Prince of Wales Island (Alaska)
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- For other islands named after the Prince of Wales, see Prince of Wales Island.
Prince of Wales Island is one of the islands of the Alexander Archipelago in the Alaska Panhandle. The island is in the Prince of Wales - Outer Ketchikan Census Area, and is the fourth largest island in the United States and the 97th largest island in the world
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[edit] Geography and ecology
The island is 135 miles (215 km) long, 45 miles (72 km) wide and has an area of 2,577 sq mi (6,675 km²), slightly larger than the State of Delaware.
The island is covered by the Tongass National Forest. It is the main homeland of the Kaigani Haida people, and the only home of the Prince of Wales flying squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus griseifrons)[1].
[edit] Economy
[edit] Logging
Logging has historically been a mainstay of the collective Prince of Wales economy, however, recently there has been a decline in the industry leaving only a few small-scale sawmills operating. In 1975, Herbert Zieske, Chuck Zieske, and Alan Stein and the Point Baker Association hired Dick Folta of Haines to sue the US Forest Service to prevent logging 400,000 acres (1,600 km²) on the northern portion of the island.
In December 1975, Judge von der Heydt issued a ruling injoining clearcutting. In March of 1976, Congress responded to the suit by passing the National Forest Management Act which removed the injunction. Subsequently half of the marketable timber was cut on the north end of the island.
[edit] Tourism
Recently, tourism, including sport fishing has gained a strong place in Prince of Wales' economy. Tourism has also increased in part due to the easier accessibility to Prince of Wales Island by the new Inter-Island Ferry Authority.
[edit] Fishing
Commercial fishing provides the foundation of the economy for numerous towns on the island including Craig, Klawock, Hydaburg, Port Protection, and Point Baker. During the summer, trollers and seiners both fish for all five species of Pacific salmon. Longliners bring up halibut and black cod. Dungeness crab and shrimp seasons are open off and on throughout the year. During the winter there are dive fisheries for geoducks, sea cucumbers, and sea urchins.
[edit] Government
Since Prince of Wales Island is almost entirely made up of federal National Forest land, the two ranger districts (Craig and Thorne Bay) on the island provide employment for a number of residents.
[edit] Transportation
Historically, the Alaska Marine Highway served the port of Hollis, but after skimpy schedules the communities of Prince of Wales Island banded together to create their own ferry service, the Inter-Island Ferry Authority which has two Prince of Wales Island-dedicated vessels in its fleet currently with direct and indirect service (with connections to the Alaska Marine Highway) to Wrangell, Petersburg (via Wrangell), and Ketchikan.
The only airport on Prince of Wales is the Klawock Airport. It receives service from L.A.B. Flying Service with flights from Ketchikan as well as charters. There are numerous seaplane bases in communities throughout the island.
A road system, much of it originally created by the logging industry, spans much of the island and an increasing amount of it is become paved. Only a number of communities on the northern tip of the island are without road access to other Prince of Wales communities.
[edit] Communities
- Coffman Cove
- Craig
- Hollis
- Hydaburg
- Kasaan
- Klawock
- Naukati Bay
- Point Baker
- Port Protection
- Port St. Nicholas
- Thorne Bay
- Waterfall
- Whale Pass
de:Prince-of-Wales-Insel (Alaska) es:Isla Príncipe de Gales fr:Île du Prince-de-Galles (Alaska) ko:프린스오브웨일스 섬 (알래스카 주) pl:Wyspa Księcia Walii (Archipelag Aleksandra)
