Right now, his state quota is 5,000 pounds. He needed to diversify. I've seen it flourish in just the last half-dozen years. Small cruise boats like the Observer , a converted World War II wooden-hulled minesweeper that sleeps 20 passengers and crew, can cruise the 11,000 miles of shoreline of the Tongass archipelago. Nature-based tourism is a booming business throughout Alaska, especially in and around the Tongass.
Tourism now ranks third among private employers, after commercial fishing and sport fishing.
The timber industry has slipped to fourth, which for many residents makes the Tongass clear-cutting issue feel like the tail is wagging the dog. Better management of the Tongass is crucial for my business. No one wants to come up and see clear-cuts. Timber is an important part of the economy. But only a part.