not earn revenue from their catch, but fish for 

pleasure or to provide food for personal consumption. 

Information on subsistence fishing in California is 

captured to some degree in the sportfishing data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 Costa Mesa residents owned two vessels 

that participated in North Pacific fisheries. The vessels 

made landings in the North Pacific salmon fishery, but 

specific information (landings in metric tons/value of 

landings) is confidential.

In 2000 two community residents each held a single 

Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission salmon permit. 

Three Costa Mesa residents held crew member licenses 

for North Pacific fisheries.

Sportfishing

In 2000 Costa Mesa residents purchased 123 Alaska 

sportfishing licenses.
393

Notes

1. The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. 2002. 

Chumash Indian life. Online at http://www.sbnature.org/research/

anthro/chumash/index.htm [accessed 12 February 2007].

2. Los Angeles Almanac. 2004. Los Angeles County-Pre

-history to 1799. Online at http://www.laalmanac.com/history/

hi01a.htm [accessed 12 February 2007].

3. United States Geological Survey. 2004. Regional trends in 

biological resources: California. Online at http://biology.usgs.gov/

s+t/SNT/noframe/ca162.htm [accessed 12 February 2007].

4. Los Angeles Almanac. 2004. Where did the name Los 

Angeles come from? Online at http://www.laalmanac.com/history/

hi03a.htm [accessed 12 February 2007].

5. Gabrieleno/Tongva. 2004. Gabrieleno/Tongva. Online at 

http://www.tongva.com/ [accessed 12 February 2007].

6. City of Costa Mesa. No date. History. Online at http://

www.ci.costa-mesa.ca.us/about/history.htm [accessed 12 February 

2007].

7. State of California. No date. Labor market information: 

Major employers in Orange County. Online at http://

www.labormarketinfo.edd.ca.gov/cgi/databrowsing/?PAGEID=4

&SUBID=131 [accessed 12 February 2007].

8. State of California. 2004. California counties transient 

lodging tax revenue. Online at http://www.sco.ca.gov/ard/local/

locrep/adhoc/county/0001cotranslodgtax.pdf [accessed 12 February 

2007].

9. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

10. See note 9.

11. See note 9.
394

Crescent City

People and Place

Location

Crescent City is in Del Norte County in northern 

California, approximately 330 miles south of Portland, 

Oregon, and 356 miles north of San Francisco. The 

community encompasses 1.8 square miles of land and 0.3 

square mile of water. The geographic coordinates of 

Crescent City are lat 41°45′22′′N, long 124°12′02′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Crescent City 

had a population of 4,006 people. The gender 

distribution was 53.7% female and 46.3% male. The 

median age was 32, lower than the national median of 

35.3. Approximately 41.2% were under the age of 25. 

Of the population 18 years of age and older, 71.1% had a 

high school education or higher, 11% had a bachelor’s 

degree or higher, and 3.1% had a graduate or professional 

degree; the national averages were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 

7.8% respectively.

The majority of the racial composition of Crescent 

City was white (78.3%), followed by American Indian 

and Alaska Native (6.1%), individuals who identified 

with two or more races (6%), Asian (4.6%), individuals 

who identified with some other race (4.3%), black 

(0.5%), and Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 

(0.1%). Ethnicity data indicate 11% identified as 

Hispanic. Approximately 8.2% of the population was 

foreign-born, of which 35% were from Mexico and 32% 

from Asia.

In 2000 75.1% of the population lived in family 

households.

History

The redwood coast was home to American Indian 

tribes for thousands of years before the arrival of EuroAmericans. The Native people embodied distinct 

cultures and identities, including separate languages. 

They lived in villages along the coast and major rivers; 

each with a semi-independent political system with ties 

to one another through an intricate economic, social, and 

religious web.1

 In the Crescent City area, the main 

Tolowa villages at the time of European contact were at 

Battery Point (Ta’atun), Pebble Beach (Meslteltun), 

south of Point St. George (Tatintun), and north of Point 

St. George (Tawiatun).2 The people utilized the 

surrounding resources to construct homes, hunt, and 

gather food. Primary food sources were deer, elk, fish, 

400 300 200 100 0 100 200 300 400

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

78.3%

Two or more races

6%

Other

4.3%

Pacific Islander

0.1%

Black

0.5%

Native

6.1%

Asian

4.6%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Non-Hispanic

89%

Hispanic

11%
395

nuts, berries, and seeds. Homes were constructed of 

planks split from fallen Redwoods that were understood 

to be Spirit Beings, a divine race that existed before 

humans and taught them the proper way to live.3, 4

Thousands moved into the area when gold was 

discovered along the Trinity River in 1850 and in Myrtle 

Creek in 1853. Indians were moved off their lands and 

many were massacred if they resisted. The state 

government paid militia units made up of miners and 

homesteaders to remove “hostile” Indians from the area. 

While treaties were signed, they did not allocate 

reservations for tribes nor were they ratified because the 

California delegation believed the treaties left too much 

land in Indian hands. Reservations were only established 

by administrative decree. Camp Crescent City was 

established in 1856 during the Red Cap War, which led 

to the removal of the Yuroks and seven other tribes to the 

Hoopa Valley Indian Reservation.5 While many of the 

unique aspects of the various tribes of the area have 

merged today, their languages remain distinct, including 

Tolowa, Karuk, Hoopa, and Yurok. Many Native people 

of the area continue to fight for their rights, a difficult 

challenge in the face of a lack of treaty guarantees and 

the absence of federal recognition.6, 7

Crescent City, named after its crescent-shaped 

beach, emerged in the 1850s during the gold rush and 

soon became the chief port of entry and supply center for 

Oregon miners and neighboring settlements in California. 

Agriculture, lumber, and fishing were the economic 

mainstays. Redwood trees provided the lumber settlers 

needed for shelter and survival. Commercial logging 

followed and soon timber became the largest 

manufacturing industry in the west. The first mill was 

established in Crescent City in 1853. Hobbs, Wall and 

Company had formed by 1871 and dominated the 

industry until 1939. The first road through the county 

was the Crescent City Plank Road. Built in 1858, it ran 

along the Smith River Canyon to the Illinois River in 

Oregon.8, 9

The twentieth century brought improved 

technologies in harvesting and transporting lumber. A 

railroad constructed in 1906 transported lumber from 

Smith River to Crescent City where it was loaded on 

ocean schooners. By 1910 the rapid disappearance of the 

redwood stands caused alarm to some residents, who 

established the Save the Redwoods League and 

California’s three redwood reserve state parks. Despite 

their efforts, logging continued and by the 1960s, nearly 

90 percent of the original redwoods were gone. 

Redwood National Park was established in 1968.10 

Commercial fishing also contributed to the area 

economy. A cannery was established in the 1860s near 

the mouth of the Smith River. When the timber industry 

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

50.1%

Unemployed

6.5%

Employed

43.4%

went into decline in the mid-1900s, the fishing industry 

replaced it as the community’s main economic force.

Before the establishment of lighthouses, shipwrecks 

were a regular occurrence off the Crescent City coast. 

The most famous shipwreck was the Brother Jonathan, 

which hit an uncharted reef and sank with the loss of a 

large gold shipment; only 16 of the 215 passengers 

survived. Congress commissioned the Battery Point 

Lighthouse, at the north end of the Crescent City harbor, 

in 1855 that remained in service until 1965. Located 6 

miles off the coast to the west of Crescent City, the Point 

St. George Lighthouse was in service from 1892 until 

1975.11

Crescent City suffered heavy damage from a 

tsunami in 1964, caused by an earthquake that struck 

Anchorage, Alaska, the largest recorded earthquake to hit 

North America. A series of five, 500 mile-per-hour tidal 

waves destroyed the downtown area, killed 11 people and 

damaged 150 businesses and homes.12 The community 

rebuilt and today Crescent City has a thriving tourism 

industry that capitalizes on its location and easy access to 

recreational opportunities.

Crescent City is surrounded by state and national 

parks and recreational opportunities. The Elk Creek 

Wildlife Area is adjacent to downtown, Tolowa Dunes 

State Park is just north of the city, and the Redwood 

National Park Headquarters and Visitor Information 

Center is in the city. The Smith River National 

Recreation Area and Redwood National Park are within a 

few miles of the city. Hiking, biking, bird watching, 

fishing, and whale watching are common activities. The 

Crescent City Harbor offers resources for whale 

watching cruises, surfing, wind surfing, fish derbies, and 

diving. Three community groups offer arts and cultural 

performances, exhibits, and educational programs: the 

Community Concert Association, Del Norte Association 
396

for Cultural Awareness, and the Lighthouse Repertory 

Theatre.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 43.4% of 

Crescent City’s potential labor force 16 years of age and 

older were employed, 6.5% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 13.1%, more than double the 

national average of 5.7% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

50.1% were not in the labor force, compared to the 

national average of 36.1%. The primary employment 

sectors were local, state, or federal government (35%), 

public administration (18.9%), health care and social 

assistance (15%), and accommodation and food services 

(13.4%). Natural resource jobs including agriculture, 

forestry, fishing, and hunting employed 3.9%, but this 

percentage may be artificially low because many 

fishermen are self-employed and are underrepresented in 

these data.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Crescent City’s 

per capita income in 1999 was $12,833, compared to the 

national average of $21,587. The median household 

income in 1999 was $20,133, less than half the national 

average ($41,944). In 1999 34.6% lived below the 

poverty line. In 2000 Crescent City had 1,754 housing 

units, of which 90% were occupied and 10% were 

vacant. Of the occupied units, 32.8% were by owner and 

67.2% were by renter. About 10.8% of the vacant units 

were due to seasonal, recreational, or occasional use.

Governance

Crescent City incorporated in 1854.13 The fivemember council includes the mayor, the mayor pro 

tempore, and three members.14 The city also has a city 

manager and a city attorney. Residents pay a 7.25% sales 

tax and visitors pay a 10% transient lodging tax.15, 16 See 

the Governance subsection (page 43) in the Overview 

section for a more detailed discussion of taxes affecting 

fishermen and processors in California.

The California Department of Fish and Game 

maintains a small office in Crescent City in support of the 

Lake Earl Wildlife Area. The closest department field 

office is 86 miles away in Eureka. The nearest National 

Marine Fisheries Service office is in Newport, Oregon, 

229 miles away. The nearest meetings of the Pacific 

Fishery Management Council are held 330 miles away in 

Portland. The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Cutter Dorado 

is homeported at Crescent City, and is the northernmost 

unit of the USCG Group Humboldt Bay. The U.S. 

Citizenship and Immigration Services has an office in 

Sacramento.

Facilities

Crescent City is accessible by air, sea, and road 

(U.S. Highway 101). The city is within the Del Norte 

County Unified School District that supports 16 schools, 

of which 3 are private and 13 are public, including 5 

alternative schools that support various curriculums from 

kindergarten through twelfth grade. There are 2 high 

schools, 1 middle school, and 10 elementary schools 

(inclusive of alternative schools). The College of the 

Redwoods is the local community college and Humboldt 

State University in Arcata is the closest 4-year college.

Crescent City supplies water and wastewater 

services and Pacific Power provides electricity. The 

Crescent City Police Department administers public 

safety, and the California Highway Patrol has an office in 

Crescent City. Sutter Coast Hospital is in the city and 

Curry General Hospital is in Gold Beach, Oregon. There 

are approximately 17 hotels and motels in Crescent City, 

1 resort, 2 bed and breakfast facilities, and a variety of 

national, state, county, and private campgrounds and 

recreational vehicle parks.

The Crescent City Harbor supports recreational and 

commercial fisheries, along with tourism. The harbor 

includes a yacht club, ice house, boatyard, tackle shops, 

dive shop, marine supply store, and other amenities. The 

Groundfish Vessel Buyback Program and sales of other 

local vessels have removed many of the larger rentpaying vessels from the port. The absence of this 

revenue stream has reportedly caused an increase in rent. 

A new port master plan aims to attract shops and other 

business.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

One processor operates in Crescent City, Caito 

Fisheries, which has several locations throughout 

California. The company processes various species and 

markets its products wholesale. The collapse of the rock 

cod fishery in the late 1990s, combined with poor shrimp 

seasons, may have contributed to the closure of many 

local area processors. Due to the lack of processors, the 

port’s wastewater facility is underutilized. Some local 

fishermen participate in the live fish market, a low 

volume but high return operation, transporting catches to 

stores and restaurants in San Francisco. The live fish 

market may occur in other Californian communities, 

however data on this industry are not available.
397

In 2000 200 vessels, all commercially registered, 

delivered landings to Crescent City. Landings in the 

community were in the following West Coast fisheries 

(data shown represents landings in metric tons/value of 

landings/number of vessels landing): coastal pelagic 3.7 

t/$6,341/6; crab 1,408 t/$6,107,840/137; groundfish 

3,955 t/$2,469,443/118; highly migratory species 309 t/

$700,660/38; salmon 120.3 t/$461,247/74; shrimp 1,296 

t/$1,429,924/55; and other species 3.7 t/$7,250/25.

Crescent city residents owned 108 vessels in 2000 

that participated in West Coast fisheries, of which 16 

participated in the Groundfish Vessel Buyback Program 

and 74 participated in the federally managed groundfish 

fishery. The number of vessels owned by Crescent City 

residents in 2000 that participated in each fisheries by 

state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 0/8/90, highly migratory 

species NA/0/NA, salmon 0/24/48, shellfish NA/1/NA, 

and shrimp NA/15/29.17

Following the Groundfish Vessel Buyback Program, 

the remaining draggers principally land flat fish plus 

small monthly catch allowances of rock cod. Several 

small boats fish near shore for rock cod under an open 

access catch allowance, primarily during summer 

months. During the winter, the boats fish crab, limited 

by their size as to the number of pots they can carry. Due 

to rock cod restrictions, boats that typically switched 

between catching rock cod and crab have lost this 

flexibility.

In 2000 19 residents held 21 federal groundfish 

permits. The number of Crescent City residents holding 

permits in each fisheries by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

coastal pelagic 0/0/3, crab 1/6/98, groundfish 0/0/43, 

highly migratory species NA/1/7, salmon 0/21/77, 

shellfish 0/1/NA, shrimp 4/11/40, and other species 0/0/

50.18

In 2000 468 permits were registered to Crescent 

City residents, including 447 registered state permits and 

21 federal permits. The number of permits held by 

community members in each fishery by state (WA/OR/

CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/0/4, crab 3/7/105, groundfish 

0/0/52, highly migratory species NA/1/0, salmon 0/22/

124, shrimp 8/14/55, and other species 0/0/52.19

Sportfishing

Crescent City is in the Fort Bragg, Eureka, and 

Crescent City Port Complex. It reported 49,983 

commercial passenger fishing vessel landings in 2000 

made by 11,574 anglers. The species landed were 

unspecified rockfish, Chinook salmon, lingcod, cabezon, 

unspecified flatfishes, and albacore tuna.

Subsistence

Specific information on subsistence fishing in 

Crescent City is not discussed in detail due to the lack of 

available data. The California Department of Fish and 

Game uses the term “recreational” for fishermen who do 

not earn revenue from their catch, but fish for pleasure or 

to provide food for personal consumption. Information 

on subsistence fishing in California is captured to some 

degree in the sportfishing data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 a Crescent City resident owned one vessel 

that participated in North Pacific fisheries. Crescent City 

residents held two permits in 2000, including one federal 

groundfish License Limitation Program permit, and one 

Alaska Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission salmon 

permit. Six residents held crew member licenses for 

North Pacific fisheries.

Sportfishing

Crescent City fishermen purchased 52 Alaska 

sportfishing licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. National Park Service. No date. American Indians. Online at 

http://www.nps.gov/redw/historyculture/area-history.htm [accessed 

13 February 2007].

2. Office of Historic Preservation. No date. Del Norte: 

Landmarks: County listing. Online at http://ohp.parks.ca.gov/

default.asp?page_id=21416 [accessed 13 February 2007].

3. See note 1.

4. Crescent City-Del Norte County Chamber of Commerce. 

2004. Our history. Online at http://www.northerncalifornia.net/

our_history.cfm [accessed 13 February 2007].

5. The California Military Museum. No date. Historic 

California posts: Camp Crescent City. Online at http://

www.militarymuseum.org/CpCrescentCity.html [accessed 13 

February 2007].

6. See note 1.

7. See note 1.

8. National Park Service. No date. American Indians today. 

Online at http://www.nps.gov/redw/area_log.htm [accessed 13 

February 2007].

9. See note 4.

10. See note 1.

11. See note 4.

12. Lighthouse Friends.com. 2003. Battery Point (Crescent 

City) Lighthouse, CA. Online at http://www.lighthousefriends.com/

light.asp?ID=58 [accessed 13 February 2007].

13. Municipal Code for Crescent City. General provisions, 

Title 1. 2005. Online at http://municipalcodes.lexisnexis.com/codes/

crescentcity/ [accessed 13 February 2007].

14. City of Crescent City. 2005. No title. Online at http://

www.crescentcity.org/citycouncil.htm [accessed 13 February 2007].
398

15. California State Board of Equalization. 2004. California 

city and county sales and use tax rates. Online at http://

www.boe.ca.gov/pdf/pub71.pdf [accessed 13 February 2007].

16. California State Board of Equalization. 2001. California 

counties transient lodging tax revenue, rate and date for the fiscal year 

2000-01. Online at http://www.sco.ca.gov/ard/local/locrep/adhoc/

county/0001cotranslodgtax.pdf [accessed 13 February 2007].

17. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

18. See note 17.

19. See note 17.
399

Culver City

People and Place

Location

Culver City is located at the intersection of Interstate 

Highway 405 and the Santa Monica Freeway in Los 

Angeles County. It is in west Los Angeles in the La 

Ballona Valley between Inglewood and Beverly Hills. 

Ballona Creek flows through the valley and empties into 

the Pacific Ocean near Marina del Rey (5 miles west). 

Culver City is considered part of the greater Los Angeles 

metropolitan area. It covers 4.99 square miles of land 

and less than one square mile of water. The geographic 

coordinates of Culver City are lat 34°00′59′′N, long 

118°23′03′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of Culver City was 38,816, a 0.1% increase from 1990. 

The gender composition was 53.3% female and 46.7% 

male. The median age was 39.1, compared to the 

national median of 35.3. Of the population 18 years of 

age and older, 86.6% had a high school education or 

higher, 39.4% had a bachelor’s degree or higher, and 

15.9% had a graduate or professional degree; the national 

averages were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The majority of the racial structure was white 

(59.2%), followed by Asian (12%), black (12%), 

individuals who identified with some other race (10.2%), 

individuals who identified with two or more races 

(5.7%), American Indian and Alaska Native (0.7%), and 

Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (0.2%). 

Ethnicity data indicate 23.7% identified as Hispanic. In 

2000 26.6% of the population was foreign-born, of which 

24.5% were from Mexico.

In 2000 76.0% of the population lived in family 

households.

History

Native Americans first inhabited the California 

coast about 13,000 years ago. The Los Angeles area was 

home to the Chumash Indians, whose territory spanned 

the California coast from Malibu to Pasa Robles.1

 The 

Chumash were hunter-gatherers and relied heavily on 

maritime resources, including clams, mussels, abalone 

and many fish species. They developed sophisticated 

technologies for harvesting marine resources, established 

large coastal villages, and traded extensively within their 

territory. Between 200 and 500 years ago, Tongva 

Indians migrated from the Mojave Desert region, 

4,000 3,000 2,000 1,000 0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure

Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

59.2%

Black

12%

Asian

12%

Two or more races

5.7% Other

Pacific Islander 10.2%

0.2%

Native

0.7%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Hispanic

23.7%

Non-Hispanic

76.3%
400

establishing 25 villages throughout what is today the Los 

Angeles County area. The Tongva also depended on 

marine resources.2

Indians in the vicinity of what is now Culver City 

relied heavily on Ballona Creek, which flows through the 

Ballona Valley toward the Playa del Rey River.3 They 

harvested fish from the creek and its surrounding 

marshes and constructed reed boats and wood plank 

canoes they sealed with asphaltum from the nearby La 

Brea Tar Pits. They also hunted sea lions and seals and 

took ocean fish and shellfish. After European settlement, 

native peoples in the Culver City area became known as 

the Gabrielenos, derived from the San Gabriel Mission. 

Today the Gabrieleno/Tongva Tribe is headquartered in 

San Gabriel, where it is seeking federal recognition and 

tribal fishing rights.

Europeans first settled the Culver City area in the 

1780s when several prominent Spanish soldiers arrived 

with their families and constructed two large ranches, 

Rancho La Ballona and Rincón de Los Bueyes.4 They 

raised cattle and sheep and grew fruit and nut trees, 

vineyards, barley, corn, wheat, beans, and celery irrigated 

with water from Ballona Creek. In the late 1800s 

developers subdivided the ranches to build a series of 

seaside resorts and a port near the mouth of Ballona 

Creek. These efforts failed due to flooding. In 1935 the 

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers channelized the creek to 

assist development.

Henry H. Culver, a real estate entrepreneur, founded 

Culver City in 1913. Culver chose the area because of its 

promising location between Los Angeles and the resort 

town of Venice. He designed the city to have a mix of 

residential and commercial uses. In 1915, he convinced 

film director Thomas Ince to move his film studio to 

Culver City. Other movie studios (including MetroGoldwyn-Mayer) followed and the community became 

known as the “Heart of Screenland.” Culver aggressively 

promoted the community, attracting other businesses, 

lobbying for the construction of a freeway to link Los 

Angeles with the sea (the Santa Monica Freeway now 

serves this function), and annexing surrounding land.

Today Culver City is within the greater Los Angeles 

area but remains an independent community with its own 

city government. It is the headquarters of Sony 

Entertainment, which occupies the historic MetroGoldwyn-Mayer studio. To stave off economic decline, 

the Culver City Redevelopment Agency, a division of the 

city, has undertaken a plan to remove “blighting 

influences” (i.e., abandoned buildings, undeveloped 

lots).5 The city also supports a number of small 

businesses and schools that are well regarded in the West 

Los Angeles area.

2000 Employment structure

Employed

Unemployed 64.3%

3.7%

Not in labor force

32.1%

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 64.3% of 

Culver City’s potential labor force 16 years of age and 

older were employed, 3.7% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 5.4% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

32.1% were not in the labor force. Major employment 

sectors were education, health and social services 

(22.1%), local, state, or federal government (15.2%), 

professional, scientific, and technical services (13.8%), 

and retail trade (9.5%). Natural resource jobs including 

agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting employed 

0.04%, but this may be artificially low because many 

fishermen are self-employed and are underrepresented in 

the data.

Culver City’s major employers include Sony 

Entertainment, Culver City, Culver City Unified School 

District, and Brotman Medical Center. Because the 

greater Los Angeles metro area surrounds Culver City, 

residents may also commute to jobs outside the city.

According to the 2000 U.S., Census, Culver City’s 

per capita income was $29,025 in 1999, 34.5% above the 

national per capita income of $21,587. The median 

household income was $51,792, compared to a national 

median household income of $41,994. In 1999 8.6% 

lived below the poverty level, compared to the national 

average of 12.4%. In 2000 Culver City had 17,130 

housing units, of which 97.1% were occupied and 2.9% 

were vacant. Of the occupied units, 54.4% were by 

owner and 45.6% were by renter. Of the vacant housing, 

31.6% were for rent and 21.6% were for sale.
401

Governance

Culver City incorporated as a general law city 

within Los Angeles County in 1917 but became a charter 

city in 1947. A five-member city council, mayor, city 

clerk, and city treasurer govern the community.6 Culver 

City levies an 8.25% sales and use tax. See the 

Governance subsection (page 43) in the Overview 

section for a more detailed discussion of taxes affecting 

fishermen and processors in California.

The nearest California Department of Fish and 

Game Marine Region Field Office is 30 miles away in 

Los Alamitos. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration’s Southwest Regional Office is in Long 

Beach (26 miles). Eight Coast Guard vessels are 

stationed at the U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Office/

Group Los Angeles–Long Beach, located in San Pedro 

(25 miles). Delmar and San Diego, approximately 111 

miles away, are the nearest cities hosting Pacific Fishery 

Management Council meetings. A U.S. Citizenship and 

Immigration Services District Office is in Los Angeles.

Facilities

The main thoroughfares connecting Culver City to 

the greater metropolitan area are Interstate Highway 405 

and the Santa Monica Freeway, which intersect in the 

community. Culver City is accessible by land, sea, and 

air. Seventeen Amtrak trains serve Los Angeles’ Union 

Station (9 miles from Culver City), making it the eighth 

busiest Amtrak station in the nation. Los Angeles 

International Airport (7 miles from Culver City) ranks 

No. 3 in the world based on passenger volume. Ontario 

International Airport, Bob Hope Airport, and Long 

Beach Airport also serve the Los Angeles area.7

Culver City is in the Culver City Unified School 

District, which has five elementary schools, one middle 

school, two high schools, and one adult education center. 

It is also home to three private grade schools and West 

Los Angeles College (a community college facility). 

Culver City provides water and sewer services and 

Southern California Edison and other private power 

companies supply electricity. The Brotman Medical 

Center is in the city. The Culver City Police and Fire 

departments and several Los Angeles fire companies 

administer law enforcement and emergency services.

The nearest noncommercial marine facility is 5 

miles to the west in Marina del Rey, the world’s largest 

man-made harbor for pleasure craft. Marina del Rey has 

berths for 5,000 vessels and offers public ramps, guest 

slips, and charter boat services.8

 A number of deep-sea 

fishing and whale-watching businesses operate out of the 

facility, catering to sport fishermen and tourists.

The nearest commercial marine facilities are at the 

Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro Bay (25 miles away). 

This port complex, outfitted for both commercial and 

recreational purposes, stretches along 43 miles of 

waterfront and occupies 7,500 acres, of which 3,300 are 

water.9 The City of Los Angeles has jurisdiction over the 

port, which is directed by a five-member Board of Harbor 

Commission appointed by the mayor.10 The port has 29 

state-of-the-art cargo facilities and 5 intermodal rail 

yards.11 It also includes the Cabrillo Marina (with 1,100 

slips pleasure craft), Cabrillo Beach (popular with 

swimmers), three museums, the Cabrillo Marine 

Aquarium, and the S.S. Lane Victory (a national historic 

landmark). In 1997 a 47-acre terminal island transfer 

facility was completed allowing the direct transfer of 

containers from ships to trains.12 There are a number of 

harbor cruise and whale-watching tours offered through 

the port.13 The port’s World Cruise Center is the primary 

cruise passenger complex on the West Coast, capable of 

handling the world’s largest cruise ships.14

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Culver City received no landings in 2000. However, 

a resident owned one commercial vessel that participated 

in the federally managed groundfish fishery. The number 

of vessels owned by Culver City residents in 2000 that 

participated in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

groundfish 0/0/NA, highly migratory species NA/0/NA, 

shellfish NA/0/NA, shrimp NA/0/0, and other species 0/

0/2.15

Recorded data for 2000 indicates the number of 

Culver City residents holding permits in each fishery by 

state (WA/OR/CA) was: groundfish 0/0/1, highly 

migratory species NA/0/0, other species 0/0/2, and 

shellfish 0/0/NA.16

In 2000 Culver City residents held at least five 

commercial fishing permits, all of which were registered 

state permits. The number of state permits held by 

Culver City residents in each fishery by state (WA/OR/

CA) was: groundfish 0/0/1, highly migratory species NA/

0/0, shellfish 0/0/NA, and other species 0/0/4.17

According to available data, no seafood processors 

operated in Culver City in 2000, but Urbani Holdings 

(formerly Sattel Global Networks Inc.) operated a 

specialty food distribution company in Culver City. This 

company distributed products such as truffles, caviar, 

wild mushrooms, smoked fish, and specialty game to 

gourmet stores and specialty shops throughout the 

country.18
402

Sportfishing

A number of charter vessels operate out of the 

greater Los Angeles area targeting albacore tuna, rock 

cod, salmon, and other species. In 2002 Culver City had 

no operating charter businesses. There are two license 

agents selling sportfishing licenses in Culver City. In 

2000 agents sold 76,385 resident sportfishing licenses, 59 

nonresident sportfishing licenses, 164 sport salmon 

punch cards, and 174 abalone report cards in Los Angeles 

County. The two nearest commercial passenger fishing 

vessel ports consist of the Redondo, Marina Del Rey, and 

Malibu complex; and the Seal Beach, Long Beach, and 

San Pedro complex.

In 2000 13 commercial passenger fishing vessels 

served 63,765 anglers at the Redondo, Marina Del Rey, 

and Malibu port complex. The vessels reported 326,222 

landings of more than two dozen species. Sea bass 

(various species), California scorpionfish, and rockfishes 

(unspecified) accounted for 39.9%, 22.7%, and 15.8% of 

the landings respectively. In 2000 54 commercial 

passenger fishing vessels served 148,977 anglers in the 

Seal Beach, Long Beach, and San Pedro port group. The 

vessels reported 883,806 landings of more than two 

dozen species. Sea bass (various species), barracuda, 

flatfishes (unspecified), and rockfishes (unspecified) 

accounted for 47.6%, 14.1%, 10.4%, and 9.2% 

respectively.

Subsistence

Local tribal and nontribal community members may 

engage in subsistence fishing in the Culver City area. 

However, specific information on subsistence fishing is 

not discussed in detail due to the lack of available data. 

The California Department of Fish and Game uses the 

term “recreational” for fishermen who do not earn 

revenue from their catch, but fish for pleasure or to 

provide food for personal consumption. Information on 

subsistence fishing is captured to some degree in the 

sportfishing data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 one resident held a North Pacific fisheries 

crew member license.

Sportfishing

In 2000 42 Culver City residents purchased Alaska 

sportfishing licenses.

Notes

1. The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. 2002. 

Chumash Indian life. Online at http://www.sbnature.org/research/

anthro/chumash/index.htm [accessed 13 February 2007].

2. Los Angeles Almanac. 2004. Los Angeles County-Prehistory to 1799. Online at http://www.laalmanac.com/history/

hi01a.htm [accessed 13 February 2007].

3. J. Cerra. No date. Culver City history. Online at http://

www.culvercity.org/cityinfo/history/index.html [accessed 13 February 

2007].

4. See note 3.

5. Culver City Redevelopment Agency. 2004. Culver City 

redevelopment plan. Online at http://www.culvercity.org/citygov/

redevelop/RedevelopmentPlan_CulverCity.pdf [accessed 13 February 

2007].

6. City of Culver City. 2005. City information. Online at 

http://www.culvercity.org/cityinfo/history/factsheet.html [accessed 13 

February 2007].

7. LA Inc.: The Convention and Visitors Bureau. No date. Facts 

about Los Angeles: Transportation. Online at http://

www.lapressroom.info/factstransportation.aspx [accessed 13 February 

2007].

8. Marina del Rey Convention and Visitors Bureau. 2005. 

Home page. Online at http://visitthemarina.com [accessed 13 

February 2007].

9. Port of Los Angeles. 2001. The Port of Los Angeles: Home. 

Online at http://www.portofla.org/index.htm [accessed 13 February 

2007].

10. Port of Los Angeles. 2001. The Port of Los Angeles: About 

the port. Online at http://www.portofla.org/about.htm [accessed 13 

February 2007].

11. Port of Los Angeles. 2001. The Port of Los Angeles: 

Facilities. Online at http://www.portofla.org/Facilities.htm [accessed 

13 February 2007].

12. The Port of Los Angeles. 2001. The Port of Los Angeles: A 

historical look. Online at http://www.portofla.org/about_history.htm 

[accessed 13 February 2007].

13. The Port of Los Angeles. 2001. The Port of Los Angeles: 

Recreation. Online at http://www.portofla.org/recreation.htm 

[accessed 13 February 2007].

14. LA Inc.: The Convention and Visitors Bureau. No date. LA 

world cruise center. Online at http://www.cruisela.com/index.aspx 

[accessed 13 February 2007].

15. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

16. See note 15.

17. See note 15.

18. All Business Directory. 2005. Business directory. Online at 

http://www.allbusiness.com/biz-directory/index.asp?path=/directory/

food_and_beverage/seafood&partner=allbiz [accessed 13 February 

2007].
403

Dana Point

People and Place

Location

Dana Point is in Orange County along Interstate 

Highway 5, approximately 65 miles north of San Diego 

and 59 miles south of Los Angeles. It covers 6.64 square 

miles of land and 22.8 square miles of water. The 

geographic coordinates of Dana Point are lat 33°28′01′′N, 

long 117°41′50′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of Dana Point was 35,110, a 10.1% increase from 1990. 

The gender composition was 50% female and 50% male. 

The median age in 2000 was 39.8 and 54.6% of the 

population was between the ages of 25 and 59. Of the 

population 18 years of age and older, 89.3% had a high 

school education or higher, 37.8% had a bachelor’s 

degree or higher, and 14.4% had a graduate or 

professional degree; the national averages were 79.7%, 

22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The majority of the racial structure was white 

(87.2%), followed by individuals who identified with 

some other race (5.9%), individuals who identified with 

two or more races (2.8%), Asian (2.5%), black (0.8%), 

American Indian and Alaskan Native (0.6%), and Native 

Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (0.1%). Ethnicity 

data indicate 15.5% identified as Hispanic. 

Approximately 15.6% of the population were foreignborn, of which 43.9% were born in Mexico.

In 2000 79.4% of the population lived in family 

households.

History

The first Euro-American contact with this region of 

southern California came in 1769 when Don Gaspár de 

Portolá, the leader of a Spanish expedition, discovered 

the Santa Ana Valley in what is now northern Orange 

County.1

 Mission San Juan Capistrano, founded in 1776 

by the Spanish priest Father Junipero Serra, was named 

after St. John of Capistrano, Italy. The founders wanted 

a mission midway between San Diego and San Gabriel in 

the Los Angeles area. The mission is 5 miles inland from 

the coast in the community of San Juan Capistrano, but 

this entire area of southern California was originally 

known as Capistrano Bay.2

In the mid-1800s, Richard Henry Dana Jr., a lawyer 

and seaman, traveled from Boston to the California coast, 

via Cape Horn, on a merchant ship called The Pilgrim. In 

3,000 2,000 1,000 0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

87.2%

Two or more races

2.8%

Other

5.9%

Black

0.8%

Native

0.6%

Asian

2.5%

Pacific Islander

0.1%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Hispanic

15.5% Non-Hispanic

84.5%
404

his journal, Two Years before the Mast, published in 

1840 and widely read since, Dana describes this area as 

“the most romantic spot on the California coast.” Dana 

Point is named for him.3 Today, Dana Point is a seaside 

community known for tourism, recreation, and its 

beaches.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 65.8% of the 

potential labor force 16 years of age and older were 

employed, 2.6% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 3.8% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

31.6% were not in the labor force. The major 

employment sectors were education, health, and social 

services (17.7%), retail trade (12.5%), local, state, or 

federal government (10.9%), and manufacturing 

(10.2%). Natural resource jobs including agriculture, 

forestry, fishing, and hunting employed 0.3%, but this 

percentage may be artificially low because many 

fishermen are self-employed and are underrepresented in 

the data.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Dana Point’s 

per capita income in 1999 was $37,938, the median 

household income was $63,043, and 6.7% lived below 

the poverty level. In 2000 Dana Point had 15,682 

housing units, of which 92.2% were occupied and 7.8% 

were vacant. Of the occupied units, 62% were by owner 

and 38% were by renter. More than half (59.3%) of the 

vacant units were for seasonal, recreational, or occasional 

use.

Governance

Dana Point incorporated in 1989 and is in southern 

Orange County. It operates under a council/manager 

form of government. The council consists of five 

members, including the mayor and the mayor pro-tem. 

The local sales tax is 7.25% based on the standard 

statewide rate. See the Governance subsection (page 43) 

in the Overview section for a more detailed discussion of 

taxes affecting fishermen and processors in California.

The National Marine Fisheries Service, California 

Department of Fish and Game, and U.S. Coast Guard all 

have offices in Long Beach, 44 miles north of Dana 

Point. The nearest U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 

Services suboffice is in Santa Ana, 27 miles north. 

Meetings of the Pacific Fishery Management Council are 

held in Del Mar, 47 miles south. North Pacific Fishery 

Management Council meetings are held in Portland, 

Oregon, 1,022 miles north.

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

31.6%

Unemployed

2.6%

Employed

65.8%

Facilities

Dana Point is accessible by Interstate Highway 5 

and California Highway 1, also known as the Pacific 

Coast Highway. The nearest airport is the John Wayne 

Orange County Airport in Santa Ana. The Los Angeles 

International and San Diego airports also are in relatively 

close proximity. There is no train station in Dana Point, 

but the rail line runs through San Juan Capistrano, 5 

miles inland. Municipal and regional bus services are 

available locally.

Public schools in the community include one 

primary school and one high school. In addition, there 

are three private schools that offer instruction from 

kindergarten through eighth grade.4

 The Ocean Institute, 

founded in Dana Point in 1977, is a nonprofit educational 

organization that teaches ocean awareness and 

preservation. The institute owns and operates the 

brigantine Pilgrim, the Spirit of Dana Point, and the 

research vessel Sea Explorer.

San Diego Gas and Electric provides electricity and 

Southern California Gas provides natural gas. The 

Moulton Niguel Water District supplies water and also 

treats and recycles wastewater. The Dana Point Police 

Department and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office 

administer public safety. The Orange County Fire 

Authority provides fire emergency services, and several 

regional medical centers and hospitals are in nearby 

Mission Viejo and Laguna Hills. Local lodging 

accommodations include 11 hotels and motels.

Dana Point is also accessible by sea and has a large 

harbor with two marinas and moorage space for 2,500 

boats of varying sizes. Harbor facilities include guest 

slips, a fuel dock, shipyard, and launch ramp. There are 

recreational facilities for fishing, windsurfing, jet skiing, 

kayaking, sailing, and swimming. The most prominent 

harbor business is Dana Wharf Sportfishing, which 
405

operates a fleet of vessels available for charter and 

sportfishing daytrips.5

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 no seafood processors operated in Dana 

Point. Landings were delivered by 57 vessels, all 

commercially registered, and were made in the following 

West Coast fisheries (data shown represents landings in 

metric tons/value of landings/number of vessels landing): 

crab 3.2 t/$7,479/13; highly migratory species 28.1 t/

$249,614/11; shrimp 5.4 t/$111,989/9; and other species 

121.1 t/$858,023/62. Six vessels made landings valued 

at $254, but no data were available regarding the amount 

of those landings in metric tons.

In 2000 Dana Point residents owned 12 commercial 

vessels, of which four participated in the federally 

managed groundfish fishery. The number of vessels 

owned by Dana Point residents in 2000 that participated 

in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: groundfish 0/

0/NA, highly migratory species NA/0/NA, shellfish NA/

0/NA, shrimp NA/0/1, and other species 0/0/1.6

The number of Dana Point residents holding permits 

in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: groundfish 0/

0/5, highly migratory species NA/0/8, shellfish 0/0/NA, 

shrimp 0/0/1, and other species 0/0/24.7

At least 63 commercial fishing permits were 

registered to Dana Point residents in 2000, all registered 

state permits. The number of state permits held by Dana 

Point residents in 2000 in each fishery by state (WA/OR/

CA) was: groundfish 0/0/6, highly migratory species NA/

0/9, shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 0/0/1, and other species 0/

0/47.8

Sportfishing

A well maintained public fishing pier in Dana Point 

receives considerable use. A number of charter vessels 

operate out of Dana Point targeting albacore tuna, bluefin 

tuna, marlin, yellowtail, rock cod, salmon, shark, 

yellowfin tuna, and other species. Many of these charter 

vessels also offer seasonal whale watching tours. In 

2002, at least 10 charter businesses served sport 

fishermen and tourists.

One license agent sells sportfishing licenses in Dana 

Point. In 2000 agents in Orange County sold 26,250 

resident sportfishing licenses, 47 nonresident sportfishing 

licenses, 7 sport salmon punch cards, and 29 abalone 

report cards. In the port group consisting of Oceanside 

and Dana Harbor, 29 commercial passenger fishing 

vessels served 68,598 anglers in 2000. These vessels 

reported 273,628 landings of more than two dozen 

species. Sea bass (unspecified) and Pacific mackerel 

accounted for 63.6% and 7% of the landings respectively.

Subsistence

Local tribal and nontribal community members 

might be engaged in subsistence fishing in the Dana 

Point area. However, specific information on subsistence 

fishing in Dana Point is not discussed in detail due to the 

lack of available data. The California Department of Fish 

and Game uses the term “recreational” for fishermen who 

do not earn revenue from their catch, but fish for pleasure 

or to provide food for personal consumption. 

Information on subsistence fishing is captured to some 

degree in the sportfishing data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 one community member held a crew 

member license for North Pacific fisheries.

Sportfishing

Dana Point residents purchased 66 Alaska 

sportfishing licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. Santa Ana Historical Preservation Society. No date. The 

History of Santa Ana. Online at http://www.santaanahistory.com/

history.html [accessed 13 February 2007].

2. Mission San Juan Capistrano. 2004. Mission of San Juan 

Capistrano. Online at http://www.missionsjc.com/historic.html 

[accessed 13 February 2007].

3. City of Dana Point. 2003. City of Dana Point. Online at 

http://www.danapoint.org/welcome.html [accessed 13 February 

2007].

4. National Center for Education Statistics. No date. No title. 

Online at http://nces.ed.gov/globallocator/ [accessed 13 February 

2007].

5. City of Dana Point. 2003. Attractions and points of interest. 

Online at http://www.danapoint.org/tourism/attractions.html 

[accessed 13 February 2007].

6. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

7. See note 6.

8. See note 6.
406

Dillon Beach

People and Place

Location

Dillon Beach is located on the northern coast of 

Marin County, approximately 60 miles north of San 

Francisco and 4 miles west of U.S. Highway 101. It 

covers 3 square miles of land. The geographic 

coordinates of Dillon Beach are lat 38°14′59′′N, long 

122°57′50′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of Dillon Beach was 319. The gender composition was 

51.1% female and 48.9% male. The median age was 

51.5, significantly higher than the national median of 

35.3. Approximately 53% of the population was between 

the ages of 30 and 59. Of the population 18 years of age 

and older, 97.3% had a high school education or higher, 

47.7% had bachelor’s degree or higher, and 21.5% had a 

graduate or professional degree; the national averages 

were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The majority of the racial composition of Dillon 

Beach was white (94%), followed by Asian (2.8%), 

individuals who identified with two or more races 

(2.2%), black (0.3%), individuals who identified with 

some other race (0.3%), and American Indian and 

Alaskan Native (0.3%). Ethnicity data indicate that 0.9% 

identified as Hispanic. Of the foreign-born population 

(3.3%), all were born in the United Kingdom.

In 2000 80.9% of the population lived in family 

households.

History

The first inhabitants of the Dillon Beach area were 

Miwok Indians. The Coast Miwok, called Olamentke by 

early writers, are part of the Penutian language family.1

 

They occupied territory bounded on the north by 

Cosumnes River, on the east by a ridge of the Sierra 

Nevada Mountains, on the south by Fresno Creek, and on 

the west by the San Jaoquin River.2

 The Miwok was the 

largest “nation” in California. A member of any of the 

Miwok tribes or settlements apparently could travel from 

the Cosumnes to the Fresno and be understood without 

difficulty, so uniform was the language.3

The Coast Miwok inhabited about 885 square miles 

of Marin and southern Sonoma counties. In 1800 there 

were approximately 3,000 Miwok in about 40 villages; 

each village consisted of 75–100 persons.4 By 1910 the 

Miwok population had declined to an estimated 699.5 

40 30 20 10 0 10 20 30 40

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure

Male Female

2000 Racial structure

Black

0.3%

Two or more races

2.2%

White

94%

Other

0.3%

Native

0.3%

Asian

2.8%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Hispanic

0.9%

Non-Hispanic

99.1%
407

The Miwok traveled in tule reed boats around Bodega 

Bay and to Angel Island, the largest island in San 

Francisco Bay.6 Their diet consisted primarily of nuts, 

pinole (a meal made of plant seeds), roots, fruit, 

jackrabbit, deer, sea lions, seals, sea otters, fish, and 

shellfish.7 According to evidence from several 

archaeological sites, the Miwok used the sand dunes and 

a small valley on the south slope of Little Sugar Hill for 

drying shellfish, the basis for trade with inland tribes.8 

Fish were taken by gorge-hook (made from bone), spear, 

dip nets (bags of netting attached to wooden frames on a 

handle), and narcotization. They used woven surf nets 

along the open beaches.9, 10

The Miwok’s first contact with Europeans occurred 

in 1579 when Sir Francis Drake, the first Englishman to 

sail around the world, was greeted upon his arrival by 

Indians in a village near Tomales, 4 miles inland from 

Dillon Beach. Later, in 1775, Father Vincente, who 

arrived to claim San Francisco Bay with Captain Ayuala, 

described the Coast Miwok as “humorous, with 

courteous manners.”11 During the Spanish Mission Era, 

the Coast Miwok learned how to build with adobe and 

cultivate new food crops, which they traded to the 

Spanish missions.12 For decades the Coast Miwok 

resisted the Spanish and Mexicans but fell before 

European weapons. In 1953 Congress passed Public Law 

280 which turned over law enforcement on California 

reservations to state and county agencies. By 1958, the 

federal government had terminated recognition of several 

tribes including the Coast Miwok.13 In December 2000 

legislation was signed granting full recognition to the 

Federated Indians of the Graton Rancheria, formerly 

known as the Federated Coast Miwok. Today there are 

more than 500 registered tribal members.14

In the early 1800s, the Dillon Beach area was 

inhabited by Russian fur trappers from the Fort Ross area 

to the north, but the trappers left in the mid-1800s when 

otter populations plummeted. In 1859 the Irish 

immigrant George Dillon settled in the area. Dillon 

Beach is named for him. He built a small, successful 

hotel and in 1903 began selling some of his beachfront 

holdings. John Keegan purchased a section of beachfront 

in 1903 and laid out the plans for a village. Keegan then 

sold his interests to the California Eucalyptus Plantation 

Company of San Francisco in 1911. In 1923 Sylvester 

Lawson of Sacramento leased the town from the 

California Eucalyptus Plantation and, with the help of his 

sons, purchased the resort in 1926. In 1933 the Lawson 

family loaned one of its buildings to the University of 

California and in 1948 a Marine Biological Station was 

established. Many students and scientists came to the 

area to study area marine life until the station closed in 

the late 1970s. In the mid-1960s, the Oceana Marin 

2000 Employment structure

Unemployed

0.0%

Not in labor force

46.9% Employed

53.1%

subdivision was constructed just north of the Dillon 

Beach Village and many homes continue to be built in 

this area.15

Today the Dillon Beach community is comprised of 

five areas. Agricultural lands to the north and east of the 

town are primarily dairy farms. Oceana Marin, with 

more than 250 homes, is a private, relatively new 

subdivision in the hilly, northern part of the community. 

The residential neighborhood in the center of town is 

referred to as the “Village” and consists of more than 150 

homes. Lawson’s Dillon Beach Resort is located south 

of the Village and north of Lawson’s Landing. Within 

this 64-acre area are Lawson’s Store, Dillon Creek, a 

beach parking lot and restrooms, a 17-lot residential 

subdivision, and extensive undeveloped areas. Lawson’s 

Landing refers to a private beach, bay front, and 

campground that extend from the resort on the north to 

Tomales Bay on the south.16

The Dillon Beach area is rich with natural resources. 

Its steep coastal bluffs, long sand beach, tall dunes, wide 

esteros (coastal lagoons), streams, tidal estuaries, fishing 

grounds, and extensive clam beds together form a unique 

coastal area in Marin County. The town is home to a 

dune system, the Tomales Dunes, that is privately owned. 

Most of the dunes are within the 980-acre Lawson’s 

Landing property.17

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 53.1% of the 

potential labor force 16 years of age and older were 

employed and the unemployment rate was zero 

(calculated by dividing the unemployed population by 

the labor force). However, 46.9% were not in the labor 

force, higher than the national average of 36.1%. The 

primary employment sectors were management, 
408

professional, and related occupations (28.3%), sales and 

office occupations (27.5%), production, transportation, 

and material moving occupations (17.4%), and local, 

state, or federal government (8%). No one worked in 

natural resource jobs such as agriculture, forestry, 

fishing, hunting, and mining, but this may be inaccurate 

because many fishermen are self-employed and are 

underrepresented in the data.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the per capita 

income of Dillon Beach in 1999 was $39,475, the median 

household income was $47,679, and 1.3% lived below 

the poverty level. In 2000 there were 415 housing units 

in Dillon Beach, of which 37.3% were occupied and 

62.7% were vacant. Of the occupied units, 87.1% were 

by owner and 13.5% were by renter. Of the vacant 

housing, 95.4% were due to seasonal, recreational, or 

occasional use.

Governance

Dillon Beach is a Census Designated Place (CDP) 

with a 7.25% sales and use tax on regular purchases. 

Marin County levies a 10% transient lodging tax.18, 19 

See the governance subsection (page 43) in the Overview 

section for a more detailed discussion of taxes affecting 

fishermen and processors in California.

The National Marine Fisheries Service’s (NMFS) 

Southwest Fisheries Science Center has laboratories 

located 134 miles south in Santa Cruz. A NMFS 

Regional Office is located 456 miles south in Long 

Beach. The California Department of Fish and Game has 

a marine field office located about 82 miles south of 

Dillon Beach in Belmont. San Francisco is home to the 

nearest U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. 

Pacific Fishery Management Council meetings are held 

approximately 81 miles south in Foster City. The Dillon 

Beach area falls under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Coast 

Guard Marine Safety Office San Francisco Bay, one of 

the largest and busiest marine safety units in the Coast 

Guard.

Facilities

Dillon Beach is accessible by U.S. Highway 101 

north to Santa Rosa and south to San Francisco. Golden 

Gate Transit makes two trips daily on weekends only 

between San Rafael and Inverness, at the southern end of 

Tomales Bay. There is no public transportation between 

Point Reyes Station and Dillon Beach. The Marin Senior 

Coordinating Council provides specialized van service 

for eligible elderly and disabled individuals in Dillon 

Beach. San Francisco International Airport is 60 miles 

south.

Dillon Beach is in the Shoreline Unified School 

District. Students attend Tomales elementary and high 

schools. The nearest college is Sonoma State University, 

20 miles away. Two private water companies, Coast 

Springs Water Company and Estero Mutual Water 

Company, supply water. Sewage treatment and disposal 

services are supplied by several independent systems 

including a centralized sewer system and individual 

septic systems.20 The Marin County Sheriff’s West 

Marin substation in Point Reyes and the Tomales Fire 

Station administer public safety. Dillon Beach residents 

utilize Marin and Sonoma county medical services.21 The 

nearest hospital is Palm Drive Hospital 15 miles 

northeast in Sebastopol. Additional local facilities 

include a popular campground at Lawson’s Landing, 

Dillon Beach Vacation Home Rentals, and several bed 

and breakfasts. In business since 1957, Lawson’s 

Landing has boat rentals, a bait shop/snack bar, and a fuel 

dock, the only one located on Tomales Bay. Lawson’s 

also operates a grocery store located about 1 mile inland.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

No seafood processors operated in Dillon Beach in 

2000. Landings data for Dillon Beach were recorded as 

part of the Other Sonoma and Marin County Outer Coast 

Ports group, which includes the nearby communities of 

Bolinas, Cloverdale, Corte Madera, Drakes Bay, Forest 

Knolls, Greenbrae, Guerneville, Hamlet, Healdsburg, 

Inverness, Jenner, Kentfield, Marconi, Marshall, 

Millerton, Mill Valley, Muir Beach, Nicasio, Novato, 

Occidental, Petaluma, Rohnert Park, San Rafael, San 

Quentin, Santa Rosa, Sebastopol, Sonoma, Stewarts 

Point, Stinson Beach, Tiburon, and Windsor.

Reported landings for this port group in 2000 were 

in the following West Coast fisheries (data shown 

represent landings in metric tons/value of landings/

number of vessels landing): coastal pelagic 135 t/

$116,723/15; crab 6 t/$42,768/7; groundfish 1 t/$1,704/9; 

highly migratory species confidential/confidential/1; 

salmon 5 t/$31,805/4; shrimp 3 t/$23,875/6; and other 

species 4 t/$23,656/16. See the Corte Madera, Novato, 

Santa Rosa, and Sebastopol community profiles for 

additional information.

There were no landings made in Dillon Beach in 

2000. However, residents owned four vessels that 

participated in West Coast fisheries. The number of 

vessels owned by Dillon Beach residents that participated 

in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 0/0/1, 

groundfish 0/0/NA, highly migratory species NA/0/NA, 

salmon 0/0/2, shellfish NA/0/NA, and shrimp NA/0/0.22

In 2000 one Dillon Beach resident held a single 

federally managed groundfish fishery permit. The 

number of Dillon Beach residents holding permits in 
409

each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 

0/0/1, crab 0/0/4, highly migratory species NA/0/0, 

salmon 0/0/7, shellfish 0/0/NA, and other species 0/0/2.23

According to available data, 20 permits were 

registered to 13 Dillon Beach residents in 2000, including 

19 state registered permits. The number of state permits 

held by these community members in each fishery by 

state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/0/1, crab 0/0/4, 

highly migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 0/0/12, 

shellfish 0/0/NA, and other species 0/0/2.24

Sportfishing

Sportfishing on Tomales Bay is very popular among 

north Marin County residents. Surf fishing for redtail 

and rubberlip perch is popular in the spring, along with 

salmon and halibut. Pier fishing for perch and crab and 

clamming is also popular among residents and visitors. 

The nearest charter fishing businesses are Wills Fishing 

Adventures and the Bodega Bay Sport Fishing Center, 

both 16 miles north of Dillon Beach. Lawson’s Landing 

offers boat launching and rentals. Dillon Beach has two 

sportfishing license agents.

Subsistence

Specific information on subsistence fishing in 

Dillon Beach is not discussed in detail due to the lack of 

available data. The California Department of Fish and 

Game uses the term “recreational” for fishermen who do 

not earn revenue from their catch, but fish for pleasure or 

to provide food for personal consumption. Information 

on subsistence fishing in California is captured to some 

degree in the sportfishing data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing 

According to available data for 2000, Dillon Beach 

residents were not involved in North Pacific commercial 

fisheries.

Sportfishing

One Alaska sportfishing license was purchased by a 

Dillon Beach resident in 2000.

Notes

1. E. Curtis. 1924. The Miwok. Online at http://www.yosemite

.ca.us/history/curtis/ [accessed 14 February 2007].

2. Access Genealogy. 2004. California Indian tribes. Online at 

http://www.accessgenealogy.com/native/tribes/californiatribes.htm 

[accessed 14 February 2007].

3. See note 2.

4. Rohnert Park Historical Society. 2000. Miwok villages. 

Online at http://www.rphist.org/html/miwok.html [accessed 14 

February 2007].

5. See note 1.

6. Angel Island Association. 2003. Miwok information. Online 

at http://www.angelisland.org/miwok.htm [accessed 14 February 

2007].

7. See note 6.

8. The Marin County Planning Department and Wallace, Roberts 

& Todd. 1989. Dillon Beach community plan. Online at http://

www.co.marin.ca.us/depts/CD/main/pdf/planning/Dillon

_Beach_Community_Plan_1989.PDF [accessed 14 February 2007].

9. See note 1.

10. Miwok Archeological Preserve of Marin. No date. History 

of the Coast Miwok at Point Reyes. Online at http://www

.pointreyesvisions.com/NewFiles/Science_Folder/Coast_Miwok

.html [accessed 14 February 2007].

11. R. Walker. 2001. A hidden geography. Online at http://

geography.berkeley.edu/PeopleHistory/faculty/R_Walker/

AHiddenGeography.html [accessed 14 February 2007].

12. Novato Chamber of Commerce. No date. Novato’s history. 

Online at http://www.novatochamber.com/ [accessed 14 February 

2007].

13. See note 10.

14. See note 10.

15. Oceana Marin Real Estate. No date. A brief history of 

Dillon Beach. Online at http://www.oceanamarin.com/dillon.html 

[accessed February 2005].

16. See note 8.

17. Environmental Action Committee of West Marin. No date. 

Comments. Online at http://www.eacmarin.org/campaigns/

tomales_dunes.php [accessed 14 February 2007].

18. California State Board of Equalization. 2004. California 

city and county sales and use tax rates. Online at http://www.boe.ca

.gov/pdf/pub71.pdf [accessed 14 February 2007].

19. California State Board of Equalization. 2001. California 

counties transient lodging tax revenue, rate and date for the fiscal year 

2000-01. Online at http://www.sco.ca.gov/ard/local/locrep/adhoc/

county/0001cotranslodgtax.pdf [accessed 14 February 2007].

20. See note 8.

21. See note 8.

22. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

23. See note 22.

24. See note 22.
410

El Granada

People and Place

Location

El Granada is in San Mateo County about 26 miles 

south of San Francisco and 43 miles northwest of San 

Jose. This area of the coastline is comprised of many 

small communities including Montara, Moss Beach, Half 

Moon Bay, San Gregorio, and Pescadero. El Granada 

covers 5.39 square miles of land. Its geographic 

coordinates are lat 37°30′10′′N, long 122°28′06′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, El Granada’s 

population was 5,724, an increase of 29.3% from 1990. 

The gender composition was 49.5% female and 50.5% 

male. The median age was 38.3 and approximately 

57.8% of the population were between the ages of 25 and 

59. Of the population 18 years of age and older, 90.1% 

had a high school education or higher, 47% had a 

bachelor’s degree or higher, and 17% had a graduate or 

professional degree; the national averages were 79.7%, 

22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The majority of the racial structure of El Granada 

was white (84.2%), followed by individuals who 

identified with some other race (6.8%), individuals who 

identified with two or more races (4.3%), Asian (2.8%), 

American Indian and Alaskan Native (1%), black (0.6%), 

and Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (0.2%). 

Ethnicity data indicate 15.7% identified as Hispanic. Of 

the foreign-born population (15.8%), 47.1% were born in 

Mexico.

In 2000 87.2% of the population of El Granada lived 

in family households.

History

In 1769 Gaspar de Portola, a Spanish explorer, 

discovered San Francisco Bay while searching for 

Monterey Bay. More than 10,000 Indians lived in central 

California’s coastal areas between Big Sur and San 

Francisco Bay at the time of Portola’s arrival. The 

Indians consisted of approximately 40 tribal groups 

ranging in size from 100 to 250 members. When the 

Spanish arrived, they referred to the tribes collectively as 

“costenos,” meaning coastal people. The name was 

eventually changed to “Costanoan.” Native Americans in 

the San Francisco Bay area were referred to as 

Costanoans for years until descendents chose to call 

themselves Ohlones, meaning “the abalone people.”1

800 600 400 200 0 200 400 600 800

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

84.2%

Two or more races

Other 4.3%

6.8%

Pacific Islander

0.2%

Black

0.6%

Native

1%

Asian

2.8%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Non-Hispanic

84.3%

Hispanic

15.7%
411

The Ohlones were hunter-gatherers, taking 

advantage of rich natural resources in the area. They 

hunted large game animals including deer, elk, bear, 

whale, sea lion, otter, and seal. Freshwater and saltwater 

fish were important in the Ohlone diet, including 

steelhead, salmon, sturgeon, and lamprey. Shellfish were 

also important, including mussels, abalone, clams, 

oysters, and hornshell.2

The Muwekma Ohlone Tribe is comprised of 

lineages aboriginal to the San Francisco Bay region who 

trace their ancestry through the Dolores, Santa Clara, and 

San Jose missions. The Muwekma Tribal Council 

organized between 1982 and 1984 and members are 

working for federal recognition.3

During 23 years of Mexican rule, San Mateo County 

became the site of 17 large ranchos. Two years after the 

Mexicans were defeated in the Mexican American War, 

gold was discovered in the area in 1848 and the 

population of the San Francisco peninsula grew rapidly. 

Many influential persons purchased land in San Mateo 

County, building large mansions on old Mexican land 

grants. San Mateo County, which had been part of San 

Francisco County, was created in 1856.

El Granada, along with several other coastal 

communities in the area, was established between 1906 

and 1909 during the real estate boom that followed 

construction of the Ocean Shore Railroad. The railroad 

planned El Granada as the “Jewel of the Coast,” a resort 

area to rival Atlantic City and Long Beach. 

Development plans were cut short when the railroad 

failed to reach El Granada, however, the town’s 

distinctive layout of radial and semicircular streets and 

divided landscaped boulevards gives the community a 

unique, distinctive style.

Located between the sea and the mountains, the area 

is known for its scenic beauty. Thousands of eucalyptus 

trees were planted on the hillside surrounding El Granada 

and today a large forest surrounds the town. Several late 

nineteenth century weekend cottages are being restored 

and the construction of new homes continues. For more 

information on the area see the Half Moon Bay, 

Princeton, and San Francisco community profiles.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 75.5% of El 

Granada’s the potential labor force 16 years of age and 

older were employed, 1.9% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 2.4% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

22.6% were not in the labor force, less than the national 

average of 36.1%. The primary employment sectors 

2000 Employment structure

Employed

75.5%

Unemployed

1.9%

Not in labor force

22.6%

were management, professional, and related occupations 

(45.6%), sales and office occupations (22.1%), local, 

state, or federal government (15%), and service 

occupations (14%). Natural resource jobs including 

agriculture, forestry, fishing, hunting, and mining 

employed 1.1%, but this percentage may be artificially 

low because many fishermen are self-employed and are 

underrepresented in the data.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, El Granada’s 

per capita income in 1999 was $38,832, the median 

household income was $91,719, and 3% lived below the 

poverty line. In 2000 El Granada had 2,097 housing 

units, of which 96.7% were occupied and 3.3% were 

vacant. Of the occupied units, 81% were by owner and 

19% were by renter. Of the vacant units, 42% were due 

to seasonal, recreational, or occasional use.

Governance

El Granada is an unincorporated town defined by the 

U.S. Census as a Census Designated Place. Residents 

pay a 8.25% sales and use tax and visitors pay a 10% 

transient lodging tax.4, 5

 See the Governance subsection 

(page 43) in the Overview section for a more detailed 

discussion of taxes affecting fishermen and processors in 

California.

The National Marine Fisheries Service’s (NMFS) 

Southwest Fisheries Science Center has laboratories 64 

miles south in Santa Cruz and there is a NMFS regional 

office 404 miles south in Long Beach. The California 

Department of Fish and Game has offices in Bodega Bay, 

Monterey, and Sacramento. A U.S. Citizenship and 

Immigration Services office is 26 miles north in San 

Francisco. Meetings of the Pacific Fishery Management 

Council are held 18 miles northeast in Foster City. The 

U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Office San Francisco 

Bay, one of the largest and busiest marine safety units in 

the USCG, has jurisdiction over the El Granada area.
412

Facilities

El Granada is accessible by land, sea, and air. The 

major road connecting El Granada to neighboring cities 

is California Highway 1, also known as the Pacific Coast 

Highway, north to San Francisco and south to Santa 

Cruz. The San Francisco International Airport is located 

30 miles north of El Granada. The San Mateo County 

Transit District provides SamTrans bus service 

throughout the county and into parts of San Francisco 

and Palo Alto.

There are one public and two private elementary/

middle schools in El Granada. Two high schools are 4 

miles south in Half Moon Bay. The College of San 

Mateo, with an enrollment of more than 5,000, is 16 

miles east in San Mateo. The Coastside County Water 

District supplies water and the Granada Sanitary District 

provides wastewater services. Pacific Gas and Electric 

provides electricity. The San Mateo County’s Sheriff’s 

Office administers public safety. The closest hospital, St. 

Catherine’s, is 4 miles north in Moss Beach.

The nearest port facilities are half a mile northwest 

at Pillar Point, just outside of Princeton. Pillar Point is a 

working fishing harbor with 369 berths. The San Mateo 

County Harbor District also operates Oyster Point 

Marina in the city of South San Francisco, a 600-berth 

recreational boating marina. The Port of San Francisco is 

located 26 miles northeast of El Granada. El Granada 

has several marine organizations including the Half 

Moon Bay Fishermen’s Marketing Association, 

Coastside Fishing Club, and Save Our Shores.

The San Mateo County Harbor District supports the 

Alliance of Communities for Sustainable Fisheries, a 

recently formed group of fishermen from the four harbors 

that adjoin or lie within the Monterey Bay National 

Marine Sanctuary: Monterey, Moss Landing, Pillar Point, 

and Santa Cruz. Pillar Point fishermen actively 

participate in alliance activities including hearings on the 

Marine Life Protection Act, Marine Sanctuary Advisory 

Council meetings, conferences, and other meetings 

regarding area fishing.6

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

No landings were reported for El Granada, however, 

landings for the nearby communities of Half Moon Bay 

and Princeton were in the following West Coast fisheries 

(data shown represents landings in metric tons/value of 

landings/number of vessels landing): coastal pelagic 319 

t/$53,582/30; crab 165 t/$879,522/72; groundfish 699 t/

$766,728/89; highly migratory species 16.3 t/$36,204/22; 

salmon 350 t/$1,465,453/231; shrimp confidential/

confidential/2; and other species 52 t/$276,978/57.

El Granada residents owned 25 vessels in 2000 that 

participated in West Coast fisheries, of which 17 

participated in the federally managed groundfish fishery. 

The number of vessels owned by El Granada residents 

that participated in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) 

was: coastal pelagic 0/0/1, crab 0/0/13, groundfish 0/0/

NA, highly migratory species NA/0/NA, salmon 0/0/23, 

shellfish NA/0/NA, and other species 0/0/1.7

Five El Granada residents held four federal 

groundfish fishery permits in 2000. The number of El 

Granada residents holding permits in each fishery by 

state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/08/2, crab 0/0/

14, groundfish 0/0/18, highly migratory species NA/0/0, 

salmon 0/0/44, shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 0/0/3, and other 

species 0/0/12.8

In 2000 El Granada residents held 164 registered 

state and federal permits. The number of permits held by 

these community members in each fishery by state (WA/

OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/0/20, crab 0/0/15, 

groundfish 0/0/22, highly migratory species NA/0/0, 

salmon 0/0/75, shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 0/0/11, and 

other species 0/0/17.9

Fieldwork indicates the fishing industry in El 

Grenada has changed considerably over the years. 

Despite changes due to federal regulations, rising fuel 

costs, and restricted Klamath River salmon runs, among 

others, local fishermen have adapted and remain active. 

In 2000 the processor Morning Star, located at Romeo’s 

Pier, began operating a hoist formerly leased by H&N, a 

Vietnamese company. Although the number of 

Vietnamese working as fishermen in the area has 

declined, fieldwork indicates a handful of boats remain. 

Other local fishermen lease fish hoists in El Grenada, 

working closely with local seafood companies. Three 

seafood processors operated in El Granada in 2000: 

Exclusive Freshness, Pemberton Fish, and Three 

Captain’s Sea Products. The number of individuals 

employed by the processors is confidential. In 2000 the 

top three processed products, in terms of tonnage and 

dollars, were Chinook salmon, Dungeness crab, and 

sablefish.

Sportfishing

El Granada has two sportfishing license agents. 

Two Commercial Passenger Fishing Vessels were 

licensed in El Granada in 2002 and 2003. Internet 

resources indicate at least three sportfishing businesses in 

El Granada: Riptide Sportfishing, Huck Finn, and Huli 

Cat Sport Fishing, all offering sportfishing, ecotourism, 

and specialty trips.
413

Subsistence

Specific information on subsistence fishing in El 

Granada is not discussed due to the lack of available data. 

The California Department of Fish and Game uses the 

term “recreational” for fishermen who do not earn 

revenue from their catch, but fish for pleasure or to 

provide food for personal consumption. Information on 

subsistence fishing is captured to some degree in the 

sportfishing data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 one El Granada resident held a single 

registered Bering Sea Aleutian Island Commercial 

Fisheries Entry Commission permit.

Sportfishing

El Granada residents purchased 10 Alaska 

sportfishing licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. National Park Service. No date. An “unvanished” history. 

Online at http://www.cr.nps.gov/seac/sfprehis.htm [accessed 14 

February 2007].

2. Santa Cruz Public Libraries. 1991. An overview of Ohlone 

culture. Online at http://www.santacruzpl.org/history/spanish/

ohlone.shtml [accessed 14 February 2007].

3. The Muwekma Ohlone Tribe. No date. Muwekma Ohlone 

tribe: A brief history and the federal recognition process. Online at 

http://www.muwekma.org/history/tribe.html [accessed 14 February 

2007].

4. California State Board of Equalization. 2004. California city 

and county sales and use tax rates. Online at http://www.boe.ca.gov/

pdf/pub71.pdf [accessed 14 February 2007].

5. California State Board of Equalization. 2001. California 

counties transient lodging tax revenue, rate and date for the fiscal year 

2000-01. Online at http://www.sco.ca.gov/ard/local/locrep/adhoc/

county/0001cotranslodgtax.pdf [accessed 14 February 2007].

6. San Mateo County Harbor District. 2003. Pillar Point 

Harbor. Online at http://www.smharbor.com/pillarpoint/index.htm 

[accessed 14 February 2007].

7. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

8. See note 7.

9. See note 7.
414

El Sobrante

People and Place

Location

El Sobrante, located in Contra Costa County, is 21 

miles northeast of San Francisco and 67 miles southwest 

of Sacramento. El Sobrante covers 3.1 square miles of 

land. Its geographic coordinates are lat 37°58′38′′N, long 

122°17′39′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of El Sobrante was 12,260, a 24.4% increase from 1990. 

The gender composition was 51.5% female and 48.5% 

male. The median age was 37.6, slightly higher than the 

national median of 35.3. About 53.8% of the population 

was between the ages of 25 and 59. Of the population 18 

years of age and older, 85.9% had a high school 

education or higher, 19.3% had a bachelor’s degree or 

higher, and 5.9% had a graduate or professional degree; 

the national averages were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% 

respectively.

The majority of the racial structure of El Sobrante 

was white (60.4%), followed by Asian (12.5%), black 

(12.2%), individuals who identified with two or more 

races (7.1%), people who identified with some other race 

(7%), American Indian and Alaskan Native (0.7%), and 

Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (0.3%). 

Ethnicity data indicate 15.6% identified as Hispanic. 

Approximately 15.9% of the population was foreign-born 

population, of which 58.6% were born in Asia.

In 2000 83.8% of the population lived in family 

households.

History

In 1769 Gaspar de Portola, a Spanish explorer, 

discovered San Francisco Bay while searching for 

Monterey Bay. Upon Portola’s arrival, more than 10,000 

Indians lived in central California’s coastal areas 

between Big Sur and San Francisco Bay. This group of 

Indians consisted of approximately 40 tribal groups 

ranging in size from 100 to 250 members. When the 

Spanish arrived they referred to the tribal groups 

collectively as “costenos,” meaning coastal people. The 

name was eventually changed to “Costanoan.” Native 

Americans in the San Francisco Bay Area were referred 

to as Costanoans for years until descendents chose to call 

themselves Ohlones, meaning “the abalone people.”1

The Ohlones living in the San Pablo Creek 

watershed were mostly Huchiun, a group that lived 

1,000 500 0 500 1,000 1,500

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

60.4%

Asian

12.5%

Native

0.7%

Black

12.2%

Two or more races

Other 7.1%

Pacific Islander 7%

0.3%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Non-Hispanic

84.4%

Hispanic

15.6%
415

roughly between Pinole and Oakland. They used the 

creek’s waters to leach tannins from the acorns of coastal 

oaks, which they ground into a nourishing gruel. They 

also consumed salmon that spawned in the watershed. 

The Huchiun harvested tules, cat tails, willows, and 

sedges that they used to make baskets, fishing boats, and 

huts.2 Shellfish were also important to the Ohlone, who 

gathered mussels, abalone, clams, oysters, and hornshell 

from the local tidelands.3 The Ohlones also ventured 

short distances into the ocean in their reed boats to fish 

for mackerel, sardine, and other nearshore species.4

In 1841 Governor Juan Bautista Alvarado gave the 

name El Sobrante (meaning “the leftover” in Spanish) to 

an irregular-shaped tract of land on the fringes of four 

ranchos. The term El Sobrante today refers to the El 

Sobrante Valley, part of which is unincorporated and 

under the jurisdiction of Contra Costa County. Other 

areas of El Sobrante have been annexed by neighboring 

Richmond. Today the town is bordered by San Pablo 

Bay on the west, Richmond on the southwest, and Pinole 

on the north.

El Sobrante, like other communities in the area, was 

affected by the building boom following World War II. 

Over the past 40 years, El Sobrante has changed from a 

small rural town to a mostly developed residential 

suburb. El Sobrante also is the site of the Sikh Center of 

the San Francisco Bay Area, one of the most important 

shrines of the Sikh community in North America.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 63.7% of El 

Sobrante’s potential labor force 16 years of age and older 

were employed, 2.3% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 3.5% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

33.9% was not in the labor force. The primary 

employment sectors were management, professional, and 

related occupations (32.9%), sales and office occupations 

(27.7%), production, transportation, and material moving 

occupations (14.2%), and local, state, or federal 

governments (13.6%). Natural resource jobs including 

agriculture, forestry, fishing, hunting, and mining 

employed 0.3%, but this percentage may be artificially 

low because many fishermen are self-employed and are 

underrepresented in these data.

In 2002 the top five employers in Contra Costa 

County were Bio-Rad Laboratories, Bookside Hospital, 

Chevron USA Inc., Color Spot Nurseries, and Contra 

Costa Community College.5 Standard Oil and Shell/

Valero oil refineries are in nearby Richmond and 

Martinez respectively.

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

33.9%

Unemployed

2.3%

Employed

63.7%

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, El Sobrante’s 

median household income in 1999 was $48,272, the per 

capita income was $24,525, and 9.5% lived below the 

poverty level. In 2000 El Sobrante had 4,803 housing 

units, of which 97.4% were occupied and 2.6% were 

vacant. Of the occupied units, 63.7% were by owner and 

36.3% were by renter. Nearly one-tenth (9.4%) of the 

vacant units were due to seasonal, recreational, or 

occasional use.

Governance

El Sobrante is a U.S. Census Designated Place and 

the town is run by its municipal advisory council. 

Residents pay a 8.25% sale and use tax on regular 

purchases and visitors pay a 10% transient lodging tax.6, 7

See the Governance subsection (page 43) in the 

Overview section for a more detailed discussion of taxes 

affecting fishermen and processor in California.

The National Marine Fisheries Service’s (NMFS) 

Southwest Fisheries Science Center has laboratories 

located 86 miles south in Santa Cruz and a NMFS 

regional office is 409 miles south in Long Beach. The 

California Department of Fish and Game’s Marine 

Region has an office located 42 miles south in Belmont. 

The nearest U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services 

office is 21 miles south in San Francisco and the Pacific 

Fishery Management Council holds meetings 41 miles 

south in Foster City. The El Sobrante coastal area is 

under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) 

Marine Safety Office San Francisco Bay, one of the 

largest and busiest marine safety units in the USCG.

Facilities

El Sobrante is accessible by ground and air. The 

major road connecting El Sobrante to neighboring cities 

is Interstate Highway 80 northeast to Sacramento and 

south to San Francisco. The San Francisco International 
416

Airport is 25 miles south of El Sobrante. The AlamedaContra Costa Transit District Bus provides transportation 

throughout the area, and the Contra Costa Commute 

Alternative Network provides additional options for El 

Sobrante commuters.

El Sobrante has several elementary, middle, and 

alternative schools, and one high school. The nearest 

college, Contra Costa College, has an enrollment of more 

than 3,000 and is 3 miles southwest in San Pablo. El 

Sobrante is about 5 miles from San Pablo Bay. East Bay 

Municipal Utility District provides water and wastewater 

services to El Sobrante residents. Pacific Gas and 

Electric supplies electricity and natural gas. The Contra 

Costa Sheriff’s Office administers public safety. The 

nearest medical facility is the Doctor’s Medical Center 9 

miles southwest in San Pablo. Other local facilities 

include a public library, several parks, and the May 

Valley Community Center. El Sobrante has no port 

facilities, however, the ports of Oakland and San 

Francisco are 15 and 20 miles south respectively.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Landing data for El Sobrante were recorded as part 

of the Other San Francisco Bay and San Mateo County 

Ports group which includes the nearby communities of 

Alamo, Albany, Alviso, Antioch, Antioch Bridge, 

Benicia, Bird Landing, Brentwood, Burlingame, 

Campbell, China Camp, Collinsville, Concord, Crockett, 

Daly City, Danville, El Cerrito, Emeryville, Fairfield, 

Farallone Island, Fremont, Glen Cove, Hayward, 

Lafayette, Livermore, Los Altos, Los Gatos, Martinez, 

Martins Beach, McNears Point, Moss Beach, Mountain 

View, Napa, Newark, Oakley, Palo Alto, Pacifica, Pedro, 

Pescadero, Pinole, Pittsburg, Pleasant Hill, Pleasanton, 

Pigeon Point, Point Montara, Point San Pedro, Port 

Costa, Poster City, Redwood City, Rio Vista, Rockaway 

Beach, Rodeo, San Bruno, San Carlos, San Jose, San 

Leandro, San Mateo, San Francisco area, South San 

Francisco, Suisun City, Sunnyvale, Vacaville, Vallejo, 

Walnut Creek, and Yountville.

Reported landings for this port group in 2000 were 

in the following West Coast fisheries (data shown 

represent landings in metric tons/value of landings/

number of vessels landing): coastal pelagic confidential/

confidential/1; crab confidential/confidential/1; 

groundfish 1 t/$2,112/5; salmon confidential/

confidential/3; shrimp 438 t/$245,851/5; and other 

species 8 t/$16,380/12. No fish processors operated in El 

Sobrante. See the San Francisco community profile for 

more information regarding processors in the San 

Francisco Bay area and the San Jose and Lafayette 

community profiles for additional information.

El Sobrante residents owned four vessels in 2000 

that participated in West Coast fisheries, including two 

that participated in the federally managed groundfish 

fishery. The number of vessels owned by El Sobrante 

residents that participated in each fishery by state (WA/

OR/CA) was: crab 0/0/1, groundfish 0/0/NA, highly 

migratory species NA/0/NA, salmon 0/0/4, shellfish NA/

0/NA, shrimp NA/0/1, and other species 0/0/1.8

In 2000 the number of El Sobrante residents holding 

permits in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

coastal pelagic 0/0/1, crab 0/0/2, groundfish 0/0/2, highly 

migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 0/0/15, shellfish 0/0/

NA, shrimp 0/0/1, and other species 0/0/4.9

In 2000 38 state permits were registered to El 

Sobrante residents. The number of permits held by these 

community members in each said fishery by state (WA/

OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/0/2, crab 0/0/2, 

groundfish 0/0/2, highly migratory species NA/0/0, 

salmon 0/0/26, shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 0/0/2, and other 

species 0/0/4.10

Sportfishing

El Sobrante residents are involved in sportfishing in 

West Coast and North Pacific fisheries. Two sportfishing 

license agents are located in El Sobrante, which had two 

licensed commercial passenger fishing vessels in 2002 

and 2003.

Subsistence

Specific information on subsistence fishing in El 

Sobrante is not discussed in detail in this community 

profile due to the lack of available data. The California 

Department of Fish and Game uses the term 

“recreational” for fishermen who do not earn revenue 

from their catch, but fish for pleasure or to provide food 

for personal consumption. Information on subsistence 

fishing is captured to some degree in the sportfishing 

data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 El Sobrante residents owned three vessels 

involved in North Pacific fisheries.

Sportfishing

El Sobrante residents purchased 20 Alaska 

sportfishing licenses in 2000.
417

Notes

1. National Park Service. No date. An “unvanished” history. 

Online at http://www.cr.nps.gov/seac/sfprehis.htm [accessed 15 

February 2007.

2. San Pablo Watershed Neighbors Education and Restoration 

Society. No date. A history of the watershed. Online at http://

www.aoinstitute.org/spawners/history.html [accessed 15 February 

2007].

3. Santa Cruz Public Libraries. 1991. An overview of Ohlone 

culture. Online at http://www.santacruzpl.org/history/spanish/

ohlone.shtml [accessed 15 February 2007].

4. A. McEvoy. 1986. The fisherman's problem: Ecology and 

law in the California fisheries 1850-1980. Cambridge University 

Press, Cambridge, UK. 368 p.

5. California Employment Development Department. 2002. 

Major employers in Contra Costa County. Online at http://

www.labormarketinfo.edd.ca.gov/aspdotnet/databrowsing/

empMain.aspx?menuChoice=emp [accessed 15 February 2007].

6. California State Board of Equalization. 2004. California city 

and county sales and use tax rates. Online at http://www.boe.ca.gov/

pdf/pub71.pdf [accessed 17 February 2007].

7. California State Board of Equalization. 2001. California 

counties transient lodging tax revenue, rate and date for the fiscal year 

2000-2001. Online at http://www.sco.ca.gov/ard/local/locrep/adhoc/

county/0001cotranslodgtax.pdf [accessed 15 February 2007].

8. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

9. See note 8.

10. See note 8.
418

Eureka

People and Place

Location

Eureka is the county seat of Humboldt County in 

northern California on Humboldt Bay south of Redwood 

National Park. San Francisco is 272.3 miles south. 

Eureka encompasses 9.5 square miles of land and 5 

square miles of water. Its geographic coordinates are lat 

40°48′08′′N, long 124°09′45′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Eureka had a 

population of 26,128, a 3.3% decrease from 1990. The 

gender composition was 50.5% female and 49.5% male. 

The median age was 36.6, compared to the national 

average of 35.3. Of the population 18 years of age and 

older, 80.8% had a high school education or higher, 

14.6% had a bachelor’s degree or higher, and 4.6% had a 

graduate or professional degree; the national averages 

were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The majority of the racial structure was white 

(82.5%), followed by individuals who identified with two 

or more races (5.1%), Native American and Alaska 

Native (4.2%), Asian (3.6%), individuals who identified 

with some other race (2.7%), black (1.6%), and Native 

Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (0.3%). Ethnicity 

data indicate 7.8% identified as Hispanic. 

Approximately 5.5% of the population was foreign-born. 

The community has experienced a significant change in 

its ethnic composition. In the decade following 1990, the 

percentage identifying as Hispanic increased by 62.5%.

History

Before the arrival of Euro-American settlers, what is 

now known as Humboldt County was occupied by 

several diverse Indian nations. The Wiyot, Yurok, Hupa, 

Karuk, Chilula, Whilkut, and southern Athabascans 

occupied specific territories, spoke individual languages, 

and shared similar yet distinct cultural systems.1

 Eureka 

is within the original territory of the Wiyot. They 

utilized local resources for food, medicine, and basketry, 

including wildlife, salmon, and roots. Across Humboldt 

Bay from Eureka is Indian Island, “the center of the 

Wiyot People’s world” and home of the ancient village of 

Tuluwat.2 Beneath the village site is a 6-acre clamshell 

midden estimated to be 1,000 years old.

Today many of the Wiyot people live on 88 acres 

called the Table Bluff Reservation, 16 miles south of 

Eureka. In 2004 the Eureka City Council formally 

2,500 2,000 1,500 1,000 500 0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

82.5%

Two or more races

5.1%

Other

2.7%

Black

1.6%

Native

4.2%

Asian

3.6%

Pacific Islander

0.3%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Hispanic

7.8%

Non-Hispanic

92.2%
419

transferred a part of Indian Island to the Wiyot Tribe.3 A 

portion of the land had been a shipyard repair facility 

from 1870 to the 1980s. The tribe plans to clean up 

debris and pollution from the old shipyard, restore natural 

waterways, and construct a cultural center.4

In 1806 employees of the Russian-American 

Company from Sitka, Alaska, made the first recorded 

entrance into Humboldt Bay. The Gregg-Wood party 

arrived by land in 1849 and by 1850 the first ships 

arrived in the bay bringing prospectors for gold. Eureka 

was founded in 1856 and settled as a point of arrival and 

a supply center for the gold mines. As the gold rush 

subsided, the economy shifted to natural resources, 

primarily timber, salmon, and agriculture. The area was 

a prime exporter of agricultural products from 1857 to 

1900.5

Development around the bay led to the displacement 

of the Wiyot and increased tensions between groups. 

During the 1860 World Renewal Ceremony on Indian 

Island, a group of armed settlers paddled to the island 

during the night and killed the sleeping Wiyot. Two 

other village sites were raided the same night. The few 

remaining Wiyot people were moved to Fort Humboldt 

for their protection and from there to a series of 

reservations. The fort was built in 1853 to assist in 

resolving conflicts between Indians and settlers. An 

Indian Candlelight Vigil is held each February to 

remember the 200 lives lost in the massacre.6

In the 1880s docks were built in Eureka for shipping 

redwood and other timber. When the Northwestern 

Pacific Railroad was extended into the area in 1900, it 

functioned as a dike and enabled tidal marshes to be 

converted to agricultural lands. The construction of U.S. 

Highway 101 in 1927 also created fill, allowing most of 

the marshes to be drained and diked.7

After World War II, a new Douglas fir and plywood 

industry brought in many loggers and mill workers. The 

timber industry dominated life in the community into the 

1970s. The next era brought a more diverse economy. 

New groups of people began to arrive, primarily 

Hispanics and Vietnamese.8

 A large revitalization 

project began in the 1960s to revive Eureka’s Old Town 

and restore many old commercial buildings.9

Humboldt Bay is one of the largest bays on the West 

Coast. Diking, drainage, and filling have reduced the 

historic 27,000 acres of bay and wetlands to about 13,000 

acres. The bay includes a variety of complex habitats 

that support 95 species of fish, at least 180 species of 

invertebrates, and 30 species of clams, oysters, and 

mussels. The economic health of Eureka continues to be 

“tied to the bay, the resources it provides, and the natural 

resources around it.”10

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

42.7%

Unemployed

5.5%

Employed

51.8%

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 51.8% of 

Eureka’s potential labor force 16 years of age and older 

were employed, 5.5% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 9.7% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

42.7% were not in the labor force. The top employment 

sectors were local, state, or federal government (18.5%) 

and health care and social assistance (17.5%). Natural 

resource jobs including agriculture, forestry, and fishing 

employed 3.2%, but this percentage may be artificially 

low because many fishermen are self-employed and are 

underrepresented in the data.

The economic base of Eureka was founded on 

fishing and timber. Commercial fishing has downsized 

in recent years and now the major industries are tourism 

and timber.11 Major employers in Eureka include the 

College of the Redwoods, Humboldt County, Humboldt 

County Office of Education, and St. Joseph Hospital.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Eureka’s per 

capita income in 1999 was $16,174, the median 

household income was $25,849, and 23.7% lived below 

the poverty level. In 2000 Eureka had 11,637 housing 

units, of which 94.2% were occupied and 5.8% were 

vacant. Of the occupied units, 46.5% were by owner and 

53.5% were by renter.

Governance

Eureka is an incorporated city that operates under a 

council-manager charter. The sales tax is 7.25% based 

on the standard statewide rate. The county’s transient 

lodging tax rate is 10%. See the governance subsection 

(page 43) in the Overview section for a more detailed 
420

discussion of taxes affecting fishermen and processors in 

California.

Eureka has a California Department of Fish and 

Game field office and is 5 miles from the U.S. Coast 

Guard Station in Humboldt Bay. Eureka is 272.3 miles 

from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services 

Center in San Francisco. Pacific Fishery Management 

Council meetings are held in Foster City, 293.8 miles 

from Eureka.

Facilities

Eureka has a number of transportation options. 

Amtrak and Greyhound provide rail and bus service 

respectively. San Francisco International Airport is 

272.3 miles away. U.S. Highway 101 intersects Eureka.

Eureka has 11 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, 

3 private primary schools, and 7 high schools, of which 5 

are alternative schools and 1 is private. Pacific Gas and 

Electric provides electricity, and Cal-American Water 

Company provides water and wastewater services. The 

Eureka Police Department provides local law 

enforcement. The closest health care facility is St. 

Joseph Hospital. Eureka accommodations include bed 

and breakfasts, a recreational vehicle park, and several 

hotels and motels. Additional lodging is available in 

nearby communities.12

Eureka is located within the Humboldt Bay Harbor, 

Recreation and Conservation District and the Port of 

Humboldt. Humboldt Bay is the only deep water port 

between Coos Bay, Oregon, and San Francisco. Four 

shipping terminals operate out of Eureka: Fairhaven 

Terminal includes one berth with a 500-foot wooden pile 

dock; Fields Landing Terminal includes one berth with a 

900-foot dock; Schneider Dock has one berth with a 400-

foot concrete, unlimited load dock; and Sierra Pacific 

Industries has one berth with a 475-foot wooden dock.13 

The Woodley Island Marina is located in Eureka and is 

the home base for the Port of Humboldt District. The 

marina has 237 slips.14

Two marine aquaculture businesses are located in 

Eureka with growing areas in Crescent City, Harbor, and 

Arcata Bay. Products include bay and sea mussels; 

Eastern, European, Kumamoto, and Pacific oysters; 

littleneck, Manila, and Quahog clams; rock scallops; 

ulva; nori; tube worms; gracillaria; and blood worms.15

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 all of the 159 vessels that delivered landings 

to Eureka were commercially registered. The community 

had at least one processing plant in 2000, however, 

specific data on pounds of fish processed, revenue 

generated, and number of employees are confidential. 

Landings in the community were in the following West 

Coast fisheries (data shown represents landings in metric 

tons/value of landings/number of vessels landing): 

coastal pelagic 2 t/$909/8; crab 391 t/$1,784,671/92; 

groundfish 2,522 t/$3,287,433/73; highly migratory 

species 355 t/$693,107/32; salmon 240 t/$618,440/66; 

shellfish 4 t/$6,734/4; shrimp 90 t/$84,713/12; and other 

species 417 t/$329,382/39.

Eureka residents owned 68 vessels, of which 16 

participated in the Groundfish Vessel Buyback Program. 

Community members owned 53 vessels that participated 

in the federally managed groundfish fishery. The number 

of vessels owned by Eureka residents that participated in 

each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 2/0/56, 

groundfish 0/0/NA, highly migratory species NA/0/NA, 

salmon 0/6/40, shellfish NA/0/NA, shrimp NA/2/11, and 

other species 1/0/0.16

In 2000 18 Eureka residents held 17 federal 

groundfish fishery permits. The number of individual 

community members holding permits in each fishery by 

state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/0/1, crab 2/0/

56, groundfish 0/0/14, highly migratory species NA/0/1, 

salmon 0/5/65, shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 0/2/16, and 

other species 1/0/20.17

According to available data, Eureka residents held 

268 permits in 2000, of which 251 were registered state 

permits. The number of permits held by these 

community members in each fishery by state (WA/OR/

CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/0/2, crab 4/0/60, groundfish 

0/0/17, highly migratory species NA/0/1, salmon 0/5/

113, shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 0/3/23, and other species 

1/0/22.18

Sportfishing

Eureka had at least two sportfishing vessel permits 

in 2003. The community, which is part of the Fort 

Bragg, Eureka, Crescent City port complex, received 

49,983 commercial passenger fishing vessel landings 

from 11,574 anglers in 2000. The majority of landings 

were rockfishes, Chinook salmon, and Pacific and jack 

mackerel. Internet fishing guide sources indicate at least 

two sportfishing businesses operated within the 

community.19

Subsistence

The California Department of Fish and Game 

captures fishermen who do not earn revenue from 

fishing, but use it for personal consumption, under 

“recreational” data. Specific information on subsistence 

fishing in Eureka is not discussed in detail due to the lack 

of available data.
421

Nontribal and tribal fishermen, including members 

of the Wiyot Tribe, utilize marine and stream resources 

for subsistence within and surrounding Eureka. Under 

the trust doctrine, the federal government is charged to 

protect tribal resources and by constitutional mandate to 

protect natural resources. Government-to-government 

agreements made between tribal groups and the United 

States through treaties guarantee fishing rights on 

traditional grounds.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 Eureka residents owned five vessels 

involved in North Pacific fisheries. Inhabitants landed 

fish in the following fisheries (data shown represents 

landings in metric tons/value of said landings/number of 

vessels landing): halibut confidential/confidential/1, 

salmon confidential/confidential/2, and scallop 

confidential/confidential/3.

In 2000 12 Eureka residents held crew member 

licenses for North Pacific fisheries. Four residents held 

registered state permits and four held registered federal 

permits.

Seven permits were registered to individuals in 

Eureka in 2000. Eureka residents held two groundfish 

License Limitation Program permits, one halibut permit, 

and three salmon Alaska Commercial Fisheries Entry 

Commission permits. The halibut and sablefish 

individual fishing quota shares for Eureka residents were 

96,990 and 486, respectively.

Sportfishing

In 2000 residents purchased 106 Alaska sportfishing 

licenses.

Notes

1. S. Van Kirk. 1999. Humboldt County: A briefest of histories. 

Online at http://www.humboldthistory.org/ [accessed 16 February 

2007].

2. Wiyot Tribe. No date. History and culture: Indian Island. 

Online at http://www.wiyot.com/history.htm [accessed 16 February 

2007].

3. City of Eureka. 2004. Eureka City Council and Wiyot Tribal 

Council, May 18, 2004. Online at http://www.ci.eureka.ca.gov/

default.asp [accessed 16 February 2007].

4. Wiyot Tribe. 2004. Environmental restoration. Online at 

http://www.wiyot.com/Island_environmental.html [accessed 16 

February 2007].

5. 2001. Humboldt Bay trails feasibility study: Humboldt Bay 

area history.

6. See note 2.

7. See note 5.

8. See note 1.

9. Victorian Inn. No date. Sights and activities in Eureka, CA. 

Online at http://www.a-victorian-inn.com/eureka_california.html 

[accessed August 2004].

10. See note 5.

11. Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission. 2004. 

California state counties. Online at http://www.psmfc.org/efin/docs/

communities_2004/communities_pages65_84.pdf [accessed 16 

February 2007].

12. The Greater Eureka Chamber of Commerce. 2003. 

Lodging. Online at http://eurekachamber.com/Directory/

index.cfm?Category=Lodging&dID=4 [accessed 16 February 2007].

13. Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation and Conservation 

District. No date. Port of Humboldt Bay: Shipping terminals. Online 

at http://www.humboldtbay.org/portofhumboldtbay/terminals/ 

[accessed 16 February 2007].

14. Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation and Conservation 

District. No date. Woodley Island Marina: Facilities. Online at 

http://www.humboldtbay.org/woodleyislandmarina/ [accessed 16 

February 2007].

15. State of California Department of Fish and Game. 2003. 

Registered marine aquaculture facilities.

16. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

17. See note 16.

18. See note 16.

19. Sportsmen’s Resource.Com. No date. Sportsmen’s 

resource.com. Online at http://humguide.com [accessed 16 February 

2007] and http://www.sportsmansresource.com [accessed 16 February 

2007].
422

Fields Landing

People and Place

Location

Fields Landing is an unincorporated community in 

northern California’s Humboldt County. The community 

is on Humboldt Bay south of Redwood National Park. 

The closest major city is San Francisco, 265.7 miles 

south. The geographic coordinates of Fields Landing are 

lat 40°43′28′′N, long 124°12′54′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Fields Landing 

had a population of 213. The gender composition was 

46.9% female and 53.1% male. The median age was 

29.8, compared to the national average of 35.3. Of the 

population 18 years of age and older, 78% had a high 

school education or higher, 10% had a bachelor’s degree, 

and no one had a graduate or professional degree. The 

national averages were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% 

respectively. A high school education was the highest 

attainment for 50% of the population.

The majority of the racial composition was white 

(83.1%), followed by individuals who identified with 

some other race (4.7%), Native American and Alaska 

Native (4.2%), individuals who identified with two or 

more races (4.2%), Asian (2.3%), black (0.9%), and 

Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (0.5%). 

Ethnicity data indicate 15% identified as Hispanic. No 

residents were foreign-born.

History

Before the arrival of Euro-American settlers, the 

area now known as Humboldt County was occupied by 

several diverse nations. The Wiyot, Yurok, Hupa, Karuk, 

Chilula, Whilkut, and southern Athabascans occupied 

specific territories, spoke individual languages, and 

shared similar, yet distinct cultural systems.1

 Fields 

Landing is within the original territory of the Wiyot. The 

Wiyot used local resources for food, medicine, and 

basketry, including salmon, wildlife, and roots. Across 

the Humboldt Bay is Indian Island, “the center of the 

Wiyot People’s world” and home of the ancient village of 

Tuluwat.2

 Beneath the village site is a large clamshell 

midden that covers more than 6 acres and is estimated to 

be 1,000 years old. Today many of the Wiyot people live 

on 88 acres called the Table Bluff Reservation, 10 miles 

south of Fields Landing.

The first recorded entrance into Humboldt Bay was 

in 1806 by employees of the Russian-American 

40 30 20 10 0 10 20

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure

Asian

2.3%

Pacific Islander

0.5%

Native

4.2%

Other

4.7%

Two or more races

4.2%

White

83.1%

Black

0.9%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Non-Hispanic

85.0%

Hispanic

15.0%
423

Company of Sitka, Alaska. The Gregg-Wood party 

arrived by land in 1849 and by 1850 the first ships 

arrived bringing prospectors looking for gold. As the 

gold rush subsided, the economy shifted to natural 

resources, primarily timber, salmon, and agriculture. The 

area was a prime exporter of agricultural products from 

1857 to 1900.3

Development led to the displacement of the Wiyot 

and increased tension between groups. During the 1860 

World Renewal Ceremony on Indian Island, a group of 

six armed settlers paddled to the island during the night 

and killed the sleeping Wiyot. Two other village sites 

were raided that same night. The few remaining Wiyot 

people were moved to Fort Humboldt for their protection 

and from there to a series of reservations. The fort was 

built in 1853 to assist in resolving conflicts between 

Indians and settlers. An Indian Candlelight Vigil is held 

each February to remember the 200 lives lost in the 

massacre.4

In the 1880s, docks were built at Fields Landing for 

shipping redwood and other timber. When the 

Northwestern Pacific Railroad was extended into the bay 

area in 1900, the elevated railway bed functioned as a 

dike and enabled the conversion of tidal marshes to 

agricultural lands. The construction of U.S. Highway 

101 in 1927 also created more fill, allowing most of the 

marshes to be drained and diked.5

After World War II, a new Douglas fir and plywood 

industry brought in many loggers and mill workers. 

From the 1940s to 1951, the last active whaling station 

on the U.S. Pacific coast operated out of Fields Landing.6 

The timber industry continued to dominate life in the 

community into the 1970s. The next era paved the way 

for a more diverse economy. New groups of people 

began to arrive, namely Hispanics and Vietnamese.7

Humboldt Bay is one of the largest bays on the West 

Coast. Diking, drainage, and filling reduced the historic 

27,000 acres of bay and wetlands to around 13,000 acres. 

The bay includes a variety of complex habitats that 

support 95 species of fish, at least 180 species of 

invertebrates, and 30 species of clams, oysters, and 

mussels. The economic health of Fields Landing 

continues to be “tied to the bay, the resources it provides, 

and the natural resources around it.”8

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the U.S. Census, 45% of the potential 

labor force 16 years of age and older in Fields Landing 

were employed, 13.1% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 22.6% (calculated by dividing 

the unemployed population by the labor force). In 

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

41.9%

Unemployed

13.1%

Employed

45%

addition, 41.9% were not in the labor force. The primary 

employment sectors were local, state, or federal 

government (9.9%), education, health, and social 

services (8%), and arts, entertainment, recreation, and 

accommodation and food services (7%). No one was 

employed in natural resource jobs including agriculture, 

forestry, and fishing, but this may be inaccurate because 

many fishermen are self-employed and are 

underrepresented in these data.

The economic base of Fields Landing was founded 

on fishing and timber. Commercial fishing has 

experienced a downsizing in recent years and today the 

major industries are tourism and timber.9

 One of the 

main employers is Humboldt Bay Forest Products, which 

owns one of the two shipping terminals in Fields 

Landing.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the per capita 

income of Fields Landing in 1999 was $14,198, the 

median household income was $35,313, and 24.5% lived 

below poverty level. In 2000 there were 95 housing units 

in Fields Landing, of which 89.5% were occupied and 

10.5% were vacant. Of the occupied units, 40% were by 

owner and 60% were by renter.

Governance

Fields Landing is an unincorporated, noncensus 

designated place. The sales tax is 7.25% based on the 

standard statewide rate, and the county levies a 10% 

transient lodging tax. See the Governance subsection 

(page 43) in the Overview section for a more detailed 

discussion of taxes affecting fishermen and processors in 

California.

Fields Landing is 338.7 miles north of the National 

Marine Fisheries Service’s Southwest Fisheries Science 

Center in Santa Cruz. The community houses a U.S. 

Coast Guard Station in Humboldt Bay and is 6.7 miles 

from the closest California Department of Fish and Game 
424

field office. Fields Landing is 265.7 miles from the 

nearest U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services 

Center in San Francisco. Pacific Fishery Management 

Council meetings are held in Foster City, 287.2 miles 

from Fields Landing. The nearest North Pacific Fishery 

Management Council meetings are held 420.3 miles 

away in Portland, Oregon.

Facilities

Fields Landing has a number of transportation 

options. Amtrak and Greyhound provide rail and bus 

service respectively. The nearest major airport is San 

Francisco International Airport. U.S. Highway 101 

intersects Fields Landing.

Students attend local elementary, middle, and high 

schools in nearby Eureka. Pacific Gas and Electric 

provides electricity and Cal-American Water Company 

provides water and wastewater services. The Humboldt 

County Sheriff Department provides local law 

enforcement. The closest health care facility, St. Joseph 

Hospital, is in Eureka. Fields Landing accommodations 

include one motel. Additional lodging is available in 

nearby communities.

Fields Landing is within the Humboldt Bay Harbor, 

Recreation and Conservation District and the Port of 

Humboldt. Two shipping terminals are based in Fields 

Landing. Humboldt Bay Forest Products has one berth 

with a 600-foot wooden dock and two approach ramps. 

Fields Landing Terminal has one berth with a 900-foot 

dock.10

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 all 42 vessels that delivered landings to 

Fields Landing were commercially registered. The 

community had at least one processor plant in 2000. 

Landings were in the following West Coast fisheries 

(data shown represents landings in metric tons/value of 

landings/number of vessels landing): coastal pelagic 

confidential/confidential/1; crab 41 t/$182,619/18; 

groundfish 1,632 t/$1,587,756/21; highly migratory 

species 4 t/$5,916/4; salmon 1 t/$2,970/6; shrimp 

confidential/confidential/2; and other species 5 t/$6,024/

7.

Fields Landing residents owned eight vessels in 

2000, all of which participated in the federally managed 

groundfish fishery. The number of vessels owned by 

Fields Landing residents that participated in each fishery 

by state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 0/0/2, groundfish 0/0/

NA, highly migratory species NA/0/NA, shellfish NA/0/

NA, and shrimp NA/0/1.11

Three residents held seven federal groundfish 

fishery permits in 2000. The number of community 

members holding permits in each fishery by state (WA/

OR/CA) was: crab 0/0/2, highly migratory species NA/0/

0, shellfish 0/0/NA, and shrimp 0/0/1.12

Ten permits were registered to Fields Landing 

residents in 2000, of which three were registered state 

permits. Recorded data indicates that the number of 

permits in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 

0/0/2, highly migratory species NA/0/0, shellfish 0/0/NA, 

and shrimp 0/0/1.13

Sportfishing

Available sources did not provide current or 2000 

data on West Coast sportfishing for Fields Landing.

Subsistence

The California Department of Fish and Game 

captures data on fishermen who do not earn revenue from 

fishing, but use it for personal consumption under their 

“recreational” data. Information on subsistence fishing 

in Fields Landing is not discussed in detail due to the lack 

of available data. Many local residents, including 

members of the Wiyot Tribe, engage in subsistence 

fishing. Under the trust doctrine, the federal government 

is charged to protect tribal resources and by 

constitutional mandate to protect natural resources.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Fields Landing residents did not participate in North 

Pacific fisheries in 2000.

Sportfishing

One Fields Landing resident purchased an Alaska 

sportfishing license in 2000.

Notes

1. S. Van Kirk. 1999. Humboldt County: A briefest of 

histories. Online at http://www.humboldthistory.org/ [accessed 15 

February 2007].

2. Wiyot Tribe. No date. History and culture: Indian Island. 

Online at http://www.wiyot.com/history.htm [accessed 15 February 

2007].

3. Natural Resources Services. 2001. Humboldt Bay trails 

feasibility study: Setting. Online at http://www.rcaa.org/baytrails/

pdfs/Chapter02.pdf [accessed 15 February 2007].

4. See note 2.

5. See note 3.

6. California Department of Fish and Game. No date. No title. 

Online at http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mrd/mambk_a.pdf [accessed 15 

February 2007].

7. See note 1.
425

8. See note 3.

9. Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission. 2004. 

California state counties. Online at http://www.psmfc.org/efin/docs/

communities_2004/communities_pages65_84.pdf [accessed 15 

February 2007].

10. Humboldt Bay Harbor. Recreation and Conservation 

District. No date. Port of Humboldt Bay: Shipping terminals. Online 

at http://www.humboldtbay.org/portofhumboldtbay/terminals/ 

[accessed 15 February 2007].

11. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few recorded permit numbers or the partially permitted nature of a 

fishery in 2000.

12. See note 11.

13. See note 11.
426

Fort Bragg

People and Place

Location

Fort Bragg is in Mendocino County on northern 

California’s Pacific Coast. The community is bordered 

on the north by Pudding Creek, which flows into the 

Pacific Ocean through a narrow inlet. Noyo Harbor is at 

the southern edge of the city. San Francisco is 172 miles 

to the south. Fort Bragg encompasses 2.73 square miles 

of land and 0.04 square miles of water. Its geographic 

coordinates are lat 39°26′45′′N, long 123°48′19′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Fort Bragg had 

a population of 7,026, an increase of 15.6% from 1990. 

The gender composition was 49.9% female and 50.1% 

male. The median age was 36.2. Of the population 18 

years of age and older, 78.4% had a high school 

education or higher, 11.7% had a bachelor’s degree or 

higher, and 4.6% had a graduate or professional degree. 

These percentages fall below the national averages of 

79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% respectively. A high school 

education was the highest attainment for 34.1%.

The majority of the racial structure of Fort Bragg 

was white (79.5%), followed by individuals who 

identified with some other race (12.1%), individuals who 

identified with two or more races (4.6%), American 

Indian and Alaska Native (1.9%), black (1%), Asian 

(0.9%), and Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 

(0.1%). Ethnicity data indicate 22.7% identified as 

Hispanic. The community has experienced a significant 

change in its ethnic composition. In the decade since 

1990, the percentage of inhabitants identifying as 

Hispanic increased by 65.7%. Approximately 13.5% of 

the population was foreign-born, of which 78.4% were 

from Mexico, 12.8% from Europe (UK, Ireland, 

Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, Italy, and Portugal), 

and 6% from Canada.

In 2000 74.7% of the population lived in family 

households.

History

Pomo Indians originally inhabited Northern 

California with 72 independent tribes speaking seven 

related but distinct languages.1 Pomo groups wove 

intricate baskets and fashioned beads from clamshells 

and magnesite that were used as a regional trade 

currency. The Pomo were hunter-gatherers, and coastal 

groups relied heavily on salmon, marine shellfish 

800 600 400 200 0 200 400 600

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure

Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

79.5%

Two or more races

4.6%

Black

1%

Native

1.9%

Asian

0.9%

Other

12.1%

Pacific Islander

0.1%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Hispanic

22.7%

Non-Hispanic

77.3%
427

(especially sea mussels), and sea mammals (particularly 

Stellar sea lions, California sea lions, sea otters, Northern 

fur seals, and harbor seals).2 Native hunters and 

fisherman developed complex technologies to harvest 

these resources, and community life often focused on 

rituals surrounding the first harvests of the season and 

cooperative fishing endeavors.

After Russian fur traders and Spanish missionaries 

established the first European settlements in the early 

1800s, Indian populations were quickly decimated by 

disease and conflicts with incoming settlers. Military 

units were sent to remove Indians from ancestral lands. 

A commission of the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) 

signed 18 treaties with California tribes between 1851 

and 1852 that would have reserved about 8.5 million 

acres for native peoples, but because of the gold rush, 

none of the treaties were ratified by Congress.3 Instead, 

the BIA established a system of smaller reservations and 

“rancherias” in California. Survivors described their 

forced removal to these reservations as “death marches.”4

As part of California’s policy of removing Indians to 

smaller reservations, the Mendocino Indian Reservation 

was established in 1856 on 25,000 acres between the Ten 

Mile and Noyo rivers. Fort Bragg was founded in 1857 

as a military outpost to “control and safeguard” native 

residents living on this reservation.5

 The fort was named 

after Captain Braxton Bragg, a Mexican War veteran. 

The reservation and military outpost were abandoned in 

1867 as disease, opportunities for work in other areas, 

and violent encounters with settlers and the military 

shrunk the Indian population from several thousand to 

about 280. The remaining Indians were relocated to the 

Round Valley Reservation in Covello and the land 

around the fort was sold to settlers.6

The disbandment of the fort did not signal the end of 

the Fort Bragg community, which quickly became a 

major player in the region’s timber industry.7 The same 

year the fort was established (1857); a local entrepreneur 

was granted a parcel of reservation land for a sawmill site 

on the Noyo River. More sawmills followed. Timber 

development in the area finally boomed in 1885, when 

Union Lumber Company built a larger operation, 

including plans for a city that could serve as a hub for 

shipping mill products and housing loggers and their 

families. Fort Bragg incorporated in 1889. Union 

Lumber built railroad lines and partnered with the 

National Steamship Company to export forest products 

and import manufactured goods.

Georgia-Pacific Corporation acquired the mill in 

1972 and remained the region’s major employer until 

August 2002 when it closed the Fort Bragg facility. The 

closure signaled the end of an era for the community and 

the loss of several hundred jobs.8

 Smaller mills in the 

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

37.6%

Unemployed

5.3%

Employed

57.1%

area soon followed suit. In 2003 the last sawmill in Fort 

Bragg, Mendocino Forest Products, closed after more 

than 50 years of operation, citing California’s regulatory 

system, a decrease in local logging, and the expense of 

importing logs from other states.9

 The city is in the 

process of redeveloping the 430-acre Georgia-Pacific 

mill site. First phase work includes providing coastal 

access, constructing a coastal trail and park facilities, site 

remediation and wetlands restoration, and construction of 

an educational and research center.

Noyo Bay provides a natural harbor and access to 

ocean fisheries. In the 1920s fisherman began to land 

millions of pounds of salmon that were processed and 

marketed in Fort Bragg. Harvests continued until the 

mid-1990s.10 Despite the decline of salmon, fishing 

remains an important part of Fort Bragg’s economy and 

community identity. Many boat owners offer private 

charter services for tourists and sport fishermen. In 

addition to salmon, commercial and recreational 

fisherman take rockfish, abalone, crabs, and mussels.11 

The city has two fish processors, a liquid fish fertilizer 

processing plant, and numerous businesses associated 

with fishing and coastal tourism.

Several festivals point to the city’s dependence on 

fishing and logging. The largest is the World’s Largest 

Salmon Barbeque, held in early July since 1971.12 The 

barbeque serves as a fundraiser for the salmon 

restoration. Fort Bragg also hosts a Whale Festival in 

March. The city’s Paul Bunyan Days, a Labor Day 

tradition for the past 60 years, celebrates the area’s 

participation in logging.13

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 57.1% of Fort 

Bragg’s potential labor force 16 years of age and older 
428

were employed, 5.3% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 8.4% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

37.6% were not in the labor force. These data were 

derived prior to the closure of the Georgia Pacific 

sawmill, and this rate may have increased in recent years. 

Top employment sectors were arts, entertainment, 

recreation, accommodation, and food services (21.1%), 

with most jobs concentrated in accommodation and food 

services; education, health, and social services (20.1%); 

local, state, or federal government (14.4%); retail trade 

(10.9%); manufacturing (8.7%); and construction (7.2%). 

Natural resource jobs including agriculture, forestry, and 

fishing employed 8.3%, but this number may not 

accurately reflect self-employed fisherman, loggers, and 

other contractors.

In the year prior to its closure, the Georgia-Pacific 

mill employed 125 workers earning $6.4 million in 

wages.14 Several hundred additional jobs depended on 

the corporation’s contracts with vendors and independent 

loggers. Another 59 lost their jobs when Mendocino 

Forest Products closed operation in 2003. Tourism and 

commercial fishing have become more significant 

employers. Lodging and hospitality services are also 

major employers and revenue generators for the city. 

Local officials hope the rapidly developing tourist 

industry will bolster and diversify the city’s economy.15 

Other major employers are the Fort Bragg Unified 

School District and the Mendocino Coast District 

Hospital.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Fort Bragg’s 

per capita income in 1999 was $15,832, compared to a 

national per capita income of $21,587. The median 

household income was $28,539. In 1999 40.9% lived 

below the poverty level, more than three times the 

national poverty level of 12.4%. In 2000 Fort Bragg had 

3,051 housing units, of which 93.1% were occupied and 

6.9% were vacant. Of the occupied units, 42.9% were by 

owner and 57.1% were by renter. Of the vacant units, 

27% were due to seasonal, recreational, or occasional 

use.

Governance

Fort Bragg operates under a council-manager 

government.16 The council appoints a mayor, mayor pro 

tem, city manager, and members of the planning 

commission, and contracts for legal services. Residents 

pay a 7.25% sales tax and Mendocino County levies a 

10% transient lodging (hotel) tax.17, 18 See the 

Governance subsection (page 43) in the Overview 

section for a more detailed discussion of taxes affecting 

fishermen and processors in California.

Meetings of the Pacific Fishery Management 

Council are held 172 miles away in San Francisco. The 

U.S. Coast Guard Station Noyo River, located on the 

south side of the city, has two 47-foot motor lifeboats and 

one 21-foot rigid-hull inflatable boat. The station’s 

jurisdiction extends from Punta Gorda in the north to 

Gualala in the south, more than 100 miles.19 Fort Bragg 

is in Marine Region 7 of the California Department of 

Fish and Game, which has its headquarters 286 miles 

south in Monterey.20 The nearest field offices of the 

National Marine Fisheries Service and the U.S. 

Citizenship and Immigration Services are in San 

Francisco.

Facilities

The Little River/Mendocino County Airport, an 

unmaintained airstrip, is 15 miles south of Fort Bragg. 

This facility supports private planes, air taxis, and some 

scenic whale watching flights. The nearest airport 

certified for air carrier flights is Sonoma County Airport 

in Santa Rosa (118 miles), and the nearest major airport 

is San Francisco International Airport.

The Fort Bragg Unified School District has two 

elementary schools, a middle school, a traditional high 

school, an alternative high school, an independent home 

study school, and an adult learning center. The 

Mendocino County Regional Occupational Program, 

which offers training in agricultural, computer sciences, 

and special education, is headquartered in Fort Bragg. 

The community also supports two parochial elementary 

and middle schools and a private preparatory school that 

offers grades 1 through 12. The College of the 

Redwoods Mendocino Coast campus, a two-year 

community college, is located in Fort Bragg.21

The Fort Bragg Public Works Department operates 

water and wastewater treatment plants.22 Natural gas is 

not available in the area. Pacific Gas and Electric 

provides electricity. The Fort Bragg Police Department 

administers law enforcement and public safety, and the 

Fort Bragg Fire Protection Authority operates a central 

fire station in the downtown area, as well as a second fire 

station and water storage facility on California Highway 

20. The main health care facility in Fort Bragg is the 

Mendocino Coast District Hospital. Additional hospitals 

are located in Willits (35 miles), Garberville (66 miles), 

and Ukiah (58 miles).23 At least 18 hotels, 11 bed and 

breakfast inns, 5 campgrounds, 4 RV parks, and 1 

vacation rental business are located in the vicinity of Fort 

Bragg.24 These cater mainly to a large number of tourists 

who vacation in the area.

Noyo Harbor, an all-weather commercial fishing 

port, is at the southern edge of Fort Bragg on the mouth 

of the Noyo River. Area marine facilities are located at 
429

Noyo Harbor.25, 26 Noyo Harbor is one of four main 

harbors between San Francisco and the Oregon border, 

and it supports a large commercial fishing fleet. The 

harbor features two public launch ramps, a 10,000 pound 

hoist with an 8-foot beam, and 265 berths for commercial 

vessels. These berths are generally fully occupied with a 

waiting list of about 20 vessels depending on the season. 

The harbor is maintained by the Army Corps of 

Engineers, which periodically dredges it. The harbor 

area has numerous support facilities, such as fuel, ice, 

restaurants, and lodging.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Commercial fishing is a primary component of Fort 

Bragg’s economy. In 2000 283 vessels, all commercially 

registered, delivered landings to Noyo Harbor. In 2000 

13 of Fort Bragg’s 144 vessels in 2000 were trawlers that 

specialized in groundfish. In 2003, as part of the 

Groundfish Vessel Buyback Program that sought to 

reduce the number of boats participating in the 

groundfish fishery, the National Marine Fisheries Service 

bought the fishing rights and licenses for five of the 13 

trawlers. The trawlers were then removed from any 

fishing activity.

Landings for Fort Bragg in 2000 were in the 

following West Coast fisheries (data shown represents 

landings in metric tons/value of landings/number of 

vessels landing): crab 192.4 t/$924,532/54; groundfish 

1,933.3 t/$2,975,551/135; highly migratory species 27.8 

t/$46,524/16; salmon 181 t/$722,485/131; shrimp 23.5 t/

$256,778/11; and other species 992.3 t/$1,939,483/84.

Fort Bragg residents owned 144 vessels in 2000 that 

participated in West Coast fisheries, of which 76 

participated in the federally managed groundfish fishery. 

The number of vessels owned by Fort Bragg residents 

participating in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

coastal pelagic 0/0/1, crab 0/5/43, groundfish 0/0/NA, 

highly migratory species NA/0/NA, salmon 0/6/60, 

shellfish NA/0/NA, shrimp NA/0/7, and other species 0/

0/1.27

In 2000 23 Fort Bragg residents held 24 federal 

groundfish fishery permits. The number of residents 

holding permits in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) 

was: coastal pelagic 0/0/6, crab 4/4/48, groundfish 0/0/

74, highly migratory species NA/0/3, other species 3/3/

121, salmon 0/5/117, shellfish 0/0/NA, and shrimp 2/0/

118.28

Fort Bragg fisherman involved in West Coast 

fisheries held 627 permits in 2000, including 603 

registered state permits. The number of permits held by 

these community members in each fishery by state (WA/

OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/0/15, crab 5/4/51, 

groundfish 0/0/90, highly migratory species NA/0/9, 

salmon 0/5/200, shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 2/0/27, and 

other species 4/21/147.29

Three fish processors are located in Fort Bragg. 

Caito Fisheries, the oldest fish processor in Noyo Harbor, 

has been family owned for four generations and annually 

processes millions of pounds of troll-caught Chinook 

salmon, albacore tuna, swordfish, Dungeness crab, sole, 

flounder, sand dabs, halibut, sablefish, thornyheads, 

rockfish, rose fish, lingcod, shark, skate, and octopus. 

The company markets its products wholesale.30 Ocean 

Fresh Seafood Products, established in 1985 and a 

division of Marusan Enterprises Inc., processes fresh sea 

urchins predominately for the Japanese market and 

dominates sea urchin production in Northern California. 

Because sea urchin processing is labor intensive, the 

company employs numerous skilled workers.31 Sea Pal 

Company, established in 1977, produces liquid fish 

fertilizer by processing ocean fish harvested off the 

Northern California coast. The plant’s feedstock is fish 

carcasses salvaged from other processing operations.32

Sportfishing

Fort Bragg is popular with sport fishermen and 

Noyo Bay has several charter boat services that cater to 

salmon, rock cod fishing, and crabbing. Eight sport 

license vendors operate in Fort Bragg, of which five are 

charter boat companies and three are chain stores. Fort 

Bragg is part of the Fort Bragg-Eureka-Crescent City 

port complex. In 2000 this port complex received 49,983 

sport fish landings from 11,574 anglers. The top three 

species landed were rockfish (81%), Chinook salmon 

(16%), and lingcod (2%).

Sportfishing businesses based in Fort Bragg in 2003 

had 103 vessels and sportfishing licenses that permitted 

access to marine species. Of the 103 licenses, 56 were 

for salmon vessels, 26 for Dungeness crab vessels, 10 for 

John Doe salmon, 3 for commercial passenger fishing 

vessels, 3 for commercial salmon stamps, 3 for 

coonstripe shrimp vessels, and 2 for northern pink shrimp 

trawl vessels.

Subsistence

Specific information on subsistence fishing in Fort 

Bragg is not discussed in detail in this community profile 

due to the lack of available data. The California 

Department of Fish and Game uses the term 

“recreational” for fishermen who do not earn revenue 

from their catch, but fish for pleasure or to provide food 

for personal consumption. Information on subsistence 

fishing in California is captured to some degree in the 

sportfishing data.
430

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries 

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 Fort Bragg fishermen owned three vessels 

that participated in North Pacific fisheries. Residents 

landed fish in the following North Pacific fisheries (data 

shown represent landings in metric tons/value of said 

landings/number of vessels landing): Bering Sea and 

Aleutian Islands (BSAI) groundfish confidential/

confidential/1, Gulf of Alaska groundfish confidential/

confidential/2, halibut confidential/confidential/2, and 

shellfish confidential/confidential/1.

In 2000 Fort Bragg residents held 18 permits (11 

federal and 7 state), including 4 groundfish License 

Limitation Program permits, 3 Commercial Fisheries 

Entry Commission (CFEC) BSAI groundfish permits, 2 

CFEC halibut permits, and 7 CFEC shellfish permits. 

Under the individual fishing quota (IFQ) system for the 

Alaskan halibut and sablefish fisheries, Fort Bragg 

fishermen were allotted 3,216,683 halibut and 6,470,435 

sablefish IFQ shares in 2000.

In 2000 eight Fort Bragg residents held crew 

member licenses for North Pacific fisheries.

Sportfishing

Fort Bragg fishermen purchased 26 Alaska 

sportfishing licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. B. Ortiz. Houghton Mifflin encyclopedia of North American 

Indians: Pomo. Online at http://college.hmco.com/history/

readerscomp/naind/html/na_030100_pomo.htm [accessed July 2004].

2. C. Smith. 1999. California’s native people, the northwest 

region: Subsistence. Online at http://www.cabrillo.edu/~crsmith/

anth6_nwcoast_subsist.html [accessed 16 February 2007].

3. P. Giese. 1997. Native American Indian: Art, culture, 

education, history, science-Pomo people: Brief history. Online at 

http://kstrom.net/isk/art/basket/pomohist.html [accessed 16 February 

2007].

4. J. Elliot. 1995. The Dark Legacy of Nome Cult. Albion 

Monitor, 2 September. Online at http://www.monitor.net/monitor/

9-2-95/history.html [accessed 16 February 2007].

5. H. Hart. 1965. Historic California posts: Fort Bragg. Online 

at http://www.militarymuseum.org/FtBragg.html [accessed 16 

February 2007].

6. See note 5.

7. City of Fort Bragg, CA. 2000. Fort Bragg history. Online at 

http://ci.fort-bragg.ca.us/history.htm [accessed 16 February 2007].

8. M. Callahan. 2002. G-P to shut down Fort Bragg sawmill. 

Santa Rosa Press Democrat. June 8: A1.

9. D. Bischel. 2003. Press release for June 3rd: Last sawmill in 

Fort Bragg to close after 50 years of operation. Online at http://

www.foresthealth.org/June3PR.htm [accessed 16 February 2007].

10. Klamath Resource Information System (KRIS). 2003. The 

Noyo River basin: A brief overview. Online at http://www.krisweb

.com/krisnoyo/krisdb/html/krisweb/noyooverview.htm [accessed 16 

February 2007].

11. City of Fort Bragg, CA. 1999. Fort Bragg area fishing. 

Online at http://ci.fort-bragg.ca.us/fish.htm [accessed 16 February 

2007].

12. Klamath Resource Information System (KRIS). 2003. Fort 

Bragg’s worlds largest salmon barbeque. Online at http://

www.krisweb.com/biblio/ncc_stma_maahs_1999_salmonbbq99.htm 

[accessed 16 February 2007].

13. No Author. 2004. Paul Bunyan Days. Online at http://

paulbunyandays.com [accessed 16 February 2007].

14. M. Callahan. 2002. Fort Bragg at a crossroads. Santa Rosa 

Press Democrat, June 23. Online at http://www.pressdemocrat.com 

[accessed 16 February 2007].

15. B. Norberg. 2004. Fort Bragg’s new identity. Santa Rosa 

Press Democrat. January 4: E1.

16. City of Fort Bragg, CA. 1999. Fort Bragg city council. 

Online at http://ci.fort-bragg.ca.us/council.htm [accessed 16 February 

2007].

17. California State Board of Equalization. 2004. California 

city and county sales and use tax rates. Online at http://www.boe.ca

.gov/pdf/pub71.pdf [accessed 16 February 2007].

18. California State Board of Equalization. 2001. California 

counties transient lodging tax revenue, rate and date for the fiscal year 

2000-01. Online at http://www.sco.ca.gov/ard/local/locrep/adhoc/

county/0001cotranslodgtax.pdf [accessed 16 February 2007].

19. High Beam Research. 2005. Greetings from station Noyo 

River. Online at http://www.highbeam.com/library/docfreeprint

.asp?docid=1G1:131780572&ctrlInfo=Round19%3AMode19b

%3ADocFree%3APrint&print=yes [accessed 16 February 2007].

20. California Department of Fish and Game. 2003. Marine 

Region 7. Online at http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mrd/ [accessed 16 

February 2007].

21. City of Fort Bragg, CA. 1999. Fort Bragg schools. Online 

at http://ci.fort-bragg.ca.us/schools.htm [accessed 16 February 2007].

22. City of Fort Bragg, CA. 1999. Fort Bragg city services. 

Online at http://ci.fort-bragg.ca.us/services.htm [accessed 16 February 

2007].

23. City of Fort Bragg, CA. 1999. Fort Bragg city facilities. 

Online at http://ci.fort-bragg.ca.us/fbfacil.htm [accessed 16 February 

2007].

24. City of Fort Bragg, CA. 2004. Lodging and campgrounds in 

Fort Bragg, CA. Online at http://www.fortbragg.com/lodging.html 

[accessed 16 February 2007].

25. Grand Jury of Mendocino County. 2001. 2000-2001 final 

report: The Noyo Harbor district. Online at http://www.co.mendocino

.ca.us/grandjury/00-01/10-NoyoHarborDistrict.pdf [accessed 16 

February 2007]. 

26. Mendocino Council of Governments. 2003. III. Modal 

alternatives system: Maritime system element. Online at http://

www.mendocinocog.org/pdf/MaritimeSystemElement.pdf [accessed 

July 2004].

27. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

28. See note 27.

29. See note 27.

30. Caito Fisheries. No date. Caito Fisheries home page. 

Online at http://www.caitofisheries.com/ [accessed 16 February 

2007].

31. Ocean Fresh Seafood Products. No date. Ocean Fresh home 

page. Online at http://www.mcn.org/a/of/ [accessed 16 February 

2007.

32. Sea Pal Company. 2000. Sea Pal home page. Online at 

http://www.seapal.com [accessed 16 February 2007].
431

Half Moon Bay

People and Place

Location

Half Moon Bay is in San Mateo County, 

approximately 30 miles south of San Francisco and 40 

miles northwest of San Jose. Half Moon Bay covers 6.5 

square miles of land. Its geographic coordinates are lat 

37°27′49′′N, long 122°25′39′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Half Moon Bay 

had a population of 11,842, an increase of 33.3% from 

1990. The gender composition was 47% female and 53% 

male. The median age was 38.7, higher than the national 

median of 35.3. In 2000 approximately 63.6% of the 

population was between the ages of 22 and 64. Of the 

population 18 years of age and older, 74.6% had high 

school education or higher, 32.4% had a bachelor’s 

degree or higher, and 12.3% had a graduate or 

professional degree; the national averages were 79.7%, 

22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The majority of the racial structure was white 

(77.3%), followed by individuals who identified with 

some other race (11%), black (3.9%), individuals who 

identified with two or more races (3.8%), Asian (3.4%), 

American Indian and Alaskan Native (0.4%), and Native 

Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (0.1%). Ethnicity 

data indicate 23.2% identified as Hispanic. Of the 

foreign-born population (24.1%), 53.6% were from 

Mexico.

In 2000 78.9% of the population lived in family 

households.

History

In 1769 Gaspar de Portola, a Spanish explorer, 

discovered San Francisco Bay while searching for 

Monterey Bay. Upon Portola’s arrival, more than 10,000 

Indians lived in central California’s coastal areas 

between Big Sur and San Francisco Bay. This group 

consisted of approximately 40 tribal groups ranging from 

100 to 250 members. When the Spanish arrived they 

referred to the tribal groups collectively as “Costenos,” 

meaning coastal people. The name was eventually 

changed to “Costanoan.” Native Americans in the San 

Francisco Bay area were referred to as Costanoans for 

years until descendents chose to call themselves Ohlones, 

meaning the abalone people.1

The Ohlones were hunter-gatherers who took 

advantage of the area’s rich natural resources. They 

1,500 1,000 500 0 500 1,000 1,500

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure 

White

77.3%

Two or more races

Other 3.8%

11%

Black

3.9%

Native

0.4%

Asian

3.4%

Pacific Islander

0.1%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Non-Hispanic

76.8%

Hispanic

23.2%
432

hunted large game animals including deer, elk, bear, 

whale, sea lion, otter, and seal. Freshwater and saltwater 

fish were important in the Ohlone diet, such as steelhead, 

salmon, sturgeon, and lamprey. Shellfish were also 

important to the Ohlone including mussels, abalone, 

clams, oysters, and hornshell from local tidelands.2

The Muwekma Ohlone Tribe, one of several Ohlone 

groups, comprises lineages aboriginal to the San 

Francisco Bay region who trace their ancestry through 

the Dolores, Santa Clara, and San Jose missions. The 

aboriginal homeland of the Muwekma Tribe covered 

several counties, including San Mateo County. The 

Muwekma Tribal Council organized between 1982 and 

1984 and is pursuing federal recognition.3

During the 27 years of Mexican rule, what became 

San Mateo County was the site of 17 large ranchos. Two 

years after the Mexican-American War, gold was 

discovered in 1848 and the population of the San 

Francisco peninsula grew rapidly. Many influential 

persons purchased land in the area, building large 

mansions on old Mexican land grants. San Mateo 

County, which had been part of San Francisco County, 

was created in 1856.

Half Moon Bay is the oldest town in San Mateo 

County, dating to 1840. There were so many Spanishspeaking people in the area when the first Americans 

arrived during the Gold Rush, they named the area 

“Spanishtown.” In 1874 the name was changed to Half 

Moon Bay. The twentieth century brought several 

changes. The coastal area, with its hidden coves and fog, 

came alive during Prohibition with rumrunners from 

Canada. Since the 1920s growth in the area has been 

slow and steady. Original farms can be found in the area 

along with miles of sandy beaches, fields, and hiking and 

biking trails along ocean bluffs and ridges. For more 

information on the area see the El Granada, Princeton, 

and San Francisco community profiles.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 62.5% of Half 

Moon Bay’s potential labor force 16 years of age and 

older were employed, 2.6% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 4% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

34.9% were not in the labor force. The top employment 

sectors were management, professional, and related 

occupations (43.2%), sales and office positions (23.2%), 

service occupations (14.7%), and local, state, or federal 

government (12.5%). Natural resource jobs including 

agriculture, forestry, and fishing employed 2.2%, but this 

percentage may be artificially low because many 

2000 Employment structure

Employed

62.5%

Not in labor force

34.9%

Unemployed

2.6%

fishermen are self-employed and are underrepresented in 

these data.

Half Moon Bay’s top six employers in 2000 were 

Nurserymen’s Exchange (600), the Ritz-Carlton (475), 

Bay City Flower Company (375), Cabrillo Unified 

School District (312), Safeway Stores (160), and Seton 

Medical Center Coastside (157).4

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the per capita 

income in 1999 was $37,963, the median household 

income was $78,473, and 6.1% lived below the poverty 

level. In 2000 Half Moon Bay had 4,114 housing units, 

of which 97.3% were occupied and 2.7% were vacant. 

Of the occupied units, 75.4% were by owner and 24.6% 

were by renter. Of the vacant housing, 36.4% were due 

to seasonal, recreational, or occasional use.

Governance

Half Moon Bay incorporated in 1959. The city is 

governed by a mayor, vice mayor, and three city council 

members. Residents pay an 8.25% sales and use tax and 

San Mateo County levies a 10% transient lodging tax.5, 6 

See the Governance subsection (page 43) in the 

Overview section for a more detailed discussion of taxes 

affecting fishermen and processors in California.

The National Marine Fisheries Service’s (NMFS) 

Southwest Fisheries Science Center has laboratories 61 

miles south in Santa Cruz and there is a NMFS Regional 

Office 400 miles south in Long Beach. California 

Department of Fish and Game offices are in Monterey, 

Sacramento, and Bodega Bay. The U.S. Citizenship and 

Immigration Services Center is 30 miles north in San 

Francisco. The Pacific Fishery Management Council 

holds meetings in Forster City, 15 miles northeast. The 

U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Office San Francisco 

Bay, one of the largest and busiest marine safety units in 

the Coast Guard, has jurisdiction over the Half Moon 

Bay coastal area.
433

Facilities

Half Moon Bay is accessible by land, sea, and air. 

The major roads connecting Half Moon Bay to 

neighboring cities are California Highway 1 north to San 

Francisco and south to Santa Cruz, and Interstate 

Highway 280 southeast to San Jose. The Half Moon Bay 

public-use airport is 6 miles north of the city and San 

Francisco International Airport is 12 miles away. The 

San Mateo County Transit District provides SamTrans 

bus service throughout the county and into parts of San 

Francisco and Palo Alto.

The Cabrillo Unified School District serves Half 

Moon Bay and operates four elementary schools, an 

intermediate school, a high school, a continuation school, 

and an adult education program. San Mateo College is 

13 miles northeast in San Mateo and has an enrollment of 

more than 5,000. Freshwater is provided by the 

Coastside County Water District. Sewer Authority MidCoastwide provides wastewater treatment. Pacific Gas 

and Electric supplies electricity and natural gas. The 

closest hospital, St. Catherine’s, is 7 miles north in Moss 

Beach. The Half Moon Bay Police Department 

administers public safety. Additional local facilities 

include a public library, city parks, community centers, 

and several museums and galleries.

The nearest port facilities are one-fourth mile 

northwest at Pillar Point, just outside of Princeton. Pillar 

Point is a working fishing harbor with 369 berths. The 

San Mateo County Harbor District operates South San 

Francisco’s Oyster Point Marina, a 600-berth recreational 

boating marina. The Half Moon Bay Yacht Club is also 

located in Princeton at Pillar Point Harbor.

The San Mateo County Harbor District supports the 

Alliance of Communities for Sustainable Fisheries, a 

recently formed group of fishermen from the four harbors 

that adjoin or lie within the Monterey Bay National 

Marine Sanctuary: Pillar Point, Santa Cruz, Moss 

Landing, and Monterey. Area fishermen participate in 

alliance activities including meetings on the Marine Life 

Protection Act, Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council, 

conferences, and other meetings regarding area fishing.7

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Landings data for Half Moon Bay include records 

from Princeton. Landings in the two communities were 

in the following West Coast fisheries (data shown 

represents landings in metric tons/value of landings/

number of vessels landing): coastal pelagic 319 t/

$53,582/30; crab 165 t/$879,522/72; groundfish 699 t/

$766,728/89; highly migratory species 16.3 t/$36,204/22; 

salmon 350 t/$1,465,453/231; shrimp confidential/

confidential/2; and other species 52 t/$276,978/57.

Half Moon Bay residents owned 15 vessels in 2000 

that participated in West Coast fisheries, of which 13 

participated in the federally managed groundfish fishery. 

The number of vessels owned by Half Moon Bay 

residents that participated in each fishery by state (WA/

OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/0/2, crab 0/0/14, 

groundfish 0/0/NA, highly migratory species NA/0/NA, 

salmon 0/1/16, and shellfish NA/0/NA.8

Eight Half Moon Bay residents held federal 

groundfish fishery permits in 2000. The number of Half 

Moon Bay residents who held permits in each fishery by 

state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/0/5, crab 0/0/

15, groundfish 0/0/5, highly migratory species NA/0/2, 

salmon 0/2/29, shellfish 0/0/NA, and other species 0/0/9.9

In 2000 Half Moon Bay residents held 92 registered 

state and federal permits. The number of permits held by 

these community members in each fishery by state (WA/

OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/0/10, crab 0/0/16, 

groundfish 0/0/6, highly migratory species NA/0/0, 

salmon 0/2/48, shellfish 0/0/NA, and other species 0/0/

10.10

In 2000 one seafood processor, LaRocca’s Seafood 

Specialties, operated in Half Moon Bay. Morgan Moon 

Dabs, a wholesaler and receiver of sanddabs also 

operates in the community. Four processors operate at 

Pillar Point Harbor: Exclusive Fresh Inc. (Princeton), 

Morningstar Fish (Princeton), Three Captains Sea 

Products (Princeton), and North Coast Fisheries Inc. 

(Santa Rosa). Exclusive Fresh buys locally and 

processes and markets catch to San Francisco Bay area 

restaurants and high-end markets. Three Captains buys 

local crab and salmon. See the Princeton and Santa Rosa 

community profiles for additional information.

Sportfishing

Half Moon Bay sport fishermen are involved in 

West Coast and Alaskan fisheries. There are two 

sportfishing license agents located in Half Moon Bay. 

Fieldwork indicates an average of six to eight 

commercial passenger fishing vessels operate out of 

Pillar Point throughout the year.

Subsistence

Local tribal and nontribal community members may 

engage in subsistence fishing in the Half Moon Bay area. 

However, specific information on subsistence fishing in 

Half Moon Bay is not discussed in detail in this 

community profile due to the lack of available data. The 

California Department of Fish and Game uses the term 

“recreational” for fishermen who do not earn revenue 

from their catch, but fish for pleasure or to provide food 
434

for personal consumption. Information on subsistence 

fishing in California is captured to some degree in the 

sportfishing data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 Half Moon Bay residents owned one vessel 

involved in North Pacific fisheries. Community 

members landed fish in the following North Pacific 

fisheries (data shown represents landings in metric tons/

value of said landings/number of vessels landing): Bering 

Sea Aleutian Islands (BSAI) Groundfish (confidential/

confidential/1) and other finfish confidential/

confidential/1. One resident held registered state permits 

and two held registered federal permits.

In 2000 residents held seven registered state 

permits, four groundfish License Limitation Program 

permits, and one BSAI Commercial Fisheries Entry 

Commission permit. One Half Moon Bay resident held a 

crew member license for North Pacific fisheries.

Sportfishing

Half Moon Bay fishermen purchased 29 Alaska 

sportfishing licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. National Park Service. No date. An “unvanished” history. 

Online at http://www.cr.nps.gov/seac/sfprehis.htm [accessed 20 

February 2007].

2. Santa Cruz Public Libraries. 1991. An overview of Ohlone 

culture. Online at http://www.santacruzpl.org/history/spanish/

ohlone.shtml [accessed 20 February 2007].

3. The Muwekma Ohlone Tribe. No date. Muwekma Ohlone 

tribe: A brief history and the federal recognition process. Online at 

http://www.muwekma.org/history/tribe.html [accessed 20 February 

2007].

4. Half Moon Bay Coastside Chamber of Commerce and 

Visitors Bureau. 2002. Employment. Online at http://

www.halfmoonbaychamber.org/community_info/employment.html 

[accessed 20 February 2007].

5. California State Board of Equalization. 2004. California city 

and county sales and use tax rates. Online at http://www.boe.ca.gov/

pdf/pub71.pdf [accessed 20 February 2007].

6. California State Board of Equalization. 2001. California 

counties transient lodging tax revenue, rate and date for the fiscal year 

2000–01. Online at http://www.sco.ca.gov/ard/local/locrep/adhoc/

county/0001cotranslodgtax.pdf [accessed 20 February 2007].

7. San Mateo County Harbor District. 2003. Pillar Point 

Harbor. Online at http://www.smharbor.com/pillarpoint/pppress.htm 

[accessed 20 February 2007).

8. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

9. See note 8.

10. See note 8.
435

Kneeland

People and Place

Location

Kneeland is in Humboldt County, about 12 miles 

east of Humboldt Bay and roughly equidistant (14 miles) 

from Eureka and Arcata. It is approximately 283 miles 

north of San Francisco and 315 miles north of 

Sacramento. Kneeland has no formally defined 

boundaries.1

 The geographic coordinates of Kneeland 

are lat 40°45′41′′N, long 123°59′37′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of Kneeland was 244. The gender composition was 

51.6% female and 48.4% male. The median age in 2000 

was 41.5, higher than the national median of 35.3. Of the 

population 18 years of age and older, 89.3% had a high 

school education or higher, 39% had a bachelor’s degree 

or higher, and 9.6% had a graduate or professional 

degree; the national averages were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 

7.8% respectively.

The majority of the racial structure of Kneeland was 

white, (95.9%), followed by individuals who identified 

with two or more races (1.6%), American Indian and 

Alaskan Native (1.6%), and individuals who identified 

with some other race (0.8). Ethnicity data indicate only 

0.4% identified as Hispanic. A small percentage (2.2%) 

was foreign-born; of which 50% were born in Guatemala.

History

Several Indian groups occupied the Humboldt 

County area before the arrival of Euro-Americans. 

Kneeland lies within the original territory of the Wiyot, 

who relied on salmon, locally harvested roots, and 

marine resources for subsistence. Native groups may 

have used the prairies surrounding Kneeland as hunting 

grounds through the practice of strategic burning. Prior 

to 1860, an estimated 1,500 to 2,000 Wiyot were living in 

the area.2

 By 1920 their numbers had declined to around 

100 due to introduced diseases and deadly conflicts with 

settlers and the military. Today many Wiyot descendants 

live on the Table Bluff Reservation, located 16 miles 

south of nearby Eureka.

The first nonnative explorers entered Humboldt Bay 

in 1806, but the region was not permanently settled by 

Euro-Americans until the 1850s, when the California 

Gold Rush brought a flood of new residents.3 The nearby 

coastal communities of Eureka, Arcata, and Trinidad 

quickly developed as shipping and supply centers for the 

40 30 20 10 0 10 20 30 40

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure

Other

0.8%

White

95.9%

Two or more races

1.6%

Native

1.6%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Hispanic

0.4%

Non-Hispanic

99.6%
436

mining industry. After the gold rush waned, area 

residents began to capitalize on locally abundant timber, 

land, and marine resources, and the region became a 

major center for logging, ranching, and fishing.

The Kneeland area, which is above the timberline 

and dominated by prairie vegetation, attracted settlers 

interested in cattle and sheep ranching. Initially known 

as Kleizer’s Prairie, the area features prime grazing land 

and climate conditions suitable for cultivating hay and 

other fodder crops.4 In 1852 John A. Kneeland and his 

sister Mandana established a ranch in the area, which 

then became known as Kneeland’s Prairie. Other 

ranchers followed suit, taking advantage of lucrative 

markets for meat products in nearby mining and logging 

communities.

The 1850s were marked by heated conflict between 

white settlers and Indians who sought to defend their 

claims to the land surrounding Kneeland. Indian 

resistance was severely undermined when the U.S. Army 

established two stations in the vicinity and began regular 

patrols to defend settler’s ranches. Conflicts among 

squatters also characterized this period until the 

Homestead Act of 1862 established a framework for 

formally settling the area. The early 1860s brought a 

wave of homesteaders from elsewhere in the United 

States and from foreign countries (especially Ireland), but 

many of these settlers sold their land to larger ranching 

operations during a period of consolidation in the 1870s. 

At the turn of the century, several large ranches owned 

by prominent local families dominated the area.

Community interdependence among these isolated 

ranches was fostered by the need to keep roads passable 

and coordinate access to markets for meat and 

agricultural products.5 In 1869 area residents constructed 

the first Kneeland School, which also served as a church 

and a central meeting place. A post office was 

constructed in 1880, and some hotels catering to 

stagecoach passengers traveling from Humboldt Bay to 

San Francisco briefly operated in the 1880s. Beginning 

in the 1940s, extensive commercial logging became an 

important economic activity in the Kneeland area, 

including a short-lived sawmill. In 1962 a small airport 

was constructed in an area that had long been a 

convenient site for emergency landings when weather or 

navigation problems prevented pilots from reaching 

Eureka.

Today Kneeland is a loose collection of horse, 

sheep, and cattle ranches (many still owned by 

descendants of the first Euro-American settler families), 

and rural residences. The community has no central 

commercial district or downtown area, but the Kneeland 

Post Office, Kneeland Elementary School (built in 1952), 

Kneeland Airport, and Kneeland Volunteer Fire 

2000 Employment structure

Employed

72.7%

Unemployed

1%

Not in labor force

26.3%

Department provide services and form a central location 

for community activity. Logging continues in the 

surrounding forested areas by Pacific Lumber and other 

local companies.6

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 72.7% of 

Kneeland’s potential labor force 16 years of age and 

older were employed, 1% was unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 1.3% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

26.3% were not in the labor force. The top employment 

sectors were local, state, or federal government (32.3%), 

education, health, and social services (25.5%), 

construction (11.4%), and manufacturing (9.4%). 

Natural resource jobs including agriculture, forestry, and 

fishing employed 10.1%, but this percentage may be 

artificially low because many fishermen are selfemployed and are underrepresented in these data.

Most Kneeland area residents derive income from 

farming and ranching or commute to jobs in nearby 

Eureka, Arcata, and other Humboldt Bay area 

communities. Fishing, lumber, and tourism are also 

major employers.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Kneeland’s per 

capita income was $22,832 in 1999, comparable to the 

national per capita income of $21,587. The median 

household income was $53,750, higher than the national 

median household income of $41,994. In 1999 0.4% 

lived below the poverty level in 1999, compared to the 

national poverty level of 12.4%. In 2000 Kneeland had 

102 housing units, of which 90.2% were occupied and 

9.8% were vacant. Of the occupied units, 87% were by 

owner and 13% were by renter. Approximately 40% of 
437

the vacant units were for seasonal, recreational, or 

occasional use.

Governance

Kneeland is an unincorporated community within 

the jurisdiction of Humboldt County, whose seat is at 

Eureka (14 miles). The sales tax is 7.25% and Humboldt 

County levies a 10% transient lodging tax. See the 

Governance subsection (page 43) in the Overview 

section for a more detailed discussion of taxes affecting 

fishermen and processors in California.

Kneeland is 669 miles from the Southwest Regional 

Office of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) 

in Long Beach, 320 miles from the NMFS Newport, 

Oregon, field station, and 357 miles from the NMFS 

Santa Cruz laboratory. The nearest California 

Department of Fish and Game field office is in Eureka, 

and the closest U.S. Coast Guard Station is in 

McKinleyville (20 miles). Kneeland is 286 miles from 

the nearest U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services 

Center in San Francisco. The closest meetings of the 

Pacific Fishery Management Council are held in Foster 

City, 307 miles from Kneeland. The nearest North 

Pacific Fishery Management Council meetings are held 

420 miles away in Portland, Oregon.

Facilities

Kneeland is 12 miles east and inland from the 

nearest major thoroughfare, U.S. Highway 101, which 

runs along the edge of Humboldt Bay and passes through 

Eureka and Arcata. A single rural road, Kneeland Road, 

connects the town to the highway. The Kneeland Airport 

has two paved public runaways, and the Arcata/Eureka 

Airport (14 miles) offers carrier flights. The nearest 

major international airport is 272 miles away south of 

San Francisco.

Kneeland has a single elementary school but no 

middle or high school facilities. Students attend middle 

schools in Arcata and Freshwater (5 miles), and high 

schools in Eureka. Pacific Gas and Electric provides 

electricity, and the Kneeland Volunteer Fire Department 

and the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office administer fire 

safety and law enforcement services. There are no water 

or sewer services available in Kneeland; residents rely on 

private wells and septic tanks.7

 The closest health care 

facility is St. Joseph Hospital in Eureka. Kneeland offers 

no lodging, but neighboring communities have a number 

of hotels.

The nearest marine facilities are within the 

Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation, and Conservation 

District in Eureka. These facilities include the Port of 

Humboldt Bay and the Woodley Island Marina. 

Humboldt Bay is the only deepwater port along the West 

Coast between Coos Bay, Oregon, and San Francisco. 

The Port of Humboldt Bay supports four shipping 

terminals that offer a variety of features and services. 

Fairhaven Terminal includes one berth with a 500-foot 

wooden pile dock; Fields Landing Terminal includes one 

berth with a 900-foot dock; Schneider Dock has one 

berth with a 400-foot concrete, unlimited load dock; and 

Sierra Pacific Industries/Eureka Dock has one berth with 

a 475-foot wooden dock.8 The Woodley Island Marina 

provides 237 slips for commercial and recreational 

vessels, guest docking facilities, hoists, work area, café 

and bar, laundry, ships chandlery and boat sales, and 

rentals.9

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 no vessels delivered landings to Kneeland 

and the community had no seafood processors. Kneeland 

residents owned four commercial vessels in 2000, of 

which all participated in the federally managed 

groundfish fishery. The number of vessels owned by 

Kneeland residents in 2000 that participated in each 

fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 0/0/2, 

groundfish 0/0/NA, highly migratory species NA/0/NA, 

salmon 0/1/2, shellfish NA/0/NA, and shrimp NA/0/1.10

In 2000 one community member held a single 

federal groundfish permit. The number of Kneeland 

residents holding permits in each fishery by state (WA/

OR/CA) was: crab 0/0/2, groundfish 0/0/2, highly 

migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 0/1/3, shellfish 0/0/

NA, shrimp 0/0/3, and other species 0/0/1.11

Kneeland residents held 14 registered state 

commercial fishing permits in 2000. The number of state 

permits held by residents in each fishery by state (WA/

OR/CA) was: crab 0/0/2, groundfish 0/0/2, highly 

migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 0/0/5, shellfish 0/0/

NA, shrimp 0/0/4, and other species 0/0/1.12

Sportfishing

In 2002 at least three charter businesses served sport 

fishermen and tourists in Kneeland. Currently no agents 

sell sportfishing licenses in Kneeland. In 2000 Humboldt 

County vendors sold 122,642 resident sportfishing 

licenses, 66 nonresident sportfishing licenses, 9,572 sport 

salmon punch cards, and 2,605 abalone report cards. In 

the northern California port group consisting of Fort 

Bragg, Eureka, and Crescent City, 15 commercial 

passenger fishing vessels served 11,574 anglers in 2000. 

These vessels reported 49,983 landings composed of at 

least nine species. Rockfish (unspecified) and Chinook 
438

salmon accounted for 81.2% and 16.1% of the landings 

respectively.

Subsistence

Local tribal and nontribal community members may 

engage in subsistence fishing in the Kneeland area. The 

California Department of Fish and Game captures those 

fishermen who do not earn revenue from fishing, but use 

it to provide food for personal consumption, under 

“recreational” data. Specific information on subsistence 

fishing in Kneeland is not discussed in detail due to the 

lack of available data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries 

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 no Kneeland residents were involved in 

North Pacific commercial fisheries.

Sportfishing

One Kneeland resident purchased an Alaska 

sportfishing license in 2000.

Notes

1. Field notes, Humboldt County Community Development 

Services, 12 April 2005.

2. Wiyot Tribe. No date. History and culture. Online at http://

www.wiyot.com/history.htm [accessed 21 February 2007].

3. S. Van Kirk. 1999. Humboldt County: A briefest of histories. 

Online at http://www.humboldthistory.org/briefhist.html [accessed 21 

February 2007].

4. R. Cooper. 1987. Kneeland through the years. The 

Humboldt historian, January-February.

5. See note 4.

6. See note 3.

7. Field notes, Humboldt Municipal Water District, 14 April 

2005.

8. Humboldt Bay Harbor. Recreation and Conservation District. 

No date. Port of Humboldt Bay: Shipping terminals. Online at http://

www.humboldtbay.org/portofhumboldtbay/terminals/ [accessed 21 

February 2007].

9. Humboldt Bay Harbor. Recreation and Conservation District. 

No date. Woodley Island Marina: Facilities. Online at http://

www.humboldtbay.org/woodleyislandmarina/ [accessed 21 February 

2007].

10. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

11. See note 10.

12. See note 10.
439

Lafayette

People and Place

Location

Lafayette is in Contra Costa County, 22 miles 

northeast of San Francisco and 75 miles southwest of 

Sacramento. Lafayette covers 15.2 square miles of land. 

Its geographic coordinates are lat 37°53′60′′N, long 

122°05′60′′W.

Demographic Profile

At the time of the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of Lafayette was 23,463, an increase of 1.7% from 1990. 

The gender composition was 51.2% female and 48.8% 

male. The median age in 2000 was 42.3, higher than the 

national median of 35.3. Lafayette had education levels 

significantly higher than the national averages. Of the 

population 18 years of age and older, 97% had a high 

school education or higher, 65.7% had a bachelor’s 

degree or higher, and 28.4% had a graduate or 

professional degree; the national averages were 79.7%, 

22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The majority of the racial structure was white 

(86.8%), followed by Asian (8.2%), individuals who 

identified with two or more races (3.3%), individuals 

who identified with some other race (0.8%), black 

(0.5%), American Indian and Alaskan Native (0.2%), and 

Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (0.1%). 

Ethnicity data indicate 4% identified as Hispanic. Of the 

foreign-born population (10.8%), 17.2% were born in 

China, 11.8% in the United Kingdom, and 6.8% in 

Canada.

In 2000 86.4% of the population lived in family 

households.

History

The first inhabitants of San Francisco Bay Area 

were the Bay Miwok and Costanoan Indians. The 

Costanoan Indians, today known as the Ohlone, lived 

along the coast. Six small Bay Miwok tribes lived along 

the bay and shared a common language but delineated 

separate territories based on local watersheds. The 

Saclan, a subgroup of the Miwok Indians, were 

indigenous to the Lafayette area. The other tribes were 

the Chupcan, Tatcan, Julpun, Volvon, and Ompin.1

 The 

Miwok are known to be the largest “nation” in California 

and it is said a tribal member could travel from the 

Cosumnes River to the Fresno River and be understood 

without difficulty, so uniform was the language.2

3,000 2,000 1,000 0 1,000 2,000 3,000

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure

Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

86.8%

Native

0.2%

Black

0.5%

Asian

8.2%

Two or more races

3.3%

Other

Pacific Islander 0.8%

0.1%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Hispanic

4%

Non-Hispanic

96%
440

In March 1772 Captain Pedro Fages led the first 

Spanish expedition into the area to determine if the bay 

could be circled on land. In 1776 Mission Dolores was 

founded in what is now San Francisco. In 1795 hundreds 

of Saclans from the Lafayette area and Tatcans from the 

Alamo and Danville areas went to Mission Delores. An 

epidemic swept through the mission shortly after they 

arrived, killing many of the Indians. Soon afterwards a 

large number of Saclans left the mission and became part 

of a major organized Indian resistance in the east bay 

area.3

 Resistance to the Spanish included a number of 

small battles between 1795 and 1810. One of the most 

severe conflicts was in 1797 in what is now Lafayette. 

The Saclans fought a two-hour battle and were defeated 

by the Spanish soldiers, who marched their prisoners to 

Mission San Jose.

At the beginning of the nineteenth century, 

approximately 3,000 Miwok lived in about 40 villages; 

each village consisted of 75–100 persons.4 In 1910 the 

Miwok population was estimated at less than 700.5 The 

Miwok traveled in boats made from tule reeds around the 

bay and to Angel Island, the largest island in San 

Francisco Bay.6 The diet of the Bay Miwok consisted 

primarily of nuts, pinole (a meal made of plant seeds), 

roots, fruit, jack rabbit, deer, sea lions, seals, sea otters, 

and several kinds of fish and shellfish including annual 

salmon runs through Raccoon Strait, just offshore from 

Angel Island.7

 Fish were taken by gorge hook (made 

from bone) and spear, dip nets (bags of netting attached 

to wooden frames on a handle), and by narcotization. 

Woven surf nets were used to catch fish along open 

beaches.8, 9

In 1847 Elam Brown, one of the first EuroAmerican settlers in Contra Costa County, led a 14-

family wagon train through Donner Pass. When Brown 

arrived, he purchased a 3,329 acre Mexican land grant 

called Rancho Acalanus, which is now almost all of 

present-day Lafayette. Brown became a farmer and 

eventually established a steam powered mill on Lafayette 

Creek. Once the mill was built, the commercial center of 

Lafayette began to grow. During the 1850s redwood 

lumber was harvested in Canyon and Moraga, and 

Lafayette became an ideal spot for people to rest during 

their journey to Martinez, where the wood was shipped to 

San Francisco. Benjamin Shreve came to the area after 

the gold rush and built and ran Lafayette’s first school. 

In 1857 he became the postmaster and named the town 

La Fayette. In 1932 it was changed to the current 

spelling. Lafayette remained a quiet farming village until 

the post-World War II building boom when many houses 

were built in the area. For more information on the area 

see the El Sobrante and San Francisco community 

profiles.

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

35.2%

Employed

63.8% Unemployed

1%

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 63.8% of 

Lafayette’s potential labor force 16 years of age and 

older were employed, 1% was unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 1.6% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

35.2% were not in the labor force. The primary 

employment sectors were management, professional and 

related occupations (64.3%), sales and office occupations 

(20.1%), local, state, or federal government (12.5%), and 

service occupations (7.8%). Natural resource jobs 

including agriculture, forestry, and fishing employed 

only 0.2%, but this percentage may be artificially low 

because many fishermen are self-employed and are 

underrepresented in these data.

In 2002 Contra Costa’s top five employers were 

Bio-Rad Laboratories, Bookside Hospital, Chevron, 

Color Spot Nurseries, and Contra Costa Community 

College.10

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Lafayette’s per 

capita income in 1999 was $54,319, the median 

household income was $102,107, and 2.9% lived below 

the poverty level. In 2000 Lafayette had 9,334 housing 

units, of which 98.1% were occupied and 1.9% were 

vacant. Of the occupied units, 76.7% were by owner and 

23.3% were by renter. Of the vacant housing, 16.5% 

were due to seasonal, recreational, or occasional use.

Governance

Lafayette incorporated in 1968 and operates under a 

council-manager system where the council appoints the 

city manager. Residents pay a 8.25% sales and use tax 

and Contra Costa County levies a 10% transient lodging 

tax.11, 12 See the Governance subsection (page 43) in the 
441

Overview section for a more detailed discussion of taxes 

affecting fishermen and processors in California.

The National Marine Fisheries Service’s (NMFS) 

Southwest Fisheries Science Center has laboratories 78 

miles south in Santa Cruz and a NMFS Regional Office 

is in Long Beach, 390 miles south. The California 

Department of Fish and Game has a marine field office 

about 43 miles south in Belmont. The nearest U.S. 

Citizenship and Immigration Services is 22 miles 

southwest in San Francisco. Pacific Fishery 

Management Council meetings are held approximately 

41 miles southwest in Foster City. The Lafayette coastal 

region is under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Coast Guard 

(USCG) Marine Safety Office San Francisco Bay, one of 

the largest and busiest marine safety units in the USCG.

Facilities

Lafayette is accessible by land and air. The major 

roads serving Lafayette are California Highway 24 and 

Interstate Highway 80 southwest to San Francisco and 

Interstate Highway 680 south to San Jose. San Francisco 

International Airport is 22 miles southwest of Lafayette. 

The Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District provides bus 

transportation throughout the area. Lafayette also has a 

Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) station providing rail 

service to San Francisco.

The Lafayette School District has an enrollment of 

more than 3,500 in kindergarten through eighth grade. 

The Acalanes Union High School District has four high 

schools, two of which serve the neighborhoods of 

Lafayette. One high school is in Lafayette and the other 

is 5 miles south in Moraga. Diablo Valley College is 5 

miles northeast in Pleasant Hill. The East Bay Municipal 

Utility District provides freshwater and wastewater 

services and Pacific Gas and Electric supplies electricity. 

The Lafayette Police Department administers public 

safety. The nearest hospital, Kaiser Foundation Hospital, 

is 4 miles northeast in Walnut Creek. Additional local 

facilities include the Lafayette Library and Learning 

Center, city parks, and community centers. There are no 

port facilities located in Lafayette; however, the ports of 

Oakland and San Francisco are located 14 and 22 miles 

south respectively.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Landings data for Lafayette were recorded as part of 

the Other San Francisco Bay and San Mateo County 

Ports group, which includes the communities of Alamo, 

Albany, Alviso, Antioch Bridge, Antioch, Benicia, Bird 

Landing, Brentwood, Burlingame, Campbell, China 

Camp, Collinsville, Concord, Crockett, Daly City, 

Danville, El Cerrito, El Sobrante, Emeryville, Fairfield, 

Farallone Island, Fremont, Glen Cove, Hayward, 

Livermore, Los Altos, Los Gatos, Martinez, Martins 

Beach, McNears Point, Moss Beach, Mountain View, 

Napa, Newark, Oakley, Pacifica, Palo Alto, Pescadero, 

Pigeon Point, Pinole, Pittsburg, Pleasant Hill, Pleasanton, 

Point Montara, Point San Pedro, Port Costa, Poster City, 

Redwood City, Rio Vista, Rockaway Beach, Rodeo, San 

Bruno, San Carlos, San Francisco area, San Jose, San 

Leandro, San Mateo, South San Francisco, Suisun City, 

Sunnyvale, Vacaville, Vallejo, Walnut Creek, and 

Yountville.

Reported landings for this port group in 2000 were 

in the following West Coast fisheries (data shown 

represent landings in metric tons/value of said landings/

number of vessels landing): coastal pelagic confidential/

confidential/1; crab confidential/confidential/1; 

groundfish 1 t/$2,112/5; salmon confidential/

confidential/3; shrimp 438 t/$245,851/5; and other 

species 8 t/$16,380/12. No fish processors operate in 

Lafayette. See the San Francisco, El Sobrante, and San 

Jose community profiles for more information.

Lafayette residents owned three vessels in 2000 that 

participated in West Coast fisheries, including one vessel 

that participated in the federally managed groundfish 

fishery. The number of vessels owned by Lafayette 

residents that participated in each fishery by state (WA/

OR/CA) was: crab 0/0/2, groundfish 0/0/NA, highly 

migratory species NA/0/NA, salmon 0/1/2, shellfish NA/

0/NA, shrimp NA/0/0, and other species 0/0/1.13

One Lafayette resident held a single federal 

groundfish fishery permit in 2000. The number of 

Lafayette residents holding permits in each fishery by 

state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 0/0/2, highly migratory 

species NA/0/0, salmon 0/1/7, shellfish 0/0/NA, and 

other species 0/0/2.14

According to available data, 15 state permits were 

registered to Lafayette residents in 2000. The number of 

permits held by these community members in each 

fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 0/0/2, highly 

migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 0/1/10, shellfish 0/0/

NA, and other species 0/0/2.15

Sportfishing

Lafayette sport fishermen are involved in both West 

Coast and Alaska fisheries. There are two sportfishing 

license agents located in the community.

Subsistence

Specific information on subsistence fishing in 

Lafayette is not discussed in detail in this community 

profile due to the lack of available data. The California 
442

Department of Fish and Game uses the term 

“recreational” for fishermen who do not earn revenue 

from their catch, but fish for pleasure or to provide food 

for personal consumption. Information on subsistence 

fishing in California is captured to some degree in the 

sportfishing data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing 

In 2000 one Lafayette resident held a single 

registered state permit, a salmon Commercial Fisheries 

Entry Commission permit. Two residents held crew 

member licenses for North Pacific fisheries in 2000.

Sportfishing

Lafayette residents purchased 76 Alaska 

sportfishing licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. D. Cuff. 2003. Scholars shed light on ancient residents. 

Contra Costa Times, September 20.

2. Access Genealogy. 2004. California Indian tribes. Online at 

http://www.accessgenealogy.com/native/tribes/californiatribes.htm 

[accessed 21 February 2007].

3. City of San Ramon. No date. The sword and the cross: The 

Hispanic era in San Ramon Valley from 1772–1830. Online at http://

www.ci.san-ramon.ca.us/srhistory/sword1.html [accessed 21 February 

2007].

4. Rohnert Park Historical Society. 2000. Miwok villages. 

Online at http://www.rphist.org/html/miwok.html [accessed 21 

February 2007].

5. E. Curtis. 1924. The Miwok. Online at http://

www.yosemite.ca.us/history/curtis/ [accessed 21 February 2007].

6. Angel Island Association. 2003. Miwok information. Online 

at http://www.angelisland.org/miwok.htm [accessed 21 February 

2007].

7. See note 6.

8. See note 5.

9. Miwok Archeological Preserve of Marin. No date. History 

of the Coast Miwok at Point Reyes. Online at http://

www.pointreyesvisions.com/NewFiles/Science_Folder/Coast

_Miwok.html [accessed 21 February 2007].

10. California Employment Development Department. 2002. 

Major employers in Contra Costa County. Online at http://

www.labormarketinfo.edd.ca.gov/cgi/databrowsing/

?PAGEID=4&SUBID=131 [accessed 21 February 2007].

11. California State Board of Equalization. 2004. California 

city and county sales and use tax rates. Online at http://www.boe.ca

.gov/pdf/pub71.pdf [accessed 21 February 2007].

12. California State Board of Equalization. 2001. California 

counties transient lodging tax revenue, rate and date for the fiscal year 

2000-01. Online at http://www.sco.ca.gov/ard/local/locrep/adhoc/

county/0001cotranslodgtax.pdf [accessed 21 February 2007].

13. NA refers to data which were not available, for example, due 

to few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted 

nature of a fishery in 2000.

14. See note 13.

15. See note 13.
443

Long Beach

People and Place

Location

Long Beach is just south of Los Angeles along 

California Highway 1 near the Los Angeles Harbor. 

Located in Los Angeles County, the city covers 50.44 

square miles of land and 15.43 square miles of water. 

The geographic coordinates of Long Beach are lat 

33°46′01′′N, long 118°11′18′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of Long Beach was 461,522, a 7.5% increase from 1990. 

The gender composition was 50.9% female and 49.1% 

male. The median age was 30.8, lower than the national 

median of 35.3. About 49.2% were between the ages of 

22 and 54. Of the population 18 years of age and older, 

71.9% had a high school education or higher, 21.2% had 

a bachelor’s degree or higher, and 7% had a graduate or 

professional degree; the national averages were 79.7%, 

22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The racial structure was predominantly white 

(45.2%), followed by individuals who identified with 

some other race (20.6%), black (14.9%), Asian (12%), 

individuals who identified with two or more races 

(5.3%), Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 

(1.2%), and American Indian and Alaska Native (0.8%). 

Ethnicity data indicate 35.8% identified as Hispanic. 

About 28.6% were foreign-born, with 51% born in 

Mexico and 10.3% in the Philippines.

In 2000 79.8% of the population lived in family 

households.

History

The Chumash Indians were among the earliest to 

inhabit the greater Los Angeles area, first settling there 

between 5,000 and 2,000 BP.1, 2

 The Chumash relied 

heavily on a maritime economy. By 500 AD, the Tongva 

Indians arrived in Southern California from the Mojave 

Desert. At the onset of European migration into North 

America, an estimated 300,000 Native Americans lived 

in California. This number was drastically reduced as 

European diseases killed two-thirds of the Indian 

population during the colonial era.3

 The Chumash 

became known as Gabrielenos because of their 

association with the San Gabriel Mission. Today the 

Gabrieleno/Tongva Tribe is headquartered in San 

Gabriel. The tribe has sought federal recognition since 

1994 and may obtain federally recognized fishing rights 

50,000 40,000 30,000 20,000 10,000 0 10,000 20,000 30,000 40,000

Number of Individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure

Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

45.2%

Two or more races

5.3%

Other

Pacific Islander 20.6%

1.2%

Asian

12%

Black

14.9%

Native

0.8%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Hispanic

35.8%

Non-Hispanic

64.2%
444

because its historic use of marine resources is well 

documented. In 1542 before the Spaniard Juan 

Rodriguez Cabrillo landed on the California coast, he 

was met by Tongva Indians on their boats. Cabrillo was 

the first European to enter what would become Los 

Angeles.4, 5

After growing as a seaside resort—subsequent to its 

history as a prime ranching region throughout the 

1800s—Long Beach became a booming port town. Long 

Beach is now California’s fifth largest city. The 

combination of location, climate, shoreline beauty, and 

Southern California lifestyle has attracted high levels of 

trade, tourism, and industry. The community’s fishing 

history is closely linked to Los Angeles, the urban hub of 

the region. Significant regional networks exist between 

Long Beach and other communities that satellite the 

metropolitan area, such as Long Beach’s once large 

Japanese-American population who worked in fish 

canneries on Terminal Island.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 55.9% of Long 

Beach’s potential labor force 16 years of age and older 

were employed, 5.8% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 9.4% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

38.3% were not in the labor force. The top employment 

sectors were education, health, and social services 

(21.1%), local, state, or federal government (15.9%), 

manufacturing (14.4%), retail trade (10.3%), and arts, 

entertainment, recreation, accommodations, and food 

services (8.6%). Natural resource jobs including 

agriculture, forestry, and fishing employed less than one 

percent (0.1%), but this may be artificially low because 

many fishermen are self-employed and underrepresented 

in the data.

The Long Beach Community Development 

Department lists Long Beach Unified School District, 

The Boeing Company, the City of Long Beach, 

California State University at Long Beach, and Long 

Beach Memorial Medical Center as the city’s top five 

employers.6

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Long Beach’s 

per capita income in 1999 was $19,040 and the median 

household income was $37,270. About 22.8% lived 

below the poverty level compared to the national average 

of 12.4%. In 2000 Long Beach had 171,632 housing 

units, of which 95% were occupied and 5% were vacant. 

Of the occupied units, 41.1% were by owner and 59% 

were by renter. Of the vacant units, 49.1% were for rent 

and 17.3% were for sale.

2000 Employment structure

Unemployed

5.8%

Not in labor force

38.3%

Employed

55.9%

Governance

Long Beach is a charter city with a mayor-council 

government. The mayor is elected at-large and the nine 

council members each represent a district. Long Beach 

has a 8.25% sales and use tax and Los Angeles County 

levies a 12% transient lodging tax that earned 

$10,202,899 in fiscal year 2001.7 See the Governance 

subsection (page 43) in the Overview section for a more 

detailed discussion of taxes affecting fishermen and 

processors in California.

A California Department of Fish and Game Marine 

Region field office is 12 miles away in Los Alamitos. 

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s 

Southwest Regional Office is in Long Beach. Eight 

Coast Guard vessels are stationed at the U.S. Coast 

Guard Marine Safety Office/Group Los Angeles–Long 

Beach in San Pedro. Del Mar and San Diego, the nearest 

cities that hold Pacific Fishery Management Council 

meetings, are approximately 92 miles and 110 miles 

away respectively. There is a U.S. Citizenship and 

Immigration Services District Office in Los Angeles.

Facilities

Long Beach is south of Los Angeles and is 

accessible by several highways. Long Beach Airport, 

midway between Los Angeles and Orange County, is a 

general aviation airport that also serves privately owned 

aircraft. The airport offers a full array of aviation 

support, manufacturing, and business services.

The Long Beach Unified School District serves the 

cities of Long Beach, Lakewood, Signal Hill, and Avalon 

on Catalina Island, and has 95 schools. The district 

employs more than 8,000 people, making it the city’s 

largest employer.8

 The Long Beach Police Department 

and Long Beach Health and Human Services provide 

public safety and health services. The city administers 
445

gas, water, wastewater, and refuse services. Long Beach 

has an extensive tourism industry with a well-established 

infrastructure catering to a multitude of tourism 

activities.

The Long Beach Harbor Department, which 

operates under the Board of Harbor Commissioners, 

manages the Port of Long Beach, one of the largest ports 

on the West Coast. Nearly $100 billion in international 

trade—90% from East Asia—moves through the port 

each year. Funding for port development and 

maintenance comes from shipping terminals leased to 

private firms; taxpayers do not fund port operations. The 

port, established in 1911, encompasses more than 3,000 

acres of land and has plans for expansion. The 

commissioners have adopted a Green Port Policy, 

making environmental protection a top priority.9 The 

port’s Small Business Enterprise Program was initiated 

so the port and the Metropolitan Water District (MWD) 

can share small business contractor information. The 

MWD operates one of the region’s most successful small 

business outreach programs with more than 2,000 

businesses participating.10

The Long Beach Marina accommodates recreational 

vessels from 18 to 90 feet and commercial vessels up to 

200 feet. Most of the slips are constructed of wood and 

come with a private dock box, water, and power. A 

rebuilding project is underway to replace the wood docks 

with concrete docks. Eight launch ramps and extensive 

dry dock facilities are also available. Both the marina 

slips and dry docks usually have long waiting lists.11

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

At least three seafood processors operated in Long 

Beach in 2000, producing primarily salmon and halibut 

steaks, tuna fillets, and sea urchin roe. Specific 

information on the pounds of product and value is 

confidential.

In 2000 landings were delivered to Long Beach by 

32 vessels, all commercially registered. Landings were 

made in the following West Coast fisheries (data shown 

represents landings in metric tons/value of landings/

number of vessels landing): groundfish confidential/

confidential/3; highly migratory species 3.8 t/$18,453/

confidential; and other species 3.2 t/$14,080/6.

Long Beach residents owned 23 commercial vessels 

in 2000, of which 8 participated in the federally managed 

groundfish fishery. The number of vessels owned by 

residents in 2000 that participated in each fishery by state 

(WA/OR/CA) was: groundfish 0/0/NA, highly migratory 

species NA/0/NA, salmon 0/0/1, shellfish NA/0/NA, 

shrimp NA/0/2, and other species 0/0/2.12

In 2000 no residents held federal groundfish 

permits. The number of Long Beach residents holding 

permits in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

coastal pelagic 0/0/1, groundfish 0/0/12, highly 

migratory species NA/0/6, salmon 0/0/3, shellfish 0/0/

NA, shrimp 0/0/7, and other species 0/0/53.13

Long Beach residents held at least 123 commercial 

fishing permits, all state registered. The number of state 

permits held by Long Beach residents in each fishery by 

state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/0/3, 

groundfish 0/0/15, highly migratory species NA/0/8, 

salmon 0/0/4, shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 0/0/10, and other 

species 0/0/83.14

Sportfishing

A number of charter vessels operate out of Long 

Beach targeting sea bass, rockfish, and flatfish, among 

others. Many also offer seasonal whale watching tours. 

In 2002 at least nine charter businesses served sport 

fishermen and tourists. Ten license agents sold 

sportfishing licenses in Long Beach. In 2000 vendors in 

Los Angeles County sold 76,385 resident sportfishing 

licenses, 59 nonresident sportfishing licenses, 164 sport 

salmon punch cards, and 174 abalone report cards. In 

2000 54 commercial passenger fishing vessels served 

148,977 anglers in the Seal Beach, Long Beach, and San 

Pedro port group. The vessels reported 883,806 landings 

composed of more than two dozen species. Sea bass 

(various species), barracuda, flatfishes (unspecified), and 

rockfishes (unspecified) accounted for 47.6%, 14.1%, 

10.4%, and 9.2% of the landings respectively.

Subsistence

Local tribal and nontribal community members may 

engage in subsistence fishing in the Long Beach area, 

however, specific information on subsistence fishing is 

not discussed in detail due to the lack of available data. 

The California Department of Fish and Game uses the 

term “recreational” for fishermen who do not earn 

revenue from their catch but fish for pleasure or to 

provide food for personal consumption. Information on 

subsistence fishing in California is captured to some 

degree in the sportfishing data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 one Long Beach resident held a single state 

permit, an Alaska Commercial Fisheries Entry 

Commission salmon permit. Eight Long Beach residents 

held crew member licenses for North Pacific fisheries.
446

Sportfishing

Long Beach residents purchased 314 Alaska 

sportfishing licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. 2002. 

Chumash Indian life. Online at http://www.sbnature.org/research/

anthro/chumash/index.htm [accessed 21 February 2007]

2. Los Angeles Almanac. 2004. Los Angeles County-Prehistory to 1799. Online at http://www.laalmanac.com/history/

hi01a.htm [accessed 21 February 2007].

3. U.S. Geological Survey. 2004. Regional trends in biological 

resources: California. Online at http://biology.usgs.gov/s+t/SNT/

noframe/ca162.htm [accessed 21 February 2007].

4. Los Angeles Almanac. 2004. Where did the name Los 

Angeles come from? Online at http://www.laalmanac.com/history/

hi03a.htm [accessed 21 February 2007].

5. Gabrieleno/Tongva. 2004. Gabrieleno/Tongva. Online at 

http://www.tongva.com/ [accessed 21 February 2007].

6. City of Long Beach. 2004. Community development 

department: Economic development. Online at http://www.longbeach

.gov/search/default.asp [accessed 21 February 2007].

7. State of California. 2004. California counties transient 

lodging tax revenue. Online at http://www.sco.ca.gov/ard/local/

locrep/adhoc/county/0001cotranslodgtax.pdf [accessed 21 February 

2007].

8. Long Beach Unified School District. No date. About the 

district. Online at http://www.lbusd.k12.ca.us/district/AboutLBUSD

.asp [accessed 21 February 2007].

9. The Port of Long Beach. 2005. Board adopts sweeping 

environmental policy: Guidelines formalize Long Beach as “green 

port.” Online at http://www.polb.com/html/1_about/news5.html 

[accessed 21 February 2007].

10. The City of Long Beach California. No date. Port reaches 

out to small businesses. Online at http://www.longbeach.gov/news/

displaynews.asp?NewsID=867 [accessed 21 February 2007].

11. City of Long Beach California. No date. Long Beach 

marine bureau. Online at http://www.longbeach.gov/park/marine.asp 

[accessed February 2005].

12. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

13. See note 12.

14. See note 12.
447

Los Angeles (including San Pedro and Terminal Island)

Though San Pedro and Terminal Island are essential 

to the commercial fishing industry in the Los Angeles 

area, the U.S. Census Bureau has not officially 

designated the communities affiliated with San Pedro and 

Terminal Island as “census designated places.”

This profile begins with data and historical 

descriptions for the greater Los Angeles area, then has 

subprofiles describing San Pedro and Terminal Island.

People and Place

Location

Los Angeles is in Los Angeles County in southern 

California about 121 miles north of San Diego and 383 

miles south of San Francisco. Los Angeles is a diverse 

geographic area, a desert basin surrounded by the San 

Gabriel Mountains. The city encompasses 469 square 

miles of land and 29.2 square miles of water. The 

geographic coordinates of Los Angeles are lat 

34°03′08′′N, long 118°14′34′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of Los Angeles was 3,694,820. The population has 

increased by at least 200,000 each decade since the 1900 

U.S. Census. Its population expanded by 4.8% during 

the 1970s and by 6% from 1990 to 2000.1

The gender composition was 50.2% female and 

49.8% male. The median age in 2000 was 36.1, 

comparable to the national median of 35.3. Of the 

population 18 years of age and older, 66.1% had a high 

school education or higher, 22.9% had a bachelor’s 

degree or higher, and 7.8% had a graduate or professional 

degrees; the national averages were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 

7.8% respectively.

The racial structure was predominantly white 

(46.9%), followed by individuals who identified with 

some other race (25.7%), black (11.2%), Asian (10.0%), 

individuals who identified with two or more races 

(5.2%), American Indian and Native Alaskan (0.8%), and 

Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (0.2%). In 

2000 46.5% identified as Hispanic and 40.9% were 

foreign-born.

In 2000 80.7% of the population lived in family 

households.

History

The Chumash Indians were one of the earliest 

peoples to inhabit the greater Los Angeles area, settling 

there between 5000 and 2000 BP.2, 3

 They relied heavily 

400,000300,000 200,000100,000 0 100,000200,000 300,000400,000

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure

Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

46.9%

Two or more races

5.2%

Other

25.7%

Pacific Islander

0.2%

Black

11.2%

Native

0.8%

Asian

10%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Hispanic

46.5% Non-Hispanic

53.5%
448

on a maritime economy (e.g., gathering and fishing). The 

Chumash later became known as Gabrielenos because of 

their association with the San Gabriel Mission. By 500 

AD, the Tongva Indians had arrived in Southern 

California from the Mojave Desert. At the onset of EuroAmerican contact, an estimated 300,000 Indians lived in 

California. This number declined drastically as European 

diseases killed two-thirds of the Indian population during 

the colonial era.4 Today the Gabrieleno/Tongva Tribe is 

headquartered in San Gabriel. The tribe has sought 

federal recognition since 1994 and may obtain federally 

recognized fishing rights because its historic use of 

marine resources is well known. In 1542 Spaniard Juan 

Rodriguez Cabrillo landed on the California coast and 

was met by Tongva Indians on their boats. Cabrillo was 

the first European to enter what would become the Los 

Angeles area.5, 6

Development of the area originated under Spanish 

rule in the late 1700s. San Pedro, a coastal community 

located at the entrance to Los Angeles harbor, has been 

the heart of its port area since that time. Although the 

Spanish restricted trade to two ships per year, San Pedro 

expanded, partially as a result of smuggling. San Pedro 

grew even more dramatically under Mexican rule. As 

Spanish trade restrictions were lifted, settlers were drawn 

to the area and commerce in San Pedro increased.7

In 1818 American Joseph Chapman landed a small 

vessel in San Pedro and became the first Englishspeaking person to settle in Los Angeles.8

 In 1820 the 

community had a population of 650 and the Los Angeles 

County area had 3,614. By 1848 the Mexican-American 

War had ended and California was ceded to the United 

States. By 1870 white residents outnumbered Indians 

and Hispanics for the first time

In the latter part of the 1800s, the relationship 

between San Pedro and Los Angeles strengthened when 

the two communities were connected by rail to the East 

Coast.9

 Congress appropriated $3.9 million to build an 

artificial harbor at San Pedro. The Port of San Pedro 

entered the modern era with the completion of its harbor 

jetty. A federal panel selected it over Santa Monica and 

Redondo Beach to become the new deepwater port for 

Los Angeles.10 Although San Pedro had been an active 

port for more than 100 years, it was not until 1907 that 

the Port of Los Angeles was officially founded with the 

creation of the Los Angeles Board of Harbor 

Commissioners.11

The turn of the century brought a wave of change to 

the greater Los Angeles area. The Owens Valley Water 

Project was completed amidst much debate and 

controversy. The project redistributed water once used 

for agriculture to urban purposes. The first Japanese 

arrived in Los Angeles to fish and started the seafood 

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

39.8%

Unemployed

5.6%

Employed

54.6%

canning industry. Los Angeles annexed San Pedro along 

with Wilmington and Harbor City. In 1914 heavy 

flooding caused extensive damage to the city and its 

harbor. Los Angeles population reached 1 million by 

1924. By 1940 Los Angeles was the largest commercial 

fishing port in the nation.

By 1985 the port was handling 1 million cargo 

containers per year. In 1986 the port opened an 

intermodal container facility enabling the quick transfer 

of containers from vessels to trains. The port’s success 

did not come without consequences. In the late 1980s 

pollution in the Los Angeles Bay spurred the formation 

of a citizen’s group named Heal the Bay. In 1990 the 

Port of Los Angeles surged ahead of the Port of New 

York as the nation’s busiest seaport.

The significance of the Port of Los Angeles to the 

City of Los Angeles and the region cannot be 

understated. Port activities are responsible for 259,000 

jobs in Southern California. The Port of Los Angeles and 

the Port of Long Beach handle 25% of the cargo coming 

into the U.S. West Coast. In 2001 the port generated $1.4 

billion in state and local tax revenue. It is currently the 

busiest port in the U.S. and the fifth busiest port complex 

in the world.12

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 54.6% of Los 

Angeles’s potential labor force 16 years of age and older 

were employed, 5.6% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 9.3% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force), compared to 

the national jobless rate of 5.7%. In addition, 39.8% 

were not in the labor force.

The California Economic Development Department 

listed six employers as major employers for the City of 
449

Los Angeles: Northrop Grumman Corporation (aircraft 

and parts), Ralph's Grocery Company (grocery stores), 

Southern California Edison (electric service), Times 

Mirror Company (newspapers), and the University of 

California Los Angeles and University of Southern 

California.13 In 2000 local, state, or federal government 

employed 10.6% of the population and the armed forces 

accounted for 0.1% of the labor force. Natural resource 

jobs including agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting 

employed only 0.2%, but this percentage may be 

artificially low because many fishermen are selfemployed and are underrepresented in the data.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the per capita 

income for Los Angeles in 1999 was $20,671 and the 

median household income was $36,687. About 22.1% 

lived below poverty level compared to the national 

average of 12.4%. In 2000 Los Angeles had 1,337,706 

housing units, of which 95.3% were occupied and 4.7% 

were vacant. Of the occupied units, 38.6% were by 

owner and 61.4% were by renter. About 45.8% of the 

vacant housing units were for rent and another 14.5% 

were “for sale only.”

Governance

Los Angeles was founded in 1781 and incorporated 

in April 1850. It is a charter city that operates under a 

council-city manager government.14 Los Angeles has a 

15-member council and mayor, all elected.15 Residents 

pay an 8.25% sales and use tax rate, and Los Angeles 

County levies a 12% transient lodging tax, which earned 

$10,202,899 for fiscal year 2001.16 See the Governance 

subsection (page 43) in the Overview section for a more 

detailed discussion of taxes affecting fishermen and 

processors in California.

A California Department of Fish and Game Marine 

Region field office is 25 miles away in Los Alamitos. 

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s 

Southwest Regional office is in Long Beach. Eight U.S. 

Coast Guard vessels are stationed at the USCG Marine 

Safety Office/Group Los Angeles–Long Beach located in 

San Pedro. Del Mar and San Diego, approximately 102 

miles and 120 miles away respectively, are the nearest 

cities that hold Pacific Fishery Management Council 

meetings. Los Angeles has a U.S. Citizenship and 

Immigration Services District Office.

Facilities

Los Angeles is accessible by land, sea, and air. 

Interstate highways 5, 10, and 110 contribute to the 527 

freeway miles in the city. Seventeen Amtrak trains serve 

the city’s Union Station, making it the nation’s eighth 

busiest Amtrak station. Los Angeles International 

Airport (LAX), ranks third in the world based on 

passenger volume. Ontario International Airport, Bob 

Hope Airport, and Long Beach Airport also serve the 

area.17

The Port of Los Angeles is 20 miles south of 

downtown Los Angeles in San Pedro Bay. The port 

complex stretches along 43 miles of waterfront and 

occupies 7,500 acres, of which 3,300 are water.18 The 

port is a department of the city under the direction of a 

five-member Board of Harbor Commissioners appointed 

by the mayor.19 The port has 29 state-of-the-art cargo 

facilities and five intermodal rail yards.20

There are also several recreational facilities 

affiliated with the Los Angeles port complex. Cabrillo 

Marina holds 1,100 recreational vessels. The Cabrillo 

Beach area includes a popular swimming beach, three 

museums, the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, and the S.S. 

Lane Victory—a national historic landmark. The area 

also offers harbor cruises and whale-watching tours.21 

Los Angeles’ World Cruise Center is the primary cruise 

passenger terminal on the West Coast, and can handle the 

world’s largest cruise ships.22 In 1997 the 47-acre 

terminal island transfer facility was completed allowing 

the direct transfer of containers from ships to trains.23

People and Place—San Pedro

Location

The community of San Pedro is on California’s 

southern coast within the city limits of Los Angeles. San 

Pedro covers an area of 11.4 square miles and is located 

at 33°44′09′′N and 118°17′29′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, San Pedro’s 

population was 76,028, an increase of 6% from 1990. 

The gender composition was 51% female and 49% male. 

About 35% were between the ages of 35 and 59. Of the 

population 18 years of age and older, 75% had a high 

school education or higher, 22% had a bachelor’s degree 

or higher, and 7% had a graduate or professional degree; 

the national averages were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% 

respectively.

The racial structure was predominantly white 

(45%), followed by black (6%), Asian (5%), individuals 

who identified with two or more races (3%), Native 

American and Alaska Native (0.4%), Native Hawaiian 

and Other Pacific Islander (0.3%), and individuals who 

identified with some other race (0.2%). Ethnicity data 

indicate 41% identified as Hispanic, and 24% were 

foreign-born.

In 2000 78.4% of the population lived in family 

housing.
450

History

In 1851 a local entrepreneur, Phineas Banning, 

initiated construction of a small wharf and warehouse in 

San Pedro. Banning later became known as “the father 

of Los Angeles Harbor.”24 In 1871 Congress called for 

the dredging of the main channel to a depth of 10 feet and 

the construction of a breakwater. Commerce in lumber 

and coal at the Port of San Pedro began to boom and by 

1885, 500,000 tons of cargo moved through the port 

annually. By the turn of the century, boat building, 

fishing, and canning had blossomed. In 1907 the Port of 

San Pedro became part of the newly created Port of Los 

Angeles.25, 26

Prior to World War I the first submarine base on the 

West Coast was constructed in San Pedro. Commerce 

declined sharply during the Great Depression, but with 

the onset of World War II, the Port of Los Angeles 

thrived again as a shipping center for military equipment. 

The port also served as a submarine base during the war. 

Although fishing has declined since the 1950s and 1960s, 

the Port of Los Angeles is the busiest U.S. port and the 

fifth busiest port complex in the world.

California’s commercial fishing industry began 

during the 1800s, initiated primarily by Asian 

immigrants. Chinese settlers began diving for abalone on 

Southern California’s coast around 1850. Abalone meat 

was typically exported to markets in Asia and the shells 

were sent to Europe. The industry was quite successful 

and, at the turn of the century, California’s coastal 

counties banned abalone harvests in ocean depths less 

than 20 feet due overexploitation. Dive technology in 

this era was not advanced enough to support diving in 

deeper water and the ban temporarily closed the Chinese 

abalone industry.

Eventually Japanese divers, who developed an 

improved dive system using compressed air and enclosed 

helmets, were able to transition the abalone industry to 

deeper water. These divers focused on White Point, 

northwest of San Pedro’s coast, and within several years 

set up a more permanent camp on Terminal Island. This 

eventually became a major settlement for Japanese 

fishermen.

One of the earliest West Coast sardine fisheries also 

developed in San Pedro. The first sardine processing 

plant was established in 1893 by Chinese fishermen. By 

1907 about 150 Japanese were fishing out of Terminal 

Island and processing sardines, mackerel, and abalone. 

Commercial fishermen from the area traveled as far south 

as Peru for sardines.27

In the 1920s European immigrants with rich fishing 

histories of their own from Italy, Portugal, Yugoslavia, 

and Scandinavian countries among others came to San 

Pedro. Each group introduced its own fishing 

technologies. San Pedro and Southern California in 

general became home for a variety of gear types, 

including gill nets, purse seines, longline gear, and 

lampara gear. The versatility of the various gear types 

enabled the fishing industry to thrive. As a particular fish 

species fluctuated in value and volume, San Pedro’s 

fishermen could transfer harvest efforts to other species.

San Pedro was founded on income from fishing 

(including canneries and processors) and commercial 

freight industries. In 1935 6,000 people were directly 

employed in the fishing industry, and its aggregate 

payroll was the largest in San Pedro, approximately 

$750,000 per month.28 It was typical for entire families 

to work in the industry. As a Los Angeles Times article 

noted, “at its height ... Los Angeles harbor had 18 

canneries and provided jobs for 17,000 people who 

processed the catches of 2,000 fishermen who cruised up 

and down the California coast, and south to Mexico, 

South America and Central America from San Pedro, the 

Los Angeles’ port community.”29

The fishing industry waxed and waned as landings 

of abalone, sardines, tuna, and squid rose and fell. 

Coastal pelagic species (including mackerel, market 

squid, sardines, and anchovies) have become a major 

focus of Southern California’s fisheries in recent years.30 

In Southern California these species are frequently 

referred to as “wetfish” because they are often packaged 

immediately after harvest (i.e., still wet from the ocean). 

These fish are typically caught with purse seine nets, a 

gear type that captures large schools of fish quickly and 

efficiently. While San Pedro has seen many different 

gear types, purse seine fishermen were historically 

present in large numbers. Estimates of the San Pedro 

purse seine fleet were as high as 140 to 200 vessels 

during the 1930s to the 1950s. Yugoslavians and Italians 

made up a large portion of the fishermen in this fleet.31, 32

During the last 40 years, a variety of interrelated 

ecological, regulatory, and economic changes have 

contributed to dramatic impacts on San Pedro’s fishing 

industry. As biological awareness improves, federal 

regulations have increasingly limited access to these 

fisheries by implementing more stringent license 

requirements and by prohibiting access to overfished 

species. In some cases this transition has resulted in 

globalization of the seafood market. Southern 

Californian fishermen may be at an economic 

disadvantage to overseas competitors. For example, 

Latin American and Asian fishing industries can deliver 

fish at lower costs because labor costs are generally 

cheaper and they often face a less constrictive regulatory 

system. As a result, many of San Pedro’s canneries 

relocated overseas in the 1970s.33 At the same time, 

fishermen encountered a reduced local demand for their 
451

catch. Fishermen found they could no longer make a 

living and their numbers declined.34

Field work in 2004 revealed the number of 

commercial fishermen in San Pedro has dropped 

significantly since the 1960s and the variation in gear 

types has consolidated. Currently, seiners and gillnetters 

make up the largest contingent of fishermen. Longliners 

have faced substantial reductions and the area’s dive fleet 

has dwindled to only a few regularly active vessels.

While the area’s commercial fishermen have 

struggled over the last 40 years, the region’s sportfishing 

industry has grown. Some commercial fishermen 

express frustration regarding their sportfishing 

counterparts, asserting state and federal policy makers 

favor sport fishermen over commercial fishermen 

because sport fishermen produce larger tax and permit 

revenues.

A recent study of 21 vessels conducted by scientists 

at the University of Southern California’s Wrigley 

Institute for Environmental Study revealed these boats 

were generally owned by the same persons for long 

periods of time (sometimes passed down), captained by 

second generation fishermen, and that the local 

wetfishing industry was very much a familial enterprise. 

It is feared competition generated by out-of-state 

fishermen, an increasingly stringent regulatory system, 

and a rise in costs may contribute to the end of San 

Pedro’s traditional purse seine fleet. Given the fleet’s 

rich history in San Pedro, such a loss could create a 

cultural and economic challenge. For example, the fleet 

generated more than $11 million in gross revenues in 

2000 and much of the money stayed in the area.35

As the regulatory and economic landscape of 

Southern California’s fishing industry has changed in 

recent decades, so has the associated labor force. During 

the site visit, it was evident many European immigrants 

and their descendents have left the industry to pursue 

more stable sources of income. Those who have 

remained have transitioned into executive positions in the 

industry as owners, captains, and managers. Latin 

Americans (particularly those from Mexico) and Asian 

immigrants have filled the vacant labor positions. These 

jobs, considered low paying, unstable, and grueling to 

second and third generation Americans, are viewed 

favorably by the new immigrants. They stay in the 

positions for several months to several years. This 

temporary labor source is recognized as very useful.

San Pedro’s wetfish fishermen and industry leaders 

have offered suggestions which they believe may 

improve the current regulatory system. A key concern is 

improving official representation for the interests of 

fishermen, particularly regarding closures, licensing 

changes, and development of new marine protected 

areas. Fishermen also want more transparency in the 

research and policy process.

Infrastructure—San Pedro

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 17% of San 

Pedro’s population was living below the poverty level in 

1999, compared to the 12.4% national average.36 San 

Pedro had 30,745 housing units in 2000, of which 94% 

were occupied and 6% were vacant. Of the occupied 

units, 43% were by owner and 57% were by renter.

Governance

San Pedro is in Los Angeles’ Fifteenth City Council 

District, which also encompasses Harbor-Gateway, an 

approximately 16 mile strip running from central Los 

Angeles to the port area, as well as the WilmingtonHarbor City area and a portion of Terminal Island. The 

district is represented by a council person on the city’s 

15-member council. Los Angeles is a charter city that 

incorporated in 1850.37 Charter cities differ from general 

law cities because charter cities allow the citizenry more 

official access to the city’s operations (e.g., laws, 

governing bodies). A charter law or regulation can only 

be adopted or changed by majority vote.

In 1999 Los Angeles authorized neighborhood 

councils. These councils are involved with neighborhood 

improvement projects, and have championed local 

opinions on city issues.38 The community of San Pedro is 

represented by three neighborhood councils: the 

Northwest San Pedro Neighborhood Council, the Central 

San Pedro Neighborhood Council, and the Coastal San 

Pedro Neighborhood Council. The councils can express 

concerns regarding harbor issues to the Port of Los 

Angeles Community Advisory Committee. Established 

in 2001, this committee is comprised of members of the 

Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners. The 

committee assesses port development issues to assure 

compliance with state and federal law and to foster 

development beneficial to nearby communities such as 

Wilmington, San Pedro, and Harbor City.39

The nearest offices of the National Marine Fisheries 

Service and the California Department of Fish and Game 

are 7 miles away in Long Beach. A U.S. Coast Guard 

(USCG) station is in the Port of Los Angeles and a 

USCG Maritime Safety and Security Team is in San 

Pedro. The nearest U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 

Office is in Los Angeles, and the nearest Pacific Fishery 

Management Council meetings take place 120 miles 

south in San Diego.
452

Facilities

Los Angeles International Airport is 24 miles from 

San Pedro. The community has a variety of primary and 

secondary educational options including 5 magnet 

schools, 13 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, 4 high 

schools, 2 kindergarten through eighth grade parochial 

schools, and a K-2 grade school. San Pedro has seven 

hotels and one hostel. The community also has a 

hospital, the Little Company of Mary Hospital, and is 

served by two police forces, the Los Angeles Police 

Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s 

Department. Los Angeles Water and Power, Southern 

California Edison Company, and Southern California 

Gas Company provide utilities. For harbor statistics see 

the facilities section in the Los Angeles community 

profile.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries—

San Pedro

Commercial Fishing

At least one commercial fish processing plant 

operated in San Pedro during 2000. Fieldwork indicates 

approximately six off-loading and icing operations in the 

Municipal Fish Market on Pier 1 at the southern terminus 

of 22nd Street (a city owned warehouse leased to private 

entities).

In 2000 234 vessels, all commercially registered, 

delivered landings to San Pedro. Landings in the 

community were in the following West Coast fisheries 

(data shown represents landings in metric tons/value of 

landings/number of vessels landing): coastal pelagic 

74,253 t/$12,899,766/100; crab 24 t/$62,439/19; 

groundfish 20 t/$29,763/45; highly migratory species 

1,025 t/$3,651,586/94; salmon confidential/confidential/

1; shrimp confidential/confidential/2; and other species 

955 t/$2,808,053/152.

Community members owned 66 vessels that fished 

in 2000, of which 50 participated in the federally 

managed groundfish fishery. The number of vessels 

owned by residents of San Pedro that participated in each 

fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/0/

23, groundfish 0/0/NA, highly migratory species NA/0/

NA, salmon 0/0/2, shellfish NA/0/NA, shrimp NA/0/2, 

and other species 2/0/2.40

Community members held 221 registered state 

permits in 2000. The number of residents holding state 

permits in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

coastal pelagic 0/0/60, groundfish 0/0/26, highly 

migratory species NA/0/36, salmon 0/0/5, shellfish 0/0/

NA, shrimp 0/0/8, and other species 3/0/82.41

In 2000 San Pedro residents held at least 398 

registered state permits. The number of state permits 

held by community members in each fishery by state 

(WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/0/136, groundfish 0/

0/31, highly migratory species NA/0/61, salmon 0/0/8, 

shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 0/0/13, and other species 4/0/

149.42

Sportfishing

San Pedro had 10 licensed commercial passenger 

fishing vessels in 2002 and 2003. The community 

belongs to the Seal Beach, Long Beach, San Pedro port 

complex, which received 883,806 commercial passenger 

fishing vessel landings in 2000 made by 148,977 anglers. 

The top five species landed were barred sand bass, 

California barracuda, kelp bass, unspecified flatfishes, 

and unspecified rockfishes.

Subsistence

Local tribal and nontribal community members may 

engage in subsistence fishing in the San Pedro area, 

however, specific information on subsistence fishing in 

San Pedro is not discussed in detail due to the lack of 

available data. The California Department of Fish and 

Game uses the term “recreational” for fishermen who do 

not earn revenue from their catch but fish for pleasure or 

to provide food for personal consumption. Information 

on subsistence fishing in California is captured to some 

degree in the sportfishing data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries—

San Pedro

Commercial Fishing

San Pedro community members owned 13 vessels 

that fished in the North Pacific during 2000. Residents 

participated in the following North Pacific fisheries (data 

shown represents landings in metric tons/value of 

landings/number of vessels landing): Bering Sea and 

Aleutian Islands (BSAI) groundfish confidential/

confidential/1, Gulf of Alaska groundfish confidential/

confidential/1, halibut confidential/confidential/1, and 

salmon 252 t/$368,000/12.

In 2000 San Pedro residents held 14 registered 

federal and state North Pacific permits. These permits 

included: 1 federal groundfish License Limitation 

Program (LLP) permit, 2 State of Alaska Commercial 

Fisheries Entry Commission (CFEC) groundfish permits 

for the Bering Sea Aleutian Islands, and 10 Alaska CFEC 

permits for salmon. Community members also held 

914,318 individual fishing quota (IFQ) shares for halibut 

and 1,379,530 IFQ shares for sablefish.
453

Sportfishing

Community members purchased 69 Alaskan 

sportfishing licenses in 2000.

People and Place—Terminal Island

Location

Terminal Island is an artificially constructed island, 

located between Los Angeles Harbor and Long Beach 

Harbor. The island has canneries, shipyards, a U.S. 

Naval base and a federal prison.43 Terminal Island is 

approximately 26 miles from downtown Los Angeles. 

The area, including all port facilities, encompasses 2.96 

square miles of land and 5.23 square miles of water. The 

geographic coordinates of Terminal Island are lat 

33°45′39′′N, long 118°14′90′′W.

Demographic Profile

The 2000 U.S. Census does not calculate statistics 

for communities within incorporated cities. The 

following is the available demographic information 

provided by The Los Angeles Almanac and is based upon 

2000 U.S. Census data.44

In 2000 the population of Terminal Island was 

1,434, of which 62.5% were between the ages of 22 and 

44. Of the population 25 years of age and older, 37% had 

no high school education, 26% had a high school 

education, and 24% had some college but no degree.

The racial composition of Terminal Island was 

predominantly white (45.9%), followed by black 

(23.9%), individuals who identified with some other race 

(21.1%), individuals who identified with two or more 

races (4.1%), Asian (2.8%), American Indian and 

Alaskan Native (1.4%), and Native Hawaiian and Other 

Pacific Islander (0.8%). About 37.9% identified as 

Hispanic.

History

Terminal Island was a mud flat originally named 

“Isla Raza de Buena Gente” (Island of the Race of Good 

People), then became known as Rattlesnake Island.45 In 

1909 the island had several hundred Japanese inhabitants. 

In 1911 Terminal Island assumed its present name after 

the Los Angeles Terminal Railway built a line from the 

city to the island. Fishermen Hall was built in 1916 and 

became the community center. By 1929 Terminal Island 

had about 900 Japanese fishermen who caught fish for 

local canneries. By 1942 the Japanese community on 

Terminal Island had a population of 3,500. In the years 

before World War II, Terminal Island was known as a 

“typical Japanese fishing village.”46 Six fish canneries 

were located on the island, each with its own employee 

housing.

Due to its proximity to the San Pedro U.S. Naval 

Base (across the harbor), Terminal Island was designated 

a “strategic area” in late January 1942. In February 

residents of Terminal Island became the first Japanese to 

be evicted from their homes. Most went to the Manzanar 

internment camp, about 226 miles north of Los 

Angeles.47

Terminal Island was once a major commercial 

fishery hub with 16 canneries that processed a variety of 

fish including tuna, salmon, and herring. Fish Harbor 

had numerous processing plants, canneries, and 

commercial boats.48 As of 2000 Terminal Island housed 

Fish Harbor, and its 1,200 fishing vessels, shipyards, 

canneries, a navy seaplane base, a meteorological station, 

and a federal prison.49

Infrastructure—Terminal Island

Current Economy

The Port of Los Angeles is Terminal Island’s major 

employer. Its per capita income in 1999 was $7,639 

while the median household income was $31,500. 

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Terminal Island had 

253 housing units.

Governance

Terminal Island is a community within the 

incorporated City of Los Angeles. See the governance 

section of the Los Angeles community profile.

Facilities

Terminal Island is a manmade island devoted 

primarily to port and industrial activities. There are no 

transient lodging facilities, health care facilities, or 

schools currently located on the island.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries—

Terminal Island

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 258 commercially registered vessels 

delivered landings to Terminal Island. Landings were 

made in the following West Coast fisheries (data shown 

represents landings in metric tons/value of landings/

number of vessels landing): coastal pelagic 40,646.9 t/

$7,155,735/46; crab 0.5 t/$1,511/18; groundfish 34.4 t/

$153,384/56; highly migratory species 3,778.1 t/

$8,357,035/82; salmon confidential/confidential/NA; 
454

shrimp 20.4 t/$178,343/18; and other species 1,980.4 t/

$4,619,355/205.

In 2000 Terminal Island residents owned two 

commercial vessels, one of which participated in the 

federally managed groundfish fishery. The number of 

vessels owned by Terminal Island residents in 2000 that 

participated in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

groundfish 0/0/NA, highly migratory species NA/0/NA, 

shellfish NA/0/NA, and shrimp NA/0/0.50

In 2000 the number of Terminal Island residents 

holding permits in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) 

was: highly migratory species NA/0/0, shellfish 0/0/NA, 

and other species 0/0/1.51

In 2000 Terminal Island residents held at least three 

commercial fishing permits, all state registered. The 

number of state permits held by residents in each fishery 

by state (WA/OR/CA) was: highly migratory species 

NA/0/0, shellfish 0/0/NA, and other species 0/0/3.52

In 2001 both Chicken of the Sea International and 

Heinz Pet Food closed the oldest remaining fish 

canneries on the island.53 Although there are no 

processors on Terminal Island, fieldwork indicates there 

are three wetfish operations at Fish Harbor. These 

operations unload commercial fishing vessels and ice the 

product in preparation for transport to nearby processors. 

A Heinz Pet Food Products research laboratory and 

distribution center remains in operation at Fish Harbor. 

Approximately 40 to 50 commercial fishing vessels still 

moor at Terminal Island. Roughly one-third are involved 

in the seine fisheries and one-third in gill net fisheries. 

The remaining vessels are longliners or commercial dive 

boats.

Sportfishing

Many sportfishing and pleasure craft moor in Fish 

Harbor at Terminal Island, but there are no charter 

businesses located on the island.

In 2000 vendors in Los Angeles County sold 76,385 

resident sportfishing licenses, 59 nonresident sportfishing 

licenses, 164 sport salmon punch cards, and 174 abalone 

report cards. In the port group consisting of Seal Beach, 

Long Beach, and San Pedro, 54 commercial passenger 

fishing vessels served 148,977 anglers in 2000. These 

vessels reported 883,806 landings composed of more 

than two dozen species. Sea bass (various species), 

barracuda, flatfishes (unspecified), and rockfishes 

(unspecified) accounted for 47.6%, 14.1%, 10.4%, and 

9.2% of the landings respectively.

Subsistence

Local tribal and nontribal community members may 

engage in subsistence fishing in the Terminal Island area. 

However, specific information on subsistence fishing is 

not discussed in detail due to the lack of available data. 

The California Department of Fish and Game uses the 

term “recreational” for fishermen who do not earn 

revenue from their catch but fish for pleasure or to 

provide food for personal consumption. Information on 

subsistence fishing is captured to some degree in the 

sportfishing data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries—

Terminal Island

Terminal Island had no involvement in North 

Pacific fisheries in 2000.

Notes

1. City of Los Angeles. 2003. Economic, demographic and 

financial information: City of Los Angeles. Online at http://

www.lacity.org/cao/econdemo.htm [accessed 26 February 2007].

2. The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. 2002. 

Chumash Indian life. Online at http://www.sbnature.org/research/

anthro/chumash/index.htm [accessed 26 February 2007].

3. Los Angeles Almanac. 2004. Los Angeles County-Prehistory to 1799. Online at http://www.laalmanac.com/history/

hi01a.htm [accessed 26 February 2007].

4. U.S. Geological Survey. 2004. Regional trends in biological 

resources: California. Online at http://biology.usgs.gov/s+t/SNT/

noframe/ca162.htm [accessed 26 February 2007].

5. Los Angeles Almanac. 2004. Where did the name Los 

Angeles come from? Online at http://www.laalmanac.com/history/

hi03a.htm [accessed 26 February 2007].

6. Gabrieleno/Tongva. 2004. Gabrieleno/Tongva. Online at 

http://www.tongva.com/ [accessed 26 February 2007].

7. Board of Harbor Commissioners of the City of Los Angeles. 

2001. Port of Los Angeles virtual history tour: Port history. Online at 

http://www.laporthistory.org/level3/port_history.html [accessed 26 

February 2007].

8. Los Angeles Almanac. 2004. Headline history-Los Angeles 

County 1800-1847. Online at http://www.laalmanac.com/history/

hi01b.htm [accessed 26 February 2007].

9. The Port of Los Angeles. 2001. The Port of Los Angeles: A 

historical look. Online at http://www.portoflosangeles.org/about

_history.htm [accessed 26 February 2007].

10. Los Angeles Almanac. 2004. Headline history-Los Angeles 

County 1887-1909. Online at http://www.laalmanac.com/history/

hi01e.htm [accessed 26 February 2007].

11. See note 9.

12. The Port of Los Angeles. 2001. The Port of Los Angeles. 

Online at http://www.portoflosangeles.org/about.htm [accessed 26 

February 2007].

13. State of California. No date. Labor market information: 

Major employers in Los Angeles County. Online at http://

www.labormarketinfo.edd.ca.gov/cgi/databrowsing/

localAreaProfileQSResults.asp?selectedarea=Los+Angeles+County

&selectedindex=20&menuChoice=localAreaPro&state=true

&geogArea=0604000037&countyName= [accessed 26 February 

2007].

14. City of Los Angeles. 2004. Los Angeles almanac: City of 

Los Angeles. Online at http://www.laalmanac.com/LA/index.htm 

[accessed 26 February 2007].
455

15. City of Los Angeles. 2004. Los Angeles almanac: Mayors 

& city councils, cities of Los Angeles County. Online at http://

www.laalmanac.com/government/gl10.htm [accessed 26 February 

2007].

16. State of California. 2004. California counties transient 

lodging tax revenue. Online at http://www.sco.ca.gov/ard/local/

locrep/adhoc/county/0001cotranslodgtax.pdf [accessed 26 February 

2007].

17. LA Inc.: The Convention and Visitors Bureau. No date. 

Facts about Los Angeles: Transportation. Online at http://

www.lapressroom.info/ [accessed 26 February 2007].

18. Port of Los Angeles. 2001. The Port of Los Angeles: Home. 

Online at http://www.portoflosangeles.org/index.htm [accessed 26 

February 2007].

19. Port of Los Angeles. 2001. The Port of Los Angeles: About 

the port. Online at http://www.portoflosangeles.org/about.htm 

[accessed 26 February 2007].

20. Port of Los Angeles. 2001. The Port of Los Angeles: 

Facilities. Online at http://www.portoflosangeles.org/facilities.htm 

[accessed 26 February 2007].

21. Port of Los Angeles. 2001. The Port of Los Angeles: 

Recreation. Online at http://www.portofla.org/recreation_Museums

.htm [accessed 13 March 2007].

22. LA Inc.: The Convention and Visitors Bureau. No date. LA 

World Cruise Center. Online at http://www.cruisela.com/wcc.aspx 

[accessed 13 March 2007].

23. Port of Los Angeles. 2001. The Port of Los Angeles: A 

historical look. Online at http://www.portoflosangeles.org/about

_history.htm [accessed 13 March 2007].

24. Port of Los Angeles. Centennial report. “Cabrillo’s legacy.” 

Online at http://www.portofla.org/centennial_legacy.htm [accessed 13 

March 2007].

25. Los Angeles Almanac. 2004. Headline history-Los Angeles 

County. Online at http://www.laalmanac.com/history/hi01b.htm 

[accessed 26 February 2007].

26. See note 9.

27. J. Langdon-Pollock. 2004. West Coast marine fishing 

community descriptions. Online at http://www.psmfc.org/efin/docs/

communities_2004/communities_entirereport.pdf [accessed 26 

February 2007].

28. San Pedro Chamber of Commerce. 2003. Fishing industry 

memorial. Online at http://www.sanpedrochamber.com/champint/

fishing.htm [accessed 26 February 2007].

29. L. Sahagun. 2001. Commercial fishing industry is a waning 

force in L.A. harbor. The Los Angeles Times, June 3.

30. S. Lutz and L. Pendleton. 2001. Socio-economic study of 

the San Pedro historic purse seine fleet. Online at http://www.usc

.edu/dept/economics/usclace/uscfish/ [accessed 26 February 2007].

31. Author Unknown. 1951. Tuna fishing means hard work, 

thrills. San Pedro News-Pilot, September 21.

32. See note 30.

33. See note 29.

34. See note 29.

35. See note 30.

36. Los Angeles City Planning Department, Demographic 

Research Unit. 2004. Census 2000 City of Los Angeles-Department 

of City Planning: San Pedro (city planning area), July 2004. Unpubl. 

document, p. 1–3. Contact: Jeffery Beckerman.

37. League of California Cities. 2004. League of California 

cities-helpful facts about cities. Online at http://www.cacities.org/

index.jsp?zone=locc§ion=util_infores [accessed 26 February 

2007].

38. J. Garrison. 2004. Study urges more say for local panels. 

L.A.’s neighborhood council system, approved in 1999, wins praise, 

but USC research also suggests diversity and voting reforms. Los 

Angeles Times, 8 June 2004, B3.

39. Port of Los Angeles. 2004. Port community advisory 

committee. Online at http://www.portoflosangeles.org/pcac.htm 

[accessed 26 February 2007].

40. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

41. See note 40.

42. See note 40.

43. Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. 2004. Terminal Island. 

Online at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terminal_Island%2C

_California [accessed 26 February 2007].

44. Los Angeles Almanac. 2004. Terminal Island (City of Los 

Angeles). Online at http://www.laalmanac.com/LA/la00c64.htm 

[accessed 26 February 2007].

45. Los Angeles Almanac. 2004. Some place names in LA 

County: Their meanings and origins. Online at http://www.laalmanac

.com/ [accessed 26 February 2007].

46. National Park Service. No date. A history of Japanese 

Americans in California: Historic sites. Online at http://www.cr.nps

.gov/history/online_books/5views/5views4h87.htm [accessed 26 

February 2007].

47. National Park Service. 2002. Manzanar. Online at http://

www.nps.gov/manz/historyculture/index.htm [accessed 26 February 

2007].

48. See note 27.

49. Bartleby.com. 2004. The Columbia Gazetteer of North 

America: Terminal Island. Online at http://www.bartleby.com/69/19/

T02819.html [accessed 26 February 2007].

50. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

51. See note 50.

52. See note 50.

53. ICFI. 2001. U.S. manufacturing slump continues. Online at 

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2001/aug2001/econ-a04.shtml 

[accessed 26 February 2007].
456

Los Osos

People and Place

Location

Los Osos is in San Luis Obispo County, 

approximately 208 miles north of Los Angeles and 244 

miles south of San Francisco. It covers 7.62 square miles 

of land. The geographic coordinates of Los Osos are lat 

35°18′54′′N, long 120°49′52′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of Los Osos was 14,351, a 0.2% decrease from 1990. 

The gender composition was 52% female and 48% male. 

The median age in 2000 was 42.9, higher than the 

national median of 35.3. About 51.3% of the population 

was between the ages of 22 and 59. Of the population 18 

years of age and older, 90.9% had a high school 

education or higher, 33.8% had a bachelor’s degree or 

higher, and 13.1% had a graduate or professional degree; 

the national averages were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% 

respectively.

The majority of the racial composition was white 

(88.5%), followed by Asian (5.9%), individuals who 

identified with two or more races (3%), individuals who 

identified with some other race (1.7%), black (0.6%), and 

American Indian and Alaskan Native (0.4%). Ethnicity 

data indicate 8.2% identified as Hispanic. 

Approximately 8.2% of the population was foreign-born, 

of which 35.4% were born in Malaysia and 16.5% in 

Mexico.

In 2000 80.8% of the population lived in family 

households.

History

The community of Los Osos and its neighbor 

Baywood share much of their history with San Luis 

Obispo County. The area was the heart of Chumash 

Indian territory for centuries. Chumash hunters, 

fishermen, and foragers used local marine, coastal, and 

river resources and transported resources from their 

offshore islands to the mainland in unique redwoodplanked boats, known as “tomols.” They imported 

specialized stone blades and drills made on the islands, 

plus marine resources such as shark, bonito, and halibut. 

Chumash fishermen used a variety of nets, traps, baskets, 

hooks, spears, and plant poisons to catch or stun fish and 

catch seals and sea otters. On the coast they collected 

abalone and mussels, and their trade network passed raw 

1,500 1,000 500 0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

88.5%

Two or more races

3%

Black

0.6%

Other

1.7%

Asian

5.9%

Native

0.4%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Non-Hispanic

91.8%

Hispanic

8.2%
457

marine materials such as fish, whale bones, and oils to 

the interior.

The Portuguese conquistador Juan Rodriguez 

Cabrillo first encountered the Chumash in 1542, but it 

was not until 1772 that five Catholic missions were 

established within Chumash territory. After 

secularization of the missions in 1833, the Indian 

population severely declined. In 1901 the U.S. 

government allocated 75 acres along Zanja de Cota 

Creek near the Santa Ynez Mission to the surviving 

Chumash. Today the Chumash have their own business 

council, a thriving bingo operation, and a federal housing 

program on the small reservation. Approximately 5,000 

identify themselves as Chumash.1

Between 1821 and 1848, California came under the 

jurisdiction of Mexico after it gained independence from 

Spain. Settlers received land grants in the area until 

California became a territory of the United States and 

San Luis Obispo became one of California’s original 27 

counties. Local place names reflect this heritage.2 

Burgeoning agriculture and quarrying in the area spurred 

rapid population growth in the late 1800s, facilitated by 

the Southern Pacific Railroad. By the 1950s conveyors 

were installed on the waterfront for unloading sardine 

boats, accelerating commercial development in response 

to newly discovered fishing grounds.3

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 60.6% of the 

potential labor force of Los Osos 16 years of age and 

older were employed, 2.5% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was a 4.0% (calculated by dividing 

the unemployed population by the labor force). In 

addition, 36.9% were not in the labor force. The top 

employment sectors were local, state, or federal 

government (26.5%), education, health, and social 

services (24.9%), and retail trade (10.4%). Natural 

resource jobs including agriculture, forestry, fishing, and 

hunting employed 1.5%, but this percentage may be 

artificially low because many fishermen are selfemployed and are underrepresented in the data.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the per capita 

income of Los Osos in 1999 was $24,838, the median 

household income was $46,558, and 8.5% lived below 

the poverty level. In 2000 Los Osos had 6,214 housing 

units, of which 94.8% of which were occupied and 5.2% 

were vacant. Of the occupied units, 69.9% were by 

owner and 30.1% were by renter. About 49.4% of the 

vacant units were for seasonal, recreational, or occasional 

use.

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

36.9%

Unemployed

2.5%

Employed

60.6%

Governance

In 1998 Los Osos created the Los Osos Community 

Services District (LOCSD), which replaced San Luis 

Obispo County’s Service Area 9 and provided the first 

public agency governed by Los Osos residents.4 The 

LOCSD has a board of directors consisting of five 

members elected at-large. The board then chooses two 

members to be president and vice president.5 Residents 

pay a 7.25% sales and use tax rate and the county levies a 

9% transient lodging tax, which earned $4,229,463 in 

revenue for fiscal year 2001.6 See the Governance 

subsection (page 43) for a more detailed discussion of 

taxes affecting fisherman and processors in California.

A California Department of Fish and Game Marine 

Region field office and a U.S. Coast Guard station are 

approximately 6 miles away in Morro Bay. Foster City, 

approximately 225 miles away, holds Pacific Fishery 

Management Council meetings. The nearest National 

Marine Fisheries Service office is the Pacific Fisheries 

Environmental Laboratory, 130 miles north in Pacific 

Grove.

Facilities

Los Osos is 12 miles west of U.S. Highway 101, 3 

miles south of California Highway 1, and 14 miles from 

the San Obispo County Airport, which is serviced by 

major airlines. Los Osos is in the San Luis Coastal 

Unified School District, which has six schools. The 

LOCSD provides fire protection and emergency service 

to area residents, as well as maintaining storm water 

drainage, the water supply, and wastewater service. The 

district also manages parks and street lighting. Private 

providers supply telephone, electricity, and gas services. 

Los Osos and the surrounding area have an extensive 

tourism industry with a well-established infrastructure, 

including accommodations.
458

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 no landings were made and no processors 

operated in Los Osos. Residents did own 35 commercial 

vessels, of which 13 participated in the federally 

managed groundfish fishery. The number of vessels 

owned by Los Osos residents in 2000 that participated in 

each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 0/0/2, 

groundfish 0/0/NA, highly migratory species NA/0/NA, 

salmon 0/1/14, shellfish NA/0/NA, shrimp NA/0/4, and 

other species 1/0/0.7

Five residents held four federal groundfish permits. 

The number of Los Osos residents holding permits in 

each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 

0/0/1, crab 0/0/2, groundfish 0/0/21, highly migratory 

species NA/0/6, salmon 0/1/28, shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 

1/0/11, and other species 2/0/23.8

In 2000 residents held at least 137 commercial 

fishing permits, including 133 state registered permits. 

The number of state permits held by Los Osos residents 

in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal 

pelagic 0/0/1, crab 0/0/2, groundfish 0/0/25, highly 

migratory species NA/0/10, salmon 0/1/49, shellfish 0/0/

NA, shrimp 1/0/17, and other species 2/0/25.9

Sportfishing

In 2002 and 2003, at least eight charter businesses 

served sport fishermen and tourists in Los Osos. There 

were no sportfishing license agents in Los Osos, 

however, in 2000 vendors in San Luis Obispo County 

sold 43,399 resident sportfishing licenses, 40 nonresident 

sportfishing licenses, 52 sport salmon punch cards, and 

30 abalone report cards. In the port group consisting of 

Avila Beach and Morro Bay, 12 commercial passenger 

fishing vessels served 17,759 anglers in 2000. The 

vessels reported 123,441 landings composed of more 

than a dozen species. Rockfish (unspecified) and 

Albacore tuna accounted for 93.9% and 4.6% of the 

landings respectively.

Subsistence

Local tribal and nontribal community members may 

engage in subsistence fishing in the Los Osos area, 

however, specific information on subsistence fishing is 

not discussed in detail due to the lack of available data. 

The California Department of Fish and Game uses the 

term “recreational” for fishermen who do not earn 

revenue from their catch, but fish for pleasure or to 

provide food for personal consumption. Information on 

subsistence fishing is captured to some degree in the 

sportfishing data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 one Los Osos resident owned a vessel that 

participated in North Pacific fisheries. It made landings 

in the North Pacific salmon fishery, but specific 

information (landings in metric tons/value of landings) is 

confidential.

In 2000 one resident held a Commercial Fisheries 

Entry Commission salmon permit for Alaska fisheries. 

Five Los Osos residents held crew member licenses for 

North Pacific fisheries.

Sportfishing

In 2000 Los Osos residents purchased 27 Alaska 

sportfishing licenses.

Notes

1. Houghton Mifflin Company. No date. Encyclopedia of North 

American Indians: Chumash. Online at http://www.rain.org/eagle/

chumash1.htm [accessed 23 February 2007].

2. The County of San Luis Obispo Online. 2005. About the 

county. Online at http://www.co.slo.ca.us/SLOCo_InterPortal.nsf/

SLOCo_AboutCounty.htm?OpenPage&charset=windows-1252 

[accessed 23 February 2007].

3. History in San Luis Obispo County. 2004. Timeline. Online 

at http://www.historyinslocounty.com/index.htm [accessed 23 

February 2007].

4. Los Osos, CA. No date. Local government. Online at http://

www.losososbaywoodpark.org/local_government_Los_Osos.html 

[accessed 23 February 2007].

5. Los Osos Community Service District. No date. About the 

CSD. Online at http://www.losososcsd.org/ [accessed 23 February 

2007].

6. State of California. 2004. California counties transient 

lodging tax revenue. Online at http://www.sco.ca.gov/ard/local/

locrep/adhoc/county/0001cotranslodgtax.pdf [accessed 23 February 

2007].

7. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

8. See note 7.

9. See note 7.
459

Marina

People and Place

Location

Marina is on Monterey Bay 6 miles north of the City 

of Monterey along California Highway 1. The 

community is in Monterey County, approximately 177 

miles southwest of Sacramento and 104 miles south of 

San Francisco. Marina encompasses 8.75 square miles of 

land and 0.85 square mile of water. Its geographic 

coordinates are lat 36°41′04′′N, long 121°48′04′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of Marina was 25,101, a 5% decrease from 1990. In 

2000 the gender structure was uneven: 42.8% female and 

57.2% male. The median age in 2000 was 32.3, slightly 

lower than the national median of 35.3. Of the 

population 18 years of age and older, 71.3% had a high 

school education or higher, 12.6% had a bachelor’s 

degree or higher, and 4.0% had a graduate or professional 

degree; the national averages were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 

7.8% respectively.

The racial composition of Marina was 

predominantly white (43.7%), followed by Asian 

(16.3%), individuals who identified with some other race 

(14.8%), black (14.3%), individuals who identified with 

two or more races (8%), Native Hawaiian and Other 

Pacific Islander (2.1%), and American Indian and 

Alaskan Native (0.7%). Approximately 23.2% identified 

as Hispanic. About 22.8% were foreign-born, of which 

26.5% were born in Mexico, 16.7% in Korea, and 15.5% 

in the Philippines. According to the Marina Chamber of 

Commerce, these demographic data make Marina the 

seventh most ethnically diverse community in the United 

States.1

In 2000 64.7% of the population lived in family 

households, compared to 82.2% nationally.

History

The area surrounding Marina is the aboriginal 

homeland of the Ohlone and Esselen tribes. Members of 

the tribes relied heavily on acorn meal and salmon for 

subsistence and utilized a shell currency for trading 

throughout the area.2 There are no data available on the 

precontact Indian population in this area, and many were 

forcibly removed to missions and reservation lands after 

the arrival of Euro-American settlers. Today, the Ohlone 

and Esselen tribes have approximately 500 enrolled 

members, of which 60% live in Monterey and San Benito 

4,000 3,000 2,000 1,000 0 1,000 2,000

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

43.7%

Pacific Islander

2.1%

Black

14.3%

Native

0.7%

Asian

16.3%

Two or more races

8%

Other

14.8%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Hispanic

23.2%

Non-Hispanic

76.8%
460

counties. The tribes are seeking federal recognition, 

which could reestablish traditional land and resource 

rights in this area.3

In 1912 real estate developer William LockePaddon, the founder of Marina, purchased 1,500 acres 

from David Jacks, a powerful entrepreneur who once 

owned much of the land surrounding Monterey Bay. 

Locke-Paddon subdivided the land into 300 five-acre 

parcels, which he marketed to prospective residents as 

the “Locke-Paddon Colony.”4 A few years later, LockePaddon convinced the Southern Pacific Railroad to 

construct a flag stop in his new community to 

accommodate travelers and prospective customers en 

route from San Francisco. In 1918 Locke-Paddon 

officially changed the name of the community to Marina, 

after the Spanish word for “seacoast” or “shore.” The 

town grew rapidly from the 1930s through the 1950s as 

its commercial district developed, and dunes lining the 

Pacific Ocean near Marina became important sites for 

industrial sand mining.5

 In the 1980s, the sand mines 

surrounding Marina were closed due to environmental 

concerns, and in 1983 much of the local beachfront was 

protected as the Marina Dunes Nature Preserve, an 

8,000-acre parcel administered by the U.S. Bureau of 

Land Management. Today Marina State Beach, which is 

within the Marina Dunes Nature Preserve, provides a 

number of recreational opportunities, and the Monterey 

Coastal Bike Path runs through the community.6 Marina 

has a number of hotels and resorts that cater to tourists.

The military, through Fort Ord (located between 

Marina and Seaside), has had an important presence in 

Marina throughout the community’s history. Fort Ord 

began as a cavalry outpost in 1917 and became an 

important army training facility during World War II. 

Although the base closed in 1993, many Fort Ord 

soldiers permanently settled in the area. Parts of the 

former Fort Ord complex now house the campus of 

California State University of Monterey Bay. Monterey 

remains an important commercial fishing port and many 

Marina residents may commute to jobs in the fishing 

industry. The City of Marina officially incorporated in 

1975, making it the youngest community on the 

Monterey Peninsula.7

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 47.7% of 

Marina’s potential labor force 16 years of age and older 

were employed, 4.2% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 8.1% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

48.1% were not in the labor force. The top employment 

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

48.1%

Unemployed

4.2% Employed

47.7%

sectors were local, state, or federal government (21.3%), 

education, health, and social services (20.6%), retail 

trade (12.8%), accommodation and food services 

(12.4%), and the armed forces (1.8%). Natural resource 

jobs including agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting 

employed 3.5%, but this percentage may be artificially 

low because many fishermen are self-employed and are 

underrepresented in the data.

According to the Marina Chamber of Commerce, 

the community’s largest employer is Albertson’s 

Grocery. The tourism and outdoor recreation industries 

are also central to the local economy.8

According to the U.S. Census, Marina’s per capita 

income was $18,860 in 1999, below the national per 

capita income of $21,587. The median household 

income was about $43,000, above the national median 

household income of $41,994. Approximately 13.1% 

lived below the poverty level in 1999, slightly higher 

than the 12.4% nationally average. In 2000 Marina had 

8,537 housing units, of which 79% were occupied and 

21.0% were vacant. Of the occupied units, 45.8% were 

by owner and 54.2% were by renter. Of the vacant units, 

only 1.2% was due to seasonal, recreational, or 

occasional use.

Governance

Marina is governed by a mayor, a mayor pro tem, 

and a three-member city council. Residents pay a 7.25% 

sales tax and Monterey County levies a 10.5% transient 

lodging tax.9 See the Governance subsection (page 43) 

in the Overview section for a more detailed discussion of 

taxes affecting fishermen and processors in California.

The California Department of Fish and Game 

headquarters for Marine Region 7 is in Monterey.10 The 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s 

Southwest Regional office is in Long Beach (360 miles), 

and the National Marine Fisheries Service Southwest 
461

Fisheries Science Center is in Santa Cruz (34 miles). A 

U.S. Coast Guard station is in Monterey. Sacramento, 

approximately 177 miles northeast, is the nearest city 

hosting Pacific Fishery Management Council meetings. 

The nearest U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services 

office is 64 miles away in San Jose.

Facilities

Marina lies along California State Highway 1, 

which connects the city to other coastal communities. 

Marina Municipal Airport has paved runways. The 

nearest airport certified for carrier flights is Monterey 

Peninsula Airport in Monterey and the nearest major 

international airport is in San Jose.

Marina is within the Monterey Peninsula Unified 

School District, which has 13 elementary schools, 4 

middle schools, and 4 high schools. Marina has 3 

elementary schools, a continuation school, and an adult 

education center. Students attend middle school in 

Salinas (12 miles) and high school in Seaside (6 miles). 

California State University of Monterey Bay has 

operated a campus on the former Fort Ord site since 

1995, and Marina is home to Golden Gate University and 

Monterey Peninsula College.

The Marina Coast Water District provides water and 

sewage treatment services, and Pacific Gas and Electric 

Company supplies electricity and natural gas. The 

nearest hospital is Community Hospital of the Monterey 

Peninsula in Monterey. The Marina Department of 

Public Safety administers police and fire services.11 

Several hotels, including the luxury Marina Dunes 

Resort, are in Marina.

The nearest marine facilities are in Monterey. The 

Monterey Harbor Municipal Marina is a full service 

marina with 413 slips that accommodate vessels from 20 

to 50 feet, six end ties for vessels from 40 to 75 feet, and 

a public launch ramp.12 Fisherman’s Wharf (Municipal 

Wharf I) at one time was used for the sardine industry. 

Today the wharf is a tourist destination with restaurants, 

fish markets, gift shops, and charter operations for 

sportfishing, whale watching, and sightseeing. 

Municipal Wharf II is more commercially oriented, 

featuring five wholesale fish companies and a 

commercial abalone farm. Additionally, the Monterey 

Peninsula Yacht Club is located on the end of Wharf II. 

Commercial dive charters depart from there. A 700-foot 

public fishing promenade extends from Wharf II. There 

are 150 privately owned mooring buoys in the outer 

harbor, and boats 50 feet and less can obtain a permit to 

use the seasonal East Mooring Program. There is open 

anchorage at Del Monte Beach east of Wharf II and the 

East Moorings. Breakwater Cove Marina is a 70-slip 

private marina and fuel dock. A chandlery is next to the 

marina’s office.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

According to available data, there were no seafood 

processors in Marina in 2000. Landings data for Marina 

were recorded as part of the Other Santa Cruz and 

Monterey County Ports port group, which includes the 

communities of Aptos, Big Sur, Capitola, Carmel, 

Davenport, Felton, Fort Ord, Freedom, Gilroy, Hollister, 

Lucia, Mill Creek, Monterey, Morgan Hill, Pacific 

Grove, Pebble Beach, Point Lobos, Salinas, San Juan 

Bautista, Seaside, Soquel, Watsonville, and Willow 

Creek.

Reported landings for this port group in 2000 were 

in the following West Coast fisheries (data shown 

represent landings in metric tons/value of landings/

number of vessels landing): coastal pelagic confidential/

confidential/1; groundfish 10 t/$87,427/23; and other 

species <1 t/$187/7. See the Seaside and Pebble Beach 

community profiles for additional information. In 2000 

22 commercial vessels were owned by Marina residents, 

of which 8 participated in the federally managed 

groundfish fishery.

The number of vessels owned by Marina residents in 

2000 that participated in each fishery by state (WA/OR/

CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/0/4, groundfish 0/0/NA, 

highly migratory species NA/0/NA, salmon 0/0/18, 

shellfish NA/0/NA, and shrimp NA/0/1.13

In 2000 three residents held three federal groundfish 

permits. The number of Marina residents holding 

permits in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

coastal pelagic 0/0/9, groundfish 0/0/11, highly 

migratory species NA/0/2, other species 0/0/10, salmon 

0/0/31, shellfish 0/0/NA, and shrimp 0/0/4.14

In 2000 Marina residents held at least 109 

commercial fishing permits, including 106 registered 

state permits. The number of state permits held by 

residents in 2000 in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) 

was: coastal pelagic 0/0/21, groundfish 0/0/13, highly 

migratory species NA/0/3, salmon 0/0/50, shellfish 0/0/

NA, shrimp 0/0/8, and other species 0/0/11.15

Sportfishing

A number of charter vessels operate out of the area, 

targeting albacore tuna, rock cod, salmon, and others 

species. Many also offer seasonal whale-watching tours. 

In 2002 at least 10 charter businesses served sport 

fishermen and tourists in Marina. A single license agent 

sold sportfishing licenses in Marina. In 2000 vendors in 
462

Monterey County sold 11,071 resident sportfishing 

licenses, 9 nonresident sportfishing licenses, 175 sport 

salmon punch cards, and 184 abalone report cards. In the 

port group consisting of Monterey, Moss Landing, and 

Santa Cruz, 20 commercial passenger fishing vessels 

served 37,884 anglers in 2000, and reported 139,058 

landings composed of more than 15 species. Rockfish 

(unspecified) and Chinook salmon accounted for 70.8% 

and 20.6% respectively.

Subsistence

Local tribal and nontribal community members may 

engage in subsistence fishing in the Marina area, 

however, specific information on subsistence fishing is 

not discussed in detail due to the lack of available data. 

The California Department of Fish and Game uses the 

term “recreational” for fishermen who do not earn 

revenue from their catch, but fish for pleasure or to 

provide food for personal consumption. Information on 

subsistence fishing is captured to some degree in the 

sportfishing data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 Marina residents owned two vessels that 

participated in the North Pacific Alaska salmon fishery, 

but specific information (landings in metric tons/value of 

landings) is confidential. In 2000 two residents held state 

permits for Alaska fisheries, both for Commercial 

Fisheries Entry Commission (CFEC) salmon permits. 

Eighteen Marina residents held crew member licenses for 

North Pacific fisheries.

Sportfishing

Marina community members purchased 18 Alaska 

sportfishing licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. Marina Chamber of Commerce. 2005. Demographics. 

Online at http://www.marinachamber.com/community/community2

.php?pageID=31 [accessed 26 February 2007].

2. Monterey County California Regional Guide and Search 

Engine. No date. A brief history of Monterey County. Online at 

http://www.mtycounty.com/pgs-history/indians.html [accessed 26 

February 2007].

3. Ohlone/Costanoan Esselen Nation. 2004. Ohlone/Costanoan 

Esselen nation. Online at http://www.esselennation.com/index.html 

[accessed 26 February 2007].

4. Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District. 2003. LockePaddon community park. Online at http://www.mprpd.org/parks/

lockepaddon.htm [accessed 26 February 2007].

5. Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District. 2002. Marina 

dunes preserve. Online at http://www.mprpd.org/parks/marina.htm 

[accessed 26 February 2007].

6. Monterey County California Regional Search Engine and 

Guide. No date. Marina. Online at http://www.mtycounty.com/pgs/

marina.html [accessed 26 February 2007].

7. City of Marina. 2005. Home page. Online at http://

www.ci.marina.ca.us [accessed 26 February 2007].

8. See note 1.

9. State of California. 2004. California counties transient 

lodging tax revenue. Online at http://www.sco.ca.gov/ard/local/

locrep/adhoc/county/0001cotranslodgtax.pdf [accessed 26 February 

2007].

10. State of California. 2003. Department of Fish and Game: 

Marine region 7. Online at http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mrd/ [accessed 26 

February 2007].

11. City of Marina. No date. Department of Public Safety. 

Online at http://www.ci.marina.ca.us/depsafety1x.htm [accessed 26 

February 2007].

12. City of Monterey. 2004. Monterey Harbor Municipal 

Marina. Online at http://www.monterey.org/harbor/marina.html 

[accessed 26 February 2007].

13. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

14. See note 13.

15. See note 13.
463

McKinleyville

People and Place

Location

McKinleyville is in Humboldt County on U.S. 

Highway 101 near Humboldt Bay. Situated on Mad 

River, it is approximately 285 miles north of San 

Francisco and 302 miles north of the state capital, 

Sacramento. McKinleyville encompasses 20.9 square 

miles of land and 1.92 square miles of water. Its 

geographic coordinates are lat 40°56′48′′N, long 

124°05′58′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of McKinleyville was 13,599, a 26.5% increase from 

1990. The gender composition was 51% female and 49% 

male. The median age in 2000 was 35.2, comparable to 

the national median of 35.3. Of the population 18 years 

of age and older, 85.7% had a high school education or 

higher, 23% had a bachelor’s degree or higher, and 6.6% 

had a graduate or professional degree; the national 

averages were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The majority of the racial composition was white 

(87.6%), followed by individuals who identified with two 

or more races (4.6%), American Indian and Alaska 

Native (4.6%), individuals who identified with some 

other race (1.7%), Asian (1.1%), black ( 0.4%), and 

Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (0.1%). 

About 4.3% identified as Hispanic. Only 2.2% were 

foreign-born, of which 18.8% were born in Canada, 12% 

in China, and 9.9% in Mexico.

In 2000 82.7% of the population lived in family 

households.

History

Before the arrival of Euro-American settlers, the 

area now known as Humboldt County was occupied by 

several Indian tribes. The Wiyot, Yurok, Hupa, Karuk, 

Chilula, Whilkut, and southern Athabascans occupied 

specific territories, spoke individual languages, and 

shared similar, yet distinct cultural systems.1 

McKinleyville is within the original territory of the 

Wiyot. The Wiyot people utilized surrounding resources 

for food, medicine, and basketry, including wildlife, 

salmon, and roots. Across the bay from nearby Eureka is 

Indian Island, “the center of the Wiyot People’s world” 

and home of the ancient village of Tuluwat.2 Beneath 

this site is a large clamshell midden more than six acres 

in size and estimated to be 1,000 years old. It contains 

1,500 1,000 500 0 500 1,000 1,500

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure

Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

87.6%

Asian

1.1%

Pacific Islander

0.1%

Other

1.7%

Black

0.4%

Native

4.6%

Two or more races

4.6%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Non-Hispanic

95.7%

Hispanic

4.3%
464

burial sites and the remains of meals, tools, and 

ceremonies. Today many of Wiyot live on the 88-acres 

Table Bluff Reservation, 30 miles south of 

McKinleyville.

The first recorded entrance into Humboldt Bay was 

in 1806 by employees of the Russian-American 

Company from Sitka, Alaska. The Gregg-Wood party 

arrived by land in 1849 and by 1850 the first ships came 

to the bay bringing prospectors looking for gold. At the 

turn of the century, local businessman Isaac Minor began 

constructing facilities to support the influx of miners and 

timber workers including a lodge, dance hall, and general 

store. At the time the area was known as Dows Prairie. 

The town was named McKinleyville for President 

William McKinley, but in 1897 it was renamed 

Minorville for its founder. After McKinley’s 

assassination in 1901, the name was changed back to 

McKinleyville.3

The Humboldt Bay area developed quickly after 

1850. Mining lured people to the area and with it 

brought the need for goods and services. As the gold 

rush waned, the economy shifted to natural resources, 

mainly timber, salmon, and the land. Logging developed 

substantially in Eureka and Fields Landing, which had 

both built docks by the mid-1880s. The area was also a 

prime exporter of agricultural products from 1857 to 

1900.4

Development around Humboldt Bay led to the 

displacement of the Wiyot and increased tensions 

between groups. During the 1860 World Renewal 

Ceremony on Indian Island, a group of armed American 

settlers paddled to the island during the night and killed 

the sleeping Wiyot. Two other village sites were raided 

that same night. The remaining Wiyot were moved to 

Fort Humboldt for their protection and from there to a 

series of other reservations. The fort was built in 1853 in 

what is present day Eureka to assist in resolving conflicts 

between American Indians and settlers. An Indian 

Candlelight Vigil is held every February to remember the 

200 lives lost in the massacre.5

McKinleyville holds an annual Azalea Festival 

(formerly called Pony Express Days), which was first 

celebrated in the 1970s. This event includes a Fireman’s 

Muster by the Arcata Volunteer Fire Department, a 

barbeque, booths, a McKinleyville High School Alumni 

football game, and a parade.6

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 56.1% of 

McKinleyville’s potential labor force 16 years of age and 

older were employed, 5.7% were unemployed, and the 

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

38.2%

Unemployed

5.7%

Employed

56.1%

unemployment rate was 9.2% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

38.2% were not in the labor force. The top employment 

sectors were education, health, and social services 

(26.6%), local, state, or federal government (24.1%), 

retail trade (13.8%), and manufacturing (10.1%). Natural 

resource jobs including agriculture, forestry, fishing, and 

hunting employed 4.7%, but this percentage may be 

artificially low because many fishermen are selfemployed and are underrepresented in the data.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 

McKinleyville’s per capita income in 1999 was $17,870, 

the median household income was $38,047, and 14.9% 

lived below the poverty level. In 2000 McKinleyville 

had 5,494 housing units, of which 96.1% were occupied 

and 3.9% were vacant. Of the occupied units, 65.3% 

were by owner and 34.7% were by renter. Of the vacant 

units, 31.3% were for rent, 20.3% were for sale, and 

20.3% were for seasonal, recreational, or occasional use.

Governance

McKinleyville is an unincorporated community. 

The sales tax is 7.25% based on the standard statewide 

rate. Humboldt County has no district tax but the 

transient lodging tax is 10%. See the Governance 

subsection (page 43) in the Overview section for a more 

detailed discussion of taxes affecting fishermen and 

processors in California.

McKinleyville is 358 miles north of the National 

Marine Fisheries Service’s Southwest Fisheries Science 

Center in Santa Cruz. A California Department of Fish 

and Game field office is in Eureka, about 13.5 miles 

away. McKinleyville is 18.3 miles from the closest U.S. 

Coast Guard Station in Humboldt Bay. A U.S. 

Citizenship and Immigration Services office is in San 

Francisco. The closest Pacific Fishery Management 

Council meetings are held in Foster City, 306.4 miles 
465

from McKinleyville. The nearest North Pacific Fishery 

Management Council meetings are held 400.8 miles 

away in Portland, Oregon.

Facilities

McKinleyville is accessible by U.S. Highway 101 

and the Arcata-Eureka Airport. The community is 298 

miles from the San Francisco International Airport.

The community has two elementary schools, a 

middle school, and a high school. McKinleyville also 

has one high school for continuing education. The 

McKinleyville Community Services District provides 

water and sewer services, streetlights, and parks and 

recreation services.7 Pacific Gas and Electric is the 

primary supplier of electricity. A Humboldt County 

Sheriff’s Office substation is in the community. The 

closest health care facility is Mad River Community 

Hospital in Arcata, about 6 miles away. St. Joseph 

Hospital is also in Arcata. McKinleyville 

accommodations include one hotel within the city and 

three others in neighboring communities.8 

McKinleyville has no marine facilities and is not located 

on the water. Nearby Humboldt Bay is the only 

deepwater port between Coos Bay, Oregon, and San 

Francisco. Shipping terminals and marinas are in 

Eureka.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 there were no seafood processors in 

McKinleyville. Landings data for McKinleyville were 

recorded as part of the Other Humboldt County Ports 

group, which includes Arcata, Blue Lake, Carlotta, 

Crannel, Ferndale, Fortuna, Garberville, Honeydew, 

Humboldt, King Salmon, Loleta, Miranda, Moonstone 

Beach, Orick, Petrolia, Ruth, Scotia, Shelter Cove, and 

Weott. Reported landings for this port group in 2000 

were in the following West Coast fisheries (data shown 

represent landings in metric tons/value of landings/

number of vessels landing): crab confidential/

confidential/1; groundfish 5.4 t/$18,003/8; highly 

migratory species confidential/confidential/1; salmon 

confidential/confidential/2; and other species 

confidential/confidential/1.

McKinleyville residents owned 20 commercial 

vessels in 2000, of which 13 participated in the federally 

managed groundfish fishery. The number of vessels 

owned by McKinleyville residents in 2000 that 

participated in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

crab 0/0/19, groundfish 0/0/NA, highly migratory species 

NA/0/NA, salmon 0/0/13, shellfish NA/0/NA, and 

shrimp NA/0/1.9

In 2000 one resident held a federal groundfish 

permit. The number of McKinleyville residents holding 

permits in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

coastal pelagic 0/0/1, crab 0/0/21, groundfish 0/0/8, 

highly migratory species NA/0/1, salmon 0/1/24, 

shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 0/0/3, and other species 0/0/7.10

In 2000 McKinleyville residents held at least 87 

registered commercial fishing permits, including 86 state 

registered permits. The number of state permits held by 

McKinleyville residents in each fishery by state (WA/

OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/0/1, crab 0/0/23, 

groundfish 0/0/10, highly migratory species NA/0/1, 

salmon 0/1/40, shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 0/0/3, and other 

species 0/0/7.11

Sportfishing

Several charter vessels operate out of the area, 

targeting rockfish, salmon, and other species. In 2002 at 

least 18 charter businesses served sport fishermen and 

tourists in McKinleyville. Five license agents sold 

sportfishing licenses in McKinleyville. In 2000 vendors 

in Humboldt County sold 122,642 resident sportfishing 

licenses, 66 nonresident sportfishing licenses, 9,572 sport 

salmon punch cards, and 2,605 abalone report cards. In 

the northern California port group of Fort Bragg, 

McKinleyville, and Crescent City, 15 commercial 

passenger fishing vessels served 11,574 anglers in 2000, 

and reported 49,983 landings composed of at least nine 

species. Rockfish (unspecified) and Chinook salmon 

accounted for 81.2% and 16.1% of the landings 

respectively.

Subsistence

Specific information on subsistence fishing in 

McKinleyville is not discussed in detail due to the lack of 

available data. The California Department of Fish and 

Game uses the term “recreational” for fishermen who do 

not earn revenue from their catch, but fish for pleasure or 

to provide food for personal consumption. Information 

on subsistence fishing is captured to some degree in the 

sportfishing data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 three vessels owned by McKinleyville 

residents participated in the North Pacific Alaska salmon 

fishery, but specific information (landings in metric tons/

value of landings) is confidential. In 2000 three 

community residents held state permits for Alaska 
466

fisheries; all were Commercial Fisheries Entry 

Commission salmon permits. Six residents held crew 

member licenses for North Pacific fisheries in 2000.

Sportfishing

McKinleyville residents purchased 37 Alaska 

sportfishing licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. S. Van Kirk. 1999. Humboldt County: A briefest of histories. 

Online at http://www.humboldthistory.org/ [accessed 27 February 

2007].

2. Wiyot Tribe. No date. History and culture: Indian Island. 

Online at http://www.wiyot.com/history.htm [accessed 27 February 

2007].

3. McKinleyville Community Services District. 2005. 

McKinleyville history. Online at http://mckinleyvillecsd.com/

history.html [accessed 27 February 2007].

4. 2001. Humboldt Bay trails feasibility study: Humboldt Bay 

area history.

5. See note 2.

6. McKinleyville Press. 2005. Pony Express days. Online at 

http://www.mckinleyvillepress.com/ponyex.htm [accessed August 

2005].

7. McKinleyville Chamber of Commerce. 2005. Business 

listings, lodging. Online at http://www.mckinleyvillechamber.com 

[accessed 27 February 2007].

8. See note 7.

9. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

10. See note 9.

11. See note 9.
467

Monterey

People and Place

Location

Monterey is at the southernmost curve of Monterey 

Bay in Monterey County, approximately 345 miles north 

of Los Angeles and 113 miles south of San Francisco. 

The community encompasses 8.44 square miles of land 

and 3.29 square miles of water. The geographic 

coordinates of Monterey are lat 36°36′01′′N, long 

121°53′39′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of Monterey was 29,674, a 7.1% decrease from 1990. 

The gender composition was 50.8% female and 49.2% 

male. The median age was 36.1, comparable to the 

national median of 35.3. Almost half (47.4%) were 

between the ages of 25 and 54. Of the population 18 

years of age and older, 91.4% had a high school 

education or higher, 40.5% had a bachelor’s degree or 

higher, and 15.7% had a graduate or professional degree; 

significantly higher than the national averages of 79.7%, 

22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The majority of the racial structure was white 

(80.8%), followed by Asian (7.4%), individuals who 

identified with two or more races (4.4%), individuals 

who identified with some other race (3.9%), black 

(2.5%), American Indian and Alaska Native (0.6%), and 

Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (0.3%). 

About 10.9% identified as Hispanic, and 17.8% 

identified as foreign-born.

In 2000 63.7% of the population lived in family 

households.

History

The southern Monterey Bay area is the aboriginal 

homeland of the Ohlone/Costanoan Esselen tribe. Today 

the tribe consists of approximately 500 enrolled 

members, of which 60% live in Monterey and San Benito 

counties. Currently the tribe is “in the process of 

reaffirming its status as an American Indian Tribe with 

the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs through the Federal 

Acknowledgement Process administered by the Branch 

of Acknowledgement and Research.”1

 Within the tribe, 

the Achasta District was in the area of present-day 

Monterey.

Monterey was the capitol of Alta (upper) California 

under Mexican rule. The California state constitution 

was signed in Monterey on October 13, 1849.2

 The 

3,000 2,000 1,000 0 1,000 2,000 3,000

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

80.8%

Two or more races

4.4%

Black

2.5%

Native

0.6%

Asian

7.4%

Other

3.9%

Pacific Islander

0.3%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Non-Hispanic

89.1%

Hispanic

10.9%
468

area’s first Chinese inhabitants settled on the cove of 

Point Lobos in 1851, several miles to the south of 

Cannery Row. Their industrious efforts helped make 

Monterey one of California’s most successful fishing 

ports. The success of Chinese fishermen led to serious 

conflicts with Italian-American fishermen. A fire 

destroyed the Chinese settlement in 1906, and the 

Chinese fishing fleets on Monterey Bay never fully 

recovered. The Japanese also had a significant presence 

in the area in the 1920s and 30s. Since the 1930s, 

however, Italian fishermen have been the predominant 

ethnic group.

The year 1902 marked the beginning of Monterey’s 

canning industry. Wartime demand for canned fish drove 

cannery expansion during World War I. In 1928 the 

arrival of large and modern purse seiners, with their large 

nets, increased the efficiency of the local fishing fleet. 

The fishery was sustained through the Depression by 

annually turning two-thirds of 1 billion edible sardines 

into fertilizer. In the 1930s and 1940s Monterey was the 

center of a thriving fishing industry at Cannery Row and 

was known as the “Sardine Capital of the World” during 

WWII. The collapse of the sardine industry was largely 

economic due to the community’s heavy dependence on 

the fishery, rather than biologic. Current research has 

shown the disappearance of sardines from the fishery 50–

60 years ago was due to long oceanographic cycles and 

not overfishing; fieldwork indicates sardines have 

returned to area waters.

Author John Steinbeck brought notoriety to the area 

in 1945 with his novel Cannery Row. In 1958 Ocean 

View Avenue was officially renamed “Cannery Row.”

The Monterey waterfront suffered after the crash of the 

sardine fishery, but experienced a revitalization in the 

early 1950s and 1960s with new businesses such as cafes, 

restaurants, and hotels. Monterey continues to celebrate 

its commercial fishing heritage, and views the current 

economic contributions of the industry as vital to the 

community’s successful tourism industry.

Monterey Bay attracts millions of tourists every 

year. The Monterey Bay Aquarium opened in 1984 on 

the site of the Hovden Cannery.3, 4 It is visited by about 

1.8 million people each year and has been rated the 

nation’s number three top-rated family attraction by 

Zagat Survey.5

 Monterey State Historic Park is in 

Monterey, located on the old site of California’s capitol 

under Spanish and Mexican rule. On this site the U.S. 

flag was first officially raised, bringing the California 

Territory into the Union.6 Adjacent to the park is the 

Monterey Maritime Museum with displays and lectures 

featuring Monterey’s commercial fishing history.

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

30.3%

Unemployed

2.2% Employed

67.6%

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 67.6% of 

Monterey’s potential labor force 16 years of age and 

older were employed, 2.2% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 3.1% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

30.3% were not in the labor force. The top employment 

sectors were education, health, and social services 

(24.8%), local, state, or federal government (19.4%), arts, 

entertainment, recreation, accommodation, and food 

services (15.7%), and the armed forces (14%). Natural 

resource jobs including agriculture, forestry, fishing, and 

hunting employed 1.3%, but this percentage may be 

artificially low because many fishermen are selfemployed and are underrepresented in these data.

The California Employment Development 

Department lists McGraw-Hill Publishing, Monterey 

Peninsula College, and the Naval Postgraduate School as 

major Monterey employers.7

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Monterey’s per 

capita income in 1999 was $27,133, the median 

household income was $49,109, and 7.8% lived below 

the poverty level. In 2000 Monterey had 13,382 housing 

units, of which 94.2% were occupied and 5.8% were 

vacant. Of the occupied units, 38.5% were by owner and 

61.5% were by renter. About 46.5% of the vacant units 

were for seasonal, recreational, or occasional use.

Governance

Monterey was founded 3 June 1770 and 

incorporated 30 May 1850.8

 Monterey is a charter city 

that operates under a council-city manager government. 

The five-member city council consists of the mayor and 

four council members, all elected.9

 Residents pay a 
469

7.25% sales and use tax rate and Monterey County levies 

a 10.5% transient lodging tax rate, which earned 

$14,330,001 in revenue for fiscal year 2001.10 See the 

Governance subsection (page 43) in the Overview 

section for a more detailed discussion of taxes affecting 

fishermen and processors in California.

The California Department of Fish and Game 

headquarters for Marine Region 7 is in Monterey.11 The 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s 

(NOAA) Southwest Regional office is in Long Beach, 

and NOAA Fisheries Service’ Southwest Fisheries 

Science Center is across Monterey Bay in Santa Cruz. 

The U.S. Coast Guard has a station in Monterey. 

Meetings of the Pacific Fishery Management Council are 

held 95 miles away in Foster City. The U.S. Citizenship 

and Immigration Services has an office 72 miles away in 

San Jose.

Facilities

California Highway 1, which follows the California 

coast, runs through Monterey. Salinas is approximately 

24 miles northeast of Monterey on U.S. Highway 101, 

where there is daily Amtrak rail service with free bus 

service to downtown Monterey. Monterey also has 

connecting service to the Salinas Greyhound bus station. 

The Monterey Peninsula Airport, approximately 5 miles 

from Monterey, has direct flights to San Francisco, Los 

Angeles, and Phoenix, Arizona.12

The Monterey Peninsula Unified School District 

encompasses the communities of Monterey, Seaside, and 

Marina. In Monterey there are six public elementary 

schools (grades K-5), a public middle school (6-8), and a 

public high school (9-12). There is also a K-5 charter 

school and a charter high school, as well as two private 

high schools (PK-12 and 8-12). Monterey has several 

colleges and universities: Monterey Peninsula College, 

the Naval Post Graduate School, Monterey Institute of 

International Studies, Defense Language Institute, 

Golden Gate University–Monterey, Monterey College of 

Law, and Chapman College.13

The Monterey Regional Water Pollution Control 

Agency provides wastewater services, and Pacific Gas 

and Electric supplies gas and electricity. The CalAmerican Water Company provides water.14 

Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula is in 

Monterey and another hospital is in Salinas, 

approximately 17 miles away.15 The Monterey Police 

Department and its 56 officers administer public safety.16 

According to the Monterey County Convention and 

Visitors Bureau, Monterey has 53 hotels and inns.17

There are numerous harbor facilities in Monterey. 

The Monterey Municipal Marina is a full service facility 

with 413 slips that accommodate 20- to 50-foot vessels, 

six end ties for vessels 40 to 75 feet, and a public launch 

ramp. Fisherman’s Wharf (Municipal Wharf I) was once 

used by the sardine industry. Today it is a tourist 

destination with restaurants, fish markets, gift shops, and 

charter operations for sportfishing, whale watching, and 

sightseeing.

Municipal Wharf II is more commercially oriented 

with five wholesale fish companies and a commercial 

abalone farm. Wharf II has a public hoist that services 

boxed fish and fishing gear. The Monterey Peninsula 

Yacht Club is located on the end of Wharf II. 

Commercial dive charters depart from this wharf and a 

700-foot public fishing promenade is located alongside it. 

The City of Monterey charges wharfage fees on a sliding 

scale based on the value of fish and other ocean products 

that pass over the wharf for sale. The city supports the 

commercial fleet through numerous polices for berthing 

and fees that contribute to the infrastructure found largely 

on Wharf II.

Additional facilities include approximately 180 

privately owned mooring buoys located in the outer 

harbor that can accommodate commercial vessels up to 

100 feet; permits are required for these buoys. There is 

open anchorage at Del Monte beach east of Wharf II and 

the East Moorings. Breakwater Cove Marina is a 90-slip 

private marina and boatyard with a fuel dock and 

travelift. A chandlery is located next to the marina 

office.

The Coast Guard wharf was constructed atop a 

1,700-foot breakwater that protects the north side of 

Monterey harbor. This is home port for the Hawksbill, a 

110-foot cutter. Smaller Coast Guard boats have slips on 

the shore side of the breakwater. Located near the 

Breakwater Cove Marina and the Coast Guard Wharf is a 

modern launch ramp compliant with the Americans with 

Disabilities Act.

The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, the 

largest marine sanctuary in the United States, was 

established in 1992 and covers 5,322 square miles of 

ocean. The most extensive kelp forest in the nation is 

within the sanctuary, and is home to sea otters, seals, 

shorebirds, fishes, and many other species.18 The 

sanctuary was established for resource protection, 

research, education, and public use; however, it is not 

authorized to establish commercial or sport fishing 

regulations.19

Monterey has several commercial fishing 

organizations, the largest being the Alliance of 

Communities for Sustainable Fisheries, headquartered in 

Monterey but representing fishing interests throughout 

central California. There are two aquaculture facilities in 

Monterey, raising primarily red abalone and rock 

scallops.
470

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

At least one seafood processor operated in Monterey 

in 2000. The company primarily produced squid 

products; however, specific information (pounds of 

product/value of product) is confidential. Fieldwork 

revealed additional processing facilities and fish buyers 

including Seven Oceans, Monterey Fish Company, So 

Cal Seafood, and Royal Seafood. Field research also 

indicated substantial landings of squid in Monterey Bay 

(including Moss Landing) in 2002 and 2003; squid boats 

travel to the Channel Islands area during the winter 

months to fish, contributing greatly to the local economy.

In 2000 139 vessels, including 138 commerically 

registered vessels, delivered landings to Monterey. 

Landings in Monterey were made in the following West 

Coast fisheries (data shown represents landings in metric 

tons/value of landings/number of vessels landing): 

coastal pelagic 3,550.1 t/$729,861/15; crab 0.2 t/$1,036/

8; groundfish 429.7 t/$617,863/59; highly migratory 

species 45.7 t/$160,300/18; salmon 117.5 t/$416,434/51; 

shrimp 13.9 t/$284,361/7; and other species 15.7 t/

$42,278/31.

In 2000 Monterey residents owned 53 commercial 

vessels, of which 31 participated in the federally 

managed groundfish fishery. The number of vessels 

owned by Monterey residents that participated in each 

fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/0/

26, crab 0/0/3, groundfish 0/0/NA, highly migratory 

species NA/0/NA, salmon 0/0/33, shellfish NA/0/NA, 

and shrimp NA/0/7.20

In 2000 five residents held five federal groundfish 

permits. The number of Monterey residents holding 

permits in the each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

coastal pelagic 0/0/112, crab 0/0/4, groundfish 0/0/10, 

highly migratory species NA/0/9, salmon 0/0/71, 

shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 0/0/14, and other species 0/0/

25.21

In 200 Monterey residents held at least 442 

registered commercial fishing permits, including 437 

registered state permits. The number of state permits 

held by residents in the each fishery by state (WA/OR/

CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/0/246, crab 0/0/4, groundfish 

0/0/12, highly migratory species NA/0/11, salmon 0/0/

115, shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 0/0/23, and other species 

0/0/26.22

Sportfishing

A number of charter vessels operate out of 

Monterey, targeting salmon, rock cod and lingcod, tuna, 

and other species. Many also offer seasonal whale 

watching tours. In 2002 at least 73 charter businesses 

served sport fishermen and tourists. Nine license agents 

sold sportfishing licenses in Monterey. In 2000 vendors 

in Monterey County sold 11,071 resident sportfishing 

licenses, 9 nonresident sportfishing licenses, 175 sport 

salmon punch cards, and 184 abalone report cards. In the 

port group consisting of Monterey, Moss Landing, and 

Santa Cruz, 20 commercial passenger fishing vessels 

served 37,884 anglers and reported 139,058 landings 

composed of more than 15 species. Rockfish 

(unspecified) and Chinook salmon accounted for 70.8% 

and 20.6% of the landings respectively.

Monterey has two boat launch ramps utilized by 

approximately 4,000 launchers per year, of which the 

great majority are recreational fishing vessels. Vessels 

primarily target rockfish, halibut, and Chinook salmon.

Subsistence

Local tribal and nontribal community members may 

engage in subsistence fishing in the Monterey area, 

particularly around Monterey Breakwater and Wharf II. 

However, specific information on subsistence fishing in 

Monterey is not discussed in detail in this community 

profile due to the lack of available data. The California 

Department of Fish and Game uses the term 

“recreational” for fishermen who do not earn revenue 

from their catch, but fish for pleasure or to provide food 

for personal consumption. Information on subsistence 

fishing in California is captured to some degree in the 

sportfishing data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 48 vessels owned by Monterey residents 

participated in North Pacific fisheries, landing 1,426.4 

metric tons in the Alaska salmon fishery at a value of 

more than $2,092,100. Monterey residents held 51 state 

permits for Alaska fisheries, but none held federal 

permits. Residents held 59 crew member licenses for 

North Pacific fisheries.

In 2000 Monterey residents held 55 commercial 

fishing permits for North Pacific fisheries, 52 salmon 

Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission (CFEC) 

permits, and three herring CFEC permits.

Sportfishing

Monterey residents purchased 43 Alaska 

sportfishing licenses in 2000.
471

Notes

1. Ohlone/Costanoan Esselen Nation. 2004. Ohlone/Costanoan 

Esselen nation. Online at http://www.esselennation.com/index.html 

[accessed 28 February 2007].

2. City of Monterey. 2004. The community summary. Online at 

http://www.monterey.org/comunity.html#History [accessed 28 

February 2007].

3. Cannery Row.com. 2002. The heritage of cannery row. 

Online at http://www.canneryrow.com/heritage/index.html [accessed 

28 February 2007].

4. See note 2.

5. Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation. 2004. Visitor 

information. Online at http://www.mbayaq.org/vi/ [accessed 28 

February 2007].

6. State of California. 2004. Monterey state historic park. 

Online at http://www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=575 

[accessed 28 February 2007].

7. State of California. No date. Labor market information: 

Major employers in Monterey County. Online at http://

www.labormarketinfo.edd.ca.gov/cgi/databrowsing/

localAreaProfileQSResults.asp?selectedarea=Monterey+County

&selectedindex=28&menuChoice=localAreaPro&state=true

&geogArea=0604000053&countyName= [accessed 28 February 

2007].

8. City of Monterey. 2004. Community summary. Online at 

http://www.monterey.org/comunity.html [accessed 28 February 2007].

9. City of Monterey. 2004. Structure of the city government. 

Online at http://www.monterey.org/structur.html [accessed 28 July 

2007].

10. State of California. 2004. California counties transient 

lodging tax revenue. Online at http://www.sco.ca.gov/ard/local/

locrep/adhoc/county/0001cotranslodgtax.pdf [accessed 28 February 

2007].

11. State of California. 2003. Department of Fish and Game: 

Marine region 7. Online at http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mrd/ [accessed 28 

February 2007].

12. Monterey County Convention and Visitors Bureau. 2004. 

Transportation and tours. Online at http://montereyinfo.org/?p=4380 

[accessed 28 February 2007].

13. City-data.com. No date. Monterey, CA. Online at http://

www.city-data.com/city/Monterey-California.html [accessed 28 

February 2007].

14. City of Monterey. 2004. Utilities. Online at http://

www.monterey.org/utility.html [accessed 28 February 2007].

15. See note 13.

16. City of Monterey. 2003. Police services: Monterey police 

structure. Online at http://www.monterey.org/mpd/general_info/

structure.html [accessed 28 February 2007].

17. Monterey County Convention and Visitors Bureau. 2004. 

Lodging. Online at http://montereyinfo.org/?p=4422#monterey 

[accessed 28 February 2007].

18. Monterey County Convention and Visitors Bureau. 2004. 

Cities and regions. Online at http://montereyinfo.org/?p=4422

#monterey [accessed 28 February 2007].

19. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 2002. 

Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Online at http://

montereybay.noaa.gov/intro/welcome.html [accessed 28 February 

2007].

20. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

21. See note 20.

22. See note 20.
472

Morro Bay

People and Place

Location

Morro Bay is located on the coast in San Luis 

Obispo County. The community is approximately 213 

miles north of Los Angeles and 231 miles south of San 

Francisco. Morro Bay encompasses 5.2 square miles of 

land and 5 square miles of water. Its geographic 

coordinates are lat 35°22′39′′N, long 120°51′03′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of Morro Bay was 10,350, a 7.1% decrease from 1990. 

The gender composition was 52.3% female and 47.3% 

male. The median age in 2000 was 45.7, 10 years higher 

than the national median of 35.3. Of the population 18 

years of age and older, 89.6% had a high school 

education or higher, 25% had a bachelor’s degree or 

higher, and 9.4% had a graduate or professional degree; 

the national averages were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% 

respectively. A high school education was the highest 

level of educational attainment for 24.3%.

The majority of the racial composition was white 

(89.4%), followed by individuals who identified with 

some other race (4.1%), individuals who identified with 

two or more races (2.9%), and Asian (1.8%). Blacks, 

American Indian and Alaska Natives, and Native 

Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islanders each accounted for 

less than 1% of the population. Ethnicity data indicate 

11.4% identified as Hispanic and 7.2% of the population 

was foreign-born with a high percentage from Mexico.

In 2000 69.2% of the population lived in family 

households.

History

Morro Bay takes its name from Morro Rock, an 

ancient landmark towering 576 feet above the entrance to 

the bay. Morro Rock is one of nine extinct volcanic 

peaks that run in a straight line for 12 miles. In 1542 

Portuguese conquistador Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo 

dubbed the rock “the Gibraltar of the Pacific” and 

Spanish galleons sailing the coast used it to identify 

Morro Bay’s safe harbor.

Coastal Chumash Indians had settlements in area. 

Chumash hunters, fishermen, and foragers exploited their 

marine, coastal, and river resources. They regularly 

transported resources from their offshore islands to the 

mainland in unique redwood-planked boats known as 

“tomols.” The Chumash imported specialized stone 

800 600 400 200 0 200 400 600 800 1,000

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure

Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

89.4%

Two or more races

2.9%

Other

4.1%

Black

0.7%

Native

0.9%

Asian

1.8%

Pacific Islander

0.1%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Non-Hispanic

88.6%

Hispanic

11.4%
473

blades and drills manufactured on the islands, plus 

marine resources such as shark, bonito, and halibut. 

Their fishermen used a variety of nets, traps, baskets, 

hooks, spears, and plant poisons to catch or stun fish and 

catch seals and sea otters. On the coast they collected 

abalone and mussels, and established a trade network to 

pass raw marine materials such as fish, whale bones, and 

oils to the interior.

Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo first encountered the 

Chumash in 1542, but it was not until 1772 that five 

Catholic missions were established within Chumash 

territory. After the secularization of the missions in 

1833, the Chumash population fell into severe decline. 

In 1901 the U.S. government allocated 75 acres along 

Zanja de Cota Creek near Mission Santa Ynez to the 

surviving Chumash. Today they have their own business 

council, a thriving bingo operation, and a federal housing 

program on the small reservation. About 5,000 people 

identify themselves as Chumash Indians.1

The town of Morro Bay was founded in 1870 and a 

wharf was built, soon to become the bustling 

“Embarcadero.” The town grew quickly based on trade in 

wool, dairy products, potatoes, and barley.

Boats entered the harbor through channels on the 

north and south sides of the rock, but these entrances 

were dangerous due to erratic winds and surging tides. 

This resulted in competition from nearby Port Cayucos. 

Many ships called at this deep water port rather than face 

the dangers of Morro Bay’s entrance. By the 1930s 

Morro Bay had developed as a community, and attention 

turned to improving the harbor. Quarrying on Morro 

Rock provided the materials for a jetty closing the north 

entrance of the harbor and a breakwater protecting the 

south entrance. The south channel was then dredged, 

resulting in a safe entrance to Morro Bay.

The Embarcadero bustled as commercial fishermen 

soon began landing large catches of albacore tuna, cod, 

and salmon. By 1939 Morro Bay’s population reached 

400, and a year later the U.S. Navy began operations. 

The facilities fell into disrepair after World War II. In 

1968 Morro Rock was designated as a state historical 

landmark and is now protected against human 

alterations.2 In the 1940s an abalone fishing industry 

developed in and around the bay. Although abalone 

stocks have dramatically declined, Morro Bay remains a 

significant fishing port for halibut, rockfish, sole, and 

other species. The community now combines fishing 

with coastal tourism.3

Today Morro Bay State Park features a natural bay 

habitat and lagoon. The park has opportunities for 

birding, fishing, hiking, and sailing. The park museum 

features exhibits on natural (geology/oceanography) and 

cultural (Native American) features of the area. The park 

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

48.3% Employed

49.7%

Unemployed

2.0%

also has a small marina and a pristine marsh that supports 

a flourishing bird population.4

 Along the waterfront 

Embarcadero is the Morro Bay Aquarium. This family 

owned, nonprofit aquarium was built in the 1960s, and 

became a rehabilitation center for marine mammals in 

1984. It currently features a harbor seal and three sea 

lions, as well as 14 tanks filled with local marine life.5

Tourism is an important component of Morro Bay’s 

contemporary economy. The Morro Bay Harbor Festival 

is an annual celebration of the area’s unique food, wine, 

lifestyle, and working waterfront. The festival also offers 

music and numerous marine and harbor-oriented 

educational activities. “Since its inception, a primary 

goal of the festival has been to ... focus public awareness 

on the special value of Morro Bay’s harbor and its 

environment.”6

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 49.7% of Morro 

Bay’s potential labor force 16 years of age and older 

were employed, 2% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 3.8% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

48.3% were not in the labor force. Top employment 

sectors were local, state, or federal government (24.5%), 

education, health, and social services (21.8%), and arts, 

entertainment, recreation, accommodation, and food 

services (14.8%). Natural resource jobs including 

agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting employed 

3.7%, but this percentage may be artificially low because 

many fishermen are self-employed and are 

underrepresented in the data. The City of Morro Bay is 

the area’s largest employer.7

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Morro Bay’s 

per capita income in 1999 was $21,687 and the median 
474

household income was $34,379. About 13% lived below 

the poverty level, slightly above the national average of 

12.4%. In 2000 Morro Bay had 6,251 housing units, of 

which 79.8% were occupied and 20.2% were vacant. Of 

the occupied units, 55.6% were by owner and 44.4% 

were by renter. About 77.5% of the vacant units were for 

seasonal, recreational, or occasional use.

Governance

In 1964 Morro Bay became a general law city and 

elected its first five-member city council. City 

government includes the mayor and the city manager, 

who carries out council policies. Morro Bay has a 7.25% 

sales and use tax and San Luis Obispo County levies a 

9% lodging tax that earned $4,229,463 in fiscal year 

2001.8 See the Governance subsection (page 43) in the 

Overview section for a more detailed discussion of taxes 

affecting fishermen and processors in California.

A California Department of Fish and Game Marine 

Region field office and a U.S. Coast Guard station are 

located in Morro Bay. Pacific Fishery Management 

Council meetings are held in Foster City, approximately 

211 miles away. National Marine Fishery Service 

(NMFS) laboratories are 125 miles away at Pacific Grove 

and 163 miles away at Santa Cruz, and the NMFS 

Southwest Regional Office is in Long Beach, 

approximately 234 miles south.

Facilities

Morro Bay is located northeast of San Luis Obispo 

on California Highway 1. San Luis Obispo County 

Regional Airport is about 19 miles from Morro Bay. The 

nearest major international airports are in Los Angeles 

and San Francisco, 213 and 231 miles away respectively. 

Morro Bay has two elementary schools and one high 

school. The city’s public works department supplies 

water and wastewater services and its police department 

administers public safety. Three hospitals within 13 miles 

of Morro Bay provide health care. Morro Bay has more 

than two dozen hotels and inns.

The Morro Bay Marina has 24 moorings, 16 slips, 

and offers a variety of services for recreational vessels. 

The Morro Bay Yacht Club offers an additional six 

mooring spaces and a 150-foot dock for transient yachts. 

The City of Morro Bay manages the Morro Bay Harbor, 

which stretches along 1.5 miles of coast and was 

originally built as a military base during World War II. 

Morro Bay has a rich history of abalone harvesting and 

shark fishing. Commercial and recreational fishing have 

been the nucleus of the port, but today it primarily draws 

tourists and sportfishermen. The harbor has 150 offshore moorings, 50 slips for commercial vessels, and 

about 400 berths.9 The commercial slips are subsidized 

by the city. Additional moorage is available at Morro 

Bay State Park’s small marina.

The Morro Bay Commercial Fisherman’s 

Organization has received two grants from the Santa 

Barbara County Fisheries Enhancement Fund to pave 

two areas for storing fishing equipment and repairing 

nets at the harbor and to upgrade the computer system for 

offshore weather patterns and water temperatures.10

The Morro Bay National Estuaries Program 

encompasses the principle wetland system on south 

central coast. This estuary serves a critical 

environmental function and provides the eelgrass beds 

and wetlands that serve as a habitat for a number of 

migratory birds and as a nursery for juvenile off-shore 

marine fish. An aquaculture facility based in Morro Bay 

specializes in pacific oysters, bay mussels, and manila 

clams.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

All large commercial processors have left Morro 

Bay, and landings are usually taken to processors in 

nearby Atascadero or Salinas. According to an employee 

of the Morro Bay Harbor Department, the commercial 

fishing culture of Morro Bay is rapidly disappearing.11

In 2000 249 commercial vessels delivered landings 

to Morro Bay. Landings were made in the following 

West Coast fisheries (data shown represents landings in 

metric tons/value of landings/number of vessels landing): 

coastal pelagic 173.6 t/$42,462/8; crab 1.8 t/$5,779/17; 

groundfish 157.3 t/$839,790/134; highly migratory 

species 592.5 t/$1,507,833/94; salmon 154.8 t/$573,072/

70; shrimp 69 t/$1,104,912/16; and other species 21 t/

$64,943/80.

Morro Bay residents owned 62 commercial vessels 

in 2000, of which 31 participated in the federally 

managed groundfish fishery. Five vessels participated in 

the 2003 Groundfish Vessels Buyback Program. The 

number of vessels owned by residents in 2000 that 

participated in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

crab 0/0/7, groundfish 0/0/NA, highly migratory species 

NA/0/NA, salmon 0/0/28, shellfish NA/0/NA, shrimp 

NA/0/5, and other species 2/0/0.12

In 2000 six Morro Bay residents held six federal 

groundfish permits. The number of residents holding 

permits in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

coastal pelagic 0/0/5, crab 0/0/6, groundfish 0/0/41, 

highly migratory species NA/0/14, salmon 0/1/42, 

shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 2/1/21, and other species 0/1/

59.13

There were at least 292 commercial fishing permits 

registered to Morro Bay residents in 2000, including 286 
475

registered state permits. The number of state permits 

held by residents in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) 

was: coastal pelagic 0/0/11, crab 0/0/6, groundfish 0/0/

50, highly migratory species NA/0/28, salmon 0/1/76, 

shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 2/1/35, and other species 0/5/

71.14

Sportfishing

A number of charter vessels operate out of Morro 

Bay, targeting albacore tuna, rock cod, salmon, and other 

species. Many also offer seasonal whale watching tours. 

In 2002 at least 36 charter businesses served sport 

fishermen and tourists in Morro Bay; by 2003 that 

number had dropped to 27. Two license agents sold 

sportfishing licenses in Morro Bay. In 2000 vendors in 

San Luis Obispo County sold 43,399 resident 

sportfishing licenses, 40 nonresident sportfishing 

licenses, 52 sport salmon punch cards, and 30 abalone 

report cards. In the port group consisting of Avila Beach 

and Morro Bay, 12 commercial passenger fishing vessels 

served 17,759 anglers in 2000 and reported 123,441 

landings composed of more than a dozen species. 

Rockfish (unspecified) and albacore tuna accounted for 

93.9% and 4.6% of the landings respectively.

Subsistence

Local tribal and nontribal community members may 

engage in subsistence fishing in the Morro Bay area, 

however, specific information is not discussed in detail 

due to the lack of available data. The California 

Department of Fish and Game uses the term 

“recreational” for fishermen who do not earn revenue 

from their catch, but fish for pleasure or to provide food 

for personal consumption. Information on subsistence 

fishing is captured to some degree in the sportfishing 

data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 a Morro Bay resident owned one vessel that 

participated in North Pacific fisheries. The vessel made 

landings in the North Pacific salmon fishery, but specific 

information (landings in metric tons/value of landings) is 

confidential.

In 2000 one Morro Bay resident held a state 

Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission salmon permit 

for Alaska fisheries. Four residents held crew member 

licenses for North Pacific fisheries.

Sportfishing

Morro Bay residents purchased 19 Alaska 

sportfishing licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. Houghton Mifflin Company. No date. Encyclopedia of North 

American Indians: Chumash. Online at http://college.hmco.com/

history/readerscomp/naind/html/na_007400_chumash.htm [accessed 

September 2004].

2. Ernest & Allen Internet advertising. 1997. History of Morro 

Bay. Online at http://www.morrobay.com/history/ [accessed 28 

February 2007].

3. WorldHistory.com. 2004. Morro Bay, CA. Online at http://

www.worldhistory.com/wiki/M/Morro-Bay-California.htm [accessed 

28 February 2007].

4. State of California. 2004. Morro Bay State Park. Online at 

http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=594 [accessed 28 February 2007].

5. Ernest & Allen. 1998. Morro Bay Aquarium. Online at 

http://www.morrobay.com/morrobayaquarium/ [accessed 28 February 

2007].

6. Morro Bay Harbor Festival. 2004. Morro Bay harbor 

festival. Online at http://morrobay.org/cm/Our%20City/Home.html 

[accessed 28 February 2007].

7. Field notes, City of Morro Bay Harbor Department, 21 

September 2004.

8. State of California. 2004. California counties transient 

lodging tax revenue. Online at http://www.sco.ca.gov/ard/local/

locrep/adhoc/county/0001cotranslodgtax.pdf [accessed 28 February 

2007].

9. Pacific State Marine Fisheries Commission. No date. 

California state counties. Online at http://www.psmfc.org/efin/docs/

communities_2004/communities_pages65_84.pdf [accessed 28 

February 2007].

10. County of Santa Barbara. 2004. Fisheries enhancement 

fund. Online at http://www.countyofsb.org/energy/mitigation/fef.asp 

[accessed 28 February 2007].

11. See note 7.

12. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

13. See note 12.

14. See note 12.
476

Moss Landing

People and Place

Location

Moss Landing is in Monterey County on the eastern 

shore of Monterey Bay at the mouth of Elkhorn Slough. 

The community is 25.4 miles south of Santa Cruz and 

95.8 miles south of San Francisco. It encompasses 0.4 

square mile of land and 0.2 square mile of water. Moss 

Landing’s geographic coordinates are lat 36°48′16′′N, 

long 121°47′09′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of Moss Landing was 300. Population trends were 

difficult to determine, as Moss Landing was not 

recognized by the U.S. Census as a census designated 

place until 2000. The gender composition was 46% 

female and 54% male. The median age was 36.4, slightly 

higher than the national average of 35.3. Of the 

population 18 years of age and older, 66.7% had a high 

school education or higher, 24.2% had a bachelor’s 

degree or higher, and 18.6% had a graduate or 

professional degree; the national averages were 79.7%, 

22.3%, and 7.8% respectively. The high level of 

graduate education attainment for Moss Landing may be 

due in part to the presence of the Monterey Bay 

Aquarium Research Institute and the Moss Landing 

Marine Lab.

The majority of the racial composition was white 

(59.3%), followed by individuals who identified with 

some other race (21.7%), individuals who identified with 

two or more races (13.3%), black (3%), Asian (2%), and 

American Indian and Alaska Native (0.7%). Ethnicity 

data indicate 28.3% identified as Hispanic, and 27.5% 

were foreign-born compared to the national average of 

11.1%. Of the foreign-born, 18.9% were from Mexico.

History

The aboriginal lands of the Ohlone/Costanoan 

Esselen tribes extend from the southern Monterey Bay 

area and include the northern Salinas Valley, Monterey 

Peninsula, Big Sur coastline, and the mountainous 

interior from the Carmel highlands to the area around 

Soledad. Before colonization by the Spanish Empire in 

the 1700s, the Indians developed complex social and 

religious systems within tribal territorial boundaries 

composed of a central permanent village and other 

secondary or seasonal village sites. Part of the Wacharon 

30 20 10 0 10 20 30 40

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

59.3%

Two or more races

13.3% Other

21.7%

Asian

2%

Native

0.7%

Black

3%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity 

Non-Hispanic

71.7%

Hispanic

28.3%
477

(Guachirron) and Calendaruc village area was in the 

present-day Moss Landing area.1

In the early seventeenth century many Europeans 

sailed to California looking for land to colonize for the 

Spanish Empire. The Spanish called the native people of 

the Central Coast, costeños or coast-dwellers, which 

eventually became Costanoan.2 In 1770 Spanish 

missionaries and soldiers moved Indians from their 

villages to missions in Monterey. The ancestral villages 

were emptied and the Indians were not allowed to 

practice their religion, speak their language, or dress in 

their traditional clothing. When the United States took 

over California in 1848, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo 

obligated it to prevent the loss of Indian owned lands, but 

it was never carried out. A series of treaties that followed 

also did not guarantee or recognize a land base for the 

Esselen tribes.

In the 1900s anthropologist Alfred Kroeber said the 

Esselen- and Costanoan-speaking people were extinct, a 

statement which created current problems for the tribe in 

its efforts to receive federal recognition.3 Today the 

Esselen Nation has about 500 enrolled members. The 

tribe was not legally terminated during the termination 

period; however, due to an administrative error the tribe 

lost its recognition status and the opportunity to receive 

land from the federal government. The tribe has 

submitted a petition for federal recognition through the 

Federal Acknowledgment Process.4

Moss Landing was named after Captain Charles 

Moss in 1866. Moss was a Texan who, with Portuguese 

whaler Cato Vierra, constructed a wharf and a pier for 

commercial water traffic.5

 Chinese immigrants were the 

first to dike, ditch, and drain local wetlands for 

agriculture. Lumber, wheat, sugar beets, potatoes, and 

other products were shipped to San Francisco. In 1906 

an earthquake destroyed the wharf and much of the 

infrastructure.6

Portuguese whalers introduced commercial whaling 

to Monterey Bay in 1853. Blubber was rendered into oil 

for use in lanterns. Many Asian immigrants came to the 

area to work in the whaling industry, which went into 

decline when the price of whale oil dropped due to the 

introduction of kerosene in the 1870s.7 However, 

modern whaling equipment prompted the California Sea 

Products Company to build a large whaling factory in 

Moss Landing in 1918. The factory closed in 1927 due 

to the drastic decline in the number of whales, the drop in 

whale oil prices, and competition from offshore factory 

ships.8, 9

The 1900s also brought in fishing boats called 

Monterey clippers and Sicilian lamparas with fishing 

gear that targeted coastal pelagic species.10 The sardine 

fishery stimulated the small-scale fishery in Moss 

2000 Employment structure

Unemployed

17.4%

Not in labor force

2.3%

Employed

80.3%

Landing that had been in place since the 1880s. World 

War I shut down Europe’s fishing grounds, giving a 

boost to West Coast fisheries. Production from the 

sardine canneries increased. Sardines were shipped to 

soldiers during both world wars.11 Growth in the fishery 

in the 1930s stimulated development and prompted the 

California Legislature in 1947 to establish the Moss 

Landing Harbor District. The harbor provided a safe 

channel and supported new canneries and reduction 

plants on a narrow spit of land that extends northwest 

from the mainland, known as the “Island.” Within five 

years, however, the sardine population collapsed and 

many sardine fishermen moved south to San Pedro, only 

to have that fishery collapse a few years later.12

The fishermen and buyers who remained in the 

Monterey Bay area shifted their focus to other species 

such as anchovy, mackerel, and squid. Over time, 

fisheries for groundfish, halibut, spot prawn, crab, 

salmon, albacore, and other species developed at Moss 

Landing. By the mid-1970s there were five fish buyers 

in Moss Landing who received and processed a range of 

species.13 Moss Landing also played a role in the first 

commercial transfer of eyed oyster larvae, which were 

produced at Pigeon Point and then moved to the Moss 

Landing setting facility.14 Today Moss Landing Harbor 

is one of the largest commercial fishing ports in 

California. In 2001 it ranked third in pounds landed 

behind the Los Angeles and Ventura/Port Hueneme/

Oxnard Harbor complexes, and fourth in ex-vessel 

revenues behind the San Francisco Bay area.15

In the 1960s California State University’s Moss 

Landing Marine Laboratories (MLML) was established. 

Unfortunately MLML’s facilities were damaged beyond 

repair during the 1987 Loma Prieta earthquake. These 

facilities have since been rebuilt at a new site south of 

town.16 In the 1990s the Monterey Bay Aquarium 
478

Research Institute established extensive facilities in Moss 

Landing at the site of the old whaling factory.

In 1992 the Monterey Bay National Marine 

Sanctuary was designated. Fieldwork indicates local 

processing workers believe regulations are the biggest 

factor affecting today’s fisheries. Some say conflicts 

over regulations opened divisions in the community 

between those who supported the designation of the 

marine sanctuary and those who did not.

Today, Moss Landing is a tourist destination wellknown for antiques. It is the gateway to the Elkhorn 

Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, the second 

largest marine wetland in California.17, 18 More attractive 

commercial rental costs have attracted business owners 

from the Monterey area to Moss Landing. The first 

antique store opened in 1969 and many others soon 

followed. Many stores retain a nautical theme in décor 

and merchandise.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 80.3% of Moss 

Landing’s potential labor force 16 years of age and older 

were employed, 17.4% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 17.8% (calculated by dividing 

the unemployed population by the labor force). In 

addition, 2.3% were not in the labor force. The primary 

employment sectors were entertainment, recreation, and 

accommodation, and food services (28.4%), local, state, 

or federal government (22.1%), and professional, 

scientific, and technical services (15.7%). Natural 

resource jobs including agriculture, forestry, fishing, and 

hunting employed 9.6%, but this percentage may be 

artificially low because many persons in these job 

categories are self-employed and are underrepresented in 

the data.

Moss Landing’s economy is based on commercial 

fishing, research, and recreation and tourism. In addition 

to the fishing industry, other major employers in the area 

are Duke Energy and the Monterey Bay Aquarium 

Research Institute. Estimates of local commercial fishing 

employment can be derived from Pomeroy and Dalton.19 

Antique dealing has also become an important 

component of the economy. Few employees reside in 

Moss Landing, and many of its residents work in other 

nearby communities.20

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the per capita 

income in 1999 was $28,005, the median household 

income was $66,442, and 18.8% lived below the poverty 

level. Of the 135 housing units in 2000, 92.6% were 

occupied and 7.4% were vacant. Of the occupied units, 

47.2% were by owner and 52.8% were by renter.

Governance

Moss Landing is an unincorporated, censusdesignated place (CDP). Residents pay a 7.25% sale tax 

based on the standard statewide rate. Monterey County 

has no district tax in effect, but does levy a 10.5% 

transient lodging tax. See the Governance subsection 

(page 43) in the Overview section for a more detailed 

discussion of taxes affecting fisherman and processors in 

California.

Moss Landing is 29 miles from the National Marine 

Fisheries Service (NMFS) Southwest Regional Santa 

Cruz lab and 357.1 miles north of the Southwest 

Regional Office in Long Beach. It is about 18.3 miles 

from the California Department of Fish and Game 

Monterey Field Office and a U.S. Coast Guard Station, 

both located in Monterey. Moss Landing is 83.3 miles 

from the nearest U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 

Services Center in San Francisco. Pacific Fishery 

Management Council meetings are held in Foster City, 

76.5 miles away, and North Pacific Fishery Management 

Council meetings are held 717.8 miles away in Portland, 

Oregon.

Facilities

Moss Landing is 10.2 miles from U.S. Highway 

101. A local transportation system runs buses to nearby 

communities. The community is 19.3 miles from the 

Monterey Peninsula Airport and 55.3 miles from San 

Jose International Airport.

Students attend elementary schools 3.7 miles away 

in Castroville and the local middle school in Moss 

Landing. The closest high school is in Castroville.21 

Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) supplies electricity, and 

Cal-American Water Company provides water and 

wastewater services. In the early 1950s, PG&E 

constructed the Moss Landing Power Plant, the second 

largest fossil fuel thermal electric power plant in the 

world. Duke Energy purchased the plant in 1998 and has 

redesigned facilities to minimize environmental 

impacts.22 The Monterey County Sheriff’s Department 

administers local law enforcement. The nearest health 

care facility is Watsonville Community Hospital in 

Watsonville (9.4 miles).23 Moss Landing 

accommodations include a bed and breakfast, 

recreational vehicle park, and vacation rentals. Nearby 

communities also have lodging accommodations.24

Moss Landing Harbor, Woodward’s Marine (a small 

supply/tackle store and fuel dock), a boatyard with 

travelift, a marine electrician, a marine diesel mechanic, a 

marine covers/upholstery shop, and a metal fabricator/

welder provide fishing related goods and services.25 In 
479

addition, the Elkhorn Yacht Club is a private club for 

recreational boaters.

A political subdivision of the state, the Moss 

Landing Harbor District is governed by a Harbor 

Commission of five members elected by local residents.26 

The district is divided into two areas: North and South 

harbors. North Harbor serves recreational boating and 

visitor activities. South Harbor supports commercial 

fishing and marine research and also serves coastal and 

marine sportfishing, recreation, and tourism services. 

From the late 1990s through 2003, the district oversaw 

reconstruction of the Santa Cruz Cannery Building, 

which houses two fish buyers with small-scale 

processing facilities; renovation of adjacent K-dock for 

commercial fish unloading; and the opening of a 

restaurant and fish market at North Harbor.27

Moss Landing Harbor has 743 berths. In 2001 

approximately 125 vessels homeported at the harbor. 

Another 175 vessels actively used the harbor but 

homeported elsewhere.28 Many commercial slips have 

gone unused as the fishing fleet decreased in size, while 

there is a waiting list for recreational boats.29 

Historically, the main purpose of the harbor district was 

commercial fishing. The first sportfishing business 

applied to the board of directors 10 years ago to be a part 

of the district. In the past, crewmembers were at sea for 

months and then stayed on the boats when they were in 

port. However, the number of live aboards has dropped 

significantly.

The Moss Landing Marine Lab and the Monterey 

Bay Aquarium Research Institute are located in the Moss 

Landing Harbor District. The institute has 200 people 

working on deep water research instruments, 60 

scientists, and 40 to 50 engineers. Research includes 

developing instruments, discovering new species, 

monitoring buoys, video recording, and other specialized 

studies. Of major concern is a new undersea observatory 

monitored by the Monterey Accelerated Research 

System that will be connected to the institute with a large 

cable that may impact or be impacted by trawlers.

Moss Landing is also home to the California Marine 

Pollution Studies Lab and the Monterey-Santa Cruz 

County Sea Grant marine advisor. Another Sea Grant 

marine advisor is in Watsonville, 11.5 miles northeast of 

Moss Landing. Several fisheries-related organizations 

operate in or near Moss Landing, including the Pacific 

Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations and the 

Marine Mammal Center. The Alliance for Communities 

for Sustainable Fisheries is a regional organization based 

in the Monterey Bay area. It is an umbrella group with 

members in the Channel Island area that funds and 

supports the California Fisheries Coalitions. The 

Fishermen’s Marketing Association of Moss Landing is a 

subgroup of the Pacific Coast Federation of Seafood 

Harvesters.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 all of the 355 vessels that delivered landings 

to Moss Landing were commercial. Landings were in the 

following West Coast fisheries (data shown represents 

landings in metric tons/value of landings/number of 

vessels landing): coastal pelagic 22,720 t/$3,398,666/33; 

crab 20 t/$94,081/16; groundfish 812 t/$1,547,736/91; 

highly migratory species 346 t/$745,032/56; salmon 404 

t/$1,410,687/184; shrimp confidential/confidential/2; and 

other species 6 t/$26,405/37.

In 2000 residents owned 27 vessels, of which two 

participated in the Groundfish Vessel Buyback Program. 

In 2004 three Moss Landing vessels participated in the 

buyback program. Community members owned 15 

vessels that participated in the federally managed 

groundfish fishery. The number of vessels owned by 

Moss Landing residents that participated in each fishery 

by state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 0/0/3, groundfish 0/0/

NA, highly migratory species NA/0/NA, salmon 0/1/20, 

shellfish NA/0/NA, and shrimp NA/0/3.30

Moss Landing residents held three federal 

groundfish fishery permits in 2000. The number of 

individual community members holding permits in each 

fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/0/6, 

crab 0/0/3, groundfish 0/0/11, highly migratory species 

NA/0/1, salmon 0/1/44, shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 0/0/5, 

and other species 1/0/13.31

Moss Landing residents held 136 registered permits, 

of which 133 were registered state permits. The number 

of permits held by these community members in each 

fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/0/

15, crab 0/0/3, groundfish 0/0/13, highly migratory 

species NA/0/3, salmon 0/1/76, shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 

0/0/7, and other species 1/0/14.32

A 2003 study by Pomeroy and Dalton found most of 

the fish landed or received at Moss Landing are trucked 

to nearby facilities for processing. In 2001–02, seven 

resident and dozens of nonresident buyers received fish 

at Moss Landing. For the three resident buyers who 

provided detailed employment data, the results showed 

307 full-time and 825 part-time fish receiving and 

processing employees. An estimated 12 to 15 full-time 

employees from these three buyers (of about 750 FTEs) 

worked at the receiving stations at Moss Landing. Plants 

in Watsonville and other communities employed the 

other workers. The study showed not all resident buyers 

are headquartered in Moss Landing; most of their 

employees work at the headquarters or other processing 
480

or receiving locations.33 In 2004 there were at least four 

processor or off-loading/icing facilities located in the 

harbor district.

Sportfishing

Moss Landing is part of the Monterey, Moss 

Landing, Santa Cruz port complex. In 2000 it received 

139,058 commercial passenger fishing vessel landings 

made by 37,884 anglers. The majority of landings were 

rockfishes, Chinook salmon, albacore tuna, and 

flatfishes. In addition, the Moss Landing beachfront and 

harbor are used by resident sport fishermen. A 2004 site 

visit and internet sources confirm at least two 

sportfishing businesses in the community.34

Subsistence

Both nontribal and tribal fishermen, including 

members of the Ohlone/Costanoan Esselen Nation, 

utilize marine and stream resources for subsistence 

resources within and surrounding Moss Landing, 

however, specific information on subsistence fishing is 

not discussed in detail in this community profile due to 

the lack of available data. The California Department of 

Fish and Game uses the term “recreational” for fishermen 

who do not earn revenue from their catch, but fish for 

pleasure or to provide food for personal consumption. 

Information on subsistence fishing is captured to some 

degree in the sportfishing data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 one Moss Landing resident held a crew 

member license for North Pacific fisheries.

Sportfishing

Moss Landing residents purchased two Alaska 

sportfishing licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. Ohlone/Costanoan Esselen Nation. 2004. Our indigenous 

homelands. Online at http://www.esselennation.com/

OurHomelands.html [accessed 1 March 2007].

2. Ohlone/Costanoan Esselen Nation. 2004. Our nation’s name. 

Online at http://www.esselennation.com/OurName.html [accessed 1 

March 2007].

3. Ohlone/Costanoan Esselen Nation. 2004. Our history since 

European contact. Online at http://www.esselennation.com/

OurHistory.html [accessed 1 March 2007].

4. Ohlone/Costanoan Esselen Nation. 2004. Ohlone/Costanoan 

Esselen Nation today. Online at http://www.esselennation.com/

OCENToday.html [accessed 1 March 2007].

5. Moss Landing Chamber of Commerce. 2002. Home. Online 

at http://www.mosslandingchamber.com/index.html [accessed 1 

March 2007].

6. National Estuarine Research Reserve System. 2004. Elkhorn 

Slough reserve. Online at http://nerrs.noaa.gov/ElkhornSlough/

History.html [accessed 1 March 2007].

7. Field notes, Maritime Museum, Monterey, CA, 1–4 

September 2004.

8. S. Lydon. 2004. The Moss Landing whaling station: 1919–

1926. Online at http://www.sandylydon.com/html/sec5.html 

[accessed 1 March 2007].

9. L. Kortum. No date. Points of historical interest: Monterey 

County. Online at http://www.californiacoastaltrail.org/oldsite/

monterey.html [accessed 1 March 2007].

10. See note 7.

11. Field notes, Monterey Bay Aquarium, Cannery history 

exhibit, 1–4 September 2004.

12. C. Pomeroy and M. Dalton. 2003. Socio-economics of the 

Moss Landing commercial fishing industry: Report to the Monterey 

County Office of Economic Development. Online at http://

www.psmfc.org/efin/docs/otherpublications/

ML_Cmcl_Fishing_Ind_Report.pdf [accessed 1 March 2007].

13. See note 12.

14. G. Jones and B. Jones. 1988. Advances in the remote setting 

of oyster larvae. Online at http://www.innovativeaqua.com/

Publication/Pub1.htm [accessed 1 March 2007].

15. See note 12.

16. Field notes, Sea Grant personnel, Watsonville, CA, May 

2006.

17. Monterey Bay Kayaks. No date. Moss Landing & Elkhorn 

Slough: One of the largest coastal wetlands in California. Online at 

http://www.montereybaykayaks.com/info/moss_landing.php 

[accessed 1 March 2007].

18. D. Roberson. 2000. Elkhorn Slough and Moss Landing. 

Online at http://www.montereybay.com/creagrus/elkhornslough.html 

[accessed 1 March 2007].

19. See note 12.

20. See note 16.

21. North Monterey County Unified School District. 2003. 

Directory of schools and services. Online at http://www.nmcusd.org/

directory/directory.asp [accessed 1 March 2007].

22. Ameron International Water Transmission Group. No date. 

Moss Landing power plant. Online at http://www.ameronpipe.com/

products/ch_moss.htm [accessed 1 March 2007].

23. City-data.com. No date. Moss Landing, CA. Online at 

http://www.city-data.com/city/Moss-Landing-California.html 

[accessed 1 March 2007].

24. See note 5.

25. See note 16.

26. See note 12.

27. See note 16.

28. See note 12.

29. A. Weinstein. 2002. Site characterization: Human 

influences: Socioeconomic uses: Harbors. Online at http://

bonita.mbnms.nos.noaa.gov/sitechar/soci6.html#6b [accessed July 

2004].

30. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

31. See note 30.

32. See note 30.

33. See note 12.

34. Sportfishing businesses determined via internet search. 

Online at http://humguide.com; http://www.sportsmansresource.com 

[accessed 1 March 2007].
481

Novato

People and Place

Location

Novato is in Marin County, 29 miles north of San 

Francisco and 78 miles southwest of Sacramento. The 

community encompasses 27.7 square miles of land and 

0.6 square mile of water. The geographic coordinates of 

Novato are lat 38°06′27′′N, long 122°34′07′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of Novato was 47,630, a 0.1% increase from 1990. The 

gender composition was 51.6% female and 48.4% male. 

The median age of the population in 2000 was 39.6, 

higher than the national median of 35.3. Of the 

population 18 years of age and older, 89.1% had a high 

school education or higher, 34.6% had a bachelor’s 

degree or higher, and 11.3% had a graduate or 

professional degree; the national averages were 79.7%, 

22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The majority of the racial structure was white 

(82.8%), followed by individuals who identified with 

some other race (5.4%), Asian (5.2%), individuals who 

identified with two or more races (3.9%), black (2%), 

American Indian and Alaska Native (0.5%), and Native 

Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (0.2%). Ethnicity 

data indicate 13.1% identified as Hispanic. About 17.2% 

percent were foreign-born, of which 23% were from 

Mexico.

In 2000 81.1% of the population lived in family 

households.

History

The first inhabitants of the Novato area were Miwok 

Indians who lived in a village at the base of Mount 

Burdell at Olompali. The area is now a state historic park 

with a re-created Miwok village. The Coastal Miwok are 

part of the Penutian language family.1

 They occupied 

territory bounded on the north by the Cosumnes River, 

the east by the ridge of the Sierra Nevada, the south by 

Fresno Creek, and the west by the San Joaquin River.2 

The Miwok were the largest “nation” in California. It is 

said a tribal member could travel from the Cosumnes 

River to Fresno Creek and be understood without 

difficulty, so uniform was the language.”3

The Coast Miwok inhabited about 885 square miles 

of Marin and southern Sonoma counties. At the 

beginning of the nineteenth century, there were 3,000 

Miwok in about 40 villages; each village consisted of 75 

5,000 4,000 3,000 2,000 1,000 0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

82.8%

Two or more races

3.9%

Black

2%

Native

0.5%

Asian

5.2%

Other

5.4%

Pacific Islander

0.2%

2000 Hispanic structure

Hispanic

13.1%

Non-Hispanic

86.9%
482

to 100 persons.4 By 1910 the population had declined to 

an estimated 699.5 The Miwok used boats made from 

tule reeds to travel around San Francisco Bay and to 

Angel Island, the largest island in the bay.6 The diet of 

the Miwok consisted primarily of nuts, pinole (a meal 

made of seeds), roots, fruit, jack rabbit, deer, sea lions, 

seals, sea otters, fish, and shellfish. Annual salmon 

spawning runs came through Raccoon Strait just offshore 

of Angel Island.7 Fish were taken by gorge-hook (made 

from bone) and spear, dip nets (netting attached to 

wooden frames on a handle), and by narcotization. They 

used woven surf nets along open beaches.8, 9

The Miwok’s first contact with Euro-Americans 

occurred in 1579 when Sir Francis Drake, the first 

Englishman to sail around the world, was greeted by 

Indians from a village near Tomales, 50 miles northwest 

of Sausalito. In 1775 Father Vincente, who arrived to 

claim San Francisco Bay with Captain Ayuala, described 

the Coast Miwok as “humorous, with courteous 

manners.”10 During the Spanish Mission Era, the Coast 

Miwok learned to build with adobe and cultivate new 

food crops, which they traded to the Spanish missions.11 

For decades the Coast Miwok resisted the Spanish and 

Mexicans, but fell before European weapons. In 1953 

Congress passed Public Law 280, which transferred law 

enforcement on California reservations to state and 

county agencies. By 1958 the federal government 

terminated the recognition of several tribes including the 

Coast Miwok.12 In December 2000 legislation was 

signed granting the Federated Indians of the Graton 

Rancheria, formerly known as the Federated Coast 

Miwok, full rights and privileges afforded federally 

recognized tribes. Today there are more than 500 

registered tribal members.13

Mexican governors made land grants in the Novato 

area beginning in the 1800s. In 1839 Rancho de Novato 

was granted to Fernando Feliz and the following year 

Ygnacio Pacheco received Rancho San Jose. In 1843 

Camilo Ynitia, son of the last Coast Miwok chief, was 

granted Rancho Olompali. Rancho Novato was sold 

several times and was eventually purchased in 1856 by 

Francis DeLong and Joseph Sweetser. DeLong and 

Sweetser planted thousands of apple trees and Rancho 

Novato became one of the largest orchards in the world. 

In the 1870s Portuguese and Swiss-Italian farmers and 

dairymen began to settle in the area. The Northwest 

Pacific Railroad connected Novato to the north San 

Francisco Bay area in the 1880s. By 1910 vineyards, 

dairies, orchards, and chicken ranches formed the base of 

the economy. DeLong’s 6,000 acres, purchased and 

subdivided by the Home and Farm Company in 1888, 

was the beginning of Novato.

2000 Employment structure

Employed

66.3%

Unemployed

2.4%

Not in labor force

31.3%

Hamilton Air Force Base was constructed in 1928 

and remained in operation until 1975. The base served as 

Marin County’s main employer during most of its 

operational years. In the 1940s water and sewer districts 

were formed in Novato. The city incorporated in 1960 

and in 1963 the city hall was established in what was then 

the Presbyterian Church.

Today downtown Novato has an active retail area 

with several shops and restaurants. Because of its low 

population density, it has a rural atmosphere and offers 

visitors and residents more than 3,000 acres of preserves 

and open spaces and 27 city parks. The Novato History 

Museum, founded in 1976 in the home of Novato’s first 

Postmaster, Henry F. Jones, offers a glimpse of area 

history. The Novato Historical Guild, a volunteer 

nonprofit organization also founded in 1976, publishes a 

quarterly newsletter, The Novato Historian. Major 

community events include the Novato Festival of Art, 

Wine, and Music held in June; concerts and movies in 

Pioneer Park throughout the summer; an annual July 4 

parade; and the city’s Labor Day picnic at Stafford Lake.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 66.3% of 

Novato’s potential labor force 16 years of age and older 

were employed, 2.4% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 3.6% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

31.3% were not in the labor force, less than the national 

average of 36.1%. In 1999 5.6% lived below the poverty 

line. The primary employment sectors were 

management, professional, and related occupations 

(43.4%), sales and office work (28.1%), service jobs 

(14.3%), and local, state, or federal government (12.3%). 

Natural resource jobs including agriculture, forestry, 
483

fishing, and hunting employed 0.2%, but this percentage 

may be artificially low because many fishermen are selfemployed and are underrepresented in these data.

Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company was the largest 

employer in Novato with more than 2,400 employees.14 

Novato is also the corporate headquarters for the 

footwear company Birkenstock Footprint Sandals and 

gardening retailer Smith and Hawken.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Novato’s per 

capita income in 1999 was 32,402, the median household 

was $63,453, and 5.6% lived below the poverty level. In 

2000 there were 18,994 housing units in Novato, of 

which 97.5% were occupied and 2.5% were vacant. Of 

the occupied units, 67.6% were by owner and 32.4% 

were by renter. Of the vacant units, 10.9% were due to 

seasonal, recreational, or occasional use.

Governance

Novato operates under a council-manager 

government. The mayor serves a one-year term and five 

city council members serve four-year terms. Residents 

pay a 8.25% sales and use tax and Marin County collects 

a 10% transient lodging tax.15, 16 See the Governance 

subsection (page 43) in the Overview section for a more 

detailed discussion of taxes affecting fisherman and 

processors in California.

The National Marine Fisheries Service’s (NMFS) 

Southwest Fisheries Science Center has laboratories 103 

miles south in Santa Cruz and a NMFS Regional Office 

is located 426 miles south in Long Beach. The California 

Department of Fish and Game has offices in Bodega Bay, 

Sacramento, and Monterey. San Francisco has offices of 

the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Pacific 

Fishery Management Council meetings are held 50 miles 

south in Foster City. The Novato area is under the 

jurisdiction of the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Marine 

Safety Office San Francisco Bay, one of the largest and 

busiest marine safety units in the USCG.

Facilities

Novato is accessible by land and air. Major roads 

connecting Novato to neighboring communities are 

California Highway 37, Interstate Highway 80 northeast 

to Sacramento and U.S. Highway 101 south to San 

Francisco. Golden Gate Transit provides bus service. 

The San Francisco International Airport is 40.7 miles 

south.

The Novato Unified School District consists of a 

number of elementary, middle, high schools, and 

alternative schools. The North Marin Water District and 

Novato Sanitary District provide water and wastewater 

services. Pacific Gas and Electric supplies electricity and 

natural gas. The Novato Police Department administers 

public safety and Novato Community Hospital provides 

medical services. Additional facilities include a public 

library, senior center, museums, and city parks. Novato 

has no port facilities; the closest port is 30 miles south in 

San Francisco.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Landings data for Novato were recorded as part of 

the Other Sonoma and Marin County Outer Coast Ports 

group including Bolinas, Cloverdale, Corte Madera, 

Dillon Beach, Drakes Bay, Forest Knolls, Greenbrae, 

Guerneville, Hamlet, Healdsburg, Inverness, Jenner, 

Kentfield, Marconi, Marshall, Mill Valley, Millerton, 

Muir Beach, Nicasio, Occidental, Petaluma, Rohnert 

Park, San Quentin, San Rafael, Santa Rosa, Sebastopol, 

Sonoma, Stewarts Point, Stinson Beach, Tiburon, and 

Windsor.

In 2000 landings for this port group were in the 

following West Coast fisheries (data shown represent 

landings in metric tons/value of landings/number of 

vessels landing): coastal pelagic 135 t/$116,723/15; crab 

6 t/$42,768/7; groundfish 1 t/$1,704/9; highly migratory 

species confidential/confidential/1; salmon 5 t/$31,805/4; 

shrimp 3 t/$23,875/6; and other species 4 t/$23,656/16. 

There are no fish processors located in Novato. See the 

Sebastopol, Dillon Beach, Corte Madera, Santa Rosa, 

and San Francisco community profiles for additional 

information.

Novato residents owned five vessels in 2000 that 

participated in West Coast fisheries, three of which 

participated in the federally managed groundfish fishery. 

The number of vessels owned by Novato residents that 

participated in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

crab 0/0/3, groundfish 0/0/NA, highly migratory species 

NA/0/NA, salmon 0/0/2, shellfish NA/0/NA, and shrimp 

NA/0/0.17

In 2000 the number of Novato residents holding 

permits in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

coastal pelagic 0/0/4, crab 0/0/5, groundfish 0/0/1, highly 

migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 0/0/18, shellfish 0/0/

NA, shrimp 0/0/3, and other species 0/0/9.18

Novato residents held 53 state permits in 2000. The 

number of permits held by community members in each 

fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/0/8, 

crab 0/0/5, groundfish 0/0/1, highly migratory species 

NA/0/0, salmon 0/0/33, shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 0/0/3, 

and other species 0/0/3.19
484

Sportfishing

Novato sport fishermen are involved in West Coast 

and Alaskan fisheries. There are three sportfishing 

license agents in Novato. There were two commercial 

passenger fishing vessels licensed in Novato 2002 and 

one in 2003.

Subsistence

Specific information on subsistence fishing in 

Novato is not discussed in detail in this community 

profile due to the lack of available data. The California 

Department of Fish and Game uses the term 

“recreational” for fishermen who do not earn revenue 

from their catch, but fish for pleasure or to provide food 

for personal consumption. Information on subsistence 

fishing in California is captured to some degree in the 

sportfishing data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 one Novato resident held a crew member 

license for North Pacific fisheries.

Sportfishing

Novato residents purchased 129 Alaska sportfishing 

licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. E. Curtis. 1924. The Miwok. Online at http://

www.yosemite.ca.us/history/curtis/ [accessed 2 March 2007].

2. Access Genealogy. 2004. California Indian Tribes. Online at 

http://www.accessgenealogy.com/native/tribes/californiatribes.htm 

[accessed 2 March 2007].

3. See note 2.

4. Rohnert Park Historical Society. 2000. Miwok villages. 

Online at http://www.rphist.org/html/miwok.html [accessed 3 March 

2007].

5. See note 1.

6. Angel Island Association. 2003. Miwok information. Online 

at http://www.angelisland.org/miwok.htm [accessed 2 March 2007].

7. See note 6.

8. See note 1.

9. Miwok Archeological Preserve of Marin. No date. History 

of the Coast Miwok at Point Reyes. Online at http://www

.pointreyesvisions.com/NewFiles/Science_Folder/Coast_Miwok.html 

[accessed 2 March 2007].

10. R. Walker. 2001. A hidden geography. Online at http://

geography.berkeley.edu/PeopleHistory/faculty/R_Walker/

AHiddenGeography.html [accessed 2 March 2007].

11. Novato Chamber of Commerce. No date. Novato’s history. 

Online at http://www.novato.org/about/index.cfm [accessed January 

2005].

12. See note 9.

13. See note 9.

14. City of Novato. No date. About Novato. Online at http://

www.ci.novato.ca.us/about_nov.cfm [accessed 2 March 2007].

15. California Board of Equalization. 2004. California city and 

county sales and use tax rates. Online at http://www.boe.ca.gov/pdf/

pub71.pdf [accessed 2 March 2007].

16. California Board of Equalization. 2001. California counties 

transient lodging tax revenue, rate and date for the fiscal year 2000–

2001. Online at http://www.sco.ca.gov/ard/local/locrep/adhoc/

county/0001cotranslodgtax.pdf [accessed 2 March 2007].

17. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

18. See note 17.

19. See note 17.
485

Oxnard

People and Place

Location

Oxnard, Ventura County’s largest city, is 62 miles 

northwest of Los Angeles, 37 miles southeast of Santa 

Barbara, and 375 miles south of San Francisco. The city 

lies in a rich fertile delta plain south of the Santa Clara 

River. Oxnard encompasses 25.3 square miles of land 

and 11.3 square miles of water. Its geographic 

coordinates are lat 34°11′29′′N, long 119°10′57′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of Oxnard was 170,358, a 19.8% increase from 1990. 

The gender composition was 48.9% female and 51.1% 

male. The median age in 2000 was 28.9, lower than the 

national median of 35.3. In 2000 31.8% of the 

population of Oxnard was under 18 years of age. Of the 

population 18 years of age and older, 59% had a high 

school education or higher, 11.7% had a bachelor’s 

degree or higher, and 3.8% had a graduate or professional 

degree; the national averages were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 

7.8% respectively.

The racial structure of Oxnard was white (42.1%), 

followed by individuals who identified with some other 

race (40.4%), Asian (7.4%), individuals who identified 

with two or more races (4.7%), black (3.8%), American 

Indian and Alaska Native (1.3%), and Native Hawaiian 

and Other Pacific Islander (0.4%). Ethnicity data 

indicate 66.2% identified as Hispanic. About 36.9% 

were foreign born, of which 80% were from Mexico.

In 2000 91.1% of the population lived in family 

households.

History

The 250 miles of shoreline between present-day San 

Luis Obispo and Oxnard were once home to numerous 

coastal Chumash villages; Chumash means “islander.” 

The Chumash people settled along the southern 

California coast approximately 8,000 years ago and made 

extensive use of the marine, estuarine, and river 

environments along the coast and on the Channel Islands. 

Their fishermen used a variety of nets, traps, baskets, 

hooks, spears, and plant poisons to catch or stun fish, and 

catch seals and sea otters.1 On shore they gathered 

mussels and abalone. The Chumash are well known for 

their redwood-planked canoes, called “tomols,” which 

enabled them to fish and trade with other coastal villages.

20,000 15,000 10,000 5,000 0 5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

42.1%

Black

3.8%

Native

1.3%

Other

40.4%

Two or more races

4.7%

Pacific Islander

0.4%

Asian

7.4%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Non-Hispanic

33.8%

Hispanic

66.2%
486

To avoid relocation during the mission period, 

1772–1808, many Chumash adopted Spanish surnames.2

 

Because the Chumash had no written language, there are 

few birth records or written documents identifying them. 

As a result many Hispanic residents in Ventura and Santa 

Barbara Counties today unknowingly have a Chumash 

heritage.3 Today more than 5,000 identify as Chumash 

Indians.4

In 1854 the Portuguese explorer Juan Rodriquez 

Cabrillo sailed into Point Mugu lagoon and called the 

area the “land of everlasting summers.”5

 Several years 

later Spain appointed Father Junípero Serra to head 

missions in Alta (upper) California. Several pueblos and 

ranchos were established around the missions. In 1897 

Albert Maulhardt invited Henry and Robert Oxnard of 

San Francisco to look into establishing a sugar beet 

factory in the area. The Southern Pacific Railroad 

established service directly to the sugar beet factory and 

it soon became the second largest sugar beet factory in 

the region. With the factory came construction of several 

houses and saloons. In 1903 Oxnard incorporated, 

named after the founders of the sugar beet factory.

Oxnard’s population grew as workers came from 

China, Japan, and Mexico. Since its incorporation, the 

city has transitioned from cattle grazing to sugar beet and 

bean cultivation and intensive agriculture. Oxnard 

became home to the Lima Bean Growers Association, the 

Walnut Growers Association, the Sierra Oil and Refinery 

Company, and several dairy businesses. The city’s 

population increased dramatically when military bases 

were established at Port Hueneme and Point Mugu 

during World War II. Today the city is known for its 

housing, industrial, and commercial development.6

Oxnard hosts several festivals that draw tourists to 

the area, including the Channel Islands Harbor Seafood 

Festival, the Salsa Festival, Channel Islands Indie Film 

Festival, and the Oxnard Multicultural Festival, among 

others. At the mid-September Seafood Festival, visitors 

enjoy seafood from local restaurants, purchase fresh 

seafood from fishing boats, and can browse educational 

displays from local marine agencies.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to 2000 U.S. Census, 58.4% of Oxnard’s 

potential labor force 16 years of age and older were 

employed, 4.7% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 7.4% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

36.9% were not in the labor force compared to the 

national average of 36.1%. The top employment sectors 

were sales and office occupations (24.9%), management, 

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

36.9%

Unemployed

4.7%

Employed

58.4%

professional, and related occupations (21.6%), 

production, transportation, and material moving 

occupations (19.6%), and local, state, or federal 

government (14%). Natural resource jobs including 

agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting employed 

10.4%, but this percentage may be artificially low 

because many fishermen are self-employed and are 

underrepresented in these data.

According to the Economic Development 

Corporation of Oxnard, the top five employers in Oxnard 

are St. John’s Regional Medical Center (1,363), Oxnard 

Union High School District (1,201), the City of Oxnard 

(1,000), Haas Automation (900), and Verizon (860).7

Port Hueneme plays a significant role in the local 

community and the greater Ventura County area. 

Approximately 3,500 jobs are directly tied to port 

activities.8

 The port serves as an import/export platform 

for break-bulk, neo-bulk, and dry-bulk cargo. It is 

utilized by offshore oil operations in the Santa Barbara 

Channel, by local sport and commercial fishing fleets, 

and is home to a large dockside refrigeration facility. It 

also serves as a U.S. Customs Port of Entry and a Foreign 

Trade Zone. The U.S. Naval Base Ventura County, 

which shares its military wharfs with the adjacent deep 

water harbor, occupies more than half of the total land 

area of the port. Direct and induced activity from the 

port and Navy account for more than 28,070 jobs and 

$1.123 billion in combined economic impact throughout 

Ventura County.9

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Oxnard’s per 

capita income in 1999 was $15,288 and the median 

household income was $48,603. About 15.1% lived 

below the poverty level, compared to the national 

average of 12.4%. In 2000 there were 45,166 housing 

units in Oxnard, of which 96.5% were occupied and 3.5% 

were vacant. Of the occupied units, 57.3% were by 

owner and 42.7% were by renter. Of the vacant units, 
487

44.6% were due to seasonal, recreational, or occasional 

use.

Governance

Oxnard is one of 10 incorporated cities in Ventura 

County, originally named San Buenaventura County by 

early Spanish settlers, meaning “good fortune.”10 The 

city has a council-manager government with an elected 

mayor who serves a two-year term and four council 

members elected at large to four-year terms. Residents 

pay a 7.25% sales and use tax and Ventura County levies 

an 8% transient lodging tax.11, 12 See the Governance 

subsection (page 43) in the Overview section for a more 

detailed discussion of taxes affecting fisherman and 

processors in California.

There is a National Marine Fisheries Service 

Regional Office 80 miles south of Oxnard in Long Beach 

and a California Department of Fish and Game office 185 

miles south in San Diego. The nearest U.S. Citizenship 

and Immigration Services office is 60 miles south in Los 

Angeles. Oxnard is within the jurisdiction of the U.S. 

Coast Guard (USCG) Marine Safety Office/Group Lost 

Angeles-Long Beach. The USCG Channel Islands 

Station is located in Oxnard; the station has three boats at 

its disposal.

Facilities

Oxnard is accessible by U.S. Highway 101 

northwest to Ventura and Santa Barbara and southeast to 

Los Angeles. Oxnard Airport, with a 6,000 foot runway, 

offers charter planes, helicopter transport, and commuter 

service to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and 

other destinations. LAX is Oxnard’s closest international 

airport, 60 miles southeast. Metrolink provides 

commuter service to Los Angeles, and Greyhound bus 

and Amtrak rail services serve Oxnard.

Oxnard encompasses six school districts and one 

community college. The city has 26 elementary schools, 

3 intermediate schools, 2 junior high schools, 9 high 

schools, 1 adult school, and 1 alternative school. Oxnard 

Community College has an enrollment of more than 

7,000. Southern California Edison supplies electricity, 

and the City of Oxnard provides water and wastewater 

services. The Oxnard Police Department administers 

public safety. St. John’s Regional Medical Center was 

constructed in Oxnard in 1992 and the next year merged 

with Pleasant Valley Hospital to become Ventura 

County’s largest acute-care health organization. Tourism 

is on the rise with about 10 hotels located in the city. 

Additional facilities include a public golf course, Gull 

Wings Children’s Museum, Oxnard Public Library, 

Performing Arts and Convention Center, Heritage Square 

and the Henry T. Oxnard Historic District.

Port Hueneme and Oxnard have the largest 

commercial deep water harbor between Los Angeles and 

San Francisco. The boundary of the Oxnard Harbor 

District, which owns and operates the Port of Hueneme, 

also encompasses the greater Oxnard area. According to 

the port, niche markets served include automobile 

imports and exports, fresh fruit and produce, fertilizer, 

and forest products. The port has no public facilities for 

small boats and leisure craft. One aquaculture facility, 

Proteus Seafarms International Inc., is nearby at Oxnard 

Harbor District’s S Terminal.13 Its produces abalone, 

kelp and algae, shellfish, and bottomfish, among others.

Channel Islands Harbor, 5 miles southwest of 

Oxnard, has more than 2,400 berths for pleasure and 

sportfishing boats. The Ventura County Harbor County 

Department administers the harbor district. Two marine 

repair yards are on the east side of the channel; their lifts 

can handle craft up to 60 tons.14

The Ventura County Commercial Fishermen’s 

Association is in Oxnard and is active in commercial 

fishing issues in the area, particularly concerning the 

Channel Islands.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Oxnard is primarily involved in West Coast 

fisheries, including groundfish, coastal pelagic, and 

highly migratory species. In southern California, in the 

five years prior to 2000, squid, albacore/other tuna, sea 

urchin, coastal pelagic, shark/swordfish, lobster, and 

groundfish combined for 90% of the total landing value.

In 2000 140 vessels, all commercially registered, 

delivered landings to Oxnard. Landings were in the 

following West Coast fisheries (data shown represents 

landings in metric tons/value of landings/number of 

vessels landing): coastal pelagic 1 t/$1,053/7; crab 44 t/

$129,855/34; groundfish 107 t/$472,821/74; highly 

migratory species 11 t/$34,086/19; shellfish confidential/

confidential/2; shrimp 80 t/$495,078/16; and other 

species 1,124 t/$3,052,237/142.

Oxnard residents owned 39 vessels in 2000, 

including 22 that participated in the federally managed 

groundfish fishery. The number of vessels owned by 

Oxnard residents that participated in each said fishery by 

state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/0/4, crab 0/1/0, 

groundfish 0/0/NA, highly migratory species NA/0/NA, 

salmon 0/0/5, shellfish NA/0/NA, and shrimp NA/1/4.15

Two Oxnard residents held two federal groundfish 

fishery permits in 2000. The number of Oxnard residents 

holding permits in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) 

was: coastal pelagic 1/0/12, crab 0/1/0, groundfish 0/0/

46, highly migratory species NA/0/19, salmon 0/0/6, 
488

shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 0/1/12, and other species 0/0/

105.16

In 2000 Oxnard residents held 338 registered state 

and federal permits. The number of permits held by 

community members in each fishery by state (WA/OR/

CA) was: coastal pelagic 1/0/18, crab 0/2/0, groundfish 

0/0/56, highly migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 0/0/12, 

shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 0/2/18, and other species 0/0/

227.17

In 2000 at least two seafood processors operated in 

Oxnard. Sun Coast Calamari, an affiliate of Lund’s 

Fisheries based in New Jersey, can produce up to 200 

metric tons of frozen squid per day.18 Tradewind 

Seafood Inc. specializes in sea urchin processing, 

transporting them by air to Japan and generating annual 

sales of $3 million to $5 million.19

Sportfishing

The sportfishing industry in southern California is 

well developed. In Oxnard sport fishermen are involved 

in both West Coast and Alaska fisheries. Ten licensed 

agents sell fishing permits in Oxnard. In the port group 

consisting of Port Hueneme, Oxnard, Ventura, and Santa 

Barbara, 35 commercial passenger fishing vessels 

(CPFVs) or “party boats” reported serving 77,345 anglers 

who made 352,260 landings of more than 26 species in 

2000. In 2002 three CPFVs were licensed in Oxnard and 

each vessel purchased an ocean enhancement stamp 

allowing anglers to fish in ocean waters south of Point 

Arguello in Santa Barbara County. In 2003 four CPFVs 

were licensed, each with ocean enhancement stamps.

Several charter fishing businesses are located in 

Oxnard, including Channel Island’s Sportfishing Center 

and Captain Hook’s Sportfishing, that offer half to full 

day trips and overnight excursions. Popular sportfishing 

destinations include the Anacapa, Santa Cruz, Santa 

Barbara, Santa Rosa, and San Miguel islands. Most of 

the charter businesses also provide whale watching and 

marine life trips.

Subsistence

Local tribal and nontribal community members may 

engage in subsistence fishing in the Oxnard area, 

however, specific information on subsistence fishing is 

not discussed in detail in this community profile due to 

the lack of available data. The California Department of 

Fish and Game uses the term “recreational” for fishermen 

who do not earn revenue from their catch, but fish for 

pleasure or to provide food for personal consumption. 

Information on subsistence fishing in California is 

captured to some degree in the sportfishing data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 one Oxnard resident held a Bering Sea and 

Aleutian Islands groundfish Commercial Fisheries Entry 

Commission permit. Ten residents held crew members 

licenses for North Pacific fisheries.

Sportfishing

In 2000 Oxnard community members purchased 76 

Alaska sportfishing licenses.

Notes

1. Encyclopedia of North American Indians. No date. 

Chumash. Online at http://college.hmco.com/history/readerscomp/

naind/html/na_007400_chumash.htm [accessed July 2004].

2. Wishtoyo Project. No date. Chumash history. Online at 

http://www.wishtoyo.org/projects-cultural-chumash-history.html 

[accessed 2 March 2007].

3. See note 2.

4. See note 1.

5. Oxnard Convention and Visitors Bureau. 2004. History. 

Online at http://www.visitoxnard.com/history.html [accessed 2 March 

2007].

6. The City of Oxnard, California. No date. Welcome. Online 

at http://www.ci.oxnard.ca.us/about_oxnard/welcome.html [accessed 

2 March 2007].

7. Economic Development Corporation of Oxnard. No date. 

Top employers. Online at http://www.oxnardedc.com/ [accessed 2 

March 2007].

8. The Port of Hueneme. No date. Port of Hueneme: history. 

Online at http://www.portofhueneme.org [accessed 2 March 2007].

9. Port Hueneme Chamber of Commerce. No date. Business 

and employment. Online at http://www.huenemechamber.com/

employme.htm [accessed 2 March 2007].

10. County of Ventura. 2002. Visitor center. Online at http://

www.countyofventura.org/visitor/visitor.asp [accessed 2 March 

2007].

11. California Board of Equalization. 2004. California city and 

county sales and use tax rates. Online at http://www.boe.ca.gov/pdf/

pub71.pdf [accessed 2 March 2007].

12. California Board of Equalization. 2001. California counties 

transient lodging tax revenue, rate, and date for fiscal year 2000–

2001. Online at http://www.sco.ca.gov/ard/local/locrep/adhoc/

county/0001cotranslodgtax.pdf [accessed 2 March 2007].

13. Field notes, Oxnard Harbor District, Port Hueneme, CA, 4 

April 2006.

14. The Log. 2004. Navigation Information: Channel islands 

harbor. Online at http://www.thelog.com/special/

specialview.asp?c=116486 [accessed 2 March 2007].

15. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

16. See note 15.

17. See note 15.

18. Lund’s Fisheries Inc. 2004. Affiliate companies. Online at 

http://www.lundsfish.com/affiliates.html [accessed 2 March 2007].
489

19. IRION Enterprises Facilities Management. 1999. Three 

articles on Ventura County, California’s business connections with 

Japan. Online at http://www.wirion.com/star.html [accessed 2 March 

2007].
490

Pebble Beach

People and Place

Location

Pebble Beach is on the Pacific coast in Monterey 

County on California’s Monterey Peninsula between 

Pacific Grove and Carmel. It is 118 miles south of San 

Francisco and 190 miles south of Sacramento. Pebble 

Beach’s geographic coordinates are lat 36°33′59′′N, long 

121°56′44′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of Pebble Beach was 4,590. The gender composition was 

53.6% female and 46.4% male. The median age in 2000 

was 57.2, considerably higher than the national median 

of 35.3. Only 12.7% of residents were under the age of 

18, compared to the national average of 25.7%, and 

33.3% were age 67 or older, compared to national 

average of 10.13%. Of the population 18 years of age 

and older, 96.9% had a high school education or higher, 

59.0% had a bachelor’s degree or higher, and 30.1% had 

a graduate or professional degree; the national averages 

were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The majority of the racial composition of Pebble 

Beach was white (91.4%), followed by Asian (5.2%), 

individuals who identified with two or more races 

(1.7%), individuals who identified with some other race 

(0.9%), black (0.4%), American Indian and Alaska 

Native (0.3%, and Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific 

Islander (0.2%). Ethnicity data indicate 2.4% identified 

as Hispanic. Approximately 14.7% of the population 

was foreign-born, of which 14% were born in Korea, 

11.2% in China, and 9% in Mexico.

In 2000 82.8% of the population lived in family 

households.

History

The portion of Monterey County surrounding 

Pebble Beach is the aboriginal homeland of the Ohlone/

Costanoan and Esselen Tribes. Members of these Indian 

tribes relied heavily on acorn meal and salmon to meet 

subsistence needs and utilized a shell currency for trading 

throughout the area.1

 There are no data available on the 

precontact native population, and many were forcibly 

removed to missions and reservation lands after the 

arrival of Euro-American settlers. Today the Ohlone/

Costanoan Esselen Nation has approximately 500 

enrolled members, of whom 60% live in Monterey and 

San Benito Counties. The tribes are pursuing federal 

400 300 200 100 0 100 200 300 400 500

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure

Male Female

2000 Racial structure

Other

0.9%

Two or more races

1.7%

Native

0.3%

Asian

5.2%

Black

0.4%

Pacific Islander

0.2%

White

91.4%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Hispanic

2.4%

Non-Hispanic

97.6%
491

recognition, which could reestablish some traditional 

land and resource rights for tribal members in the area.2

The Spanish were the first Euro-Americans to settle 

in the area, creating the Rancho El Pescadero Land 

Grant, which included the land surrounding Pebble 

Beach. Other settlers poured in during and after the Gold 

Rush. Following completion of the first transcontinental 

railroad in 1869, the area became home to a large 

population of Chinese laborers originally recruited to 

work on the railroad. These immigrants established 

fishing villages throughout the region, including a small 

settlement at Pascadero Point just west of contemporary 

Pebble Beach. In this village and in a larger settlement in 

nearby Monterey, Chinese fishermen launched the area’s 

first commercial fishing industry. They harvested 

abalone, cod, flounder, yellowtail, sardines, and shark 

from the open ocean and oysters and mussels from within 

the bay.3 They built shanties on the rocky beachfront and 

fished from flat-bottomed boats. When the fishery 

became more competitive and other immigrant fishermen 

(especially Italian) gained more control over the regional 

fishing industry amidst waves of racist conflict and antiChinese laws, Chinese fishermen shifted some of their 

efforts to harvesting squid, which were dried and used as 

fertilizer.4

In the early 1900s the Pacific Improvement 

Company, a real estate development company with 

extensive landholdings on the Monterey Peninsula, 

acquired the area as a route for tourist excursions from 

the new Del Monte Lodge through the Del Monte Forest 

(an area with thick stands of Gowen and Monterey 

cypress and Monterey and Bishop pine) to the 

beachfront. The contemporary 17 Mile Drive follows 

this original route.

In 1919 Samuel F.B. Morse, grandnephew of the 

inventor of Morse code and a manager for the Pacific 

Improvement Company, bought the land and founded 

Del Monte Properties Company. Morse renamed the area 

Pebble Beach, after the water-rolled rocks along the 

shoreline, and developed it as an exclusive resort and 

residential area based on the concept: “Profits are 

incidental to the orderly projection of subdivisions that 

will not mar the rare beauty of this place; Pebble Beach is 

one spot on 1,100 miles of gorgeous coastline which will 

remain completely unspoiled.”5

 The centerpieces of 

Morse’s vision were the Pebble Beach Golf Course and 

The Lodge at Pebble Beach, both famous West Coast 

landmarks. The land is now controlled by the Pebble 

Beach Company and includes three resorts, four golf 

courses, and the Del Monte Forest (which is protected 

from certain types of development).6

Pebble Beach is a private, gated community, the 

only community in the United States where visitors must 

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

53.3%

Unemployed

0.9%

Employed

45.8%

pay a fee ($8) to enter. Most permanent residents are 

employees of the Pebble Beach Company, but the 

community also features palatial estates and expensive 

beachfront condominiums. Residents pay a premium to 

prevent unwanted development, and easements originally 

established by Morse preserve the forest and coastline. 

The Pebble Beach Golf Course is world renowned and 

hosts several major tournaments each year.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 45.8% of 

Pebble Beach’s potential labor force 16 years of age and 

older were employed, 0.9% was unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 2% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

53.3% were not in the labor force (not actively seeking 

work). The primary employment sectors were education, 

health, and social services (25.9%), professional, 

scientific, and technical services (13.2%), and local, 

state, or federal government (13%). Natural resource jobs 

including agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting 

employed 0.4%, but this percentage may be artificially 

low because many fishermen are self-employed and are 

underrepresented in the data. In 2000 the armed forces 

employed 0.8% of the labor force.

The California Employment Development 

Department lists Pebble Beach Company as a major 

employer in Pebble Beach,7 employing about 1,600.8

 

According to the Monterey Peninsula Chamber of 

Commerce, many Pebble Beach residents work in 

personal and professional services (58%), followed by 

wholesale and resale trades (22%), manufacturing (13%), 

transportation, communications, and utilities (4%), 

public administration (2%), and agriculture (1%).9
492

The per capita income in Pebble Beach was 

approximately $68,504 in 1999, more than three times 

the national average per capita income of $21,587. The 

median household income in Pebble Beach was about 

$98,608, also more than twice the national median 

household income of $41,994. In 1999 approximately 

2.3% lived below the poverty level, far less than the 

national average of 12.4%. In 2000 Pebble Beach had 

2,723 housing units, of which 78.1% were occupied and 

21.9% were vacant. Of the occupied units, 87.8% were 

by owner and 12.2% were by renter. In 2000 the national 

home ownership rate was 66.2%. Of the vacant units, 

85.4% were due to seasonal, recreational, or occasional 

use.

Governance

Pebble Beach is unincorporated and managed by the 

Monterey County Board of Supervisors. Pebble Beach 

falls within Monterey County District 5, headquartered in 

Monterey (6 miles). Residents, many of whom belong to 

the Pebble Beach Homeowners Association, are 

politically active and have legislated, lobbied, and 

otherwise fought to maintain the exclusive, private status 

of their community.10 See the Governance subsection 

(page 43) in the Overview section for a more detailed 

discussion of taxes affecting fisherman and processors in 

California.

The California Department of Fish and Game 

Headquarters for Marine Region 7 is in Monterey.11 The 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s 

Southwest Regional office is 372 miles south in Long 

Beach, and the National Marine Fisheries Service 

(NMFS) Southwest Fisheries Science Center is 48 miles 

away in Santa Cruz. Additionally, the NMFS Pacific 

Fisheries Environmental Laboratory is 6 miles away in 

Pacific Grove and the Monterey Bay National Marine 

Sanctuary headquarters is in Monterey, which also has a 

U.S. Coast Guard station. Sacramento, approximately 

190 miles north, is the nearest city to host Pacific 

Fisheries Management Council meetings. The nearest 

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office is 77 

miles away in San Jose.

Facilities

Pebble Beach is a short distance from California 

Highway 1, which runs the length of the California 

Coast. The nearest airport certified for carrier flights is 

Monterey Peninsula Airport in Monterey, and the nearest 

major international airport is at San Jose.

Pebble Beach is in the Monterey Peninsula Unified 

School District, which has 13 elementary schools, 4 

middle schools, and 4 high schools in Monterey, Seaside 

(8 miles), and Marina (14 miles). Stevenson School, a 

private boarding school, operates a high school facility in 

Pebble Beach and a lower and middle school in Carmel 

(2 miles). The original Del Monte Hotel is now the U.S. 

Naval Postgraduate School, which offers classes, 

training, and research to Navy personnel.

The Coastal/Peninsula Unit of the Monterey 

Country Sheriff’s Office administers public safety. The 

Pebble Beach Community Services District provides fire 

protection, wastewater collection, and garbage disposal.12 

Pacific Gas and Electric supplies electricity and natural 

gas, and the Monterey County Water Management 

District supplies potable water. The primary health care 

facility near Pebble Beach is Community Hospital of the 

Monterey Peninsula in Monterey.

Pebble Beach has only a few beach landing sites and 

no port infrastructure. Residents utilize marine facilities 

in the nearby communities of Moss Landing and 

Monterey; see their community profiles for additional 

information. Moss Landing Harbor has about 743 

berths.13 Many of the commercial slips have gone 

unused as the fishing fleet has decreased in size, while 

there is a waiting list for recreational boat slips.14 See the 

Monterey community profile for additional information 

on harbor facilities.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 no seafood processors operated in Pebble 

Beach and no vessels made landings. Data for Pebble 

Beach were recorded as part of the Other Santa Cruz and 

Monterey County Ports group, which includes the nearby 

communities of Aptos, Big Sur, Capitola, Carmel, 

Davenport, Felton, Fort Ord, Freedom, Gilroy, Hollister, 

Lucia, Marina, Mill Creek, Monterey, Morgan Hill, 

Pacific Grove, Point Lobos, Salinas, San Juan Bautista, 

Seaside, Soquel, Watsonville, and Willow Creek. Many 

of these communities are inland cities and towns.

Reported landings for this port group in 2000 were 

in the following West Coast fisheries (data shown 

represent landings in metric tons/value of landings/

number of vessels landing): coastal pelagic confidential/

confidential/1; groundfish 10 t/$87,427/23; and other 

species <1 t/$187/7. See the Seaside and Marina 

community profiles for additional information about 

these communities.

Pebble Beach residents owned three commercial 

vessels in 2000, and all participated in the federally 

managed groundfish fishery. The number of vessels 

owned by Pebble Beach residents that participated in 

each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 

0/0/2, groundfish 0/0/NA, highly migratory species NA/
493

0/NA, salmon 0/0/5, shellfish NA/0/NA, and shrimp NA/

0/0.15

In 2000 the number of Pebble Beach residents 

holding permits in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) 

was: coastal pelagic 0/0/8, highly migratory species NA/

1/2, salmon 0/0/9, shellfish 0/0/NA, and shrimp 0/0/1.16

Residents held at least 40 commercial fishing 

permits, all state registered, in 2000. The number of state 

permits held by Pebble Beach residents in each fishery by 

state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/0/17, highly 

migratory species NA/1/5, salmon 0/0/16, shellfish 0/0/

NA, and shrimp 0/0/1.17

Sportfishing

A number of charter vessels operate out of the area, 

targeting albacore tuna, rock cod, salmon, and other 

species. Many also offer seasonal whale watching tours. 

In 2002 at least eight charter businesses served sport 

fishermen and tourists in Pebble Beach. No license 

agents sold sportfishing licenses in Pebble Beach. In 

2000 vendors in Monterey County sold 11,071 resident 

sportfishing licenses, 9 nonresident sportfishing licenses, 

175 sport salmon punch cards, and 184 abalone report 

cards. In the port group consisting of Monterey, Moss 

Landing, and Santa Cruz, 20 commercial passenger 

fishing vessels served 37,884 anglers in 2000. The 

vessels reported 139,058 landings composed of more 

than 15 species. Rockfish (unspecified) and Chinook 

salmon accounted for 70.8% and 20.6% of the landings 

respectively.

Subsistence

Local tribal and nontribal community members may 

engage in subsistence fishing in the Pebble Beach area, 

however, specific information on subsistence fishing in 

Pebble Beach is not discussed in detail due to the lack of 

available data. The California Department of Fish and 

Game uses the term “recreational” for fishermen who do 

not earn revenue from their catch, but fish for pleasure or 

to provide food for personal consumption. Information 

on subsistence fishing in California is captured to some 

degree in the sportfishing data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 Pebble Beach residents owned five vessels 

that participated in North Pacific fisheries. These vessels 

landed 144.8 metric tons in the Alaska salmon fishery at 

a value of more than $209,980.

Five residents held state permits for Alaska fisheries 

in 2000. Residents also held five commercial fishing 

permits for North Pacific fisheries, all Commercial 

Fisheries Entry Commission salmon permits. One 

Pebble Beach resident held a crew member license for 

North Pacific fisheries.

Sportfishing

Pebble Beach residents purchased 12 Alaska 

sportfishing licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. Monterey County California Regional Guide and Search 

Engine. No date. A brief history of Monterey County. Online at 

http://www.mtycounty.com/pgs-history/indians.html [accessed 5 

March 2007].

2. Ohlone/Costanoan Esselen Nation. 2004. Ohlone/Costanoan 

Esselen Nation. Online at http://www.esselennation.com/index.html 

[accessed 5 March 2007].

3. J. Kemp. 2005. Chinese start Monterey fishing industry. 

Online at http://www.mchsmuseum.com/chinesefishing.html 

[accessed 5 March 2007].

4. See note 1.

5. Pelican Network. No date. Pebble Beach. Online at http://

www.pelicannetwork.net/pebble.beach.htm [accessed 5 March 2007].

6. The Pebble Beach Company. 2005. Pebble Beach Company 

history. Online at http://www.pebblebeach.com/page.asp?pageName

=Pebble_Beach_Company_History [accessed 5 March 2007].

7. State of California. No date. Labor market information: 

Major employers in Monterey County. Online at http://

www.labormarketinfo.edd.ca.gov/cgi/databrowsing/

localAreaProfileQSResults.asp?selectedarea=Monterey+County

&selectedindex=28&menuChoice=localAreaPro&state=true

&geogArea=0604000053&countyName= [accessed 5 March 2007].

8. Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce. 2004. Our 

community: Pebble Beach. Online at http://www.mpcc.com/

community/PebbleBeach.asp [accessed 5 March 2007].

9. See note 8.

10. See note 5.

11. State of California. 2003. Department of Fish and Game: 

Marine region 7. Online at http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mrd/ [accessed 5 

March 2007].

12. Pebble Beach Community Services District. 2004. Home 

page. Online at http://www.pbcsd.org/ [accessed 5 March 2007].

13. C. Pomeroy and M. Dalton. 2003. Socio-economics of the 

Moss Landing commercial fishing industry: Report to the Monterey 

County Office of Economic Development. Online at http://

www.psmfc.org/efin/docs/otherpublications/ML_Cmcl_Fishing

_Ind_Report.pdf [accessed 5 March 2007].

14. A. Weinstein. 2002. Site characterization: Human 

influences: Socioeconomic uses: Harbors. Online at http://

bonita.mbnms.nos.noaa.gov/sitechar/soci6.html#6b [accessed 5 

March 2007].

15. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

16. See note 15.

17. See note 15.
494

Point Arena

People and Place

Location

Point Arena is a small coastal community 

encompassing 1.36 square miles of land in Mendocino 

County along California Highway 1. It is approximately 

178 miles northwest of Sacramento and 129 miles north 

of San Francisco. The geographic coordinates of Point 

Arena are lat 38°54′32′′N, long 123°41′31′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of Point Arena was 474, a 16.5% increase from 1990. 

The gender composition was 47.5% female and 52.5% 

male. The median age was 33.3, compared to the 

national median of 35.3. Of the population 18 years of 

age and older, 75.6% had a high school education or 

higher, 17.2% had a bachelor’s degree or higher, and 

3.4% had a graduate or professional degree; the national 

averages were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% respectively. 

The highest level of educational attainment was a high 

school education for 24.1% of the population and 30.3% 

reported having some college but no degree.

The majority of the racial structure was white 

(73.6%), followed by individuals who identified with 

some other race (18.8%), American Indian and Alaska 

Native (3.8%), individuals who identified with two or 

more races (2.5%), black (1.1%), and Asian (0.2%). 

Ethnicity data indicate 28.5% identified as Hispanic. 

About 22.8% were foreign-born, of which 85.6% were 

born in Mexico.

In 2000 77.2% of the population lived in family 

households.

History

Archaeological findings suggest this area of the 

California coast has been inhabited by Native American 

groups for at least 10,000 years. Point Arena is in 

Mendocino County, the original home of the Central and 

Western Pomo Indians and other groups prior to 

European contact. The Pomo were known for their 

expertise in basket making and lived a subsistence 

lifestyle focused on marine resources.1

 The name 

“Mendocino” comes from Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, a 

famous sixteenth century Spanish navigator, who led a 

voyage along the Pacific coast in 1542 and named the 

area in honor of his patron, Don Antonio de Mendoza, 

the first Viceroy of New Spain (Mexico). Even after 

such an early expedition, the area had no permanent 

60 40 20 0 20 40 60

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

73.6%

Black

1.1%

Native

3.8%

Two or more races

2.5%

Other

18.8%

Asian

0.2%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Hispanic

28.5%

Non-Hispanic

71.5%
495

European settlements for nearly three centuries after 

contact.2

On July 25, 1850, the merchant ship The Frolic ran 

aground near present day Mendocino. The ship and its 

captain, Edward Horatio Faucon, had sailed 6,000 miles 

from China hoping to deliver a valuable cargo of silks, 

jewelry, and furniture to the growing city of San 

Francisco. An expedition organized to salvage some of 

the goods from the shipwreck found little cargo but 

discovered huge redwood trees, which became one of the 

most symbolic and valuable commodities of this region. 

Shortly after the expedition, Henry Meiggs bought a 

steam-powered sawmill to cut and process redwood 

timber, and established the first settled town in the area, 

which he named Meiggsville. The town, and later the 

county, were renamed Mendocino.3

The Point Arena Lighthouse, a local historic 

landmark, was constructed in 1870 and nearly destroyed 

in the 1906 earthquake that devastated San Francisco. 

The damage to the lighthouse was so extensive that it was 

later condemned. The 115-foot lighthouse that now 

stands on the site was constructed in 1908.4

 Point Arena 

remains a small community, thanks to its location on a 

scenic stretch of the Pacific Coast Highway, however, the 

community is visited frequently by tourists and outdoor 

enthusiasts.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 78.7% of Point 

Arena’s potential labor force 16 years of age and older 

were employed, 2.1% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 2.6% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

19.2% were not in the labor force. The top employment 

sectors were accommodation and food services (16.7%), 

local, state, or federal government (14.4%), education, 

health, and social services (14.1%), and retail trade 

(13.3%). Natural resource jobs including agriculture, 

forestry, fishing, and mining employed 7.9%, but this 

percentage may be artificially low because many 

fishermen are self-employed and are underrepresented in 

the data.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Point Arena’s 

per capita income in 1999 was $12,591 and the median 

household income was $27,083. About 26% lived below 

the poverty level, more than twice the national average of 

12.4%. In 2000 there were 218 housing units in Point 

Arena, of which 87.6% were occupied and 12.4% were 

vacant. Of the occupied, 38.7% were by owner and 

61.3% were by renter. About 44.4% of the vacant units 

were due to seasonal, recreational, or occasional use.

2000 Employment structure

Employed

78.7%

Not in labor force

19.2%

Unemployed

2.1%

Governance

Point Arena is an incorporated city governed by a 

five-member council, which includes a mayor and vicemayor. City revenue is generated from property taxes, a 

transient occupancy tax, and taxes on pier facility 

services and products.5 The sales tax is 7.75%, based on 

the standard statewide rate. See the Governance 

subsection (page 43) in the Overview section for a more 

detailed discussion of taxes affecting fisherman and 

processors in California.

The nearest National Marine Fisheries Service 

office is in Ukiah, 51 miles east. Point Arena is in 

California Department of Fish and Game Central Coast 

Region 3, which has its headquarters in Yountville, 122 

miles south. The U.S. Coast Guard has its nearest 

installation in Bodega Bay, 62 miles south. The nearest 

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office is in 

San Francisco. Pacific Fishery Management Council 

meetings are held 150 miles south in Foster City. North 

Pacific Fishery Management Council meetings are held 

592 miles north in Portland, Oregon.

Facilities

Point Arena is accessible by California Highway 1, 

also known as the Pacific Coast Highway. The nearest 

airports available for public use are in Little River 

(Mendocino County Airport) and Gualala (Ocean Ridge 

Airport). The closest major airport is at San Francisco.

Local schools include an elementary school, a 

school with grades kindergarten through twelfth, and a 

high school. A privately owned company supplies water. 

The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office administers 

public safety and several officers from the sheriff’s office 

also provide contract law enforcement services. The 

Redwood Coast Fire District, headquartered in 

Manchester, provides fire and emergency services.6

 
496

Point Arena has a medical and dental clinic, and a 

regional hospital is in Ukiah, the seat of Mendocino 

County. Local lodging accommodations include three 

small bed and breakfasts. There are a number of hotels in 

Gualala.

The Arena Fishing Pier, located in Arena Cove, has 

a small wharf building where fishing vessels deliver 

commercial fish landings. The pier is a popular 

sportfishing destination. Recreational facilities and 

attractions in the vicinity include Schooner Gulch State 

Beach and Manchester State Park.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

There were no seafood processors in Point Arena in 

2000. In 2000 46 vessels delivered commercial landings 

to Point Arena in the following West Coast fisheries 

(data shown represents landings in metric tons/value of 

landings/number of vessels landing): crab 7.1 t/$39,950/

7; groundfish 6.6 t/$64,640/16; highly migratory species 

confidential/confidential/2; salmon 4.4 t/$21,916/6; and 

other species 552.6 t/$1,109,974/confidential.

Point Arena residents owned 12 commercial vessels 

in 2000, but none participated in the federally managed 

groundfish fishery. The number of vessels owned by 

residents that participated in each fishery by state (WA/

OR/CA) was: crab 0/0/2, groundfish 0/0/NA, highly 

migratory species NA/0/NA, salmon 0/0/3, shellfish NA/

0/NA, and shrimp NA/0/0.7

The number of Point Arena residents holding 

permits in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

coastal pelagic 0/0/2, crab 0/0/2, groundfish 0/0/5, highly 

migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 0/0/7, shellfish 0/0/

NA, and other species 0/1/14.8

In 2000 residents held at least 39 commercial fishing 

permits, all state registered. The number of state permits 

held by Point Arena residents in each fishery by state 

(WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/0/3, crab 0/0/2, 

groundfish 0/0/6, highly migratory species NA/0/0, 

salmon 0/0/11, shellfish 0/0/NA, and other species 0/2/

15.9

Sportfishing

Point Arena has a relatively small (330 feet long) 

public fishing pier. A number of charter vessels operate 

out of the area, targeting albacore tuna, rock cod, salmon, 

and other species. In 2002 at least eight charter 

businesses served sport fishermen and tourists. No 

license agents sold sportfishing licenses in Point Arena. 

In 2000 vendors in Mendocino County sold 8,838 

resident sportfishing licenses, 64 nonresident sportfishing 

licenses, 382 sport salmon punch cards, and 8,864 

abalone report cards.

Subsistence

Specific information on subsistence fishing in Point 

Arena is not discussed in detail in this community profile 

due to the lack of available data. Some subsistence 

fishing is conducted by area residents from local public 

piers. Licenses are not required to fish from public 

piers.10 The California Department of Fish and Game 

uses the term “recreational” for fishermen who do not 

earn revenue from their catch, but fish for pleasure or to 

provide food for personal consumption. Information on 

subsistence fishing is captured to some degree in the 

sportfishing data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 Point Arena residents had no involvement in 

North Pacific commercial fisheries.

Sportfishing

Six Point Arena residents purchased Alaska 

sportfishing licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. A. Kroeber. 1953. Handbook of the Indians of California: 

The Pomo. California Book Company, Berkeley.

2. County of Mendocino. No date. History of Mendocino 

County. Online at http://www.co.mendocino.ca.us/history.htm 

[accessed 6 March 2007].

3. Mendocino.com. 2005. Picturesque Victorian village by the 

sea. Online at http://www.mendocino.com/ [accessed 6 March 2007].

4. Point Arena Lighthouse Keepers. 2005. Point Arena 

lighthouse. Online at http://www.pointarenalighthouse.com/ 

[accessed 6 March 2007].

5. City of Point Arena. 2005. City of Point Arena. Online at 

http://www.cityofpointarena.com/ [accessed 6 March 2007].

6. Mendocino County. 2002. Mendocino County grand jury 

final report: Point Arena city government. Online at http://

www.co.mendocino.ca.us/grandjury/01-02/08-Point_Arena_City

_Government.pdf [accessed 6 March 2007].

7. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

8. See note 7.

9. See note 7.

10. Field notes, City of Point Arena, CA, 30 April 2006.
497

Port Hueneme

People and Place

Location

Port Hueneme (why nee mee) is in Ventura County, 

60 miles northwest of Los Angeles, 40 miles southeast of 

Santa Barbara, and 330 miles south of San Francisco. 

The city encompasses 4.5 square miles of land and 0.2 

square mile of water. The geographic coordinates of Port 

Hueneme are lat 34°90′37′′N, long 119°11′40′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of Port Hueneme was 21,845, a 7.5% increase from 1990. 

The gender composition was 49.7% female and 50.3% 

male. The median age in 2000 was 30.3, lower than the 

national median of 35.3. Of the population 18 years of 

age and older, 78% had a high school education or 

higher, 12.7% had a bachelor’s degree or higher, and 

4.2% had a graduate or professional degree. These 

figures were below the national averages of 79.7%, 

22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The majority of the racial structure was white 

(57.3%), followed by individuals who identified with 

some other race (21.8%), individuals who identified with 

two or more races (6.3%), Asian (6.3%), black (6.1%), 

American Indian and Alaska Native (1.7%), and 

Hawaiian Native and Other Pacific Islander (0.5%). 

Ethnicity data indicate 41% identified as Hispanic. 

About 20.9% were foreign-born, of which 64% were 

from Mexico.

In 2000 81.7% of the population lived in family 

households.

History

The name Hueneme is apparently derived from the 

Chumash Indian village Wene’me or Wene’mu, meaning 

“resting place” or “half-way.” It is believed the Canalinos 

Indians, part of the Chumash nation, stopped at Point 

Hueneme as they passed between today’s Point Mugu 

and the mouth of the Santa Clara River. The point is the 

closest spot (11 miles) from which to navigate the Santa 

Barbara channel transiting between the mainland and 

Anacapa Island. In 1856 James Alden, in charge of the 

Coast Survey steamer Active, gave the name Hueneme to 

the point. In 1870 the town was settled and the name 

adopted.1

The 250 miles of shoreline between present day San 

Luis Obispo and Oxnard were once home to numerous 

coastal Chumash villages; Chumash means “islander” in 

2,500 2,000 1,500 1,000 500 0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

57.3%

Two or more races

6.3%

Other

21.8%

Pacific Islander

0.5%

Black

6.1%

Asian

6.3%

Native

1.7%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Hispanic

41%

Non-Hispanic

59%
498

the language of mainland Chumash. The Chumash 

settled along the Southern California coast approximately 

8,000 years ago and made extensive use of the marine, 

estuarine, and river environments for hunting, fishing, 

and shellfish resources along the coast and Channel 

Islands. Chumash fishermen used a variety of nets, traps, 

baskets, hooks, spears, and plant poisons to catch or stun 

fish, and catch seals and sea otters.2

 On shore the 

Chumash gathered mussels and abalone. The Chumash 

were known for their redwood-planked canoes, called 

“tomols,” which enabled them to fish and trade with 

other coastal villages.

To avoid relocation during the mission period, 

1772–1808, many Chumash adopted Spanish surnames.3

 

Since the Chumash had no written language, there are 

few birth records or written documents identifying 

Chumash people. As a result, many Hispanic residents in 

Ventura and Santa Barbara counties unknowingly have a 

Chumash heritage.4 Today more than 5,000 people 

identify themselves as Chumash Indians.5

In 1867 Thomas Bard, who held claim to a Spanish 

land grant for the area, and Captain W.E. Greenwald of 

the U.S. Geodetic Survey surveyed the shoreline. They 

learned of an underwater canyon just east of the point 

that reduced the size of the surf near the shore, leading 

Bard to believe the area was an ideal site for a wharf. In 

1871 when the Port Hueneme or Bard’s Wharf opened, it 

was the first major wharf between Santa Cruz and San 

Pedro, extending 1,500 feet. By 1887 the Port Hueneme 

Wharf had become an important locale for local trade. 

Activity at the wharf decreased in 1898 when the Atlantic 

Pacific Railroad reached the area and chose to locate in 

Oxnard, 5 miles northwest of Port Hueneme.

In the 1920s Port Hueneme saw increased tourism 

activity but the wharf never regained its commercial 

success. In 1939 the original wharf was damaged during 

a winter storm and then cut in half by a barge that broke 

loose of its moorings. However, Richard Bard, son of 

Thomas Bard, never gave up on his father’s dream of a 

truly modern deep sea commercial port. In 1937 the 

Oxnard Harbor District was created and in 1940 the 

harbor now known as the Port of Hueneme was officially 

completed. In 1967 construction began on a 1,000-foot 

extension and renovation of the old pier. The pier 

reopened in 1968 and became a favorite fishing spot for 

local anglers.

Port Hueneme attracts thousands of visitors every 

year. The Port Hueneme Beach Festival in August and 

Harbor Days in October offer various outdoor activities 

including tours of the Port Hueneme Lighthouse, 

constructed in 1943. The annual Ventura County Boat 

Show is held in Oxnard at the Channel Islands Harbor in 

July.

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

34.3%

Unemployed

3.2%

Employed

62.5%

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 62.5% of Port 

Hueneme’s potential labor force 16 years of age and 

older were employed, 3.2% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 4.9% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

34.3% were not in the labor force. The top employment 

sectors were sales and office jobs (31.2%), management, 

professional, and related occupations (25.6%), local, 

state, or federal government (21.6%), production, 

transportation, and material moving (15.6%), and the 

armed forces (9.3%). Natural resource jobs including 

agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting employed 

3.8%, but this percentage may be artificially low because 

many fishermen are self-employed and are 

underrepresented in the data.

Port Hueneme’s economy is driven by five sectors: 

transportation, defense, manufacturing, agriculture, and 

tourism. The Port of Hueneme, one of the city’s largest 

employers, generates more than $450 million each year. 

Additionally 3,500 jobs in Ventura County are directly 

tied to port activities.6 It serves as an import/export 

platform for break-bulk, neo-bulk, and dry-bulk cargo. It 

is utilized by offshore oil operations in nearby Santa 

Barbara Channel, local sport and commercial fishing 

fleets, and is home to a large dockside refrigeration 

facility.

The port also serves as a U.S. Customs Port of Entry 

and Foreign Trade Zone. The Naval Base Ventura 

County (NBVC), which shares its military wharfs with 

the adjacent deepwater harbor, occupies more than half 

the port’s land area. The port and NBVC account for 

more than 14,364 jobs with a combined payroll of $399 

million. Direct and induced activity from the port and 
499

the Navy account for more than 28,070 jobs and $1.123 

billion in combined economic impact throughout Ventura 

County.7

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Port Hueneme’s 

per capita income in 1999 was $17,311, the median 

household income was $42,246, and 12.2% lived below 

the poverty line. In 2000 Port Hueneme had 7,908 

housing units, of which 91.9% were occupied and 8.1% 

were vacant. Of the occupied units, 49.1% were by 

owner and 50.9% were by renter. Of the vacant units, 

36.6% were due to seasonal, recreational, or occasional 

use.

Governance

Port Hueneme is one of 10 incorporated cities 

located in Ventura County, originally named San 

Buenaventura County by early Spanish settlers, meaning 

“good fortune.”8 The city, incorporated in 1948, has a 

council-manager government with the mayor and council 

members elected to four-year terms. Residents pay a 

7.25% sales and use tax and Ventura County levies a 

10% transient lodging tax.9, 10 See the Governance 

subsection (page 43) in the Overview section for a more 

detailed discussion of taxes affecting fisherman and 

processors in California.

A National Marine Fisheries Service Regional 

Office is 85 miles south in Long Beach and a California 

Department of Fish and Game office is 190 miles south 

in San Diego. The nearest U.S. Citizenship and 

Immigration Services is 60 miles south in Los Angeles. 

Port Hueneme is within the jurisdiction of the U.S. Coast 

Guard (USCG) Marine Safety Office/Group Los 

Angeles-Long Beach. The Channel Islands Station in 

Oxnard is the closest USCG installation; the station has 

three boats at its disposal.

Facilities

Port Hueneme is accessible by California Highway 

1 (southeast to Malibu and Long Beach) and U.S. 

Highway 101 (northwest to Ventura and Santa Barbara 

and southeast to Los Angeles). Oxnard Airport is 3 miles 

north of the city and offers commuter service, charter 

planes, and helicopter transport. Los Angeles 

International Airport is Port Hueneme’s closest 

international airport. Metrolink commuter service to Los 

Angeles and Amtrak passenger service connect in 

Oxnard.

The Hueneme School District has nine elementary 

schools and two junior high schools. The public high 

school is in Oxnard. Oxnard College has an enrollment 

of more than 2,000. Southern California Edison supplies 

electricity, and the Port of Hueneme Water Agency 

(PHWA) provides water services. The city operates the 

water treatment plant on behalf of PHWA. The Port 

Hueneme Police Department administers public safety. 

St. John’s Regional Medical Center was constructed in 

Oxnard in 1992 and the next year merged with Pleasant 

Valley Hospital to become Ventura County’s largest 

acute-care health organization. There are five hotels in 

Port Hueneme and additional accommodations are 

available in Ventura and Oxnard. Other local facilities 

include the Orvene S. Carpenter Community Center, Ray 

D. Prueter Library, an athletic center, City Hall/Civic 

Center, and an historical museum.

Port Hueneme has the largest commercial deep 

water harbor between Los Angeles and San Francisco. 

The boundary of the Oxnard Harbor District, which owns 

and operates the civilian portion of the Port of Hueneme, 

also encompasses the greater City of Oxnard area. 

According to the district, niche markets the port serves 

include automobile imports and exports, fresh fruit and 

produce, fertilizer, and forest products. There are no 

public facilities for small boats and leisure craft. Several 

aquaculture facilities are in the 5 acre Hueneme 

Aquaculture Business Park.

The Channel Islands Harbor, 1 mile northwest of the 

city, provides more than 2,400 berthing facilities for 

pleasure and sportfishing vessels and 70 guest berths. 

Channel Islands Harbor is a no-discharge zone; the 

discharge of sewage, treated or untreated, is prohibited. 

Channel Islands Harbor is administered by the Ventura 

County Harbor Department. Two marine repair yards are 

based on the east side of the channel and lifts can handle 

craft up to 60 tons.11

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 75 vessels, all commercially registered, 

delivered landings to Port Hueneme in 2000. At least 

one seafood processor operated in Port Hueneme: 

Hueneme Fish and Bait Processors. Landings were in the 

following West Coast fisheries (data shown represents 

landings in metric tons/value of landings/number of 

vessels landing): coastal pelagic 59,953 t/$11,052,716/

70; crab confidential/confidential/2; groundfish 0.3 t/

$1,450/5; highly migratory species 14 t/$26,690/5; 

salmon confidential/confidential/3; and other species 

confidential/confidential/3.

Port Hueneme residents owned eight vessels in 

2000, including four that participated in the federally 

managed groundfish fishery. The number of vessels 

owned by Port Hueneme residents that participated in 

each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: groundfish 0/0/

NA, highly migratory species NA/0/NA, shellfish NA/0/

NA, and shrimp NA/0/1.12
500

The number of Port Hueneme residents holding 

permits in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

coastal pelagic 0/0/1, groundfish 0/0/5, highly migratory 

species NA/0/1, shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 0/0/2, and other 

species 0/0/17.13

In 2000 Port Hueneme residents held 43 registered 

state permits. The number of permits held by community 

members in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

coastal pelagic 0/0/1, groundfish 0/0/6, highly migratory 

species NA/0/1, shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 0/0/4, and other 

species 0/0/31.14

Sportfishing

The sportfishing industry in southern California is 

well developed. In Port Hueneme sport fishermen are 

involved in both West Coast and Alaska fisheries. Port 

Hueneme, located on the eastern edge of the Santa 

Barbara Channel, offers sport fishermen diverse fishing 

habitats including undersea canyons, rocky substrate, and 

sandy bottoms. There is one sportfishing license agent 

located in Port Hueneme. In the port group consisting of 

Port Hueneme, Oxnard, Ventura, and Santa Barbara, a 

total of 35 commercial passenger fishing vessels (CPFV), 

or party boats, reported that 77,345 anglers made 352,260 

fish landings of more than 26 species in 2000. In 2002 

and 2003 there were two CPFVs licensed in Port 

Hueneme and each vessel purchased an ocean 

enhancement stamp allowing anglers to fish in ocean 

waters south of Point Arguello in Santa Barbara County.

Located on Dock 1, Port Hueneme Sportfishing 

provides charter fishing services, offering half to full day 

trips and overnight excursions. The Port Hueneme pier 

in Port Hueneme Beach Park is popular with local 

anglers.

Subsistence

Local tribal and nontribal community members may 

engage in subsistence fishing in the Port Hueneme area, 

however, specific information on subsistence fishing in 

Port Hueneme is not discussed in detail due to the lack of 

available data. The California Department of Fish and 

Game uses the term “recreational” for fishermen who do 

not earn revenue from their catch, but fish for pleasure or 

to provide food for personal consumption. Information 

on subsistence fishing in California is captured to some 

degree in the sportfishing data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 Port Hueneme residents owned one vessel 

involved in North Pacific fisheries. Community 

members landed fish in the following North Pacific 

fishery (data shown represents landings in metric tons/

value of landings/number of vessels landing): salmon 

confidential/confidential/1.

In 2000 one resident held two registered state 

permits. Residents also held one herring and one salmon 

Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission permit. Two 

Port Hueneme residents held crew member licenses for 

North Pacific fisheries.

Sportfishing

Port Hueneme residents purchased 22 Alaska 

sportfishing licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. Pier Fishing in California. 2004. Port Hueneme pier. Online 

at http://www.pierfishing.com/pier_of_the_month/2000-12.html 

[accessed 6 March 2007].

2. Encyclopedia of North American Indians. No date. 

Chumash. Online at http://college.hmco.com/history/readerscomp/

naind/html/na_007400_chumash.htm [accessed July 2004].

3. Wishtoyo Project. No date. Chumash history. Online at 

http://www.wishtoyo.org/projects-cultural-chumash-history.html 

[accessed 6 March 2007].

4. See note 3.

5. See note 2.

6. The Port of Hueneme. No date. Port of Hueneme: History. 

Online at http://www.portofhueneme.org [accessed 6 March 2007].

7. Port Hueneme Chamber of Commerce. No date. Business 

and employment. Online at http://www.huenemechamber.com/

employme.htm [accessed 6 March 2007].

8. County of Ventura. 2002. Visitor center. Online at http://

www.countyofventura.org/visitor/visitor.asp [accessed 6 March 

2007].

9. California Board of Equalization. 2004. California city and 

county sales and use tax rates. Online at http://www.boe.ca.gov/pdf/

pub71.pdf [accessed 6 March 2007].

10. California Board of Equalization. 2001. California counties 

transient lodging tax revenue, rate and date for the fiscal year 2000–

2001. Online at http://www.sco.ca.gov/ard/local/locrep/adhoc/

county/0001cotranslodgtax.pdf [accessed 6 March 2007].

11. The Log. 2004. Navigation information: Channel Islands 

harbor. Online at http://www.thelog.com/special/specialview.asp?c

=116486 [accessed 6 March 2007].

12. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

13. See note 12.

14. See note 12.
501

Princeton

People and Place

Location

Princeton, also known as Princeton-by-the-Sea, is 

one of several unincorporated coastal communities south 

of San Francisco. It is 25 miles south of San Francisco 

and 44 miles northwest of San Jose. The geographic 

coordinates of Princeton are lat 37°30′18′′N, long 

122°29′09′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of Princeton was 489. The gender composition was 

50.1% female and 49.9% male. The median age was 

38.6, higher than the national median age of 35.3. In 

2000 approximately 41.3% of the population was 

between the ages of 25 and 59. Of the population 18 

years of age and older, 78.2% had a high school 

education, 15.3% had a bachelor’s degree or higher, and 

1.9% had a graduate or professional degree. The national 

averages were higher: 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% 

respectively.

The majority of the racial composition was white 

(82.6%), followed by individuals who identified with 

some other race (6.7%), American Indian and Alaska 

Native (4.9%), Asian (3.1%), and individuals who 

identified with two or more races (2.7%). According to 

the 2000 U.S. Census, no blacks or Native Hawaiian or 

Other Pacific Islanders lived in Princeton. Ethnicity data 

indicate 16.8% identified as Hispanic. About 9.6% of the 

population was foreign-born, of which 78.2% were from 

Mexico and 18.2% from Korea.

In 2000 88.1% of the population lived in family 

households.

History

In 1769 Gaspar de Portola, captain of a Spanish 

exploration team, found San Francisco Bay while looking 

for Monterey Bay. At the time of his arrival, more than 

10,000 Indians lived in the California coastal area 

between Big Sur and San Francisco Bay. This group 

consisted of approximately 40 tribal groups ranging in 

size from 100 to 250 members. The Spanish referred to 

the tribal groups collectively as Costenos, meaning 

“coastal people.” The name was eventually changed to 

Costanoan. Native Americans in the San Francisco Bay 

area were referred to as Costanoans for years until 

descendents chose to call themselves Ohlones, meaning 

the abalone people.1

80 60 40 20 0 20 40 60 80

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure

Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

82.6%

Two or more races

2.7%

Native

4.9%

Other

6.7%

Asian

3.1%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Hispanic

16.8% Non-Hispanic

83.2%
502

The Ohlones utilized hunting and gathering 

technology, taking advantage of the area’s natural 

resources. Adults hunted big game animals including 

deer, elk, bear, whale, sea lion, otter, and seal. 

Freshwater and saltwater fish were important in the 

Ohlone diet, including steelhead trout, salmon, sturgeon, 

and lamprey. Shellfish were also important. Residents 

of the Monterey and San Francisco bays gathered 

mussels, abalone, clams, oysters, and hornshell from 

local tidelands.2

The Muwekma Ohlone Tribe, one of several Ohlone 

groups, is comprised of lineages aboriginal to the San 

Francisco Bay region who trace their ancestry through 

the Dolores, Santa Clara, and San Jose missions. The 

aboriginal homeland of the Muwekma Tribe 

encompasses several counties, including San Mateo 

County. The Muwekma Tribal Council organized 

between 1982 and 1984 and tribal members are working 

for federal recognition.3

During 23 years of Mexican rule, San Mateo County 

became the site of 17 large ranchos. Two years after the 

Mexicans were defeated by the Americans in 1846, gold 

was discovered in the area and the population of the San 

Francisco peninsula grew rapidly. Many influential 

persons purchased land in San Mateo County, building 

large mansions on the old Mexican land grants. San 

Mateo County, which to this point had been part of San 

Francisco County, was created in 1856.

Princeton, as with other coastal communities in the 

area, was established between 1906 and 1909 during the 

real estate boom that followed construction of the Ocean 

Shore Railroad. The Princeton Inn, constructed in 1908 

as a seaside resort hotel, attracted numerous San 

Francisco tourists. When the railroad failed, the tourist 

atmosphere faded, but the hotel became popular again 

during the 1920s as a brothel and haven for rumrunners.

Originally envisioned as an ocean resort, Princeton 

is now known principally for its harbor, Pillar Point. The 

land adjacent to Pillar Point is primarily industrial for 

boatbuilding and other marine-related industries. 

Johnson Pier, built in the 1960s, is a popular spot among 

local anglers and outdoor enthusiasts. A trail heading 

north from the pier leads to another public fishing pier on 

the inner breakwater. Presently, increased commercial 

development is occurring along Capistrano Road at the 

harbor’s entrance, the site of a number of seafood 

restaurants. Harbor Day, held the last Saturday of 

September, is sponsored by the Half Moon Bay 

Fishermen’s Marketing Association. For additional 

information on the area see the El Granada, Half Moon 

Bay, and San Francisco community profiles.

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

49.8%

Employed

46.3%

Unemployed

3.9%

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 46.3% of 

Princeton’s potential labor force 16 years of age and 

older were employed, 3.9% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 7.8% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

49.8% were not in the labor force, higher than the 

national average of 36.1%. The primary employment 

sectors were agriculture, forestry, fishing, hunting, and 

mining (35.1%), local, state, or federal government 

(25.5%), education, health, and social services (19.7%), 

and transportation, warehousing, and utilities (14.3%). 

The percentage employed in agriculture, forestry, fishing, 

and hunting may be artificially low because many 

fishermen are self-employed and are underrepresented in 

the data.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the per capita 

income of Princeton in 1999 was $17,481, the median 

household income was $40,417, and 21.8% lived below 

the poverty line. In 2000 Princeton had 219 housing 

units, of which 82.6% were occupied and 17.4% were 

vacant. Of the occupied units, 68.5% were by owner and 

31.5% were by renter. Of the vacant housing, 60.5% 

were due to seasonal, recreational, or occasional use.

Governance

Princeton is not incorporated. Residents pay a 

8.25% sales and use tax and San Mateo County levies a 

10% transient lodging tax.4, 5

 See the Governance 

subsection (page 43) in the Overview section for a more 

detailed discussion of taxes affecting fisherman and 

processors in California.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) 

Southwest Fisheries Science Center has laboratories 65 
503

miles southeast in Santa Cruz and NMFS has a regional 

office approximately 405 miles south in Long Beach. 

The California Department of Fish and Game has a 

marine field office 16 miles east in Belmont. The nearest 

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office is in 

San Francisco. The Pacific Fishery Management Council 

holds meetings 19 miles northeast in Foster City. 

Princeton falls within the jurisdiction of the U.S. Coast 

Guard Marine Safety Office San Francisco Bay, one of 

the largest and busiest marine safety units in the USCG.

Facilities

Princeton is accessible by land and air. The major 

roads connecting Princeton to neighboring cities are 

California Highway 1 north to San Francisco and south to 

Santa Cruz, and California Highway 92 and Interstate 

Highway 280 east to San Jose. The closest public use 

airport is at Half Moon Bay, just outside of Princeton. 

San Francisco International Airport is the nearest 

international airport. The San Mateo County Transit 

District provides SamTrans bus service throughout the 

county and into parts of San Francisco and Palo Alto.

Children in Princeton attend school in Half Moon 

Bay. The College of San Mateo, with an enrollment of 

more than 5,000, is 17 miles northeast in San Mateo. The 

nearest San Mateo County library is 5 miles south in Half 

Moon Bay. The Coastside County Water District 

provides water for Princeton residents and the Granada 

Sanitary District provides wastewater services. Pacific 

Gas and Electric supplies electricity and natural gas. The 

San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office administers public 

safety.

Pillar Point is a working fishing harbor with 369 

berths. The harbor was constructed in 1961 and the inner 

breakwater was added in 1982. Pillar Point offers a 

modern fish dock, six-lane boat launch ramp, ice-making 

facility, and serves as a fish-buying hub for local 

commercial vessels. About 40 families live aboard their 

vessels in a floating community near the north end of the 

harbor. The Half Moon Bay Yacht Club is located at the 

harbor and Pillar Point’s Search and Rescue service, 

averaging 110 rescues annually, maintains a 32-foot 

fiberglass boat there.

Pillar Point Harbor is home to other marine-related 

businesses, including California Canoe and Kayak, Essex 

Marine Electronics, Half Moon Bay Surf Company, Half 

Moon Bay Diving Company, Harbor Fuel Dock, and 

others. Internet resources indicate several restaurants at 

the harbor such as the Fresh Fish House, Ship-to-Shore 

Fish Market and Barbeque, and Barbara’s Fish Trap. The 

San Mateo County Harbor District operates Oyster Point 

Marina in the City of South San Francisco, a 600-berth 

recreational boating marina.

The San Mateo County Harbor District supports the 

Alliance of Communities for Sustainable Fisheries, a 

group of fishermen from the four harbors that adjoin or 

lie within the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary: 

Monterey, Moss Landing, Pillar Point, and Santa Cruz. 

Pillar Point fishermen actively participate in alliance 

activities including hearings regarding the Marine Life 

Protection Act, Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council 

meetings, conferences, and other meetings regarding area 

fishing.6

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 no vessels owned by Princeton residents 

participated in West Coast fisheries, however, 336 

commercial fishing vessels made landings at the 

Princeton/Half Moon Bay port group. Landings data for 

Princeton include records from Half Moon Bay and were 

made in the following West Coast fisheries (data shown 

represents landings in metric tons/value of landings/

number of vessels landing): coastal pelagic 319 t/

$53,582/30; crab 165 t/$879,522/72; groundfish 699 t/

$766,728/89; highly migratory species 16.3 t/$36,204/22; 

salmon 350 t/$1,465,453/231; shrimp confidential/

confidential/2; and other species 52 t/$276,978/57. See 

the Half Moon Bay community profile for additional 

information.

The number of vessels owned by Princeton residents 

that participated in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) 

was: groundfish 0/0/NA, highly migratory species NA/0/

NA, shellfish NA/0/NA, and shrimp NA/0/0.7 According 

to available data, no Princeton residents held commercial 

fishing permits in 2000.

One fish processor operated at Pillar Point Harbor: 

Exclusive Freshness Inc., founded in 1984. The 

company processes more than 25 species of fish and 

employs approximately 30.8

 Fishermen are allowed to 

sell fresh caught fish “off-the-boat” directly to the public 

at Pillar Point Harbor.

Sportfishing

No sportfishing license vendors worked in Princeton 

and there were no commercial passenger fishing vessels 

licensed to Princeton residents in 2002 and 2003. 

Available data indicates at least four sportfishing 

businesses moor at Pillar Point Harbor: Queen of Hearts, 

Riptide Sportfishing, Huck Finn, and Captain John’s 

Sportfishing. They offer sportfishing, whale watching, 

ecotourism, and specialty trips.
504

Subsistence

Specific information on subsistence fishing in 

Princeton is not discussed in detail in this profile due to 

the lack of available data. The California Department of 

Fish and Game uses the term “recreational” for fishermen 

who do not earn revenue from their catch, but fish for 

pleasure or to provide food for personal consumption. 

Information on subsistence fishing in California is 

captured to some degree in the sportfishing data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 Princeton residents were not involved in 

North Pacific commercial fisheries.

Sportfishing

Princeton residents purchased three Alaska 

sportfishing licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. National Park Service. No date. An “unvanished” history. 

Online at http://www.cr.nps.gov/seac/sfprehis.htm [accessed 7 March 

2007].

2. Santa Cruz Public Libraries. 1991. An Overview of Ohlone 

culture. Online at http://www.santacruzpl.org/history/spanish/

ohlone.shtml [accessed 7 March 2007].

3. The Muwekma Ohlone Tribe. No date. Mewekma Ohlone 

Tribe: A brief history and the federal recognition process. Online at 

http://www.muwekma.org/history/tribe.html [accessed 7 March 

2007].

4. California Board of Equalization. 2004. California city and 

county sales and use tax rates. Online at http://www.boe.ca.gov/pdf/

pub71.pdf [accessed 7 March 2007].

5. California Board of Equalization. 2001. California counties 

transient lodging tax revenue, rate and date for the fiscal year 2000–

2001. Online at http://www.sco.ca.gov/ard/local/locrep/adhoc/

county/0001cotranslodgtax.pdf [accessed 7 March 2007].

6. San Mateo County Harbor District. 2003. Pillar Point 

Harbor. Online at http://www.smharbor.com/pillarpoint/index.htm 

[accessed 7 March 2007].

7. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

8. Field notes, Exclusive Freshness Inc., Pillar Point Harbor, 

Princeton, CA, 19 January 2005.
505

San Diego

People and Place

Location

San Diego is the southern most urban area on 

California’s coast, 121 miles south of Los Angeles. The 

city is in San Diego County and encompasses 324.34 

square miles of land and 47.69 square miles of water. 

San Diego’s geographic coordinates are lat 32°42′55′′N, 

long 117°52′25′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of San Diego was 1,223,400. San Diego is the second 

largest city in California and seventh largest in the 

nation. San Diego has undergone strong and steady 

growth throughout the twentieth century. In 1870 its 

population was 2,300; by 1930 it was 147,995. In 1960 

the city’s population surpassed the half million mark at 

573,224. The gender composition was 49.6% female and 

50.4% male. In 2000 the median age was 32.5, younger 

than the average national median age of 35.3. Of the 

population 18 years of age and older, 82.9% had a high 

school education or higher, 31% had a bachelor’s degree 

or higher, and 11.3% had a graduate or professional 

degree; the national averages were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 

7.8% respectively.

The majority of the racial structure of San Diego 

was white (60.2%), followed by Asian (13.6%), 

individuals who identified with some other race (12.4%), 

black (7.9%), individuals who identified with two or 

more races (4.8%), American Indian and Alaska Native 

(0.6%), and Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 

(0.5%). Ethnicity data indicate 25.4% identified as 

Hispanic. About 25.7% of San Diego’s population was 

foreign-born.

In 2000 75.8% of the population lived in family 

households.

History

The San Diego area dating back to 11,000 BP was 

populated by Indians now called the San Dieguito. They 

were descendents of Asians who crossed the land bridge 

in the Bering Strait and others who moved over the Sierra 

Nevadas and down the Pacific coast. About 3,000 years 

ago the Digueño or Kumeyaay Indians arrived in the 

region and mixed with the local inhabitants. The 

Digueño were named by the Spanish who were known 

for naming Indian groups after the mission that had 

jurisdiction over them, in this case the San Diego de 

150,000 100,000 50,000 0 50,000 100,000 150,000

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

60.2%

Two or more races

4.8% Other

12.4%

Black

7.9%

Pacific Islander

0.5%

Asian

13.6%

Native

0.6%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Hispanic

25.4%

Non-Hispanic

74.6%
506

Alcalà Mission. When the mission was established in 

1769, there were roughly 25,000–30,000 Indians living in 

the area.

The term Kumeyaay, coined by the native people in 

the 1970s, is all inclusive of the Digueño and Kamia, the 

Yuman-speaking Indians of Imperial County east of San 

Diego County. The Kumeyaay were seasonal hunters 

and gatherers whose bands ranged from the waterways of 

San Diego’s coastal region, eastward past the Salton Sea, 

and south beyond present day Enseñada, Mexico. The 

Kumeyaay Indians were known for their resistance to 

Christianity and revolted against Spanish soldiers on 

several occasions. At the time of Mexican independence 

in 1821, the Kumeyaay fled to the mountains to escape 

forced labor for Mexican settlers from the army. In 1875 

the Kumeyaay were expelled from their homes and their 

land expropriated. In 1910 the population began to 

revive, and currently there are about 20,000 Kumeyaay 

descendents living in San Diego County on 18 

reservations, more than in any other county in the United 

States.1

In the middle of the 1500s, Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo, 

exploring for Spain, sailed into the San Diego Harbor and 

named his discovery San Miguel. Sixty years later, in 

1602 on the feast day of San Diego de Alcalà, Sebastián 

Vizcaíno arrived and renamed the area San Diego. At the 

time Spain was not interested in settling California, as it 

was drawn to the riches in the Pacific and the Orient. In 

the mid-1700s Spain colonized Mexico’s Baja California 

and pushed upwards into California in an effort to 

discourage Russian fur traders who were moving down 

the northwest coast of America. Spain lent military 

support to mission priests and consequently raised the 

Spanish flag.

In 1769 the Franciscan priest Junípero Serra 

established the first mission, San Diego de Alcalà, in San 

Diego. In 1821 Mexico declared its independence from 

Spain and 12 years later the Mexican government began 

parceling out mission property to political leaders. By 

1846 the Mexican-American War reached the West 

Coast and San Diego was taken by U.S. forces.2

The California Gold Rush came two years later. 

The first rail link bypassed San Diego. In 1867 San 

Francisco speculator and businessman Alonzo Horton, 

recognizing the city’s port potential, acquired 960 acres 

of waterfront and promoted it as “New Town.” A year 

later San Diego was incorporated with a population of 

650. Shortly after its incorporation, gold was discovered 

in the hills east of San Diego, but the mining boom ended 

by 1874. Following the gold rush the population of San 

Diego fell by half to 2,000.3

The town’s Mediterranean style, mission 

architecture and Spanish street names seen today were 

2000 Employment structure

Employed

61.9%

Unemployed

3.8%

Not in labor force

34.3%

constructed by developers for the Panama-California 

Expositions of 1915–1916, rather than being remnants of 

the city’s colonial past. The aviation and maritime 

industries arrived in San Diego during the 1920s and 

1930s and jump started the city’s economy. In 1941 

following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the headquarters 

of the U.S. Pacific Fleet moved to San Diego. San 

Diego’s role in wartime activity transformed the city and 

provided employment opportunities for up to a fourth of 

the population. Today the city is growing due to several 

factors including climate, seafront location, abundant 

recreation opportunities, and a revitalized downtown 

area.

San Diego’s Fishing History

Numerous ethnic groups participated in San Diego’s 

fishing history, including the Chinese, Portuguese, 

Italians, and Japanese. While many Chinese pioneers 

were forced into low paying and unskilled jobs, some 

found a niche in the developing fishing industry. By 

1869, a year before Alonzo Horton built his bank, two 

colonies of Chinese fishermen were established on San 

Diego Bay, and by 1872 the trade in dried fish was well 

underway.

By 1880 the abalone fishery was producing 700 tons 

annually, primarily for export to China. The Chinese 

sold the shells to California jewelry makers. Beginning 

in 1885 a series of events transpired to decrease Chinese 

fishing activity and fleet size, and in 1890 the industry 

ceased when the State Board of Fish Commissioners 

implemented restrictions on the taking and export of 

abalone and shrimp. Over the next 10 years, San Diego 

businessmen built processing plants, and by 1897 the 

railroad was carrying fresh fish and shellfish to markets 

as far away as Denver and Kansas City.4

 In the early 

1910s Portuguese fishermen moved into abandoned 

Chinese settlements and revived the tuna industry. In 
507

1936 it was reported businesses were again shipping 

abalone to the Orient.5

The late 1800s saw a wave of immigration from 

southern and eastern Europe. Between 1900 and 1910 

Italian immigration to California nearly tripled, rising 

from 22,707 in 1900 to 66,615 in 1910. Most came from 

maritime backgrounds and settled in the bay area around 

San Francisco. The San Francisco fire in 1906 brought 

many Italian fishermen to San Diego, who joined Italians 

who had arrived in 1871. The Italians came with a 

variety of boats and gear types and by 1910 the 

capabilities of the fishery exceeded market demand. 

Access to national markets was the only way to realize 

the full potential of the San Diego fishery and this access 

awaited successful development of a cannery.6

In 1909 the first fish cannery was built, designed 

solely for processing sardines. The lampara net, 

developed in Italy, was introduced to the San Diego 

sardine fishery in 1907, extending the fishery to areas 

outside the bays to which earlier fishermen were 

restricted.7

 During a lull in the sardine fishery, a 

processor in San Pedro experimented with canning 

albacore tuna, and in 1911 the Pacific Tuna Canning 

Company began canning albacore in San Diego.8 For 

more information on the San Pedro fishing community, 

see the Los Angeles community profile.

In 1913 Japanese fishermen arrived in Magdalena 

Bay and Turtle Bay 300 miles south of San Diego and 

established abalone camps, employing local Mexicans. 

Abalone processing was done in Turtle Bay but the dried 

product was shipped to a warehouse in San Diego to be 

stored until the meat could be sent to market in China or 

Japan. The operation transitioned to tuna fishing in the 

1920s with the arrival of 70 Japanese tuna fishermen.

While fishing for tuna, the Japanese introduced a 

technique that would transform the American tuna 

industry: long, flexible, and exceedingly strong bamboo 

poles. San Diego canneries favored the pole technique 

because the Japanese fishermen brought the fish aboard 

without damaging the meat.9 In 1923 the U.S. 

Department of Commerce stated the “Japanese in San 

Diego make up 50% of the [fishing boat] crews, 30% are 

Italian, 10% Portuguese, and 10% are Americans.”10

The fishing industry hit its peak in California 

between 1919 and 1921; however, it was already 

apparent that overfishing was threatening several species, 

including halibut. Depletion of local white fish stocks 

affected the San Diego fishing fleet.11 Over the next 

several years, many fishermen left their boats to enter 

fish processing and marketing. San Diego quickly 

transitioned from being a seafood exporter to an importer 

to supply local markets.

Beginning in the 1920s and 1930s, fishermen were 

forced into deeper water to fish for the yellowfin and 

skipjack tunas. During this time processing techniques 

improved, and canning these tuna became a profitable 

enterprise. Unfortunately San Diego fishermen were 

then forced to compete with imported tuna from Japan, 

whose canneries could purchase the fish at lower cost. 

As a result in 1930 Edward Ghio helped found the 

American Fishermen’s Tunaboat Association, the 

forerunner of the present-day American Tunaboat 

Association, which united fishermen and improved their 

dealings with the canneries. By the end of the 1930s, 

approximately 15% of the tuna boats operating out of San 

Diego were owned and operated by Italian fishermen.12

New citizenship laws passed in the early 1940s had 

negative consequences for Italians. Of the 1,511 Italian 

fishermen in the state, 787 were forced to abandon 

offshore fishing. In the mid-1940s, as the boats became 

larger and more expensive, boat investment changed and 

ownership concentrated in the hands of individuals not 

actively engaged in fishing. As a result 69 tuna boat 

owners in 1946 authorized the American Tunaboat 

Association to represent them in negotiations with the 

Cannery Workers and Fishermen’s Union of San Diego 

and with the International Association of Machinists, the 

bargaining agents for tuna boat crews.13

In the 1950s the tuna industry changed dramatically 

due to two events. First, canneries began importing large 

quantities of cheap tuna from Japan. Second, many Latin 

American countries closed their waters to foreign 

fishermen. This devastated the San Diego bait fishery 

which relied on them for 85–90% of the bait fish used in 

the industry. By 1960 the tuna fleet in San Diego 

decreased by 30%, from 210 to 149 vessels. Technology 

saved the fleet with the advent of nylon nets and the 

Puretec power block, which solved both of the fleet’s 

problems. Japan’s fishing fleet could no longer 

outperform the efficient tuna seiners and the need for bait 

was eliminated.14

Over the next 20 years the San Diego tuna industry 

faced tremendous pressure from the environmental 

movement to end the killing of porpoises in the tuna 

fishery, and by 1975 porpoise kill quotas were 

established. By 1980 San Diego’s fleet of large purse 

seiners operating in the Eastern Tropical Pacific 

numbered 101,15 of which about 30 were bait boats.16 

Approximately 25% of the family-owned boats belonged 

to Italian-Americans.17

Several events over the next few years exacerbated 

the problems of the tuna fishermen. The El Nino current 

of 1982–83 caused tuna to migrate to cooler waters in the 

Western Tropical Pacific. Canneries moved overseas and 

U.S. tuna boats were seized for illegally fishing in 
508

Central American waters. By 1990 the number of San 

Diego purse seiners had dropped to 30. Then when the 

three major American tuna canners agreed to purchase 

only “dolphin-safe” tuna, the number of boats dropped 

from 30 to 8. Today many San Diego tuna captains and 

fishermen fly to Guam or American Samoa, where they 

base their boats, to fish for tuna.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 61.9% of San 

Diego’s potential labor force 16 years of age and older 

were employed, 3.8% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 5.8% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

34.3% were not in the labor force. The major industries 

in San Diego are manufacturing, defense, tourism, and 

agriculture.18 Local, state, or federal government 

employed 16.5% of the work force and the armed forces 

employed 3.8%. Natural resource jobs including 

agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting employed only 

0.3%, but this percentage may be artificially low because 

many fishermen are self-employed and are 

underrepresented in the data.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, San Diego’s per 

capita income in 1999 was $23,609, slightly higher than 

the national per capita income of $21,587. The median 

household income was $45,733, compared to the national 

median household income of $41,994. In 1999 14.6% 

lived below the poverty level, compared to the national 

average of 12.4%. In 2000 San Diego had 469,689 

housing units, of which 96% were occupied and 4% were 

vacant. Of the occupied housing units, 49.5% were by 

owner and 50.5% were by renter.

Governance

San Diego operates under a council-manager 

government, headed by the mayor and eight council 

members. The city manager handles the day-to-day 

operations of city government. San Diego is a charter 

city and incorporated 27 March 1850. Charter cities 

differ from general law cities in that they allow the 

citizenry to shape city operations (e.g., laws, governing 

bodies) to meet particular characteristics. A charter can 

only be adopted or changed by majority vote. San Diego 

levies a 7.75% sales and use tax and San Diego County 

has a 9% transient lodging tax. See the Governance 

subsection (page 43) in the Overview section for a more 

detailed discussion of taxes affecting fisherman and 

processors in California.

The nearest National Marine Fisheries regional 

office is 106 miles away in Long Beach. San Diego is 

the headquarters for the California Department of Fish 

and Game’s Region 5. The city also has a U.S. Coast 

Guard station and a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 

Services district office. The Pacific Fishery Management 

Council meets in San Diego on a rotating basis every 2 to 

3 years.

Facilities

San Diego is accessible by land, sea, and air. The 

city is located on the Interstate Highway 5 corridor that 

connects it to Los Angeles. Several other transportation 

options are available to persons traveling between the 

two cities. San Diego also has an international airport.

The San Diego School District serves approximately 

138,600 students and is the second largest district in 

California with 123 elementary schools, 23 middle 

schools, 18 high schools, 13 atypical schools, and 10 

alternative schools. As a major metropolitan area, it has 

a large number of health care facilities, including acute 

care hospitals, pediatric centers, and a variety of clinics 

and specialty outlets.

The San Diego Police Department administers 

public safety. The San Diego Water Department serves 

more than 1.2 million people. Local water sources 

contribute only about 10% of the water used by the city; 

approximately 90% comes from northern California and 

the Colorado River. The Metropolitan Wastewater 

Department manages the city’s sewage system. On 

average 180 million gallons of wastewater are treated 

daily, and the system has capacity to annually treat 240 

billion gallons. The tourism industry in southern 

California is well developed and San Diego supports 

more than 400 hotels.

The California Legislature created the Port of San 

Diego in 1962 to manage the San Diego Harbor and 

administer public lands on San Diego Bay.19 The port is 

governed by a seven-member Board of Port 

Commissioners appointed by the city councils of San 

Diego, Chula Vista, Coronado, Imperial Beach, and 

National City. The port has two marine cargo terminals, 

the National City Marine Terminal and the Tenth Avenue 

Marine Terminal. The port also owns the B Street cruise 

ship terminal. The Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal offers 

a variety of storage and warehousing options, for 

example, cold, dry, bulk.

The port has 1 million square feet of warehouses and 

transit sheds, 25 acres of open space for cargo, and 8 

berths. The National City Marine Terminal is a 125-acre 

complex with 7 berths. It is a main point of entry for 

foreign automobiles and can accommodate more than 
509

300,000 vehicles per year. The B Street Marine Terminal 

has five berths, two of which are adjacent to the terminal.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

San Diego residents are principally involved in West 

Coast fisheries, including groundfish, coastal pelagics, 

and highly migratory species. In southern California in 

the 5 years prior to 2000, 90 percent of the total landing 

value were contributed by squid, albacore and other tuna, 

sea urchin, coastal pelagics, shark, swordfish, lobster, 

and groundfish.

Of the 151 vessels that delivered landings to San 

Diego in 2000, all were commercially registered vessels. 

Landings were made in the following West Coast 

fisheries (data shown represents landings in metric tons/

value of landings/number of vessels landing): coastal 

pelagic 1.8 t/$3,012/18; crab 65 t/$168,741/31; 

groundfish 8 t/$29,939/47; shrimp 5 t/$104,169/5; and 

other species 143 t/$1,020,479/116.

In 2000 San Diego residents owned 106 vessels, 

including 51 that participated in the federally managed 

groundfish fishery. The number of vessels owned by San 

Diego residents that participated in each fishery by state 

(WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 3/0/8, groundfish 0/0/

NA, highly migratory species NA/0/NA, salmon 0/0/5, 

shellfish NA/0/NA, shrimp NA/0/4, and other species 6/

0/4.20

One San Diego resident held a single federal 

groundfish fishery permit in 2000. The number of San 

Diego residents holding permits in each fishery by state 

(WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 1/0/12, crab 0/1/0, 

groundfish 0/0/46, highly migratory species NA/0/19, 

salmon 0/0/6, shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 0/1/12, and other 

species NA/0/105).21

In 2000 San Diego residents held 463 registered 

state and federal permits. The number of permits held in 

each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 

2/0/43, groundfish 0/0/45, highly migratory species NA/

0/0, salmon 0/0/18, shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 0/0/19, and 

other species 6/0/329.22

In 2000 at least six seafood processors operated in 

San Diego, employing about 296 people. The estimated 

weight of the processed products was 5,858,962 pounds 

valued at $41,096,402. In 2000 the top three processed 

products, in terms of pounds and revenue earned were 

kelp (confidential/confidential), salmon (confidential/

confidential), and swordfish (311,694 pounds/

$2,298,692). San Diego is also home to International 

Specialty Products, which manufactures alginates from 

California giant kelp; alginates are used in food, 

beverage, personal, and pharmaceutical products.23 In 

addition, numerous sportfishing companies offer 

processing and canning services such as Fishermen’s 

Landing, Sportsmen’s Seafood, and Anthony’s Seafood 

Group in affiliation with Point Loma Sportfishing.

Sportfishing

The sportfishing industry in southern California is 

well developed. San Diego sport fishermen are involved 

in both West Coast and Alaska fisheries. Year round the 

San Diego sportfishing fleet offers a wide range of open 

party and private charter trips varying from a half day to 

three weeks. Half day fishing trips ply the California 

coastline from Point Loma southward to Imperial Beach. 

Longer trips take anglers to the Outer Banks where they 

target migrating schools of albacore, yellowfin, bluefin, 

big eye tuna, and dorado. Sportfishing companies also 

provide dinner cruises, ecology excursions, and whale 

watching trips between December and March for the 

California gray whale migration to Baja California, 

Mexico.

There are 37 licensed agents selling hunting and 

fishing licenses and one licensed dealer for Deeper 

Nearshore Species Permits in San Diego. In the port 

group consisting of San Diego and Mission Bay, a total 

of 75 commercial passenger fishing vessels (CPFV) or 

“party boats” reported 555,479 fish landings of more than 

26 species in 2000. The number of anglers involved was 

176,690. In 2002 there were 37 licensed CPFVs and in 

2003 there were 48. Operators purchased 38 ocean 

enhancement stamps in 2002 and 49 in 2003, allowing 

anglers to fish in ocean waters south of Point Arguello in 

Santa Barbara County.

In 1998 and 1999, 2.9 million marine recreational 

trips were made in southern California (Santa Barbara 

County and south), compared to 4.7 million trips 

statewide. The figure includes recreational anglers 

fishing from man-made structures (e.g., piers), beaches, 

commercial passenger fishing vessels, and private boats. 

Based on the average number of marine anglers in 

southern California during this time, aggregate annual 

trip-related expenditures were estimated to be $202 

million. Licenses, fishing gear, and boat-related 

expenses contributed an additional $128.4 million.24

Subsistence

The California Department of Fish and Game uses 

the term “recreational” for fishermen who do not earn 

revenue from their catch, but fish for pleasure or to 

provide food for personal consumption. Information on 

subsistence fishing in California is captured to some 

degree in the sportfishing data. Individuals of Native 

American descent living in San Diego may engage in 
510

tribal subsistence fishing, but that information is not 

discussed due a lack of data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing 

In 2000 San Diego residents owned seven vessels 

involved in North Pacific fisheries, landing fish in the 

following North Pacific fishery (data shown represents 

landings in metric tons/value of said landings/number of 

vessels landing): salmon 199 t/$178,330/4. In 2000 8 

community residents held registered state permits, 3 held 

registered federal permits, and 69 held crew member 

licenses for North Pacific fisheries.

In 2000 nine state and federal permits were 

registered to individuals in San Diego. Residents also 

held one groundfish License Limitation Program permit. 

Residents held two Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands 

groundfish and six salmon Commercial Fisheries Entry 

Commission permits. Residents also held 11,647 halibut 

individual fishing quota shares.

Sportfishing

San Diego residents purchased 1,028 Alaska 

sportfishing licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. Desert USA. 1999. Native American desert peoples: The 

Kumeyaay of San Diego County and Baja. Online at http://

www.desertusa.com/mag99/july/papr/kumeyaay.html [accessed 7 

March 2007].

2. San Diego Online. No date. San Diego history. Online at 

http://www.sandiegomag.com/metro/history/history.shtml [accessed 7 

March 2007].

3. Lonely Planet. No date. San Diego: History. Online at http:/

/www.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/north_america/san_diego/

history.htm [accessed 7 March 2007].

4. A. McEvoy. 1977. The journal of San Diego history: In 

places men reject: Chinese fishermen at San Diego, 1870-1893. 

Online at http://www.sandiegohistory.org/journal/77fall/chinese.htm 

[accessed 7 March 2007].

5. See note 4.

6. W. Richardson. 1977. The Journal of San Diego History: 

Fishermen of San Diego: The Italians. Online at http://

www.sandiegohistory.org/journal/81fall/fishermen.htm [accessed 7 

March 2007].

7. See note 6.

8. See note 6.

9. D. Estes. 1977. The Journal of San Diego History: Kondo 

Masaharu and the best of all fishermen. Online at http://

www.sandiegohistory.org/journal/77summer/kondo.htm [accessed 7 

March 2007].

10. See note 9.

11. See note 6.

12. See note 6.

13. See note 6.

14. See note 6.

15. M. Schoell. 1999. The journal of San Diego history: The 

Marine Mammal Protection Act and its role in the decline of San 

Diego’s tuna fishing industry. Online at http://www.sandiegohistory

.org/journal/99winter/tuna.htm [accessed 7 March 2007].

16. See note 6.

17. See note 6.

18. The City of San Diego. 2004. Important facts and figures. 

Online at http://www.sannet.gov/economic-development/glance/

sdfacts.shtml [accessed 7 March 2007].

19. Unified Port of San Diego. No date. Unified port of San 

Diego, building a community vision: Overview.

20. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

21. See note 20.

22. See note 20.

23. International Specialty Products. ISP’s world class 

manufacturing facilities. Online at http://www.ispcorp.com/about/

manufacture/manufacter.html [accessed 7 March 2007].

24. The State of California. 2003. California’s living marine 

resources: A status report. Online at http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mrd/

status/ [accessed 7 March 2007].
511

San Francisco

People and Place

Location

San Francisco is located on the San Francisco 

Peninsula, approximately 87 miles southwest of 

Sacramento and 48 miles northwest of San Jose. It 

covers 46.7 square miles of land and 185.2 square miles 

of water. San Francisco’s geographic coordinates are lat 

37°46′30′′N, long 122°25′06′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of San Francisco was 776,733, an increase of 7.3% from 

1990. The gender composition was 49.2% female and 

50.8% male. The median age was 36.5, slightly higher 

than the national median of 35.3. San Franciscans are 

generally well educated. Of the population 18 years of 

age and older, 81.5% had a high school education or 

higher, 42.9% had a bachelor’s degree or higher, and 

14.9% had a graduate or professional degree; the national 

averages were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The racial structure of San Francisco was 

predominantly white (49.7%), followed by Asian 

(30.8%), black (7.8%), individuals who identified with 

some other race (6.5%), individuals who identified with 

two or more races (4.3%), Native Hawaiian and Other 

Pacific Islander (0.5%), and American Indian and Alaska 

Native (0.4%). Ethnicity data indicate 14.1% identified 

as Hispanic. About 36.8% of the population was foreignborn, of which 33.8% were from China, 11% from the 

Philippines, and 8% from Mexico.

In 2000 63.4% of the population lived in family 

households.

History

In 1769 Gaspar de Portola, a Spanish explorer, 

found San Francisco Bay while searching for Monterey 

Bay. Upon Portola’s arrival more than 10,000 Indians 

lived in central California’s coastal areas between Big 

Sur and San Francisco Bay. This group of Indians 

consisted of approximately 40 tribal groups ranging in 

size from 100 to 250 members. When the Spanish 

arrived they referred to the tribal groups collectively as 

Costenos, meaning “coastal people.” The name was 

eventually changed to Costanoan. Native Americans in 

the San Francisco bay area were referred to as 

Costanoans for years until descendents chose to call 

themselves Ohlones, meaning “the abalone people.”1

100,00080,000 60,000 40,000 20,000 0 20,000 40,000 60,000 80,000

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

49.7%

Asian

30.8%

Native

0.4%

Black

7.8%

Two or more races

4.3%

Other

6.5%

Pacific Islander

0.5%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Hispanic

14.1% Non-Hispanic

85.9%
512

The Ohlones utilized hunting and gathering 

technology, taking advantage of the rich natural 

resources in the area. Adults hunted large mammals 

including deer, elk, bear, whale, sea lion, otter, and seal. 

Freshwater and saltwater fish were important in the 

Ohlone diet, such as steelhead, salmon, sturgeon, and 

lamprey. Shellfish including mussels, abalone, clams, 

oysters, and hornshell were also important.2

 The 

Ohlones, equipped with reed boats, ventured short 

distances into the ocean to fish for mackerel, sardine, and 

other nearshore species.3

The Muwekma Ohlone Tribe, one of several Ohlone 

groups, is comprised of lineages aboriginal to the San 

Francisco Bay region who trace their ancestry through 

the Dolores, Santa Clara, and San Jose missions. The 

aboriginal homeland of the Muwekma Tribe includes 

several counties, including San Francisco County. 

Between 1982 and 1984 the Muwekma Tribal Council 

organized and tribal members are working for federal 

recognition.4

In November 1770 the Viceroy of Spain instructed 

Don Pedro Fages, the comandante of California, to 

explore San Francisco for the purpose of establishing a 

mission. In 1775 the Viceroy authorized Juan Bautista 

de Anza to command an expedition escorting soldiers 

and their families to settle the port of San Francisco. 

Spain established numerous missions throughout 

California, envisioned as temporary structures and 

intended to last approximately 10 years. The intentions 

of the mission priests were to Christianize and 

acculturate the Indians. The mission settlements would 

then become pueblos, or cities, and the mission churches 

would become parish churches. In 1834 California 

Governor General José Figueroa ordered the missions 

converted to pueblos and the Indians given land to raise 

cattle.5

San Francisco grew rapidly and, with the 

immigration to the area following the discovery of gold, 

organization and government came quickly. Most 

economic activity occurred just east of San Francisco in 

the Sacramento-San Joaquin watershed, which drains 

several rivers through San Francisco Bay. When the 

Gold Rush declined in the Sierras in the late 1840s, the 

Euro-American settlers turned to fishing. The salmon 

trade picked up during the 1850s and 1860s when the 

price for river freight dropped and steamship service 

began to Hawaii, China, Japan, and Australia.

In the mid-1850s the first Chinese fishermen arrived 

on the eastern shores of San Francisco Peninsula and 

began exporting dried fish and shellfish. The most 

important Chinese fishery in the bay was the shrimp 

fishery, which began in 1871. In 1895 the Chinese 

landed approximately 5.4 million pounds of shrimp 

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

33.7%

Employed

63.3%

Unemployed

3%

valued at $163,000, and the fishery was considered one 

of the most productive in California, second to the bay 

area’s oyster business.6

The Italians, arriving in the late 1860s, were also 

important to San Francisco’s fishing industry. They were 

involved in the shrimp fishery but proved less successful 

than the Chinese.7 The Italians built traditional boats 

called “silenas” (known later as “San Francisco 

feluccas”) which they moored along the San Francisco 

waterfront.8

 By 1880 the lateen-rigged Italian boats 

made up about two-thirds of the 85 fishing boats.9

Union Street Wharf, the first wharf specifically for 

the fishing fleet, was built in 1884. The wharf had 

several amenities including a maintenance shed, four 

large boiling vats for tanning nets and sails, a boat ramp, 

and a market house where the daily catch was unloaded 

and sold to the local market. Alongside the feluccas 

moored at the wharf were the gillnet sailboats that fished 

the shallower waters of the San Pablo and San Francisco 

bays, and the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers. These 

boats used paranzella drag nets—introduced by Sicilians 

in 1876—that were particularly efficient in catching 

offshore rockfish. The gillnet boats also served as 

tenders to the paranzella feluccas that fished outside the 

bay in the open ocean. The crab fishery was also 

important with 50 vessels in the fleet in the 1880s. Due 

to construction the wharf was moved to the intersection 

of Jefferson and Taylor streets in 1900 and a new market 

house was constructed.10

Mining, agriculture, and development in and around 

the bay area brought pollution in the twentieth century, 

which caused the bay area oyster industry to collapse as 

well as several salmon fisheries. By 1925 

industrialization came to the area’s fisheries; vessel and 

gear modifications began to allow fishermen to shift their 

occupations from nearshore to offshore waters. Boat 

builders in San Francisco outfitted the old Italian boats 
513

with single-cylinder gasoline engines. These new 

vessels, known as the Monterey clippers, could engage in 

multiple types of fishing and spend several days at sea.11 

The markets also expanded in the early twentieth century. 

Bay area products were transported by truck, rail, and 

ship throughout the country and many of the traditional 

market houses were replaced by industrial scale 

processing and packing facilities. The increased 

efficiency of the motorized vessels and the seafood 

market networks encouraged a boom for the fisheries 

held in check only by the impact of the Great Depression. 

Fisherman’s Wharf was soon enlarged to three basins to 

accommodate the increased number of vessels.12

In the 1930s the sardine fishery came alive and 

canneries were constructed onshore. In 1936–1937 the 

industry peaked when “230 seiners delivered 726,000 

tons of sardine to 52 processing plants in California 

alone,”13 of which 27 were located onshore in San 

Francisco and Monterey.14 Sardine fishing continued in 

San Francisco until the early 1950s when productivity 

and exploitation of the fishery peaked.15 San Francisco 

Bay remains home to the state’s largest spawning 

population of Pacific herring, which uses the bay for a 

breeding ground and nursery. This herring fishery is 

known as one of the last urban fisheries in the United 

States. Fishermen participate in the fishery under a 

limited entry gillnet system, fishing in platoons that have 

specified periods of time on the water to limit congestion 

and conflicts with other bay user groups.16

The decline in some area fisheries caused many 

fishermen to abandon the business in favor of more 

lucrative fish distribution and restaurant businesses. 

Alioto’s, a woman owned and operated Italian seafood 

restaurant located on Fishermen’s Wharf, was established 

in the 1950s, taking advantage of bay area fisheries 

including the rich Dungeness crab fishery. Soon 

sportfishing and charter boats emerged alongside the 

commercial fishing fleet. Today numerous visiting 

vessels, participating in the area’s herring and salmon 

fisheries, compete for space along San Francisco’s 

waterfront.

San Francisco area fisheries, like many West Coast 

fisheries, fluctuate depending on fisheries management 

decisions, ocean and weather cycles, and economic 

factors. Fishermen’s Wharf is the traditional home of the 

fishing fleet and still serves commercial fishermen, 

although to a lesser extent. Fieldwork revealed the Crab 

Boat Owners Association remains a central player at the 

wharf and is one of the oldest commercial fishing 

associations on the West Coast. Several Internet sites 

mention that fishermen can be seen in the early morning 

hours, unloading fish at Pier 45, and fish and seafood can 

be purchased from Fish Alley Market.17 Today the wharf 

is frequented primarily by tourists and has several 

museums, shops, and old maritime vessels. Many of the 

fishermen in the wharf community are not San Francisco 

residents due to San Francisco’s high cost of living. 

Fishermen live in the nearby communities of East Bay, 

South Bay, Sonoma, Peninsula, and others. The wharf is 

also home to a Fisherman’s Memorial, located in a 

chapel on Pier 45, and a Blessing of the Fleet procession 

to the Golden Gate Bridge to honor fishermen who lost 

their lives at sea.

San Francisco hosts many museums, parks, and 

festivals. The San Francisco Maritime National Historic 

Park on Hyde Street Pier is an outdoor museum that 

offers an overview of the area’s maritime history. 

Numerous annual events take place in San Francisco 

including crab feed cruises on the bay, an anniversary 

celebration for the Sea Lions’ arrival to Pier 39, Pier 39’s 

Tulipmania, an Earth Day celebration, the Fourth of July 

Waterfront Festival, and Viva Las Americas.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 63.3% of San 

Francisco’s potential labor force 16 years of age and 

older were employed, 3% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 4.6% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

33.7% were not in the labor force, less than the national 

average of 36.1%. The top employment sectors were 

management, professional, and related positions (48.3%), 

sales and office jobs (25.6%) service occupations 

(14.3%), and local, state, or federal government (11.7%). 

Natural resource jobs including agriculture, forestry, 

fishing, and hunting employed 0.1%, but this percentage 

may be artificially low because many fishermen are selfemployed and are underrepresented in the data.

The top five employers in San Francisco in 2002 

were ABM Industries Inc. and ABM Janitorial Services 

(business services), Catholic Health Care West; Charles 

Schwab Corporation (security brokers and dealers), and 

Chevron Corporation (oil and gas).18

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the per capita 

income in 1999 was $34,556, the median household 

income was $55,221, and 11.3% lived below the poverty 

level. In 2000 San Francisco had 346,527 housing units, 

of which 95.1% were occupied and 4.9% were vacant. 

Of the occupied units, 65% were by owner and 35% were 

by renter. Of the vacant units, 22.4% were due to 

seasonal, recreational, or occasional use.
514

Governance

San Francisco is the largest city in the bay area. 

Because the city is also a county, its government 

structure is unique. Instead of having a city manager and 

council, county supervisors govern on the city level. The 

mayor is the official representative of the City and 

County of San Francisco and is aided by a city 

administrator and city controller.19 San Francisco levies 

an 8.25% sales and use tax and a 10% transient lodging 

tax.20, 21 San Francisco County is one of nine counties in 

the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Area.

See the Governance subsection (page 43) in the 

Overview section for a more detailed discussion of taxes 

affecting fisherman and processors in California.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) 

Southwest Fisheries Science Center has laboratories 

located 73 miles south in Santa Cruz and there is a NMFS 

Regional Office 405 miles south in Long Beach. The 

California Department of Fish and Game has a marine 

field office 22 miles south in Belmont. The U.S. 

Citizenship and Immigration Services has offices in San 

Francisco. The Pacific Fishery Management Council 

holds meetings 22 miles south in Foster City. San 

Francisco is within the jurisdiction of the U.S. Coast 

Guard (USCG) Marine Safety Office San Francisco Bay, 

one of the largest and busiest marine safety units in the 

USCG.

Facilities

San Francisco is accessible by land, sea, and air. 

The major roads serving San Francisco are U.S. Highway 

101 south to San Jose and Interstate Highway 80 

northeast to Sacramento. San Francisco has numerous 

transportation services including cable cars, an extensive 

bus system, the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system, 

Caltrain, and miles of bike paths. Several ferries serve 

the San Francisco area, including Alameda/Oakland 

Ferry, the Blue & Gold Fleet, Golden Gate Ferries, 

Harbor Bay Maritime, and the Vallejo Baylink. San 

Francisco International Airport is located just south of 

the city.

The San Francisco Unified School District, 

established in 1851, educates more than 60,000 students 

annually in more than 160 preschool, elementary, middle, 

and high schools. Additionally there are several 

alternative schools. The largest university is San 

Francisco State University with an enrollment of more 

than 21,000. The San Francisco Public Utilities 

Commission (SFPUC) provides freshwater and 

wastewater services. SFPUC also produces hydroelectric 

and solar power. Pacific Gas and Electric supplies 

electricity and natural gas. The San Francisco Police 

Department administers public safety, and there are 

several medical clinics and hospitals in the area. 

Additional local facilities include public libraries, city 

parks, community centers, recreational facilities, 

museums, the Aquarium of the Bay, and the San 

Francisco Maritime National Historic Park Visitor 

Center.

The Port of San Francisco provides berthing for 

commercial fishing boats at Fisherman’s Wharf. The 

port offers full service ship repair, two dry docks, fuel, 

ice and other supplies, and numerous portside facilities. 

Additionally, the wharf’s Pier 45 houses the West 

Coast’s largest concentration of commercial fish 

processors and distributors.22 The Hyde Street 

Commercial Fishing Harbor opened for business in 2001 

and accommodates seasonal fishing fleets that deliver 

herring, salmon, and crab to processors at Pier 45. It is 

port policy that commercial fishing vessels have top 

priority for berths at the harbor. Recreational vessels are 

allowed access for up to 10 days a month when space is 

available.

Several organizations based in San Francisco focus 

on marine conservation including Waterkeepers Northern 

California, and recreational fishing organizations such as 

CalTrout and Golden West Women Flyfishers. For 

example, Golden West Women Flyfishers donates funds 

to groups such as CalTrout and The California 

Sportfishing Alliance. They also donate to organizations 

such as the Aquatic Outreach Alliance and Kids for the 

Bay, which promote environmental consciousness among 

bay area children. The Pacific Coast Federation of 

Fishermen’s Associations is another local group 

specializing in marine resource and water protection 

issues. The federation has 25 member groups including 

the Crab Boat Owners Association.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 363 commercial vessels delivered landings 

to San Francisco. Landings were in the following West 

Coast fisheries (data shown represents landings in metric 

tons/value of landings/number of vessels landing): 

coastal pelagic 2,940 t/$2,465,383/120; crab 178 t/

$989,754/45; groundfish 1,114 t/$1,920,661/77; highly 

migratory species 81 t/$150,409/23; salmon 373 t/

$1,436,021/162; shrimp confidential/confidential/1; and 

other species 101 t/$537,709/65.

San Francisco residents owned 57 vessels in 2000 

that participated in West Coast fisheries, of which one 

was part of the Groundfish Vessel Buyback Program. 

Community members owned 29 vessels that participated 

in the federally managed groundfish fishery. The number 
515

of vessels owned by San Francisco residents that 

participated in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

crab 0/0/18, groundfish 0/0/NA, highly migratory species 

NA/0/NA, salmon 0/0/25, shellfish NA/0/NA, and 

shrimp NA/0/2.23

Eleven San Francisco residents held 11 federal 

groundfish fishery permits in 2000. The number of San 

Francisco residents that held permits in each fishery by 

state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/0/15, crab 0/0/

18, groundfish 1/0/26, highly migratory species NA/0/2, 

salmon 1/0/69, shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 1/0/3, and other 

species 0/0/17.24

In 2000 San Francisco residents held 234 registered 

state and federal permits. The number of permits held by 

these community members in each fishery by state (WA/

OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/0/30, crab 0/0/19, 

groundfish 3/0/31, highly migratory species NA/0/0, 

salmon 1/0/118, shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 1/0/3, and 

other species 0/0/17.25

In 2000 at least 12 seafood processors operated in 

San Francisco in 2000, employing about 168 persons and 

processing an estimated 3,661,760 lbs of fish valued at 

$183,118,517. The top three processed products in the 

community, in terms of pounds and revenue earned, were 

salmon 700,253 pounds/$2,640,496, yellowfin tuna 

532,146 pounds/$3,360,774, and swordfish 478,405 

pounds/$2,964,152.

San Francisco sport fishermen are heavily involved 

in West Coast and Alaska fisheries, and the city has eight 

license agents. Two commercial passenger fishing 

vessels (CPFV) were licensed in San Francisco 2003, 

however, fieldwork revealed several more CPFVs 

docked at area wharfs. San Francisco’s charter 

sportfishing fleet is located on Jefferson Street at the 

wharf; 10 boats offer daily departures from this 

location.26 Fieldwork indicates several charter operations 

conduct tours of the bay to supplement their income.

Fishing from city piers is popular. The San 

Francisco Municipal Pier, built in the early 1930s, was 

used primarily for recreational fishing. Today it is 

frequented by fishermen, joggers, and tourists. 

Additional fishing piers include Black Point Pier (located 

at the foot of the Municipal Pier), Pier 7 (the second 

longest fishing pier in the city and reputedly one of the 

best), Fort Point Pier, McNear Beach Fishing Pier, Oyster 

Point Fishing Pier, Dumbarton Pier, and several others. 

Overall there are more than 35 fishing piers in San 

Francisco Bay.27

Subsistence

Specific information on subsistence fishing in San 

Francisco is not discussed in detail in this community 

profile due to the lack of available data. The California 

Department of Fish and Game uses the term 

“recreational” for fishermen who do not earn revenue 

from their catch, but fish for pleasure or to provide food 

for personal consumption. Information on subsistence 

fishing in California is captured to some degree in the 

sportfishing data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 San Francisco residents owned three vessels 

involved in North Pacific fisheries. Community 

members landed fish in the following North Pacific 

fisheries (data shown represents landings in metric tons/

value of landings/number of vessels landing): Bering Sea 

Aleutian Islands groundfish confidential/confidential/1 

and herring confidential/confidential/1.

In 2000 four San Francisco residents held four 

registered state permits. Residents held one salmon, one 

shellfish Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission 

(CFEC), and two herring permits. Eighteen residents 

held crew member licenses for North Pacific fisheries.

Sportfishing

In 2000 San Francisco community members 

purchased 754 Alaska sportfishing licenses. One 

sportfishing business in San Francisco participated in 

Alaskan fisheries.

Notes

1. National Park Service. No date. An “unvanished” history. 

Online at http://www.cr.nps.gov/seac/sfprehis.htm [accessed 14 

March 2007].

2. Santa Cruz Public Libraries. 1991. An overview of Ohlone 

culture. Online at http://www.santacruzpl.org/history/spanish/

ohlone.shtml [accessed 14 March 2007].

3. A. McEvoy. 1986. The fisherman’s problem: Ecology and 

law in the California fisheries 1850–1980. Cambridge University 

Press, Cambridge, UK.

4. The Muwekma Ohlone Tribe. No date. Mewekma Ohlone 

Tribe: A brief history and the federal recognition process. Online at 

http://www.muwekma.org/history/tribe.html [accessed 14 March 

2007].

5. ZPub.com. No date. San Francisco history. Online at http://

www.zpub.com/sf/history/ [accessed 14 March 2007].

6. See note 3.

7. See note 3.

8. National Park Service. No date. Tides of change: 

Fisherman’s wharf: 1870–1930. Online at http://www.nps.gov/safr/

local/wharf.html [accessed 14 March 2007].

9. See note 3.

10. See note 8.

11. See note 3.

12. See note 8.

13. See note 3.

14. See note 3.
516

15. J. Radovich. 1982. The collapse of the California sardine 

fishery: What have we learned? CalCOFI Rep. Vol. XXIII: 56–78.

16. D. Watters and E. Larson. 2001. The California herring 

fishery. Online at http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mrd/herring/oc_article.html 

[accessed 14 March 2007].

17. Global Media Ltd. 2004. San Francisco attractions. Online 

at http://www.wordtravels.com/Cities/California/San+Francisco/

Attractions [accessed 14 March 2007].

18. California Employment Development Department. 2002. 

Major employers in San Francisco County. Online at http://

www.labormarketinfo.edd.ca.gov/cgi/databrowsing/

localAreaProfileQSResults.asp?selectedarea=San+Francisco+County

&selectedindex=39&menuChoice=localAreaPro&state=true

&geogArea=0604000075&countyName= [accessed 14 March 2007].

19. SFPolitics.com. No date. San Francisco city and county 

government. Online at http://www.sfpolitics.com/ [accessed 14 

March 2007].

20. California Board of Equalization. 2004. California city and 

county sales and use tax rates. Online at http://www.boe.ca.gov/pdf/

pub71.pdf [accessed 14 March 2007].

21. California Board of Equalization. 2001. California counties 

transient lodging tax revenue, rate and date for the fiscal year 2000–

2001. Online at http://www.sco.ca.gov/ard/local/locrep/adhoc/

county/0001cotranslodgtax.pdf [accessed 14 March 2007].

22. The Port of San Francisco. 2004. Fishing and fish 

processing. Online at http://www.sfgov.org/site/port_page.asp?id

=31757 [accessed 14 March 2007].

23. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

24. See note 23.

25. See note 23.

26. See note 22.

27. California Lands Commission. 2004. Fishing piers in San 

Francisco Bay. Online at http://www.slc.ca.gov/Division_Pages/

DEPM/DEPM_Programs_and_Reports/Shore_Terminals/PDF/

36%20Appendix%20C-4.pdf [accessed 14 March 2007].
517

San Jose

People and Place

Location

San Jose is the seat of Santa Clara County, one of 

the nine counties in the San Francisco-Oakland Bay 

Area. It is 70 miles north of Monterey and 48 miles 

southeast of San Francisco. San Jose has 174.9 square 

miles of land and 3.3 square miles of water. The 

geographic coordinates of San Jose are lat 37°25′00′′N, 

long 121°57′30′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of San Jose was 894,943, a 14.4% increase from 1990. 

The gender composition was 49.2% female and 50.8% 

male. The median age in 2000 was 32.6, lower than the 

national median of 35.3. Of the population 18 years of 

age and older, 77.3% had a high school education or 

higher, 28.5% had a bachelor’s degree or higher, and 

9.4% had a graduate or professional degree; the national 

averages were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The racial composition of San Jose was 

predominantly white (47.5%), followed by Asian 

(26.9%), individuals who identified with some other race 

(15.9%), individuals who identified with two or more 

races (5%), black (3.5%), American Indian and Alaska 

Native (0.8%), and Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific 

Islander (0.4%). Ethnicity data indicate 30.2% identified 

as Hispanic. Of the 36.9% who were foreign-born, 

30.2% were from Mexico, 20.4% from Vietnam, and 

10.9% from the Philippines.

In 2000 86.9% of the population lived in family 

households.

History

Prior to the arrival of the Spaniards in the sixteenth 

century, more than 10,000 Indians lived in central 

California’s coastal areas between Big Sur and San 

Francisco Bay. This group of Indians consisted of 

approximately 40 tribal groups ranging in size from 100 

to 250 members. When the Spanish arrived they referred 

to the tribal groups collectively as Costenos, meaning 

“coastal people.” The name was eventually changed to 

Costanoan. Indians in the San Francisco Bay area were 

referred to as Costanoans for years until descendents 

chose to call themselves Ohlones, meaning “the abalone 

people.”1

The Ohlones were hunter-gatherers, taking 

advantage of the area’s rich natural resources. Adults 

100,00080,000 60,000 40,000 20,000 0 20,000 40,000 60,000 80,000

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure

Black

3.5%

Native

0.8%

Two or more races

5%

Other

15.9%

Pacific Islander

0.4%

Asian

26.9%

White

47.5%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Hispanic

30.2% Non-Hispanic

69.8%
518

hunted large animals such as deer, elk, bear, whale, sea 

lion, otter, and seal. Freshwater and saltwater fish were 

important in the Ohlone diet, including steelhead, 

salmon, sturgeon, and lamprey. They also gathered 

mussels, abalone, clams, oysters, and hornshell from 

local tidelands.2

The Muwekma Ohlone Tribe, one of several Ohlone 

groups, is comprised of lineages aboriginal to the San 

Francisco Bay region who trace their ancestry through 

the Dolores, Santa Clara, and San Jose missions. The 

aboriginal homeland of the Muwekma Tribe covers 

several counties including Santa Clara County. The 

Muwekma Tribal Council organized between 1982 and 

1984, and is working for federal recognition.3

Founded in 1777 and incorporated in 1850, San Jose 

is the oldest civil settlement in California.4 It was the site 

of California’s first state capitol between 1849 and 1851 

and today serves as the seat of Santa Clara County. 

Known as the Gateway to the Bay Area, San Jose is the 

third largest city in California. Before San Jose was 

recognized as a technological center, it was known for its 

fruit orchards, ranches, and canneries. Today the area 

offers cultural arts, professional sports, several 

educational institutions, and numerous hotels and 

restaurants catering to more than 6 million visitors each 

year.

San Jose has many historical sites and museums 

including the Silicon Valley Institute of Art and 

Technology, the Children’s Discovery Museum, San Jose 

Historical Museum, and the Winchester Mystery House. 

The San Jose Opera, Wind Symphony, and San Jose 

Chamber Orchestra are among the artistic companies that 

perform in the area. The Jose Theatre, occupied by the 

Improv Comedy Club, is popular with residents. The 

theatre was established in 1904 by David Jacks, a 

Scotsman lured to California by the Gold Rush. A 

wealthy landowner, Jacks once owned the City of 

Monterey, and Monterey Jack cheese was a product of 

one of his enterprises.5

Alviso, located within the city of San Jose, is on the 

National Register of Historic Places. In 1849 Chester 

Layman, the San Jose surveyor, laid out streets for the 

City of Alviso. A toll road was built, as were hotels, 

taverns, and stores around the busy wharves. 

Incorporated in 1852, Alviso is located on San Francisco 

Bay and was one of the oldest towns in Santa Clara 

County. Up until the late 1800s, Alviso served as a major 

commercial shipping point for the south county. In the 

1880s the Guadalupe River and the Alviso Slough were 

connected to facilitate shipping between San Francisco 

and the Sacramento Delta regions. Ships could travel 

through the port at Alviso up the Guadalupe River to the 

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

33.1%

Employed

Unemployed 64.1%

2.9%

Embarcadero de Santa Clara and the tiny community of 

San Jose.

Residents had great hopes of Alviso becoming a 

prominent city in the region until the San Francisco and 

San Jose Railroad diverted travel from the town in 1864. 

In 1896 the South Bay Yacht Club was established, 

which remains in operation today. Thomas Foon Chew 

took over his father’s Precity Canning Company in 1906 

and renamed it the Bayside Canning Company, 

employing hundreds of Chinese workers. Specializing in 

asparagus, the cannery became the third largest in the 

world, closing in 1936 due to the Great Depression and 

Chew’s death in 1931. During the Great Depression the 

town became known for its saloons, gambling, and 

prostitution. Alviso was finally annexed to San Jose in 

January 1968.6 Today residents and visitors enjoy the 

area’s waterfront, small town culture, and its natural 

beauty; Alviso’s wetlands are part of the San Francisco 

Bay National Wildlife Refuge.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 64.1% of San 

Jose’s potential labor force 16 years of age and older 

were employed, 2.9% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 4.3% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

33.1% were not in the labor force, slightly less than the 

national average of 36.1%. The primary employment 

sectors were management, professional, and related 

occupations (40.8%), sales and office positions (24.4%), 

production, transportation, and material moving jobs 

(14.3%), and local, state, or federal government (9.8%). 

Natural resource jobs such as agriculture, forestry, 

fishing, and hunting employed 0.3%, but this percentage 
519

may be artificially low because many fishermen are selfemployed and are underrepresented in the data.

San Jose’s economy is driven primarily by the 

manufacturing and service industries. The top five 

employers in 2000 were Cisco Systems Inc. (14,500); 

Hewlett-Packard Company (11,000); Apple Computer 

Inc. (8,790); Intel Corporation (7,750); and Applied 

Materials Inc. (7,000).7

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, San Jose’s per 

capita income in 1999 was $26,697 and the median 

household income was $70,243. About 8.8% lived below 

the poverty line, compared to the national average of 

12.4%. In 2000 San Jose had 281,841 housing units, of 

which 98.1% were occupied and 1.9% were vacant. Of 

the occupied units, 61.8% were by owner and 38.2% 

were by renter. Of the vacant units, 15.6% were due to 

seasonal, recreational, or occasional use.

Governance

San Jose is the largest city in the San Francisco Bay 

area. The city council is comprised of a mayor and 10 

council members. Santa Clara County levies an 8.25% 

sale and use tax and San Jose has an 8% transient lodging 

tax.8, 9

 See the Governance subsection (page 43) in the 

Overview section for a more detailed discussion of taxes 

affecting fisherman and processors in California.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) 

Southwest Fisheries Science Center has laboratories 32 

miles southwest in Santa Cruz and a NMFS regional 

office is about 365 miles south in Long Beach. The 

California Department of Fish and Game has a marine 

field office about 70 miles southwest in Monterey. The 

nearest U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office 

is 48 miles northwest in San Francisco. Pacific Fishery 

Management Council meetings are held 30 miles 

northwest in Foster City. San Jose is within the 

jurisdiction of the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Marine 

Safety Office San Francisco Bay, one of the largest and 

busiest marine safety units in the USCG.

Facilities

San Jose is accessible by land and air. The major 

roads connecting San Jose to neighboring cities are U.S. 

Highway 101 north to San Francisco and south to Los 

Angeles, and Interstate Highway 880/80 northeast to 

Sacramento. The Norman Y. Mineta San Jose 

International Airport is located within the city and has 

several commercial carriers. The Altamont Commuter 

Express offers rail service to Stockton and Amtrak’s 

Capitol Corridor route provides service to Auburn, San 

Francisco, Sacramento, and Oakland. The Santa Clara 

Valley Transportation Authority provides bus, light rail, 

and shuttle transportation throughout the city.

The San Jose area has 16 school districts and nine 

universities and colleges. The San Jose Municipal Water 

System, owned and operated by the city, serves more 

than 10% of San Jose’s population. Pacific Gas and 

Electric supplies electricity and natural gas. The San 

Jose/Santa Clara Water Pollution Control Plant provides 

wastewater treatment to the 1.5 million people in the 

greater San Jose area. The San Jose Police Department 

administers public safety. Additional local facilities 

include 22 public libraries, more than 150 city parks, 

numerous community centers, and several museums. 

There are no port facilities located in San Jose. The 

closest port is 45 miles north in San Francisco.

Several fishing organizations are based in San Jose 

including the Silichip Chinook Salmon and Steelhead 

Restoration Group, Santa Cruz Fishermen’s Association 

(commercial), United Anglers of California 

(sportfishing), and the Flycasters of San Jose 

(sportfishing). In 1988, after years of struggle with the 

Santa Clara Valley Water District, Silichip Chinook and 

other fishery activists in the San Jose area succeeded in 

constructing a fish ladder on a concrete weir in San Jose 

at the Hillsdale Avenue Bridge that had impeded the 

progress of salmon and steelhead up the Guadalupe 

River. In the late 1990s two fishery biologists hired by 

the water district established minimum flows on the 

Guadalupe and assisted in the removal of dams on Los 

Gatos Creek. In addition, San Jose is incorporating the 

river’s fishery into its park and flood control plans.10

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Landings data for San Jose were recorded as part of 

the Other San Francisco Bay and San Mateo County 

Ports group, which includes the nearby communities of 

Alamo, Albany, Alviso, Antioch Bridge, Antioch, 

Benicia, Bird Landing, Brentwood, Burlingame, 

Campbell, China Camp, Collinsville, Concord, Crockett, 

Daly City, Danville, El Cerrito, El Sobrante, Emeryville, 

Fairfield, Farallone Island, Fremont, Glen Cove, 

Hayward, Lafayette, Livermore, Los Altos, Los Gatos, 

Martinez, Martins Beach, McNears Point, Moss Beach, 

Mountain View, Napa, Newark, Oakley, Pacifica, Palo 

Alto, Pescadero, Pigeon Point, Pinole, Pittsburg, Pleasant 

Hill, Pleasanton, Point Montara, Point San Pedro, Port 

Costa, Poster City, Redwood City, Rio Vista, Rockaway 

Beach, Rodeo, San Bruno, San Carlos, San Francisco 

area, San Leandro, San Mateo, South San Francisco, 

Suisun City, Sunnyvale, Vacaville, Vallejo, Walnut 

Creek, and Yountville.

Reported landings for this port group in 2000 were 

in the following West Coast fisheries (data shown 
520

represent landings in metric tons/value of landings/

number of vessels landing): coastal pelagic confidential/

confidential/1; crab confidential/confidential/1; 

groundfish 1 t/$2,112/5; salmon confidential/

confidential/3; shrimp 438 t/$245,851/5; and other 

species 8 t/$16,380/12. See the El Sobrante, Lafayette, 

and San Francisco profiles for additional information.

San Jose residents owned 26 vessels in 2000 that 

participated in West Coast fisheries, including 13 that 

participated in the federally managed groundfish fishery. 

The number of vessels owned by residents that 

participated in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

crab 0/0/7, groundfish 0/0/NA, highly migratory species 

NA/0/NA, salmon 0/0/22, shellfish NA/0/NA, and 

shrimp NA/0/1.11

Three San Jose residents held federal groundfish 

fishery permits in 2000. The number of residents holding 

permits in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

coastal pelagic 0/0/2, crab 0/0/7, groundfish 0/0/8, highly 

migratory species NA/0/3, salmon 0/0/41, shellfish 0/0/

NA, shrimp 0/0/1, and other species 0/0/9.12

In 2000 San Jose residents held 113 permits, 

including 100 state registered permits. The number of 

permits held by community members in each fishery by 

state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/0/5, crab 0/0/7, 

groundfish 0/0/10, highly migratory species NA/0/3, 

salmon 0/0/72, shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 0/0/1, and other 

species 0/0/12.13

San Jose’s inland location has prevented the area 

from having a seafood processing sector. However, 

some fishermen in the bay area may prefer to live in San 

Jose over San Francisco and other coastal communities 

due to its lower cost of living.14 The city has several 

seafood wholesalers and distributors who purchase from 

processors located in San Francisco, Monterey, Half 

Moon Bay, and other national and international 

companies. Race Street Foods, established in 1947, is 

the oldest wholesale distributor in the area. It has 

expanded from a small family operation to become an 

industry leading wholesale center employing more than 

100. Race Street Foods delivers seafood, poultry, and 

other meat products to customers in 10 counties in the 

bay area. Pacific Harvest Seafoods, founded as a 

wholesale distributor in 1974, employs about 50. It 

purchases salmon and crab from coastal processors and 

imports halibut, shrimp, and scallops from other national 

and international companies. Pacific Harvest Seafoods 

distributes within a 100 mile radius of San Jose.

Asian seafood distributors in San Jose include 

Vietnamese-owned seafood markets that sell Vietnamese 

catfish (basa and tra) to restaurants in the area. In 2002 

U.S. importers purchased about $55 million worth of 

Vietnamese catfish, which enters primarily through the 

ports of San Francisco and Los Angeles.15 According to 

the 2000 U.S. Census, the Vietnamese population in San 

Jose was more than 67,000 people, the second largest 

group of foreign-born citizens in the city.

Sportfishing

The sportfishing industry in southern California is 

well developed. San Jose sport fishermen are involved in 

both West Coast and Alaska fisheries. San Jose had 17 

sportfishing license agents. One commercial passenger 

fishing vessel was licensed in 2002 and two in 2003.

Subsistence

Local tribal and nontribal community members may 

engage in subsistence fishing in the San Jose area, 

however, specific information on subsistence fishing is 

not discussed in detail due to the lack of available data. 

The California Department of Fish and Game uses the 

term “recreational” for fishermen who do not earn 

revenue from their catch, but fish for pleasure or to 

provide food for personal consumption. Information on 

subsistence fishing is captured to some degree in the 

sportfishing data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 San Jose residents owned four vessels 

involved in North Pacific fisheries. Community 

members landed fish in the following North Pacific 

fishery (data shown represents landings in metric tons/

value of said landings/number of vessels landing): 

salmon confidential/confidential/1.

In 2000 four community members held three 

registered state permits. Residents of San Jose also held 

four salmon Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission 

permits. Fourteen San Jose residents held crew member 

licenses for North Pacific fisheries.

Sportfishing

San Jose residents purchased 737 Alaska 

sportfishing licenses 2000, and one San Jose sportfishing 

business participated in Alaska fisheries.

Notes

1. National Park Service. No date. An “unvanished” history. 

Online at http://www.cr.nps.gov/seac/sfprehis.htm [accessed 14 

March 2007].

2. Santa Cruz Public Libraries. 1991. An overview of Ohlone 

culture. Online at http://www.santacruzpl.org/history/spanish/

ohlone.shtml [accessed 14 March 2007].

3. The Muwekma Ohlone Tribe. No date. Mewekma Ohlone 

Tribe: A brief history and the federal recognition process. Online at 
521

http://www.muwekma.org/history/tribe.html [accessed 14 March 

2007].

4. San Jose Convention Center and Visitor’s Bureau. 2004. 

Quick facts. Online at http://www.sanjose.org/pressroom/presskit/

quickread.php [accessed 14 March 2007].

5. J. Douglas. February 2003. The Jose theatre: The show goes 

on. The exchange. Online at http://www.historysanjose.org [accessed 

14 March 2007].

6. Preservation Action Council of San Jose. No date. Alviso. 

Online at http://www.preservation.org/ [accessed 14 March 2007].

7. Forbes.com. 2001. Major employers: San Jose, CA. Online 

at http://www.forbes.com/legacy/forbes/2001/0528/1.shtml [accessed 

14 March 2007].

8. California Board of Equalization. 2004. California city and 

county sales and use tax rates. Online at http://www.boe.ca.gov/pdf/

pub71.pdf [accessed 14 March 2007].

9. California Board of Equalization. 2001. California counties 

transient lodging tax revenue, rate and date for the fiscal year 2000–

2001. Online at http://www.sco.ca.gov/ard/local/locrep/adhoc/

county/0001cotranslodgtax.pdf [accessed 14 March 2007].

10. Fish Sniffer. 1998. Fish ladder on Guadalupe River 

promises hope for salmon and steelhead recovery. Online at http://

www.fishsniffer.com/dbachere/112298guadalupe.html [accessed 14 

March 2007].

11. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

12. See note 11.

13. See note 11.

14. Field notes, Pacific Harvest Seafoods, San Jose, CA, 23 

November 2004.

15. Asian Voices. 2003. Catfish wars pit Vietnamese against 

U.S. fish farmers. Online at http://domino.ips.org/ips/eng.NSF/

vwWEBMainView?SearchView&Query=%28%22Catfish+wars%22

%29++and+Y%2E2003x&SearchMax=100&SearchWV=FALSE

&SearchOrder=3 [accessed 14 March 2007].
522

Santa Ana

People and Place

Location

Santa Ana is located in Orange County along 

Interstate Highway 5. It is east of Long Beach, about 32 

miles south of Los Angeles and 89 miles north of San 

Diego. The community covers 27.14 square miles of 

land and 0.3 square mile of water. Santa Ana’s 

geographic coordinates are lat 33°44′44′′N, long 

117°52′01′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of Santa Ana was 337,977, a 15.1% increase from 1990. 

The gender composition was 48.2% female and 51.8% 

male. The median age in 2000 was 26.5, considerably 

lower than the national median of 35.3. About 34.2% 

were under the age of 18 and 44.6% were between 22 and 

49. Of the population 18 years of age and older, 44.5% 

had a high school education or higher, 7.8% had a 

bachelor’s degree or higher, and 2.3% had a graduate or 

professional degree; lower than the national averages of 

79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The racial composition was predominantly white 

(42.7%), followed by individuals who identified with 

some other race (40.6%), Asian (8.8%), individuals who 

identified with two or more races (4.6%), black (1.7%), 

American Indian and Alaska native (1.2%), and Native 

Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (0.3%). Ethnicity 

data indicate 76.1% identified as Hispanic. About 53.3% 

were foreign-born, of which 78.8% were born in Mexico 

and 9% in Vietnam.

In 2000 92.3% of the population lived in family 

households.

History

In 1769 Don Gaspár de Portolá, leader of a Spanish 

expedition, discovered a valley and river that he named 

Santa Ana. José Antonio Yorba, an expedition soldier, 

and his nephew Juan Peralta received a land grant from 

the Spanish authority and developed Rancho Santiago de 

Santa Ana for grazing cattle and farming. A century later 

in 1869, William H. Spurgeon purchased 70 acres from 

the Yorba family and plotted a town site, naming it Santa 

Ana. The city incorporated in 1886. Three years later 

Orange County was formed by annexing a portion of Los 

Angeles County. Santa Ana was designated the county 

seat. At formation Orange County had three incorporated 

cities: Santa Ana, Anaheim, and Orange.

40,000 30,000 20,000 10,000 0 10,000 20,000 30,000 40,000

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

42.7%

Native

1.2%

Black

1.7%

Asian

8.8%

Pacific Islander

0.3%

Other

40.6%

Two or more races

4.6%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Non-Hispanic

23.9%

Hispanic

76.1%
523

During World War II, the Santa Ana Army Air Base 

was an important site for military operations. The 

population of Santa Ana boomed immediately after 

World War II as local industry grew, creating more jobs. 

Trolley services to Los Angeles made commuting 

possible, beginning the era of suburbanization as the 

population of the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area 

spilled over into small cities like Santa Ana. Growth 

throughout Orange County continued through the latter 

half of the twentieth century, aided by construction of the 

freeway system. Today Santa Ana is a satellite 

community to Los Angeles and an important 

administrative and financial center in its own right.1

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 54.7% of Santa 

Ana’s potential labor force 16 years of age and older 

were employed, 4.7% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 8.0% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

40.6% were not in the labor force. The primary 

employment sectors were manufacturing (24.7%), 

education, health, and social services (10.4%), retail 

trade (10.4%), local, state, or federal government (7.7%), 

and the armed forces (< 1.0%). Natural resource jobs 

including agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting 

employed 1.5%, but this percentage may be artificially 

low because many fishermen are self-employed and are 

underrepresented in the data.

According to the California Employment 

Development Department, the major employers in Santa 

Ana are First American Title Insurance, Ingram Micro 

Inc., and Santa Ana College.2

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Santa Ana’s per 

capita income in 1999 was $12,152 and the median 

household income was $43,412. About 19.8% lived 

below the poverty level, higher than the national average 

of 12.4%. In 2000 Santa Ana had 74,588 housing units, 

of which 97.9% were occupied and 2.1% were vacant. 

Of the occupied units, 49.3% were by owner and 50.7% 

were by renter. Of the vacant units, 44.1% were for rent 

and 18.4% were for sale.

Governance

Santa Ana is the county seat of Orange County and 

has a council-manager government, consisting of six 

council members and an elected mayor. The sales and 

use tax is 7.25% based on the standard statewide rate. 

See the Governance subsection (page 43) in the 

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

40.6%

Unemployed

4.7%

Employed

54.7%

Overview section for a more detailed discussion of taxes 

affecting fisherman and processors in California.

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has 

an office in Santa Ana. The National Marine Fisheries 

Service, California Department of Fish and Game, and 

U.S. Coast Guard all have offices in Long Beach, 22 

miles west. Pacific Fishery Management Council 

meetings are held in Del Mar, about 70 miles south, and 

the nearest North Pacific Fishery Management Council 

meetings are held in Portland, Oregon, nearly 1,000 miles 

north.

Facilities

Santa Ana is accessible by Interstate Highway 5, 

which runs north and south through the city, and by air at 

John Wayne Orange County Airport, located within 

Santa Ana. Los Angeles International Airport is about 33 

miles north. Greyhound and Amtrak provide bus and rail 

service respectively to nearby communities and links to 

metropolitan areas.

Santa Ana has 43 elementary schools, 12 middle 

schools, 9 high schools, 32 private schools of all levels, 4 

junior colleges or higher education centers, and 3 

universities or colleges.3 Santa Ana’s Public Works 

Agency provides water and wastewater services and 

collects garbage. Southern California Edison supplies 

electric utilities, and the Santa Ana Police Department 

and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office administer local 

law enforcement. Santa Ana has its own fire department, 

and is home to three major hospitals: Western Medical 

Center, Coastal Communities Hospital, and Children’s 

Hospital of Orange County. The city also has a variety of 

smaller medical clinics, surgery centers, and hospice care 

facilities. Lodging accommodations include 22 hotels 

and motels, and one bed and breakfast.
524

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Landings data for Santa Ana were recorded as part 

of the Other Los Angeles and Orange County Ports port 

group which includes the nearby communities of: 

Alhambra, Anaheim, Avalon, Balboa, Beaumont, Bell 

Gardens, Bloomington, Capistrano, Carson, Catalina 

Island, Chatsworth, Corona Del Mar, Costa Mesa, 

Covina, El Segundo, Elsinore, Fountain Valley, 

Fullerton, Gardena, Glendale, Granada Hills, Harbor 

City, Hawaiian Gardens, Hermosa Beach, Huntington 

Beach, Inglewood, Irvine, La Canada, Laguna, 

Lancaster, Los Alamitos, Los Angeles Area, Los 

Angeles, Lynwood, Malibu, Manhattan Beach, Mission 

Viejo, Newhall, Norco, Norwalk, Ocean Park, Ontario, 

Orange, Pacific Palisades, Paramount, Pasadena, Playa 

Del Ray, Point Dume, Rancho Palos Verdes, Redondo 

Beach, Reseda, Riverside, San Bernardino, San 

Clemente, Santa Monica, Seal Beach, South Gate, Sunset 

Beach, Topanga Canyon, Torrance, Upland, Venice, 

Vernon, Walnut, West Lost Angeles, Westminster, and 

Whittier.

Reported landings for this port group in 2000 were 

in the following West Coast fisheries (data shown 

represent landings in metric tons/value of landings/

number of vessels landing): coastal pelagic 73 t/$54,656/

13; crab 16 t/$53,799/14; groundfish 38 t/$196,068/24; 

highly migratory species 4 t/$22,968/18; shrimp 6 t/

$110,054/5; and other species 91 t/$431,800/52. Santa 

Ana had no seafood processors in 2000. See the Costa 

Mesa community profile for additional information.

No vessels delivered landings to Santa Ana in 2000, 

however a Santa Ana resident owned a commercial 

vessel that participated in the federally managed 

groundfish fishery. The number of vessels owned by 

Santa Ana residents in 2000 that participated in each 

fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: groundfish 0/0/NA, 

highly migratory species NA/0/NA, shellfish NA/0/NA, 

shrimp NA/0/0, and other species (0/0/2).4

The number of Santa Ana residents holding permits 

in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: groundfish 0/

0/1, highly migratory species NA/0/0, shellfish 0/0/NA, 

and other species (0/0/6).5

In 2000 Santa Ana residents held at least 10 

commercial fishing permits, all state registered. The 

number of state permits held by Santa Ana residents in 

each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: groundfish 0/0/

1, highly migratory species NA/0/0, shellfish 0/0/NA, 

and other species 0/0/9.6

Sportfishing

A number of charter vessels operate out of the area, 

targeting albacore and yellowfin tuna, rock cod, sharks, 

salmon, and other species. Many also offer seasonal 

whale watching tours. In 2002 at least two charter 

businesses served sport fishermen and tourists, and three 

agents sold sportfishing licenses in Santa Ana. Vendors 

in Orange County sold 26,250 resident sportfishing 

licenses, 47 nonresident sportfishing licenses, 7 sport 

salmon punch cards, and 29 abalone report cards. In the 

port group around Newport Beach, 27 commercial 

passenger fishing vessels served 57,515 anglers in 2000, 

making 2,427,746 landings composed of more than two 

dozen species. Sea bass (unspecified) and California 

barracuda accounted for 59.1% and 8.8% of the landings 

respectively.

Subsistence

Local tribal and nontribal community members may 

engage in subsistence fishing in the Santa Ana area, 

however, specific information on subsistence fishing is 

not discussed in detail due to the lack of available data. 

The California Department of Fish and Game uses the 

term “recreational” for fishermen who do not earn 

revenue from their catch, but fish for pleasure or to 

provide food for personal consumption. Information on 

subsistence fishing is captured to some degree in the 

sportfishing data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 six Santa Ana residents held crew member 

licenses for North Pacific fisheries.

Sportfishing

In 2000 124 Santa Ana community members 

purchased Alaska sportfishing licenses.

Notes

1. Santa Ana Historical Preservation Society. No date. The 

history of Santa Ana. Online at http://www.santaanahistory.com/

history.html [accessed 14 March 2007].

2. State of California. No date. Labor market information: 

Major employers in Sonoma County. Online at http://www.calmis.ca

.gov/file/majorer/countymajorer.cfm?CountyCode=000097 [accessed 

14 March 2007].

3. National Center for Education Statistics. No date. National 

Center for Educational Statistics. Online at: http://nces.ed.gov/

globallocator/ [accessed 14 March 2007].
525

4. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

5. See note 4.

6. See note 4.
526

Santa Barbara

People and Place

Location

Santa Barbara, 95 miles northwest of Los Angeles in 

Santa Barbara County, is on the Santa Barbara Channel. 

It encompasses approximately 19 square miles of land 

and 22.4 square miles of water. The geographic 

coordinates of Santa Barbara are lat 34°25′15′′N, long 

119°41′50′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Santa Barbara 

had a population of 92,325, an increase of 7.3% from 

1990. The gender composition was 50.8% female and 

49.2% male. The median age was 34.6, slightly lower 

than the national median age of 35.3. Of the population 

18 years of age and older, 81.4% had a high school 

education or greater, 34.5% had a bachelor’s degree or 

higher, and 11.7% had a graduate or professional degree; 

the national averages were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% 

respectively.

The majority of the racial structure of Santa Barbara 

was white (74%), followed by individuals who identified 

with some other race (16.4%), individuals who identified 

with two or more races (3.8%), Asian (2.8%), black 

(1.8%), American Indian and Alaska Native (1.1%), and 

Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (0.1%). 

Ethnicity data indicate 35% identified as Hispanic. 

About 25.3% of the population was foreign-born, of 

which more than half were from Mexico.

History

Chumash Indians settled the Santa Barbara area 

about 13,000 years ago. Their homeland was along the 

coast between the current cities of Malibu and Paso 

Robles, and on the Northern Channel Islands.1

 The 

Chumash had a population of about 18,000 spread 

between 150 independent villages by the time Spanish 

missionaries arrived. It is believed this high population 

level was brought about by intensified fishing, possibly a 

result of the plank canoe innovation, the “tomol,” at 

about 2,000 years before present. Newly developed 

barbed harpoons and shell hooks also allowed the 

Chumash to harvest a more expansive array of fish 

species.2

In the 1780s Spanish missionaries settled Mission 

and El Presidio, which began a time of Christianization 

and colonization for the Chumash. The Spanish 

governed the area until 1822 when Mexico won its 

10,000 8,000 6,000 4,000 2,000 0 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 10,000

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

74.0%

Black

1.8%

Two or more races

3.8%

Native

1.1%

Other

16.4%

Pacific Islander

0.1%

Asian

2.8%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Non-Hispanic

65%

Hispanic

35%
527

independence. In the 1820s the missions were 

secularized. Colonel John Fremont and his soldiers took 

the area in 1846 for the United States during the 

Mexican-American War. From 1830 to 1865 ranching 

and agriculture became important livelihoods.3

 The 

community began to change in 1865 as large numbers of 

Victorian houses were built in contrast to the more 

traditional Spanish Colonials. Local industry also 

changed. The port began to grow with increases in 

shipping and the importance of agriculture.

In 1925 a magnitude 6.3 earthquake collapsed many 

of the commercial buildings in Santa Barbara and 

damaged residences.4 Many of the buildings that 

survived the quake and were not lost to fire were built in 

the Spanish Colonial style. This led to a strict building 

code for downtown Santa Barbara. Today the resulting 

architecture continues to lure tourists to the city. In the 

1930s the Rincon section of U.S. Highway 101 was 

constructed, connecting Santa Barbara to the coastal 

highway.

The Chumash experienced a sharp decline during 

the nineteenth century. In 1901 the Chumash were 

allotted 75 acres near Mission Santa Ynez. Today this 

small reservation is home to a Chumash business council, 

a thriving bingo operation, and a federal housing 

program. Approximately 5,000 identify themselves as 

Chumash Indians.5

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 63.1% of Santa 

Barbara’s potential labor force 16 years of age and older 

were employed, 3.9% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 5.8% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

33% were not in the labor force, compared to the national 

average of 36.1%. The top employment sectors were 

local, state, or federal government (14%), education 

services (12%), retail trade (10.5%), health care and 

social assistance (10.4%), and manufacturing (8.5%). 

Natural resource jobs including agriculture, forestry, 

fishing, and hunting employed only 0.8%, but this 

percentage may be artificially low because many 

fishermen are self-employed and are underrepresented in 

the data.

The city’s major employers are the County of Santa 

Barbara, Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, Santa Barbara 

City College, Santa Barbara High School District, Santa 

Barbara Medical Foundation Clinic (Sansum), the City of 

Santa Barbara, U.S. Postal Service, Santa Barbara Bank 

& Trust, Santa Barbara Elementary School District, 

Santa Barbara County Schools Office, McGhan Medical, 

2000 Employment structure

Unemployed

3.9%

Employed

63.1%

Not in labor force

33%

Albertson’s Stores, Fess Parker’s Double Tree, and 

Nordstrom.6

According to the U.S. Census, Santa Barbara’s per 

capita income in 1999 was $26,466 and the median 

household income was $47,498. About 13.4% lived 

below the poverty level, slightly higher than the national 

average of 12.4%. In 2000 Santa Barbara had 37,076 

housing units, of which 96% were occupied and 4% were 

vacant. Of the occupied housing units, 40.3% were by 

owner and 55.7% were by renter.

Governance

Santa Barbara is a charter city incorporated in April 

1850 and governed by a city council that includes a 

mayor and six council members.7 The city is the seat of 

Santa Barbara County. Residents pay a retail sales tax of 

7.75% and the city levies a property tax rate from 1.0% to 

1.25%. In November 2000 voters approved Measure B, 

an increase in the transient occupancy tax from 10% to 

12%. Proceeds from the increase are restricted to the 

Creeks Restoration and Water Quality Improvement 

Program. In 2006 Measure B funds, plus interest, 

generated $2,297,778, which was supplemented by 

$8,000 from local grants.8 See the Governance 

subsection (page 43) in the Overview section for a more 

detailed discussion of taxes affecting fisherman and 

processors in California.

The closest National Marine Fisheries Service office 

is in Long Beach, 115.5 miles south. A California 

Department of Fish and Game office is in Santa Barbara. 

A U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) station is located at Station 

Channel Islands, 37.2 miles away, and is the home port 

of three vessels. In addition, a USCG patrol boat is 

stationed in Santa Barbara. The nearest U.S. Citizenship 

and Immigration Services office is in Los Angeles, 

approximately 95 miles away. Pacific Fishery 

Management Council meetings are held 219 miles away 
528

in San Diego and 319 miles away in Foster City. North 

Pacific Fishery Management Council meetings are 955 

miles away in Portland, Oregon.

Facilities

Santa Barbara is accessible by land, sea, and air. 

U.S. Highway 101 links Santa Barbara to Los Angeles 

and San Francisco. The Santa Barbara Airport provides 

nonstop commercial service to Dallas/Fort Worth, 

Denver, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Portland, Salt 

Lake City, San Francisco, San Jose, and Seattle, 

however, the nearest international airport is 95.1 miles 

away in Los Angeles.9

Santa Barbara schools include 12 elementary, 9 

secondary, and 16 private schools. Eight colleges, 

universities, or technical schools are located in the 

community, including the University of California Santa 

Barbara, Santa Barbara City College, Westmont College, 

Antioch University, Brooks Institute of Photography, 

Santa Barbara College of Law, Music Academy of the 

West, and the Santa Barbara Business College.

Southern California Edison supplies electricity, and 

the City of Santa Barbara provides water and wastewater 

services. Southern California Gas Company supplies 

natural gas. MarBorg & Browning Ferris Industries 

provides garbage removal.10 Two main hospitals are 

located in the community, Santa Barbara Cottage 

Hospital and the Rehabilitation Institute at Santa 

Barbara.11 The Santa Barbara Police Department and 

Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department administer 

public safety, and the Santa Barbara City Fire 

Department provides emergency services. According to 

the Santa Barbara Chamber of Commerce, the 

community has 40 hotels, 24 motels, 14 bed and 

breakfasts, and 11 vacation rentals.12

The Santa Barbara Harbor includes a breakwater, 

marina, loading dock, hoist, fueling dock, marine 

services and repair, and other facilities. The harbor has 

mooring space for more than 1,100 pleasure and 

commercial vessels, “providing a safe haven and the 

doorway to the Channel Islands, the open seas, and the 

last harbor before rounding Point Conception on your 

way up the coast.”13

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 248 registered vessels made fisheries 

landings at Santa Barbara. Landings were in the 

following West Coast fisheries (data shown represents 

landings in metric tons/value of landings/number of 

vessels landing): coastal pelagic 1,722.1 t/$263,888/20; 

crab 216 t/$629,278/53; groundfish 66.9 t/$440,085/86; 

highly migratory species 110.1 t/$261,685/24; salmon 

5.1 t/$17,781/6; shellfish confidential/confidential/1; 

shrimp 515.6 t/$1,379,635/33; and other species 1,115.5 

t/$3,476,509/171.

In 2000 Santa Barbara residents owned 120 vessels, 

including 40 that participated in the federally managed 

groundfish fishery. The number of vessels owned by 

Santa Barbara residents that participated in each fishery 

by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/0/4, 

groundfish 0/0/NA, highly migratory species NA/0/NA, 

salmon 0/1/22, shellfish NA/0/NA, shrimp NA/0/5, and 

other species 1/0/2.14

In 2000 a resident held one federal groundfish 

fishery permit. The number of Santa Barbara residents 

holding permits in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) 

was: coastal pelagic 0/0/11, groundfish 0/0/65, highly 

migratory species NA/0/25, salmon 0/1/28, shellfish 0/0/

NA, shrimp 0/0/23, and other species 0/2/232.15

Santa Barbara residents held at least 570 permits in 

2000, including one federal groundfish permit and 569 

state permits. The number of permits held in each fishery 

by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/0/18, 

groundfish 0/0/79, highly migratory species NA/0/44, 

salmon 0/1/46, shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 0/0/34, and 

other species 0/4/393.16

At least three processors operated in Santa Barbara 

in the 2000: Kanoloa Imports, Mu’s Seafood Company, 

and Sovereign Seafoods Inc. The average number 

employed by these processors was 63. The total pounds 

and value reported as processed by the companies is 

confidential. Processed items included salmon, sea bass, 

swordfish, halibut, and shark fillets, as well as dried sea 

cucumber and yellowfin tuna.

Sportfishing

Eight authorized California Department of Fish and 

Game agents sell fishing licenses in Santa Barbara.17 

Five sportfishing guides or charter businesses are listed 

in Santa Barbara as well as two main fishing clubs, one 

specifically for fly fishermen and the other for general 

sports fishermen.18 According to the Santa Barbara 

Sportfishing Club, marine species caught in the area 

include salmon, albacore tuna, lingcod, kelp bass, white 

sea bass, halibut, yellowfin tuna, yellow tail, and marlin. 

Freshwater species caught in nearby Cachuma and 

Casitas lakes include largemouth bass, trout, catfish, and 

red ear perch.19 In 2000 the port group consisting of Port 

Hueneme, Oxnard, Ventura, and Santa Barbara reported 

35 commercial passenger fishing vessels or “party boats” 

made 352,260 landings of more than 26 species.
529

Subsistence

Local tribal and nontribal community members may 

engage in subsistence fishing in the Santa Barbara area, 

however, specific information is not discussed in detail in 

this community profile due to the lack of available data. 

The California Department of Fish and Game uses the 

term “recreational” for fishermen who do not earn 

revenue from their catch, but fish for pleasure or to 

provide food for personal consumption. Information on 

subsistence fishing is captured to some degree in the 

sportfishing data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 Santa Barbara residents owned eight vessels 

involved in North Pacific fisheries. Community 

members landed fish in the following North Pacific 

fisheries (data shown represents landings in metric tons/

value of landings/number of vessels landing): herring 

confidential/confidential/3 and salmon 286 t/$407,790/8.

In 2000 two Santa Barbara residents held federal 

commercial fishing permits and nine residents held state 

permits. Twenty-nine residents held crew member 

licenses for North Pacific fisheries.

Residents held 358,035 halibut individual fishing 

quota (IFQ) shares and 52,900 sablefish IFQ shares. In 

2000 residents held one Alaska Commercial Fisheries 

Entry Commission shellfish, five herring, and seven 

salmon permits.

Sportfishing

In 2000 Santa Barbara residents purchased 245 

Alaska sportfishing licenses.

Notes

1. Santa Barbara Museum of History. 2002. Welcome to 

Chumash Indian life. Online at http://www.sbnature.org/research/

anthro/chumash/index.htm [accessed 16 March 2007].

2. Santa Barbara Museum of History. 2002. 13,000 years of 

change along the central coast. Online at http://www.sbnature.org/

research/anthro/chumash/timel.htm [accessed 16 March 2007].

3. SantaBarbara.com. No date. Local history. Online at http://

www.santabarbara.com/community/local_history/ [accessed 16 

March 2007].

4. Institute for Crustal Studies, University of California at Santa 

Barbara. 2001. The 1925 Santa Barbara earthquake: In brief. Online 

at http://www.crustal.ucsb.edu/ics/sb_eqs/1925/1925.html [accessed 

16 March 2007].

5. Houghton Mifflin. No date. Encyclopedia of North American 

Indians, Chumash. Online at http://www.college.hmco.com/history/

readerscomp/naind/html/na_007400_chumash.htm [accessed July 

2004].

6. City of Santa Barbara. 2004. City of Santa Barbara facts. 

Online at http://www.santabarbaraca.gov/Business/Demographic/

City_Facts/ [accessed 16 March 2007].

7. City of Santa Barbara. 2003. Mayor and city council. Online 

at http://www.santa-barbara.ca.us/departments/mayor_and_council/ 

[accessed 16 March 2007].

8. The City of Santa Barbara. 2006. Creeks Restoration and 

Water Quality Improvement Division. Online at http://

www.santabarbaraca.gov/NR/exeres/3DBE4BE3-BAC7-4717-A843

-47EEBDBD72EC,frameless.htm?NRMODE=Published [accessed 

16 March 2007].

9. Santa Barbara Airport. 2005. Non-stop destinations from the 

Santa Barbara Airport. Online at http://www.flysba.com/?pageID=42 

[accessed 16 March 2007].

10. See note 6.

11. See note 6.

12. Santa Barbara Region Chamber of Commerce. 2004. Santa 

Barbara lodging. Online at http://www.sbchamber.org/visitors/

lodging.php [accessed 16 March 2007].

13. Makai Promotions. 2003. Welcome to Santa Barbara 

harbor. Online at http://www.sailorschoice.com/santabarbara/ 

[accessed 16 March 2007].

14. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000. 

15. See note 14.

16. See note 14.

17. California Department of Fish and Game. No date. Search 

for an authorized license agent. Online at http://www.dfg.ca.gov/

lrbweb/jsp/ [accessed 16 March 2007].

18. SantaBarbara.com. No date. Santa Barbara activity guide, 

fishing. Online at http://www.santabarbara.com/activities/fishing/

default.asp [accessed 16 March 2007].

19. Santa Barbara Sport Fishing Club. No date. Online at 

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SBSportFishingClub/ [accessed 16 

March 2007].
530

Santa Cruz

People and Place

Location

Santa Cruz is on the northern shore of Monterey Bay 

along California’s central coast in Santa Cruz County. 

San Francisco is the nearest major metropolitan area, 73 

miles north. The community encompasses 12.53 square 

miles of land and 3.07 square miles of water. The 

geographic coordinates of Santa Cruz are lat 36°58′27′′N, 

long 122°01′47′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of Santa Cruz was 54,593. The gender composition was 

50.2% female and 49.8% male. The median age in 2000 

was 31.7, younger than the national median age of 35.3. 

Of the population 18 years of age and older, 89.1% had a 

high school education or higher, 35.7% had attained a 

bachelor’s degree or higher, and 13.3% had a graduate or 

professional degree; the national averages were 79.7%, 

22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The majority of the racial structure was white 

(78.7%), followed by individuals who identified with 

some other race (9.1%), Asian (4.9%), individuals who 

identified with two or more races (4.5%), black (1.7%), 

American Indian and Alaskan Native (0.9%), and Native 

Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (0.1%). Ethnicity 

data indicate 17.4% identified as Hispanic, and 15.1% of 

the population was foreign-born.

In 2000 60.5% of the population lived in family 

households.

History

Before Euro-American contact, Indians of the 

Ohlone Esselen tribe inhabited the area. They were 

removed from their lands and brought to missions by 

Spanish soldiers and missionaries in the 1770s. The 

Spanish had a profound impact on their way of life, 

disrupting existing social, economic, and religious 

systems. In 1995 the tribe petitioned for federal 

recognition. The Ohlone Esselen fished for subsistence 

purposes and the tribe may be awarded fishing rights in 

the Santa Cruz area if it is recognized.1

 For a more 

detailed history of the Ohlone Esselen, see the Moss 

Landing community profile.

In 1791 Father Fermin de Lasuen established the 

Santa Cruz Mission. The construction of missions along 

California’s coastline marked the beginning of the 

Spanish Colonial Era in California. During this period, 

8,000 6,000 4,000 2,000 0 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

78.7%

Two or more races

4.5%

Black

1.7%

Native

0.9%

Other

9.1% Pacific Islander

0.1%

Asian

4.9%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Hispanic

17.4%

Non-Hispanic

82.6%
531

mission lands were used for the beginnings of agriculture 

in the region. In 1848, at the end of the MexicanAmerican War, California came under U.S. control and a 

short time later became a state. Santa Cruz County was 

created in 1850. The area’s early industries were 

logging, lime processing, leather processing, and fishing. 

Between 1841 and 1864, 28 logging mills were built in 

the county. During this period the lime industry in Santa 

Cruz County also began to grow. The first lime plant 

was constructed in Santa Cruz in 1853, and a 450-foot 

wharf was erected on Santa Cruz Bay to ship it to San 

Francisco. With the opening of several more lime plants, 

the county was producing 8,000 barrels a month by the 

end of the 1860s.2

 The first tannery was founded in 

1846, followed by three more in following years. The 

Salz Tannery operated the longest, 1856 to 2001.3

Commercial fishing in Santa Cruz County began in 

the 1850s, initiated by a small group of Chinese 

immigrants. Their settlement did not last long and Santa 

Cruz’s fishing industry languished until a rail line was 

constructed between Santa Cruz and Watsonville in 

1875. The Santa Cruz terminus became home to a fresh 

fish business started by local residents and Italian 

immigrants. The rail line also enhanced the distribution 

of lumber and lime. By 1879, approximately 139,000 

pounds of fish annually were shipped out of Santa Cruz. 

While the fishing industry prospered well into the 1900s, 

the logging and lime industries declined around the turn 

of the century. Virtually all of the quality timber had 

been harvested by the late 1890s, ending the lumber 

boom. Lime was still relatively abundant in the late 

1800s, however, the resource intensive manufacturing 

process required to produce lime and the development of 

an alternative building material, cement, decreased 

demand and production.4

Involvement of Italian immigrants and their families 

in the Santa Cruz fishing industry increased over time. In 

1902 John and Sunday Faraola established a commercial 

fishing company on the old railroad wharf. They built a 

fishing fleet that became one of the largest on the central 

California coast. At the height of the industry, 75 to 100 

boats a day landed salmon, sea bass, rock cod, and sole. 

Sportfishing has been a top attraction since the turn of the 

century and the Faraola family also ran a charter service.

Japanese commercial fishermen made important 

contributions to the area’s fishing industry between 1900 

and 1930 through canning abalone and salmon and the 

development of Cannery Row. During the 1920s and 

1930s, the sardine industry boomed in the Monterey Bay 

area. By 1937 Monterey canneries had produced some 

800,000 tons of sardines. Overfishing, coupled with war 

time policies, took its toll and Santa Cruz’s commercial 

fishing industry went into decline in the early 1940s. In 

2000 Employment structure

Employed

64.5%

Not in labor force

31.3%

Unemployed

4.2%

1942 Executive Order No. 9066 was passed, mandating 

that Italians were not permitted to enter restricted areas, 

which included coastlines. As a result, Italian fishermen 

were forced to move inland and find other forms of 

employment. The area’s commercial fishing industry 

never fully recovered after the war. Many of the former 

fishermen had found new ways to earn a living and did 

not return to fishing. Many who did remain left in 1963 

when wharf davits were removed in the process of 

building a yacht harbor.5, 6

While commercial fishing in the area has declined, 

other industries have risen in prominence, namely 

tourism and education. Santa Cruz has been a haven for 

tourists since the 1800s, as sunbathers and sport 

fishermen took advantage of the San Lorenzo River and 

the sea.7

 Tourism declined in the 1950s but has since 

rebounded. Today more than 4.5 million persons 

annually visit Santa Cruz, its beaches, downtown, and 

wharf.8 Santa Cruz offers a wealth of recreational and 

leisure activities. Tourists may visit the Monterey Bay 

Marine Sanctuary, Seymour Marine Discovery Center, 

Santa Cruz Surfing Museum, Santa Cruz Boardwalk, and 

many parks and beaches. The Santa Cruz Municipal Pier 

and Santa Cruz Harbor have sportfishing operations. 

While Santa Cruz’s commercial fishing industry has 

endured challenges over the last century, it is still 

relatively robust. Most commercial fishermen in the area 

moor their boats in Santa Cruz Harbor.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 64.5% of the 

Santa Cruz potential labor force 16 years of age and older 

were employed, 4.2% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 6.1% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 
532

31.3% were not in the labor force. The top employment 

sector was local, state, or federal government (20.8%). 

Natural resource jobs including agriculture, forestry, and 

fishing employed only 1%, but this percentage may be 

artificially low because many fishermen are selfemployed and are underrepresented in the data.

The other major industries in Santa Cruz are 

education and health and social services; professional, 

scientific, management, administrative, and waste 

management services; arts, entertainment, recreation, 

accommodation, and food services; and retail trade.

The University of California Santa Cruz was 

established in 1965 and is considered a world class 

university with a 2006 enrollment of 15,000.9 It is 

widely known for its scenic campus and top scholars in a 

number of disciplines. In 1997 the university was the top 

employer in Santa Cruz County.10

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the per capita 

income of Santa Cruz in 1999 was $25,758, compared to 

the average national per capita income of $21,587. 

Approximately 16.5% lived below the poverty level in 

1999, compared to the national average of 12.4%. In 

2000 Santa Cruz had 21,504 housing units, of which 95% 

were occupied and 5% were vacant. Of the occupied 

housing, 46.6% were by owner and 53.4% were by 

renter.

Governance

Santa Cruz incorporated as a town in 1866 and 

received its first charter as a city in 1876. In 1948 the 

city adopted a new charter, which established a council/

manager government with the mayor and six council 

members setting policy and the city manager 

administering policies. The council members are elected 

at large for four-year terms. Residents pay an 8.25% 

sales tax and Santa Cruz County levies a 10% lodging 

tax. See the Governance subsection (page 43) in the 

Overview section for a more detailed discussion of taxes 

affecting fishermen and processors in California.

The closest office of the National Marine Fisheries 

Service is in San Francisco. Meetings of the Pacific 

Fishery Management Council are also held in San 

Francisco. The headquarters for the California 

Department of Fish and Game’s Marine Region 7 is 42 

miles away in Monterey. The nearest U.S. Coast Guard 

stations are in Monterey and San Francisco. A suboffice 

of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is 32 

miles way in San Jose.

Facilities

Santa Cruz is within a one hour drive of three 

airports certified for commercial carrier operations: 

Monterey, San Jose International (32 miles), and San 

Francisco International (51 miles). The community is in 

the Santa Cruz City School District, which has four 

elementary schools, two middle schools, and four high 

schools, with a total enrollment of approximately 5,500. 

The district also has three alternative education schools 

and one school for continuing education.

Santa Cruz Municipal Utilities provides water, 

sewer, refuse, and recycling services, and Pacific Gas and 

Electric supplies electricity. Santa Cruz has two medical 

centers, Dominican Hospital and Sutter Maternity and 

Surgery Center. The community offers a variety of 

overnight accommodations, including, hotels, motels, 

inns, recreational vehicle facilities, state parks, shortterm rentals, and bed and breakfasts. The Santa Cruz 

Police Department and its 100 officers administer public 

safety.

Several marine-related organizations operate within 

the area, including the Santa Cruz Commercial 

Fisherman’s Association, a nonprofit group active in 

local fisheries issues. The Monterey Bay Salmon and 

Trout Project, founded in 1976, is a nonprofit 

organization dedicated to the restoration and 

enhancement of native salmon and steelhead populations 

in the greater Monterey Bay area. The organization, 

based in Davenport, operates hatcheries in the Santa Cruz 

and Monterey harbors, releasing coho salmon and 

steelhead into local rivers and streams.11 US Abalone, an 

aquaculture business founded in 1988, is in Davenport.12 

Located on the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf, Stagnaro 

Brothers is a family owned and operated business 

founded in 1937 that also delivers fresh and frozen 

seafood within Santa Cruz, Monterey, and San Benito 

counties.13

A five-member elected board governs Santa Cruz 

Harbor which serves commercial and recreational 

boaters. The harbor is a 1,200 slip multiuse facility on 

the north end of Monterey Bay. A fleet of 40–50 

commercial fishing vessels makes up about 5% of the 

boats moored in the harbor. The rest are pleasure boats. 

The harbor offers a fueling station, four-lane boat ramp 

(19,000 boats annually), commercial fish off-loading 

area with a resident fish buyer, flaked ice for fish holding 

tanks, a boat haul-out and repair facility with a 60-ton 

travel lift, and primary processing facilities. The harbor 

has recreational vehicle facilities, a beach, and a 

shopping area and is next to a 55-acre natural area open 

to the public. The City of Santa Cruz oversees the 

municipal moorage area that provides berthing for 

seasonal visiting vessels.
533

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 166 vessels, all commercially registered, 

delivered landings to Santa Cruz. Landings were in the 

following West Coast fisheries (data shown represents 

landings in metric tons/value of landings/number of 

vessels landing): coastal pelagic 7.7 t/$4,226/12; crab 

16.7 t/$97,190/18; groundfish 54 t/$137,995/49; highly 

migratory species 28 t/$57,381/27; salmon 98.1 t/

$372,985/64; shrimp confidential/confidential/1; and 

other species 28.5 t/$106,669/30.

Santa Cruz’s residents owned at least 39 commercial 

fishing vessels in 2000, including 23 that participated in 

the federally managed groundfish fishery. The number 

of vessels owned by Santa Cruz’s residents that 

participated in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

crab 0/0/12, groundfish 0/0/NA, highly migratory species 

NA/0/NA, salmon 0/2/31, shellfish NA/0/NA, shrimp 

NA/0/1, and other species 0/0/1.14

Six Santa Cruz residents held five federal 

groundfish fishery permits in 2000. The number of Santa 

Cruz residents holding permits in each fishery by state 

(WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/0/9, crab 0/0/12, 

groundfish 0/0/12, highly migratory species NA/0/7, 

salmon 0/2/61, shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 0/0/3, and other 

species 0/0/20.15

In 2000 Santa Cruz residents held at least 180 

permits, including 175 registered state permits. The 

number of permits held by these community members in 

each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 

0/0/21, crab 0/0/13, groundfish 0/0/15, highly migratory 

species NA/0/0, salmon 0/0/102, shellfish 0/0/NA, 

shrimp 0/0/4, and other species 0/0/20.16

Sportfishing

In 2003 three licensed commercial passenger fishing 

vessels offered services in Santa Cruz. In 2000 the port 

group consisting of Monterey, Moss Landing, and Santa 

Cruz reported 139,058 landings by 37,884 anglers. The 

five most landed species were unspecified rockfishes, 

Chinook salmon, albacore, unspecified flatfishes, and 

unspecified fishes. A moratorium on rockfish and the 

establishment of a Rockfish Conservation Area (a depthbased closure) has deeply affected local sport and 

commercial fisheries.

Subsistence

Local tribal and nontribal community members may 

engage in subsistence fishing in the Santa Cruz area, 

however, specific information on subsistence fishing in 

Santa Cruz is not discussed in detail due to the lack of 

available data. The California Department of Fish and 

Game uses the term “recreational” for fishermen who do 

not earn revenue from their catch, but fish for pleasure or 

to provide food for personal consumption. Information 

on subsistence fishing in California is captured to some 

degree in the sportfishing data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 Santa Cruz residents owned two vessels 

involved in North Pacific fisheries. Community 

members landed fish in the following North Pacific 

fishery (data shown represents landings in metric tons/

value of said landings/number of vessels landing): 

salmon confidential/confidential/1.

In 2000 one Santa Cruz resident held a single 

salmon Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission permit, 

and 10 held crew member licenses for North Pacific 

fisheries.

Sportfishing

In 2000 Santa Cruz residents purchased 147 Alaskan 

sportfishing licenses and one local sportfishing business 

participated in Alaska’s sportfishing industry.

Notes

1. Santa Cruz Wharf. 2004. Historic fishing communities. 

Online at http://www.ci.santa-cruz.ca.us/pr/wharf/index.html 

[accessed 23 February 2007].

2. S. Lehman. 2000. Economic development of the city of 

Santa Cruz 1850-1950. Online at http://scplweb.santacruzpl.org/

history/work/edindlum.shtml [accessed 23 February 2007].

3. Field notes, City of Santa Cruz staff, Santa Cruz, CA, 9 May 

2006.

4. See note 2.

5. See note 1.

6. See note 2.

7. E. Gibson. 2000. San Lorenzo once was full of fish. Online 

at http://scplweb.santacruzpl.org/history/rec/river.shtml [accessed 23 

February 2007].

8. See note 3.

9. See note 3.

10. Santa Cruz County Government. 2004. County of Santa 

Cruz profile information. Online at http://www.co.santa-cruz.ca.us/

cao/econprof.htm [accessed 4 April 2007].

11. The Monterey Bay Salmon and Trout Project. No date. 

Welcome to the Monterey Bay salmon and trout project. Online at 

http://www.mbstp.org/ [accessed 4 April 2007].

12. US Abalone. No date. US Abalone: In harmony with 

nature. Online at http://www.usabalaone.com/ [accessed 23 February 

2007].

13. Stagnaro Brothers Seafood Inc. 2006. Wholesale, retail, 

restaurant: Santa Cruz. Online at http://www.stagnarobrothers.com/

history/html [accessed 23 February 2007].
534

14. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

15. See note 14.

16. See note 14.
535

Santa Rosa

People and Place

Location

Santa Rosa is in Sonoma County along U.S. 

Highway 101, about 55 miles north of San Francisco. 

The city covers 40.13 square miles of land and 0.25 

square mile of water. The geographic coordinates of 

Santa Rosa are lat 38°26′26′′N, long 122°42′48′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of Santa Rosa was 147,595, a 23.2% increase from 1990. 

The gender composition was 51.2% female and 48.8% 

male. The median age was 36.2, comparable to the 

national median of 35.3. Of the population 18 years of 

age and older, 82.5% had a high school education or 

higher, 24.6% had a bachelor’s degree or higher, and 

8.0% had a graduate or professional degree; the national 

averages were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% respectively. A 

high school education was the highest level of attainment 

for 21.6%.

The majority of the racial structure of Santa Rosa 

was white (77.6%), followed by individuals who 

identified with some other race (10.3%), individuals who 

identified with two or more races (4.4%), Asian (3.8%), 

black (2.2%), American Indian and Alaska native (1.4%), 

and Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (0.3%). 

Ethnicity data indicate 19.2% identified as Hispanic. 

About 16.3% were foreign-born, of which 54.9% were 

born in Mexico and 3.6% in Canada.

In 2000 97.4% of the population lived in family 

households.

History

Indian tribes including the Pomo, Miwok, and 

Wappo inhabited the area around Santa Rosa and 

Sonoma County long before European contact. The 

Pomo were known for their expertise in basket making 

and lived a subsistence lifestyle focused on marine 

resources.1

 According to legend, the area was named 

Santa Rosa after Spanish Priest Juan Amorosa baptized a 

young Indian woman in a stream, calling the stream and 

local valley Santa Rosa because the baptism took place 

on the day of the Feast of Santa Rosa de Lima. Spanish 

explorers and later Euro-American settlers occupied the 

area by the early 1800s, and local Spanish authorities 

deeded the first plot of land to Maria Ignacia Lopez de 

Carillo, the mother-in-law of General Vallejo, 

15,000 10,000 5,000 0 5,000 10,000 15,000

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure

Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

77.6%

Black

2.2%

Two or more races

4.4%

Native

1.4%

Asian

3.8%

Other

10.3%

Pacific Islander

0.3%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Hispanic

19.2% Non-Hispanic

80.8%
536

commander of the Mexican forces north of San 

Francisco.

The gold rush of the late 1840s and early 1850s 

brought a steady flow of people to the area, and many 

stayed after discovering the area’s rich agricultural land. 

In the 1850s Berthold Hoen, Feodor Gustav Hahman, 

William Hartman, and Julio Carrillo formed a partnership 

on a plot of land, called it Santa Rosa, and began selling 

land for $25 per lot. Santa Rosa incorporated in 1868.2 

Today the community is known for its tourism activities 

and its more than 175 wineries.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 62.6% of Santa 

Rosa’s potential labor force 16 years of age and older 

were employed, 2.9% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 4.4% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

34.5% were not in the labor force. Top employment 

sectors include education, health, and social services 

(19.2%), manufacturing (14.3%), local, state, or federal 

government (12.8%), and retail trade (12.3%). Natural 

resource jobs including agriculture, forestry, fishing, and 

hunting employed only 1%, but this percentage may be 

artificially low because many fishermen are selfemployed and are underrepresented in the data.

According to the California Employment 

Development Department, the major employers in Santa 

Rosa were Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, Sonoma 

County Government, and the Army National Guard.3 In 

2004 the top five employers in the area were Santa Rosa 

Junior College (3,115), Agilent Technologies (2,500), St. 

Joseph Health System (2,370), Sonoma State University 

(1,799), and Kaiser Permanente (1,423).4

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Santa Rosa’s 

per capita income in 1999 was $24,495 and the median 

household income was $50,931. About 8.5% lived below 

the poverty level, lower than the national average of 

12.4%. In 2000 Santa Rosa had 57,578 housing units, of 

which 97.3% were occupied and 2.7% were vacant. Of 

the occupied units, 58.5% were by owner and 41.5% 

were by renter. About 31.9% of the vacant housing was 

for rent and 15.2% was for sale.

Governance

Santa Rosa, the county sat of Sonoma County, is an 

incorporated city with a council-manager government. 

The city council has seven members and the mayor. The 

sales and use tax is 8%. See the Governance subsection 

(page 43) of the Overview section for a more detailed 

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

34.5%

Unemployed

2.9%

Employed

62.6%

discussion of taxes affecting fisherman and processors in 

California.

The nearest California Fish and Game office is in 

Napa, 44 miles southeast of Santa Rosa. The nearest 

U.S. Coast Guard station and U.S. Citizenship and 

Immigration Services office are in San Francisco, 55 

miles south. Meetings of the Pacific Fishery 

Management Council are held in Foster City, 77 miles 

south. Meetings of the North Pacific Fishery 

Management Council are held in Portland, 653 miles 

north. Santa Rosa is 453 miles from the National Marine 

Fisheries Service (NMFS) Regional Office in Long 

Beach and 128.9 miles from the NMFS Southwest 

Fisheries Science Center laboratory at Santa Cruz.

Facilities

Santa Rosa is accessible by U.S. Highway 101 and 

from the Sonoma County Airport, located within the 

community. The San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose 

international airports are all within 100 miles of Santa 

Rosa. Greyhound and Amtrak provide bus service and 

rail links to nearby communities and metropolitan areas.

Santa Rosa has 37 elementary schools, 18 secondary 

schools (including middle, junior, and high schools), 28 

private schools of all levels, two junior colleges, a twoyear school of business, and a beauty school.5

 The Santa 

Rosa Utilities Department provides water and wastewater 

services, and administers the Subregional Wastewater 

System. Pacific Gas and Electric Company provides 

natural gas and electrical services. The Santa Rosa 

Police Department and the Sonoma County Sheriff’s 

Department administer public safety. The city also has a 

fire department. Santa Rosa has two major hospitals, two 

convalescent hospitals, three mental health and 

behavioral medicine clinics, and several surgical centers 

and smaller health clinics. According to the Santa Rosa 
537

Chamber of Commerce, lodging includes 28 hotels and 

motels, and three bed and breakfasts.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Landings data for Santa Rosa were recorded as part 

of the Other Sonoma and Marin County Outer Coast 

Ports group, which includes the communities of Bolinas, 

Cloverdale, Corte Madera, Dillon Beach, Drakes Bay, 

Forest Knolls, Greenbrae, Guerneville, Hamlet, 

Healdsburg, Inverness, Jenner, Kentfield, Marconi, 

Marshall, Mill Valley, Millerton, Muir Beach, Nicasio, 

Novato, Occidental, Petaluma, Rohnert Park, San 

Quentin, San Rafael, Sebastopol, Sonoma, Stewarts 

Point, Stinson Beach, Tiburon, and Windsor.

Santa Rosa had at least one operating seafood 

processor in 2000, however, specific information 

(estimated pounds of product/value of product) is 

confidential. Reported landings for this port group in 

2000 were in the following West Coast fisheries (data 

shown represent landings in metric tons/value of 

landings/number of vessels landing): coastal pelagic 135 

t/$116,723/15; crab 6 t/$42,768/7; groundfish 1 t/$1,704/

9; highly migratory species confidential/confidential/1; 

salmon 5 t/$31,805/4; shrimp 3 t/$23,875/6; and other 

species 4 t/$23,656/16. See the Novato, Dillon Beach, 

Corte Madera, and Sebastopol community profiles for 

additional information.

Santa Rosa residents owned 12 vessels in 2000, 

seven of which participated in the federally managed 

groundfish fishery. The number of vessels owned by 

Santa Rosa residents that participated in each fishery by 

state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 0/0/4, groundfish 0/0/NA, 

highly migratory species NA/0/NA, salmon 0/1/7, 

shellfish NA/0/NA, and shrimp NA/1/0.6

One Santa Rosa resident held a federal groundfish 

fishery permit in 2000. The number of Santa Rosa 

residents holding permits in each fishery by state (WA/

OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/0/7, crab 0/0/5, 

groundfish 0/0/3, highly migratory species NA/0/0, 

salmon 0/1/27, shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 0/1/3, and other 

species 0/0/6.7

In 2000 Santa Rose resident held 83 registered state 

and federal permits. The number of permits held by 

these community members in each fishery by state (WA/

OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/0/15, crab 0/0/5, 

groundfish 0/0/4, highly migratory species NA/0/0, 

salmon 0/0/44, shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 0/0/5, and other 

species 0/0/9.8

Sportfishing

In 2002 Santa Rosa had 19 licensed commercial 

passenger fishing vessels (CPFVs), decreasing to 17 

CPFV licensed vessels in 2003. Santa Rosa is in the 

vicinity of the Port Hueneme, Oxnard, Ventura, Santa 

Barbara port complex, which received 352,260 

commercial passenger fishing vessel landings in 2000 

made by 77,345 anglers. The top five fish landed were 

unspecified rockfish, ocean whitefish, barred sand bass, 

kelp bass, and California barracuda.

Subsistence

Specific information on subsistence fishing in Santa 

Rosa is not discussed in detail in this community profile 

due to the lack of available data. The California 

Department of Fish and Game uses the term 

“recreational” for fishermen who do not earn revenue 

from their catch, but fish for pleasure or to provide food 

for personal consumption. Information on subsistence 

fishing in California is captured to some degree in the 

sportfishing data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 Santa Rosa residents held seven crew 

member licenses for North Pacific fisheries.

Sportfishing

In 2000 Santa Rosa residents purchased 299 Alaska 

sportfishing.

Notes

1. A. Kroeber. 1953. Handbook of the Indians of California: 

The Pomo. California Book Company, Berkeley.

2. City of Santa Rosa. 2005. City founders. Online at http://

ci.santa-rosa.ca.us/default.aspx?PageId=68 [accessed 16 March 

2007].

3. State of California. No date. Labor market information: 

Major employers in Sonoma County. Online at http://www.calmis.ca

.gov/file/majorer/majorer.htm [accessed 16 March 2007].

4. Economy.com, Inc. 2004. Employment and industry. Online 

at http://www.economy.com/research [accessed 16 March 2007].

5. National Center for Education Statistics. No date. Online at 

http://nces.ed.gov/globallocator/ [accessed 16 March 2007].

6. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

7. See note 6.

8. See note 6.
538

Sausalito

People and Place

Location

Sausalito is on the southeastern tip of Marin County, 

one of nine counties in the San Francisco-Oakland Bay 

Area. Ten miles north of San Francisco off U.S. 

Highway 101, it encompasses 1.9 square miles of land 

and 0.3 square mile of water. The geographic 

coordinates of Sausalito are lat 37°57′38′′N, long 

122°30′05′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of Sausalito was 7,330, an increase of 2.5% from 1990. 

The gender composition was 51.7% female and 48.3% 

male. The median age was 45.4, higher than the national 

median of 35.3. Of the population 18 years of age and 

older, 98% had a high school education or higher, 69.1% 

had a bachelor’s degree or higher, and 28.5% had a 

graduate or professional degree; numbers significantly 

higher than the national averages of 79.7%, 22.3%, and 

7.8% respectively.

The racial composition of the population was 

predominantly white (91.7%), followed by Asian (4.2%), 

individuals who identified with two or more races 

(2.3%), individuals who identified with some other race 

(0.7%), black (0.7%), American Indian and Alaska 

Native (0.3%), and Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific 

Islander (0.2%). Ethnicity data indicate 3.3% identified 

as Hispanic. About 15.7 percent were foreign-born, of 

which 15.6% were from Germany, 9.6% from Canada, 

and 7.9% from the United Kingdom.

In 2000 54.6% of the population lived in family 

households.

History

Miwok Indians were the first inhabitants of the 

Sausalito area. The Coastal Miwok, called Olamentke by 

early writers, are part of the Penutian language family.1

 

The Miwok occupied territory bounded on the north by 

Cosumnes River, on the east by a ridge of the Sierra 

Nevada, on the south by Fresno Creek, and on the west 

by the San Jaoquin River.2

 The Miwok are known as the 

largest “nation” in California. It is said a tribal member 

could travel from the Cosumnes River to Fresno Creek 

and be understood without difficulty, so uniform was the 

language.3

The Coast Miwok inhabited about 885 square miles 

of Marin and southern Sonoma counties. At the 

1,000 800 600 400 200 0 200 400 600 800 1,000

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

91.7%

Two or more races

2.3%

Native

0.3%

Other

0.7%

Pacific Islander

0.2%

Asian

4.2%

Black

0.7%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Hispanic

3.3%

Non-Hispanic

96.7%
539

beginning of the nineteenth century, about 3,000 Miwok 

lived in about 40 villages, each consisting of 75 to 100 

persons.4 Disease and Euro-American encroachment 

took its toll on the Miwok and in 1910 the population was 

estimated at 699.5

 The Miwok made boats from tule 

reeds and used them to travel around San Francisco Bay 

and to Angel Island, the largest island in the bay.6 The 

Miwok diet consisted primarily of nuts, pinole (a meal 

made of plant seeds), roots, fruit, jack rabbit, deer, sea 

lions, seals, sea otters, and various species of fish and 

shellfish. Annual salmon spawning runs came through 

Raccoon Strait, just offshore of Angel Island.7 Fish were 

taken by gorge hook (made from bone) and spear, dip 

nets (bags of netting attached to wooden frames on a 

handle), and narcotization. Woven surf nets were used 

along open beaches.8, 9

The first contact between the Miwok and Europeans 

occurred in 1579 when Sir Francis Drake, the first 

Englishman to sail around the world, was greeted upon 

his arrival by Indians in a village near Tomales, 

approximately 50 miles northwest of Sausalito. In 1775 

Father Vincente, who arrived to claim San Francisco Bay 

for Spain, described the Coast Miwok as “humorous, 

with courteous manners.”10 During the Spanish Mission 

Era, the Coast Miwok learned to build with adobe and 

cultivate new food crops, which they in turn traded to the 

Spanish missions.11 For decades the Coast Miwok 

resisted the Spanish and Mexicans, but fell before 

European weapons. In 1953 Congress passed Public Law 

280, which transferred law enforcement on California 

reservations to state and county agencies. By 1958 the 

federal government terminated the recognition of several 

tribes including the Coast Miwok.12 In December 2000 

legislation was signed granting the Federated Indians of 

the Graton Rancheria, formerly known as the Federated 

Coast Miwok, full rights and privileges afforded 

federally recognized tribes. Today there are more than 

500 registered tribal members.13

In 1838 an Englishman of Mexican citizenship, 

William Richardson, received a Mexican land grant 

which he called Rancho del Sausalito, meaning “Ranch 

of the Little Willow Grove.” The property, in addition to 

raising cattle, provided safe anchorage close to what 

would become the north end of the Golden Gate. Nearby 

springs provided Richardson with an abundant source of 

freshwater, which he sold to visiting whaling ships. 

Richardson sought power and wealth and soon became 

Captain of the Port of San Francisco and married the 

daughter of the Commandant of the Presidio. But the 

gold rush brought hardship to the rancho. Richardson’s 

land was squatted on, his cattle stolen, and his Whaler’s 

Cove bypassed in favor of Yerba Buena, a new port 

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

23.2%

Unemployed

1.6%

Employed

75.2%

across the bay. These events forced him to sell most of 

his rancho.14

Several ambitious businessmen and companies, 

interested in Sausalito’s promising real-estate, attempted 

to establish Sausalito as California’s next big city. But 

Sausalito, with no rail service, provided little opportunity 

for growth. In 1871 the Sausalito Land and Ferry 

Company struck a deal with the North Pacific Coast 

Railroad, convincing it to extend its tracks into Sausalito. 

The railway brought merchants, workers, and the wealthy 

from San Francisco. Soon a residential pattern was 

established where the rich lived in the hills and the 

workers lived in the lowlands. Residents decided to 

incorporate in 1893 to control the town’s development.15

When the Golden Gate Bridge was built in the 

1930s, a road was constructed from Sausalito to the 

bridge. The construction of the bridge brought increased 

land prices in Marin County and a flood of people from 

the bay area. The railway and ferries were soon 

dismantled and by 1941 Sausalito was in decline. World 

War II, however, brought new industries to the area. 

With a need for more merchant ships, Bechtel Company 

chose to locate on North Sausalito’s waterfront. The area 

soon became known as Marinship, which employed 

70,000 workers from around the world and operated 

around the clock. By the end of World War II, Marinship 

had constructed 93 vessels in only three and a half 

years.16

Change came slowly to Sausalito during the postwar 

years. Tourism emerged during the 1960s and the 

Marinship site became home to tourist shops, small 

businesses, and arts and crafts. Today Sausalito residents 

and visitors enjoy numerous community events including 

the Sausalito Art Festival, Art Festival at Sea, Annual 

Chili Cook-off, Annual Floating Homes Showcase Tour, 

Farmers Market, and Opera by the Bay.
540

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 75.2% of 

Sausalito’s potential labor force 16 years of age and older 

were employed, 1.6% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 2.1% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

23.2% were not in the labor force, less than the national 

average of 36.1%. The top employment sectors were 

management, professional, and related positions (66.9%), 

sales and office occupations (20.9%), service jobs (7.4%) 

and local, state, or federal government (6.4%). Natural 

resource jobs including agriculture, forestry, fishing, 

hunting, and mining employed only 0.2%, but this 

percentage may be artificially low because many 

fishermen are self-employed and are underrepresented in 

the data.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the per capita 

income in 1999 was $81,040 and the median household 

income was $87,469, both significantly higher than the 

national averages. About 5.1% lived below the poverty 

level in 1999, less than half the national average of 

12.4%. In 2000 Sausalito had 4,511 housing units, of 

which 94.3% were occupied and 5.7% were vacant. Of 

the occupied units, 49.1% were by owner and 50.9% 

were by renter. Of the vacant housing, 41.2% were 

vacant due to seasonal, recreational, or occasional use.

Governance

Sausalito is just north of the Golden Gate Bridge. 

The city has a council-manager government. The fivemember council consists of the mayor, vice mayor, and 

three council members. Residents pay a 7.25% sale and 

use tax and Marin County levies a 10% lodging tax.17, 18 

See the Governance subsection (page 43) in the 

Overview section for a more detailed discussion of taxes 

affecting fisherman and processors in California.

The National Marine Fisheries Service’s (NMFS) 

Southwest Fisheries Science Center has laboratories 81 

miles south in Santa Cruz and a NMFS regional office is 

421 miles south in Long Beach. The California 

Department of Fish and Game has a marine field office 

about 32 miles south in Belmont. The nearest U.S. 

Citizenship and Immigration Services is 10 miles south 

in San Francisco. Pacific Fishery Management Council 

meetings are held 31 miles south in Foster City. 

Sausalito is within the jurisdiction of the U.S. Coast 

Guard Marine Safety Office San Francisco Bay, one of 

the Coast Guard’s largest and busiest marine safety units.

Facilities

Sausalito is accessible by land and water. U.S. 

Highway 101 is the major road connecting Sausalito 

south to San Francisco and north to Santa Rosa. Golden 

Gate Transit provides bus service. The Golden Gate 

Sausalito Ferry Terminal is located downtown and 

provides nine trips daily to San Francisco. San Francisco 

International Airport is 10 miles south.

The Sausalito Marin City School District has three 

elementary schools, and high school students attend 

classes in the Tamalpais Union High School District. 

Sausalito also has several private and nonprofit schools. 

In 2000 the College of Marin, located 10 miles north in 

Kentfield, had an enrollment of about 8,000. The Marin 

Municipal Water District serves the southern Marin area, 

including Sausalito. The city’s Public Works 

Department administers the storm water, drainage, and 

sanitary sewer collection systems. Pacific Gas and 

Electric provides electricity and natural gas. The 

Sausalito Police Department administers public safety. 

Additional facilities include the Bay Area Discovery 

Museum, numerous city parks and recreational 

opportunities, a public library, the Sausalito Historical 

Society, the Sausalito and Golden Gate Tall Ships 

societies, and a Marine Mammal Center, among others.

Sausalito has eight marinas and harbors, primarily 

serving recreational boaters and sailors. Clipper Yacht 

Harbor, founded in the 1947, has more than 730 slips. 

Offering a fuel dock, more than 80 dry storage units, and 

Salty’s Bait and Tackle, Clipper is homeport for several 

charter vessels and hundreds of recreational fishing 

boats. Galilee Harbor is home to one of the last original 

houseboat communities. Cass’ Marina, located by 

Dunphy Park, provides public rental sailboats. Several 

wooden boats are on display at the old Marine Ways 

Shipyard, where Menotti Pasquinucci built Monterey 

fishing boats. The Pelican Yacht Harbor, once owned by 

Donlon Arques—founder of the Arques School of 

Traditional Boat Building—is home to the largest 

collection of classic wooden boats on the Sausalito 

waterfront. The Sausalito Yacht Harbor was founded in 

1940 when three log steamers were filled with mud and 

left to sink on the north end of the new harbor. 

Schoonmaker Point Marina, known as one of the most 

prestigious marinas in the bay area, has wet berths and 

side ties, guest moorage, dry storage, and commercial 

and light industrial rental space. Schoonmaker offers 

boat slips from 35 to 75 feet and side ties for yachts up to 

220 feet. The Richardson Bay Marina, formerly Kappas 

Marina, is also in Sausalito.

Fishing organizations based in Sausalito include the 

California Herring Association (commercial) and the 

Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Association, 
541

representing 26 commercial fishing and port associations 

from San Diego to Alaska. The Golden Gate 

Fishermen’s Association, founded in 1948, is based in 

nearby San Rafael.

 Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 landings in Sausalito were in the following 

West Coast fisheries (data shown represents landings in 

metric tons/value of landings/number of vessels landing): 

coastal pelagic 364 t/$249,538/31; crab 22 t/$103,891/9; 

groundfish 3 t/$7,641/15; highly migratory species 17 t/

$31,449/10; salmon 180 t/$730,075/82; and other species 

9 t/$7,463/11.

Sausalito residents owned nine vessels in 2000 that 

participated in West Coast fisheries, of which four 

participated in the federally managed groundfish fishery. 

Landings were delivered by 130 commercial vessels. 

The number of vessels owned by Sausalito residents that 

participated in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

groundfish 0/0/NA, highly migratory species NA/0/NA, 

salmon 0/0/2, shellfish NA/0/NA, shrimp NA/0/0, and 

other species 0/0/1.19

In 2000 the number of Sausalito residents who held 

permits in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

coastal pelagic 0/0/5, crab 0/0/2, groundfish 0/0/2, highly 

migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 0/0/15, shellfish 0/0/

NA, shrimp 0/0/2, and other species 1/0/3.20

Sausalito residents held 47 registered state permits 

in 2000. The number of permits held by these 

community members in each fishery by state (WA/OR/

CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/0/12, crab 0/0/2, groundfish 

0/0/2, highly migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 0/0/24, 

shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 0/0/2, and other species 2/0/3.21

Sportfishing

The livelihoods of many residents depend on 

Sausalito’s sportfishing industry.22 Sport fishermen are 

involved in West Coast and Alaska fisheries. Numerous 

marinas in Sausalito cater to recreational fishermen and 

charter vessels and one license agent is based in the 

community. Internet resources show at least six 

sportfishing businesses based in Sausalito.

Subsistence

Specific information on subsistence fishing in 

Sausalito is not discussed in detail due to the lack of 

available data. The California Department of Fish and 

Game uses the term “recreational” for fishermen who do 

not earn revenue from their catch, but fish for pleasure or 

to provide food for personal consumption. Information 

on subsistence fishing in California is captured to some 

degree in the sportfishing data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 one Sausalito resident held a single 

registered state permit: an Alaska Commercial Fisheries 

Entry Commission salmon permit. One resident held a 

crew member license for North Pacific fisheries.

Sportfishing

Sausalito community members purchased 39 Alaska 

sportfishing licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. E. Curtis. 1924. The Miwok. Online at http://www.yosemite

.ca.us/history/curtis/ [accessed 20 March 2007].

2. Access Genealogy. 2004. California Indian tribes. Online at 

http://www.accessgenealogy.com/native/tribes/californiatribes.htm 

[accessed 20 March 2007].

3. See note 2.

4. Rohnert Park Historical Society. 2000. Miwok villages. 

Online at http://www.rphist.org/html/miwok.html [accessed 20 March 

2007].

5. See note 1.

6. Angel Island Association. 2003. Miwok information. Online 

at http://www.angelisland.org/miwok.htm [accessed 20 March 2007].

7. See note 6.

8. See note 1.

9. Miwok Archeological Preserve of Marin. No date. History

 of the Coast Miwok at Point Reyes. Online at http://www

.pointreyesvisions.com/NewFiles/Science_Folder/Coast_Miwok.html 

[accessed 20 March 2007].

10. R. Walker. 2001. A hidden geography. Online at http://

geography.berkeley.edu/PeopleHistory/faculty/R_Walker/

AHiddenGeography.html [accessed 20 March 2007].

11. Novato Chamber of Commerce. No date. Novato’s history. 

Online at http://www.novatochamber.com/about/advantages.cfm 

[accessed 20 March 2007].

12. See note 9.

13. See note 9.

14. City of Sausalito. 1997. Sausalito history. Online at http://

www.ci.sausalito.ca.us/shs/saus-hist/Sausalito%20History.htm 

[accessed 20 March 2007].

15. See note 14.

16. See note 14.

17. California Board of Equalization. 2004. California city and 

county sales and use tax rates. Online at http://www.boe.ca.gov/pdf/

pub71.pdf [accessed 20 March 2007].

18. California Board of Equalization. 2001. California counties 

transient lodging tax revenue, rate and date for fiscal year 2000–2001. 

Online at http://www.sco.ca.gov/ard/local/locrep/adhoc/county/

0001cotranslodgtax.pdf [accessed 20 March 2007].

19. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

20. See note 19.

21. See note 19.
542

22. Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission. 2004. West 

Coast marine fishing community descriptions. Online at http://

www.psmfc.org/efin/abstracts-data.html [accessed 20 March 2007].
543

Seaside

People and Place

Location

Seaside, located in Monterey County, is 3 miles 

north of the City of Monterey on the California coast, 

110 miles south of San Francisco, and about 345 miles 

northwest of Los Angeles. It encompasses 8.8 square 

miles of land and 0.1 square mile of water. Seaside’s 

geographic coordinates are lat 36°36′40′′N, long 

121°51′02′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of Seaside was 31,696, an 18.5% decrease from 1990. 

The gender composition was 49.7% female and 50.3% 

male. The median age was 29.5, lower than the national 

median of 35.3. In 2000 a total of 26.1% of the 

population were under 15 years of age and 34.4% were 

between the ages of 25 and 45. Of the population 18 

years of age and older, 68.1% had a high school 

education or higher, 15.4% had a bachelor’s degree or 

higher, and 4.5% had a graduate or professional degree, 

all below the national averages of 79.7%, 22.3%, and 

7.8% respectively.

The racial structure was predominantly white 

(49.2%), followed by individuals who identified with 

some other race (18.4%), black (12.6%), Asian (10.1%), 

individuals who identified with two or more races 

(7.3%), Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander (1.3%), and 

American Indian and Alaska Native (1%). Ethnicity data 

indicate 34.5% identified as Hispanic. About 31.2% 

were foreign-born, of which 59.3% were born in Mexico 

and 12.9% in the Philippines.

In 2000 88.9% of the population lived in family 

households.

History

Seaside was founded by Dr. L.D. Roberts from New 

York, who moved to the Monterey Peninsula in 1887 

when the area was known as East Monterey. Roberts 

bought his uncle’s ranch and subdivided 150 acres into 

lots selling for $25 each. Roberts renamed the area 

Seaside in 1890. He also established the post office and 

served as its postmaster for more than 40 years.

Seaside was once home to the Fort Ord U.S. Army 

Base. In 1993 the base was eliminated and its soldiers 

tranferred. An educational center took its place; 

California State University–Monterey Bay was founded 

in the 1990s on former Fort Ord lands. Two former 

4,000 3,000 2,000 1,000 0 1,000 2,000 3,000

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

49.2%

Two or more races

7.3%

Other

18.4%

Pacific Islander

1.3%

Asian

10.1%

Black

12.6%

Native

1%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Hispanic

34.5%

Non-Hispanic

65.5%
544

military 18-hole golf courses, Bayonet and Black Horse, 

opened to the public in 1997 when Seaside acquired the 

property.

Today Seaside, a culturally and ethnically diverse 

community, is the largest city on the peninsula. The area 

is popular among outdoor enthusiasts with numerous 

recreational activities such as surfing, rock climbing, 

hang gliding, golfing, and swimming.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to 2000 U.S. Census, 61.9% of Seaside’s 

potential labor force 16 years of age and older were 

employed, 3% were unemployed, and the unemployment 

rate was 4.7% (calculated by dividing the unemployed 

population by the labor force). In addition, 35% were not 

in the labor force, slightly less than the national average 

of 36.1%. The primary employment sectors were service 

jobs (34.5%), sales and office positions (23.7%), 

management, professional, and related occupations 

(20.4%), local, state, or federal government (12.8%), and 

the armed forces (6.3%). Natural resource jobs including 

agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting employed 

2.5%, but this percentage may be artificially low because 

many fishermen are self-employed and are 

underrepresented in the data.

The Monterey Peninsula draws much of its revenue 

from tourism, with more than 15 hotels located in the 

Seaside. The city’s major retail revenue, however, comes 

from the Seaside Auto Center. The largest employer is 

California State University–Monterey Bay.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the per capita 

income in 1999 was $15,183, the median household 

income was $41,393, and 12.1% lived below the poverty 

level. In 2000 Seaside had 11,005 housing units, of 

which 89.4% were occupied and 10.6% were vacant. Of 

the occupied units, 44% were by owner and 56% were by 

renter. Of the vacant units, 2.3% were due to seasonal, 

recreational, or occasional use.

Governance

Seaside, incorporated in 1954, is governed by a 

mayor, mayor pro tem, and three city council members. 

Seaside levies a 7.25% sales and use tax and Monterey 

County levies a 10.5% transient lodging tax.1, 2

 See the 

Governance subsection (page 43) in the Overview 

section for a more detailed discussion of taxes affecting 

fisherman and processors in California.

The National Marine Fisheries Service’s (NMFS) 

Southwest Fisheries Science Center has laboratories 

located 40 miles north in Santa Cruz and a NMFS 

2000 Employment structure

Unemployed

3.0%

Not in labor force

35.0%

Employed

61.9%

regional office is about 365 miles south in Long Beach. 

The California Department of Fish and Game has a 

marine field office in nearby Monterey. The nearest U.S. 

Citizenship and Immigration Services is 110 miles north 

in San Francisco. Pacific Fishery Management Council 

meetings are held 90 miles north in Foster City. Seaside 

falls within the jurisdiction of the U.S. Coast Guard 

(USCG) Station Monterey, which is under operational 

control of the USCG Group San Francisco.

Facilities

Seaside is accessible by California Highway 1 south 

to Monterey and north to Santa Cruz. The Monterey 

Peninsula Airport provides commercial service to San 

Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix, Arizona. The San 

Jose and San Francisco international airports are about 50 

and 80 miles away respectively. Monterey-Salinas 

Transit provides bus transportation south to Big Sur and 

north to Watsonville.

The Monterey Peninsula Unified School District has 

five elementary schools, two middle schools, a high 

school, and a charter high school in Seaside. California 

State University–Monterey Bay has an enrollment of 

more than 3,500. The Seaside Municipal Water System 

provides water services and the Seaside County 

Sanitation District is responsible for the wastewater 

collection system. The Seaside Police Department 

administers public safety. Seaside has a medical center 

but the closest hospital, Community Hospital of the 

Monterey Peninsula, is 5 miles away in Monterey. 

Additional local facilities include the Seaside community 

library, art galleries, and more than 25 parks.

There are no port or marina facilities in Seaside. 

The closest facilities are 3 miles south in Monterey, 

home to the Monterey Municipal Marina with more than 

400 slips, fish markets, charter operations, and 

commercial fishing facilities. There are also several 
545

smaller marinas and yacht clubs located in the Monterey 

area.

Seaside hosts several festivals throughout the year 

including the Holiday Party, the Monterey Bay Blues 

Festival, Hot Cars/Cool Nites, and an annual Halloween 

Festival. Another event, Concorso Italiano—a popular 

week-long classic car event—moved to the Seaside area 

in August 2003.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Landings data for Seaside were recorded as part of 

the Other Santa Cruz and Monterey County Ports group 

which includes the communities of Aptos, Big Sur, 

Capitola, Carmel, Davenport, Felton, Fort Ord, Freedom, 

Gilroy, Hollister, Lucia, Marina, Mill Creek, Monterey, 

Morgan Hill, Pacific Grove, Pebble Beach, Point Lobos, 

Salinas, San Juan Bautista, Soquel, Watsonville, and 

Willow Creek.

Reported landings for this port group in 2000 were 

in the following West Coast fisheries (data shown 

represent landings in metric tons/value of landings/

number of vessels delivering landings): coastal pelagic 

confidential/confidential/1; groundfish 10 t/$87,427/23; 

and other species <1 t/$187/7. See the Marina and 

Pebble Beach community profiles for additional 

information.

Seaside residents owned 18 vessels in 2000, 

including 13 that participated in the federally managed 

groundfish fishery. The number of vessels owned by 

Seaside residents that participated in each fishery by state 

(WA/OR/CA) was: crab 0/0/7, groundfish 0/0/NA, 

highly migratory species NA/0/NA, salmon 0/0/22, 

shellfish NA/0/NA, and shrimp NA/0/1.3

In 2000 the number of Seaside residents holding 

permits in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

coastal pelagic 0/0/10, groundfish 0/0/15, highly 

migratory species NA/0/1, salmon 0/0/24, shellfish 0/0/

NA, shrimp 0/0/1, and other species 0/0/7.4

In 2000 Seaside residents held 95 registered state 

permits. The number of permits held by these 

community members in each fishery by state (WA/OR/

CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/0/26, groundfish 0/0/18, 

highly migratory species NA/0/1, salmon 0/0/40, 

shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 0/0/2, and other species 0/0/8.5

Sportfishing

Several sportfishing charter businesses are located 

in the area, primarily operating from Monterey. Many 

also offer seasonal ecotours and whale watching 

excursions. In 2000 there were at least 139 charter 

businesses and 9 license agents in Monterey. Seaside has 

one sportfishing license agent. For more information on 

area sportfishing see the Monterey community profile.

Subsistence

Local tribal and nontribal community members may 

engage in subsistence fishing in the Seaside area, 

however, specific information on subsistence fishing is 

not discussed in detail due to the lack of available data. 

The California Department of Fish and Game describes 

as “recreational” fishermen who do not earn revenue 

from their catch, but fish for pleasure or to provide food 

for personal consumption. Information on subsistence 

fishing in California is captured to some degree in the 

sportfishing data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 Seaside residents owned four vessels 

involved in North Pacific fisheries. Community 

members landed fish in the following North Pacific 

fishery (data shown represents landings in metric tons/

value of said landings/number of vessels landing): 

salmon 127 t/$186,200/4.

In 2000 five Seaside residents held registered state 

permits and one held a registered federal permit. Five 

state and federal permits were registered to Seaside 

residents, and community members held five 

Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission salmon 

permits. Residents held 100,289 halibut individual 

fishing quota shares, and 39 had crew member licenses 

for North Pacific fisheries.

Sportfishing

Seaside residents purchased 24 Alaska sportfishing 

licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. California Board of Equalization. 2004. California city and 

county sales and use tax rates. Online at http://www.boe.ca.gov/pdf/

pub71.pdf [accessed 22 March 2007].

2. California Board of Equalization. 2001. California counties 

transient lodging tax revenue, rate and date for fiscal year 2000–2001. 

Online at http://www.sco.ca.gov/ard/local/locrep/adhoc/county/

0001cotranslodgtax.pdf [accessed 22 March 2007].

3. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

4. See note 3.

5. See note 3.
546

Sebastopol

People and Place

Location

Sebastopol is in Sonoma County 58 miles north of 

San Francisco, 7 miles west of Santa Rosa, and 16 miles 

east of Bodega Bay and the Pacific Ocean. The 

community encompasses 1.88 square miles. The 

geographic coordinates of Sebastopol are lat 38°24′08′′N, 

long 122°49′22′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of Sebastopol was 7,774. The gender structure was 

55.2% female and 44.8% male. The median age was 

41.5, more than 6 years higher than the national median 

age of 35.3. Of the population 18 years of age and older, 

66.3% had a high school education or higher, 24.7% had 

a bachelor’s degree or higher, and 8.9% had a graduate or 

professional degree; the national averages were 79.7%, 

22.3%, and 7.8% respectively. The highest attainment 

was a high school education for 13.6% of the population.

The majority of the racial composition of Sebastopol 

was white (89.9%), followed by individuals who 

identified with some other race (3.9%), individuals who 

identified with two or more races (3.2%), Asian (1.5%), 

American Indian and Alaska Native (0.8%), black 

(0.7%), and Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 

(0.1%). Ethnicity data indicate 9.3% identified as 

Hispanic and about 6.3% of the population was foreignborn. Of the foreign-born population, 46.1% were from 

Mexico, 13.8% from Canada, and 12.7% from the United 

Kingdom.

In 2000 76.1% of the population lived in family 

households.

History

The area surrounding contemporary Sebastopol was 

first inhabited by the Miwok and Pomo Indians. There 

was no single Pomo Tribe; instead 72 independent tribes 

spoke 7 related but distinct languages.1

 Pomo Indians 

wove intricate basketry and fashioned beads from 

clamshells and magnesite that were used as regional trade 

currency. The Pomo were hunter-gatherers. Coastal 

groups relied on salmon, marine shellfish, and sea 

mammals (particularly Stellar sea lions, California sea 

lions, sea otters, Northern fur seals, and harbor seals).2

 

Acorns were also an important food, and some Pomo 

bands relied on edible roots and tubers. The Miwok also 

fished, hunted, and gathered on a seasonal basis in the 

800 600 400 200 0 200 400 600 800 1,000

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

89.9%

Two or more races

3.2% Other

3.9%

Black

0.7%

Native

0.8%

Pacific Islander

0.1%

Asian

1.5%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Non-Hispanic

90.7%

Hispanic

9.3%
547

coastal areas and inland portions of what is now Sonoma 

County. Today the Coast Miwok have reorganized as the 

Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria and are seeking 

federal recognition.3

Spanish explorers arrived on the Pacific Coast near 

Sebastopol as early as 1607, but European settlement did 

not begin until the late 1700s, when Spanish missionaries 

and Russian fur traders established permanent residence 

in the area. While nearby coastal communities like 

Bodega Bay developed as lucrative hubs of the regional 

fishing industry, the fertile inland region surrounding 

Sebastopol became an important agricultural site. 

Sebastopol first took shape in the 1850s, when local 

farmers established a post office and a small trade center. 

With the California Gold Rush in full swing, the local 

population grew substantially throughout the 1850s. 

Early residents supposedly referred to the outpost as 

Sebastopol following a heated fistfight between two local 

men said to resemble Britain’s siege of the Russian 

seaport Sevastopol during the then ongoing Crimean 

War, one of the first wars to be widely covered by 

international journalists and photographers.4

In the 1880s farmers began cultivating apples near 

Sebastopol. These ventures were a success, and the town 

soon became the center of a lucrative apple industry and 

the location of the world’s first applesauce cannery. In 

1890 the Northwestern Pacific Railroad began service to 

Sebastopol, and by 1904 the community was connected 

to Santa Rosa and Petaluma with a passenger electric 

train line.

In the mid 1900s the apple industry began to decline 

amidst competition from other apple-producing regions. 

Although apples are no longer Sebastopol’s largest 

industry, the area continues to provide most of the world 

supply of Gravenstein apples, and the community hosts 

an annual apple blossom festival.5

 More recently, 

western Sonoma County has become a significant 

producer of wine-quality grapes, and the Sebastopol 

region now has a number of wineries popular with 

tourists. The nearby Russian River Recreation Region 

also draws visitors that use services in Sebastopol.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 63.2% of 

Sebastopol’s potential labor force 16 years of age and 

older were employed, 1.6% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 2.5% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force), less than half 

the national jobless rate of 5.7%. In addition, 35.2% 

were not in the labor force. The top employment sectors 

were education, health, and social services (24.4%), 

2000 Employment structure

Unemployed

1.6%

Not in labor force

35.2%

Employed

63.2%

local, state, or federal government (17.2%), 

manufacturing (11.3%), construction (10.8%), retail 

trade (10.3%), and professional, scientific, and technical 

services (6.6%). Natural resource jobs including 

agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting, employed only 

0.6%, but this percentage may be artificially low because 

many fishermen are self-employed and are 

underrepresented in the data.

The community’s major employers include O’Reilly 

and Associates (a publisher of computer related books), 

Safeway Stores, Analy Union High School, Sebastopol 

Union School, and Palm Drive Hospital.6

 Many 

fishermen living in Sebastopol likely commute to nearby 

Bodega Bay, which has extensive marina facilities.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Sebastopol’s 

per capita income in 1999 was $22,881, slightly higher 

than the national average of $21,587. The median 

household income was $46,436, higher than the national 

median household income of $41,994. About 6.9% of 

residents lived below the poverty level, well below the 

national poverty level of 12.4%.

In 2000 Sebastopol had 3,321 housing units, of 

which 97.9% were occupied and 2.1% were vacant. Of 

the occupied units, 55.9% were by owner and 44.1% 

were by renter. Of the vacant housing, 16.9% were due 

to seasonal, recreational, or occasional use.

Governance

Sebastopol incorporated 13 June 1902. The 

community operates under a council-manager 

government with a five-member city council.7

 The city 

has an 8% sales and use tax,8 and Sonoma County levies 

a 9% lodging tax.9 See the Governance subsection 

(page 43) in the Overview section for a more detailed 

discussion of taxes affecting fisherman and processors in 

California.
548

The nearest California Department of Fish and 

Game marine region field office is 16 miles away in 

Bodega Bay. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration’s Southwest Regional office is 455 miles 

south in Long Beach. The closest U.S. Coast Guard 

stations are in Bodega Bay and San Francisco. 

Sacramento, 107 miles northeast, hosts the nearest 

Pacific Fishery Management Council meetings. The 

nearest U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services field 

office is in San Francisco.

Facilities

Sebastopol is on California highways 12 and 116 

near U.S. Highway 101. Sonoma County Airport in 

nearby Santa Rosa (7 miles) provides passenger and 

freight services, and the nearest international airport is at 

San Francisco. Sonoma County Transit provides local 

bus service. The city supports a number of hotels, 

motels, and bed and breakfasts.

The Sebastopol Union School District operates two 

elementary schools and one middle school.10 Sebastopol 

students attend two high schools operated by the West 

Sonoma County Union High School District, which 

serves residents of western Sonoma County from north of 

Petaluma up the coast to near Fort Ross. This district is 

headquartered in Sebastopol.11 The Sebastopol 

Department of Public Works provides water and 

wastewater services. Pacific Gas & Electric Company 

supplies natural gas and electricity. Sebastopol and the 

Sonoma County Sheriff’s Department administer public 

safety, and the Sebastopol Volunteer Fire Department 

provides fire protection. The main health care facility in 

Sebastopol is Palm Drive Hospital.12

Bodega Bay has the nearest marine facilities, 

including four marinas. Spud Point Marina offers 244 

berths (80% allocated to commercial fishing), shower 

facilities, a laundromat, service dock, and boat yard. 

Mason’s Marina offers 115 berths, a hoist, several docks, 

fuel, and a convenience store. Porto Bodega Marina has 

95 berths, several boat docks, a launch, and trailer 

hookups. In addition, the Golden Hinde Inn has an 

adjacent marina, and Sonoma County provides boat 

launching at Doran and Westside parks in the vicinity of 

Bodega Bay.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

No seafood processors operated in Sebastopol in 

2000. Landings data for Sebastapol were recorded as 

part of the Other Sonoma and Marin County Outer Coast 

Ports group which includes Bolinas, Cloverdale, Corte 

Madera, Dillon Beach, Drakes Bay, Forest Knolls, 

Greenbrae, Guerneville, Hamlet, Healdsburg, Inverness, 

Jenner, Kentfield, Marconi, Marshall, Mill Valley, 

Millerton, Muir Beach, Nicasio, Novato, Occidental, 

Petaluma, Rohnert Park, San Quentin, San Rafael, Santa 

Rosa, Sonoma, Stewarts Point, Stinson Beach, Tiburon, 

and Windsor.

Reported landings for this port group in 2000 were 

in the following West Coast fisheries (data shown 

represents landings in metric tons/value of landings/

number of vessels landing): coastal pelagic 135 t/

$116,723/15; crab 6 t/$42,768/7; groundfish 1 t/$1,704/9; 

highly migratory species confidential/confidential/1; 

salmon 5 t/$31,805/4; shrimp 3 t/$23,875/6; and other 

species 4 t/$23,656/16. See the Novato, Dillon Beach, 

Corte Madera, and Santa Rosa community profiles for 

additional information.

In 2000 no vessels delivered landings to Sebastopol, 

however, residents owned 19 fishing vessels active in 

West Coast commercial fisheries, of which 11 

participated in the federally managed groundfish fishery. 

The number of vessels owned by residents in 2000 that 

participated in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

coastal pelagic 0/0/0, crab 0/0/4, groundfish 0/0/NA, 

highly migratory species NA/0/NA, salmon 0/0/13, 

shellfish NA/1/NA, shrimp NA/1/0, and other species 1/

0/0.13

In 2000 four Sebastopol residents held five federal 

groundfish fishery permits. The number of residents 

holding permits in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) 

was: coastal pelagic 0/0/9, crab 0/0/7, groundfish 0/0/2, 

highly migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 0/0/23, 

shellfish 0/1/NA, shrimp 0/1/3, and other species 1/0/7.14

Sebastopol residents held at least 82 commercial 

fishing permits in 2000, including 77 state registered 

permits. The number of state permits held by residents in 

2000 in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal 

pelagic 0/015, crab 0/0/7, groundfish 0/0/2, highly 

migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 0/0/40, shellfish 0/0/

NA, shrimp 0/0/5, and other species 1/0/7.15

Sportfishing

In 2002 at least 18 charter businesses served sport 

fishermen and tourists in Sebastopol. Three local license 

agents sell sportfishing licenses. In 2000 vendors in 

Sonoma County sold 27,938 resident sportfishing 

licenses, 51 nonresident sportfishing licenses, 993 sport 

salmon punch cards, 7,115 abalone report cards, 3,362 

steelhead report cards, and 5,965 striped bass stamps.

In 2000 the Princeton-Bodega Bay port complex 

received 147,926 commercial passenger fishing vessel 

landings made by 27,274 anglers. The top five species 
549

landed were unspecified rockfishes, Chinook salmon, 

lingcod, cabezon, and albacore.

Subsistence

Specific information on subsistence fishing in 

Sebastopol is not discussed in detail due to the lack of 

available data. The California Department of Fish and 

Game terms “recreational” fishermen who do not earn 

revenue from their catch, but fish for pleasure or to 

provide food for personal consumption. Information on 

subsistence fishing is captured to some degree in the 

sportfishing data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 at least five Sebastopol residents held crew 

member licenses for North Pacific fisheries.

Sportfishing

Sebastopol residents purchased 63 Alaska 

sportfishing licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. B. Ortiz. No date. Houghton Mifflin encyclopedia of North 

American Indians: Pomo. Online at http://college.hmco.com/history/

readerscomp/naind/html/na_030100_pomo.htm [accessed July 2004].

2. C. R. Smith. 1999. California’s Native people, the Northwest 

Region: Subsistence. Online at http://www.cabrillo.edu/~crsmith/

anth6_nwcoast_subsist.html [accessed 28 March 2007].

3. P. Harris. 2000. Tribal Spirit. Sonoma County Independent, 

9–15 March. Online at http://www.metroactive.com/papers/sonoma/

03.09.00/nativeamerican-0010.html [accessed 28 March 2007].

4. City of Sebastopol. 2005. History. Online at http://

www.ci.sebastopol.ca.us/history.shtml [accessed 28 March 2007].

5. City of Sebastopol. 2005. Our community. Online at http://

www.ci.sebastopol.ca.us/ourcommunity.shtml [accessed 28 March 

2007].

6. City of Sebastopol. 2005. City statistics. Online at http://

www.ci.sebastopol.ca.us/citystatistics.shtml [accessed 28 March 

2007].

7. Sebastopol Area Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center. 

No date. About the Sebastopol area-demographics. Online at http://

www.sebastopol.org/Default.asp?page=30 [accessed 28 March 2007].

8. State of California. 2005. California city and county sales 

and use tax rates-cities, counties and tax rates. Online at http://

www.boe.ca.gov/cgi-bin/rates.cgi?LETTER=S&LIST=CITY 

[accessed 28 March 2007].

9. State of California. 2004. California counties transient 

lodging tax revenue. Online at http://www.sco.ca.gov/ard/local/

locrep/adhoc/county/0001cotranslodgtax.pdf [accessed 28 March 

2007].

10. Sebastopol Union School District. No date. Home page. 

Online at http://sebastopolschools.org [accessed 28 March 2007].

11. West Sonoma County Union High School District. 2005. 

Home page. Online at http://www.wscuhsd.k12.ca.us/ [accessed 28 

March 2007].

12. See note 6.

13. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

14. See note 13.

15. See note 13.
550

Sunset Beach

People and Place

Location

Sunset Beach is located in Orange County, about 30 

miles south of Los Angeles and 97 miles north of San 

Diego. The geographic coordinates of Sunset Beach are 

lat 33°42′59′′N, long 118°04′05′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of Sunset Beach was 1,097. The gender composition was 

45.4% female and 54.6% male. The median age was 

39.5, higher than the national median of 35.3. Of the 

population 18 years of age and older, 97.9% had a high 

school education or higher, 47.2% had a bachelor’s 

degree or higher, and 14.7% had a graduate or 

professional degree; the national averages were 79.7%, 

22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The majority of the racial structure was white 

(90.2%), followed by individuals who identified with two 

or more races (4.1%), individuals who identified with 

some other race (3.2%), Asian (2.1%), American Indian 

and Alaska Native (0.3%) and black (0.1%). Ethnicity 

data indicate 6.1% identified as Hispanic. About 2.7% of 

the population were foreign-born with 50% from 

Sweden.

In 2000 59.7% of the population lived in family 

households.

History

During the early 1900s the Pacific Electric Railway 

ran north-south through what is now Sunset Beach and 

played an important role in the development of Orange 

County. Homes and businesses sprang up alongside the 

railroad tracks as residents in smaller towns could more 

conveniently commute to larger population centers such 

as Los Angeles. Sunset Beach became a popular 

recreation destination and residential community during 

the early and mid-1900s.

In 1968 the Orange County Parks Board of 

Supervisors recognized the need to improve and maintain 

the beachfront area and began a series of infrastructure 

improvement projects. One such project, completed in 

1974, redeveloped the right-of-way of the former rail line 

to create larger parking facilities for the growing number 

of visitors. Sunset Beach Park is a major visitor 

attraction. Another popular site between the U.S. Naval 

Weapons Station and Sunset-Huntington Harbor is the 

Anaheim Bay National Wildlife Refuge, a protected area 

200 150 100 50 0 50 100 150

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

90.2%

Two or more races

4.1%

Black

0.1%

Other

Asian 3.2%

2.1%

Native

0.3%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Non-Hispanic

93.9%

Hispanic

6.1%
551

home to diverse marine and bird life. Sunset Beach is an 

unincorporated community known for surfing and beach 

sports.1

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 74.3% of 

Sunset Beach’s potential labor force 16 years of age and 

older were employed, 4% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 5.1% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

21.8% were not in the labor force. The top employment 

sectors were education, health, and social services 

(14.6%), manufacturing (11.6%), local, state, or federal 

government (11.8%), and arts, entertainment, recreation, 

accommodation, and food services (10.8%). No one was 

employed in natural resource jobs such as agriculture, 

forestry, fishing, and hunting, but this may be misleading 

because many fishermen are self-employed and are 

underrepresented in the data.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Sunset Beach’s 

per capita income in 1999 was $53,507 and the median 

household income was $65,990, both well above the 

respective national averages. Only 6.6% lived below the 

poverty level compared to the national average of 12.4%. 

In 2000 Sunset Beach had 685 housing units, of which 

83.1% were occupied and 16.9% were vacant. Of the 

occupied units, 40.1% were by owner and 59.9% were by 

renter. About 54.3% of the vacant housing was due to 

seasonal, recreational, or occasional use.

Governance

Sunset Beach is an unincorporated residential area 

within Orange County. The sales tax is 7.25% based on 

the standard statewide rate. See the Governance 

subsection (page 43) in the Overview section for a more 

detailed discussion of taxes affecting fisherman and 

processors in California.

The National Marine Fisheries Service, California 

Department of Fish and Game, and U.S. Coast Guard 

have offices in Long Beach, 9 miles north of Sunset 

Beach. The nearest U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 

Services suboffice is in Santa Ana, 19 miles east. Pacific 

Fishery Management Council meetings are held in Del 

Mar, 79 miles south. The nearest North Pacific Fishery 

Management Council meeting location is Portland, 

Oregon, 997 miles north.

Facilities

Sunset Beach is accessible by land, air, and sea. 

California Highway 1, also known as the Pacific Coast 

2000 Employment structure

Employed

74.3%

Unemployed

4%

Not in labor force

21.8%

Highway, runs north and south through the community. 

Interstate highways 5 and 405 are also nearby. The John 

Wayne Orange County Airport in Santa Ana is east of 

Sunset Beach, and Los Angeles International Airport is 

about 31 miles north. Greyhound and Amtrak provide 

bus and rail service respectively to nearby communities 

and metropolitan areas throughout the country.

There are no schools in Sunset Beach. Students 

attend schools in nearby Huntington Beach and 

Westminster. The Huntington Beach Water Division 

provides water and wastewater services. Southern 

California Edison supplies electricity, and Southern 

California Gas Company provides natural gas. The 

Orange County Sheriff’s office administers local law 

enforcement, and the Orange County Fire Authority 

provides fire and emergency response services. There 

are no hospitals in Sunset Beach, although a major 

hospital and a variety of medical clinics are located in 

Huntington Beach. Similarly, there are no lodging 

accommodations located in Sunset Beach, but there are 

hotels, motels, and bed and breakfasts in Huntington 

Beach and Long Beach.

The Sunset-Huntington Harbor area has five 

marinas with capacity for more than 3,000 vessels. The 

main marine facility is the Sunset Beach County Park, 

operated and maintained by Orange County. The popular 

beachfront park has a 45-acre beach, a 627-space parking 

lot, and various visitor accommodations and amenities. 

The Orange County Sheriff’s Harbor Patrol, in 

cooperation with agencies including the U.S. Coast 

Guard and U.S. Navy, is responsible for patrolling the 

Sunset-Huntington marina area.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

No vessels delivered landings to Sunset Beach in 

2000, however, Sunset Beach residents owned two 
552

commercial vessels. The number of vessels owned by 

residents that participated in each fishery by state (WA/

OR/CA) was: groundfish 0/0/NA, highly migratory 

species NA/0/NA, shellfish NA/0/NA, shrimp NA/0/0, 

and other species 0/0/2.2

 No seafood processors operated 

in Sunset Beach in 2000.

In 2000, no community members held federal 

groundfish permits. The number of Sunset Beach 

residents holding permits in each fishery by state (WA/

OR/CA) was: highly migratory species NA/0/0, shellfish 

0/0/NA, and other species 0/0/1.3

Residents held at least two state-registered, 

commercial fishing permits in 2000. The number of state 

permits held by Sunset Beach residents in each fishery by 

state (WA/OR/CA) was: highly migratory species NA/0/

0, shellfish 0/0/NA, and other species 0/0/2.4

Sportfishing

A number of charter vessels operate out of the area 

targeting albacore and bluefin tuna, marlin, yellowtail, 

rock cod, salmon, shark, yellowfin tuna, and other 

species. Many also offer seasonal whale watching tours. 

In 2002 and 2003, no charter businesses served sport 

fishermen and tourists in Sunset Beach and no license 

agents sold sportfishing licenses. In 2000 vendors in 

Orange County sold 26,250 resident sportfishing 

licenses, 47 non-resident sportfishing licenses, 7 sport 

salmon punch cards, and 29 abalone report cards. Sunset 

Beach is near the port group consisting of Seal Beach, 

Long Beach, and San Pedro, where a total of 54 

commercial passenger fishing vessels served 148,977 

anglers in 2000. These vessels reported 883,806 landings 

consisting of more than two dozen species. Sea bass 

(various species), barracuda, flatfishes (unspecified), and 

rockfishes (unspecified) accounted for 47.6%, 14.1%, 

10.4%, and 9.2% of the landings respectively.

Subsistence

Local tribal and nontribal community members may 

engage in subsistence fishing in the Sunset Beach area, 

however, specific information on subsistence fishing is 

not discussed in detail due to the lack of available data. 

The California Department of Fish and Game terms 

“recreational” fishermen who do not earn revenue from 

their catch, but fish for pleasure or to provide food for 

personal consumption. Information on subsistence 

fishing in California is captured to some degree in the 

sportfishing data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 there was no involvement in North Pacific 

commercial fisheries by Sunset Beach residents.

Sportfishing

In 2000 10 Sunset Beach residents purchased Alaska 

sportfishing licenses.

Notes

1. Orange County Parks Department. 2005. Sunset Beach. 

Online at http://www.ocparks.com/sunsetbeach/ [accessed 30 March 

2007].

2. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

3. See note 2.

4. See note 2.
553

Tarzana

People and Place

Location

Tarzana is a community within Los Angeles that 

encompasses 6.45 square miles. It is in Los Angeles 

County toward the western end of the San Fernando 

Valley at the foothills of the Santa Monica Mountains, 22 

miles northwest of Los Angeles. Neighboring 

communities include Canoga Park, Winnetka, and 

Reseda to the north; Encino to the west; Pacific Palisades 

to the south; and Woodland Hills to the east. U.S. 

Highway 101 (Ventura Boulevard) runs through the 

northern portion of Tarzana. The geographic coordinates 

of Tarzana are lat 34°10′24′′N, long 118°33′11′′W.

Demographic Profile

Tarzana was not recognized as a Census Designated 

Place by the 2000 U.S. Census, however, basic 

demographic data are available for the community at the 

Zip code level. According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 

Tarzana’s Zip code (91356) had a population of 27,407. 

The gender composition was 52% female and 48% male. 

The median age was 39.6, higher than the national 

median age of 35.3. Of the population 18 years of age 

and older, 86.9% had a high school education or higher, 

39.6% had a bachelor’s degree or higher, and 15.3% had 

a graduate or professional degree; the national averages 

were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The majority of the racial structure was white, 

(78.9%), followed by individuals who identified with two 

or more races (6.0%), Asian (5.6%), individuals who 

identified with some other race (5.4%), black (3.8%), 

American Indian or Alaska Native (0.3%), and Native 

Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander (0.1%). Ethnicity 

data indicate 13.1% identified as Hispanic. About 35.2% 

of the population was foreign-born, including 21.9% 

from Iran and 10.6% from Mexico.

In 2000 80.2% of the population lived in family 

households.

History

Native peoples first inhabited the California coast 

about 13,000 years ago. The Los Angeles area was home 

to the Chumash, whose territory spanned the length of 

California coast from Malibu to Pasa Robles.1 The 

Chumash were hunter-gatherers and relied heavily on 

maritime resources, including clams, mussels, abalone, 

and many fish species. They developed sophisticated 

technologies for harvesting marine resources, established 

3,000 2,000 1,000 0 1,000 2,000 3,000

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure

Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

78.9%

Pacific Islander

0.1%

Asian

5.6%

Native

0.3%

Black

3.8%

Other

5.4%

Two or more races

6.0%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Non-Hispanic

86.9% Hispanic

13.1%
554

large coastal villages, and traded extensively within their 

territory. The Chumash became known as Gabrielenos 

due to their association with the San Gabriel Mission. 

Between 200 and 500 years ago, Tongva Indians 

migrated from the Mojave Desert region, establishing 25 

villages throughout what is today the Los Angeles 

County area and becoming similarly dependent on 

marine resources.2

 Today the Gabrieleno/Tongva Tribe 

is headquartered in San Gabriel, where it seeks federal 

recognition and tribal fishing rights.

Europeans first reached the area in 1542 when 

Spanish explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo entered Santa 

Monica Bay and was met by Tongva Indians in canoes. 

At the onset of European settlement, it is estimated there 

were at least 5,000 Indian residents in the San Fernando 

Valley.3 The Indian population declined rapidly as 

European-introduced diseases and conflicts killed an 

estimated two-thirds the native population in what is now 

California.4 Beginning with the founding of the San 

Fernando Mission in 1797, Spanish settlers and 

missionaries established permanent residence. The 

Tarzana area was originally part of the mission lands, but 

when the territory was seized first by Mexico and later by 

the United States, it became part of a succession of large 

cattle ranches owned by wealthy, powerful individuals 

active in local politics and business.5

 In the 1870s the 

Tarzana area was purchased by investors who developed 

it into a large-scale wheat farm.

The acreage surrounding Tarzana was sold to the 

Los Angeles Suburban Homes Company in 1909 in 

anticipation of the Los Angeles aqueduct and annexation 

of the area into the City of Los Angeles. One of the 

investors, General Harrison Gray Otis, founder and 

publisher of the Los Angeles Times, bought 550 acres in 

what is now the center of Tarzana. Another investor 

founded a small town, Runnymede, in the vicinity and 

subdivided the surrounding land into small plots for 

poultry ranches and berry farms. In 1915, Edgar Rice 

Burroughs, author of the Tarzan novels, purchased Otis’ 

acreage, built a large home, and renamed the property 

Tarzana Ranch. Burroughs subdivided and sold the land 

for homes in 1923 and, as development proceeded, the 

neighboring small farms also converted to residential 

areas. In 1927 local residents renamed the town Tarzana 

in honor of Burroughs and his famous literary character.

Today Tarzana is regarded as a Los Angeles 

bedroom community with many neighborhoods zoned 

single family residential or residential/agricultural that 

attract people interested in a suburban lifestyle and larger 

home lots.6 The community has many swimming pools 

(local lore holds the first residential swimming pool was 

constructed in Tarzana) and movie stars, as well as 

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

38.2%

Employed

58.8%

Unemployed

3%

luxury housing developments and country club golf 

courses.7

Tarzana also supports a growing Iranian population, 

and the community is well known for its Persian 

restaurants, booksellers, and language training institutes.8 

A thriving Jewish community attends four synagogues 

and provides the customer base for the first and only 

branch of the Hebrew-language bookseller Steimatzky 

constructed outside of Israel.9 In February 2000 Tarzana 

residents formed the Tarzana Community and Cultural 

Center, which stages community festivals and events and 

collects photos and memorabilia related to Tarzana’s 

history to help foster a sense of history and place within 

the community.10

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 58.8% of 

Tarzana’s population 16 years of age or older were 

employed, 3% were unemployed, and the unemployment 

rate was 4.8% (calculated by dividing the unemployed 

population by the labor force), less than the national 

jobless rate of 5.7%. In addition, 38.2% were not in the 

labor force. The primary employment sectors were 

education, health, and social services (19.5%), retail 

trade (13.2%), professional, scientific, and technical 

services (12.1%), and local, state, or federal government 

(8.4%). Natural resource jobs including agriculture, 

forestry, fishing, and mining employed only 0.1%, but 

this percentage may be artificially low because many 

fishermen are self-employed and are underrepresented in 

the data.

Because of its location within the Los Angeles 

metro area and its status as a bedroom community, many 

Tarzana residents likely commute to jobs in the city and 

surrounding communities. The area supports a number 
555

of retail businesses, many of which are clustered along 

Ventura Boulevard, which runs through the northern 

portion of Tarzana. Other than this strip, the community 

does not have an easily distinguishable commercial 

core.11 In addition to these retail stores, Tarzana is home 

to the Encino-Tarzana Medical Center and a number of 

smaller medical clinics, law offices, real estate agencies, 

country clubs, and professional offices.12

According to the U.S. Census, Tarzana’s per capita 

income in 1999 was $36,327, well above the national per 

capita income of $21,587. The median household 

income was $51,420, also above the national median 

household income of $41,994. About 11.1% lived below 

the poverty level, slightly below the national poverty 

level of 12.4%. In 2000 Tarzana had 11,422 housing 

units, of which 96.6% were occupied and 3.4% were 

vacant. Of the occupied units, 57% were by owner and 

43% were by renter. Of the vacant units, 32.2% were for 

rent and 21.5% were for sale.

Governance

In 1915 the City of Los Angeles annexed the portion 

of the San Fernando Valley containing Tarzana. 

Although not an independent city, Tarzana is recognized 

as a distinct community within Los Angeles. It does not 

have a separate municipal government, but is one of 80 

communities within the city that have formed active 

neighborhood councils. The Los Angeles city charter 

was reformed in 1998 to allow the formation of these 

councils, each of which is allotted a yearly operating 

budget of $50,000 and run by community members on a 

volunteer basis. The Tarzana Neighborhood Council, 

certified in January 2003, functions as an advisory body 

meant to make the city government more accountable 

and more responsive to local residents.13

Los Angeles was founded in 1781 and incorporated 

on 4 April 1850. It is a charter city that operates under a 

council-city manager government.14 Los Angeles has a 

15-member council and mayor, all elected.15 Residents 

pay an 8.25% sales and use tax. Los Angeles County has 

a 12% lodging tax rate, which earned $10,202,899 in 

fiscal year 2001.16 See the Governance subsection 

(page 43) in the Overview section for a more detailed 

discussion of taxes affecting fisherman and processors in 

California.

The nearest California Department of Fish and 

Game Marine Region field office is 47 away in Los 

Alamitos. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration (NOAA) Southwest Regional Office is in 

Long Beach (42 miles). Eight U.S. Coast Guard vessels 

are stationed at the USCG Marine Safety Office/Group 

Los Angeles–Long Beach in San Pedro (40 miles). 

Delmar and San Diego, 126 miles and 145 miles away 

respectively, are the nearest cities that hold Pacific 

Fishery Management Council meetings. A U.S. 

Citizenship and Immigration Services District Office is 

in Los Angeles.

Facilities

Tarzana is 22 miles from the heart of Los Angeles. 

The main thoroughfare is U.S. Highway 101 (Ventura 

Boulevard). Los Angeles is accessible by land, sea, and 

air. Interstate highways 5, 10, and 110 contribute to the 

527 freeway miles in the city. Seventeen Amtrak trains 

serve Union Station (27 miles from Tarzana), making it 

the eighth busiest Amtrak station in the nation. Los 

Angeles International Airport, 25 miles from Tarzana, 

ranks third in the world based on passenger volume. 

Ontario International Airport, Bob Hope Airport, and 

Long Beach Airport also serve the area.17

Tarzana is in the Los Angeles Unified School 

District, and students attend schools in Tarzana and 

surrounding neighborhoods. Three public elementary 

schools and one public middle school are located in the 

community. High school students attend Taft High 

School in neighboring Woodland Hills. The immediate 

area also has a number of private and parochial schools. 

Nearby hospitals include the Kaiser Foundation Hospital 

and Encino Hospital, both in adjacent communities. The 

Encino-Tarzana Medical Center and a number of clinics 

located in the vicinity also provide medical services. The 

Los Angeles Department of Public Works provides water 

and wastewater services. Pacific Gas and Electric and 

other private power companies supply electricity. The 

Los Angeles Police Department and a number of fire 

companies administer law enforcement and emergency 

services.

The Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro Bay (40 

miles) is the nearest marine facility. This port complex, 

outfitted for both commercial and recreational purposes, 

stretches along 43 miles of waterfront and occupies 7,500 

acres, 3,300 of which are water.18 The port is within the 

jurisdiction of Los Angeles and is under the direction of a 

five-member board of harbor commissioners appointed 

by the mayor.19 The port has 29 state-of-the-art cargo 

facilities and five intermodal rail yards.20 The complex 

includes the Cabrillo Marina, which provides slips for 

1,100 pleasure crafts, Cabrillo Beach (popular with 

swimmers), three museums, the Cabrillo Marine 

Aquarium, and the S.S. Lane Victory (a national historic 

landmark). Charter boats offer a number of harbor cruise 

and whale watching tours.21 The Port of Los Angeles 

World Cruise Center is the primary cruise passenger 

complex on the West Coast, handling the world’s largest 

cruise ships.22 In 1997 the 47-acre terminal island 
556

transfer facility was completed, allowing direct transfer 

of containers from ships to trains.23

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

No seafood processors operated in Tarzana in 2000 

and no vessels delivered landings. Residents owned two 

commercial vessels; both participated in the federally 

managed groundfish fishery. One vessel participated in 

both the nearshore and high seas pelagic fisheries. The 

number of vessels owned by Tarzana residents in 2000 

that participated in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) 

was: coastal pelagic 0/0/2, groundfish 0/0/NA, highly 

migratory species NA/1/NA, shellfish NA/0/NA, and 

shrimp NA/0/2.24

In 2000 no federal groundfish fishery permits were 

held by community members. The number of Tarzana 

residents holding permits in each fishery by state (WA/

OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/0/3, highly migratory 

species NA/1/1, shellfish 0/0/NA, and shrimp 0/0/2.25

Tarzana residents held at least 13 commercial 

fishing permits in 2000, all state registered. The number 

of state permits held by Tarzana residents in each fishery 

by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/0/5, highly 

migratory species NA/1/3, shellfish 0/0/NA, and shrimp 

0/0/4.26

Sportfishing

A number of charter vessels operate out of the Los 

Angeles area targeting albacore tuna, rock cod, salmon, 

and other species. In 2002 at least two charter businesses 

served sport fishermen and tourists in Tarzana. There are 

no license agents selling sportfishing licenses in Tarzana, 

however, in 2000 vendors in Los Angeles County sold 

76,385 resident sportfishing licenses, 59 nonresident 

sportfishing licenses, 164 sport salmon punch cards, and 

174 abalone report cards. The nearest commercial 

passenger fishing vessels port complex consists of 

Redondo, Marina Del Rey, and Malibu. In 2000 13 

commercial passenger fishing vessels served 63,765 

anglers out of this complex, reporting 326,222 landings 

composed of more than two dozen species. Sea bass 

(various species), California scorpionfish, and rockfishes 

(unspecified) accounted for 39.9%, 22.7%, and 15.8% of 

the landings respectively.

Subsistence

Local tribal and nontribal community members may 

engage in subsistence fishing in the Tarzana area, 

however, specific information on subsistence fishing is 

not discussed in detail in this community profile due to 

the lack of available data. The California Department of 

Fish and Game terms “recreational” fishermen who do 

not earn revenue from their catch, but fish for pleasure or 

to provide food for personal consumption. Information 

on subsistence fishing in California is captured to some 

degree in the sportfishing data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 Tarzana residents were not involved in 

North Pacific fisheries.

Sportfishing

In 2000 42 Tarzana community members purchased 

Alaska sportfishing licenses.

Notes

1. Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. 2002. Chumash 

Indian life. Online at http://www.sbnature.org/research/anthro/

chumash/index.htm [accessed 4 April 2007].

2. Los Angeles Almanac. 2004. Los Angeles County-Prehistory to 1799. Online at http://www.laalmanac.com/history/

hi01a.htm [accessed 4 April 2007].

3. J. Kotkin and E. Ozuna. 2002. The changing face of the San 

Fernando Valley. Davenport Institute research reports, Pepperdine 

University. Online at http://publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu/

davenportinstitute/reports/changingface/changing2.html [accessed 4 

April 2007].

4. U.S. 2004. Regional trends in biological resources: 

California. Online at http://biology.usgs.gov/s+t/SNT/noframe/

ca162.htm [accessed 4 April 2007].

5. Tarzana Chamber of Commerce and Tarzana Bank of 

America. 1969. Edgar Rice Burroughs-First citizen of Tarzana. 

Online at http://www.angelfire.com/trek/erbzine3/erbmotes8.html 

[accessed February 2005].

6. S. Carrier. 2004. Where the fast lane slows down. LA Times, 

October 24.

7. EPodunk. 2005. Tarzana, CA, profile. Online at http://

www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=10960 [accessed 4 

April 2007].

8. K. Melamed. 2004. Heightened interest in Persian culture in 

Beverly Hills. Circle Magazine, Spring. Online at http://

www.circlemagazine.com/issuetwentynine/heightened.html [accessed 

February 2005].

9. A. Wills. Steimatzky in Tarzana. Jewish Journal of Greater 

Los Angeles, 22 December 2000. Online at http://www.jewishjournal

.com/home/searchview.php?id=6300 [accessed 4 April 2007].

10. Tarzana Community and Cultural Center. No date. Home 

page. Online at http://www.mytarzana.org [accessed 4 April 2007].

11. Los Angeles City Planning Commission. 2000. Tarzana 

streetscape plan. Online at http://www.lacity.org/pln [accessed 4 

April 2007].

12. Tarzana Chamber of Commerce. 2005. Featured businesses. 

Online at http://www.tarzanachamber.com/ [accessed 4 April 2007].

13. S. Garcia. 2004. Neighborhood councils struggling. San 

Fernando Valley Business Journal, October 11.

14. See note 2.
557

15. City of Los Angeles. 2004. Los Angeles almanac: Mayors 

and city councils: Cities of Los Angeles County. Online at http://

www.laalmanac.com/cities/ci93.htm [accessed 4 April 2007].

16. State of California. 2004. California counties transient 

lodging tax revenue. Online at http://www.sco.ca.gov/ard/local/

locrep/adhoc/county/0001cotranslodgtax.pdf [accessed 4 April 2007].

17. LA Inc.: Convention and Visitors Bureau. No date. Facts 

about Los Angeles: Transportation. Online at http://

www.lapressroom.info/factstransportation.aspx [accessed 4 April 

2007].

18. Port of Los Angeles. 2001. Port of Los Angeles: Home. 

Online at http://www.portofla.org/index.htm [accessed 4 April 2007].

19. Port of Los Angeles. 2001. Port of Los Angeles: About the 

port. Online at http://www.portofla.org/about.htm [accessed 4 April 

2007].

20. Port of Los Angeles. 2001. Port of Los Angeles: Facilities. 

Online at http://www.portofla.org/Facilities.htm [accessed 4 April 

2007].

21. Port of Los Angeles. 2001. Port of Los Angeles: 

Recreation. Online at http://www.portofla.org/recreation.htm 

[accessed 4 April 2007].

22. LA Inc.: Convention and Visitors Bureau. No date. LA 

World Cruise Center. Online at http://www.cruisela.com/wcc.aspx 

[accessed 4 April 2007].

23. Port of Los Angeles. 2001. Port of Los Angeles: A 

historical look. Online at http://www.portofla.org/about_history.htm 

[accessed 4 April 2007].

24. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

25. See note 24.

26. See note 24.
558

Torrance

People and Place

Location

Torrance covers 20.5 square miles of land in the 

southwest corner of Los Angeles County in the South 

Bay area. The community is 4 miles east of Redondo 

Beach, about 20 miles south of Los Angeles, and 118 

miles north of San Diego. The geographic coordinates of 

Torrance are lat 33°50′09′′N, long 118°20′23′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of Torrance was 137,946, a 3.6% increase from 1990. 

The gender structure was 51.4% female and 48.6% male. 

The median age was 38.7, higher than the national 

median age of 35.3. Of the population 18 years of age 

and older, 89.9% had a high school education or higher, 

34.2% had a bachelor’s degree or higher, and 10.7% had 

a graduate or professional degree; the national averages 

were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% respectively. The highest 

educational attainment for 20.6% was a high school 

diploma or equivalency.

The majority of the racial structure was white 

(59.2%), followed by Asian (28.6%), individuals who 

identified with two or more races (4.7%), individuals 

who identified with some other race (4.6%), black 

(2.2%), American Indian and Alaska Native (0.4%), and 

Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (0.3%). 

About 12.8% identified as Hispanic, and 27.6% of the 

population was foreign-born. Of the foreign-born, 16.7% 

were from Korea, 14% from Japan, and 12.7% from 

China.

In 2000 83.0% of the population lived in family 

households.

History

Native peoples first inhabited the California coast 

about 13,000 years ago. The Los Angeles County area 

was home to the Chumash Indians, whose territory 

spanned the California coast from Malibu to Paso 

Robles.1 The Chumash were hunter-gatherers and relied 

heavily on maritime resources, including clams, mussels, 

abalone, and many fish species. They developed 

sophisticated technologies for harvesting marine 

resources, established large coastal villages, and traded 

extensively within their territory. They became known as 

Gabrielenos because of their association with the San 

Gabriel Mission during Spanish occupation. Between 

200 and 500 years ago, Tongva Indians migrated from 

15,000 10,000 5,000 0 5,000 10,000 15,000

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure

Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

59.2%

Asian

28.6%

Two or more races

4.7%

Other

4.6%

Pacific Islander

0.3%

Black

2.2%

Native

0.4%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Hispanic

12.8%

Non-Hispanic

87.2%
559

the Mojave Desert region, establishing 25 villages 

throughout what is today the Los Angeles County area, 

becoming similarly dependent on marine resources.2 

Today the Gabrieleno/Tongva tribe is headquartered in 

the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area in San Gabriel, and is 

seeking federal recognition and tribal fishing rights.

In 1784 the Torrance area became part of a 75,000-

acre land grant given to Juan Jose Dominguez by the 

Spanish government in recognition of his military 

service. The land grant, which extended from the Los 

Angeles River on the east to the Pacific Ocean on the 

west, became known as the Rancho San Pedro (later the 

Dominguez Ranch). The contemporary communities of 

Torrance, Carson, Redondo Beach, and the Los Angeles 

Harbor all lie within the former Dominguez Land Grant.3 

Dominguez and his descendants were active in local 

politics and business enterprises, and many contemporary 

streets, businesses, water bodies, and other public 

structures in the South Bay area bear the Dominguez 

name. Until the early twentieth century, most land 

surrounding Torrance was used for agricultural purposes, 

mainly cattle grazing.

In the early 1900s, the Dominguez Land Company, 

under the leadership of Jarred Sidney Torrance, 

president, purchased a portion of the original rancho from 

the Dominguez family to develop the West’s first 

planned industrial city.4 Renowned city planner 

Frederick Law Olmstead designed the city’s initial layout 

with a balanced mix of industrial, commercial, and 

residential land uses.5 Members of Dominguez Land 

Company’s Board of Directors chose the name Torrance 

(after the company president) in 1912. Its early growth 

was driven by the discovery of oil in the area in the 

1920s, and Torrance continues to support a number of oil 

refineries. After World War II, the area experienced a 

second boom as wartime production facilities were 

converted to aerospace and related industries.6

 Most of 

the city’s housing was constructed during post-war years. 

In the 1970s city officials emphasized the further 

development of recreational, retail, and service sectors to 

meet the needs of a growing population.

Today Torrance remains a powerful industrial 

center, strategically located between the Los Angeles 

International Airport and the Long Beach Airport and 

between Los Angeles and Orange Counties. The city is 

corporate headquarters of a number of prominent 

companies, including Honda, Toyota, Epson, and the 

Kubota Tractor Corporation. Aerospace and oil have a 

continuing importance to the local economy.

2000 Employment structure

Employed

61.6%

Unemployed

2.5%

Not in labor force

35.9%

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 61.6% of 

Torrance’s potential labor force 16 years of age and older 

were employed, 2.5% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 3.9% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

35.9% were not in the labor force. The primary 

employment sectors were education, health, and social 

services (17.5%), manufacturing (17.5%), local, state, or 

federal government (12.7%), and retail trade (11.4%). 

Natural resource jobs including agriculture, forestry, 

fishing, and hunting employed only 0.2%, but this 

percentage may be artificially low because many 

fishermen are self-employed and are underrepresented in 

the data.

Torrance is a regional business and industrial center 

with employment opportunities in light manufacturing 

(electronics, aluminum, and plastics), healthcare, 

education, and a growing number of retail stores, 

including many upscale shopping complexes and 

restaurants. Because Torrance is between recreational 

marina facilities at Redondo Beach (5 miles) and 

commercial facilities at the Port of Los Angeles in San 

Pedro (10 miles), some residents may also commute to 

jobs in the sport and commercial fishing industries.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Torrance’s per 

capita income in 1999 was $28,144, compared to a 

national per capita income of $21,587. The median 

household income was $56,489, 34.5% above the 

national median household income of $41,994. About 

6.4% lived below the poverty level, about half the 

national average of 12.4%.

In 2000 Torrance had 55,967 housing units, of 

which 97.5% were occupied and 2.5% were vacant. Of 
560

the occupied units, 56% were by owner and 44% were by 

renter. Of the vacant housing units, 42.0% were for rent 

and 20.7% were for sale.

Governance

Torrance officially incorporated in 1921 and is a 

charter city with a council-manager government.7

 Most 

California cities are general law cities that closely follow 

state statutes, but charter cities develop and follow 

statues set forth in their own charters. City government 

consists of a mayor, six council members, a clerk, and a 

treasurer. Torrance levies an 8.25% sales and use tax. 

Los Angeles County levies a 12% lodging tax rate that 

earned $10,202,899 in revenue during fiscal year 2001.8 

See the Governance subsection (page 43) in the 

Overview section for a more detailed discussion of taxes 

affecting fisherman and processors in California.

The nearest California Department of Fish and 

Game Marine Region Field Office is 20 miles away in 

Los Alamitos. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration (NOAA) Southwest Regional office is in 

Long Beach (15 miles). Eight U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) 

vessels are stationed at the USCG Marine Safety Office/

Group Los Angeles–Long Beach in San Pedro (10 miles). 

Delmar and San Diego, approximately 118 miles away, 

are the nearest cities that host Pacific Fishery 

Management Council meetings. A U.S. Citizenship and 

Immigration Services District Office is in Los Angeles.

Facilities

The main thoroughfare connecting Torrance to the 

greater metropolitan area is Interstate Highway 110, 

which runs north into Los Angeles. The city is midway 

between Los Angeles International Airport (10 miles) 

and the Long Beach Airport (15) miles. The smaller 

Torrance Municipal Airport has two paved public access 

runways.

Torrance is in the Torrance Unified School District, 

which supports 17 elementary schools, 8 middle schools, 

6 high schools, 4 adult education centers, and the South 

California Regional Occupational Center (a vocational 

education facility). It has several private schools, most of 

which are nondenominational. Higher education centers 

include El Camino Community College and branches of 

ITT Technical Institute and Bryman College.

Torrance Municipal Water and the California Water 

Service Company provide water and wastewater services. 

Southern California Edison and other private power 

companies supply electricity. The Torrance Police and 

Fire departments administer law enforcement and 

emergency services. Local hospitals include the 

Torrance Memorial Medical Center, the Little Company 

of Mary Hospital, and the Harbor-University of 

California Los Angeles (UCLA) Medical Center.

The nearest noncommercial marine facilities are 4 

miles west at King Harbor and the Municipal Pier in 

nearby Redondo Beach. King Harbor has four marinas, 

with boat hoists and more than 1,000 slips.9 A number of 

sportfishing, charter, and whale watching vessels 

homeport at this harbor complex. Torrance Beach, a 

small section of open waterfront popular with long board 

surfers, provides marine recreation opportunities.10

The Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro Bay (10 

miles) has the nearest commercial marine facilities. This 

complex, outfitted for both commercial and recreational 

purposes, stretches along 43 miles of waterfront and 

encompasses 7,500 acres, of which 3,300 are water.11 

The port is within the jurisdiction of the City of Los 

Angeles and is under the direction of a five-member 

Board of Harbor Commissioners appointed by the 

mayor.12 The port has 29 state-of-the-art cargo facilities 

and 5 intermodal rail yards.13 The complex includes the 

Cabrillo Marina, which provides slips for 1,100 pleasure 

crafts, Cabrillo Beach (popular with swimmers), three 

museums, the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, and the S.S. 

Lane Victory (a national historic landmark). Charter 

operators offer a number of harbor cruise and whale 

watching tours.14 The Port of Los Angeles’ World Cruise 

Center is the primary cruise passenger complex on the 

West Coast, handling the world’s largest cruise ships.15 

In 1997 the 47-acre terminal island transfer facility was 

completed, allowing direct transfer of containers from 

ships to trains.16

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 no seafood processors operated in Torrance 

and no vessels delivered landings. Residents owned six 

commercial vessels, of which four participated in the 

federally managed groundfish fishery. The number of 

vessels owned by residents in 2000 that participated in 

each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 

0/0/1, groundfish 0/0/NA, highly migratory species NA/

0/NA, shellfish NA/0/NA, shrimp NA/0/0, and other 

species 0/0/2.17

In 2000 Torrance residents held no federal 

groundfish permits. The number of residents holding 

permits in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: 

coastal pelagic 0/0/2, groundfish 0/0/3, highly migratory 

species NA/0/3, shellfish 0/0/NA, and other species 0/0/

16.18

Torrance residents held at least 43 commercial 

fishing permits, all state registered, in 2000. The number 

of state permits held by residents in each fishery by state 
561

(WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 0/0/6, groundfish 0/0/

4, highly migratory species NA/0/5, shellfish 0/0/NA, 

and other species 0/0/28.19

Sportfishing

Several charter vessels operate out of Torrance 

targeting albacore tuna, rock cod, salmon, and other 

species. In 2002 at least three charter businesses served 

sport fishermen and tourists, and five license agents sold 

sportfishing licenses in Torrance. In 2000 Los Angeles 

County vendors sold 76,385 resident sportfishing 

licenses, 59 nonresident sportfishing licenses, 164 sport 

salmon punch cards, and 174 abalone report cards. The 

nearest commercial passenger fishing vessels port 

complex consists of Seal Beach, Long Beach, and San 

Pedro. In this port complex in 2000, 54 commercial 

passenger fishing vessels served 148,977 anglers and 

reported 883,806 landings composed of more than two 

dozen species. Sea bass (various species), barracuda, 

flatfishes (unspecified), and rockfishes (unspecified) 

accounted for 47.6%, 14.1%, 10.4%, and 9.2% of the 

landings respectively.

Subsistence

Local tribal and nontribal community members may 

engage in subsistence fishing in the Torrance area, 

however, specific information on subsistence fishing is 

not discussed in detail due to the lack of available data. 

The California Department of Fish and Game terms 

“recreational” fishermen who do not earn revenue from 

their catch, but fish for pleasure or to provide food for 

personal consumption. Information on subsistence 

fishing in California is captured to some degree in the 

sportfishing data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 three Torrance residents held North Pacific 

fisheries crew member licenses.

Sportfishing

Torrence residents purchased 194 Alaska 

sportfishing licenses in 2000.

Notes

1. The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. 2002. 

Chumash Indian life. Online at http://www.sbnature.org/research/

anthro/chumash/index.htm [accessed 5 April 2007].

2. Los Angeles Almanac. 2004. Los Angeles County-Prehistory to 1799. Online at http://www.laalmanac.com/history/

hi01a.htm [accessed July 2004].

3. County of Los Angeles Department of Public Works. 2005. 

Dominguez watershed history. Online at http://ladpw.org/wmd/

watershed/dc/history.cfm [accessed 5 April 2007].

4. Torrance Historical Society. No Date. Historical society 

brochure. Online at http://www.ci.torrance.ca.us/ [accessed 5 April 

2007].

5. City of Torrance. No date. City-at-a-glance. Online at http://

www.ci.torrance.ca.us/ [accessed 5 April 2007].

6. South Bay Cities Council of Governments. 2000. History. 

Online at http://www.southbaycities.org/about [accessed 5 April 

2007].

7. City of Torrance. 2004. Torrance city council. Online at 

http://www.ci.torrance.ca.us/gov.htm [accessed 5 April 2007].

8. State of California. 2004. California counties transient 

lodging tax revenue. Online at http://www.sco.ca.gov/ard/local/

locrep/adhoc/county/0001cotranslodgtax.pdf [accessed 5 April 2007].

9. City of Redondo Beach. 2005. Boating and harbor patrol 

services. Online at http://www.redondo.org/depts/hbt/harbor/

default.asp [accessed 5 April 2007].

10. Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors. 

No date. Torrance. Online at http://beaches.co.la.ca.us/BandH/

Beaches/Torrance.htm [accessed 5 April 2007].

11. Port of Los Angeles. 2001. The Port of Los Angeles: Home. 

Online at http://www.portofla.org/index.htm [accessed 5 April 2007].

12. Port of Los Angeles. 2001. The Port of Los Angeles: About 

the port. Online at http://www.portofla.org/about.htm [accessed 5 

April 2007].

13. Port of Los Angeles. 2001. The Port of Los Angeles: 

Facilities. Online at http://www.portofla.org/Facilities.htm [accessed 

5 April 2007].

14. Port of Los Angeles. 2001. The Port of Los Angeles: 

Recreation. Online at http://www.portofla.org/recreation.htm 

[accessed 5 April 2007].

15. LA Inc.: The Convention and Visitors Bureau. No date. LA 

World Cruise Center. Online at http://www.cruisela.com/wcc.aspx 

[accessed 5 April 2007].

16. Port of Los Angeles. 2001. The Port of Los Angeles: A 

historical look. Online at http://www.portofla.org/about_history.htm 

[accessed 5 April 2007].

17. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

18. See note 17.

19. See note 17.
562

Trinidad

People and Place

Location

Trinidad is in Humboldt County just south of 

Redwood National Park, about 295 miles north of San 

Francisco. The community encompasses 0.5 miles of 

land and 0.2 square miles of water. The geographic 

coordinates of Trinidad are lat 41°03′43′′N, long 

124°08′29′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Trinidad had a 

population of 311 people, a decrease of 14.1% from 

1990. The gender composition was 50.5% female and 

49.5% male. The median age was 50.2, significantly 

higher than the national median of 35.3. About 47.3% 

were between the ages of 40 and 64, compared to the 

national average of 30%, and only 16.7% were under the 

age of 25, compared to the national average of 35.3%. 

Of the population 18 years of age and older, 88.1% had a 

high school education or higher, 46.5% had a bachelor’s 

degree or higher, and 16.4% had a graduate degree or 

higher; the national averages were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 

7.8% respectively.

The majority of the racial structure was white 

(94.9%), followed by individuals who identified with two 

or more races (1.9%), black (1.6%), Asian (0.6%), 

American Indian and Alaska Native (0.3%), individuals 

who identified with some other race (0.3%), and Native 

Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (0.3%). Ethnicity 

data indicate 2.3% identified as Hispanic. About 5.5% 

were foreign-born, compared to the national average of 

11.1%. Trinidad Rancheria residents are also part of the 

community. The 2000 U.S. Census indicated the 

rancheria had a population of 73, of whom 80.8% 

identified as American Indian and 19.2% as white. 

Ethnically, 13.7% identified as Hispanic.

It is significant to note changes in Trinidad’s ethnic 

composition over the last decade. The 2000 U.S. Census 

revealed an increase of 12.2% of inhabitants who 

identified as Hispanic, while there was a 90% decrease of 

those who identified as American Indian.

History

Before the arrival of European settlers, the Wiyot, 

Yurok, Hupa, Karuk, Chilula, Whilkut, and southern 

Athabascans occupied the area now known as Humboldt 

County. The tribes spoke individual languages and 

shared similar, yet distinct cultural systems.1

 Trinidad is 

30 20 10 0 10 20 30 40

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure

Two or more races

1.9%

Other

0.3%

Black

1.6%

Native

0.3%

Pacific Islander

0.3%

Asian

0.6% White

94.9%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Non-Hispanic

97.7%

Hispanic

2.3%
563

within the original territory of the Tsurai Indians, one of 

many groups that make up the Yurok Tribe. While the 

redwood environment did not provide well for some 

Indian groups due to the thick overgrowth and the size of 

the trees, the Yurok used the large trees for shelter and 

canoes.2

In 1595 a Portuguese ship entered Trinidad’s natural 

harbor but did not land. Spanish explorers arrived on 

Trinity Sunday in 1775 and named the area Trinidad.3, 4 

The harbor was used for many years as an anchorage for 

ships active in exploration and fur trade. In 1850 the 

town was established by Americans as a point of entry to 

the Trinity and Klamath diggings during the Gold Rush. 

Trinidad was the Humboldt County seat from 1852 to 

1854. The town incorporated in 1870 and is the smallest 

city in the county. By the 1870s, lumber had replaced 

gold mining and boats arrived at Trinidad to load lumber 

from the community’s two sawmills.5 Trinidad Bay 

served as a lumber port, whaling station, and landing site 

for commercial and sport fisheries.6 The Trinidad Head 

Lighthouse was built in 1871 to aid vessels transporting 

these goods. The economic history of Trinidad also 

includes fishing and whaling.

The Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the 

Trinidad Rancheria is a federally-recognized tribe 

composed of descendents of three tribes who share a 

similar cultural history, the Yurok, Weott, and Tolowa. 

The rancheria was established in 1906 by federal law. In 

1908 60 acres of land were purchased on Trinidad Bay 

for homeless Indians, however, it was not until the 1950s 

that a community was developed.7 The rancheria plays 

an important role in the Trinidad economic base through 

three business enterprises, the North Coast Inn, the 

Seaside Restaurant and Pier, and the Cher-Ae Heights 

Casino.

Today Trinidad is described as a “charming rural 

residential area” that combines small town living with “a 

unique mix of social and cultural activities, outdoor 

recreational activities, and accessibility.” Community 

members include a diverse mix of commercial fishermen, 

retired people, students and staff of nearby Humboldt 

State University, timber industry employees, artists and 

craftspeople, and the local business community.8 

Trinidad is also home to a fleet of winter crab fishermen. 

Local festivals and events include the Blessing of the 

Fleet, the Trinidad Clam Beach Run, the Fish Festival, 

and the Storytelling by the Sea Festival.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 59.1% of 

Trinidad’s potential labor force 16 years of age and older 

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

36.7%

Unemployed

4.2%

Employed

59.1%

were employed, 4.2% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 6.6% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

36.7% were not in the labor force. The primary 

employment sectors were education, health, and social 

services (36%) and local, state, or federal government 

(25.1%). No one worked in natural resource jobs 

including agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting 

industries, but this may be misleading because many 

fishermen are self-employed and are underrepresented in 

the data.

The economic base of Trinidad was founded on 

fishing and timber. Commercial fishing experienced a 

downsizing in recent years and today the major industries 

are tourism and timber.9 Major employers in Trinidad 

and the surrounding area are Humboldt State University 

and its marine laboratory, Cher-Ae Heights Bingo and 

Casino, and Mad River Community Hospital.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Trinidad’s per 

capita income in 1999 was $28,050, the median 

household income was $40,000, and 8.8% lived below 

the poverty level. Of Trinidad’s 228 housing units, 

73.7% were occupied and 26.3% were vacant. Of the 

occupied units, 62.5% were by owner and 37.5% were by 

renter. Of the vacant units, 43% were due seasonal, 

recreational, or occasional use.

Governance

Trinidad is an incorporated city that operates under a 

council-manager charter. The sales and use tax is 7.25% 

based on the standard statewide rate. Humboldt County 

levies a 10% transient lodging tax. The property tax for 

Humboldt County is approximately 1% of assessed 

value. See the Governance subsection (page 43) in the 

Overview section for a more detailed discussion of taxes 

affecting fisherman and processors in California.
564

Trinidad is 22.8 miles from a California Department 

of Fish and Game field office in Eureka and 9.8 miles 

from the U.S. Coast Guard Station in McKinleyville. 

The nearest U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services 

office is 294.9 miles away in San Francisco. Pacific 

Fishery Management Council meetings are held 316.3 

miles away in Foster City. Portland, Oregon (391.6 

miles), hosts meetings of the North Pacific Fishery 

Management Council. Trinidad is 564.6 miles south of 

the Northwest Regional Office of the National Marine 

Fisheries Service in Seattle, Washington.

Facilities

Trinidad is accessible by U.S. Highway 101. A 

public transit bus system connects Trinidad to nearby 

communities. The Arcata-Eureka Airport in 

McKinleyville offers service to West Coast cities and 

San Francisco International Airport is 306.8 miles south.

Trinidad has one charter and two primary schools, 

plus a private high school. Students attend local high 

schools in nearby Arcata (15.9 miles) and McKinleyville 

(9.8 miles). Pacific Gas and Electric supplies electricity 

and Cal-American Water Company provides water and 

wastewater services. The Trinidad Police Department 

administers public safety. The closest health care facility 

is Mad River Community Hospital in Arcata. Local 

accommodations include two bed and breakfasts, 

recreational vehicle parks, vacation rentals, and hotels 

and motels. Neighboring communities offer additional 

lodging.10

Trinidad Bay is a natural bay formed behind 

Trinidad Head, a large domed prominence connected to 

the mainland on its northern end.11 Trinidad Pier, 

situated in the bay, is the northernmost oceanfront pier in 

California. This all-wooden pier was constructed in 1946 

by the Arcata Lumberjacks’ Association and remains one 

of the primary sportfishing craft launching sites along the 

West Coast. A gas dock and a skiff rental operation are 

located under the pier.12 The Prairie Creek Fish Hatchery 

in nearby Orick is one of the first small local hatcheries 

in the area, constructed in 1936. It is on the National 

Register of Historic Places.13

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Trinidad is known for its crab fishing as well as 

salmon, lingcod, rockfish, bottomfish, surf fish, and 

clamming.14 In 2000 38 vessels, all commercially 

registered, delivered landings in the following West 

Coast fisheries (data shown represents landings in metric 

tons/value of landings/number of vessels landing): crab 

217 t/$974,425/33; groundfish 2 t/$5,061/7; and salmon 

3 t/$12,066/5. No fish processors operated in the 

community in 2000.

In 2000 Trinidad residents owned 11 vessels, of 

which 8 participated in the federally managed groundfish 

fishery. The number of vessels owned by residents in 

2000 that participated in each fishery by state (WA/OR/

CA) was: crab 0/0/9, groundfish 0/0/NA, highly 

migratory species NA/0/NA, salmon 0/0/3, shellfish NA/

0/NA, and shrimp NA/0/0.15

A Trinidad resident held one federal groundfish 

fishery permit in 2000. The number of community 

members holding permits in each fishery by state (WA/

OR/CA) was: crab 0/0/11, groundfish 0/0/1, highly 

migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 0/0/9, shellfish 0/0/

NA, and other species 0/0/2.16

Trinidad residents held 30 registered permits in 

2000, of which 29 were registered state permits. The 

number of permits held by community members in each 

fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 0/0/12, 

groundfish 0/0/1, highly migratory species NA/0/0, 

salmon 0/0/14, shellfish 0/0/NA, and other species 0/0/

2.17

Sportfishing

Trinidad Bay, with its protected harbor and pier, 

offers deep water angling for salmon, lingcod, 

bottomfish, rockfish, crabbing, clamming, and surf 

fishing.18, 19 It had at least three sportfishing business 

vessel permits in 2003. Internet fishing guide sources 

indicate at least one sportfishing businesses located in the 

community.20

Subsistence

Nontribal and tribal fishermen, including members 

of the Trinidad Rancheria, may use area marine and 

stream resources for subsistence purposes. Specific 

information on subsistence fishing in Trinidad is not 

discussed in detail due to the lack of available data. The 

California Department of Fish and Game terms 

“recreational” fishermen who do not earn revenue from 

their catch, but fish for pleasure or to provide food for 

personal consumption. Information on subsistence 

fishing in California is captured to some degree in the 

sportfishing data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 Trinidad residents owned one vessel 

involved in North Pacific fisheries. Community 

members landed fish in the following fisheries (data 
565

shown represents landings in metric tons/value of 

landings/number of vessels landing): Gulf of Alaska 

groundfish confidential/confidential/1, halibut 

confidential/confidential/1, and shellfish confidential/

confidential/1.

One Trinidad resident held a registered state permit 

in 2000, and two Alaska state and federal permits were 

registered to Trinidad residents, including a halibut and a 

shellfish Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission 

(CFEC) permit. One resident held a crew member 

license for North Pacific fisheries.

Sportfishing

In 2000 Trinidad residents purchased four Alaska 

sportfishing licenses.

Notes

1. S. Van Kirk. 1999. Humboldt County: A briefest of histories. 

Online at http://www.humboldthistory.org/ [accessed 5 April 2007].

2. L. Foster. No date. California’s redwood country. Online at 

http://www.fostertravel.com/CAREDW.html [accessed 5 April 2007].

3. Coldwell Banker Sellers Realty. 2003. Trinidad. Online at 

http://www.coldwellbankersrealty.com/towns/trinidad.html [accessed 

5 April 2007].

4. Greater Trinidad Chamber of Commerce. 2002. Trinidad 

history. Online at http://www.trinidadcalif.com/ [accessed 5 April 

2007].

5. West of PCH. 2003. Trinidad head. Online at http://

www.westofpch.com/lighthouse/trinidad.html [accessed 5 April 

2007].

6. Trinidad Inn. No date. Discover Trinidad. Online at http://

www.trinidadinn.com/trinidad.htm [accessed 5 April 2007].

7. Cher-Ae Heights Casino. No date. History. Online at http://

www.cheraeheightscasino.com/?page=main [accessed 5 April 2007].

8. Trinidad Realty. No date. Area information. Online at http://

www.trinidadrealty.com/Area%20Information/area_news.htm 

[accessed 5 April 2007].

9. Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission. 2004. 

California state counties. Online at http://www.psmfc.org/efin/docs/

communities_2004/communities_pages65_84.pdf [accessed 5 April 

2007].

10. WorldWeb.com. 2004. Trinidad, CA where to stay. Online 

at http://www.northcoast-ca.worldweb.com/TrinidadCA/

WheretoStay/ [accessed August 2004].

11. Lighthouse Friends.Com. 2003. Trinidad Head lighthouse, 

CA. Online at http://www.lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=61 

[accessed 5 April 2007].

12. Pier Fishing in California. 2004. Trinidad pier. Online at 

http://www.pierfishing.com/pier_of_the_month/04-98.html [accessed 

5 April 2007].

13. National Park Service. No date. Historic structures: 

Redwood National Park. Online at http://www.nps.gov/redw/

cultural_hist.htm [accessed 5 April 2007].

14. Community Realty. 2002. Trinidad, CA. Online at http://

www.relocate-america.com/states/CA/cities/trinidad.htm [accessed 5 

April 2007].

15. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

16. See note 15.

17. See note 15.

18. See note 8.

19. See note 4.

20. Sportfishing businesses determined via Internet search. 

Online at http://www.caohwy.com and http://www.trinidadcalif.com 

[both accessed 5 April 2007].
566

Ukiah

People and Place

Location

Ukiah is located in Mendocino County on U.S. 

Highway 101 in the fertile Yokayo Valley north of Santa 

Rosa. The community is 115 miles north of San 

Francisco and 146 miles west of Sacramento, the state 

capitol. Ukiah encompasses 4.73 square miles of land. 

Its geographic coordinates are lat 39°09′01′′N, long 

123°12′24′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of Ukiah was 15,497, a 6.2% increase from 1990. The 

gender structure was 52.1% female and 47.9% male. The 

median age was 35, comparable to the national median of 

35.3. Of the population 18 years of age and older, 76.9% 

had a high school education or higher, 14.4% had a 

bachelor’s degree or higher, and 5.1% had a graduate or 

professional degree; the national averages were 79.7%, 

22.3%, and 7.8% respectively. The highest level of 

educational attainment for 28.6% of the population was a 

high school diploma or equivalency.

The majority of the racial structure of Ukiah white 

(79.5%), followed by individuals who identified with 

some other race (9.7%), individuals who identified with 

two or more races (4.3%), American Indian and Alaska 

Native (3.8%), Asian (1.7%), black (1.0%), and Native 

Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (0.1%). Ethnicity 

data indicate 19.3% identified as Hispanic, and about 

10.4% were foreign-born. Of the foreign-born, 81.5% 

were from Mexico.

In 2000 76.8% of the population lived in family 

households.

History

Northern California was originally inhabited by 

several related groups known today as Pomo Indians. 

There was no single Pomo Tribe, rather 72 independent 

groups speaking seven related but distinct languages.1

 

The Pomo wove intricate basketry and fashioned 

clamshell and magnesite beads used as a regional trade 

currency. The Pomo were hunter-gatherers. Coastal 

groups relied heavily on salmon, marine shellfish 

(especially sea mussels), and sea mammals (particularly 

Stellar sea lions, California sea lions, sea otters, Northern 

fur seals, and harbor seals).2 Pomo groups used complex 

hunting and fishing technologies, and community life 

often focused on rituals surrounding the first harvests of 

1,500 1,000 500 0 500 1,000 1,500

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

79.5%

Two or more races

Other 4.3%

9.7%

Black

1%

Native

3.8%

Pacific Islander

0.1%

Asian

1.7%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Hispanic

19.3%

Non-Hispanic

80.7%
567

the season and cooperative fishing endeavors. Acorns 

were also an important food. The Pomo group whose 

territory included present-day Ukiah called themselves 

the Yokaya, which means “people of the South or Deep 

Valley.”3

 Euro-American settlers adopted this name, 

changing the spelling to Ukiah.

Spanish immigrants were the first Europeans to 

settle in the area beginning in the mid-1500s. They 

established two large land grants, the Sanel (or Feliz) 

Grant and the Yokayo Grant, which encompassed the 

Ukiah area. After Russian fur traders and then failed 

Gold Rush miners established settlements in the region in 

the 1800s, native populations were rapidly decimated by 

disease and conflict. A commission from the Bureau of 

Indian Affairs (BIA) signed 18 treaties with California 

tribes between 1851 and 1852. These agreements would 

have reserved about 8.5 million acres for Indians, but 

with the Gold Rush in full swing, Congress did not ratify 

the treaties.4 Instead, the BIA established a system of 

smaller reservations and “rancherias.” Survivors later 

described their forced removal by the military to these 

reservations as “death marches.”5 Today many Indians 

living in the Ukiah area reside on the Redwood Valley 

Rancheria, 177 acres near the town of Redwood Valley 

(10 miles). The population of this rancheria is around 

265, with a total tribal enrollment of 149.6

Ukiah was founded in 1856, when Samuel Lowry 

built a log cabin in what is now the central part of the 

town. Like many small communities in the fertile 

Yokayo Valley, Ukiah attracted settlers who were 

primarily interested in farming. Some of these early 

entrepreneurs established vineyards, laying the 

groundwork for a winegrowing industry that thrives 

today.7

 In 1859 the community became the seat of 

Mendocino County, and land prices boomed after the 

railroad arrived in 1889.

After World War II, Ukiah became a timber town 

and residents became heavily involved in harvesting 

redwoods, known on the market as “red gold.” 

Mendocino Forest Products still operates a sawmill in 

Ukiah, which annually processes 60 million board feet of 

redwood.8

 This mill is one of only a handful left in 

Mendocino County since the decline of the West Coast 

timber industry. In the 1960s Ukiah experienced an 

influx of former urbanites following the “back to the land 

movement.” Ukiah is the largest city in Mendocino 

County. As the county seat, it plays a central role in 

providing services and hosts a number of businesses and 

some light manufacturing. Vineyards, pear orchards, and 

a growing number of organic farms surround the 

community, making the area popular with tourists 

interested in wine tasting and a scenic rural retreat.

2000 Employment structure

Employed

56.7%

Unemployed

4.5%

Not in labor force

38.8%

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 56.7% of 

Ukiah’s potential labor force 16 years of age and older 

were employed, 4.5% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 7.4% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

38.8% were not in the labor force. Major employment 

sectors are education, health, and social services (23.4%) 

and retail trade (13.9%). The armed forces accounted for 

less than 1% of the labor force. Natural resource jobs 

including agriculture, fishing, forestry, and hunting 

employed 4.4%, but this percentage may be artificially 

low because many fishermen are self-employed and are 

underrepresented in the data.

According to the City of Ukiah, major employers 

are the city (1,672 employees), Ukiah Unified School 

District (809), Mendocino College (640), Ukiah Valley 

Medical Center (570), Fetzer Vineyards (500), and 

Mendocino Companies, a group of three wood products 

processors (400).9

 The city reported small manufacturing 

firms and mail order businesses are on the rise. 

Surrounding farms and a pear processing plant also 

provide jobs in the agricultural sector. Although Ukiah is 

located inland from the California coast, some residents 

may operate or work on fishing vessels berthed in Fort 

Bragg’s Noyo Harbor (58 miles).

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Ukiah’s per 

capita income in 1999 was $17,601, below the national 

per capita income of $21,587. The median household 

income was about $32,707, also below the national 

median household income of $41,994. About 18.1% 

lived below the poverty level, greater than the national 

average of 12.4%. In 2000 Ukiah had 6,137 housing 

units, of which 97.5% were occupied and 2.5% were 
568

vacant. Of the occupied units, 48.4% were by owner and 

51.6% were by renter. This is a lower rate of home 

ownership than the national average (66.2%). Of the 

vacant units, 35.5% were for rent and 15.8% were for 

sale.

Governance

Ukiah operates under a council-manager 

government. The four-member council acts as the local 

legislative body, which sets policy and develops the city 

budget. The council appoints the mayor, city manager, 

treasurer, clerk, and members of various commissions 

that deliberate over local issues. Ukiah levies a 7.25% 

sales and use tax and Mendocino County has a 10% 

transient lodging tax.10, 11 In 1850 Ukiah became the 

county seat of Mendocino County. See the Governance 

subsection (page 43) of the Overview section for a more 

detailed discussion of taxes affecting fisherman and 

processors in California.

Meetings of the Pacific Fishery Management 

Council are held in San Francisco. The nearest U.S. 

Coast Guard station is 83 miles south in Bodega Bay.12 

Ukiah is in California Department of Fish and Game 

Marine Region 7, which is headquartered 229 miles south 

in Monterey.13 The nearest field offices for the National 

Marine Fisheries Service and the U.S. Citizenship and 

Immigration Services are in San Francisco.

Facilities

Ukiah is located along U.S. Highway 101, which 

runs along the western edge of California. Ukiah 

Municipal Airport has a paved airstrip open to the public. 

The nearest major international airport is at Sacramento.

The Ukiah Unified School District operates a 

preschool, seven middle schools (in Ukiah, Hopland, and 

Redwood Valley), two middle schools, two high schools, 

and an adult education center.14 The community also 

supports a number of charter, parochial, and private 

schools. The Mendocino County Regional Occupational 

Program, which offers training in agricultural and 

computer sciences and special education classes, is 

headquartered in Fort Bragg (58 miles). Mendocino 

College, a two-year community college, operates a 

campus in Ukiah.15

Ukiah provides electric, water, and wastewater 

services. Pacific Gas and Electric supplies natural gas. 

The city’s police and fire departments provide law 

enforcement and emergency services, supplemented by 

the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office, which is also 

located in Ukiah. The main health care facility is the 

Ukiah Valley Medial Center, a 78-bed, nonprofit, 

community hospital. Other health care facilities include 

the Mendocino Community Health Clinic, a private 

nonprofit primary care clinic and pharmacy, and the 

Consolidated Tribal Health Project, which provides 

mental, dental, and community services to the eight 

consortium tribes of Mendocino County and is located in 

Redwood Valley (10 miles).16 The city supports a 

number of hotels, motels, and bed and breakfasts.

The nearest marine facility is Noyo Harbor in Fort 

Bragg.17, 18 One of four main harbors between San 

Francisco and the Oregon border, Noyo Harbor supports 

a large commercial fishing fleet. The harbor features two 

public launch ramps, a 10,000 pound hoist with an 8-foot 

beam, and 265 berths for commercial vessels. These 

berths are typically at capacity with a waiting list of 

about 20 vessels, depending on the season. The harbor is 

maintained by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which 

periodically dredges and removes silt. The harbor area 

offers numerous support facilities, such as fuel, ice, 

restaurants, and lodging. Lake Mendocino, located 5 

miles northeast of Ukiah, provides a boat launch and 

freshwater sportfishing opportunities.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

Ukiah is part of the Other Mendicino County Ports 

group, which includes the nearby communities of 

Almanor, Anchor Bay, Caspa, Elk, Little River, 

Mendocino, Westport, and Willits. There are no 

available landings data for this port group in 2000 and no 

seafood processors operated in Ukiah. Because the 

community has no port and is located inland from the 

coast, no vessels delivered landings to Ukiah in 2000. 

However, residents owned three commercial vessels in 

2000, two of which participated in the federally managed 

groundfish fishery.

The number of vessels owned by Ukiah residents 

that participated in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) 

was: crab 0/0/2, groundfish 0/0/NA, highly migratory 

species NA/0/NA, salmon 0/0/2, shellfish NA/0/NA, 

shrimp NA/0/0, and other species 0/0/2.19

In 2000, Ukiah residents held no federal groundfish 

permits. The number of Ukiah residents holding permits 

in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: crab 0/0/1, 

groundfish 0/0/1, highly migratory species NA/0/0, 

salmon 0/0/6, and shellfish 0/0/NA, and other species 0/

0/3.20

In 2000 Ukiah residents held at least 14 commercial 

fishing permits, all state registered. The number of 

permits held by Ukiah residents in each fishery by state 

(WA/OR/CA) was: crab 0/0/1, groundfish 0/0/1, highly 

migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 0/0/9, shellfish 0/0/

NA, and other species 0/0/3.21
569

Sportfishing

A number of charter vessels operate out of the area 

targeting salmon, albacore tuna, rockfish, rock cod, and 

other species. In 2002 at least seven charter businesses 

served sport fishermen and tourists in Ukiah, and eight 

such businesses operated in 2003. Six license agents sold 

sportfishing licenses in Ukiah. In 2000 vendors in 

Mendocino County sold 8,838 resident sportfishing 

licenses, 64 nonresident sportfishing licenses, 382 sport 

salmon punch cards, and 8,864 abalone report cards. The 

nearest commercial passenger fishing vessel port 

complex consists of Fort Bragg, Eureka, and Crescent 

City. At this port complex, 15 commercial passenger 

fishing vessels served 11,574 anglers in 2000 and 

reported 49,983 landings composed of at least 9 species. 

Rockfish (unspecified) and Chinook salmon accounted 

for 81.2% and 16.1% of the landings respectively.

Nearby Lake Mendocino, maintained by the San 

Francisco District of the Army Corps of Engineers, is 

stocked with striped bass, large and small mouth bass, 

bluegill, and catfish. The lake is a popular destination for 

Ukiah sport fishermen interested in freshwater species.22

Subsistence

Specific information on subsistence fishing in Ukiah 

is not discussed in detail due to the lack of available data. 

The California Department of Fish and Game terms 

“recreational” fishermen who do not earn revenue from 

their catch, but fish for pleasure or to provide food for 

personal consumption. Information on subsistence 

fishing in California is captured to some degree in the 

sportfishing data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

No Ukiah residents were involved in North Pacific 

fisheries in 2000.

Sportfishing

In 2000 53 Ukiah community members purchased 

Alaska sportfishing licenses.

Notes

1. B. Ortiz. No date. Houghton Mifflin Encyclopedia of North 

American Indians: Pomo. Online at http://college.hmco.com/history/

readerscomp/naind/html/na_030100_pomo.htm [accessed July 2004].

2. C. Smith. 1999. California’s native people, the northwest 

region: Subsistence. Online at http://www.cabrillo.edu/~crsmith/

anth6_nwcoast_subsist.html [accessed 9 April 2007].

3. Ukiah Chamber of Commerce. 2003. Ukiah area history. 

Online at http://www.ukiahchamber.com/history.html [accessed 9 

April 2007].

4. P. Giese. 1997. Native American Indian: Art, culture, 

education, history, science-Pomo people: Brief history. Online at 

http://kstrom.net/isk/art/basket/pomohist.html [accessed 9 April 

2007].

5. J. Elliot. 1995. The dark legacy of Nome cult. Albion 

Monitor, 2 September. Online at http://www.monitor.net/monitor/

9-2-95/history.html [accessed 9 April 2007].

6. San Diego State University libraries. 2004. California 

Indians and their reservations: An online dictionary. Online at http://

infodome.sdsu.edu/research/guides/calindians/calinddictqs.shtml 

[accessed 9 April 2007].

7. Mendocino County Alliance. 2004. Brief history of 

Mendocino wine growing. Online at http://www.gomendo.com/

wineries/history.html [accessed 9 April 2007].

8. D. Bischel. 2003. Press release for June 3: Last sawmill in 

Fort Bragg to close after 50 years of operation. Online at http://

www.foresthealth.org/June3PR.htm [accessed 9 April 2007].

9. City of Ukiah. 2003. About Ukiah: Demographics. Online at 

http://www.cityofukiah.com/pageserver/?page=demographics 

[accessed 9 April 2007].

10. California Board of Equalization. 2004. California city and 

county sales and use tax rates. Online at http://www.boe.ca.gov/pdf/

pub71.pdf [accessed 9 April 2007].

11. California Board of Equalization. 2001. California counties 

transient lodging tax revenue, rate and date for the fiscal year 2000–

2001. Online at http://www.sco.ca.gov/ard/local/locrep/adhoc/

county/0001cotranslodgtax.pdf [accessed 9 April 2007].

12. U.S. Coast Guard. 2004. Pacific Northwest unit list. Online 

at http://www.uscg.mil/D11/ [accessed 9 April 2007].

13. California Department of Fish and Game. 2003. Marine 

region 7. Online at http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mrd/ [accessed 9 April 

2007].

14. Ukiah Unified School District. 2003. Home page. Online at 

http://www.uusd.net [accessed 9 April 2007].

15. Mendocino College. 2004. Home page. Online at http://

www.mendocino.cc.ca.us [accessed 9 April 2007].

16. Ukiah Chamber of Commerce. 2003. Healthcare. Online at 

http://www.ukiahchamber.com/healthcare.html [accessed 9 April 

2007].

17. Grand Jury of Mendocino County. 2001. 2000–2001 final 

report: The Noyo harbor district: Mendocino Council of 

Governments. Modal Alternatives System, B. Online at http://

www.co.mendocino.ca.us/grandjury/00-01/10-

NoyoHarborDistrict.pdf [accessed 9 April 2007].

18. Maritime System Element. No date. Online at http://

www.mendocinocog.org/regional_trans_plan2005.shtml [accessed 9 

April 2007].

19. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

20. See note 19.

21. See note 19.

22. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 2004. Lake Mendocino. 

Online at http://www.spn.usace.army.mil/mendocino/ [accessed 9 

April 2007].
570

Valley Ford

People and Place

Location

Valley Ford is located in northern California’s 

Sonoma County 6 miles inland from the coast on U.S. 

Highway 1 and about 58 miles north of San Francisco. 

The community is a part of the Santa Rosa metropolitan 

area and covers an area of 3.27 square miles. The 

geographic coordinates of Valley Ford are lat 

122°55′23′′W, long 38°19′05′′N.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of Valley Ford was 60. The gender composition was 

46.6% female and 53.4% male. The median age in 2000 

was 30.7, younger than the national median of 35.3. Of 

the population 18 years of age and older, 100% had a 

high school education or higher, 26.3% had a bachelor’s 

degree or higher and 13.2% had a graduate or 

professional degree; the national averages were 79.7%, 

22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The majority of the racial structure was white (70%) 

and 30% identified with some other race. Ethnicity data 

indicate 35% identified as Hispanic and there were no 

foreign-born residents.

In 2000 78.3% of the population lived in family 

households.

History

Valley Ford is inland from Bodega Bay, a 

community in which fishing plays an important role, and 

with which it shares much of its history. Long before 

Euro-Americans inhabited the area surrounding Sonoma 

County, the Miwok and Pomo Indians lived throughout 

region. The Coastal Miwok fished, hunted, and gathered 

on a seasonal basis in the coastal areas. During the 

summers, the Pomo harvested clams, seals, and bird 

eggs, and fished in coastal waters. The Coast Miwok and 

Southern Pomo banded together in the 1990s and were 

recognized as the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria 

in 2000. Indian fishermen harvest salmon and various 

other species. Salmon holds cultural significance for the 

Miwok and Pomo, as it was historically a staple of their 

diet. In recent decades, salmon numbers have declined, 

although the coho salmon population seems to have risen 

in the last few years.1

Europeans first visited the area in the early 1600s, 

but it was not until the 1700s that explorers anchored 

there.2, 3, 4

 The first European settlers were Russian fur 

12 10 8 6 4 2 02468

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure Male Female

2000 Racial structure

Other

30%

White

70%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Non-Hispanic

65.0%

Hispanic

35.0%
571

traders who came south from Alaska in 1812. They 

sought otters and seals as well as a warmer climate to 

grow food for their northern outposts. They built Fort 

Ross, 24 miles north of Bodega Bay, with the help of 

local Indians. The Russians enslaved the Pomo and 

exploited the area’s natural resources. Spanish 

missionaries began inhabiting coastal California in the 

late 1700s and set up a number of missions.

By the 1800s the Spanish had begun to use the local 

Miwok and Pomo Indians as laborers. California came 

under Mexican control during this time and plots were 

granted to Mexican citizens, who built ranchos along the 

Sonoma coast. The Russians left the area around 1841. 

Many of the area’s Indians went into servitude to 

Mexicans who controlled much of the land. By 1850 

those Indians not working as farm laborers fished for 

their livelihood.5, 6

Residents of Valley Ford rely predominantly on 

marine facilities in Bodega Bay. The area’s fishing 

industry received a boost when rail lines were created 

between Sonoma County and San Francisco in the 1870s. 

These rail lines opened up a large market for local 

fishermen.7 Commercial fishing grew rapidly during 

World War I, connecting the area to a global economic 

network. The industry, primarily focused on salmon, 

drove the local economy and structured local life. The 

industry fluctuated significantly over the past century, 

due in large part to human-influenced changes in the 

marine and coastal environment, and to transformations 

in the industry itself. These fluctuations are reflected 

through migration in and out of the area.8, 9

Contemporary commercial fishermen harvest 

albacore, Chinook salmon, halibut, rockfish, Dungeness 

crab, sole, and more recently sea urchin. In recent years, 

silt deposits have become a problem. The depth of 

Bodega Bay’s channel has decreased to five feet in some 

areas, and numerous vessels have run aground. The 

siltation problem is important to the community as 

Bodega Bay is the only port between San Francisco and 

Fort Bragg large enough for many of today’s oceangoing vessels. The channel was dredged under a project 

from 2004 to 2005.10

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 89.4% of 

Valley Ford’s potential labor force 16 years of age and 

older were employed and the unemployment rate was 

reported to be 0%. In addition, 10.6% were not in the 

labor force. About 15% were employed in natural 

resource jobs such as agriculture, fishing, forestry, or 

hunting, but this percentage may not be accurate because 

2000 Employment structure

Employed

89.4%

Unemployed

0%

Not in labor force

10.6%

many fishermen are self-employed and are 

underrepresented in the data.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Valley Ford’s 

per capita income in 1999 was $24,750, compared to the 

national per capita income of $21,587. The median 

household income was 45,903, compared to the national 

median household income of $41,994. In 2000 Valley 

Ford had 21 housing units, all occupied either by owners 

(57.1%) or renters (42.9%).

Governance

Valley Ford is an unincorporated area within 

Sonoma County. Residents pay a 7.5% sales and use tax 

rate, and the county levies a 9% transient lodging tax. 

The county is governed by a board of five supervisors. 

The board also manages the county landfill, the public 

water transmission system, and several wastewater 

treatment facilities.11 See the Governance subsection 

(page 43) in the Overview section for a more detailed 

discussion of taxes affecting fisherman and processors in 

California.

The nearest office of the National Marine Fisheries 

Service is 17 miles away in Santa Rosa. A California 

Fish and Game Office is located in Yountville 51 miles 

away. The nearest U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 

Office is in San Francisco, which also hosts meetings of 

the Pacific Fishery Management Council. Neighboring 

Bodega Bay has a U.S. Coast Guard station.

Facilities

Valley Ford is accessible by ground by California 

Highway 1 that connects Valley Ford to Bodega Bay and 

Tomales. Commercial airports are in San Francisco and 

Santa Rosa. Valley Ford’s students attend school in 

Marin County Shoreline Unified School District, 

enrolling in Tomales Elementary and Tomales High 

School.
572

Pacific Gas and Electric supplies electricity. 

Residents tap groundwater for their water supply. The 

Santa Rosa Police Department and the Sonoma County 

Sheriff’s Office administer public safety. Nearby 

hospitals are in Santa Rosa and 10 miles away in 

Sebastopol. Valley Ford has a hotel and an inn. Other 

accommodations are available in Bodega Bay, 

Sebastopol, and Santa Rosa. Due to the community’s 

inland location, Valley Ford has no marine facilities, 

however, facilities exist in Bodega Bay. See the Bodega 

Bay community profile for more information.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 Valley Ford residents owned one vessel that 

fished in the region and participated in the federally 

managed groundfish fishery. The number of vessels 

owned by community members that participated in each 

fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: groundfish 0/0/NA, 

highly migratory species NA/0/NA, salmon 0/0/2, 

shellfish NA/0/NA, and shrimp NA/0/0.12

The number of residents holding state permits in 

each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: highly 

migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 0/0/3, shellfish 0/0/

NA, and other species 0/0/1.13

In 2000 Valley Ford residents held at least seven 

permits, all state registered. The number of permits held 

by community members in each fishery by state (WA/

OR/CA) was: highly migratory species NA/0/0, salmon 

0/0/5, shellfish 0/0/NA, and other species 0/0/2.14

Sportfishing

Valley Ford did not participate in the local 

sportfishing industry in 2000.

Subsistence

Specific information on subsistence fishing in 

Valley Ford is not discussed in detail in this community 

profile due to the lack of available data. The California 

Department of Fish and Game terms “recreational” 

fishermen who do not earn revenue from their catch, but 

fish for pleasure or for food for personal consumption. 

Information on subsistence fishing in California is 

captured to some degree in the sportfishing data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 the residents of Valley Ford were not 

involved in North Pacific fisheries.

Sportfishing

Valley Ford residents did not participate in Alaska’s 

sportfishing industry in 2000.

Notes

1. T. Colombo, Tribal Representative for the Federated Indians 

of Graton Rancheria, Bodega Bay, CA. Pers. commun., 28 September 

2004.

2. Bodega Bay.com. 2004. Bodega Bay area history–200 years 

of change. Online at http://www.bodegabay.com/visitor_info/

overviewmap.html [accessed 9 April 2007].

3. Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria. No date. Historical 

background. Online at http://www.gratonrancheria.com/timeline.htm 

[accessed 9 April 2007].

4. Go Boating America. 2004. Windswept getaway. Online at 

http://goboatingmag.com/main/article.asp?id=528 [accessed 

September 2004].

5. See note 2.

6. See note 3.

7. See note 2.

8. Coldwell Banker. 2002. Bodega Bay area profile: Economy. 

Online at http://www.bodegabayhomes.com/profile/economy.htm 

[accessed 9 April 2007].

9. See note 4.

10. C. Benfell. 2004. Channel dredging to begin. Online at 

http://www1.pressdemocrat.com [accessed September 2004].

11. Sonoma County. 2004. Board of supervisors. Online at 

http://www.sonoma-county.org/board/index.htm [accessed 9 April 

2007.

12. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

13. See note 12.

14. See note 12.
573

Ventura

People and Place

Location

Ventura is on the southern coast of California 

between the Ventura and Santa Clara river valleys. The 

community is 68 miles north of Los Angeles and 27 

miles south of Santa Barbara. Part of the Los Angeles 

metropolitan area, Ventura encompasses 21.07 square 

miles of land and 11.59 square miles of water in Ventura 

County. The city’s geographic coordinates are lat 

34°26′83′′N, long 119°17′32′′W.

Demographic Profile

In 1930 Ventura’s population was 11,603 and by 

1950 it reached 16,643. While the city’s population grew 

slowly in the first half of the century, it grew rapidly in 

the latter part, reaching 100,916 by the year 2000, 

according to the 2000 U.S. Census.1

 The gender 

composition was 50.8% females and 49.2% male. The 

median age in 2000 was 36.8, compared to the national 

median of 35.3. Of the population 18 years of age and 

older, 83.8% had a high school education or higher, 

26.8% had a bachelor’s degree or higher, and 10.2% had 

a graduate or professional degree; the national averages 

were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% respectively.

The majority of the racial structure was white 

(78.8%), followed by individuals who identified with 

some other race (11.1%), persons who identified with 

two or more races (4.3%), Asian (3%), black (1.4%), 

American Indian and Alaska Native (1.2%), and Native 

Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (0.2%). Ethnicity 

data indicate 24.3% identified as Hispanic. About 13% 

were foreign-born, 61.1% from Latin America.

In 2000 80.6% of the population lived in family 

households.

History

Southern California was inhabited by Indians as 

early as 13,000 years ago. The Chumash, perhaps the 

most prominent native group in the Ventura area, were 

present approximately 2,000 years ago. They engaged in 

a maritime economy, harvesting fish (particularly 

sardines) and sea mammals.2

Missionaries came to California in the late 1700s. 

The San Buenaventura mission was dedicated by a 

Spanish Missionary, Father Junipero Serra, on 31 March 

1782.3 The mission period was followed by Mexican 

rule. Ranchos, large agrarian manors, dominated the 

landscape during the Mexican period. In the early 1800s, 

10,000 8,000 6,000 4,000 2,000 0 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 10,000

Number of individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and over Age

2000 Population structure

Male Female

2000 Racial structure

White

78.8%

Two or more races

Other 4.3%

11.1%

Black

1.4%

Native

1.2%

Pacific Islander

0.2%

Asian

3%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Non-Hispanic

75.7%

Hispanic

24.3%
574

the area’s population was predominantly Mexican. The 

state was ceded to the U.S. at the end of the MexicanAmerican War in 1848. From this point on the area 

underwent a demographic transition as Euro-Americans 

migrated from the East Coast, increasing dramatically at 

the end of the Civil War in 1865.

Ventura’s original name was San Buenaventura. 

Thomas Bard is considered to be the father of Ventura. 

Bard helped organize Ventura County and became 

president of Union Oil. The primary Ventura oil field 

was drilled in 1914 and produced up to 90,000 barrels a 

day. The topography surrounding Ventura—mountains 

to the east and coastline to the south and west—

contributed to the area’s isolation well into the 1900s. 

The soils of Ventura County are some of the richest in 

California and are excellent for growing citrus crops. 

Growers in this area early in the twentieth century 

formed what would be the highly successful Sunkist 

organization.

Although Ventura residents wanted to develop their 

harbor for some time, it was not until the state got 

involved through highway construction that the harbor 

was actually built. In the 1950s the state, needing fill 

material for highway construction, offered to excavate 

Ventura harbor. The city took charge of harbor design 

and maintenance. In 1968 the U.S. Army Corps of 

Engineers began maintaining the harbor. With 

completion of the Ventura Freeway in 1969, the area was 

connected to Los Angeles and became more accessible.4

 

Ventura harbor and much of the southern Californian 

coast were hit hard by El Niño storms in 1998. Waves as 

high as 10 feet pounded the coast, while a water spout 

“ripped the roofs off mobile homes.”5

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 63.6% of 

Ventura’s potential work force 16 years of age and older 

were employed, 3.3% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 5% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force). In addition, 

33% were not in the labor force. The primary 

employment sectors were service (29%), local, state, or 

federal government (19.4%), and retail (17%).6

 Natural 

resource jobs including agriculture, fishing, forestry, and 

hunting employed only 1.3%, but this percentage may be 

artificially low because many fishermen are selfemployed and are underrepresented in the data.

Major employers include Ventura County, the 

Ventura Unified School District, Ventura Community 

College, and the Ventura County Health Care Agency.

2000 Employment structure

Not in labor force

33.0%

Unemployed

3.3%

Employed

63.6%

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Ventura’s per 

capita income in 1999 was $25,065, above the national 

per capita income of $21,587. The median household 

income was 52,298 compared to the national median 

household income of $41,994. About 9% lived below the 

poverty level, compared to the national average of 

12.4%. In 2000 Ventura had 39,803 housing units, of 

which 96.8% were occupied and 3.2% were vacant. Of 

the occupied units, 58.7% were by owner and 41.3% 

were by renter. Of the vacant units, about 27.1% were 

due to seasonal, recreational, or occasional use.

Governance

Ventura is a charter city incorporated 10 March, 

1866.7

 The city is governed by a mayor, deputy mayor 

and five-member council, all elected. Ventura’s first 

charter was adopted on 7 January, 1932. Charter cities 

differ from general law cities in that they allow the 

citizenry to mold the city’s operations (e.g., laws, 

governing bodies) to meet its particular characteristics. 

A charter can only be adopted or changed by majority 

vote.8 Ventura levies a 7.25% sales and use tax and 

Ventura County has a 8% transient lodging tax. See the 

Governance subsection (page 43) in the Overview 

section for a more detailed discussion of taxes affecting 

fisherman and processors in California.

Long Beach, 89 miles away, has the nearest offices 

of the National Marine Fisheries Service and California 

Department of Fish and Game. An office of the U.S. 

Citizenship and Immigration Services is in Los Angeles. 

Pacific Fishery Management Council meetings are held 

in San Diego.

Facilities

U.S. Highway 101 runs through Ventura and 

connects it with Los Angeles to the southeast and with 

Santa Barbara 27.5 miles to the northwest. Commercial 
575

airports are nearby in Oxnard (6 miles), Santa Barbara, 

and Los Angeles.

The Ventura Unified School District has 17 

elementary schools, 4 middle schools, and 5 high 

schools.9

 Southern California Edison supplies electricity 

and Southern California Gas Company provides natural 

gas. The city’s water supply comes from three sources: 

Lake Casitas Reservoir, the Ventura River, and several 

groundwater wells. The city’s wastewater plant has a 

capacity of 14 million gallons per day.10 The Ventura 

Police Department has 126 officers, and the city’s crime 

rate is one of the lowest in the country for cities with a 

population of 100,000 or more.11 Ventura has two 

hospitals, Community Memorial Hospital of San 

Buenaventura and Ventura County Medical Center. St. 

John’s Regional Medical Center is 6 miles away in 

Oxnard. Ventura has 38 hotels and 2 recreational vehicle 

parks.

Ventura harbor was completed in 1963 and offers 

nearly 1,600 recreational berths and 200 commercial 

berths.12 At present the harbor houses about 10 

sportfishing boats, 73 commercial fishing vessels, and 

1,400 other craft. The harbor also has a marina center, 

resort, boat repair yard, commercial fish processing 

facility, a support facility for offshore oil drilling, and 

headquarters for Channel Island National Park.13

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 121 vessels, all commercially registered, 

landed fish in Ventura. Residents landed fish in the 

following West Coast fisheries (data shown represents 

landings in metric tons/value of landings/number of 

vessels landing): coastal pelagic 12,026 t/$2,544,449/19; 

crab 26 t/$76,048/23; groundfish 34 t/$92,584/43; highly 

migratory species 127 t/$455,459/18; salmon 

confidential/confidential/2; shrimp 139.1 t/$483,396/27; 

and other species 149 t/$816,323/66. In 2000 Ventura 

had at least three processing plants that employed about 

48. The companies processed sea urchin roe, halibut, 

rockfish, and shark fillets.

Ventura residents owned 40 vessels in 2000 that 

fished in the region, including 18 that participated in the 

federally managed groundfish fishery. The number of 

vessels owned by community members that participated 

in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal 

pelagic 0/0/7, groundfish 0/0/NA, highly migratory 

species NA/0/NA, salmon 0/0/4, shellfish NA/0/NA, 

shrimp NA/0/0, and other species 0/0/1.14

In 2000 a resident held a single permit for the 

federal groundfish fishery. The number of residents 

holding permits in each fishery by state (WA/OR/CA) 

was: coastal pelagic 1/0/15, crab 0/0/1, groundfish 0/0/

27, highly migratory species NA/0/11, salmon 1/0/5, 

shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 0/0/4, and other species 0/0/

89.15

Ventura residents in 2000 held at least 249 permits, 

including 248 state registered permits. The number of 

permits held by community members for each fishery by 

state (WA/OR/CA) was: coastal pelagic 1/0/23, crab 0/0/

1, groundfish 0/0/33, highly migratory species NA/0/16, 

salmon 1/0/8, shellfish 0/0/NA, shrimp 0/0/7, and other 

species 0/0/158.16

Sportfishing

In 2002 four commercial passenger fishing vessels 

were licensed to Ventura residents. Ventura belongs to 

the Port Hueneme, Oxnard, Ventura, Santa Barbara port 

complex, which received 352,260 landings in 2000 by 

77,345 anglers. The top five fish landed were 

unspecified rockfishes, ocean whitefish, barred sand 

bass, kelp bass, and California barracuda.

Subsistence

Local tribal and nontribal community members may 

be engaged in subsistence fishing in the Ventura area, 

however, specific information on subsistence fishing in 

Ventura is not discussed in detail due to the lack of 

available data. The California Department of Fish and 

Game terms “recreational” fishermen who do not earn 

revenue from their catch, but fish for pleasure or to 

provide food for personal consumption. Information on 

subsistence fishing in California is captured to some 

degree in the sportfishing data.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 Ventura was moderately involved in North 

Pacific fisheries. Residents owned two vessels that 

fished in the region and landed fish in the following 

North Pacific fishery (data shown represents landings in 

metric tons/value of said landings/number of vessels 

landing): salmon (confidential/confidential/1).

In 2000 one Ventura resident held a single state 

permit, a Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission 

permit for salmon. Seven community members held 

crew member licenses for North Pacific fisheries.

Sportfishing

Ventura residents purchased 166 Alaskan 

sportfishing licenses in 2000.
576

Notes

1. Ventura Visitor and Convention Bureau. 2003. About 

Ventura: Heritage. Online at http://www.ventura-usa.com/about/

index.cfm?action=heritage [accessed 10 April 2007].

2. The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. 2002. 

Chumash Indian life. Online at http://www.sbnature.org/research/

anthro/chumash/index.htm [accessed 10 April 2007].

3. San Buenaventura Mission. 2003. History: Mission. Online 

at http://www.sanbuenaventuramission.org/history_main.html 

[accessed 10 April 2007].

4. See note 1.

5. W. Booth. 1998. Intense winter storms pummel California 

with proof of El Niño’s power. The Washington Post, February 7, p. 

A07.

6. Ventura Chamber of Commerce. 2004. Community profile 

2002. Online at http://www.venturachamber.com [accessed 10 April 

2007].

7. City of Ventura. 2004. Introduction: Charter of the city of 

San Buenaventura. Online at http://www.ci.ventura.ca.us/cityhall/

resources/citycharter.doc [accessed 10 April 2007].

8. California Board of Equalization. 2004. California city and 

county sales and use tax rates. Online at http://www.boe.ca.gov/pdf/

pub71.pdf [accessed 10 April 2007].

9. Ventura Unified School District. 2004. Ventura unified 

school district. Online at http://www.ventura.k12.ca.us/ [accessed 10 

April 2007].

10. Ventura Chamber of Commerce, 2002–2003. View of 

Ventura: Ventura Chamber of Commerce relocation guide. Online at 

http://www.ventura-chamber.org/relocation/index.asp [accessed 10 

April 2007].

11. City of Ventura. No date. City hall-Police department. 

Online at http://www.cityofventura.net/depts/police/index.asp 

[accessed 10 April 2007].

12. Sailors Choice. 2004. Welcome to Ventura harbor. Online 

at http://www.sailorschoice.com/ventura/ [accessed 10 April 2007].

13. U.S. Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District. 2003. 

Navigation home page. Online at http://www.spl.usace.army.mil/co/

navigation/counties.html [accessed 10 April 2007].

14. NA refers to data that were not available, for example, due to 

few or no recorded permit numbers, or the partially permitted nature 

of a fishery in 2000.

15. See note 14.

16. See note 14.
577

4.4 Other

Pleasantville, New Jersey

Seaford, Virginia
578
579

Pleasantville, New Jersey

People and Place

Location

Pleasantville is located in Atlantic County along the 

Atlantic City Expressway, a toll road. The community is 

about 5 miles west of Atlantic City, 57 miles southeast of 

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and 120 miles south of New 

York City. Pleasantville encompasses 5.8 square miles 

of land and 1.6 square miles of water. The geographic 

coordinates of Pleasantville are lat 39°23′23′′N, long 

74°31′28′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of Pleasantville was 19,012, an 18.6% increase over 

1990. The gender structure was 53.1% females and 

46.9% male. The median age in 2000 was 32.7, lower 

than the national median of 35.3. Of the population 18 

years of age and older, 68.9% had a high school 

education or higher, 9% had a bachelor’s degree or 

higher, and 2.7% had a graduate or professional degree; 

the national averages were 79.7%, 22.3%, and 7.8% 

respectively. A high school diploma or equivalency was 

the highest attainment for 39.2%.

The racial structure of Pleasantville was 

predominantly black (57.7%), followed by white (25%), 

individuals who identified with some other race (11%), 

individuals who identified with two or more races 

(4.1%), Asian (2%), American Indian and Alaska Native 

(0.3%), and Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 

(<0.1%). Ethnicity data indicate 21.9% identified as 

Hispanic, and 12.9% of the population was foreign-born. 

Of the foreign-born population, 24.9% were from the 

Dominican Republic and 23% were from Haiti.

In 2000 83.4% of the population lived in family 

households.

History

The area surrounding Pleasantville was originally 

inhabited by the Leni-Lenape Indians, who form the base 

of the contemporary Delaware (Lenape) Tribe. The 

Leni-Lenape lived within several loosely confederated 

independent communities and inhabited the Delaware 

River Valley in present day New Jersey and 

Pennsylvania. They moved seasonally between 

permanent inland villages, where they cultivated corn, 

squash, beans, pumpkin and tobacco, and the nearby 

Atlantic Coast, where they harvested clams and oysters 

during the summer season. They also hunted extensively 

2,000 1,500 1,000 500 0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000

Number of Individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and more Age

2000 Population structure

Male Female

2000 Racial structure

Asian

2.0%

Pacific Islander

<0.1%

Other

11.0%

Native

0.3%

Two or more races

4.1%

White

25.0%

Black

57.7%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Non-Hispanic

78.1%

Hispanic

21.9%
580

in wooded areas in what is now Pennsylvania and boiled 

maple sap to make sugar.1

Europeans first explored the Atlantic County area in 

the sixteenth century and Henry Hudson surveyed it in 

1609. The first permanent European settlers arrived in 

the 1690s. Many early settlers were whalers. Shipyards, 

mills, iron furnaces, and brickyards soon became the 

foundation of the local economy.2 Shipbuilding in 

particular became an important local enterprise. The 

community that would become Pleasantville was first 

settled in the seventeenth century, along a stagecoach 

route from Port Republic to the Somers Point Ferry. The 

community was originally part of Egg Harbor Township, 

which became a borough in 1888. The first town council 

meeting was held in January 1889. According to local 

lore, the present name was coined when a local 

storeowner named Daniel Lake asked the local 

wheelwright to make a sign for his storefront. It read 

“Lake’s Store, Pleasantville, New Jersey,” and the name 

became permanent.3

Pleasantville is known as the “Gateway to Atlantic 

City.” The community has been designated as a New 

Jersey Urban Enterprise City and markets itself as a 

prime location for casino and hotel industries.4

 

Businesses established in Pleasantville are known as 

Urban Enterprise Industries and benefit from tax 

exemptions, unemployment tax reductions, property tax 

abatements, other corporate tax breaks, and low interest 

business loans. In addition, retailers can offer customers 

a 50% reduction in state sales tax on eligible goods. The 

New Jersey Urban Enterprise Program (UEP) is part of 

an aggressive redevelopment plan meant to revitalize the 

local economy.

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 55% of 

Pleasantville’s potential labor force 16 years of age and 

older were employed, 6.2% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 10.2% (calculated by dividing 

the unemployed population by the labor force), well 

above the national unemployment rate of 5.7%. In 

addition, 38.8% were not in the labor force (not actively 

seeking work). The primary employment sectors were 

arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation, and food 

services (27.7%), education, health and social services 

(16.2%), and local, state, or federal government (13.8%). 

Reportedly, no one worked in natural resource jobs 

including agriculture, forestry, fishing, and mining, but 

this may be misleading because many fishermen are selfemployed and are underrepresented in the data.

2000 Employment structure

Unemployed

6.2%

Not in labor force

38.8%

Employed

55%

Pleasantville relies heavily on revenue from retail, 

professional, and light industrial businesses. Major 

employers include: Coach USA, Kmart, South Jersey 

Publishing, Verizon, AC Coin & Slot, International 

Gaming Technology, and Tri County Building Supply.5

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Pleasantville’s 

per capita income in 1999 was $17,668, below the 

national per capita income of $21,587. The median 

household income was $36,913, also less than the 

national median household income of $41,994. About 

15.8% lived below the poverty level, compared to the 

national average of 12.4%. In 2000 Pleasantville had 

7,042 housing units, of which 90.9% were occupied and 

9.1% were vacant. Of the occupied units, 56.3% were by 

owner and 43.7% were by renter.

Governance

Pleasantville is governed by a mayor and a sevenmember city council.6 Because Pleasantville falls within 

an Urban Enterprise Zone, it levies a sales and use tax of 

only 3% (versus the 6% statewide rate). The state also 

levies a 5% lodging tax.7

New Jersey levies a 10% excise tax on sportfishing 

equipment, which is used to fund state fish and wildlife 

conservation programs.8

 Commercial fishing vessels and 

commercial party boat sportfishing vessels are exempt 

from state sales and use taxes and are eligible for a refund 

of state motor fuel taxes.9

 The New Jersey Division of 

Taxation does not levy landing taxes on commercially 

harvested fish and shellfish, but the New Jersey Division 

of Fish, Game, and Wildlife requires commercial 

fishermen to purchase various fishery and gear-specific 

licenses and pay additional associated fees.

Pleasantville is within the jurisdiction of the MidAtlantic Fisheries Management Council. The nearest 

council meetings are held in Atlantic City, which is also 

home to a U.S. Coast Guard station. The National 
581

Marine Fisheries Service Northeast Regional Office is 

369 miles away in Gloucester, Massachusetts. The 

Southern Region Office of the New Jersey Division of 

Fish, Game, and Wildlife is 35 miles away in 

Sicklerville.

Facilities

The Pleasantville Public School District has a high 

school, middle school, and four elementary schools.10 

The city also has one private elementary school. The 

Pleasantville Police and Fire departments administer 

public safety. The Pleasantville Department of Public 

Works operates the wastewater system. South Jersey Gas 

Company provides natural gas, and the New Jersey 

American Water Company supplies water. Connectiv 

Energy supplies electricity.11

Atlantic City International Airport is 5 miles 

northwest of Pleasantville. The city has several major 

hotels, including several with gambling facilities. The 

nearest major hospitals are located in Atlantic City and 

Somers Point (8 miles).

Atlantic City has the closest commercial and 

recreational marine fishing facilities: Farley State Marina 

and Kammerman’s Marina. It also has a number of 

casino-hotels with marina facilities. Farley State Marina 

offers transient dockage and fuel. Kammerman’s Marina 

is a full service facility with transient docking, slips, and 

fuel.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

According to available data, no Pleasantville 

residents were involved in West Coast fisheries in 2000.

Sportfishing

In 2000 Pleasantville residents may have been active 

in sportfishing in the West Coast fisheries, however, no 

data on this activity are available.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 one Pleasantville resident held a federal 

permit for North Pacific fisheries, a License Limitation 

Program (LLP) scallop permit.

Sportfishing

Two Pleasantville residents purchased Alaska 

sportfishing licenses in 2000.

Additional Information

Involvement in East Coast Fisheries

Pleasantville area residents are heavily involved in 

East Coast fisheries, and commercial fishing contributes 

substantially to the New Jersey economy. The 

commercial fishing fleet operating out of the marina in 

Atlantic City focuses almost exclusively on harvesting 

surf clams and ocean quohogs.12 The local fleet consists 

primarily of larger vessels (70 to 150 feet long) equipped 

with hydraulic dredges. Because there are no clam 

processors in Atlantic City, landings are taken elsewhere 

in New Jersey or on the Delmarva Peninsula to be 

processed into minced clams and clam strips.

According to data collected by the National Marine 

Fisheries Service and published by the New Jersey State 

Department of Agriculture, approximately 2,706 people 

were employed full-time by the state’s commercial 

fishing industry in 1998.13 About 1,078 worked in fish 

and seafood processing, 100 in aquaculture, 909 in 

wholesale trade, and 3,278 in retail trade. Commercial 

and recreational marine fishing contributed an estimated 

$625 million to New Jersey’s economy. Fishing 

enterprises also generated an estimated $100 million in 

federal, state, and local taxes.

A number of charter vessels operate out of the 

Pleasantville area targeting tuna, blue fish, fluke, sea 

bass, striped bass, drum, flounder, and shark off the coast 

of New Jersey. A single license agent sells sportfishing 

licenses in Pleasantville.

Notes

1. Atlantic County Government. 2004. Leni-Lenape Indians. 

Online at http://www.aclink.org/HISTORY/mainpages/LENAPE.asp 

[accessed 11 April 2007].

2. Atlantic County Government. 2004. Atlantic County history. 

Online at http://www.aclink.org/HISTORY/homepage.asp [accessed 

11 April 2007].

3. Atlantic County Government. 2004. Pleasantville. Online at 

http://www.aclink.org/HISTORY/mainpages/PVILLE.asp [accessed 

11 April 2007].

4. City of Pleasantville. 2004. Home page. Online at http://

www.pleasantville-nj.org [accessed 11 April 2007].

5. See note 4.

6. City of Pleasantville. 2004. Elected officials. Online at 

http://www.pleasantville-nj.org/government.html [accessed 11 April 

2007].

7. State of New Jersey. 2004. New Jersey hotel and motel state 

occupancy tax return. Online at http://www.state.nj.us/treasury/

taxation/pdf/other_forms/hm100.pdf [accessed 11 April 2007].

8. New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife. 2004. New Jersey 

free fishing days. Online at http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/ffd03.htm 

[accessed 11 April 2007].

9. State of New Jersey Legislature. 1998. Assembly, No. 1957. 

Online at http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/9899/Bills/a2000/1957_i1.pdf 

[accessed 11 April 2007].
582

10. Pleasantville Board of Education. 2005. Pleasantville 

public schools home page. Online at http://www.pleasantville.k12

.nj.us/district/ [accessed 11 April 2007].

11. Atlantic County Economic Development. No date. About 

Atlantic County utilities. Online at http://www.acbiz.org/

Main%20Pages/About/ECD_about_util.htm [accessed June 2005].

12. Garden State Seafood Association. No date. Atlantic City. 

Online at http://www.fishingnj.org/portac.htm [accessed 11 April 

2007].

13. New Jersey State Department of Agriculture. 1998. 1999 

employment and economic contributions of New Jersey fisheries. 

Online at http://www.jerseyseafood.nj.gov/emp_eco.html [accessed 

11 April 2007].
583

Seaford, Virginia

People and Place

Location

Seaford, located near the convergence of the York 

River and Chesapeake Bay, is 70 miles east of Richmond 

in lower York County. The community encompasses 

3,220 acres of land, defined by Zip code 23696.1 The 

geographic coordinates of Seaford are lat 37°11′53′′N, 

long 76°26′00′′W.

Demographic Profile

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population 

of Seaford was 3,441. The gender structure was 50.2% 

female and 49.8% male. The median age in 2000 was 

41.2, higher than the national median of 35.3. Of the 

population 18 years of age and older, 88.7% had a high 

school education or higher, 27.2% had a bachelor’s 

degree or higher, and 10.1% had a graduate or 

professional degree; the national averages were 79.7%, 

22.3%, and 7.8% respectively. The highest educational 

attainment for 25.1% was a high school diploma or 

equivalency.

The majority of the racial structure of Seaford was 

white (95.4%), followed by black (3.7%), Asian (0.3%), 

individuals who identified with two or more races 

(0.3%), and individuals who identified with some other 

race (0.3%). Ethnicity data indicate 3.2% identified as 

Hispanic, and 1.7% of the population was foreign-born. 

Of the foreign-born residents, 29.3% were from Greece 

and 15.5% were from Japan.

In 2000 87.7% of the population lived in family 

households.

History

Algonquian-speaking Indians originally inhabited 

the Seaford area. They were united in the early 

seventeenth century by Chief Wahunsunacock, who later 

changed his name to Powhatan after the village where he 

was born.2

 The tribes united by Chief Powhatan came to 

be known collectively as the Powhatans or the Powhatan 

Confederacy. Their primary village was near Gloucester, 

but they had hundreds of satellite villages throughout the 

Chesapeake Bay area and the Virginia coastal plain.

The Powhatans cultivated corn and other vegetables 

and depended heavily on fish, oysters, clams, and 

waterfowl.3

 They were the first Indians encountered by 

the European settlers who founded Jamestown in 1607. 

Chief Powhatan agreed to the marriage of his daughter, 

Pocahontas, and the leader of the colony, James Smith, in 

300 200 100 0 100 200 300

Number of Individuals

0 to 9

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 and more Age

2000 Population structure

Male Female

2000 Racial structure

Other

0.3%

Two or more races

0.3%

White

95.4%

Black

3.7%

Asian

0.3%

2000 Hispanic ethnicity

Hispanic

3.2%

Non-Hispanic

96.8%
584

the hope the gesture would prevent conflict between the 

two groups, but disease and bloody encounters with 

Euro-American settlers soon decimated the Indian 

population. Smith and Pocohontas never married. 

Powhatan tribes gradually lost control of their ancestral 

lands, but many descendants still reside in the area.

York County was established in 1634 as one of eight 

shires in colonial Virginia. The community that became 

Seaford was originally called Crab Neck, Crab Rock, and 

Calamar.4 Prior to the Civil War, only 30 families lived 

in Crab Neck. During the war, Northern troops tore 

down the local Methodist Church to build a hospital for 

Union soldiers. A post office first opened in 1889, and 

the first local elementary school was constructed in 1920.

Today the community remains small, and the 

majority of businesses are oriented toward fishing, 

boating, lighthouse construction, and other marinerelated activities. The community also depends on 

scallop fishing (in both the Mid-Atlantic and North 

Pacific). Seaford has a large scallop processing facility, 

which operates more than 20 scallop dredgers and 

markets its products under the name Captain Wells Brand 

Scallops. The Seaford Scallop Company was founded in 

1979 and quickly became one of the largest processing 

facilities on the East Coast. Today the company also 

includes Wells Scallops and Wells Ice and Cold Storage 

and supplies fresh scallops to consumers year-round.5

Infrastructure

Current Economy

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 66.6% of 

Seaford’s potential labor force 16 years of age and older 

were employed, 1.9% were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate was 2.7% (calculated by dividing the 

unemployed population by the labor force), less than half 

the national jobless rate of 5.7%. In addition, 31.5% 

were not in the labor force. The top employment sectors 

were local, state, or federal government (19.3%), 

manufacturing (18.2%), education, health and social 

services (14.8%), and the armed forces (7%). None were 

reported working in natural resource jobs including 

agriculture, forestry, fishing, and mining, but this may be 

misleading because many fishermen are self-employed 

and are underrepresented in the data.

Businesses in Seaford include Calvin Hudges 

Welding and Machine Works, Lighthouse Marine 

Surveying and Consulting, Mill’s Marina, Seaford 

Transfer, Seaford Scallop Company, Seaford Country 

Market, and the Seaford Yacht Club.6

 A Coca Cola 

bottling plant is located in the community, which 

employs 112 people. The Seaford Scallop Company, 

Wells Scallop, and Wells Ice and Cold Storage, which 

2000 Employment structure

Employed

66.6%

Unemployed

1.9%

Not in labor force

31.5%

operate jointly from a facility in Seaford, employ 62.7 

Other major employers include York County Schools and 

York County Government. Two large industrial 

complexes, Virginia Power and the Yorktown Refinery 

(owned by Giant Industries), may also employ Seaford 

residents.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the per capita 

income in Seaford in 1999 was $28,905, compared to the 

national per capita income of $21,587. The median 

household income of $64,392 was well above the 

national median household income of $41,994. Only 

3.3% lived below the poverty level in 1999, compared to 

the national poverty level of 12.4%. In 2000 Seaford had 

1,354 housing units, of which 95.3% were occupied and 

4.7% were vacant. Of the occupied units, 91.2% were by 

owner and 8.8% were by renter.

Governance

Seaford is not incorporated and has no local 

government. The community is under the jurisdiction of 

York County, headquartered in nearby Yorktown (9 

miles). York County levies a 5% sales and use tax and a 

5% lodging tax plus an additional $2 per room, per 

night.8

Virginia has a 2% tax on the sale of watercraft, with 

a maximum tax burden of $2,000. Motor vehicle fuel is 

taxed at 16 cents per gallon, but commercial watercraft 

operators are eligible for a refund of 14.5 cents per 

gallon. Commercial watercraft operators may also direct 

the state to credit their share of this motor fuel tax to the 

state’s Marine Fishing Improvement Fund.9

 Boats of 

more than five tons are taxed as personal property.

The Virginia Department of Taxation does not levy 

landing taxes on commercially harvested fish and 

shellfish, but the Virginia Marine Resources Commission 

requires commercial fishermen to purchase various 

fishery and gear-specific licenses and pay additional 

associated fees.
585

The Mid-Atlantic Fisheries Management Council 

holds its nearest meetings in nearby Hampton. The 

closest U.S. Coast Guard station is in Yorktown. The 

National Marine Fisheries Service Northeast Regional 

Office is 652 miles away in Gloucester, Massachusetts. 

The Virginia Marine Resources Commission has a law 

enforcement field office 10 miles away in Gloucester 

Point.

Facilities

Seaford is located at the junction of Virginia 

highways 718 and 622, about 3 miles east of U.S. 

Highway 17. The Newport News-Williamsburg 

International Airport is about 6 miles from Seaford in 

Newport News. The nearest hospital facilities are located 

in Newport News, Hampton (9 miles), and Yorktown. 

According to available sources, there are no hotels or 

motels in Seaford.

Seaford is located in the York County School 

Division, which is headquartered in Yorktown. Seaford 

students attend elementary school in Seaford and middle 

school and high school in Yorktown.

The York County Sheriff’s office administers law 

enforcement services in Seaford and fire safety services 

are provided by Neighborhood Fire Station #6, located in 

Seaford and operated by the county.10 Dominion 

Virginia Power supplies electricity and Virginia Natural 

Gas provides gas. Most Seaford residents use private 

wells and septic tanks.

The community has a marina for commercial and 

recreational fishermen and a scallop processing facility 

with more than 20 scallop dredgers that operate along the 

Atlantic Coast. Mill’s Marina, located on Chesapeake 

Bay at the mouth of the York River, is a full-service 

facility.

Involvement in West Coast Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 available data indicates no Seaford residents 

involved in West Coast fisheries.

Sportfishing

Seaford residents may have been active in 

sportfishing in the West Coast fisheries in 2000, 

however, no data are available.

Involvement in North Pacific Fisheries

Commercial Fishing

In 2000 Seaford residents owned three vessels that 

participated in North Pacific fisheries. These vessels 

made landings in the North Pacific scallop fishery, but 

specific information (landings in metric tons/value of 

landings) is confidential.

In 2000 five Seaford residents held commercial 

fishing permits for North Pacific fisheries. Two held 

state permits for Alaska fisheries and three held federal 

permits.

Residents held two Commercial Fisheries Entry 

Commission scallop permits and two License Limitation 

Program scallop permits.

Sportfishing

In 2000 four Seaford residents purchased Alaska 

sportfishing licenses.

Additional Information

Involvement in East Coast Fisheries

Seaford residents are heavily involved in the East 

Coast fisheries, especially the scallop fishery. Seaford 

Scallop, Wells Scallop, and Wells Ice and Cold Storage, 

which operate a scallop processing facility in Seaford, 

employ more than 60 full-time employees and operate 

more than 20 vessels active in the New England and MidAtlantic scallop fisheries.11

Notes

1. Field notes, York County Government, VA, June 2006.

2. York County Government. 2004. Native Americans. Online 

at http://www.yorkcounty.gov/cyc/native.html [accessed 11 April 

2007].

3. K. Spaar. No date. The Potomac Appalachian trail club-short 

history of the Powhatan Indians. Online at http://www.patc.net/

history/native/ind_hist.html [accessed 11 April 2007].

4. B. Quass. 2003. Seaford Virginia home page. Online at 

http://www.quass.com/seafordvirginia.html [accessed 11 April 2007].

5. Captain Wells Scallops. 2005. History. Online at http://

www.captainwellsscallops.com/history.html [accessed 11 April 2007].

6. See note 4.

7. York County Office of Economic Development. 2004. Top 

employers. Online at http://www.yorkcounty.gov/econdev/industry/

top_employers.htm [accessed 11 April 2007].

8. York County Government. 2004. Business tax information. 

Online at http://www.yorkcounty.gov/revenue/businesstax.htm 

[accessed 11 April 2007].

9. Virginia Department of Taxation. 2005. Tax code of Virginia. 

Online at http://www.policylibrary.tax.virginia.gov/OTP/Policy.nsf 

[accessed 11 April 2007].

10. York County Government. 2004. Neighborhood fire station 

#6. Online at http://www.yorkcounty.gov/fls/fstat/Stat6.htm [accessed 

11 April 2007].

11. See note 5.
586
587

Appendices

Appendix A: Invalid Communities Due to DEA Nonconvergence

Appendix B: Place-based Communities

Appendix C: Authors

Appendix D: List of Common and Scientific Names
588
589

Appendix A: Invalid Communities due to 

DEA Nonconvergence

Nonconvergence in the DEA model occurred for various reasons, including the particular indicator mix or the 

scale of the different indicators relative to other communities. The following communities showed nonconvergence 

and many were removed after consideration.

The scores of two Alaska communities did not converge for the West Coast (WC) and North Pacific (NP) 

combined dependence score and 23 did not converge for the WC and NP combined engagement score. These 

communities were omitted from the analysis because they are situated in Alaska and were profiled previously in a 

separate document.1

WC and NP combined engagement scores did not converge for 68 communities in 7 states: Alaska 23, California 

29, Florida 1, Idaho 1, Nebraska 1, Oregon 7, and Washington 6. For 34 communities in three states—California 29, 

Oregon 4, and Washington 1—WC only engagement scores did not converge. Although the communities listed 

below failed to converge, many of these communities were profiled due to their high WC dependence and WC and 

NP combined dependence scores. Italics indicate communities profiled.

WC and NP Combined Dependence Score

Alaska: Port Alexander and Whittier.

WC and NP Combined Engagement Score

Alaska: Ambler, Anchorage, Angoon, Chefornak, Copper Center, Cordova, Craig, Edna Bay, Ekwok, Elim, 

Goodnews Bay, Haines, Homer, Igiugig, Kake, Ketchikan, Klawock, Kongiganak, Metlakatla, Ninilchik, Platinum, 

Skagway, and Toksook Bay.

California: Alpine, Bodega Bay, Carlsbad, Cazadero, Concord, Fairfield, Gardena, Livermore, Lomita, Monterey, 

Moss Landing, Napa, Oxnard, Perris, Petaluma, Princeton, Rancho Palos Verdes, Rodeo, Sacramento, Salinas, San 

Anselmo, San Bruno, San Francisco, San Jose, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Stockton, Thousand Oaks, and Woodland.

Florida: Dade City.

Idaho: Bayview.

Nebraska: Grand Island.

Oregon: Astoria, Brookings, Coos Bay, Lincoln City, Portland, Toledo, and Vernonia.

Washington: Bellingham, Gig Harbor, Ilwaco, Kalama, Renton, and Seabeck.

WC Only Engagement Score

California: Carlsbad, Concord, El Granada, El Sobrante, Fairfield, Fremont, Garden Grove, Livermore, Marina, 

Monterey, Morro Bay, Moss Landing, Oroville, Princeton, Petaluma, Ranchos Palos Verdes, Redwood City, Redwood 

Valley, Rodeo, Sacramento, Salinas, San Francisco, San Lorenzo, San Pedro, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Stockton, 

Westminster, and Woodland.

Oregon: Astoria, Brookings, Coos Bay, and Portland.

Washington: Ilwaco.

Notes

1. J.A. Sepez, B.D. Tilt, C.L. Package, H.M. Lazrus, I. Vaccaro. 2005. Community profiles for North Pacific fisheries-Alaska. U.S. Dept. 

Commer., NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-AFSC-160.
590
591

Appendix B: Place-based Communities

The demographic characteristics of many U.S. communities are readily available at the U.S. Census Bureau 

Web site or other data formats produced by the bureau. Unfortunately, this is not always the case for what can be 

referred to as “nested, place-based communities.” Large urban areas such as Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and 

San Diego encompass numerous smaller subcommunities. These subcommunities may be defined by affiliation, 

interest, or place. Some smaller communities, such as San Francisco’s China Town may fit the criteria for several of 

these community definitions. In the fishing community profiling research, the team was required by the nature of the 

project to investigate nested, place-based communities.

Nested fishing communities fall geographically within larger communities, often in major U.S. cities. Some 

of these larger communities, Los Angeles for example, also participate in the fishing industry but generally to a more 

diffuse and less intensive degree. Within a coastal city such as Seattle or Los Angeles, a nested community can be 

geographically pinpointed that is substantially linked to fishing activities.1

 In such a nested community, the level of 

fishing involvement would be more significant per capita than in the larger urban area where economic diversification 

provides for multiple livelihoods.

At least two scenarios may arise in which a community’s demographic characteristics are not readily 

available from the more user-friendly U.S. Census formats. In some instances a community may not be a Census 

Designated Place (CDP). In these cases the U.S. Census offers zip code or block level data for these localities but 

does not offer integrated demographic characteristics for the locality as a whole. A second scenario occurs when 

there are discrepancies between a community’s boundaries as defined and applied by the U.S. Census and the 

community’s boundaries as identified or determined by a particular research endeavor.

Both scenarios were encountered while researching San Pedro and Terminal Island, both nested within the 

larger community of Los Angeles. Although Northwest Fisheries Science Center (NWFSC) policy interests and field 

research had identified these as unique communities, the U.S. Census defined these areas differently. The research 

team identified Terminal Island as a distinct community worthy of profiling despite the fact that the U.S. Census does 

not recognize Terminal Island as a distinct place. The boundaries used by the U.S. Census split Terminal Island into 

northern and southern portions. According to the U.S. Census, the northern half of Terminal Island rests within the 

nested community of San Pedro, while the southern portion lies within the boundaries of the Port of Long Beach.

Although the U.S. Census provided demographic data for the community of San Pedro through Zip Code 

Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs), these data were premised on geographical boundaries incongruent with the boundaries 

identified for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration social science research. Again, based on the U.S. 

Census circumscription, a portion of Terminal Island and several indiscriminate contiguous areas are encompassed 

within the boundaries of San Pedro, a nested community that required separate consideration in this analysis. As a 

result of the lack of ready data for the communities of Terminal Island and San Pedro, the research team needed to 

identify an appropriate method for obtaining demographic characteristics for both. The solution was to attain the data 

from another source. This required identification of organizations that have conducted demographic studies of the 

area. The research team ultimately sourced demographic characteristics for San Pedro from the City of Los Angeles 

Planning Department and for Terminal Island from the Los Angeles Almanac. The decision to acquire the data from 

an external source was premised on efficiency, as the calculation of the community data from Census Block and Tract 

level data would have required much more resources. A third source useful to clearly delineate the boundaries of nonCDP communities came from the U.S. Environment Protection Agency (EPA).2 This Web-based community 

demographic analysis integrates geographic information system tools with U.S. Census-derived demographic 

information. For example, Terminal Island, nested within the City of Los Angeles, is not a CDP. Using EPA’s Web 

tool, team members could draw a border around Terminal Island and thereby obtain the necessary demographic 

information based on this articulation of its boundaries.

Some population centers have inherent difficulties in profiling fishing communities. Rapid growth, suburban 

sprawl, and local political issues occasionally result in the U.S. Census not designating some communities as CDPs 

despite their substantial size and importance in a fisheries-oriented framework. Several communities without the U.S. 

Census designation nevertheless appeared in a list of communities meriting a profile. These places are often listed in 

databases of fisheries information that rely on self-reporting by fisheries participants. In 2000 the U.S. Census 

Bureau for the first time dropped the minimum population size required for “place” designation. Even so, some large 
592

areas and historically recognized communities escaped designation. Nested communities, because of their placement 

within larger CDPs, are also not designated as CDPs. When a community is not a CDP, it makes the reporting of 

demographic information more difficult. For example, in the case of Tarzana, California, and other West Coast 

communities, the U.S. Census data had to be assembled from a grouping of ZCTAs.

There are problems associated with ZCTAs, though they are not insurmountable. The two inherent problems 

in using ZCTAs are they may cross county boundaries and may thus be demographically inaccurate. The U.S. Census 

Bureau’s CDP is the most defensible and efficient means of getting at demographic information, but the NWFSC 

project required more communities than were included in the U.S. Census’ list of CDPs. In many instances, an 

assemblage of ZCTAs linked to a particular place name was used in developing demographic profiles of the 

communities. The ZCTAs were useful because only 27% of them had community boundary overlap, and they present 

a means of assembling U.S. Census-based demographic data when no others exist.

Notes

1. Impact Assessment Inc. 2004. Identifying communities associated with the fishing industry in Louisiana. La Jolla, CA. IAI for 

NOAA Fisheries, Southeast Regional Office.

2. More information is on line at http://www.epa.gov/enviro/ej/ [accessed 19 April 2007].
593

Appendix C: Authors

Biographical Sketches

Karma Norman, Ph.D., is an anthropologist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s 

(NOAA) Northwest Fisheries Science Center (NWFSC) in Seattle. He received a doctorate in environmental 

anthropology from the University of Washington in 2007. Norman has researched communities involved in fishing 

on the western and eastern sides of the Pacific Ocean, including Australia’s Torres Strait Islands and the U.S. Pacific 

Northwest. His work has focused on traditional environmental knowledge, marine tenure systems, demographics, 

and fisheries management in small communities. He is also researching the human dimensions of salmon habitat 

needs in the Pacific Northwest.

Jennifer Sepez, Ph.D., is an anthropologist at NOAA’s Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC) in Seattle 

and helped organize and lead the joint community profiles project with Karma Norman. Sepez earned her doctorate 

in environmental anthropology at the University of Washington, where she is now an affiliate assistant professor of 

anthropology. Her research has focused on resource management, political ecology, ethnobiology, and demography 

in relation to marine fisheries and marine mammals. Her previous work includes such topics as Makah whaling, 

traditional environmental knowledge, subsistence hunting and fishing, marine mammal tourism, demographic 

consequences of climate change, and Alaska fishing communities.

Heather Lazrus is a doctoral student in the environmental anthropology program at the University of 

Washington. Since June 2003 she has worked with anthropologists at both the Alaska and Northwest Fisheries 

Science centers on various projects including community profiling of fishing communities, a review of the San Juan 

Islands whale watching industry, and compiling traditional environmental knowledge of climate change in Alaska. 

The subject of Lazrus’ dissertation research is local perceptions of climate change, vulnerability, and the governance 

of both. She also spent 18 months, beginning in September 2005, in New Zealand and Tuvalu, South Pacific, 

conducting fieldwork on how people understand and cope with environmental change and natural hazards.

Nicole Milne is pursuing her doctorate in geography at the University of Hawaii-Manoa. She holds a B.S. in 

zoology and conservation biology, a graduate certificate in Geographic Information Systems from the University of 

Wisconsin, and received a master’s degree in marine affairs from the University of Washington in 2004. Currently 

Milne is working on community profiles for Hawaiian fisheries at the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center in 

Honolulu.

Christina Package is working on her master’s degree in Oregon State University’s applied anthropology 

program with a minor in marine resource management. She received her B.A. in anthropology from the University of 

Washington in 2002. Package worked for AFSC for several years and was part of the profiling teams for both the 

West Coast and Alaska community profiles, working as a cosupervisor on the West Coast effort. Her thesis work 

focuses on a collaborative project in three Oregon coastal fishing communities.

Suzanne Russell is a staff social scientist for NWFSC and has worked for NOAA since 1992 in various 

capacities, including as a NOAA Corps officer. Her undergraduate degree from Old Dominion University is in 

marine biology with minors in chemistry and oceanography. She received a master’s degree in marine affairs from 

the University of Washington in 2003. Russell’s research interests include fishing communities, individual quotas and 

human and community effects, and sociocultural research of the whale watching industry of the Greater Puget Sound.

Kevin Grant earned his B.S. degree in biology from the University of Wisconsin in 1996 and his master’s 

degree in marine affairs from the University of Washington in 2004. Grant also served as a Peace Corps volunteer in 

the Solomon Islands, and in 2005 received a Knauss Marine Policy Fellow for NOAA’s National Marine Sanctuary 

Program. He is currently working in Hawaii as a policy specialist for the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National 

Monument.

Robin Petersen Lewis received her master’s degree in applied environmental anthropology from Oregon 

State University. In her thesis research, she conducted ethnographic interviews with Yurok and Karuk tribal 

community members to understand the ecological and cultural significance of Pacific lamprey in the lower Klamath 
594

Basin. Lewis earned her B.S. in natural resources from Ohio State University. She is a former Peace Corps volunteer 

and currently works for the Friends of Tryon Creek State Park in Portland, Oregon.

John Primo has a master’s degree in applied anthropology and holds a graduate certificate in environmental 

management and policy, both from the University of South Florida. He is pursuing his doctorate in ecological 

anthropology at the University of Georgia. Primo recently completed a John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship 

where he worked as a staff member and the acting coordinator for NOAA’s Ecosystem Research Program. He is 

currently working as a graduate researcher in NOAA Fisheries’ Office of Science and Technology.

Emilie Springer received a master’s degree in marine affairs at the University of Washington in 2007. Her 

master’s research focused on the social elements of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Pacific cod fishery. With 

research funding from NOAA’s AFSC, she interviewed approximately 35 fishermen in order to explain typical 

occupational characteristics of the various gear-types: trawl, long-line, and pot. Originally from Alaska, Springer has 

worked on commercial seine vessels in Alaska salmon and herring fisheries in Southeast, Prince William Sound, 

Kachemak Bay, Kodiak, and Togiak, Alaska. She received a B.A. degree in English and creative writing from 

Stanford University.

Megan Styles has a master’s degree in anthropology from the University of Washington, where she is a 

doctoral student in the environmental anthropology program. She earned her B.A. in anthropology and environmental 

studies from Washington University in St. Louis in 2001. Styles began working for NOAA Fisheries in June 2004. 

She is conducting her dissertation research on the socioeconomic and ecological impacts of cut flower production in 

the vicinity of Kenya’s Lake Naivasha in Africa.

Bryan Tilt, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of anthropology at Oregon State University. He earned his 

doctorate in anthropology from the University of Washington, and worked on the community profiles project during 

and immediately after his graduate studies. Tilt’s research focuses on sustainable rural development in China.

Ismael Vaccaro, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of environmental science and anthropology at McGill 

University in Montreal, Canada. He received his doctorate in environmental anthropology at the University of 

Washington in 2005. His academic background includes a master’s degree in anthropology from the Ecole d’Hautes 

en Sciences Sociales (Paris), and studies in political science.

Authors by Profile

Although the profiling was a collaborative effort, individual team members are largely responsible for the 

first draft of each profile. Subsequent revisions and edits were made by other members of the team, plus the NWFSC 

Technical Memorandum Editing Group.

Washington

Aberdeen: Bryan Tilt

Anacortes: Heather Lazrus

Bay Center: Megan Styles

Bellingham: Nicole Milne

Blaine: Heather Lazrus and Nicole Milne

Bothell: Christina Package

Cathlamet: Megan Styles

Chinook: Megan Styles

Edmonds: Christina Package

Everett: Nicole Milne

Ferndale: Jennifer Sepez

Fox Island: Christina Package

Friday Harbor: Heather Lazrus

Gig Harbor: Kevin Grant and Heather Lazrus

Grayland: Heather Lazrus and Bryan Tilt

Ilwaco: Suzanne Russell
595

La Conner: Nicole Milne

Lakewood: Christina Package

La Push: Christina Package

Long Beach: Suzanne Russell

Lopez Island: Heather Lazrus

Mount Vernon: Nicole Milne

Naselle: Megan Styles

Neah Bay: Christina Package and Jennifer Sepez

Olympia: Kevin Grant

Port Angeles: Nicole Milne

Port Townsend: Heather Lazrus and Nicole Milne

Raymond: Megan Styles

Seattle: Christina Package

Seaview: Megan Styles

Sedro-Woolley: Christina Package

Sequim: Nicole Milne

Shelton: Kevin Grant

Silvana: Nicole Milne

South Bend: Megan Styles

Stanwood: Nicole Milne

Tacoma: Kevin Grant

Tokeland: John Primo

Westport: Nicole Milne

Woodinville: Christina Package

Oregon

Astoria: Heather Lazrus

Bandon: Robin Petersen Lewis and Suzanne Russell

Beaver: Kevin Grant and Heather Lazrus

Brookings: Heather Lazrus and Robin Peterson Lewis

Charleston: Suzanne Russell 

Clatskanie: Bryan Tilt

Cloverdale: Kevin Grant and Heather Lazrus

Coos Bay: Suzanne Russell

Depoe Bay: Nicole Milne

Florence: Kevin Grant and Karma Norman

Garibaldi: John Primo

Gold Beach: Robin Peterson Lewis and Christina Package 

Hammond: Bryan Tilt

Harbor: Heather Lazrus and Robin Petersen Lewis

Logsdon: John Primo

Monument: Bryan Tilt

Newport: Heather Lazrus and Robin Petersen Lewis

North Bend: Suzanne Russell

Pacific City: Heather Lazrus

Port Orford: Karma Norman

Reedsport: Suzanne Russell

Rockaway Beach: John Primo

Roseburg: Bryan Tilt

Seaside: Nicole Milne

Siletz: John Primo

Sisters: Robin Petersen Lewis

South Beach: John Primo
596

Tillamook: Kevin Grant and Heather Lazrus

Toledo: John Primo

Warrenton: Heather Lazrus

Winchester Bay: Suzanne Russell

California

Albion: Bryan Tilt

Arroyo Grande: Kevin Grant and Heather Lazrus

Atascadero: Kevin Grant and Heather Lazrus

Avila Beach: Kevin Grant and Heather Lazrus

Bodega Bay: John Primo

Corte Madera: Nicole Milne

Costa Mesa: Kevin Grant and Heather Lazrus

Crescent City: Robin Peterson Lewis and Suzanne Russell 

Culver City: Megan Styles

Dana Point: Bryan Tilt

Dillon Beach: Kevin Grant and Nicole Milne

El Granada: Nicole Milne

El Sobrante: Nicole Milne

Eureka: Heather Lazrus and Robin Petersen Lewis

Fields Landing: Heather Lazrus and Robin Petersen Lewis

Fort Bragg: Megan Styles

Half Moon Bay: Nicole Milne

Kneeland: Megan Styles

Lafayette: Nicole Milne

Long Beach: Kevin Grant and Heather Lazrus

Los Angeles (including San Pedro and Terminal Island): Kevin Grant and John Primo

Los Osos: Kevin Grant and Heather Lazrus

Marina: Megan Styles

McKinleyville: Megan Styles and Christina Package 

Monterey: Kevin Grant

Morro Bay: Kevin Grant

Moss Landing: Heather Lazrus and Robin Petersen Lewis

Novato: Nicole Milne

Oxnard: Nicole Milne

Pebble Beach: Megan Styles

Point Arena: Bryan Tilt

Port Hueneme: Nicole Milne

Princeton: Nicole Milne

San Diego: Nicole Milne and John Primo

San Francisco: Nicole Milne

San Jose: Nicole Milne

Santa Ana: Bryan Tilt

Santa Barbara: Christina Package

Santa Cruz: John Primo

Santa Rosa: Bryan Tilt

Sausalito: Nicole Milne

Seaside: Nicole Milne

Sebastopol: Megan Styles

Sunset Beach: Bryan Tilt

Tarzana: Megan Styles

Torrance: Megan Styles

Trinidad: Heather Lazrus and Robin Petersen Lewis
597

Ukiah: Megan Styles

Valley Ford: Heather Lazrus

Ventura: John Primo

Other states

Pleasantville, New Jersey: Megan Styles

Seaford, Virginia: Megan Styles
598
599

Appendix D: List of Common and Scientific Names

This community profiles technical memorandum refers to fish, other animals, and plants by their common 

names only. For reference, this appended alphabetical list of common names for species also provides the scientific 

names in parentheses.

Abalone:

Black (Haliotis cracherodi)

Flat (H. walallensis)

Green (H. fulgens)

Pink (H. corrugata)

Pinto (H. kamtschatkana)

Red, California (H. rufescens)

Threaded (H. assimilis)

White (H. sorenseni)

Anchovy (Engraulis mordax)

Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus alpinus)

Atlantic lobster (Homarus americanus)

Beach ryegrass (Leymus mollis)

Beaver (Castor canadensis)

Black crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus)

Blood worm:

Tufted gilled (Glycera americana)

Proboscis worm (G. dibranchiata)

Blue fish, Atlantic (Pomatomus saltatrix)

Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus)

Bonito:

Pacific (Sarda chiliensis lineolata)

Eastern Pacific (S. chiliensis chiliensis)

California barracuda (Sphyraena argentea)

California redwood:

Coastal (Sequoia sempervirens)

Inland (S. gigantean)

California scorpionfish (Scorpaena guttata)

California sea lion (Zolaphus californianus)

Catfish (order Siluriformes):

Asian redtail (Hemibagrus nemurus)

Basa, Vietnamese (Lactarius lactarius)

Blue (Ictalurus furcatus)

Brown bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus)

Channel (Ictalurus punctatus)

Giant sea (Arius thalassinus)

Cattail, common (Typha latifolia)

Cedar:

Western red (Thuja plicata)

Port Orford (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana)

Chiton (order Neoloricata):

Chiton (Mopalia lignosa)

Black leather chiton (Katherina tunicata)

Clams:

Atlantic surf (Spisula solidissima)

Butter (Saxidomus giganteus)

Eastern softshell (Mya arenaria)

Geoduck, Pacific (Panopea abrupta)

Horse, fat gaper (Tresus capax)

Horse, Pacific gaper (T. nuttallii)

Littleneck (Protothaca staminea)

Manila (Tapes japonica)

Nuttall’s cockle (Clinocardium nuttallii)

Pacific littleneck (Protothaca staminea)

Pismo (Tivela stultorum)

Purple varnish, nuisance (Nattalia obscurata)

Quahog (Arctica islandica)

Quahog (Mercenaria mercenaria)

Razor, Atlantic (Siliqua costata)

Sand (Macoma secta)

Crab:

Dungeness (Cancer magister)

Rock (C. productus)

Tanner (Chionoecetes bairdi)

Crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus)

Deer:

Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus)

White tailed deer (O. virginianus)

Dolphin (family Delphinidae):

Common (Delphinus delphis)

Dorado (Coryphaena hippurus)

Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii)

Drum, Atlantic

Black (Pagonias cromis)

Red (Sciaenops ocellatus)

Eelgrass (Zostera marina)

Elk (Cervus elaphus)

Flounder:

Arctic (Liopsetta glacialis)

Arrowtooth (Atheresthes stomias)

Dusky, Atlantic (Syacium papillosum)

Eyed, Atlantic (Bothus ocellatus)

Starry (Platichthys stellatus)

Summer, fluke, Atlantic (Paralichthys dentatus)
600

Winter (Pseudopleuronectes americanus)

Yellowtail, Atlantic (Limanda ferrugineal)

Goose neck barnacle (Lepas anserifera)

Gracillaria, green (Gracillaria gracilis)

Greenling, kelp (Hexagrammos decagrammus)

Haddock, New England (Melanogrammus aeglefinus)

Harbor seal (Phoca vitulina)

Horn shell:

California (Cerithidea hegewischii californica)

Monterey miniature cerith (Cerithiopsis 

montereyensis)

Jack rabbit, black tailed (Lepus californicus)

Kelp:

Bullhead, Northeast and Alaska (Nereocystis 

leutkeana)

Pacific northwest (Agarum fimbriatum)

Southern California (Macrocystis pyrifera)

Lamprey:

Pacific (Lampetra tridentata)

River (L. ayresii)

Western brook (L. richardsoni)

Largemouth bass, freshwater (Mictopterus salmoides)

Lingcod (Ophiodon elongatus)

Mackerel

Atka (Pleurogrammus manopterygius)

Monterey Spanish (Scomberomorus concolor)

Jack (Trachurus symmetricus)

Pacific (Scomber japonicus)

Spanish (Scomberomorus sierra)

Marlin:

Blue (Makaira mazara)

Black (M. indica)

Pacific striped (Tetrapturus audax)

Mussels:

Mediterranean (Mytilus galloprovincialis)

California (M. californianus)

Blue (M. edulis)

Nori (Porphyra yezoensis) and (P. tenera)

Northern elephant seal (Mirounga augustirostris)

Northern fur seal (Callorhinus ursinus)

Northern Pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus oregonensis)

Octopus:

Giant Pacific (Enteroctopus dofleini)

Red (Octopus rubescens)

Orca, killer whale (Orcinus orca)

Oysters:

Eastern (Virginia), farmed (Crassostrea virginica)

Pacific, farmed (C. gigas)

Olympia (Ostreola conchaphila)

Pacific cod (Gadus macrocephalus)

Pacific halibut (Hippoglossus stenolepis)

Pacific herring (Clupea pallasii)

Pacific tomcod (Microgadus proximus)

Pacific sardine (Sardinops sagax)

Pacific saury (Cololabis saira)

Pacific spotted scorpionfish (Scorpaena mystes)

Perch:

Barred surfperch (Amphistichus argenteus)

Black perch (Embiotoca jacksoni)

Calico surfperch (Amphistichus koelzi)

Inshore sand perch (Diplectrum pacificum)

Pike perch (Rhacochilus vacca)

Redtail surfperch (Amphistichus rhodoterus)

Rubberlip seaperch (Rhacochilus taxotes)

Sacramento tuleperch (Hysterocarpus traskii traskii)

Shiner perch (Cymatogaster aggregata)

Striped seaperch (Embiotoca lateralis)

Walleye surfperch (Hyperprosopon argenteum)

White perch (Phanerodon furcatus)

Yellow perch (Perca flavescens)

Pollock, walleye (Theragra chalcogramma)

Rock crab (family Cancridae):

Yellow rock crab (Cancer anthonyi)

Slender rock crab (C. gracilis)

European green crab, invasive (C. maenas)

Rockfish:

Aurora (Sebastes aurora)

Black (S. melanops)

Blue (S. mystinus)

Bocaccio (S. paucispinis)

Brown (S. auriculatus)

Cabezon (Scorpaenichthys marmoratus)

Canary (Sebastes pinniger)

Chilipepper (S. goodei)

China (S. nebulosus)

Copper (S. caurinus)

Cowcod (S. levis)

Darkblotched (S. crameri)

Greenstriped (S. elongatus)

Pacific Ocean perch (S. alutus)

Puget Sound (S. emphaeus)

Quillback (S. maliger)

Rosy (S. rosaceus)
601

Thornyhead, longspine (Sebastolobus altivelis)

Thornyhead, shortspine (S. alascanus)

Tiger (Sebastes nigrocinctus)

Vermillion (S. miniatus)

Widow (S. entomelas)

Yelloweye (S. ruberrimus)

Yellowmouth (S. reedi)

Yellowtail (S. flavidus)

Sablefish, aka Black cod (Anoplopoma fimbria)

Salmon, Atlantic (Salmo salar)

Salmon, Pacific:

Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)

Sockeye salmon (kokanee) (O. nerka)

Chum salmon (O. keta)

Coho salmon (O. kisutch)

Pink salmon (O. gorbuscha)

Sand lance

Pacific sandeel (Ammodytes personatus)

Pacific sand lance (A. hexapterus)

Scallop:

Atlantic bay (Aequipecten irradians concentricus)

New England sea (Placepten magellinacus)

Rock (Crassedoma giganteum)

Weathervane (Patinopectin caurinus)

Sea bass:

Black sea (Stereolepis gigas)

Black sea, Atlantic (Centropristis striata)

Barred sand (Paralabrax nebulifer)

Kelp (P. clathratus)

Striped, Atlantic (Morone saxatilis)

Sea cucumber (Cucumaria and Parastichopus species)

Sea lettuce (Ulva lactuca)

Sea otter (Enhydra lutris)

Sea urchin:

Purple (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus)

Red (S. franciscanus)

Shad (Alosa sapidissima)

Sharks:

Sixgill (Hexanchus griseus)

Thresher (Alopias vulpinus)

Soupfin (Galeorhinus galeus)

Pacific Angel (Squatina californica)

Shield limpet (Colisella pelta)

Shrimp:

Coonstripe (Pandalus hypsinotus)

Humpy (P. goniurus)

Northern (P. borealis)

Pink (P. jordani)

Spot (P. platyceros)

Sand, Atlantic (Crangon crangon)

Tiger, farmed (Penaeus monodon)

Sitka periwinkle (Littorina sitkana)

Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis)

Skates:

Bering (Bathyraja interrupta)

Big (Raja binoculata)

California (R. inornata)

Longnose (R. rhina)

Starry (R. stellulata)

Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubata)

Sturgeon:

Green (Acipenser medirostris)

White (A. transmontanus)

Smelt:

Eulachon (Thaleichthys pacificus)

Longfin (Spirinchus thaleichthys)

Surf (Hypomesus pretiosus)

Sanddab:

Speckled (Citharichthys stigmaeus)

Pacific (C. sordidus)

Sole:

Butter (Iopsetta isolepis)

Curlfin (Pleuronichthys decurrens)

Dover (Microstomus pacificus)

English (Parophrys vetulus)

Flathead (Hippoglossoides elassodon)

Squid:

California market (Loligo opalescens)

Giant (Architeuthis dux)

Swordfish (Xiphias gladius)

Trout

Brook (Salvelinus fontinalis)

Brown (Salmo trutta)

Cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki clarki)

Dolly Varden (Salvelinus malma)

Rainbow (O. mykiss)

Steelhead (O. mykiss)

Tube worm (Riftia pachyptila)

Tule reeds (Schoenoplectus californicus) and (S. acutus)

Tuna:

Albacore (Thunnus alalunga)

Bigeye (T. obesus)

Bluefin, Pacific (T. orientalis)

Bluefin, Atlantic (T. thynnus)

Bullet, Atlantic (Auxis rochei rochei)

Frigate, Atlantic (A. thazard thazard)
602

Little tunny, Atlantic (Euthynnus alletteratus)

Skipjack (Katsuwonus pelamis)

Yellowfin (T. albacares)

Whale:

Blue (Balaenoptera musculus)

Bowhead (Balaena mysticetus)

Gray (Eschrichtius robustus)

Humpback (Megaptera novaengliae)

Sperm (Physeter macrocephalus)

Western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla)

Whiting, Pacific, or Pacific hake (Merluccius productus)
Most NOAA Technical Memorandums NMFS-NWFSC are available online at the

Northwest Fisheries Science Center web site (http://www.nwfsc.noaa.gov)

NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-NWFSC84 Brand, E.J., I.C. Kaplan. C.J. Harvey, P.S. Levin, E.A. Fulton, A.J. Hermann, and J.C. Field. 2007. 

A spatially explicit ecosystem model of the California Current’s food web and oceanography. U.S. Dept. 

Commer., NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-NWFSC-84, 145 p. NTIS number PB2008-102578.

83 Hecht, S.A., D.H. Baldwin, C.A. Mebane, T. Hawkes, S.J. Gross, and N.L. Scholz. 2007. An overview 

of sensory effects on juvenile salmonids exposed to dissolved copper: Applying a benchmark concentration 

approach to evaluate sublethal neurobehavioral toxicity. U.S. Dept. Commer., NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFSNWFSC-83, 39 p. NTIS number PB2008-102577.

82 Helser, T.E., I.J. Stewart, C.E. Whitmire, and B.H. Horness. 2007. Model-based estimates of abundance 

for 11 species from the NMFS slope surveys. U.S. Dept. Commer., NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-NWFSC82, 145 p. NTIS number PB2008-102576.

81 Hard, J.J., J.M. Myers, M.J. Ford, R.G. Cope, G.R. Pess, R.S. Waples, G.A. Winans, B.A. Berejikian, 

F.W. Waknitz, P.B. Adams. P.A. Bisson, D.E. Campton, and R.R. Reisenbichler. 2007. Status review of 

Puget Sound steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss). U.S. Dept. Commer., NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-NWFSC81, 117 p. NTIS number PB2008-100451.

80 Berntson, E.A., P.S. Levin, and P.C. Moran (editors). 2007. Conservation of North Pacific rockfishes: 

Ecological genetics and stock structure. Proceedings of the workshop, March 2-3, 2004, Seattle, Washington. U.S. Dept. Commer., NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-NWFSC-80, 80 p. NTIS number PB2007-111137.

79 Lawson, P.W., E.P. Bjorkstedt, M.W. Chilcote, C.W. Huntington, J.S. Mills, K.M.S. Moore, T.E.

 Nickelson, G.H. Reeves, H.A. Stout, T.C. Wainwright, and L.A. Weitkamp. 2007. Identification of 

 historical populations of coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) in the Oregon coast evolutionarily significant 

 unit. U.S. Dept. Commer., NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-NWFSC-79, 129 p. NTIS number PB2007-111607.

78 Ruckelshaus, M.H., K.P. Currens, W.H. Graeber, R.R. Fuerstenberg, K. Rawson, N.J. Sands, and J.B. 

Scott. 2006. Independent populations of Chinook salmon in Puget Sound. U.S. Dept. Commer., NOAA 

Tech. Memo. NMFS-NWFSC-78, 125 p. NTIS number PB2007-104920.

77 Sloan, C.A., D.W. Brown, G.M. Ylitalo, J. Buzitis, D.P. Herman, D.G. Burrows, G. Yanagida, R.W. 

Pearce, J.L. Bolton, R.H. Boyer, and M.M. Krahn. 2006. Quality assurance plan for analyses of environmental samples for polycyclic aromatic compounds, persistent organic pollutants, fatty acids, stable isotope ratios, 

lipid classes, and metabolites of polycyclic aromatic compounds. U.S. Dept. Commer., NOAA Tech. Memo. 

NMFS-NWFSC-77, 30 p. NTIS number PB2007-104919.

Recent NOAA Technical Memorandums

published by the

Northwest Fisheries Science Center